Mark Paul Witton is a British vertebrate
palaeontologist, author, and
palaeoartist best known for his research and illustrations concerning
pterosaurs, the extinct flying
reptiles
Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the Class (biology), class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsid, sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, Squamata, squamates (lizar ...
that lived alongside
dinosaurs. He has worked with museums and universities around the world to reconstruct extinct animals, including as consultant to the ''
Walking with Dinosaurs
''Walking with Dinosaurs'' is a 1999 six-part nature documentary television miniseries created by Tim Haines and produced by the BBC Science Unit the Discovery Channel and BBC Worldwide, in association with TV Asahi, ProSieben and France 3. Envi ...
'' franchise and
BBC's ''Planet Dinosaur'', and has published several critically acclaimed books on palaeontology and palaeoart.
Witton obtained a palaeobiology and evolution degree, his Ph.D., from the University of Portsmouth, where he currently works as support staff. Witton's scientific research has revolved largely around the habits, behaviors, systematics and nomenclature of pterosaurs.
His 2013 book ''Pterosaurs: Natural History, Evolution, Anatomy'' explores the anatomy, ecology and extinction of pterosaurs, in addition to being fully illustrated.
Witton's
palaeoart is regarded as part of the modern, '"anatomically-rigorous" movement.
He has published a book detailing his experience of reconstructing extinct animals in art,
and he also published a "handbook" on the interaction of science and art to produce palaeoart, which was released in August 2018.
References
External links
Twitter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Witton, Mark P.
Living people
Paleoartists
Academics of the University of Portsmouth
British palaeontologists
Year of birth missing (living people)