Research

My primary interest is in the history and diversity of the shape of animals through time. Morphologic evolution has a complex and poorly understood history. Using the both modern and fossil organisms I have been trying to better understand the factors that generate and constrain the diversity of forms through time and across environments. 

I am also interested in the evolution, ecology, and taphonomy of echinoderms. In particular: the origin of crinoids, taxonomy of Ordovician crinoids, and experimental taphonomy of sea urchins. 

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Selected Publications:

Deline, B. and W. I. Ausich., in press. Testing the Plateau; a Reexamination of Early Paleozoic Crinoid Disparity. Paleobiology.

Deline, B. and J. J. Zambito, 2010. Mazon-creek style soft tissue preservation in the Mississippian Nancy Member of the Borden Formation, Northeastern Kentucky: evidence for early siderite precipitation. Southeastern Geology, 47(1), 41-47.

Deline, B., 2009.  The effects of rarity and abundance distributions on measurements of local morphological disparity. Paleobiology 35:175-189.  PDF

Sumrall, C.D. and Deline, B., 2009.  A new species of the dual-mouthed paracrinoid Bistomiacystis and a redescription of Edrioaster priscus from the Upper Ordovician Curdsville Member of the Lexington Limestone. Journal of Paleontology 83(1), 135-139.  PDF

Deline, B. 2008. The first evidence of predatory or parasitic drilling in stylophoran echinoderms.  Acta 

Palaeontologica Polonica 53(4), 739-743. PDF

Brett, C., Deline, B., Mclaughlin, P., 2008.  Attachment, facies distribution, and life history strategies in crinoids from the Upper Ordovician of Kentucky. Pp.23-55. In: W. Ausich and G. Webster eds., Echinoderm Paleobiology, Indiana University Press. Bloomington. 

Deline, B., Baumiller, T. K.; Hoffmeister, A. P.; Kaplan, P.; Kowalewski, M.. 2003. Edge-drilling on the brachiopod Perditocardinia cf. P. dubia from the Mississippian of Missouri (USA) Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. A. Aronowsky, ed.; 201(3-4), 211-219.  PDF