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Dr Martha Richter

Dr Martha Richter

Principal Curator, Vertebrates

Department: Earth Sciences
Division: ES Vertebrates and Anthropology Palaeobiology
Specialisms: Coaching (Leadership), Collections Management, Vertebrate Palaeontology (scientific research)
Phone: 79426008 6008

Summary

My professional career currently has two main components, collections management and scientific research. Since 2006, I manage the fossil vertebrates and anthropology collections, which comprise c. 1M fossils. I also line-manage their curators, whose work is essential to guarantee the long-term care, accessibility, documentation and development of these collections.

My research focuses on fossil fishes and other vertebrates, especially those from the Palaeozoic of Gondwana, but I also worked on fish fossils from Antarctica and other continents. I study their anatomy and histology, phylogenetic interrelationships and the geological context of the places where the fossils are found. Through extensive, internationally collaborative fieldwork in the Paraná and the Parnaíba sedimentary basins in Brazil we have discovered a wealth of new aquatic faunas, both marine and non-marine. The Permian period is of special interest, because these basins have been yielding important fossils that are filling our knowledge gap about how vertebrate faunas on that old continent lived and thrived, survived or perished during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • PhD, Kings College London (KCL), United Kingdom, 1987 - 1991
  • Master of Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, 1978 - 1981
  • Biology Full Licentiate degree (undergradute), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 1974 - 1977

Employment history

    Academic

  • Associated Lecturer and Post-Graduate Supervisor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Palaeontology and Stratigraphy, Brazil, 2001 - 2004
  • Visiting Researcher CNPq 1F, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Geology, Brazil, 2001 - 2004
  • Assistent Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1991 - 1993
  • Associated Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1991 - 1993
  • Assistent Reader, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1986 - 1986
  • Visiting Professor, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), Geology, Brazil, 1982 - 1982
  • Visiting Professor, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Geology, Brazil, 1978 - 1978

    • Non-academic

    Collections Manager (Vertebrates, Anthropology, Micropalaeontology), Natural History Museum, Earth Sciences, 2006 - ongoing

    Curator of Fossil Fishes, Natural History Museum, Palaeontology, 2004 - 2006

    Head of the Laboratory of Paleontology, Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Museum of Sciences and Technology, 1985 - 2000

Publications

RICHTER M, BOSETTI EP, HORODYSKI RS (2017) Early Devonian (Late Emsian) shark fin remains (Chondrichthyes) from the Paraná Basin, southern Brazil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 89 (1) : 103 - 118. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201720160458

Johanson Z, Barrett PM, Richter M, Smith M (2016) Arthur Smith Woodward: His Life and Influence on Modern Vertebrate Palaeontology. Geological Society of London : 362.

Cisneros JC, Marsicano C, Angielczyk KD, Smith RMH, Richter M, Fröbisch J, Kammerer CF, Sadleir RW (2015) New Permian fauna from tropical Gondwana. Nature Communications, 6 (1) : doi: 10.1038/ncomms9676

Brito P, Richter M (2015) The contribution of Sir Arthur Smith Woodward to the palaeoichthyology of Brazil – Smith Woodward's types from Brazil, In: null, null : London.

Žigaitė Ž, Richter M, Karatajūtė-Talimaa V, Smith MM (2013) Tissue diversity and evolutionary trends of the dermal skeleton of Silurian thelodonts. Historical Biology, 25 (2) : 143 - 154. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2013.766184

Abel RL, Laurini CR, Richter M (2012) A palaeobiologist's guide to 'virtual' micro-CT preparation. PALAEONTOLOGIA ELECTRONICA, 15 (2) :

Figuerido E Q de. , Dentzien-Dias PC, RICHTER M, Schultz CL (2011) O registro ictiológico do Permiano brasileiro, In: Paleontologia: Cenários de Vida, Carvalho IS, Srivastana NK, Strohschoen J, Lana CC (Eds). Interciência : Rio de Janeiro. 561 - 573.

Richter M, Daeschler T, Samson I, Shubin N (2011) THE DERMAL SCALES OF TIKTAALIK ROSEAE. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY, 31 : 178 - 179.

Daeschler T, RICHTER M, JOHANSON Z (2010) The first fish with a neck. Set in Stone, The NHM Palaeontology Department Newsletter. 7 : : 20 - 21.

Laurini C, Langer M, Richter M (2009) CHONDRICHTHYAN TEETH FROM THE RIO DO RASTO FORMATION, PERMIAN OF BRAZIL. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY, 29 : 133A - 133A.

Laurini C, Langer MC, RICHTER M (2009) Chondrichthyan teeth from the Rio do Rasto Formation, Permian of Brazil. Abstracts of the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Bristol, September 23-26 2009. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 29(3, Suppl.) :

Richter M (2008) CTENACANTHID SHARK REMAINS (CHONDRICHTHYES) FROM THE LOWER PERMIAN PEDRA DO FOGO FORMATION, STATE OF TOCANTINS, BRAZIL. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY 28 (3) : 131A - 131A.

Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, Richter M (2008) Introduction, In: Fishes and the Break-up of Pangaea. Geological Society Special Publication 295, Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, RICHTER M (Eds). Geological Society of London : London. 372 pp. 7 - 8.

Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, RICHTER M (2008) Fishes and the Break-up of Pangaea. Geological Society Special Publication 295. Geological Society of London :

RICHTER M (2008) Comparative study of Permian shark (Chondrichthyes) faunas of North and South America, In: 55th Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Dublin, Programme & Abstracts., Dyke G, Naish D, Parkes M (Eds). National Museum of Ireland : Dublin. 57 pp. 47 - 48.

Mutter RJ, Richter M (2007) Acanthodian remains from the Middle-Late Permian of Brazil. Geological Journal 42 (2) : Wiley : 213 - 224. doi: 10.1002/gj.1081

MUTTER RJ, Richter M (2007) A new actinopterygian from the Upper Permian Paraná Basin (Brazil). In Blom, H. and Brazeau, M. (eds). 40th Anniversary Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Uppsala, Sweden, August 13-16, 2007. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication, 10 : 71 - 72.

MUTTER R, RICHTER M, Toledo CE (2007) In pursuit of causes for the greatest mass extinction: the Permo-Triassic Boundary in the southern Hemisphere – part 1. Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesselschaft in Zürich, 152 : 1 - 8.

RICHTER M (2007) First record of Eugeneodontiformes (Chondrichthyes:Elasmobranchii) from the Paraná Basin, Late Permian of Brazil, In: Palaeontology - Cenários da Vida, Carvalho IS (Eds). Editora Interciência : Rio de Janeiro. 149 - 156.

Toledo CEV, RICHTER M, Bertini RJ (2007) A new ‘Palaeonisciformes’ from the Corumbataí Formation, Middle Permian of the Paraná Basin, São Paulo State, south-eastern Brazil. In: H. Blom and Brazeau, M.D.(eds). 40th Anniversary Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Uppsala. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication, 10 :

MUTTER R, RICHTER M, Toledo CEV, Bertini R (2006) Fishing in the Rocks. Nature First, 44 : 21 - 22.

RICHTER M, Toledo CEV (2006) First Triassic lungfish from South America. 54th Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Paris, Abstracts, 27 :

MUTTER R, RICHTER M (2005) The South America Permo-Triassic fauna turnover – A synopsis. 12th Gondwana Congress, Mendoza, Argentina, Abstracts,

RICHTER M (2005) Fish remains (Chondrichthyes and Actinopterygii) from the Lower Permian of Brazil IGCP 491. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication : Middle Palaeozoic Vertebrates of Laurussia – relationships with Siberia, Kazakhstan, Asia and Gondwana. Institute of Earth Crust, St. Petersburg, 9 : 30 - 32.

RICHTER M (2005) Mesozoic Fishes 3 book review.. The Palaeontological Association Newsletter, 59 : 126 - 130.

RICHTER M (2005) Report on NAPC 2005.. Set In Stone, the NHM Palaeontology Departmental Newsletter., 3 : 6 - 7.

RICHTER M (2005) Brazil. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology New Bulletin, 188 : 44 - 45.

RICHTER M (2005) KeEmu: A brief summary of a deep-impact project.. Set in Stone, the NHM Palaeontology Departmental Newsletter., 2 :

RICHTER M (2005) A new xenacanthid shark (Chondrichthyes) from the Teresina Formation, Permian of the paraná Basin, southern Brazil.. Revista Brasileira de Palaeontologia, 8 : 140 - 158.

RICHTER M (2005) News from Members. Brazil. SVP News Bulletin, 188 : 44 - 45.

RICHTER M, MACLEOD N, RISSONE A (2005) Large-museum specimen databases: past, present and future. PaleoBios, 25 :

RISSONE A, MACLEOD N, RICHTER M (2005) Taxonomic databases: new directions and new standards.. PaleoBios, 25(2)(Supplement) : 78 - 79.

Toledo PM, Costa SAF, Moraes-Santos HM, RICHTER M (2005) O gênero Carcharhinus Blainville (Chondrichthyes) no Neogeno da Amazônia oriental, Formação Pirabas (Pará, Brasil). XIX Congresso Brasileiro de Paleontologia, Aracajú, Resumos,

Toledo CEV, RICHTER M, Bertini R (2005) A new occurrence of Gnathorhiza (Dipnoiformes) in the Permian of the Parana Basin from the São Paulo State. II Congresso Latino-Americano de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Boletim de Resumos, 263 - 265.

RICHTER M (2004) 10th International Symposium of Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates. Sociedade Brasileira de Paleontologia and UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Programme and Abstracts Volume, 48. :

RICHTER M (2004) Thinking higher and lower about Brazilian fossil fishes.. Set in Stone, 2(3) : 14 - 15.

RICHTER M (2004) Distribution of Permian Fishes of Brazil and their Palaeoenvironment.. The Palaeontological Association 48th Annual Meeting. University of Lille. Abstracts with Programme. Palaeontological Association Newsletter, 57 : 178 - 179.

Giles Miller C, Richter M, Do Carmo DA (2002) Fish and ostracod remains from the Santos Basin (Cretaceous to Recent), Brazil. Geological Journal, 37 (4) : 297 - 316. doi: 10.1002/gj.917

Courses taught

MSc: MSc in Taxonomy and Systematics
2/2017.

PhD: PhD in Palaeontology
9/2015 - on going.

Course developed

Co developers: Richter M
Natural History Collections Module, 12/2/2017

Introduction

Summary

My professional career currently has two main components, collections management and scientific research. Since 2006, I manage the fossil vertebrates and anthropology collections, which comprise c. 1M fossils. I also line-manage their curators, whose work is essential to guarantee the long-term care, accessibility, documentation and development of these collections.

My research focuses on fossil fishes and other vertebrates, especially those from the Palaeozoic of Gondwana, but I also worked on fish fossils from Antarctica and other continents. I study their anatomy and histology, phylogenetic interrelationships and the geological context of the places where the fossils are found. Through extensive, internationally collaborative fieldwork in the Paraná and the Parnaíba sedimentary basins in Brazil we have discovered a wealth of new aquatic faunas, both marine and non-marine. The Permian period is of special interest, because these basins have been yielding important fossils that are filling our knowledge gap about how vertebrate faunas on that old continent lived and thrived, survived or perished during the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event.

Qualifications

    Degrees

  • PhD, Kings College London (KCL), United Kingdom, 1987 - 1991
  • Master of Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, 1978 - 1981
  • Biology Full Licentiate degree (undergradute), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 1974 - 1977

Employment history

    Academic

  • Associated Lecturer and Post-Graduate Supervisor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Palaeontology and Stratigraphy, Brazil, 2001 - 2004
  • Visiting Researcher CNPq 1F, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Geology, Brazil, 2001 - 2004
  • Assistent Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1991 - 1993
  • Associated Professor, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1991 - 1993
  • Assistent Reader, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Zoology, Brazil, 1986 - 1986
  • Visiting Professor, Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), Geology, Brazil, 1982 - 1982
  • Visiting Professor, Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Geology, Brazil, 1978 - 1978

    • Non-academic

    Collections Manager (Vertebrates, Anthropology, Micropalaeontology), Natural History Museum, Earth Sciences, 2006 - ongoing

    Curator of Fossil Fishes, Natural History Museum, Palaeontology, 2004 - 2006

    Head of the Laboratory of Paleontology, Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Museum of Sciences and Technology, 1985 - 2000

Publications

Publications

RICHTER M, BOSETTI EP, HORODYSKI RS (2017) Early Devonian (Late Emsian) shark fin remains (Chondrichthyes) from the Paraná Basin, southern Brazil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 89 (1) : 103 - 118. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765201720160458

Johanson Z, Barrett PM, Richter M, Smith M (2016) Arthur Smith Woodward: His Life and Influence on Modern Vertebrate Palaeontology. Geological Society of London : 362.

Cisneros JC, Marsicano C, Angielczyk KD, Smith RMH, Richter M, Fröbisch J, Kammerer CF, Sadleir RW (2015) New Permian fauna from tropical Gondwana. Nature Communications, 6 (1) : doi: 10.1038/ncomms9676

Brito P, Richter M (2015) The contribution of Sir Arthur Smith Woodward to the palaeoichthyology of Brazil – Smith Woodward's types from Brazil, In: null, null : London.

Žigaitė Ž, Richter M, Karatajūtė-Talimaa V, Smith MM (2013) Tissue diversity and evolutionary trends of the dermal skeleton of Silurian thelodonts. Historical Biology, 25 (2) : 143 - 154. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2013.766184

Abel RL, Laurini CR, Richter M (2012) A palaeobiologist's guide to 'virtual' micro-CT preparation. PALAEONTOLOGIA ELECTRONICA, 15 (2) :

Figuerido E Q de. , Dentzien-Dias PC, RICHTER M, Schultz CL (2011) O registro ictiológico do Permiano brasileiro, In: Paleontologia: Cenários de Vida, Carvalho IS, Srivastana NK, Strohschoen J, Lana CC (Eds). Interciência : Rio de Janeiro. 561 - 573.

Richter M, Daeschler T, Samson I, Shubin N (2011) THE DERMAL SCALES OF TIKTAALIK ROSEAE. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY, 31 : 178 - 179.

Daeschler T, RICHTER M, JOHANSON Z (2010) The first fish with a neck. Set in Stone, The NHM Palaeontology Department Newsletter. 7 : : 20 - 21.

Laurini C, Langer M, Richter M (2009) CHONDRICHTHYAN TEETH FROM THE RIO DO RASTO FORMATION, PERMIAN OF BRAZIL. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY, 29 : 133A - 133A.

Laurini C, Langer MC, RICHTER M (2009) Chondrichthyan teeth from the Rio do Rasto Formation, Permian of Brazil. Abstracts of the 69th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Bristol, September 23-26 2009. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 29(3, Suppl.) :

Richter M (2008) CTENACANTHID SHARK REMAINS (CHONDRICHTHYES) FROM THE LOWER PERMIAN PEDRA DO FOGO FORMATION, STATE OF TOCANTINS, BRAZIL. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY 28 (3) : 131A - 131A.

Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, Richter M (2008) Introduction, In: Fishes and the Break-up of Pangaea. Geological Society Special Publication 295, Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, RICHTER M (Eds). Geological Society of London : London. 372 pp. 7 - 8.

Cavin L, LONGBOTTOM A, RICHTER M (2008) Fishes and the Break-up of Pangaea. Geological Society Special Publication 295. Geological Society of London :

RICHTER M (2008) Comparative study of Permian shark (Chondrichthyes) faunas of North and South America, In: 55th Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Dublin, Programme & Abstracts., Dyke G, Naish D, Parkes M (Eds). National Museum of Ireland : Dublin. 57 pp. 47 - 48.

Mutter RJ, Richter M (2007) Acanthodian remains from the Middle-Late Permian of Brazil. Geological Journal 42 (2) : Wiley : 213 - 224. doi: 10.1002/gj.1081

MUTTER RJ, Richter M (2007) A new actinopterygian from the Upper Permian Paraná Basin (Brazil). In Blom, H. and Brazeau, M. (eds). 40th Anniversary Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Uppsala, Sweden, August 13-16, 2007. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication, 10 : 71 - 72.

MUTTER R, RICHTER M, Toledo CE (2007) In pursuit of causes for the greatest mass extinction: the Permo-Triassic Boundary in the southern Hemisphere – part 1. Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesselschaft in Zürich, 152 : 1 - 8.

RICHTER M (2007) First record of Eugeneodontiformes (Chondrichthyes:Elasmobranchii) from the Paraná Basin, Late Permian of Brazil, In: Palaeontology - Cenários da Vida, Carvalho IS (Eds). Editora Interciência : Rio de Janeiro. 149 - 156.

Toledo CEV, RICHTER M, Bertini RJ (2007) A new ‘Palaeonisciformes’ from the Corumbataí Formation, Middle Permian of the Paraná Basin, São Paulo State, south-eastern Brazil. In: H. Blom and Brazeau, M.D.(eds). 40th Anniversary Symposium on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, Uppsala. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication, 10 :

MUTTER R, RICHTER M, Toledo CEV, Bertini R (2006) Fishing in the Rocks. Nature First, 44 : 21 - 22.

RICHTER M, Toledo CEV (2006) First Triassic lungfish from South America. 54th Symposium of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Comparative Anatomy, Paris, Abstracts, 27 :

MUTTER R, RICHTER M (2005) The South America Permo-Triassic fauna turnover – A synopsis. 12th Gondwana Congress, Mendoza, Argentina, Abstracts,

RICHTER M (2005) Fish remains (Chondrichthyes and Actinopterygii) from the Lower Permian of Brazil IGCP 491. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication : Middle Palaeozoic Vertebrates of Laurussia – relationships with Siberia, Kazakhstan, Asia and Gondwana. Institute of Earth Crust, St. Petersburg, 9 : 30 - 32.

RICHTER M (2005) Mesozoic Fishes 3 book review.. The Palaeontological Association Newsletter, 59 : 126 - 130.

RICHTER M (2005) Report on NAPC 2005.. Set In Stone, the NHM Palaeontology Departmental Newsletter., 3 : 6 - 7.

RICHTER M (2005) Brazil. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology New Bulletin, 188 : 44 - 45.

RICHTER M (2005) KeEmu: A brief summary of a deep-impact project.. Set in Stone, the NHM Palaeontology Departmental Newsletter., 2 :

RICHTER M (2005) A new xenacanthid shark (Chondrichthyes) from the Teresina Formation, Permian of the paraná Basin, southern Brazil.. Revista Brasileira de Palaeontologia, 8 : 140 - 158.

RICHTER M (2005) News from Members. Brazil. SVP News Bulletin, 188 : 44 - 45.

RICHTER M, MACLEOD N, RISSONE A (2005) Large-museum specimen databases: past, present and future. PaleoBios, 25 :

RISSONE A, MACLEOD N, RICHTER M (2005) Taxonomic databases: new directions and new standards.. PaleoBios, 25(2)(Supplement) : 78 - 79.

Toledo PM, Costa SAF, Moraes-Santos HM, RICHTER M (2005) O gênero Carcharhinus Blainville (Chondrichthyes) no Neogeno da Amazônia oriental, Formação Pirabas (Pará, Brasil). XIX Congresso Brasileiro de Paleontologia, Aracajú, Resumos,

Toledo CEV, RICHTER M, Bertini R (2005) A new occurrence of Gnathorhiza (Dipnoiformes) in the Permian of the Parana Basin from the São Paulo State. II Congresso Latino-Americano de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, Boletim de Resumos, 263 - 265.

RICHTER M (2004) 10th International Symposium of Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates. Sociedade Brasileira de Paleontologia and UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Programme and Abstracts Volume, 48. :

RICHTER M (2004) Thinking higher and lower about Brazilian fossil fishes.. Set in Stone, 2(3) : 14 - 15.

RICHTER M (2004) Distribution of Permian Fishes of Brazil and their Palaeoenvironment.. The Palaeontological Association 48th Annual Meeting. University of Lille. Abstracts with Programme. Palaeontological Association Newsletter, 57 : 178 - 179.

Giles Miller C, Richter M, Do Carmo DA (2002) Fish and ostracod remains from the Santos Basin (Cretaceous to Recent), Brazil. Geological Journal, 37 (4) : 297 - 316. doi: 10.1002/gj.917

Teaching and students

Courses taught

MSc: MSc in Taxonomy and Systematics
2/2017.

PhD: PhD in Palaeontology
9/2015 - on going.

Course developed

Co developers: Richter M
Natural History Collections Module, 12/2/2017