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About

Hi, thanks for visiting my website. I'm a palaeontological author, artist and researcher based on the south coast of the UK. I'm best known for my research on pterosaurs and, more recently, my contributions to palaeoart - the evidence-led restoration of extinct organisms in drawings, paintings, sculpture and film.

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My background is in scientific research rather than writing and artistry. I obtained my PhD from the University of Portsmouth in 2008 after three years of studying pterosaurs, the flying reptiles contemporaneous with non-avian dinosaurs. I remain active in pterosaur research, but since completing my thesis I've found myself employed more as an artist, author and consultant than as a traditional academic. My career has thus shifted focus to reconstructing and writing about extinct animals, and I now publish research in this area alongside studies on the palaeobiology of extinct animals. I've also been lucky to work with some major media clients in this capacity, with my creature designs and input being used by the BBC (Prehistoric Planet, Walking with Dinosaurs and others ), National Geographic, Royal Mail and the Royal Mint. 

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My artwork has been displayed globally, with notable venues including the Natural History Museum (London), American Museum of Natural History, Yale Peabody Museum and London's South Bank. Happily, you needn't travel to see them: you can check out my artwork in this gallery instead.

 

Despite having origins in the early 1800s, the science behind restoring ancient animal life appearance is still developing and any palaeoartworks - including my own - are only as accurate as contemporary science allows. Palaeoart is not, of course, a science, but – perhaps because of my training as a scientist – I reason that we can, and probably should, approach many aspects of our reconstructions with a scientific mindset. Rather than constraining our art or making it drab and staged, I find that closely following scientific data leads to innovative and interesting takes on Deep Time. In 2018, I published a detailed synthesis of palaeoart methodology, The Palaeoartist’s Handbook (Crowood Press), to outline the depth of research and information required to make credible restorations of fossil organisms. This book remains the best place to get the lowdown on my approach to palaeoartistry.


If you enjoy the artwork shown here, or you share my interests in fossil animals and how we restore them in palaeoart, you may also enjoy my other books: Pterosaurs: Natural History, Evolution, Anatomy (2013), Recreating an Age of Reptiles (2017), Life through the Ages II: Twenty-First Century Visions of Prehistory (2020) The Art and Science of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs (2022), King Tyrant: A Natural History of Tyrannosaurus rex (2025) and Spinosaur Tales (2025).

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If you'd like to contact me to discuss commissions, image licencing or consultancy work, please email wittonprints@gmail.com.

Publications

Research papers

  • Cullen, T. M., Larson, D. W., Witton, M. P., Scott, D., Maho, T., Brink, K. S., ... & Reisz, R. 2023. Theropod dinosaur facial reconstruction and the importance of soft tissues in paleobiology. Science, 379, 1348-1352. [LINK]

  • Dyke, G., Vremir, M., Brusatte, S. L., Bever, G. S., Buffetaut, E., Chapman, S.... and Witton, M. 2014. Thalassodromeus sebesensis—A new name for an old turtle. Comment on “Thalassodromeus sebesensis, an out of place and out of time Gondwanan tapejarid pterosaur”, Grellet-Tinner and Codrea. Gondwana Research. 27, 1680–1682. [LINK]

  • Hone, D. W., Witton, M. P., & Habib, M. B. 2018. Evidence for the Cretaceous shark Cretoxyrhina mantelli feeding on the pterosaur Pteranodon from the Niobrara Formation. PeerJ, 6, e6031. [LINK]

  • Humphries, S., Bonser, R. H. C., Witton, M. P. and Martill, D. M. 2007. Did pterosaurs feed by skimming? Physical modelling and anatomical evaluation of an unusual feeding method. PLoS Biology, 5, e204. [LINK]

  • Hyder, E., Witton, M. P. and Martill, D. M. 2012. Evolution of the pterosaur pelvis. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 59, 109–124. [LINK]

  • Martill, D. M. and Witton, M. P. 2008. Catastrophic failure in a pterosaur skull from the Cretaceous Santana Formation of Brazil. Zitteliana, 28, 177-185.

  • Martill, D. M., Witton, M. P. and Gale, A. 2008. Possible azhdarchoid pterosaur remains from the Coniacian (Late Cretaceous) of England. Zitteliana, 28, 209-218. [PDF]

  • Martin-Silverstone, E., Witton, M. P., Arbour, V. M., and Currie, P. J. 2016. A small azhdarchoid pterosaur from the latest Cretaceous, the age of flying giants. Royal Society Open Science, 3, 160333. [LINK]

  • Naish, D. and Witton, M. P. 2017. Neck biomechanics indicate that giant Transylvanian azhdarchid pterosaurs were short-necked arch predators. PeerJ 5:e2908. [LINK]

  • Naish, D., Witton, M. P., & Martin-Silverstone, E. (2021). Powered flight in hatchling pterosaurs: evidence from wing form and bone strength. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-15. [LINK]

  • Tomkins, J. L., LeBas, N. R., Witton, M. P., Martill, D. M. and Humphries, S. 2010. Positive allometry and the prehistory of sexual selection. The American Naturalist, 176, 141-148. [PDF]

  • Vremir, M., Witton, M. P., Naish, D., Dyke, G., Brusatte, S., Norell, M., & Totoianu, R. 2015. A medium-sized robust-necked azhdarchid pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea: Azhdarchidae) from the Maastrichtian of Pui (HaÅ£eg Basin, Transylvania, Romania). American Museum Novitates, 3827, 1-16. [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P. 2008. A new approach to determining pterosaur body mass and its implications for pterosaur flight. Zitteliana, 28, 143-159. [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P. 2008. A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Crato Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Aptian?) of Brazil. Palaeontology. 51, 1289-1300. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2009. A new species of Tupuxuara (Thalassodromidae, Azhdarchoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation of Brazil, with a note on the nomenclature of Thalassodromidae. Cretaceous Research, 30, 1293-1300. [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P. 2010. Pteranodon and beyond: the history of giant pterosaurs from 1870 onward. In: Moody, R. T. J., Buffetaut, E., Naish, D. and Martill, D. M. (eds.) Dinosaurs and other extinct saurians: a historical perspective. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 310, 313-323. [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P. 2012. New insights into the skull of Istiodactylus latidens (Ornithocheiroidea, Pterodactyloidea). PLoS ONE, 7, e33170. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2015. Were early pterosaurs inept terrestrial locomotors? PeerJ, 3, e1018. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2019. Pterosaurs in Mesozoic ecosystems: a review of fossil evidence. In: Hone, D. W. E., Martill, D. M. and Witton, M. P. (eds.) New Perspectives on Pterosaur Palaeobiology. Geological Society Special Publications, 455 (1), 7-23 [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P. 2025. The past, present and future of Megalosaurus bucklandii in paleoart. Earth Sciences History, 44(1), 202-246. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. and Habib, M. B. 2010. On the size and flight diversity of giant pterosaurs, the use of birds as pterosaur analogues and comments on pterosaur flightlessness. PLoS ONE, 5, e13982. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P., & Hing, R. A. (2024). Did the horned dinosaur Protoceratops inspire the griffin? Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 49, 363-388. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. and Naish, D. 2008. A reappraisal of azhdarchid pterosaur functional morphology and paleoecology. PLoS ONE, 3, e2271. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P., & Naish, D. 2013. Azhdarchid pterosaurs: water-trawling pelican mimics or “terrestrial stalkers”?. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 60(3), 651-660. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P., Martill, D. M. and Green, M. 2009. On pterodactyloid diversity in the British Wealden (Lower Cretaceous) and a reappraisal of “Palaeornis” cliftii Mantell, 1844. Cretaceous Research, 30, 676-686. [PDF]

  • Witton, M. P., O’Sullivan M., and Martill, D. M. 2015. The relationships of Cuspicephalus scarfi Martill and Etches, 2013 and Normannognathus wellnhoferi Buffetaut et al., 1998 to other monofenestratan pterosaurs. Contributions to Zoology, 84(2), 115-127. [LINK]

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Published conference proceedings

  • Habib, M. B. and Witton, M. P. 2010. Soaring efficiency and long distance travel in giant pterosaurs. Acta Geoscientica Sinica, 31 (1), 27-28.

  • Hyder, E. S., Martill, D. M. and Witton, M. P. 2010. A neoazhdarchian pelvis with a possible preserved air sac from the Santana Formation of Brazil: implications for functionality and phylogeny. Acta Geoscientica Sinica, 31 (1), 32-32.

  • Witton, M. P. 2010. Pteranodon and beyond: the history of giant pterosaurs from 1870 onward. In: Moody, R., Buffetaut, E., Martill, D. M. and Naish, D. (eds.) Dinosaurs and other extinct saurians – a historical perspective, Geological Society, London, 71-72.

  • Witton, M. P. and Habib, M. B. 2010. The volancy, or not, of giant pterosaurs. Acta Geoscientica Sinica, 31 (1), 76-78.

  • Witton, M. P., Martill, D. M. and Loveridge, R. F. 2010. Clipping the wings of giant pterosaurs: comments on wingspan estimations and diversity. Acta Geoscientica Sinica, 31 (1), 79-81.

  • Witton, M. P. 2013. The new giant pterosaurs: novel anatomies and habits in the largest flying animals. VI Jornadas Internacionales sobre Paleontología de Dinosaurios y su Entorno abstract book, Colectivo Arqueológico y Paleontológico de Salas, C.A.S., 37-39.

Books

  • Hone, D. W. E., Witton, M. P. and Martill, D. M. (eds.) 2019. New Perspectives on Pterosaur Palaeobiology. Geological Society Special Publications. [LINK]

  • Veldmeijer, A. J. and Witton, M. P. 2010. Pterosauriërs: vliegende tijdgenoten van de dinosauriers. Drukware, Norg. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2013. Pterosaurs: Natural History, Evolution, Anatomy. Princeton University Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2016. Recreating an Age of Reptiles. Red Phare.

  • Witton, M. P. 2017. Recreating an Age of Reptiles. 2nd Edition. Crowood Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2018. The Palaeoartist Handbook. Crowood Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2020. Life Through the Ages 2. Indiana University Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. and Michel, E. 2022. The Art and Science of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs. Crowood Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. 2025. King Tyrant: a natural history of Tyrannosaurus rex. Princeton University Press, [LINK]

  • Hone, D. and Witton, M. P. 2025. Spinosaur Tales: The Biology and Ecology of the Spinosaurs. Bloomsbury Sigma. [LINK]

Book Chapters

  • Martill, D. M., Sweetman, S. and Witton, M. P. 2012. Pterosaurs of the Wealden. In Batten, D. J. (Ed.) English Wealden fossils (Palaeontological Association Field Guide to Fossils No 55). Wiley–Blackwell.

  • Tattersdill, W. and Witton, M. P. The 'Spin'in Spinosaurus: inventing a modern dinosaur superstar. In Manias, C. (Ed.) Palaeontology in Public. UCL Press. [LINK]

  • Witton, M. P. In Press. The science of restoring dinosaur life appearance. The Complete Dinosaur III.
     

Select consultancy roles

2024 - BBC Studios

Technical adviser for Walking with Dinosaurs (2025)

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2023 - PalaeoGames

Technical adviser for Doctor Dhrolin's Dictionary of Dinosaurs

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2019-2020 - BBC Earth

Adviser and creature designer for Apple TV+ Prehistoric Planet (series 1-2)

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2017 - National Geographic

Consultant on pterosaur article Pterosaurs—Lords of the Ancient Skies published in November 2017

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2015 - Blink Films

Scientific adviser for National Geographic documentary

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2010 – 2011 BBC World/Evergreen (Cretaceous FIlms) Pty Ltd

Creature designer and palaeontological consultant for Walking with Dinosaurs 3D

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2009 - 2011 BBC Media

Palaeontological consultant for Planet Dinosaur

Technical advisor to artists and production team on the pterosaurs featured in the series.

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2009 – 2010: Atlantic productions

Palaeontological consultant for Flying Monsters 3D

Technical advisor to artists, animators and production team for the BAFTA-winning David Attenborough film.

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2008 - 2009: Dangerous Ltd

Palaeontological consultant for Clash of the Dinosaurs

All website content © Mark P. Witton.

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