Brad Deline, Ph.D.

Professor of Geology
School of Field Investigations and Experimental Sciences Dr. Perry College of Mathematics, Computing, and Sciences

678-839-4061
bdeline@wesfrVbVGuRBTtabwtzH63T43bQjdGrRk2lBhOGytga.edu

Callaway Science Building - Room G-1-4

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Brad Deline, Ph.D.
Biography

I am a paleontologist with a focus on documenting and interpreting the diversity in organismal body forms through time. In particular, I am interested in examining the dynamics during major evolutionary transitions, such as the initial diversification of individual phyla as well as all metazoans along with exploring the methods used to illuminate these patterns. My research is often focused on patterns within echinoderms (particularly crinoids) exploring their paleobiology, systematics, morphology, taphonomy and early evolutionary history.

Education / Degrees
  • B.S., Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 2003
  • M.S., Geology, University of Cincinnati, 2006
  • Ph.D., Geology, University of Cincinnati, 2009
Courses Taught
Course Sections and Syllabi

Fall 2025 Sections

Summer 2025 Sections

Spring 2025 Sections

Fall 2024 Sections

Summer 2024 Sections

Spring 2024 Sections

Fall 2023 Sections

Summer 2023 Sections

Spring 2023 Sections

Fall 2022 Sections

Spring 2022 Sections

Fall 2021 Sections

Summer 2021 Sections

Spring 2021 Sections

Fall 2020 Sections

Publication List

Novack-Gottshall, P. M., Sultan, A. Smith, N. S., Purcell, J., Hanson, K. E., Lively, R., Ranjha, I., Collins, C., Parker, R., Sumrall, C. D., and B. Deline. Morphological volatility precedes ecological innovation in early echinoderms. Nature Ecology and [View Publication External Resource]

Sheffield, S. L., Lam, A. R., Phillips, S. F.*, and B. Deline. 2022. Morphologic dynamics and response following the dispersal of Ordovician- Silurian Diploporan Echinoderms to Laurentia. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Mi [View Publication External Resource]

Hodnett, JP. M. Muskelly, C. O., Shell, R. C., and B. Deline 2023. Early-Middle Mississippian Stethacanthus (Chondrichthyes; Symmoriiformes) from the Lavendar Shale Member of the Fort Payne Formation, Northwestern Georgia. New Mexico Museum of Natural Hi

Novack-Gottshall, P. M., J. Puchell, A. Sultan, I. Ranjha, B. Deline, and C. D. Sumrall. 2024. Ecological Novelty at the start of the Cambrian and Ordovician Radiations of Echinoderms. Palaeontology, 67(1), e12688. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B. 2021. Echinoderm morphological disparity: methods, patterns, and possibilities. Elements of Paleontology, 48 p. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, Bradley, Jeffrey R. Thompson, Nicholas S. Smith, Samuel Zamora, Imran A. Rahman, Sarah L. Sheffield, William I. Ausich, Thomas W. Kammer, and Colin D. Sumrall. "Evolution and development at the origin of a phylum." Current Biology 30, no. 9 (2020): [View Publication External Resource]

Ferrón, Humberto G., Jenny M. Greenwood, Bradley Deline, Carlos Martínez‐Pérez, Héctor Botella, Robert S. Sansom, Marcello Ruta, and Philip CJ Donoghue. "Categorical versus geometric morphometric approaches to characterizing the evolution of morpholo [View Publication External Resource]

Harris, F., Alley, H., Fine, R., & Deline, B. (2019). Rare colonial corals from the Upper Ordovician Kope Formation of Kentucky and their role in ephemeral invasions in the Edenian. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 533, 109279. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B., Greenwood, J. M., Clark, J. W., Puttick, M. N., Peterson, K. J., & Donoghue, P. C. (2018). Evolution of metazoan morphological disparity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(38), E8909-E8918. [View Publication External Resource]

Zamora, S., Deline, B., Álvaro, J. J., & Rahman, I. A. (2017). The Cambrian Substrate Revolution and the early evolution of attachment in suspension-feeding echinoderms. Earth-Science Reviews, 171, 478-491. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B. and J. R. Thomka, 2017. The role of preservation on the quantificaition of morphology and patterns of disparity within Paleozoic echinoderms. Journal of Paleontology 91(3): 1-15. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B. and W. I. Ausich. 2017. Character selection and the quantification of morphological disparity. Paleobiology 43(1): 68-84. [View Publication External Resource]

Dattilo, B.F., Freeman, R. L., Peters, W.S., Heimbrock, B. Deline, B. Martin, A.J., Kallmeyer, J., Reeder, J., and A. Argast. 2016. Giants among micromorphs: Were Cincinnatian (Ordovician, Katian) Small Shelly phosphatic faunas dwarfed? Palaios 31: 55-70 [View Publication External Resource]

Hetherington, A.J., Sherratt, E., Ruta, M., Wilkinson, M., Deline, B., and P.C.J. Donoghue. 2015. Do cladistics and morphometric data capture common patterns of morphological disparity. Palaeontology 58(3): 393-399. [View Publication External Resource]

Sumrall, C.D., Deline, B., Colmenar, J., Sheffield, S.L., and S. Zamora, S. 2015. New data on Late Ordovician (Katian) echinoderms from Sardinia, Italy.. Pp. 175-180. In: S. Zamora and I. Rábano eds., Progress in Echinoderm Paleontology.Publicaciones de [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B. 2015. Quantifying morphological diversity in Early Paleozoic echinoderms. Pp. 45-48. In: S. Zamora and I. Rábano eds., Progress in Echinoderm Paleontology.Publicaciones del Instituto Geológico y minero de españa. Madrid. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B., S. Smallwood*, and T.M. Chowns. 2014. The limits of faunal gradient analysis; attempting to identify small-scale cyclicitiy within a monotonous carbonate facies (Bangor Limestone, Mississippian). Southeastern Geology 50(2): 83-92.

Deline, B. and K. M. Parsons-Hubbard, 2013. Experimentally observed soft-tissue preservation near a marine brine seep. Palaeontology. 56(4): 893-900. [View Publication External Resource]

Kammer, T., Sumrall, C., Zamora, S., Ausich, W., and B. Deline,2013. Oral Region Homologies in Paleozoic Crinoids and other Plesiomorphic Pentaradial Echinoderms. PLOS ONE 8(11): 1-16. [View Publication External Resource]

Hearn, P. W.* and B. Deline, 2012. A new species of Paradiabolocrinus from the Upper Ordovician of central Kentucky, USA. Southeastern Geology 49(1): 25-30. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline. B., W. I. Ausich, and C. E. Brett, 2012. Comparing taxonomic and geographic scales in the morphologic disparity of Ordovician through Early Silurian Laurentian Crinoids. Paleobiology 38(4), 538-553. [View Publication External Resource]

Ausich, W.I. and B. Deline, 2012. Macroevolutionary transition in crinoids following the Late Ordovician extinction event (Ordovician to Early Silurian). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, and Palaeoecology. 361-362: 38-48. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B. and W. I. Ausich., 2011. Testing the Plateau; a Reexamination of Early Paleozoic Crinoid Disparity. Paleobiology 37(2): 214-236. [View Publication External Resource]

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. [View Publication External Resource]

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. [View Publication External Resource]

Deline, B., 2009. The effects of rarity and abundance distributions on measurements of local morphological disparity. Paleobiology 35:175-189. [View Publication External Resource]

Parsons-Hubbard, K. M., Powell, E. N., Raymond, A., Walker S., Brett, C., Ashton-Alcox, K., Shepard R. N., Krause R., and B. Deline. 2008. The taphonomic signature of a brine seep and the potential for Burgess Shale style preservation. Journal of Shellfi [View Publication External Resource]

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.

Deline, B. 2008. The first evidence of predatory or parasitic drilling in stylophoran echinoderms. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53(4): 739-743. [View Publication External Resource]

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.;  [View Publication External Resource]