Current position:
2024-present NERC Independent Research Fellow, University of Exeter
Past positions:
2021-2024 Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
2021-2024 Homerton College Research Associate, University of Cambridge
2019-2020 Biodiversity Research Fellow, Museum of Comparative Zoology & OEB, Harvard University
Education:
2015-2019 DPhil Zoology, University of Oxford
Included 1 year as a visiting researcher (ISTE, University of Lausanne) 2017-2018
2010-2014 MSci Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge
2025
45. Mitchell, E. G. and Pates, S. 2025. From organisms to biodiversity: the ecology of the Ediacaran/Cambrian transition. Paleobiology. First view:1-24. doi.org/10.1017/pab.2024.21
2024
44. Cox, A. and Pates, S.* 2024. Geographic, taxonomic and temporal interrogation of bradoriid diversity and carapace disparity. Palaeontologia Electronica. 27:3.a56. doi.org/10.26879/1424 *corresponding author summer student project
43. Pates, S., Ma, J., Wu, Y. and Fu, D. 2024. Impact of ontogeny and spines on the hydrodynamic performance of the Cambrian arthropod Isoxys. Royal Society Open Science. 11:240894. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.240894
42. Drage, H. and Pates, S. 2024. Distinct causes underlie double-peaked trilobite morphological disparity in cephalic shape. Communications Biology. 7:1490. doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07221-2
41. Du, K., Guo, J., Losso, S.R.*, Pates, S.*, Li, M., and Chen, A.* 2024. Multiple origins of dorsal ecdysial sutures in trilobites and their relatives. eLife. 12:RP93113. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.93113.4 *corresponding author
40. Wu, Y., Pates, S., Liu, C., Zhang, M., Lin, W., Ma, J., Wu, Y., Chai, S., Zhang, X. and Fu, D. 2024. A new radiodont from the lower Cambrian (Series 2 Stage 3) Chengjiang Lagerstatte, South China informs the evolution of feeding structures in radiodonts. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 22:2364887. doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2024.2364887
39. Wu, Y., Pates, S., Zhang, M., Lin, W., Ma, J., Liu, C., Wu, Y., Zhang, X. and Fu, D. 2024. Exceptionally preserved radiodont arthropods from the lower Cambrian (Stage 3) Qingjiang Lagerstatte of Hubei, South China and the biogeographic and diversification patterns of radiodonts. Papers in Palaeontology. 10:e1583. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1583
38. Pates, S., Xue, Y. 2024. Hydrodynamic performance of Ordovician archaeostracan carapaces. PLoS ONE. 19:e0304559. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304559 summer student project
37. Lin, W., Pates, S., Losso, S. R. and Fu, D. 2024. Intraspecific variation of early Cambrian (stage 3) arthropod Retifacies abnormalis revealed by morphometric analyses. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 12:1336365. doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1336365
36. Wu, Y.*, Pates, S.*, Pauly, D., Zhang, X., Fu, D. 2024. Rapid growth in a large Cambrian apex predator. National Science Review. 11:nwad284. doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwad284 *joint first authors
2023
35. Pates, S.* and Zamora, S.* 2023. Large euarthropod carapaces from a high latitude Cambrian (Drumian) deposit in Spain. Royal Society Open Science. 10:230935. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230935 *joint first authors
34. Kimmig, J., Pates, S., LaVine, R., Krumenacker, L. J., Whitaker, A. F., Strotz, L. C., Jamison, P. G., Gunther, V. G., Gunther, G., Witte, M., Daley, A. C. and Lieberman, B. S. 2023. New soft-bodied panarthropods from diverse Spence Shale (Cambrian; Miaolingian; Wuliuan) depositional environments. Journal of Paleontology. doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2023.24
33. Ma, J., Pates, S., Wu, Y., Lin, W., Liu, C., Wu, Y., Zhang, M. and Fu, D. 2023. Ontogeny and brooding strategy of the early Cambrian arthropod Isoxys minor from the Qingjiang biota. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 11:1174564. doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1174564
32. Botting J.P., Muir, L.A., Pates, S., McCobb, L.M.E., Wallet, E., Willman, S., Zhang, Y. and Ma, J. 2023. A Middle Ordovician Burgess Shale-type fauna from Castle Bank, Wales (UK). Nature Ecology & Evolution. 7. 666-674. doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02038-4
2022
31. Pates, S., Botting, J.P., Muir, L.A. and Wolfe, J.M. 2022. Ordovician opabiniid-like animals and the role of the proboscis in euarthropod head evolution. Nature Communications, 13: 6969. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34204-w
30. Wu, Y., Pates, S., Ma, J. Lin, W. Wu, Y., Fu, D. and Zhang, X. 2022. Addressing the Chengjiang Conundrum: a palaeoecological view on the rarity of early Cambrian hurdiid radiodonts in the most diverse early Cambrian Lagerstätte. Geoscience Frontiers, 13: 101430. doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2022.101430
20. Bicknell, R. D. C., Holmes, J. D., Pates, S., Garcia-Bellido, D. C. and Paterson, J. 2022. Cambrian carnage: trilobite predator-prey interactions in the Emu Bay Shale of South Australia. Palaegeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 591: 110877. doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.110877
28. Pates, S.*, Wolfe, J. M.*, Lerosey-Aubril, R., Daley, A. C. and Ortega- Hernández, J. 2022 New opabiniid diversifies the weirdest wonders of the euarthropod stem group. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289: 20212093. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2093 *joint first authors
2021
27. Jiao, D.G.*, Pates, S*., Lerosey-Aubril, R., Ortega-Hernández, J., Yang, J., Lan, T. and Zhang, X.G. 2021. New multipodomerous appendages of stem group euarthropods from the Cambrian (Stage 4) Guanshan Konservat-Lagerstatte. Royal Society Open Science, 8: 211134. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211134 *joint first authors
26. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., Legg, D. A. and Rahman, I. A. 2021. Vertically migrating Isoxys and the early Cambrian biological pump. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288: 20210464. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.0464
25. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., Edgecombe, G. D., Cong, P., and Lieberman, B. S. 2021. Systematics, preservation, and biogeography of radiodonts from the southern Great Basin, USA, during the upper Dyeran (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4). Papers in Palaeontology. 7, 235-262. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1277
24. Pates, S.*, Lerosey-Aubril, R.*, Daley, A. C., Kier, C., Bonino, E. and Ortega-Hernández. 2021. The diverse radiodont fauna from the Marjum Formation of Utah, USA (Cambrian: Drumian). PeerJ. e10509. doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10509 *joint first authors
23. Jiao, D.G., Pates, S., Lerosey-Aubril, R., Ortega-Hernández, J., Yang, J., Lan, T. and Zhang, X.G., 2021. The endemic radiodonts of the Cambrian Stage 4 Guanshan Biota of South China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 66, 255-274. doi.org/10.4202/app.00870.2020
2020
22. Pates S., Botting J. P., McCobb L. M. E., Muir L. A. 2020 A miniature Ordovician hurdiid from Wales demonstrates the adaptability of Radiodonta. Royal Society Open Science.7: 200459. doi.org/10.1098/rsos.200459
21. Bicknell, R. D. C., and Pates, S. 2020. Pictoral atlas of fossil and extant horseshoe crabs with focus on Xiphosurida. Frontiers in Zoology. 8, 98. doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00098
20. Bicknell, R. D. C., and Pates, S. 2020. Exploring abnormal Cambrian-aged trilobites in the Smithsonian collection. PeerJ. 8, e8453. doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8453
19. Lerosey-Aubril, R., Kimmig, J., Pates, S., Skabelund, J., Weug, A., and Ortega- Hernández, J. 2020. New exceptionally-preserved arthropods from the Drumian Wheeler Formation Konservat-Lagerstatte of the House Range of Utah. Papers in Palaeontology. 6, 501-531. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1307
2019
18. Ortega- Hernández, J., Lerosey-Aubril, R., and Pates, S. 2019. Proclivity of nervous system preservation in Cambrian Burgess Shale-type deposits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 286, 20192370. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2370
17. Bicknell, R. D. C., and Pates, S. 2019. Xiphosurid from the Tournaisian (Carboniferous) of Scotland confirms deep origin of Limuloidea. Scientific Reports. 9, 17102. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53442-5
16. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., and Butterfield, N. J. 2019. First report of paired ventral endites in a hurdiid radiodont. Zoological Letters. 5, 18. doi.org/10.1186/s40851-019-0132-4
15. Pates, S. and Bicknell, R. D. C. 2019. Elongated thoracic spines as potential predatory deterrents in olenelline trilobites from the lower Cambrian of Nevada. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 516, 295-306. doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.12.013
14. Bicknell, R. D. C. and Pates, S. 2019. Abnormal extant xiphosurids in the Yale Peabody Museum Invertebrate Zoology collection. Bulletin of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. 60, 41-53. doi.org/10.3374/014.060.0102
13. Pates, S. and Daley, A. C. 2019. The Kinzers Formation (Pennsylvania, USA): the most diverse assemblage of Cambrian Stage 4 radiodonts. Geological Magazine. 156, 1233-1246. doi.org/10.1017/S0016756818000547
12. Guo, J., Pates, S.*, Cong, P.*, Daley, A. C., Edgecombe, G. D., Chen, T. and Hou, X. G. 2019. A new radiodont (stem Euarthropoda) frontal appendage with a mosaic of characters from the Cambrian (Series 2 Stage 3) Chengjiang biota. Papers in Palaeontology. 5, 99–110. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1231 *corresponding author
11. Bicknell, R. D. C., Pates, S., and Botton, M. L. 2019. Euproops danae cluster confirms deep origin of gregarious behavior in xiphosurids. Arthropoda Selecta. 28, 549-555.
10. Lerosey-Aubril, R. and Pates, S. 2018. New suspension-feeding radiodont suggests evolution of microplanktivory in Cambrian macronekton. Nature Communications. 9, 3774. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06229-7
2018
9. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., and Lieberman, B. S. 2018. Hurdiid radiodontans from the middle Cambrian (Series 3) of Utah. Journal of Paleontology. 92, 99-113. doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2017.11
8. Daley, A. C., Antcliffe, J. B., Drage, H. B. and Pates, S. 2018. Early fossil record of Euarthropoda and the Cambrian Explosion. PNAS. 115, 5323 – 5331. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1719962115
7. Bicknell, R. D. C., Pates, S. and Botton, M. L. 2018. Abnormal xiphosurids, with possible application to Cambrian trilobites. Palaeontologia Electronica. 21, 1–17. doi.org/10.26879/866
6. Cong, P., Edgecombe, G. D., Daley, A. C., Guo, J., Pates, S., and Hou, X. G. 2018. New radiodonts with gnathobase-like structures from the Cambrian Chengjiang Biota and implications for the systematics of Radiodonta. Papers in Palaeontology. 4, 605-621. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1219
5. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., and Ortega-Hernández, J. 2018. Response to Comment on “Aysheaia prolata from the Wheeler Formation (Cambrian, Drumian) is a frontal appendage of the radiodontan Stanleycaris” with the formal description of Stanleycaris. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 63, 105-110. doi.org/10.4202/app.00443.2017
2017
4. Pates, S., Bicknell, R.D.C., Daley, A.C., and Zamora, S. 2017. Quantitative analysis of repaired and unrepaired damage to trilobites from the Cambrian (Stage 4, Drumian) Iberian Chains, NE Spain. PALAIOS. 32, 750-761. doi.org/10.2110/palo.2017.055
3. Pates, S., Daley, A. C., and Ortega-Hernández, J. 2017. Aysheaia prolata from the Wheeler Formation (Cambrian, Drumian) is a frontal appendage of the radiodontan Stanleycaris. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 62, 619-625. doi.org/10.4202/app.00361.2017
2. Pates, S., and Daley, A. C. 2017. Caryosyntrips: a radiodontan from the Cambrian of Spain, USA and Canada. Papers in Palaeontology. 3, 461-470. doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1084
1. Legg, D., and Pates, S. 2017. A restudy of Utahcaris orion (Euarthropoda) from the Spence Shale (Middle Cambrian, Utah, USA). Geological Magazine. 154, 181-186. doi.org/10.1017/S0016756816000789
Book chapter
1. Bicknell, R. D. C., Pates, S., Kaiser, D., Zakrzeqski, S. and Botton, M. L. 2022. Applying records of extant and extinct horseshoe crab abnormalities to xiphosurid conservation. In: Tanacredi J. T. et al. International Horseshoe Crab Conservation and Research Efforts: 2007-2020. Springer International Publishing, pp 85-104.
Field guide
1. Zamora, S., Alvaro, J. J., Esteve, J., and Pates, S. 2019. Day 2 December 19th, Cambrian invertebrate faunas from the Badules Unit: Purujosa and Murero localities. Palaeontological Association Pre-Conference Field Trip: Palaeozoic fossil assemblages from the Iberian Chains. Eds. Zamora, S. and Rabano, I. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, 31. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid. ISBN: 978-84-9138-095-5