Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist
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Homo sapiens, with skull of Giganotosaurus carolinii for scale |
"There is nothing like geology; the pleasure of the first day's partridge shooting or
first day's hunting cannot be compared to finding a fine group of fossil bones, which tell
their story of former times with almost a living tongue." Charles Darwin, letter to his
sister Catherine, 1834
Senior Lecturer
Department of Geology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
College Park Scholars
Email: tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Phone: (301) 405-4084
Fax (Geology): (301) 314-9661
Fax (CPS): (301) 405-0796
Office: 1216 Centreville Hall
Mailing Address:
Department of Geology
Building 237, Room 1117
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
USA
Research Interests
- Phylogeny and functional morphology of the theropod dinosaurs, especially Tyrannosauridae
- Ecomorphology of terrestrial predators
- Cursoriality and terrestrial locomotion
- Mesozoic biogeography, especially quantitative approaches
- Functional character complexes and homoplasy
- Phylogenetic taxonomy of the theropod dinosaurs
Education
Courses Taught at UMCP
Forthcoming Conferences
68th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Cleveland, Ohio, October 15-18, 2008
Societies
Recent Publications
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2008. A critical re-appraisal of the obligate scavenging hypothesis for Tyrannosaurus rex and other tyrant dinosaurs. Pp. 370-396, in P. Larson and K. Carpenter (eds.), Tyrannosaurus rex: The Tyrant King. Indiana University Press.
France, C.A.M., P.M. Zelanko, A.J. Kaufman & T.R. Holtz. 2007. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of Pleistocene mammals from the Saltville Quarry (Virginia, USA): Implications for trophic relationships. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 249: 271-282.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2006. Palaeontology: A Jurassic tyrant is crowned. Nature 439: 665-666.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. & H. Osmólska. 2004. Saurischia. Pp. 21-24, in D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson and H. Osmólska (eds.), The Dinosauria. Second Edition. University of California Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr., R.E. Molnar & P.J. Currie. 2004. Basal Tetanurae. Pp. 71-110, in D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson and H. Osmólska (eds.), The Dinosauria. Second Edition. University of California Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2004. Tyrannosauroidea. Pp. 111-136, in D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson and H. Osmólska (eds.), The Dinosauria. Second Edition. University of California Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr., R.E. Chapman & M.C. Lamanna. 2004. Mesozoic biogeography of Dinosauria, Pp. 627-642 in D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson and H. Osmólska (eds.), The Dinosauria. Second Edition. University of California Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2003. Dinosaur predation: evidence and ecomorphology. Pp. 325-340, in P.H. Kelley, M. Kowalewski and T.A Hansen (eds.), Predator-Prey Interactions in the Fossil Record, Topics in Geobiology Vol. 20. Kluwer Press.
Farlow, J.O. & T.R. Holtz, Jr. 2002. The fossil record of predation in dinosaurs. Pp. 251-266, in M. Kowalewski & P.H. Kelley (eds.), The Fossil Record of Predation. The Paleontological Society Papers 8.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2002. Chasing Tyrannosaurus and Deinonychus around the Tree of Life: classifying dinosaurs. Pp. 31-38, in J.G. Scotchmoor, D.A. Springer, B.H. Breithaupt & A.F. Fiorillo (eds.), Dinosaurs: The Science Behind the Stories, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Paleontological Society & American Geological Institute.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2001. Arctometatarsalia revisited: the problem of homplasy in reconstructing theropod phylogeny. Pp. 99-122, in J. Gauthier and L.F. Gall (eds. ), New Perspectives on the Origin and Early Evolution of Birds: Proceedings of the International Symposium in Honor of John H. Ostrom. Yale Univ. Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2001. The phylogeny and taxonomy of the Tyrannosauridae. Pp. 64-83, in D.H. Tanke and K. Carpenter (eds.), Mesozoic Vertebrate Life: New Research Inspired by the Paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Indiana Univ. Press.
Farlow, J.O., S. M. Gatesy, T.R. Holtz, Jr., J.R. Hutchinson & J.M. Robinson. 2000. Theropod locomotion. American Zoologist 40:640-663.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2000. Classification and evolution of dinosaur groups. Pp. 140-168, in G.S. Paul (ed.), The Scientific American Book of Dinosaurs. St. Martin's Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2000. Theropod paleobiology: more than just bird origins. Gaia 15: 1-3.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 2000. A new phylogeny of the carnivorous dinosaurs. Gaia 15: 5-61.
Holtz, T.R., Jr., D.L. Brinkman & C.L. Chandler. 2000. Denticle morphometrics and a possibly omnivorous feeding habit for the theropod dinosaur Troodon. Gaia 15: 159-166.
Padian, K., J.R. Hutchinson & T.R. Holtz, Jr. 1999. Phylogenetic definitions and nomenclature of the major taxonomic categories of the carnivorous Dinosauria (Theropoda). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19: 69-80.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 1998. Spinosaurs as crocodile mimics. Science 282: 1276-1277.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 1997. Dinosaur hunters of the Southern Continents. Pp. 43-51, in J.O. Farlow & M.K. Brett-Surman (eds.), The Complete Dinosaur. Indiana Univ. Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. & M.K. Brett-Surman. 1997. The osteology of the dinosaurs. Pp. 78-91, in J.O. Farlow & M.K. Brett-Surman (eds.), The Complete Dinosaur. Indiana Univ. Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. & M.K. Brett-Surman. 1997. The taxonomy and systematics of the dinosaurs. Pp. 92-106, in J.O. Farlow & M.K. Brett-Surman (eds.), The Complete Dinosaur. Indiana Univ. Press.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 1996. Phylogenetic taxonomy of the Coelurosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda). Journal of Paleontology 70: 536-538.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 1995. The arctometatarsalian pes, an unusual structure of the metatarsus of Cretaceous Theropoda (Dinosauria: Saurischia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 14: 480-519.
Holtz, T.R., Jr. 1994. The phylogenetic position of the Tyrannosauridae: implications for theropod systematics. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1100-1117.
Recent Web-based Publications
Recent Phylogenetic Databases
- Theropoda (with emphasis on non-avian Tetanurae) (from Dinosauria. 2nd Edition chapters)
- Theropoda (from Gaia and New Perspectives on the Origin and Early Evolution of Birds papers)
- Tyrannosauridae (from the Mesozoic Vertebrate Life chapter and Tyrannosauridae
page of the Tree of Life project)
Holtz, T.R., Jr. (illustrations by L. Rey). 2007. Dinosaurs: The Most Complete Up-To-Date Encyclopedia
for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. Random House, 428 pp. Supplementary information
(including chapter updates) available at http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/dinoappendix/.
Links
List of paleontological e-journals in the UMCP library
Yes, there's a little Wikipedia page, and a longer but not-really-up-to-date EvoWiki page, on me...
"Bizarre Dinosaurs: What's Wrong With This Picture? An Audio Critique", audio commentary by me
on National Geographic's review of some of their historic dinosaur art
Interview with Tom Holtz in College Park Magazine
Interviews on Exn.ca (and again), MSNBC, The Bone Zone, and Paleozoica
Radio interview (in RealAudio) with Drs. Mike Novacek (American Museum of Natural History) and
Tom Holtz on the March 1, 2002 episode of Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi, WAMU 88.5 FM
Article by Holtz on bird origins for MSNBC.com's Mysteries of the Universe, Feb. 12, 1999
My Internet Movie Database page (?!?!?!)
My audio commentary on old (1940-2000) dinosaur illustrations
from National Geographic Magazine
For Fun
Tom Holtz's science fictional appearances:
- Michael Swanwick's short short story "Proving Dr. Tom's Hypothesis" in Field Guide to
Mesozoic Megafauna
- Michael Swanwick's novel Bones of the Earth
Parry and Carney, Friends for Life, a dinosaur-based webcomic by
former UMd student (and veteran of my first Honors Seminar), Mike Keesey
Doctor Fun's Cartoons
Charley Parker's Dinosaur Cartoons (and the
original site)
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Geochelone elephantopus and Homo sapiens.
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