Alan Thomas

Alan Thomas is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham. Since retiring in 2010, he has maintained active collaborative research in Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy, palaeontology, and palaeoenvironments. His work focuses on trilobites, starfish diversity, and Silurian reef ecosystems, particularly in North Greenland, Wales, and England.

Key research areas include the analysis of trilobite associations, taphonomy, and their evolutionary significance, alongside studies on carbonate depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy. His contributions bridge sedimentology, palaeoecology, and phylogenetic analysis of marine invertebrates.

Publications highlight collaborations on Silurian fauna, including starfish evolution and reef ecosystems. His research often integrates field-based data with morphological and systematic analyses, contributing to our understanding of early Palaeozoic biodiversity and environmental dynamics.

Notable projects include detailed studies of the Wenlock Limestone Formation and the Ludlow Anticline, emphasizing exceptional fossil preservation and stratigraphic frameworks. His work continues to inform debates on palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and evolutionary processes in marine ecosystems.