K. Christopher Beard


K. Christopher Beard
  • Foundation Distinguished Professor
  • Senior Curator, Biodiversity Institute

Contact Info

Phone:
Dyche Hall 321B
Lawrence
1345 Jayhawk Blvd
Lawrence, KS 66045

Biography

Dr. Beard's research focuses on reconstructing the origin and early evolution of the order primates and its major clades.  He is especially interested in documenting how changes in the Earth's physical environment have impacted the evolution of early primates and other mammals.

Selected Publications

Rossie, J. B., Smith, T. D., Beard, K. C., Godinot, M. & Rowe, T. B. (2017). Nasolacrimal anatomy and haplorhine origins. Journal of Human Evolution114, 176-183. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.11.004

Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Ni, X. & Beard, K. C. (2017). Phalangeal morphology of Shanghuang fossil primates. Journal of Human Evolution113, 38-82. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.08.001

Mattingly, S. G., Sanisidro, O. & Beard, K. C. (2017). A new species of Carpolestes (Mammalia, Plesiadapoidea) from the late Paleocene of southern Wyoming: assessing changes in size and shape during the evolution of a key anatomical feature. Historical BiologyDOI:10.1080/08912963.2017.1328509

Beard, K. C., Coster, P. Salem, M. J., Chaimanee, Y. & Jaeger, J. (2017). Biogeographic Provincialism Shown by Afro-Arabian Mammals during the Middle Cenozoic: Climate Change, Red Sea Rifting and Global Eustasy. In D. A. Agius, E. Khalil, E. Scerri, & A. Williams (Eds.), Human Interaction with the Environment in the Red Sea(pp. 48-68). Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. DOI:10.1163/9789004330825_005

Licht, A. Coster, P. Ocakoglu, F. Campbell, C. Metais, G. Mulch, A. Taylor, M. Kappelman, J. & Beard, K. C. (2017). Tectono-stratigraphy of the Orhaniye Basin, Turkey: Implications for collision chronology and Paleogene biogeography of central Anatolia. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences143, 45-58. DOI:10.1016/j.jseaes.2017.03.033

Métais, G. Erdal, O. Erturaç, K. & Beard, K. C. (2016). Tarsal morphology of the pleuraspidotheriid mammal Hilalia from the middle Eocene of Turkey. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica62, 173-179. DOI:10.4202/app.00314.2016

Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Beard, K. C., & Ni, X. (2016). Cuboid morphology of a basal anthropoid from the Eocene of China. Journal of Human Evolution102, 72-74. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.10.003

Beard, K. C. (2016). Out of Asia: anthropoid origins and the colonization of Africa. Annual Review of Anthropology45, 199-213. DOI:10.1146/annurev-anthro-102215-100019

Beard, K. C., Ni, X. Wang, Y. Meng, J. & Gebo, D. L. (2016). Dentition of Subengius mengi (Mammalia: Plesiadapoidea) and a reassessment of the phylogenetic relationships of Asian Carpolestidae. Vertebrata PalAsiatica54(3), 181-211.

Ni, X. Li, Q. Li, L. & Beard, K. C. (2016). Oligocene primates from China reveal divergence between African and Asian primate evolution. Science352, 673-677. DOI:10.1126/science.aaf2107

Beard, K. C., & Coster, P. C. (2015). Upper molar morphology of the early Oligocene Egyptian anthropoid Qatrania wingi. American Journal of Physical Anthropology159, 714-721. DOI:10.1002/ajpa.22913

Beard, K. C., Coster, P. C., Salem, M. J., Chaimanee, Y. & Jaeger, J. (2015). A new species of Apidium (Anthropoidea, Parapithecidae) from the Sirt Basin, central Libya: first record of Oligocene primates from Libya. Journal of Human Evolution90, 29-37. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.08.010

Coster, P. C., Beard, K. C., Salem, M. J., Chaimanee, Y. & Jaeger, J. (2015). New fossils from the Paleogene of central Libya illuminate the evolutionary history of endemic African anomaluroid rodents. Frontiers in Earth Science3(56). DOI:10.3389/feart.2015.00056

Gebo, D. L., Beard, K. C., Ni, X. & Dagosto, M. (2015). Distal phalanges of Eosimias and Hoanghonius. Journal of Human Evolution86, 92-98. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.05.014

Coster, P. C., Beard, K. C., Salem, M. J., Chaimanee, Y. Brunet, M. & Jaeger, J. (2015). A new early Oligocene mammal fauna from the Sirt Basin, central Libya: biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications. Journal of African Earth Sciences104, 43-55. DOI:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.01.006

Beard, K. C., & Dawson, M. R. (2014). Northernmost global record for Multituberculata from the Eocene of Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology34(6), 1476-1480. DOI:10.1080/02724634.2014.875032

Ravel, A. Marivaux, L. Qi, T. Wang, Y. & Beard, K. C. (2014). New chiropterans from the middle Eocene of Shanghuang (Jiangsu Province, coastal China): New insight into the dawn horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) in Asia. Zoologica Scripta43(1), 1-23. DOI:10.1111/zsc.12027

Beard, K. C. (2013). Anthropoid origins. In D. R. Begun (Ed.), A Companion to Paleoanthropology (pp. 358-375). Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley- Blackwell.

Coster, P. Beard, K. C., Soe, A. N., Sein, C. Chaimanee, Y. Lazzari, V. Valentin, X. & Jaeger, J. (2013). Uniquely derived upper molar morphology of Eocene Amphipithecidae (Primates: Anthropoidea): Homology and phylogeny. Journal of Human Evolution65, 143-155. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.04.009

Ni, X. Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Meng, J. Tafforeau, P. Flynn, J. J., & Beard, K. C. (2013). The oldest known primate skeleton and early haplorhine evolution. Nature498, 60-64. DOI:10.1038/nature12200

Anemone, R. L., Dawson, M. R., & Beard, K. C. (2012). The early Eocene rodent Tuscahomys (Cylindrodontidae) from the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming: Phylogeny, biogeography, and paleoecology. Annals of Carnegie Museum80, 187-205. DOI:10.2992/007.080.0302

Chaimanee, Y. Chavasseau, O. Beard, K. C., Kyaw, A. A., Soe, A. N., Sein, C. Lazzari, V. Marivaux, L. Marandat, B. Swe, M. Rugbumrung, M. Lwin, T. Valentin, X. & Jaeger, J. (2012). Late middle Eocene primate from Myanmar and the initial anthropoid colonization of Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences109, 10293-10297. DOI:10.1073/pnas.1200644109

Chester, S. B., & Beard, K. C. (2012). New micromomyid plesiadapiforms (Mammalia, Euarchonta) from the late Paleocene of Big Multi Quarry, Washakie Basin, Wyoming. Annals of Carnegie Museum80, 159-172. DOI:10.2992/007.080.0204

Wang, Y. Meng, J. Jin, X. Beard, K. C., Bai, B. Li, P. Ni, X. Li, Q. & Gebo, D. L. (2011). Early Eocene perissodactyls (Mammalia) from the upper Nomogen Formation of the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica49(1), 123-140.

Miyata, K. Tomida, Y. Beard, K. C., Gunnell, G. F., Ugai, H. & Hirose, K. (2011). Eocene mammals from the Akasaki and Nakakoshiki formations, western Kyushu, Japan: Preliminary work and correlation with Asian land mammal ages. Vertebrata PalAsiatica49(1), 53-68.

Ni, X. Meng, J. Beard, K. C., Gebo, D. L., Wang, Y. & Li, C. (2010). A new tarkadectine primate from the Eocene of Inner Mongolia, China: Phylogenetic and biogeographic implications. Proceedings of the Royal Society B277, 247-256. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2009.0173

Jaeger, J. Beard, K. C., Chaimanee, Y. Salem, M. Benammi, M. Hlal, O. A., Coster, P. Bilal, A. A., Duringer, P. Schuster, M. Valentin, X. Marandat, B. Marivaux, L. Métais, E. Hammuda, O. & Brunet, M. (2010). Late middle Eocene epoch of Libya yields earliest known radiation of African anthropoids. Nature467, 1095-1098. DOI:10.1038/nature09425

Beard, K. C., Wang, Y. Meng, J. Ni, X. Gebo, D. L., & Li, C. (2010). Paleocene Hapalodectes (Mammalia: Mesonychia) from Subeng, Nei Mongol: Further evidence of 'East of Eden' dispersal at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. Vertebrata PalAsiatica48(4), 375-389.

Marivaux, L. Beard, K. C., Chaimanee, Y. Dagosto, M. Gebo, D. L., Guy, F. Marandat, B. Khaing, K. Kyaw, A. A., Oo, M. Sein, C. Soe, A. N., Swe, M. & Jaeger, J. (2010). Talar morphology, phylogenetic affinities, and locomotor adaptation of a large-bodied amphipithecid primate from the late middle Eocene of Myanmar. American Journal of Physical Anthropology143, 208-222. DOI:10.1002/ajpa.21307

Dagosto, M. Marivaux, L. Gebo, D. L., Beard, K. C., Chaimanee, Y. Jaeger, J. Marandat, B. Soe, A. N., & Kyaw, A. A. (2010). The phylogenetic affinities of the Pondaung tali. American Journal of Physical Anthropology143, 223-234. DOI:10.1002/ajpa.21308

Beard, K. C., Marivaux, L. Chaimanee, Y. Jaeger, J. Marandat, B. Tafforeau, P. Soe, A. N., Tun, S. T., & Kyaw, A. A. (2009). A new primate from the Eocene Pondaung Formation of Myanmar and the monophyly of Burmese amphipithecids. Proceedings of the Royal Society B276, 3285-3294. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2009.0836

Meng, J. Kraatz, B. P., Wang, Y. Ni, X. Gebo, D. L., & Beard, K. C. (2009). A new species of Gomphos (Glires, Mammalia) from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China. American Museum Novitates3670, 1-11. DOI:10.1206/673.1

Beard, K. C., & Dawson, M. R. (2009). Early Wasatchian mammals of the Red Hot local fauna, uppermost Tuscahoma Formation, Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Annals of Carnegie Museum78, 193-243. DOI:10.2992/007.078.0301

Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Beard, K. C., Ni, X. & Qi, T. (2008). A haplorhine first metatarsal from the middle Eocene of China. In J. G. Fleagle & C. C. Gilbert (Eds.), Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins (pp. 229-242). New York: Springer.

Dagosto, M. Gebo, D. L., Ni, X. Qi, T. & Beard, K. C. (2008). Primate tibiae from the middle Eocene Shanghuang fissure-fillings of eastern China. In E. J. Sargis & M. Dagosto (Eds.), Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology: A Tribute to Frederick S. Szalay (pp. 315-324). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.

Wang, Y. Meng, J. Ni, X. & Beard, K. C. (2008). A new early Eocene arctostylopid (Arctostylopida, Mammalia) from the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology28, 553-558. DOI:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[553:ANEEAA]2.0.CO;2

Marivaux, L. Beard, K. C., Chaimanee, Y. Jaeger, J. Marandat, B. Soe, A. N., Tun, S. T., Aung, H. H., & Htoon, W. (2008). Anatomy of the bony pelvis of a relatively large-bodied strepsirrhine primate from the late middle Eocene Pondaung Formation (central Myanmar). Journal of Human Evolution54, 391-404. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.09.007

Adnet, S. Capetta, H. Beard, K. C., Marivaux, L. Marandat, B. Chaimanee, Y. Jaeger, J. Tun, S. T., & Soe, A. N. (2008). First myliobatiform teeth (Elasmobranchii, Neoselachii) from the Pondaung Formation (late middle Eocene) of central Myanmar. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen247, 335-340. DOI:10.1127/0077-7749/2008/0247-0335

Métais, G. Qi, T. Guo, J. & Beard, K. C. (2008). Middle Eocene artiodactyls from Shanghuang (Jiangsu Province, coastal China) and the diversity of basal dichobunoids in Asia. Naturwissenschaften95, 1121-1135. DOI:10.1007/s00114-008-0428-2

Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Beard, K. C., & Ni, X. (2008). New primate hind limb elements from the middle Eocene of China. Journal of Human Evolution55, 999-1014. DOI:10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.03.002

Marivaux, L. Beard, K. C., Chaimanee, Y. Jaeger, J. Marandat, B. Soe, A. N., Tun, S. T., & Kyaw, A. A. (2008). Proximal femoral anatomy of a sivaladapid primate from the late middle Eocene Pondaung Formation (central Myanmar). American Journal of Physical Anthropology137, 263-273. DOI:10.1002/ajpa.20866

Beard, K. C. (2008). The oldest North American primate and mammalian biogeography during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences105, 3815-3818. DOI:10.1073/pnas.0710180105

Beard, K. C. & Luo, Z. (Eds.). (2007). Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History 39Mammalian Paleontology on a Global Stage: Papers in Honor of Mary R. Dawson.

Rossie, J. B., Ni, X. & Beard, K. C. (2006). Cranial remains of an Eocene tarsier. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences103, 4381-4385. DOI:10.1073/pnas.0509424103

Dawson, M. R., Marivaux, L. Li, C. Beard, K. C., & Métais, G. (2006). Laonastes and the 'Lazarus Effect' in Recent mammals. Science311, 1456-1458. DOI:10.1126/science.1124187

Beard, K. C. (2004). The Hunt for the Dawn Monkey: Unearthing the Origins of Monkeys, Apes, and Humans, University of California Press, Berkeley.

Gebo, D. L., Dagosto, M. Beard, K. C., Qi, T. & Wang, J. (2000). The oldest known anthropoid postcranial fossils and the early evolution of higher primates. Nature404, 276-278.

Beard, K. C., Tong, Y. Dawson, M. R., Wang, J. & Huang, X. (1996). Earliest complete dentition of an anthropoid primate from the late middle Eocene of Shanxi Province, China. Science272, 82-85.

Beard, K. C., Qi, T. Dawson, M. R., Wang, B. & Li, C. (1994). A diverse new primate fauna from middle Eocene fissure-fillings in southeastern China. Nature368, 604-609.

Beard, K. C., Krishtalka, L. & Stucky, R. K. (1991). First skulls of the early Eocene primate Shoshonius cooperi and the anthropoid-tarsier dichotomy. Nature349, 64-67.

Beard, K. C. (1990). Gliding behaviour and palaeoecology of the alleged primate family Paromomyidae (Mammalia, Dermoptera). Nature345, 340-341.

Krishtalka, L. Stucky, R. K., & Beard, K. C. (1990). The earliest fossil evidence for sexual dimorphism in primates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences87, 5223-5226.

Beard, K. C., Dagosto, M. Gebo, D. L., & Godinot, M. (1988). Interrelationships among primate higher taxa. Nature331, 712-714.

Grants & Other Funded Activity

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Into Africa: The Initial Colonization of Africa by Early Cenozoic Anthropoids, National Science Foundation, $211,000, (01/01/2014 . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, Kenneth Christopher, (Principal), Taylor, Michael, (Co-Principal), INSPIRE: Forging new connections among mammalian evolution, climate change, and tectonics during the Eocene of Turkey, the biogeographic nexus linking Africa, Europe and Asia, National Science Foundation, $580,965, Submitted 04/20/2015 (06/15/2015 - 05/31/2020) . Federal. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Into Africa: The Initial Colonization of Africa by Early Cenozoic Anthropoids, BCS 1157142, National Science Foundation, $175,000,(01/01/2012 - 12/31/2014) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Rawlins, J. E., Wible, J. R., Handron, K., Olsen, S. L., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Acquisition of a Variable Pressure SEM to enable Research, Education, and Services at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, DBI 0821644, National Science Foundation, $280,000, - 12/31/2008) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Collaborative Research: Paleontological Investigation of Early Primate Evolution in Asia, BCS 0820602, National Science Foundation, $173,212, - 12/31/2008) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

DeWalt, B., Hamann, B., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Vertebrate Paleontology Collection of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, United States Department of the Interior: Save America’s Treasures Program, $450,000, - 12/31/2005) . Federal. Status: Funded.

Meng, J., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Investigating the Origin and Early Evolution of Primates in Asia, BCS 0309800, National Science Foundation, $267,002, - 12/31/2003) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), SGER: Salvaging a Unique Early Eocene Biota from the Gulf Coastal Plain of Mississippi, DEB 0073414, National Science Foundation, $60,001, - 12/31/2000) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Paleoanthropological Survey for Early Anthropoids and Hominoids in Tibet, The Leakey Foundation, $12,000, - 12/31/1999) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Paleontological Field Work and Research on Eocene Anthropoids and other Primates from the People’s Republic of China, SBR 9615557, National Science Foundation, $269,275, - 12/31/1997) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Early Anthropoid Primates of the Yuanqu Basin, central China: A Paleoanthropological Rescue Mission, The Leakey Foundation, $10,000, - 12/31/1995) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Dawson, M. R., Berman, D. S., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Renovation of the Vertebrate Paleontology Collections at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, DEB 9222284, National Science Foundation, $618,259, - 12/31/1993) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Dawson, M. R., Black, C. C., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Rescue of Late Eocene Vertebrates, Yuanqu Basin, China, DEB 9310509, National Science Foundation, $34,520, - 12/31/1993) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Dawson, M. R., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Paleontological Investigation of Middle Eocene Primate-Bearing Fissure-Fillings in Southeastern China, DBS 9221231, National Science Foundation, $204,000, - 12/31/1992) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Paleontological Exploration of the Eocene Melawi Formation in Western Kalimantan (Indonesia), 4665-91, National Geographic Society, $24,250, - 12/31/1991) . Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Mammalian Paleontology of the Early Cenozoic Tuscahoma Formation, Eastern Mississippi, 4299-90, National Geographic Society, $9,000, - 12/31/1990) . Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded.

Krishtalka, L., Dawson, M. R., Stucky, R. K., Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Paleocene and Eocene Faunas of the Wind River Basin, Wyoming: Excavation, Preparation and Research, BSR 9020276, National Science Foundation, $148,946, - 12/31/1990) . Foundation. Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), Mammalian Paleontology of the Early Eocene San Jose Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico, Sigma Xi grant-in-aid of research, - 12/31/1988) . Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Principal), New Species of the Diminutive Primates Micromomys and Tinimomys from the Early Eocene of Wyoming, Sigma Xi grant-in-aid of research, - 12/31/1988) . Not-for-Profit (not Foundation). Status: Funded.

Beard, K. Christopher, (Co-Principal), Skeletal Anatomy and Locomotor Adaptations of the Early Tertiary Plesiadapiformes (Mammalia, Primates), BSR 8801037, Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, National Science Foundation, $9,809, - 12/31/1988) . Foundation. Status: Funded.