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PD Dr. Florian Witzmann

PD Dr. Florian Witzmann
  • Publication

    Dr. Florian Witzmann

    Haridy, Y., Osenberg, M., Hilger, A., Manke, I., Davesne, D., & Witzmann, F. 2021. Bone metabolism and evolutionary origin of osteocytes: Novel application of FIB-SEM tomography. Science Advances, 7(14), eabb9113.

    Witzmann, F., Haridy, Y., Hilger, A., Manke, I., & Asbach, P. 2021. Rarity of congenital malformation and deformity in the fossil record of vertebrates–A non-human perspective. International Journal of Paleopathology, 33, 30-42.

    Rothschild, B.M. & Witzmann, F. 2021. Identification of growth cessation in dinosaurs based on microscopy of long bone articular surfaces: preliminary results. Alcheringa. DOI: 10.1080/03115518.2021.1921273

    Fuchs, K., Atabiev, B.C., Witzmann, F., & Gresky, J. 2021. Towards a definition of Ancient Rare Diseases (ARD): Presenting a complex case of probable Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease from the North Caucasian Bronze Age (2200-1650 cal BCE). International Journal of Paleopathology, 32, 61-73.

    Gresky, J., Sokiranski, R., Witzmann, F., & Petiti, E. 2020. The oldest case of osteopetrosis in a human skeleton: exploring the history of rare diseases. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 8(10), 806-808.

    Hamm, C.A., Hampe, O., Schwarz, D., Witzmann, F., Makovicky, P.J., Brochu, C.A., Reiter, R. & Asbach, P. 2020. A comprehensive diagnostic approach combining phylogenetic disease bracketing and CT imaging reveals osteomyelitis in a Tyrannosaurus rex. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-16.

    Danto, M., Witzmann, F., & Fröbisch, N.B. 2020. Osseous pathologies in the lungless salamander Desmognathus fuscus (Plethodontidae). Acta Zoologica, 101(3), 324-329.

    Witzmann, F., Sues, H. D., Kammerer, C. F., & Fröbisch, J. 2019. A new bystrowianid from the late Permian of Germany: First record of a Permian chroniosuchian (Tetrapoda) outside Russia and China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, e1667366.

    Fröbisch, N. B. & Witzmann, F. 2019. Early tetrapods had an eye on the land. Nature 574: 494-495.

    Haridy, Y., Gee, B. M., Witzmann, F., Bevitt, J. J. & Reisz, R. R. 2019. Retention of fish-like odontode overgrowth in Permian tetrapod dentition supports outside-in theory of tooth origins. Biology letters, 15(9), 20190514.

    Haridy, Y., Witzmann, F., Asbach, P. & Reisz, R. R. 2019. Permian metabolic bone disease revealed by microCT: Paget’s disease-like pathology in vertebrae of an early amniote. PloS one, 14(8), e0219662.

    Witzmann, F., Brainerd, E.L. & Konow, N. 2019. Eye movements in frogs and salamanders–testing the palatal buccal pump hypothesis. Integrative Organismal Biology, pp. 1–13, doi:10.1093/iob/obz011

    Haridy, Y., Witzmann, F., Asbach, P., Schoch, R.R., Fröbisch, N. and Rothschild, B.M. 2019. Triassic Cancer—Osteosarcoma in a 240-Million-Year-Old Stem-Turtle. JAMA oncology, 5(3), 425–426

    Witzmann, F. & Ruta, M. 2019. Evolutionary changes in the orbits and palatal openings of early tetrapods, with emphasis on temnospondyls. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 109(1-2): 333–350

    Werneburg, R., Witzmann, F. & Schneider, J.W. 2019. The oldest known tetrapod (Temnospondyli) from Germany (Early Carboniferous, Viséan). Paläontologische Zeitschrift, early view, 1–12, doi.org/10.1007/s12542-018-00442-x

    Danto, M., Witzmann, F., Kamenz, S.K. and Fröbisch, N.B. 2019. How informative is vertebral development for the origin of lissamphibians? Journal of Zoology, 307(4), 292–305

    Schoch, R. R. & Witzmann, F. 2018: Morphology of the Late Carboniferous temnospondyl Limnogyrinus elegans, and the evolutionary history of the Micromelerpetidae. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 289/3: 293–310

    Neumann, C., Schultka, S. & Witzmann, F. 2018. The paleontological collections of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. In Beck, L.A. & Joger, U. (Hrsg.): Paleontological Collections of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, p. 39-56. Springer Nature, Cham, Switzerland

    Witzmann, F. 2018: Mini-series: palaeopathology - a fresh look at ancient diseases in the fossil record. Journal of Zoology 304: 1-2

    Van der Vos, W., Witzmann, F. & Fröbisch, N. 2018: Tail regeneration in the Paleozoic tetrapod Microbrachis pelikani and comparison with extant salamanders and squamates. Journal of Zoology 304: 34-44

    Witzmann, F. & Schoch, R.R. 2018: Skull and postcranium of the bystrowianid Bystrowiella schumanni from the Middle Triassic of Germany, and the position of chroniosuchians within Tetrapoda. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 16(9): 711-739

    Danto, M., Witzmann, F., Pierce, S.E. & Fröbisch, N.B. 2017: Intercentrum versus pleurocentrum growth: a paleohistological approach. Journal of Morphology. Early view, DOI:10.1002/jmor.20709

    Witzmann, F., Werneburg, R. & Milner, A.R. 2017. A partial skull roof of an embolomere from Linton, Ohio (Middle Pennsylvanian) and its phylogenetic affinities. Paläontologische Zeitschrift, early view, DOI 10.1007/s12542-017-0374-4.

    Witzmann, F. & Werneburg, I. 2017. The palatal interpterygoid vacuities of temnospondyls, and the implications for the associated eye- and jaw musculature. Anatomical Record 300: 1240-1269

    Witzmann, F. & Brainerd, E. L. 2017. Modeling the physiology of the aquatic temnospondyl Archegosaurus decheni from the early Permian of Germany. Fossil Record 20: 105-127.

    Cernansky, A., Witzmann, F., Klembara, J. & van Heteren, A. H. 2016. The quadratojugal of Eryops studied by computed tomography and the morphological variability of foramina and canals in teh quadratojugal of basal tetrapods. Anatomical Record. DOI 10.1002/ar.23373

    Lautenschlager, S., Witzmann, F. & Werneburg, I. 2016. Palate anatomy and morphofunctional aspects of interpterygoid vacuities in temnospondyl cranial evolution. The Science of Nature (Naturwissenschaften) 103: 79 DOI 10.1007/s00114-016-1402-z

    Witzmann, F., Sachs, S. & Nyhuis C. J. 2016. A new species of Cyclotosaurus (Stereospondyli, Capitosauria) from the Late Triassic of Bielefeld, NW Germany, and the intrarelationships of the genus. Fossil Record 19: 83-100.

    Witzmann, F., Hampe, O., Rothschild, B. M., Joger, U., Kosma, R., Schwarz, D., & Asbach, P. 2016. Subchondral cysts at synovial vertebral joints as analogies of Schmorl's nodes in a sauropod dinosaur from Niger. Journal of Vertebrate Plaeontology, DOI 10.1080/02724634.2016.1080719

    Danto, M., Witzmann, F. & Fröbisch, N. 2016. Vertebral development in Paleozoic and Mesozoic basal tetrapods revealed by paleohistological data. Plos One 11(4): e0152586.

    Witzmann, F. 2016. CO2-metabolism in early tetrapods revisited: inferences from osteological correlates of gills, skin and lung ventilation in the fossil record. Lethaia 49: 492-506.

    Fröbisch, N. B., Bickelmann, C. & Witzmann, F. 2015. Deep-time evolution of regeneration and preaxial polarity in tetrapod limb development. Nature 527: 231-234.

    Marjanovic, D. & Witzmann, F. 2015. An extremely peramorphic newt (Urodela: Salamandridae: Pleurodelini) from the latest Oligocene of Germany, and a new phylogenetic analysis of extant and extinct salamandrids. Plos One 19(9): e0137068.

    Witzmann, F. & Voigt, S. 2015. An Eryops-like interclavicle from the Early Permian of the Saar-Nahe Basin, and a discussion of temnospondyl interclavicle characters. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 89: 449-358.

    Fröbisch, N. B., Bickelmann, C. & Witzmann, F. 2014. Early evolution of limb regeneration in tetrapods: evidence from a 300 million-year-old amphibian. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 281: 20141550.

    Schoch, R. R., Milner, A. R. & Witzmann, F. 2014. Skull morphology and phylogenetic relationships of a new Middle Triassic plagiosaurid temnospondyl from Germany, and the evolution of plagiosaurid eyes. Palaeontology 57: 1045-1058.

    Witzmann, F., Schwarz-Wings, D., Hampe, O., Fritsch, G. & Asbach, P. 2014. Evidence of spondylarthropathy in the soine of a phytosaur (Reptilia: Archosauriformes) from teh Late Triassic of Halberstadt, Germany. Plos One 9(1): p.e.85511

    Hampe, O., Witzmann, F. & Asbach, P. 2014. A benign bone-forming tumour (osteoma) on the skull of a fossil balaenopterid whale from the Pliocene of Chile. Alcheringa 38: 266-272.

    Witzmann, F., Rothschild, B. M., Hampe, O., Sobral, G., Gubin, Y. M. & Asbach, P. 2014. Congenital malformations of the vertebral column in ancient amphibians. Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia 43: 90-102.

    Witzmann, F. 2013. Phylogenetic patterns of character evolution in the hyobranchial apparatus of early tetrapods. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 104: 145-167.

    Witzmann, F. & Schoch, R. R. 2013. Reconstruction of cranial and hyobranchial muscles in the Triassic temnospondyl Gerrothorax provides evidence for akinetic suction feeding. Journal of Morphology 274: 525-542.

    Witzmann, F. 2013. The stratigraphically oldest eryopoid temnospondyl from the Permo-Carboniferous Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 87: 259-267.

    Hampe, O., Hairapetian, V., Dorka, M., Witzmann, F., Amir M. Akbari, A. M. & Korn, D. 2013. A first Late Permian fish fauna from Baghuk Mountain (Neo-Tethyan shelf, central Iran). Bulletin of Geosciences 88: 1-20.

    Clack, J. A., Witzmann, F., Müller, J. & Snyder, D. 2012. A colosteid-like early tetrapod from the St. Louis Limestone (Early Carboniferous, Meramecian), St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Fiediana 5: 17-39.

    Janis, C. M., Devlin, K., Warren, D. E. & Witzmann, F. 2012. Dermal bone in early tetrapods: a palaeophysiological hypothesis of adaptation for terrestrial acidosis. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 279: 3035-3040.

    Danto, M., Witzmann, F. & Müller, J. 2012. Redescription and phylogeny of Solenodonsaurus janenschi Broili, 1924 from the Upper Carboniferous of Nyrany, Czech Republic. Fossil Record 15: 45-59.

    Witzmann, F. & Schoch, R. R. 2012. A megalichthyid sarcopterygian fish from the Lower Permian (Autunian) of the Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany. Geobios 45: 241-248.

    Witzmann, F., Schoch, R. R., Hilger, A. & Kardjilov, N. 2012. Braincase, palatoquadrate and ear region of the plagiosaurid Gerrothorax pulcherrimus from the Middle Triassic of Germany. Palaeontology 55: 31-50.

    Schoch, R. R. & Witzmann, F. 2012. Cranial morphology of the plagiosaurid Gerrothorax pulcherrimus as an extreme example of evolutionary stasis. Lethaia 45: 371-385.

    Witzmann, F., Claeson, K. M., Hampe, O., Wieder, F., Hilger, A., Manke, I., Niederhagen, M., Rothschild, B. M. & Asbach, P. 2011. Paget disease of bone in a Jurassic dinosaur. Current Biology 21: 647-648.

    Buchwitz, M., Witzmann, F., Voigt, S., Golubev, V. 2011. Osteoderm microstructure indicates the presence of a crocodylian-like trunk bracing system in a group of armoured basal tetrapods. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93: 260-280.

    Witzmann, F. 2011. Morphological and histological changes of dermal scales during the fish-to-tetrapod transition. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 281-302.

    Schoch, R. R. & Witzmann, F. 2011. Bystrow's Paradox: gills, fossils, and the fish-to-tetrapod transition. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 251-265.

    Witzmann, F., Dorka, M., Korn, D. 2010. A juvenile Early Carboniferous (Viséan) coelacanth from Rösenbeck (Rhenish Mountains, Germany) with derived postcranial characters. Fossil Record 13: 309-316.

    Witzmann, F. 2010. A skull fragment of a Devonian tetrapod in the collection of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin showing a unique lateral line morphology. Fossil Record 13: 297-302.

    Witzmann, F., Scholz, H., Müller, J. & Kardjilov, N. 2010. Sculpture and vascularization of dermal bones, and the implications for the physiology of basal tetrapods. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 160: 302-340.

    Fröbisch, N. B., Olori, J., Schoch, R. R. & Witzmann, F. 2010. Amphibian development in the fossil record. Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology 21: 424-431.

    Witzmann, F., Soler-Gijà³n, R. 2010. The bone histology of osteoderms in temnospondyl amphibians and in the chroniosuchian Bystrowiella. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 96-114.

    Witzmann, F. 2009. Comparative histology of sculptured dermal bones in basal tetrapods, and the implications for the soft tissue dermis. Palaeodiversity 2: 233-270.

    Witzmann, F., Scholz, H., Ruta, M. 2009. The skull ontogeny of temnospondyls: a geometric morphometrics approach. Alcheringa 33: 237-255.

    Schoch, R. R., Witzmann, F. 2009. Osteology and relationships of the temnospondyl genus Sclerocephalus. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society London 157: 135-168.

    Schoch, R. R., Witzmann, F. 2009. The temnospondyl Glanochthon from the Lower Permian Meisenheim Formation of Germany. Special Papers in Palaeontology 81: 121-136.

    Witzmann, F. 2009. Cannibalism in a small growth stage of the branchiosaurid Apateon gracilis (Credner, 1881) from the Early Permian Döhlen Basin, Saxony. Fossil Record 12(1): 7-11.

    Witzmann, F., Asbach, P., Remes, K., Hampe, O., Hilger, A., and Paulke, A. 2008. Vertebral pathology in an ornithopod dinosaur: a hemivertebra in Dysalotosaurus lettowvorbecki from the Jurassic of Tanzania. Anatomical Record 291: 1149-1155.

    Witzmann, F., Gassner, T. 2008. Metoposaurid and mastodonsaurid stereospondyls from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary of Portugal. Alcheringa 32(1): 37-51.

    Witzmann, F., Schoch, R. R., Maisch, M. 2008. A relict basal tetrapod from Germany: first evidence of a Triassic chroniosuchian outside Russia. Naturwissenschaften, 95: 67-72.

    Kriwet, J., Witzmann, F., Klug, S., Heidtke, U.J.H. 2008. First direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level trophic chain in the fossil record. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, 275: 181-186.

    Witzmann, F., Scholz, H. 2007. Morphometric study of allometric skull growth in the temnospondyl Archegosaurus decheni from the Permian/Carboniferous of Germany. Géobios, 40: 541-554.

    Witzmann, F. 2007. The evolution of the scalation pattern in temnospondyl amphibians. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society London, 150: 815-834.

    Witzmann, F. 2007. Wirbelfehlbildungen und Asymmetrie der Wirbelsäule bei temnospondylen Amphibien. Hallesches Jahrbuch für Geowissenschaften, Beiheft, 23: 93-96.

    Witzmann, F. 2007. A hemivertebra in a temnospondyl amphibian: the oldest record of scoliosis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27: 1043-1046.

    Witzmann, F., Schoch, R. R. 2006. Skeletal development of the temnospondyl Acanthostomatops vorax from the Lower Permian Döhlen basin of Saxony. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 96: 365-385.

    Witzmann, F., Schoch, R. R. 2006. The postcranium of Archegosaurus decheni, and a phylogenetic analysis of temnospondyl postcrania. Palaeontology, 49: 1211-1235.

    Witzmann, F. 2006. Cranial anatomy and ontogeny of the Permo-Carboniferous temnospondyl Archegosaurus decheni from the Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 96(2): 131-162.

    Witzmann, F. 2006. Developmental patterns and ossification sequence in the Permo-Carboniferous temnospondyl Archegosaurus decheni (Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26(1): 7-17.

    Witzmann, F. 2005. Hyobranchial and postcranial ontogeny of the temnospondyl Onchiodon labyrinthicus from Niederhäslich (Döhlen Basin, Autunian, Saxony). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 79(4): 479-492.

    Witzmann, F. 2005. A dissorophid temnospondyl in the Upper Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte, 2005(5): 289-300.

    Witzmann, F. 2004. The external gills of Palaeozoic amphibians. In: Studies in lower vertebrate palaeontology in honor of Jürgen Boy, Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, 232: 375-401.

    Witzmann, F., Pfretzschner, H.-U. 2003. Larval ontogeny of Micromelerpeton credneri (Temnospondyli, Dissorophoidea). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 23(4): 750-768

  • Curriculum Vitae

    Dr. Florian Witzmann

    Education:

    11/2014: Habilitation. Subject: "Physiological aspects of the fish-to-tetrapod transition - skin structure, breathing and feeding in early tetrapods". Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany. Mentor: Prof. Johannes Müller.

    09/2004: PhD "Morphology and paleobiology of the Permo-Carboniferous temnospondyl amphibian Archegosaurus decheni Godfuss, 1847 from the Saar-Nahe Basin, Germany". Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany. Supervisor: Prof. Hans-Peter Schultze.

    02/2001: Diploma in Geology-Palaeontology, Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.

    10/2000-02/2001: Diploma mapping for the Geological Survey of Baden-Württemberg (LGRB) in Middle Triassic and Early Jurassic strata of southern Germany. Supervisors: Andreas Etzold and Prof. Hans-Ulrich Pfretzschner.

    2000: Diploma thesis: "Morphometric analyses of the ontogeny of Micromelerpeton credneri (Amphibia, Temnospondyli)" (In German.) Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany. Supervisor: Prof. Hans-Ulrich Pfretzschner. 

    1995-2001: Study of Geology/Palaeontology at Eberhard-Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.

    Career:

    Since 06/2016: Curator for fossil fishes and amphibians at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

    12/2019-04/2020: Scientific project at the Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia (Endeavour Leadership Award)

    12/2014-05/2016: Feodor Lynen-Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, USA. Hosts: Prof. Elizabeth Brainerd and Prof. Peter Richardson.

    04/2009-11/2014: Curator for fossil fishes and amphibians at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

    2008: Guest scientist at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

    2006 - 2007: Post-doc with own project on dermal bone histology of early tetrapods funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany

    2005: Guest scientist at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

    2002-2003: Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany: research assistant within the DFG project "Ontogeny and metamorphosis of Palaeozoic amphibians" of Prof. Hans-Peter Schultze and Dr. Rainer Schoch.
     

  • Tasks

    • Curator of the fossil fish and amphibian collection
    • Chief editor of "Fossil Record", the palaeontological open-access journal of the Museum für Naturkunde

    Research interests

    - Physiological aspects of the fish-to-tetrapod transition. This applies to the alteration of the skin structure (morphology and histology of dermal bones and scales) and remodelling of the gill skeleton (feeding and breathing in water and on land)

    - Evolution of cranial muscles in early tetrapods and amphibians

    - Palaeopathology: pathologies of the vertebral column in amphibians and reptiles; evolution of bone healing in tetrapods

    Publications (Selection)

    Witzmann, F. & Werneburg, I. 2017. The palatal interpterygoid vacuities of temnospondyls and the implications for the associated eye- and jaw musculature. Anatomical Record 300: 1240-1269.

    Witzmann, F. 2016. CO2-metabolism in early tetrapods revisited: inferences from osteological correlates of gills, skin and lung ventilation in the fossil record. Lethaia 49: 492-506.

    Fröbisch, N. B., Bickelmann, C., Olori, J. C. & Witzmann, F. 2015. Deep-time evolution of regeneration and preaxial polarity in tetrapod limb development. Nature 527: 231-234.

    Janis, C. M., Devlin, K., Warren, D. E. & Witzmann, F. 2012. Dermal bone in early tetrapods: a palaeophysiological hypothesis of adaptation for terrestrial acidosis. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 279: 3035-3040.

    Witzmann, F., Claeson, K. M., Hampe, O., Wieder, F., Hilger, A., Manke, I., Niederhagen, M., Rothschild, B. M. & Asbach, P. 2011. Paget disease of bone in a Jurassic dinosaur. Current Biology 21: 647-648.