Publications

Accepted/In press:

Betts, M.J., Liang, Y., Zhang, Z-F. and Holmer, L.E. A new mickwitziid (Brachiopoda) from the early Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4) of the Baltic Sea. Memoirs of the Australasian Association of Palaeontologists, Cambro-Ordovician Volume VII.

Birksmith, C., Betts, M.J., Holmes, J.D., Castle-Jones, J., Hall, P.A., Klaeve, R.M., Zhang, Z-L. and Brock, G.A. Identification of the Cambrian Series 2 - Miaolingian boundary, western Stansbury Basin, South Australia using multiproxy chemostratigraphy. Memoirs of the Australasian Association of Palaeontologists, Cambro-Ordovician Volume VII.

Articles in review:

Betts, M.J., Claybourn, T. M., Holmer, L.E., Skovsted, C.B., Myrow, P.M., Stemmerik, L., Topper, T.P., Park, T-Y.S., Hughes, N.C., Crowley, J.L., Jagodzinski, E.A. and Brock, G.A. First multi-proxy chronostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian Byrd Group, Transantarctic Mountains and correlation within East Gondwana. Gondwana Research.

Chen, F-Y., Betts, M.J., Zhiliang, Z-L. and Brock, G.A. The bivalved arthropod Caudicaella aff. bispinata from the Heatherdale Shale (Cambrian Stage 3), South Australia. Palaeoworld.

Hurst, S., Moore, M.W., Simpson, A., Salisbury, S.W. and Betts, M.J. More than Museums: Care for Natural and Cultural Heritage in Australia, from First Nations to Farmers. Geoconservation Research.

Richter Stretton, S.A., Jacquet, S.M., Paterson, J.R. and Betts, M.J. Reappraisal of the carbonate microfacies, depositional environments and biostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian Second Plain Creek Member, Mernmerna Formation, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Facies.

2024

Laurie, J.R., Kruse, P.D., Brock, G.A., Holmes, J.D., Jago, J.B., Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R. and Smith, P.M. The quest for an Australian Cambrian stage scale. Alcheringa. https://doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2024.2327045.

Li, L-Y., Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Altanshagai, G., Enkhbaatar, B., Li, G-X., Li, S-Z., Skovsted, C.B., Cui, L-H. and Zhang, X-L. 2024. Tubule system of earliest shells as a defense against increasing microbial attacks. iScience 27, 109112.

Myrow, P.M., Goodge, J.W., Brock, G.A., Betts, M.J., Park, T-Y.S., Hughes, N.C. and Gaines, R.R. 2024. A Tectonic trigger to the first major extinction in the Phanerozoic: The early Cambrian Sinsk Event. Science Advances 10, eadl3452.

2023

Goñi, I., Skovsted, C.B., Li, L-Y., Li, G-X., Betts, M.J., Dorjnamjaa, D., Altanshagai, G., Enkhbaatar, B. and Topper, T.P. 2023. New palaeoscolecid plates from the Cambrian Stage 3 of northern Mongolia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 68. 10.4202/app.01030.2022.

Li, L-Y, Betts, M.J., Yun, H., Pan, B., Topper, T.P. Li, G-X., Zhang, X-L. and Skovsted, C.B. 2023. Fibrous or prismatic? A comparison of the lamello-fibrillar nacre in early Cambrian and modern lophotrochozoans. Biology 12, 113. https:// doi.org/10.3390/biology12010113.

2022

Li, L-Y, Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Dorjnamjaa, D., Gundsambuu A., Baktuyag E., Li, G-X. and Skovsted, C.B. 2022. Calcitic shells in the aragonite sea of the earliest Cambrian. Geology. https://doi.org/10.1130/G50533.1

Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Dorjnamjaa, D., Li, G-X., Li, L-Y., Altanshagai, G., Enkhbaatar, B. and Skovsted, C.B. 2022. Locating the BACE of the Cambrian: Bayan Gol in western Mongolia and global correlation of the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. Earth-Science Reviews 229 (104017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.104017.

2021

Duan, X-L., Betts, M.J., Holmer, L.E., Chen, Y-L., Liu, F., Liang, Y. and Zhang, Z-F. 2021. Early Cambrian (Stage 4) brachiopods from the Shipai Formation in the Three Gorges area of South China. Journal of Paleontology. https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2020.117.

2020

Claybourn, T.M., Skovsted, C.B., Betts, M.J., Holmer, L.E., Basset-Butt, L. and Brock, G.A. 2020. Camenellan tommotiids from the Cambrian Series 2 of East Antarctica. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 66 (1): 207-229.

Chen, F-Y., Brock, G.A., Betts, M.J., Zhang, Z-L., Yun, H., Liang, B. and Zhang, Z-F. 2020. Sedimentology and integrated chronostratigraphy of the lower Heatherdale Shale (Cambrian, Stages 2–3), Stansbury Basin, South Australia. Geological Magazine.

Guo, J-F., Chen, Y-L., Song, Z-C., Zhang, Z-F., Qiang, Y-Q., Betts, M.J., Zhen, Y-J. and Yao, X-Y. 2020. Geometric morphometrics of Protoconites minor from the lower Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation (Fortunian), Yichang, Hubei Province, China. Palaeontologica Electronica.

Jago, J.B., Gehling, J.G., Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A., Dalgarno, C.R., García-Bellido, D. C., Haslett, P.W., Jacquet, S.M., Kruse, P.D., Langsford, N., Mount, T.J. and Paterson, J.R. 2020. The Cambrian System in the Arrowie Basin, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. (Winner of the Stillwell Award - voted best paper in AJES in 2020).

Li, L-Y., Skovsted, C.B., Yun, H., Zhang, X-L. and Betts, M.J. 2020. Soft-body anatomy and shell microstructure in a Cambrian primitive orthothecid hyolith. Proceedings B. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1467.

2019

Betts, M.J., Claybourn, T., Brock, G.A., Jago, J.B., Skovsted, C.B. and Paterson, J.R. 2019. Early Cambrian shelly fossils from the White Point Conglomerate, Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 64: 489-522.

Jacquet, S.M., Betts, M.J., Huntley, J. and Brock, G.A. 2019. Facies, phosphate and fossil preservation potential across a lower Cambrian carbonate shelf, Arrowie Basin, South Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 533, 109200.

2018

Chen, F-Y., Zhang, Z-F., Betts, M.J., Zhang, Z-L. and Liu, F. 2018. First report on Guanshan biota (Cambrian Stage 4) at the stratotype area of Wulongqing Formation in Malong County, Eastern Yunnan of China. Geoscience Frontiers 10, 1458-1476.

Pan, B., Brock, G.A., Skovsted, C.B., Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P. and Li, G-X. 2018. Paterimitra pyramidalis Laurie, 1986, the first tommotiid discovered from the early Cambrian of North China. Gondwana Research 63, 179-185.

Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R., Andrew, A.S., Hall, P.A., Jago, J.B., Jagodzinski, E.A., Preiss, W.V., Crowley, J.L., Brougham, T., Mathewson, C.P., García-Bellido, D., Topper, T.P., Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B. and Brock, G.A. 2018. Early Cambrian chronostratigraphy and geochronology of South Australia. Earth-Science Reviews 185, 498-543.

2017

Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R., Jago, J.B., Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P. and Brock, G.A. 2017. Global correlation of the early Cambrian of South Australia: Shelly fauna of the Dailyatia odyssei Zone. Gondwana Research 46, 240-279.

Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R., Jago, J.B., Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P. and Brock, G.A. 2017. A new lower Cambrian shelly fossil biostratigraphy for South Australia: Reply. Gondwana Research 44, 262-264.

Jacquet, S.M., Brougham, T., Skovsted, C.B., Jago, J.B., Laurie, J.R., Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P. and Brock, G.A. 2017. Watsonella crosbyi from the lower Cambrian (Terreneuvian, Stage 2) Normanville group in South Australia. Geological Magazine 154, 1088-1104.

2016

Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R., Jago, J.B., Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P. and Brock, G.A. 2016. A new lower Cambrian shelly fossil biostratigraphy for South Australia. Gondwana Research 36, 176-208.

Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A. and Paterson, J.P. 2016. Butterflies of the Cambrian benthos? Shield position in bradoriid arthropods. Lethaia 49, 478-491.

Brock, G.A., Betts, M. J., Paterson, J.R., Jago, J.B. and Kruse, P.D. 2016. Day 6 – Thursday 7 July. Ajax Mine archaeocyaths and AJX-M section, Mount Scott Range. In: Kruse, P.D. and Jago, J.B. (eds). Palaeo Down Under 2. Geological field excursion guide: Cryogenian-Ediacaran-Cambrian of the Adelaide Fold Belt. Report Book 2016/00011. Department of State Development, South Australia, Adelaide, pp. 27-29.

Brock, G.A., Jago, J.B., Kruse, P.D., Betts, M.J., Jacquet, S.M., Paterson, J.R. and Garcia-Bellido, D.C., 2016. Chapter 4. Cambrian of the Stansbury and Arrowie Basins. In: Kruse, P.D. and Jago, J.B. (eds). Palaeo Down Under 2. Geological field excursion guide: Cryogenian-Ediacaran-Cambrian of the Adelaide Fold Belt. Report Book 2016/00011. Department of State Development, South Australia, Adelaide, pp. 10-24.

Skovsted, C.B., Pan, B., Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Li, G. and Brock, G.A. 2016. The operculum and mode of life of the lower Cambrian hyolith Cupitheca from South Australia and North China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 443, 123-130.

2015

Skovsted, C.B., Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P. and Brock, G.A. 2015. The early Cambrian tommotiid genus Dailyatia from South Australia. Memoir of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists 48, 1-117.

Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J. and Brock, G.A. 2014. Associated conchs and opercula of Triplicatella disdoma (Hyolitha) from the early Cambrian of South Australia. Alcheringa 38, 148-153.

2014            

Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P., Valentine, J.L., Skovsted, C.B. and Paterson, J.R. and Brock, G.A. 2014. A new early Cambrian bradoriid (Arthropoda) assemblage from the northern Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Gondwana Research 25, 420-437.

Conference Abstracts (* = oral presentation):

Upcoming

*Betts, M.J., Zahirovic, S., Dowding, E.M., Domeier, M., Merdith, A., Allen, B.J., Wong Hearing, T.W., Liu, A.G. , Strotz, L., Topper, T.P., Jacquet, S. M., Marcilly, C.M. and Gates, R. 2024. Models, mysteries and mayhem: Tectonic reconstructions at the dawn of animal life. 37th International Geological Congress, August 25-31, Busan, Korea.

*Simpson, A., Betts, M.J., Ahoy, S. and Hurst, S. 2024. Indigenous and public knowledge: two Australian initiatives and their implications. Joint Annual Meeting of ICOM-UMAC and UNIVERSEUM, Shaping Transformation. University Collections in a Changing World. September 24-29, Dresden, Germany.

2024

Betts, M.J. (session convenor and speaker). 2024. Screening of Rola[Stone]; selected as part of the EGU GeoCinema program. With introductory talk and audience question and answer session. European Geosciences Union General Assembly, Vienna, Austria.

2023

Mate, C., Jacquet, S.M. and Betts, M.J. 2023. Insights into the affinity of the enigmatic small shelly fossil Stoibostrombus from the Cambrian of South Australia. GSA Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Session D25, Recent Developments in Paleoecology (Posters).

*Beidatsch, E.V.Y. , Campione, N.E., Steiner, M., Liu, J-N and Betts, M.J. 2023. Walking ‘worms’ in ancient armour: geometric morphometrics of the enigmatic Cambrian lobopodian Microdictyon sinicum. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

*Betts, M.J., Holmes, J.D., Smith, P.M., Mervine, E.M., Stirling, D.A. and Paterson, J.R. 2023. The shellies will tell all: multi-proxy stratigraphy ad correlation of the Thorntonia Limestone (Cambrian Stage 4 - Wuliuan) southeastern Georgina Basin. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

Birksmith, C., *Brock, G.A., Betts, M.J., Holmes, J.D. and Zhang, Z-L. 2023. Chronostratigraphy of the Cambrian Series 2 - Miaolingian boundary, western Stansbury Basin, South Australia. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

*Castle-Jones, J., Betts, M.J., Lohr, S., Holmes, J.D. and Brock, G.A. 2023. Integrating biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy with new U-Pb ID-TIMS dates from subsurface lower Cambrian rocks in the western Stansbury Basin, South Australia. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

*Laurie, J.R., Kruse, P.D., Brock, G.A., Holmes, J.D., Jago, J.B., Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R. and Smith, P.M. 2023. The quest for an Australian Cambrian stage scale. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

*Richter Stretton, S.A., Paterson, J.R. and Betts, M.J. 2023. Carbonate microfacies, depositional environments and biostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian Second Plain Creek Member, Wilkawillina Limestone, central Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Palaeo Down Under 3. Perth, Western Australia.

*Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Dorjnamjaa, D., Li, G-X., Li, L-Y., Gundsambuu, A., Batkhuyag, E. and Skovsted, C.B. 2023. Two out of three ain’t bad: Dealing with proxy paucity when correlating the base of the Cambrian. EGU General Assembly 2023 (EGU23-5782, in session BG5.1 - Integrating Ediacaran to Cambrian environments across outcrop and drillcore), Vienna, Austria.

2021

*Beidatsch, E.V.Y. , Campione, N.E., Steiner, M., Liu, J-N and Betts, M.J. 2021. Walking “worms”: Differentiating Microdictyon sinensis sclerites using geometric morphometrics. Geological Society of Australia Earth Sciences Student Symposium (Virtual Conference).

*Jacquet, S.M., Betts, M.J., Selly, T., Schiffbauer, J.D and Brock, G.A. 2021. Shell ultrastructure and ontogeny of organophosphatic brachiopods from the lower Cambrian of South Australia. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2021AM-367842 (Virtual Conference).

*Jones, J.C, Brock, G.A., Löhr S. and Betts, M.J. 2021. Chronostratigraphy of the early Cambrian western Stansbury Basin, South Australia. Geological Society of Australia Earth Sciences Student Symposium (Virtual Conference).

*Richter Stretton, S.A., Paterson, J.R. and Betts, M.J. 2021. Carbonate microfacies and depositional environments of the lower Cambrian Second Plain Creek Member, Wilkawillina Limestone, Central Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Geological Society of Australia Earth Sciences Student Symposium (Virtual Conference).

*Speir, L., Selly, T., Schiffbauer, J. D., Betts, M.J. and Jacquet, S.M. 2021. Small shelly faunas and repeated phosphatic hardgrounds from the lower Cambrian, Wirrapowie Limestone, Ikara-Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2021AM-368181 (Virtual Conference).

*Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Dorjnamjaa, D., Li, G-X., Li, L-Y., Altanshagai, G., Enkhbaatar, B. and Skovsted, C.B. Locating the BACE of the Cambrian: Bayan Gol in western Mongolia and global correlation of the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. Palaeontological Association General Meeting (Virtual Conference).

2020

*Jacquet, S.M., Miller, A., Speir, L., Selly, T., Schiffbauer, J.D., Paterson, J.R. and Betts, M.J. 2020. Palaeoenvironmental and taphonomic implications for lower Cambrian phosphatic hardgrounds from South Australia. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (Virtual Conference).

2019

*Betts, M.J., Claybourn, T.M., Skovsted, C.B., Holmer, L.E., Myrow, P.M., Stemmerik, L., Topper, T.P., Hughes, N.C., Park, T-Y., and Brock, G.A. 2019. A multiproxy chronostratigraphy for the early Cambrian of Antarctica. North American Paleontological Convention, University of California, Riverside.

Chen Y.L., Guo J.F., Song Z.C., Zhang Z.F., Qiang Y., Betts M.J., Zhen Y.J. & Yao X.Y. 2019. Geometric morphometric analysis of Protoconites from the early Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation (Fortunian), Yichang, Hubei Province, China. STRATI 2019, 3rd International Conference on Stratigraphy, Milano, Italy.

Liang, Y., Zhang, Z-F., Betts, M.J. 2019. Exploration and Recent Brachiopods by Micro X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. North American Paleontological Convention, University of California, Riverside.

2018

Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R., Brock, G.A. and Jago, J.B. 2018. Early Cambrian shelly fossils from the White Point Conglomerate, Kangaroo Island. International Conference on Ediacaran and Cambrian Sciences (ICECS), Northwest University, Xi’an, China.

Jacquet, S.M., Betts, M.J., Selly, T., Schiffbauer, J.D. and Brock, G.A. 2018. Shell ultrastructure of the organophosphatic brachiopod Eodicellomus from the lower Cambrian of South Australia. International Conference on Ediacaran and Cambrian Sciences (ICECS), Northwest University, Xi’an, China.

*Brock, G.A., Paterson, J.P., Skovsted, C.B., Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P. and García-Bellido, D.C. 2018. Scleritome animals from the early Cambrian of Australia: Disparity, affinities and evolution. 5th International Palaeontological Congress, Paris, France.

Claybourn, T.M., Betts, M.J., Holmer, L.E., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P., Brock, G.A. 2018. Multiproxy chronostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian Byrd Group, Central Transantarctic Mountains. 5th International Palaeontological Congress, Paris, France.

2017

*Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A., Paterson, J.R., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P., Jagodzinski, E.A., Preiss, W.V., Crowley, J.L., Jago, J.B.7, Andrew, A.S., Hall, P.A., Jacquet, S.M. and Mathewson, C.P. 2017. Telling early Cambrian time: A new chronostratigraphic framework for Australia. International Symposium on the Ediacaran-Cambrian Transition, Newfoundland, Canada.

Jacquet, S.M., Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A. 2017. Facies controls on Cambrian molluscan faunas. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA.

2016

*Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A., Paterson, J.R., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P., Jagodzinski, E.A., Preiss, W.V., Crowley, J.L., Jago, J.B.7, Andrew, A.S., Hall, P.A. and Jacquet, S.M. 2016. New integrated shelly fossil biostratigraphy, carbon isotope chemostratigraphy and geochronology of the lower Cambrian, South Australia. Palaeo Down Under 2, Adelaide, South Australia.

*Jacquet, S.M., Betts, M.J., and Brock, G.A. 2016. Phosphate, facies and fossilisation of early Cambrian molluscs. Palaeo Down Under 2, Adelaide, South Australia.

2015

*Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A., Jago, J.B., Paterson, J.R. and Andrew, A.S. 2015. Integrated Shelly Fossil Biostratigraphy and Carbon and Oxygen Chemostratigraphy: Applying a Multi-Proxy Toolkit to Correlating the Lower Cambrian of South Australia. AAPG+SEPM International Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia.

*Brock, G.A., Paterson, J.R., Betts, M.J., Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P. and Holmer, L.E. 2015. The Cambrian Radiation in East Gondwana: New data, new dates, new fossils. The Rise of Animal Life (RALI 2015), Marrakesh, Morocco.

*Jacquet, S.M., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P., Jago, J.B., Betts, M.J., Paterson, J.R. and Brock, G.A. Watsonella crosbyi and definition of the base of Terreneuvian, Stage 2 (lower Cambrian) in South Australia. AAPG+SEPM International Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia.

2014

*Betts, M.J., Brock, G.A., Jago, J.B., Paterson, J.R., Topper, T.P., Skovsted, C.B. and Laurie, J.R. 2014. Fossils, rocks and Cambrian clocks: Lower Cambrian biostratigraphy of the Arrowie Basin, South Australia. International Subcommission on Cambrian Stratigraphy, Ouarzarzate, Morocco.

2012

Betts, M.J., Topper, T.P., Skovsted, C.B., Brock, G.A. and Paterson, J.R. 2012. Biodiversity, biogeography and biostratigraphy of richly diverse lower Cambrian bradoriid assemblages from South Australia. 34th International Geological Congress, Brisbane, Australia.

*Brock, G.A., Skovsted, C.B., Topper, T.P. and Betts, M.J. 2012. A Dalliance with Dailyatia: significant new information on an enigmatic lophotrochozoan animal from the lower Cambrian of Australia and Antarctica. 34th International Geological Congress, Brisbane, Australia.