The Palaeontographical Society is a learned society, established in 1847, and is the oldest extant society devoted to the advancement of palaeontological knowledge. The society publishes monographs that further its primary purpose, which is to promote the description and illustration of fossil floras and faunas from Great Britain and Ireland. It also awards medals, prizes, and financial support for research dedicated to the taxonomy and systematic palaeontology of British and Irish fossils[1]
The precursor of the Paleontographical Society was the London Clay Club, which was founded in 1836 by James Scott Bowerbank and six other naturalists; the club was superseded in 1847 by the Palaeontographical Society.[2] The first council of the Society was presided over by Sir Henry Thomas de la Beche. Initial membership included: Prof. Thomas Bell, Frederick E. Edwards, Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, Hugh Falconer, WilliamH. Fitton, J.W. Flower, Prof. Edward Forbes, Levett Landon Boscawen Ibbetson, Charles Lyell, John Morris, Prof. John Phillips, Joseph Prestwich, Daniel Sharpe, James Smith, NathanielT. Wetherell and Alfred White; the Treasurer was Searles Wood, and Honorary Secretary was J.S.Bowerbank. Thirty-seven local secretaries were also appointed. Notable members of the Society included Robert Heddle, William King, Charles Maclaren, Gideon Mantell, Sir Roderick Murchison and Reverend Adam Sedgwick. The membership totalled almost 600 individuals and institutions. In the following years, eminent scientists such as Richard Owen, Charles Darwin, Robert Chambers and Laurent-Guillaume de Koninck joined the ranks of the Society.
Logo
The Palaeontographical Society’s logo features a specimen of Eteoderoceras obesum (Spath, 1925), from the Black Ven Marls, Raricostatum Zone, Densinodulum Subzone, Sinemurian, Lower Jurassic of Stonebarrow, Charmouth, Dorset. The specimen was collected by James Frederick Jackson (1894-1966), of Charmouth – it was featured on Plate 10, fig. 2a of a recent monograph[3], and is held in Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.
Monographs of the Palaeontographical Society
Since starting publishing in March 1848 (Part 1 of Searles Valentine Wood's A Monograph of the Crag Mollusca[4]), the society has published over 600 monographs. Many famous names have published monographs through the Palaeontographical Society. Charles Darwin published his monograph on fossil barnacles,[5] and Richard Owen set out his early descriptions of dinosaurs,[6] as well as his monograph on Mesozoic fossil mammals.[7] Historically, the Palaeontographical Society published and distributed these monographs on its own. However, the society has recently established a partnership with Taylor & Francis who now take care of their publication, distribution, and online hosting. Taylor & Francis are also working to digitise all back issues of the series so that they are available to active members.[8]
An example plate from Monographs of the Palaeontographical SocietyThe skull of Scelidosaurus described by Owen in 1863
examples
1851, Darwin's Fossil Lepadidae
1855, Darwin's Fossil Balanidae and Verrucidae
1865–1881, Owen's Fossil Reptilia of the Liassic
1871, Owen's Fossil Mammals of the Liassic Formations
1901–1918, Elles & Wood's British Graptolites
2010, Hooker, J.J., The mammal fauna of the early Eocene Blackheath formation of Abbey Wood, London. Monographs of the Palaeontographical Society, 1–153 (Publ 671 part of Volume 164).
2013, Mohibullah, M., Williams, M. & Zalasiewicz, J.A. Late Ordovician ostracods of the Girvan District, south-west Scotland. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.1–40, pls 1–6 (Publ 640, part of Volume 167).
2013, Copestake, P. & Johnson, B. Lower Jurassic foraminifera from the Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) borehole, north Wales, UK. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.1–403, pls 1–21 (Publ 641, part of Volume 167).
2014, Smith, A.S. & Benson, R.B.J. Osteology of Rhomaleosaurus thorntoni (Sauropterygia: Rhomaleosauridae) from the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) of Northamptonshire, England. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.1–40, pls 1–35 (Publ 642, part of Volume 168).
2014, Donovan, S.K. & Fearnhead, F.E. The British Devonian Crinoidea. Part 1 – Introduction and Camerata. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.1–55, pls 1–15 (Publ 643, part of Volume 168).
2015, Smith, A.B. British Jurassic regular echinoids. Part 1 (Introduction, Cidaroida, Echinothurioida, Aspidodiadematoida and Pedinoida). Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.1–67, pls 1–41 (Publ 644, part of Volume 169).
2015, Wright, C.W. & Kennedy, W.J. The Ammonoidea of the Lower Chalk. Part 6. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp.404–459, pls 125–145 (Publ 645, part of Volume 169).
2025 Gale, A.S. British Fossil Cirripedia. Part 2, Calanticomorpha, Scalpellomorpha. Monographs of the Palaeontographical Society, 105–193 (Publ 671, part of Volume 179).
Grants and awards
The Palaeontographical Society offers financial support for research dedicated to the taxonomy and systematic palaeontology of British and Irish fossils.[9] The Edward Forbes Prize is awarded for publication excellence by early career researchers in the field of taxonomic and systematic palaeontology; is presented at the Society’s Annual General Meeting. The Richard Owen Research Fund assists with travel, visits to museums, field work, etc. within the Society’s remit.
The Palaeontographical Society Medal is awarded biennially in recognition of a sustained and important series of contributions to the taxonomic and systematic palaeontology of Great Britain and Ireland, especially those which address problems of palaeogeography, palaeoecology and phylogeny. Recipients are not limited to palaeontologists based in the UK and Ireland.
Palaeontographical Society Medal recipients have been:
↑Edmunds, M. 2009. A revision of the Lower Jurassic ammonite genus Eoderoceras Spath and its immediate descendants and other relatives. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp. 1–89, pls 1–40 (Publ 633, part of Volume 163).
↑Wood, S.V. 1848. The Crag Mollusca. Part I, Univalves Part 1. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp i–xii, 1–208, pls 1–21, (Publ 1, part of Volume 1).
↑Darwin, C. 1851. The fossil Lepadidae. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp. 1-vi. 1–88. pls. i–v (Publ 13, part of Volume 5).
↑Owen, R. 1855. The fossil Reptilia of the Wealden and Purbeck formations. Part 2, Dinosauria. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp. 1–54, pls i–xix, xviA. (Publ 27, part of Volume 8).
↑Owen, Richard. 1871. Monograph of the fossil Mammalia of the Mesozoic Formations. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society London: pp. i–vi, 1–115, pls 1–4. (Issue 110, part of Volume 24)
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