World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
34
Citations
3990
World Ranking
8039
National Ranking
2692

Overview

Ryosuke Motani is affiliated with the University of California, Davis in the United States and has contributed extensively to the fields of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Environmental Science. Their research primarily focuses on Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology, encompassing detailed studies in ichthyology and marine biology as well as amphibian and reptile biology.

Their publication record features a broad range of topics, including the paleontology and stratigraphy of fossils, morphological variations and asymmetry, turtle biology and conservation, and nature and landscape conservation. Motani's scientific contributions cover both evolutionary and paleontological studies, frequently intersecting with global and planetary change.

Motani's research output includes numerous articles in well-regarded academic journals. Notable recent papers include:

  • "Ecophysiological steps of marine adaptation in extant and extinct non-avian tetrapods," 2021, Biological Reviews/Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
  • "Repeated evolution of durophagy during ichthyosaur radiation after mass extinction indicated by hidden dentition," 2020, Scientific Reports
  • "Evidence Supporting Predation of 4-m Marine Reptile by Triassic Megapredator," 2020, iScience
  • "Functional morphology of vertebrate claws investigated using functionally based categories and multiple morphological metrics," 2021, Journal of Morphology
  • "Panzhousaurus rotundirostris Jiang et al., 2019 (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) and the recovery of the monophyly of Pachypleurosauridae," 2021, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Motani collaborates regularly with several frequent coauthors, including:

  • Andrea Tintori with 13 joint publications
  • D. Jiang with 12 joint publications
  • Olivier Rieppel with 10 joint publications
  • Cheng Ji with 5 joint publications
  • Zuo-Yu Sun with 5 joint publications

Their research is also published across various specialized venues with repeated publications in:

  • PeerJ (5 publications)
  • Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (4 publications)
  • Scientific Reports (2 publications)
  • Journal of Morphology (2 publications)
  • MorphoBank datasets (2 publications)

Motani's work spans a range of subfields, including paleontology, nature and landscape conservation, global and planetary change, geometry and topology, and ecology. These areas demonstrate the multidisciplinary approach taken in their study of evolutionary biology and paleontological sciences.

Best Publications

  • Phylogeny of the Ichthyopterygia

    Ryosuke Motani

  • The Evolution of Marine Reptiles

    Ryosuke Motani

  • Evolution of Fish-Shaped Reptiles (reptilia: Ichthyopterygia) in Their Physical Environments and Constraints

    Ryosuke Motani

  • Large eyeballs in diving ichthyosaurs

    Ryosuke Motani;Ryosuke Motani;Bruce M. Rothschild;William Wahl

  • A basal ichthyosauriform with a short snout from the Lower Triassic of China

    Ryosuke Motani;Da-Yong Jiang;Guan-Bao Chen;Andrea Tintori

  • On the evolution and homologies of ichthyopterygian forefins

    Ryosuke Motani

  • The enigmatic marine reptile nanchangosaurus from the lower triassic of Hubei, China and the phylogenetic affinities of Hupehsuchia.

    Xiao-hong Chen;Ryosuke Motani;Long Cheng;Da-yong Jiang

  • PHYLOGENETIC VERSUS FUNCTIONAL SIGNALS IN THE EVOLUTION OF FORM–FUNCTION RELATIONSHIPS IN TERRESTRIAL VISION

    Ryosuke Motani;Lars Schmitz

  • Terrestrial Origin of Viviparity in Mesozoic Marine Reptiles Indicated by Early Triassic Embryonic Fossils

    Ryosuke Motani;Da-yong Jiang;Andrea Tintori;Olivier Rieppel

  • A New Pachypleurosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Lower Middle Triassic of Southwestern China and the Phylogenetic Relationships of Chinese Pachypleurosaurs

    Jun Liu;Olivier Rieppel;Da-Yong Jiang;Jonathan C. Aitchison

  • First Record of Placodontoidea (Reptilia, Sauropterygia, Placodontia) from the Eastern Tethys

    Da-Yong Jiang;Ryosuke Motani;Wei-Cheng Hao;Olivier Rieppel

  • Swimming speed estimation of extinct marine reptiles: energetic approach revisited

    Ryosuke Motani

  • A large aberrant stem ichthyosauriform indicating early rise and demise of ichthyosauromorphs in the wake of the end-Permian extinction.

    Da-Yong Jiang;Ryosuke Motani;Jian-Dong Huang;Andrea Tintori

  • The Early Triassic Eosauropterygian Majiashanosaurus discocoracoidis, Gen. Et Sp. Nov. (Reptilia, Sauropterygia), from Chaohu, Anhui Province, People's Republic of China

    Da-Yong Jiang;Ryosuke Motani;Andrea Tintori;Olivier Rieppel

  • Redescription of the dentition of Grippia longirostris (Ichthyosauria) with a comparison with Utatsusaurus hataii

    Ryosuke Motani

  • Biodiversity and Sequence of the Middle Triassic Panxian Marine Reptile Fauna, Guizhou Province, China

    Dayong Jiang;Ryosuke Motani;Weicheng Hao;Olivier Rieppel

  • Trophic convergence drives morphological convergence in marine tetrapods

    Neil P. Kelley;Ryosuke Motani

  • Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Tooth Implantations in Ichthyosaurs

    Ryosuke Motani;Ryosuke Motani

  • Taxonomy and limb ontogeny of Chaohusaurus geishanensis (Ichthyosauria), with a note on the allometric equation

    Ryosuke Motani;Hailu You

  • Ecophysiological steps of marine adaptation in extant and extinct non-avian tetrapods.

    Ryosuke Motani;Geerat J. Vermeij

  • Phylogeny of the Ichthyopterygia incorporating recent discoveries from South China

    Cheng Ji;Da-Yong Jiang;Ryosuke Motani;Olivier Rieppel

Frequent Co-Authors

Olivier Rieppel
Olivier Rieppel Field Museum of Natural History
Andrea Tintori
Andrea Tintori University of Milan
Peter C. Wainwright
Peter C. Wainwright University of California, Davis
Geerat J. Vermeij
Geerat J. Vermeij University of California, Davis
Jonathan C. Aitchison
Jonathan C. Aitchison University of Queensland
Hugo Bucher
Hugo Bucher University of Zurich
Stephen R. Meyers
Stephen R. Meyers University of Wisconsin–Madison
Michael J. Orchard
Michael J. Orchard Geological Survey of Canada
Michael J. Benton
Michael J. Benton University of Bristol
Isabel P. Montañez
Isabel P. Montañez University of California, Davis

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Pursuing a degree in Earth Science opens doors to diverse career opportunities, but complementing your education with related fields can enhance your prospects. For instance, creative professionals may explore an online MFA degree to integrate artistic perspectives with environmental studies, fostering innovative communication and outreach strategies.

Management skills are also valuable in scientific careers. Earning one of the best online master degree in human resource management programs can prepare Earth Science graduates to lead project teams and organizations effectively.

Age should not be a barrier to pursuing higher education. Many institutions support college degrees for seniors, enabling lifelong learning and career advancement in Earth Science and related disciplines.

Additionally, for those interested in information science and data management, exploring ALA-accredited schools offering online MLIS programs can be a strategic choice. These skills are increasingly critical in environmental research and resource management fields.

Best Scientists Citing Ryosuke Motani

Trending Scientists