Ryan King

What excites you most about your field?

I am foremost a sedimentologist and stratigrapher that utilizes paleontology to reconstruct ancient depositional environments. Most of my research focuses on reconstruction of paleoenvironmental communities from taxonomic, abundance, and diversity data within a stratigraphic framework to rectify environmental shifts in the Earth’s past. The data is used in comparison to modern ethological behavior data and in conjunction with hydrodynamic interpretations from the sedimentological data to denote environmental shifts over time, which designate sequence stratigraphic surfaces. This is most useful when utilizing invertebrate paleontology because of the wide-range of environments that invertebrates occupy. Therefore, many of my projects are focused on integrating sedimentology, stratigraphy, and invertebrate paleontological data. I also have a strong research interest in vertebrate populations (tracks), as well as in taphonomy (how body fossils preserve).

Publications

• Reneaut, R.K.; Tucker, R.T.; King, M.R; Crowley, J.L.; and Zanno, L.E. (2023) Dating the Greenhorn transgression of the Western Interior Seaway in Central Utah: Implications for the absolute age of the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. Cretaceous Research, v. 146, 105464.
• Tucker, R.T.; Hyland, E.G.; Gates, T.A., King, M.R.; Roberts, E.R.; Foley, E.K.; Berndt, D.; Rattanaphorn, H.; Khansubha, S.; Aswasereelert, W.; Zanno, L. (2022) Age, depositional history, and paleoclimatic setting of Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages from the Sao Khua Formation (Khorat Group), Thailand Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 601, 11110.
• King, M.R.; La Croix, A.; Gates, T.A.; Anderson, P.B.; and Zanno, L. (2021) Glossifungites gingrasi isp. nov., a probable subaqueous insect domicile trace, Ferron Sandstone, central Utah. Journal of Paleontology, v. 95, p. 427-439.
• King, M.R.; Botterill, S.; Gingras, M.K.; and MacEachern, J.A. (2021) Freshwater to low salinity expression of Cretaceous Glossifungites-demarcated autogenic stratigraphic surfaces, central Utah. Ichnos, 29:1, p. 1-10.
• King, M.R.; Gingras, M.K.; and Pemberton, S.G. (2020) Rhizocorallium and turtle tracks: a Late Cretaceous distributary channel trace-fossil assemblage. Ichnos, v. 27, p. 406-427.
• Lockley, M.G.; McCrea, R.T.; Buckley, L.; and King, M.R. (2018) Some observations on the variation and spatio-temporal distribution of turtle tracks in the Cretaceous of North America. In: Lucas, S.G., and Sullivan, R.M., (Eds.), New Mexico of Natural History and Science Bulletin, v. 79, p. 51-61.
• Lockley, M.G.; Smith, J.A.; and King, M.R. (2018) First report of turtle tracks from the Williams Fork Formation (‘Mesaverde Group’), Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) of western Colorado. Cretaceous Research, v. 84, p. 474-482.
• King, M.R.; Gates, T.A.; Gingras, M.K.; Zanno, L.E.; and Pemberton, S.G. (2018) Transgressive erosion expressed as a Glossifungites-bearing woodground: An example from the Blackhawk Formation, Utah. Palaios, v. 33, no. 1, p. 29-35.
• King, M.R.; and Anderson, P.B. (2013) Over-thickened nearshore sand body near its landward pinchout and the relation to transgression, Ferron Sandstone, central Utah. In: Morris, T.H., and Ressetar, R., (Eds.), The San Rafael Swell and Henry Mountains Basin—Geologic Centerpiece of Utah: Utah Geological Association Publication 42, p. 319-340.
• Hembree, D.I.; Nadon, G.C.; and King, M.R. (2011) Large, complex burrow systems from freshwater deposits of the Monongahela Group (Virgillian), southeast Ohio, U.S.A.. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, v. 300, p. 128-137.
• Mickelson, D.L.; Mickelson, K.A.; King, M.R.; and Getty, P. (2006) Jurassic dinosaur tracksites from the American west. In: Lucas, S.G., Speilman, J.A., Hester, P.M., Kenworthy, J.P., and Santucci, V.L. (Eds.) America’s Antiquities: 100 Years of Managing Fossils on Federal Lands. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin, v. 34, p. 138-140.

Presentations

• Anderson P.B, and King, M.R., (2023), Upper Turonian unidentified plant fossil in a marginal marine sandbody Ferron Sandstone, Emery County, Utah. 14th Conference on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems (June 7-10, 2023).
• Zanno, L.E., Tucker, R.T., Suarez, C., Avrahami, H.M., Herzog, L., Hedge, J., Gates, T.A., Suarez, M., Lund, E., Freimuth, W.J., Beguesse, K., King, M.R., Cifelli, R.L., Makovicky, P.J., (2023) Paleobiodiversity of the Mussentuchit Member, Cedar Mountain Formation (Utah): New discoveries enhance and contextualize an exceptional window into Mid-Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems. 14th Conference on Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems (June 7-10, 2023).
• Mehew, S., King, M.R., Foster, J., Frost, F., and Mims, A. (2023) Tridactyl Tracks of the Jurassic Morrison Formation, southwest Colorado. Western Interior Paleontological Society 12th Founders Symposium (March 25-26, 2023).
• Mehew, S., King, M.R., Foster, J., Frost, F., and Mims, A. (2022) Probable Stegosaur Tracks from the Jurassic Morrison Formation, southwest Colorado. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 9-12, 2022).
• King, M. Ryan, Botterill, Scott E., Gingras, Murray K., and MacEachern, James. A. (2019) Glossifungites-demarcated stratigraphic surfaces: Landward limits of the omission suite paradigm. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting (May 13-17, 2019).
• Botterill, Scott E., Clark, William, King, M.R., and Gingras, Murray K. (2019) Interstratification of deltaic and bay
  Alberta, Canada. Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting (May 13-17, 2019).
• Giraldo, Daniel F., King, M.R., Smith, Joshua A., and Zanno, Lindsay (2018) A probable Deinosuchus track: A first record from the Upper Cretaceous Menefee Formation, San Juan Basin, Northern New Mexico. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (November, 4-7 2018).
• King, M.R.; Botterill, S.E.; Gingras, M.K.; and Pemberton, S.G. (2017) Stratigraphic partitioning of wave- and river-influenced deltaic facies utilizing ichnology, Ferron Sandstone, Utah. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 22-25, 2017).
• Smart, H.E.; King, M.R.; Smith, J.A.; and Zanno, L. (2017) The influence of hydrodynamic forces on track morphology: turtle tracks from the Late Cretaceous Crevasse Canyon Formation, New Mexico. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 22-25, 2017).
• Berry, K.G.; King, M.R.; Smith, J.A.; and Zanno, L. (2017) Closing the Turonian-Coniacian Gap in the global record of Iguanodontipodidae from the Crevasse Canyon Formation, McKinley County, New Mexico. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 22-25, 2017).
• Khan, N.; King, M.R.; Pemberton, S.G.; Timmer, E.; and Gingras, M.K. (2014) Biogenically-controlled permeability in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale, Utah. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 19-22, 2014).
• King, M.R.; and Anderson, P.B. (2013) Curious proximal facies: Transgressive overprinting in the Ferron Sandstone. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Rocky Mountain Section Meeting (Sept 22-24, 2013).
• King, M.R.; Gingras, M.K.; and Pemberton, S.G. (2012) Architectural variation and ichnology of high permeability facies associations in disparate accommodation settings, Ferron Sandstone, Utah. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting (April 22-25, 2012).
• King, M.R.; Walliser, B.; Gingras, M.K.; and Pemberton, S.G. (2011) Commissure orientation and assessment of paleocurrent direction from oyster deposits of the Ferron Sandstone. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 9-12, 2011).
• King, M.R.; Pemberton, S.G.; Gingras, M.K.; and Bistran, R. (2011) Turonian tidal inlet architecture and ichnological signature, upper Ferron Sandstone, central Utah. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting (April 10-13, 2011).
• Mickelson, D.L.; King, M.R.; Getty, P.; and Mickelson, K.A. (2005) Subaqueous tetrapod swim tracks from the Middle Jurassic: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (BCNRA), Wyoming, U.S.A.. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (October 16–19, 2005) Paper No. 195-11. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 37, No. 7, p. 440.
• Mickelson, D.L.; Kvale, E.P.; Johnson, G.D.; King, M.R.; Mickelson, K.A.; and Getty, P. (2005) Subaqueous tetrapod swim tracks from the Middle Jurassic: Bighorn Basin, Wyoming U.S.A.. Geological Society of America, Rocky Mountain Section – 57th Annual Meeting (May 23–25, 2005) Paper No. 12-5. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 37, No. 6, p. 37.
• King, M.R.; Foster, J.R.; and Smith, J.A. (2004) First report of vertebrate tracks from the Wingate Sandstone (Triassic-Jurassic) of Colorado National Monument, Colorado. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 64th Annual Meeting (November 3-7. 2004). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 24, sup. 3, p. 78A.
• Mickelson, D.L.; King, M.R.; Getty, P.; and Mickelson, K.A. (2003) Occurrences of subaqueous tetrapod swim tracks from the Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) Gypsum Spring Formation: Bighorn Basin, Wyoming. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 63rd Annual Meeting (October 15-18, 2003). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 23, sup 3, p. 78.

Short Courses

• King, M.R., (2022) Incorporating Ichnological Datasets as a Tool for Turner Sandstone Interpretation. Devon Energy Continuing Education Class (February 1; 16-17 2022).
• King, M.R., and Zanno, L. (2019) Workshop III: Digitizing dinosaurs: How to use advanced visualization techniques to conserve and study fossil specimens, Advancing Paleontological Research and Specimen Conservation in Southeast Asia (December 17-19, 2019).
• King, M.R., and Anderson, P.B. (2018) Dissecting a Cretaceous fluvial-deltaic succession in core, Ferron Sandstone, Utah, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting Short Course 3 (Sold Out), Benefiting the Utah Geological Association (May 19, 2018).