Jean-Bernard Caron, University of Toronto

Research

Burgess Shale Cambrian explosion Evolution Exceptional fossil preservation Kootenay National Park Metazoans Parks Canada UNESCO World Heritage Site

Latest papers

Early evolvability in arthropod tagmosis exemplified by a new radiodont from the Burgess Shale.
Royal Society open science · 2025 · senior author
The Cambrian Odaraia alata and the colonization of nektonic suspension-feeding niches by early mandibulates.
Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2024 · senior author
A macroscopic free-swimming medusa from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale.
Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2023

All 38 publications

Latest funding

Exceptional Burgess Shale fossil deposits from northern Kootenay National Park, BC; macroevolution, diversity and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.
NSERC · 2023 · Principal investigator
$78,000
Burgess Shale fossils from Marble Canyon (Canadian Rockies) and the early diversification of animals
NSERC · 2017 · Principal investigator
$234,000
Palaeobiology and community analysis of the Burgess Shale biota.
NSERC · 2012 · Principal investigator
$135,000

All 6 grants and awards

38 publications.

01

Early evolvability in arthropod tagmosis exemplified by a new radiodont from the Burgess Shale.

Moysiuk J, Caron JB

Royal Society open science2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.242122 PMID: 40370603

02

The Cambrian Odaraia alata and the colonization of nektonic suspension-feeding niches by early mandibulates.

Izquierdo-López A, Caron JB

Proceedings. Biological sciences2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0622 PMID: 39043240

03

A macroscopic free-swimming medusa from the middle Cambrian Burgess Shale.

Moon J, Caron JB, Moysiuk J

Proceedings. Biological sciences2023

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2490 PMID: 37528711

04

First record of growth patterns in a Cambrian annelid.

Osawa H, Caron JB, Gaines RR

Royal Society open science2023

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221400 PMID: 37122950

05

The problematic Cambrian arthropod Tuzoia and the origin of mandibulates revisited.

Izquierdo-López A, Caron JB

Royal Society open science2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220933 PMID: 36483757

06

A possible home for a bizarre Carboniferous animal: is Typhloesus a pelagic gastropod?

Conway Morris S, Caron JB

Biology letters2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0179 PMID: 36126687

07

A three-eyed radiodont with fossilized neuroanatomy informs the origin of the arthropod head and segmentation.

Moysiuk J, Caron JB

Current biology : CB2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.027 PMID: 35809569

08

Extreme multisegmentation in a giant bivalved arthropod from the Cambrian Burgess Shale.

Izquierdo-López A, Caron JB

iScience2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104675 PMID: 35845166

09

Fish without Tail Fins-Exploring the Function of Tail Morphology of the First Vertebrates.

Rival DE, Yang W, Caron JB

Integrative and comparative biology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab004 PMID: 33690846

10

Symbiosis in the Cambrian: enteropneust tubes from the Burgess Shale co-inhabited by commensal polychaetes.

Nanglu K, Caron JB

Proceedings. Biological sciences2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0061 PMID: 34034516

Exceptional Burgess Shale fossil deposits from northern Kootenay National Park, BC; macroevolution, diversity and paleoenvironmental reconstruction.

Principal investigatorNSERC2023Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Caron, Jean-Bernard

Keywords: cambrian explosion; burgess shale; metazoans; evolution; unesco world heritage site; exceptional fossil preservation; kootenay national park; parks canada

$78,000

Burgess Shale fossils from Marble Canyon (Canadian Rockies) and the early diversification of animals

Principal investigatorNSERC2017Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Caron, Jean-Bernard

$234,000

Palaeobiology and community analysis of the Burgess Shale biota.

Principal investigatorNSERC2012Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Caron, JeanBernard

$135,000

Thin sectioning and microscopy lab for palaeobiology and other rare sample research

Co-investigatorNSERC2009Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Evans, David

$77,255

A high precision, low loss diamond wire saw facility for rare earth and solar system samples

Co-investigatorNSERC2008Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Spooner, Edward

$117,318

Early metazoan evolution and ecology of the cambrian radiation

Principal investigatorNSERC2007Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Caron, JeanBernard

$96,950

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Burgess Shale Dear Professor Caron, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Early evolvability in arthropod tagmosis exemplified by a new radiodont from the Burgess Shale." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Exceptional Burgess Shale fossil deposits from northern Kootenay National Park, BC; macroevolution, diversity and paleoenvironmental reconstruction." (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]