Varavudh Suteethorn

{{Short description|Thai palaeontologist and geologist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Varavudh Suteethorn

| native_name = วราวุธ สุธีธร

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| other_names = Warawut Suteethorn

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|10|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

| fields = {{ubl|Vertebrate paleontology|Geology}}

| education = {{ubl|Chiang Mai University|UPMC}}

| known_for = Discoveries in palaeontology in the Khorat Plateau

| work_institution = Mahasarakham University

}}

Varavudh Suteethorn, or Warawut Suteethorn (Thai:วราวุธ สุธีธร; born 10 October 1948) is a Thai palaeontologist and geologist. He is the current director of the Palaeontological Research and Education Centre, Mahasarakham University.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/special-reports/1020237/the-dinosaur-hunter-seeking-more-than-just-bare-bones|title=The dinosaur hunter seeking more than just bare bones|last=Wangkiat|first=Paritta|date=June 2016|work=Bangkok Post Public Company Limited|access-date=2 November 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.stdb.most.go.th/scientist_detail.aspx?ID=12628|title=Scientist – Dr. Warawut Suteethorn|website=Science and Technology Infrastructure Databank|access-date=2 November 2018}} He is best known for his work on vertebrate paleontology in northeastern Thailand, having contributed to the discovery of many fossil taxa and dig sites in the Khorat Plateau, as a part of a long-standing collaboration between Thai and French scientists.

Biography

File:Mahasarakham University sign.jpg, Isan]]

Varavudh Suteethorn was born in the Nakhon Pathom Province of central Thailand on 10 October 1948. He obtained a bachelor's degree in geology from the Chiang Mai University in 1967, and started working at the Geological Survey Division of the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) in 1974 as he began his career in geology. While working for the DMR, Suteethorn gained expertise on Thailand's northeastern Isan region, located in the Khorat Plateau. His geological mapping of those areas led to the discovery of various new fossil sites,{{Cite web|url=http://vertpaleo.org/the-Society/Awards/Past-Award-Winners/2006-(Skinner-Award)-Varavudh-Suteethorn.aspx|title=2006 (Skinner Award) Varavudh Suteethorn|date=2006|website=Society of Vertebrate Paleontology}} which have since yielded the majority of Thailand's palaeontological discoveries.{{Cite journal|last1=Buffetaut|first1=Eric|last2=Grellet-Tinner|first2=Gerald|last3=Suteethorn|first3=Varavudh|last4=Cuny|first4=Gilles|last5=Tong|first5=Haiyan|last6=Košir|first6=Adrijan|last7=Cavin|first7=Lionel|last8=Chitsing|first8=Suwanna|last9=J. Griffiths|first9=Peter|date=1 October 2005|title=Minute theropod eggs and embryo from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand and the dinosaur-bird transition|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226285347|journal=Naturwissenschaften|volume=92|issue=10|pages=477–482|bibcode=2005NW.....92..477B|doi=10.1007/s00114-005-0022-9|pmid=16158273|s2cid=26168801}}{{Cite journal|last1=Boonchai|first1=N|last2=Grote|first2=Paul|last3=Jintasakul|first3=P|date=1 January 2009|title=Paleontological parks and museums and prominent fossil sites in Thailand and their importance in the conservation of fossils|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286206751|journal=PaleoParks – the Protection and Conservation of Fossil Sites Worldwide|pages=75–95}}

Vertebrate palaeontology came into prominence in Thailand in 1980, when Thai geologists from the DMR cooperated with French scientists to begin expeditions in the Khorat Plateau.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13dino.html|title=Old Bones Yield a New Age of Dinosaurs|last=Fuller|first=Thomas|date=July 2010|work=The New York Times|access-date=2 November 2018|language=en}} Suteethorn, one of the first members of the dinosaur expedition team, learned how to preparare and conserve fossils in France and Canada and in 1986 was granted a Certificate of Vertebrate Palaeontology by the University of Paris VI, France. The same year, the spinosaurid dinosaur species Siamosaurus suteethorni was named in honour of his palaeontological efforts in Thailand, by the French palaeontologist Éric Buffetaut and his Thai colleague Rucha Ingavat.Buffetaut, E.; and Ingevat, R. (1986). Unusual theropod dinosaur teeth from the Upper Jurassic of Phu Wiang, northeastern Thailand. Rev. Paleobiol. 5: 217-220. Suteethorn has been head of the Thai dinosaur research team since 1992 and continues to find new dig sites, which are subject to cataloguing and routine checks from his team, although excavation has not begun in many of them.

In 2006 Suteethorn was given the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology's Skinner Award. In 2018, he received the Explorer Award from the National Geographic Society, during their annual Explorer's Festival.{{Cite news|url=https://ngthai.com/history/12666/explorer-awards-2018-4/|title=Explorer Awards 2018: ดร.วราวุธ สุธีธร – National Geographic Thailand|date=27 July 2018|work=National Geographic Thailand|access-date=2 November 2018|language=en-US}} He is currently lecturer and director of the Palaeontological Research and Education Centre of Mahasarakham University.

Taxa named by Suteethorn alone or with co-authors

Suteethorn has helped name and describe (often in cooperation with Buffetaut) many fossil vertebrates from the Khorat Plateau, including extinct dinosaurs, fish, crocodylomorphs, mammals, and turtles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Varavudh_Suteethorn|title=Varavudh Suteethorn {{!}} Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham {{!}} Palaeontological Research and Education Centre|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=3 November 2018}} His team from the Mahasarakham University discovered various fossil mammals in a Chaiyaphum cave, including teeth from pandas, hyenas, and the extinct orangutan Khoratpithecus piriyai.{{Cite journal|last1=Chaimanee|first1=Yaowalak|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Jintasakul|first3=Pratueng|last4=Vidthayanon|first4=Chavalit|last5=Marandat|first5=Bernard|last6=Jaeger|first6=Jean-Jacques|date=2004|title=A new orang-utan relative from the Late Miocene of Thailand|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=427|issue=6973|pages=439–441|doi=10.1038/nature02245|pmid=14749830|issn=0028-0836|bibcode=2004Natur.427..439C|s2cid=4349664}}

= Dinosaurs =

File:Siamotyrannus_pelvis_01.JPG and caudal vertebrae of Siamotyrannus isanensis]]

File:Cretaceous_strata_in_northeast_and_southeastern_Thailand.png in northeast Thailand and the various geological formations it is composed of]]

  • Siamotyrannus isanensis, in 1996 interpreted as the earliest known tyrannosaurid, before being reclassified in 2012 as a metriacanthosaurid.{{cite journal|last1=Carrano|first1=M. T.|last2=Benson|first2=R. B. J.|last3=Sampson|first3=S. D.|date=2012|title=The phylogeny of Tetanurae (Dinosauria: Theropoda)|journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology|volume=10|issue=2|pages=211–300|doi=10.1080/14772019.2011.630927|s2cid=85354215}}
  • Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae{{Cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=V.|last2=Buffetaut|first2=E.|last3=Suteethorn|first3=V.|date=1994|title=A new genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Sao Khua formation (Late Jurassic or early Cretaceous) of northeastern Thailand|url=http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3548280|journal=Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris|volume=319|issue=2|pages=1085–1092}}
  • A possible new Psittacosaurus species, P. sattayaraki.{{cite journal|last1=Buffetaut|first1=Eric|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|year=1992|title=A new species of the ornithischian dinosaur Psittacosaurus from the Early Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=Palaeontology|volume=35|pages=801–812}}
  • Isanosaurus attavipachi, the earliest known sauropod dinosaur.{{cite journal|last=Buffetaut|first=E.|author2=Suteethorn, V.|author3=Cuny, G.|author4=Tong, H.|author5=Le Loeuff, J.|author6=Khansubha, S.|author7=Jongautchariyakul, S.|year=2000|title=The earliest known sauropod dinosaur|journal=Nature|volume=407|issue=6800|pages=72–74|doi=10.1038/35024060|pmid=10993074|bibcode=2000Natur.407...72B|s2cid=4387776}}
  • Kinnareemimus khonkaenensis{{cite journal | doi = 10.1144/SP315.16 | volume=315 | title=An early 'ostrich dinosaur' (Theropoda: Ornithomimosauria) from the Early Cretaceous Sao Khua Formation of NE Thailand | year=2009 | journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications | pages=229–243 | last1 = Buffetaut | first1 = E.| issue=1 | bibcode=2009GSLSP.315..229B | s2cid=128633687 }}''
  • Siamodon nimngami{{cite journal|author1=Eric Buffetaut |author2=Varavudh Suteethorn |year=2011|title=A new iguanodontian dinosaur from the Khok Kruat Formation (Early Cretaceous, Aptian) of northeastern Thailand|journal=Annales de Paléontologie|volume=97|issue=1–2|pages=51–62|doi=10.1016/j.annpal.2011.08.001}}

= Fish =

  • Lepidotes buddhabutrensis{{Cite journal|last1=Cavin|first1=Lionel|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Khansubha|first3=Sasidhorn|last4=Buffetaut|first4=Eric|last5=Tong|first5=Haiyan|date=2003|title=A new Semionotid (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) from the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=Comptes Rendus Palevol|volume=2|issue=5|pages=291–297|doi=10.1016/s1631-0683(03)00062-9|issn=1631-0683}}
  • Acrorhizodus khoratensis{{Cite journal|last1=Henri|first1=Cappetta|last2=Buffetaut|first2=Eric|last3=Cuny|first3=Gilles|last4=Suteethorn|first4=Varavudh|date=1 May 2006|title=A new elasmobranch assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/213769820|journal=Palaeontology|volume=49|issue=3|pages=547–556|doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00555.x|s2cid=129380407 |doi-access=free}}
  • Two species of Isanodus, I. nongbualamphuensis and I. paladeji.{{Cite journal|last1=Cuny|first1=Gilles|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Kamha|first3=Suchada|last4=Buffetaut|first4=Eric|last5=Philippe|first5=Marc|date=2006|title=A new hybodont shark assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=Historical Biology|language=en|volume=18|issue=1|pages=21–31|doi=10.1080/08912960500510495|s2cid=128907999|issn=0891-2963}}{{Cite journal|last1=Khamha|first1=Suchada|last2=Cuny|first2=Gilles|last3=Lauprasert|first3=Komsorn|date=24 December 2015|title=Revision of Isanodus paladeji (Elasmobranchii, Hybodontiformes) from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=PalZ|language=en|volume=90|issue=3|pages=533–541|doi=10.1007/s12542-015-0282-4|s2cid=131660636|issn=0031-0220}}
  • Two species of Isanichthys, I. palustris and I. lertboosi{{Cite journal|last1=Cavin|first1=Lionel|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|date=16 March 2006|title=A new semionotiform (Actinopterygii, Neopterygii) from Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous deposits of North-East Thailand, with comments on the relationships of semionotiforms|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229662888|journal=Palaeontology|volume=49|issue=2|pages=339–353|doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2006.00539.x|doi-access=free}}
  • Lonchidion khoratensis
  • Siamamia naga{{Cite journal|last1=Cavin|first1=Lionel|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Buffetaut|first3=Eric|last4=Claude|first4=Julien|last5=Cuny|first5=Gilles|last6=Le Loeuff|first6=Jean|last7=Tong|first7=Haiyan|date=12 December 2007|title=The first sinamiid fish (Holostei: Halecomorpha) from Southeast Asia (Early Cretaceous of Thailand)|journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology|language=en|volume=27|issue=4|pages=827–837|doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[827:tfsfhh]2.0.co;2|s2cid=85325978 |issn=0272-4634}}
  • Ferganoceratodus martini{{Cite journal|last1=CAVIN|first1=LIONEL|last2=SUTEETHORN|first2=VARAVUDH|last3=BUFFETAUT|first3=ERIC|last4=TONG|first4=HAIYAN|date=2007|title=A new Thai Mesozoic lungfish (Sarcopterygii, Dipnoi) with an insight into post-Palaeozoic dipnoan evolution|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|language=en|volume=149|issue=2|pages=141–177|doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00238.x|issn=1096-3642|doi-access=free}}
  • Mukdahanodus trisivakulii{{Cite journal|last1=Cuny|first1=Gilles|last2=Cavin|first2=Lionel|last3=Suteethorn|first3=Varavudh|date=2009|title=A new hybodont with a cutting dentition from the Lower Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=Cretaceous Research|volume=30|issue=3|pages=515–520|doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2008.09.003|issn=0195-6671}}
  • Acrodus kalasinensis{{Cite journal|last1=Cuny|first1=Gilles|last2=Liard|first2=Romain|last3=Deesri|first3=Uthumporn|last4=Liard|first4=Tida|last5=Khamha|first5=Suchada|last6=Suteethorn|first6=Varavudh|date=3 December 2013|title=Shark faunas from the Late Jurassic—Early Cretaceous of northeastern Thailand|journal=Paläontologische Zeitschrift|language=en|volume=88|issue=3|pages=309–328|doi=10.1007/s12542-013-0206-0|issn=0031-0220|doi-access=free}}
  • Thaiichthys{{Cite journal|last1=Cavin|first1=Lionel|last2=Deesri|first2=Uthumporn|last3=Suteethorn|first3=Varavudh|date=2013|title=Osteology and relationships of Thaiichthysnov. gen.: a Ginglymodi from the Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous of Thailand|journal=Palaeontology|language=en|volume=56|issue=1|pages=183–208|doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01184.x|issn=0031-0239|doi-access=free}}

= Crocodylomorphs =

  • Khoratosuchus jintasakuliLauprasert, K.; Cuny, G.; Thirakhupt, K. and Suteethorn, V. 2009. Khoratosuchus jintasakuli gen. et sp. nov., an advanced neosuchian crocodyliform from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) of NE Thailand. In E. Buffetaut, G. Cuny, J. Le Loeuff, V. Suteethorn (eds.), Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Ecosystems in SE Asia. The Geological Society of London, Special Publication 315:175–187.
  • Theriosuchus grandinaris{{cite journal | last1 = Lauprasert | first1 = Komsorn | last2 = Laojumpon | first2 = Chalida | last3 = Saenphala | first3 = Wanitchaphat | last4 = Cuny | first4 = Gilles | last5 = Thirakhupt | first5 = Kumthorn | last6 = Suteethorn | first6 = Varavudh | year = 2011 | title = Atoposaurid crocodyliforms from the Khorat Group of Thailand: first record of Theriosuchus from Southeast Asia | journal = Paläontologische Zeitschrift | volume = 85 | issue = 1| pages = 37–47 | doi = 10.1007/s12542-010-0071-z | s2cid = 128623617 }}
  • Chalawan thailandicus{{Cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=Jeremy E.|last2=Lauprasert|first2=Komsorn|last3=Buffetaut|first3=Eric|last4=Liard|first4=Romain|last5=Suteethorn|first5=Varavudh|date=18 November 2013|title=A large pholidosaurid in the Phu Kradung Formation of north-eastern Thailand|journal=Palaeontology|language=en|volume=57|issue=4|pages=757–769|doi=10.1111/pala.12086|s2cid=128482290 |issn=0031-0239|doi-access=free}}

= Primates =

  • Siamopithecus eocaenus{{Cite journal|last1=Chaimanee|first1=Yaowalak|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Jaeger|first3=Jean-Jacques|last4=Ducrocq|first4=Stéphane|date=1997|title=A new Late Eocene anthropoid primate from Thailand|journal=Nature|language=En|volume=385|issue=6615|pages=429–431|doi=10.1038/385429a0|pmid=9009188|issn=0028-0836|bibcode=1997Natur.385..429C|s2cid=1466613}}
  • Khoratpithecus piriyai

= Turtles =

  • A new species of Cuora, C. chiangmuanensis{{Cite journal|last1=Naksri|first1=Wilailuck|last2=Tong|first2=Haiyan|last3=Lauprasert|first3=Komsorn|last4=Suteethorn|first4=Varavudh|last5=Claude|first5=Julien|date=2013|title=A new species of Cuora (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Miocene of Thailand and its evolutionary significance|journal=Geological Magazine|language=en|volume=150|issue=5|pages=908–922|doi=10.1017/S0016756812001082|issn=0016-7568|bibcode=2013GeoM..150..908N|s2cid=85781762 }}
  • Phunoichelys thirakhupti{{Cite journal|last1=Tong|first1=Haiyan|last2=Naksri|first2=Wilailuck|last3=Buffetaut|first3=Eric|last4=Suteethorn|first4=Varavudh|last5=Suteethorn|first5=Suravech|last6=Deesri|first6=Uthumporn|last7=Sila|first7=Saitong|last8=Chanthasit|first8=Phornphen|last9=Claude|first9=Julien|date=2015|title=A new primitive eucryptodiran turtle from the Upper Jurassic Phu Kradung Formation of the Khorat Plateau, NE Thailand|journal=Geological Magazine|language=en|volume=152|issue=1|pages=166–175|doi=10.1017/S0016756814000223|issn=0016-7568|bibcode=2015GeoM..152..166T|s2cid=55028418 }}

= Coral =

  • Caninophyllum somtaiense{{Cite journal|last1=Fontaine|first1=Henri|last2=Suteethorn|first2=Varavudh|last3=Vachard|first3=Daniel|date=1995|title=The Carboniferous of northeast Thailand: a review with new data|journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Earth Sciences|volume=12|issue=1–2|pages=1–17|doi=10.1016/0743-9547(95)00027-5|issn=0743-9547|bibcode=1995JAESc..12....1F}}

References