Christian Sidor

Christian Alfred Sidor is an American vertebrate paleontologist. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Biology, University of Washington in Seattle, as well as Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Associate Director for Research and Collections at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. His research focuses on Permian and Triassic tetrapod evolution, especially on therapsids.

Academic and professional background Sidor received a B.S. (with honors) in biology from Trinity College in 1994. He went on to pursue his graduate studies at the University of Chicago, completing his M.S. in 1996 and his Ph.D. in 2000 under the supervision of James Hopson. Sidor won the Romer Prize in 2001 for his doctoral work, a competitive annual award at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology annual meeting for the best predoctoral student oral presentation. Following his dissertation, Sidor held a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Museum of Natural History (2001) before becoming an Assistant Professor in Anatomy at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. He held that position until 2005, when he took up a position as an Assistant Professor in Biology at the University of Washington. Presently, he is a full Professor in Biology at the University of Washington, as well as a Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Associate Director for Research and Collections at the affiliated Burke Museum. He is a research associate at the Field Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Natural History, and Evolutionary Studies Institute (University of the Witwatersrand).

Academic contributions Sidor is best known for his work on therapsid synapsids; the title of his dissertation was "Evolutionary trends and relationships within the Synapsida." However, Sidor has been involved with research on a diverse array of other Paleozoic and Mesozoic tetrapod clades, including temnospondyl amphibians; captorhinid reptiles; pseudosuchian archosaurs; encompassing a wide-ranging research program focusing on descriptive anatomy, taxonomy and phylogenetics, histology and pathology, trends in biogeography, and responses of tetrapods to major climatic perturbations. Sidor has extensive experience collecting and researching fossils from historically less well-sampled geographic regions, including Niger, Tanzania, Zambia, and Antarctica. Previously he was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2005-2010).

Below is a list of new taxa that Sidor has contributed to naming: YearTaxonAuthors2026Sonselasuchus cedrus gen. et sp. nov.Smith & Sidor 2025Dicynodontoides kubwa sp. nov.Shipps, Sidor, & Angielczyk 2025Arctops umulunshi sp. nov.Mann & Sidor 2023Rhigerpeton isbelli gen. et sp. nov.Gee, Beightol & Sidor 2023Bondoceras bulborhynchus gen. et sp. nov.Sidor 2023Pembecephalus litumbaensis gen. et sp. nov.Sidor 2021Mobaceras zambeziense gen. et sp. nov.Kammerer & Sidor 2021Isengops luangwensis, gen. et sp. nov.Sidor, Tabor & Smith 2020Nshimbodon muchingaensis gen. et sp. nov.Huttenlocker & Sidor 2020Kataigidodon venetus gen. et sp. nov.Kligman, Marsh, Sues & Sidor 2019Ancistronychus paradoxus gen. et sp. nov.Gonçalves & Sidor 2019Laosuchus naga gen. et sp. nov.Arbez, Sidor & Steyer 2019Antarctanax shackletoni gen. et sp. nov.Peecook, Smith & Sidor 2017Teleocrater rhadinus gen. et sp. nov.Nesbitt, Butler, Ezcurra, Barrett, Stocker, Angielczyk, Smith, Sidor, Niedźwiedzki, Sennikov, & Charig 2016Mupashi migrator gen. et sp. nov.Huttenlocker & Sidor 2015Opisthodontosaurus carrolli gen. et sp. nov.Reisz, LeBlanc, Sidor, Scott & May 2014Abajudon kaayai gen. et sp. nov.Angielczyk, Huertas, Smith, Tabor, Sidor, Steyer, Tsuji, & Gostling 2014Nundasuchus songeaensis gen. et sp. nov.Nesbitt, Sidor, Angielczyk, Smith & Tsuji 2013Lutungutali sitwensis gen. et sp. nov.Peecook, Sidor, Nesbitt, Smith, Steyer & Angielczyk 2013Nyasasaurus parringtoni gen. et sp. nov.Nesbitt, Barrett, Werning, Sidor & Charig 2008Kryostega collinsoni gen. et sp. nov.Sidor, Damiani, & Hammer 2006Pachydectes elsi gen. et sp. nov.Rubidge, Modesto & Sidor 2006Paraburnetia sneeubergensis gen. et sp. nov.Smith, Rubidge & Sidor 2006Elliotherium kersteni gen. et sp. nov.Sidor & Hancox 2006Herpetoskylax hopsoni gen. et sp. nov.Sidor & Rubidge 2005Saharastega moradiensis gen. et sp. novSidor, O'Keefe, Damiani, Steyer, Smith, Larsson, Sereno, Ide, & Maga 2005Nigerpeton ricqlesi gen. et sp. nov.Sidor, O'Keefe, Damiani, Steyer, Smith, Larsson, Sereno, Ide, & Maga 2004Progalesaurus lootsbergensis gen. et sp. nov.Sidor & Smith 2003Anatosuchus minor gen. et sp. nov.Sereno, Sidor, Larsson & Gado 1998Suchomimus tenerensis gen. et sp. nov.Sereno et al. 1996Deltadromeus agilis gen. et sp. nov.Sereno, Dutheil, Iarochene, Larsson, Lyon, Magwene, Sidor, Varrichio, & Wilson