Dr. Luoyang Li

Research interests

My research mainly focuses on the Cambrian Explosion of animal life, with a specific interest in the origin, evolution, phylogeny, biomineralization of marine invertebrates. Supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, I am currently investigating exceptionally well-preserved annelid fossils from the Qingjiang Biota, a recently discovered Burgess-Shale type fossil Lagerstätte in China, to help reconstruct the phylogenetic tree and ground pattern of the last common ancestor of annelids, addressing a longstanding debate concerning early metazoan evolution. Additionally, I am deeply committed to the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity on our blue planet.

Short CV

09/2010-07/2014: Bachelor of Science, Geology (Major), Early life institute, Northwest University
09/2012-12/2013: Bachelor of Science, Biology (Minor), Northwest University
12/2017-12/2018: Exchanging Ph.D, Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History
09/2014-07/2019: Ph.D, Palaeobiology, Early life institute, Northwest University

1/2013-1/2015: Volunteer at the Northwest University Museum
10/2019-10/2021: Postdoctoral Researcher, Swedish Museum of Natural History.
11/2021-Present: Associate Professor, Ocean University of China.
09/2025-Present: Visiting Researcher, Georg-August-University Göttingen

Selected publications

Li, L., Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J., Altanshagai, G., Enkhbaatar, B., Li, G., Li, S., Skovsted, C.B., Cui, L. and Zhang, X., 2024. Tubule system of earliest shells as a defense against increasing microbial attacks. iScience, 27(3).
Li, L.*, Betts, M.J., Yun, H., Pan, B., Topper, T.P., Li, G., Zhang, X. and Skovsted, C.B., 2023. Fibrous or Prismatic? A Comparison of the Lamello-Fibrillar Nacre in Early Cambrian and Modern Lophotrochozoans. Biology, 12(1), p.113.
Li, L.*, Skovsted, C.B. and Topper, T.P., 2022. Deep origin of the crossed‐lamellar microstructure in early Cambrian molluscs. Palaeontology, 65(4), p.e12620.
Li, L.*, Topper, T.P., Betts, M.J. Dorjnamjaa, D., Altanshagai, G., Enhkbaatar, B., Li, G. and Skovsted, C.B., 2022. Calcitic shells in the aragonite sea of earliest Cambrian. Geology, 51(1), pp.8-12.
Li, L.*, Christian, C.B., Dai, T., Yun, H. Fu, D. and Zhang, X., 2021. Qingjianglepas from the Qingjiang biota, an evolutionary dead-end of Cambrian helcionelloid mollusks?. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 575, p.110480.
Li, L.*, Skovsted, C.B., Yun, H., Betts, M.J. and Zhang, X., 2020. New insight into the soft anatomy and shell microstructures of early Cambrian orthothecids (Hyolitha). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol., No, 287: 20201467, 08.
Li, L., Zhang, X.*, Skovsted, C.B., Yun, H., Pan, B. and Li, G., 2020. Revisiting the molluscan fauna from the Cambrian (Series 2, stages 3–4) Xinji Formation of North China. Papers in Palaeontology, 7(1), pp.521-564.
Li, L., Zhang, X.*, Skovsted, C.B.*, Yun, H., Pan, B. and Li, G., 2019. Homologous shell microstructures in Cambrian hyoliths and molluscs. Palaeontology, Vol., No, 62, pp. 515-532.
Fu, D., Tong, G., Dai, T., Liu, W., Yang, Y., Zhang, Y., Cui, L., Li, L., Yun, H., Wu, Y., Sun, A., Liu, C., Pei, W., Lin, W., Ma, J., Gains, R.R. and Zhang, X.*, 2019. The Qingjiang biota- An extraordinary new Burgess Shale-type fossil Lagerstätte from the early Cambrian, South China. Science, Vol., No, 363, pp.1338-1342.
Li, L., Zhang, X.*, Yun, H. and Li, G., 2017. Complex hierarchical microstructures of Cambrian mollusk Pelagiella: insight into early biomineralization and evolution. Scientific Reports, Vol., No, 7, 1935.
Li, L., Zhang, X.*, Yun, H. and Li, G., 2016. New occurrence of Cambroclavus absonus from the lowermost Cambrian of North China and its stratigraphical importance. Alcheringa, Vol., No, 40, pp. 45–52.