Bringing fossils back to life is a complex process, and the final step, the creation of attractive renderings of ancient life, is only the tip of the iceberg. Under the surface remain the other nine-tenths, consisting in anatomical and paelontological research, and constant observation of nature either first hand or through film, besides a continuous artistic training. Accuracy is central to reconstructions, because unlike illustrations of modern animals (which can ususally be checked against photographs or living specimens), they become the main visual reference about the species they depict.

In Mauricio´s case, research related to the reconstructions has often led to independent research projects and academic publications in collaboration with specialists.

Scientific research is demanding, but it is also exciting and creates a healthy mental discipline.
Below is a list of some of Mauricio’s most relevant scientific papers:

You can email us to request PDF versions of some of these papers.

Salesa, M.J., M. Antón, A. Turner, L. Alcalá, P. Montoya y J. Morales, 2010. Systematic revision of the Late Miocene sabre-toothed feliz Paramachaerodus in Spain. Palaeontology 53(6): 1369-1391

Salesa, M.J., M. Antón, A. Turner y J. Morales, 2010. Functional anatomy of the forelimb in Promegantereon ogygia (Felidae, Machairodontinae, Smilodontini) from the Late Miocene of Spain and the origins of the sabre-toothed felid model. Journal of Anatomy 216: 381–396

Antón, M., M.J. Salesa, A. Turner, A. Galobart y J. F. Pastor, 2009. Soft tissue reconstruction of Homotherium latidens (Mammalia, carnivora, Felidae). Implications for the possibility of representations in Paleaeolithic art. Geobios 49: 541-552

Jablonski, N. G., M.G. Leakey, C.V. Ward y M. Antón, 2008. Systematic Paleontology of the Large Colobines. Pp 31-102 en N. G. Jablonski y M. G. Leakey eds: Koobi Fora Research Proeject Volume 6: The Fossil monkeys. California Academy of Sciences.

Jablonski, N. G., M.G. Leakey, C.V. Ward y M. Antón, 2008. Systematic Paleontology of the Cercopithecines. Pp 103-300 en N. G. Jablonski y M. G. Leakey eds: Koobi Fora Research Proeject Volume 6: The Fossil monkeys. California Academy of Sciences.

Salesa, M.J., Antón, M., Peigné, S. & Morales, J. 2008. Functional anatomy and biomechanics of the postcranial skeleton of Simocyon batalleri (Viret, 1929) (Carnivora, Ailuridae) from the late Miocene of Spain. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 152:593-621.

Wroe, S.; Lowry, M. B.; Anton, M. 2008. How to build a mammalian super-predator. Zoology 111: 196-203.

Antón, M., A. Turner, M.J. Salesa, and J. Morales, 2006. A complete skull of Chasmaporhtetes lunensis (Carnivora, hyaenidae) from the Spanish Pliocene site of Puebla de Valverde (Teruel). Estudios Geológicos 62 (1): 375-388.

Antón, M. & Turner, A. 2006. Africa- The Evolution of a Continent and its large Mammal Fauna. Cranium, 23 (1): 17-40.

Salesa, M. J., M. Antón, S. Peigne and J. Morales. 2006. Evidence of a false thumb in a fossil carnivore clarifies the evolution of pandas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 103 (2): 379-382.

Salesa, M.J., M. Antón, A. Turner, and J. Morales, 2006. Inferred behaviour and ecology of the primitive sabre-toothed cat Paramachairodus ogygia (Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the late Miocene of Spain. Journal of Zoology 208: 243-254. Antón, M., M. J. Salesa, J.F. Pastor, I. M. Sánchez, S. Fraile and J. Morales, 2004. Implications of the mastoid anatomy of larger extant felids for the evolution and predatory behaviour of sabretoothed cats (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 140:207-221

Peigné, S., M. J. Salesa, M. Antón and J. Morales, 2005. Ailurid carnivoran mammal Simocyon from the late Miocene of Spain and the systematics of the genus. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50 (2): 219-238.

Salesa, M.J., M. Antón, A. Turner and J. Morales, 2005. Aspects of the functional morphology of the cranial and cervical skeleton of the sabre-toothed cat Paramachairodus ogygia (Kaup, 1832) (Felidae, Machairodontinae) from the late Miocene of Spain: implications for the origin of the machairodont killing bite. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 144: 363-377.

Antón, M., M. J. Salesa, J. Morales and A. Turner, 2004. First known complete skulls of the scimitar-toothed cat Machairodus aphanistus (Felidae, Carnivora) from the spanish late Miocene site of Batallones-1. Journal of vertebrate Paleontology 24(4): 957-969

Antón, M., M. J. Salesa, J. F. Pastor, I.M. Sanchez, S. Fraile and J. Morales, 2004. Implications of the mastooid amnatomy of larger extant felids for the evoplution and predatory behaviour of sabretoothed cats (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 140:207-221.

Antón, M. G. López y R. Santamaría, 2004. Carnivore trackways from the Miocene site of Salinas de Añana (Álava, Spain). Ichnos11: 371-384

Antón, M. 2003. Comments on the reconstructions of fossil vertebrates from Lothagam. Pp 661-665 In “Lothagam: Dawn of Humanity in East Africa”. J.M. Harris and M. Leakey, eds. Columbia University Press, New York

Jablonski, N. G., Leakey, M. G., Kiarie, C. and Antón, M, 2002. A new skeleton of Theropithecus brumpti (Primates: Cercopithecidae) from Lomekwi, West Turkana, Kenya. Journal of Human Evolution, 43:887¬-923

Antón, M. and A. Galobart, 1999. Neck function and predatory behavior in the scimitar toothed cat Homotherium latidens. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 19(4): 771-784

Antón, M. and L. Werdelin, 1998. Too well restored? The case of the Megantereon skull from Senéze. Lethaia, 31:158-160

Antón, M., R. Garcia-Perea, and A. Turner, 1998. Reconstructed facial appearance of the Sabretoothed felid Smilodon. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 124:369-386