A5081786176- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- dental development and anomalies
- Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies
- Cultural and Historical Studies
- Vehicle License Plate Recognition
- Narrative Theory and Analysis
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Language and Culture
University of Chicago
2015-2024
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
2004-2015
University of Bonn
2010-2013
Nanjing University
2003-2007
Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences
2003-2006
Charleston Museum
2005
Queen Mary University of London
2005
China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
2003
College of Charleston
1991-1996
Marine Biological Laboratory
1995-1996
To discover interordinal relationships of living and fossil placental mammals the time origin placentals relative to Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary, we scored 4541 phenomic characters de novo for 86 species. Combining these data with molecular sequences, obtained a phylogenetic tree that, when calibrated fossils, shows that crown clade Placentalia orders originated after K-Pg boundary. Many nodes discovered using are upheld, but signals overturn show Sundatheria (Dermoptera +...
Evidence from two early fossils suggests that brain enlargement and specialization proceeded in three pulses.
Derived features of a new boreosphenidan mammal from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation China suggest that it has closer relationship to metatherians (including extant marsupials) than eutherians placentals). This fossil dates 125 million years ago and extends record marsupial relatives with skeletal remains by 50 years. It also many foot structures known only climbing tree-living mammals, suggesting early crown therians exploited diverse niches. New data this support view Asia was likely...
A docodontan mammaliaform from the Middle Jurassic of China possesses swimming and burrowing skeletal adaptations some dental features for aquatic feeding. It is most primitive taxon in mammalian lineage known to have fur has a broad, flattened, partly scaly tail analogous that modern beavers. We infer docodontans were semiaquatic, convergent platypus many Cenozoic placentals. This fossil demonstrates mammaliaforms, or proximal relatives mammals, developed diverse locomotory feeding...
A fossil from the Early Jurassic (Sinemurian, ∼195 million years ago) represents a new lineage of mammaliaforms, extinct groups more closely related to living mammals than nonmammaliaform cynodonts. It has an enlarged cranial cavity, but no postdentary trough on mandible, indicating separation middle ear bones mandible. This extends earliest record these crucial mammalian features by some 45 and suggests that mandible expanded brain vault could be correlated. shows several key evolutionary...
A fossil mammal from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, Colorado, has highly specialized teeth similar to those of xenarthran and tubulidentate placental mammals different generalized insectivorous or omnivorous dentitions other mammals. It many forelimb features for digging, its lumbar vertebrae show xenarthrous articulations. Parsimony analysis suggests that this represents a separate basal mammalian lineage with some dental vertebral convergences modern placentals, reveals previously...
A new docodontan mammaliaform from the Middle Jurassic of China has skeletal features for climbing and dental characters indicative an omnivorous diet that included plant sap. This fossil expands range known locomotor adaptations in docodontans to include climbing, addition digging swimming. It further shows some had a with substantial herbivorous component, distinctive faunivorous diets previously reported other members this clade. reveals greater ecological diversity early clade at more...
Complex structures with significant biological function can arise multiple times in evolution by common gene patterning and developmental pathways. The mammalian middle ear, its hearing function, is such a complex structure key evolutionary innovation. Newly discovered fossils have now shown that the detachment of ear from jaw, an important transformation early mammals, has major homoplasies; morphogenesis these homoplasies also illuminated new genetic studies development extant mammals. By...
Multituberculates were successful herbivorous mammals and more diverse numerically abundant than any other mammal groups in Mesozoic ecosystems. The clade also developed locomotor adaptations the Cretaceous Paleogene. We report a new fossil skeleton from Late Jurassic of China that belongs to basalmost multituberculate family. Dental features this show omnivorous adaptation, its well-preserved sheds light on ancestral skeletal all multituberculates, especially highly mobile joints ankle,...
As one of the earliest-known mammaliaforms, Haramiyavia clemmenseni from Rhaetic (Late Triassic) East Greenland has held an important place in understanding timing earliest radiation group. Reanalysis type specimen using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) revealed new details, such as presence dentary condyle mammalian jaw hinge and postdentary trough for mandibular attachment middle ear-a transitional condition predecessors to crown Mammalia. Our tests competing phylogenetic...
The definitive mammalian middle ear (DMME) is defined by the loss of embryonic Meckel's cartilage and disconnection from mandible in adults. It a major feature distinguishing living mammals nonmammalian vertebrates. We report Cretaceous trechnotherian mammal with an ossified adult, showing that homoplastic evolution DMME occurred derived therian mammals, besides known cases eutriconodonts. appears to be paedomorphic. Reabsorption disconnect ossicles patterned network genes signaling...
The coiled cochlea is a key evolutionary innovation of modern therian mammals. We report that the Late Jurassic mammal Dryolestes , relative to therians, has derived bony characteristics therian-like innervation, but its uncoiled cochlear canal less than therians. This suggests innervation evolved before fully in phylogeny. embryogenesis nerve and ganglion inner ear mice now known be patterned by neurogenic genes, which we hypothesize have influenced formation auditory evolution, as shown...