REU: Paleocene and Eocene Faunas of the Wind River Basin, Wyoming: Excavation, Preparation and Research

这个项目--五年奋进的最后两年 - 涉及收集、编制和研究 东风T+河中已灭绝的脊椎动物遗骸 怀俄明州的盆地。 具体而言，该项目涉及： (1)发掘出了非常赖希的化石采石场 产生无与伦比的头骨，骨骼，和牙齿（50 （100万年前）许多群体的最早的先驱 犀牛、偶蹄动物、蝙蝠、有袋动物和啮齿动物： (2)邻近荒地岩石测量（6000万至3500万 年），以恢复更多的脊椎动物化石从一个更长的 时间序列和更广泛的古生态环境 重建古代生态系统和生物多样性;（3） 以及这些古老动物之间的关系 分析 古生物学问题 该项目迄今取得的成就包括： (1)发现并挖掘了60%的极其丰富的采石场 保存了许多始新世哺乳动物的头骨和骨骼， 蜥蜴迄今只知道牙齿和颌骨;（2）科学 描述和分析代表古代的材料 有袋动物，灵长类动物，犰狳一样的野兽，啮齿动物，古 有蹄类和偶数趾有蹄类：（3）分析新的， 显著的标本，例如：第一个已知的眼镜猴状头骨 肖绍尼乌斯推翻了对灵长类动物的传统看法 演化树;似狐猴的腹背熊头骨 证明了灵长类动物两性异形的最古老记录， 暗示早期灵长类社会行为;新啮齿类动物头骨， Armintomys，揭示了最早出现的专门下巴 一种被称为“猪形”的结构，一种主要的进化创新 啮齿类动物;（4）更精确的地质和地层 西部内陆始新世动物群和层位的对比 使用传统的地质技术， 和卫星/飞机遥感图像;（5）分析 生物多样性和动物群随时间的变化;（6）详细 对进化模式的研究贯穿于时间的进程。 自1988年以来，这些成就已记录在23个 专业期刊论文、学生论文和 论文和专业会议上的演讲。

This project -- the final two years of a five-year endeavor -- involves the collecting, preparation and study of outstanding remains of extinct vertebrates from the eastern Wind T+River Basin, Wyoming. Specifically, the project involves: (1) the excavation of extremely reich fossil quarries that produce unparalleled skulls, skeletons, and dentitions (50 million years old) of the earliest forerunners of many groups os rhinoceroses, even-toed ungulates, bats, marsupials and rodents: (2) survey of adjacent badland rocks (60 million to 35 million years old) to recover additional fossil vertebrates from a longer temporal sequence and broader paleoecological settings in order to reconstruct ancient ecosystems and biodiversity; and (3) the and relationships of these ancient animals. Analysis of the paleobiological problems. Accomplishments of this project to date include: (1) discovery and 60% excavation of extremely rich quarries preserving skulls and skeletons of many Eocene mammals and lizards hitherto known only from teeth and jaws; (2) scientific descriptions and analyses of the material representing ancient marsupials, primates, armadillo-like beasts, rodents, archaic ungulates, and even-toed ungulates: (3) analyses of new, remarkable specimens, e.g.: first known skulls of tarsier-like Shoshonius has overturned traditional views on the primate evolutionary tree; skulls of the lemur-like Notharctus venticolus demonstrate the oldest record of primate sexual dimorphism and imply early primate social behaviors; skull of new rodent, Armintomys, reveals earliest appearance of a specialized jaw structure called hystricomorphy, a major evolutionary innovation in rodents; (4) more precise geology and stratigraphic correlation of Eocene faunas and horizons n the Western Interior of the Rocky Mountains using conventional geologic techniques, and satellite/aircraft remote sensing imagery; (5) analysis of biodiversity and faunal change through time; and (6) detailed studies of evolutionary patterns processes through time. Since 1988, these accomplishments have been documented in 23 papers in professional journals, student dissertations and theses, and presentations at professional meetings.