Taxonomic, Phylogenetic, and Stratigraphic Studies of Small Globigerinos from the Mayaroensis/Eugubina Interval Zone of Mexico

Pi和他的合作者将对墨西哥的Mayaroens/Egubina间隔带进行古生物学研究。与普遍认为的相反，对该地区浮游动物的了解还处于初级阶段。要研究的剖面包含丰富且保存完好的浮游和底栖有孔虫，以及钙质超微浮游动物，这将使这两个化石群整合到一个共同的生物地层框架中。墨西哥段是北美墨西哥湾沿岸平原中最完整的部分之一，这项研究将有助于解决关于白垩纪末期动物群变化性质的争议。它还将为区域内和全球范围内进一步的年代地层对比提供基础。此外，将对有孔虫分类群进行定量形态计量学，以界定“小球虫”组所包括的分类群的含糊定义，从而更好地了解它们的系统发育关系。

PI and collaborators will conduct a paleontological study of the mayaroensis/eugubina Interval-Zone of Mexico. Contrary to general belief, knowledge of the planktic fauna of this zone is in its infancy. The sections to be studied contain abundant and well- preserved planktic and benthic foraminifera, as well as calcareous nannoplankton, which will allow an intergration of both fossil groups into a common biostratigraphic framework. The Mexican sections are among the most complete in the Gulf Coastal Plain of North America, and this study will help address the controversy on the nature of faunal change at the terminal Cretaceous. It will also provide the basis for further chronostratigraphic correlations within the region and globally. Furthermore, quantitative morphometrics of foraminiferal taxa will be performed in order to circumscribe the ambiguous definition of the taxa included in the "small globigerinas" group, resulting in a better understanding of their phylogenetic relationships.