Adaptive radiation in the Triassic ichthyosaurs, its ecological and environmental background

过去两年的工作集中在不列颠哥伦比亚省东北部三叠纪岩石中极其丰富的海洋爬行动物化石上。该地区有超过1200米的连续三叠纪海相沉积，跨越早、中、晚三叠世。不列颠哥伦比亚省的三叠纪沉积物中包含了各种各样的鱼类化石、鱼龙化石、thalattosaurus化石和蜥脚类化石，其中许多都是科学上的新发现。这项研究包括收集和准备新的化石材料，以及对其他机构的重要收藏进行比较研究。一个巨型鱼龙标本的收集工作完成了。2000年，世界上最大的海洋爬行动物的挖掘被授予劳力士企业奖。所有的标本都被收集起来，现在正在皇家泰瑞尔博物馆进行准备工作。迄今为止完成的准备工作包括颅骨、肱骨、桡骨、尺骨、颈椎和尾椎以及耻骨。这项工作的另一个重点是生态背景下的沉积环境。Paul Johnston （RTMP）对该地区的菊石和双壳类进行了研究，Mike Orchard（温哥华GSC）进行了地层分析，J-P进行了地层学研究。Zonneveld （GSC - Calgary）和Dennis Braham （RTMP）进行了孢粉学调查。里斯·巴里克（北卡罗莱纳）采集了骨头和周围基质的样本进行地球化学同位素分析。

Work for the past two years has focused on the incredibly rich fossil faunas of marine reptiles in the Triassic rocks of northeastern British Columbia. This region has over 1200 meters of continuous Triassic marine sedimentation, spanning the Early, Middle and Late Triassic. The Triassic sediments in British Columbia contain a diverse assemblage of fossil fish, ichthyosaurs, thalattosaurs and sauropterygians, many of which are new to science. This study has involved the collection and preparation of new fossil material, and comparative study of critical collections in other institutions. The collection of a giant ichthyosaur specimen was completed. The excavation of the world's largest marine reptile was awarded the Rolex Award for Enterprise in 2000.All of the specimen was collected and is now undergoing preparation at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Preparation completed to date includes the skull, both humeri, radii, ulnae, cervical and caudal vertebrae and pubis. Additional focus of this work was the depositional environment in an ecological context. Ammonites and bivalves from the locality are being studied by Paul Johnston (RTMP), conbdont analyses are being under taken by Mike Orchard (GSC- Vancouver), stratigraphy is being done by J-P. Zonneveld (GSC - Calgary), and palynological investigations were under taken by Dennis Braham (RTMP). Reese Barrick (North Carolina) took samples of both bone and surrounding matrix for geochemical isotope analysis.