On paleoecosystem and paleoenvironment of the Early Cretaceous Tetori Group ; promotion of the public understanding of the fossils, local museums and visitor centers, site protection in the local community

通过该项目，石川县白矿村教育局已经准备了2062个标本并编目到动物化石收藏中。其中软体动物9种，鱼类4种，两栖动物1种，蜥蜴7种，海龟3种，脊椎动物3种，恐龙6种，翼龙2种，鸟类1种，突触体1种，哺乳动物2种。在这些爬行动物化石中，首次在欧洲/中东以外的地方发现了一种类似于石斑龙的动物。它是最早的化石记录，也是在非海相地层中首次出现的化石。这块化石与最新的一种假说不符，即蛇、石斑龙和马赛龙是在白垩纪晚期在欧洲/中东海域演化而来的。在鱼类化石中，一种类似Phareodus的鱼在亚洲首次被发现，它是最早的化石记录。这块化石质疑了一种假说，即棕榈鱼及其相关鱼类起源于白垩纪晚期的南半球。6月1日和2日，我们在北九州市自然历史和人类历史博物馆组织了一次关于东亚早白垩世生物群的国际研讨会。共有15篇论文，其中6篇由海外代表提交。我们制作了一个关于早白垩世生物群的巡回展览。2002年夏天，它首先在千叶县博物馆和研究所开放，然后前往群马自然历史博物馆和北九州市自然历史和人类历史博物馆，总共吸引了37300多名参观者。

Through the project, 2062 specimens have been prepared and catalogued into the animal fossil collection at the Board of Education in Shiramine Village, Ishikawa Prefecture. Thirty-nine species and three morpho types of the egg shells have been recognized including 9species of molluscs, 4 species of fishes, one species of amphibian, 7 species of lizards, 3 species of turtles, 3 species of choristoderans, 6 species of dinosaurs, 2 species of pterosaurs, one species of birds, one species of synapsids, and two species of mammals. Among the fossil reptiles, a dolichosaur-like animal was identified for the first time outside of Europe/Middle East. It represents the earliest fossil record and the first occurrence in non-marine strata. The fossil is not congruent with a latest hypothesis that the snakes, dolichosaurs, and mosasaurs evoloved in the European/Middle Eastern sea in the Late Cretaceous. Among fossil fishes, a Phareodus-like fish was identified for the first time in Asia and it represents the earliest fossil record. This fossil questions a hypothesis that Phareodus and its related fishes were originated in the Southern Hemisphere in the Late Cretaceous. We organized an international symposium on the Early Cretaceous biota in East Asia at Kitakyushu City Museum of Natural History and Human History on 1 and 2 June. There were 15 papers including six given by overseas delegates. We produced a traveling exhibition on the Early Cretaceous Biota. It opened first at Chiba Prefectural Museum and Institute in the summer of 2002, and traveled to Gunma Museum of Natural History, and Kitakyushu City Museum of Natural History and Human History attracting more than 37300 visitors in total.