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，2062个标本已经准备好并编入石川县白峰村教育委员会的动物化石收藏中。其中软体动物9种，鱼类4种，两栖动物1种，蜥蜴7种，龟3种，离足类3种，恐龙6种，翼龙2种，鸟类1种，合肢类1种，哺乳动物2种。在爬行动物化石中，一种类似长角龙的动物首次在欧洲/中东以外被发现。它代表了最早的化石记录和首次出现在非海相地层。该化石与最新的假设不一致，该假设认为蛇，长角龙和沧龙在白垩纪晚期在欧洲/中东海域进化。在化石鱼类中，一种类似Phareodus的鱼在亚洲首次被发现，它代表了最早的化石记录。该化石质疑了Phareodus及其相关鱼类在晚白垩世起源于南半球的假设。我们于6月1日和2日在北九州市自然历史和人类历史博物馆举办了关于东亚早白垩世生物群的国际研讨会。论文15篇，其中6篇来自国外。我们制作了一个关于早白垩世生物群的巡回展览。2002年夏天在千叶县立博物馆和研究所首次开放，并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，共吸引了37300多名游客。

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.