Palaeobiology of non-avian theropod dinosaurs

非鸟类兽脚类恐龙的古生物学

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-04674
• 负责人: Currie, Philip
• 金额: $ 2.33万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=615231
• 关键词: Palaeobiology; non; avian; theropod; dinosaurs

This program represents my continued research on the palaeobiology of non-avian theropod dinosaurs, which are rare but diverse, and tend to be fragmentary. This makes it a challenge to understand the anatomy and interrelationships of an important and interesting group of animals that is represented today by birds. Anatomical and phylogenetic studies provide a foundation for studies of growth and variation, evolution, biomechanics, physiology, palaeoecology and behaviour. Most of my research is done on specimens from Alberta, but I also have long-term projects in Argentina and Asia that are directly relevant to the research program in Alberta. Dinosaur Provincial Park is my main focus in Canada, and is one of the richest dinosaur sites anywhere in terms of species diversity, numbers of skeletons excavated, and the variety of fossil types. The Dinosaur Park Formation arguably has the most diverse assemblage of dinosaurs and associated fauna and flora. More than 800 skeletons have been excavated there, and at least two additional specimens are collected each summer. The best specimen of a small theropod (Saurornitholestes) ever collected in Canada was found in 2014, and is presently being prepared for research. More than 250 dinosaur-dominated bonebeds have been identified in the Park, and there are literally millions of bones exposed at any one time in the badlands. Hundreds of species of non-dinosaurian animals and fossil plants add to one of the richest dinosaur-dominated palaeoecosystems known. An overall picture is emerging of ecologically specific dinosaur communities in which individual taxa are rapidly evolving. And whereas the number of new taxa being identified is exploding, analysis of diversity in monospecific bonebeds is providing constraints by defining the variability (ontogenetic, sexual, individual) within single populations. Evolutionary changes in all dinosaur lineages can also be tracked through a succession of at least five different dinosaur faunas along the Red Deer River. Understanding evolutionary change locally is complicated by the immigration of closely related forms from Asia. My prime focus in Asia will continue to be the Nemegt Formation of Mongolia, which is roughly contemporaneous with the Dinosaur Park Formation. Anatomical projects that I have underway include the description and phylogenetic analysis of dromaeosaurids, oviraptorosaurs and troodontids of North America and Asia, and the analysis of variability and speciation in ceratopsians of western North America. The discovery of feathered dinosaurs in China in 1996 gave me many opportunities to work on specimens intimately related to the origin of birds. This work is continuing with a new taxon of Chinese troodontid. An ornithomimid collected in Alberta in 2009 has the nicest feather impressions known from North America, and is being analyzed with SEM and geochemical techniques.

该计划代表了我对非avian兽人恐龙古生物学的持续研究，这些恐龙很少见，但往往是零散的。这使得了解一群重要而有趣的动物的解剖结构和相互关系是一个挑战。解剖学和系统发育研究为研究生长和变异，进化，生物力学，生理学，古生物学和行为的研究奠定了基础。我的大部分研究都是对来自艾伯塔省的标本进行的，但是我在阿根廷和亚洲也有与艾伯塔省研究计划直接相关的长期项目。 恐龙省级公园是我在加拿大的主要重点，在物种多样性，发掘的骨骼数量和各种化石类型方面，最丰富的恐龙遗址之一。可以说，恐龙公园的组合是恐龙和相关动植物的最多样化的组合。在那里挖掘了800多个骨骼，每年夏天收集了至少两个额外的标本。 2014年发现了有史以来在加拿大收集的小型兽脚类脚架（Saurornitholestes）的最佳标本，目前正在为研究做好准备。在公园中已经确定了250多个以恐龙为主的骨床，并且在荒地中任何时候都有数百万个骨头。数百种非二核动物和化石植物增加了最富有的恐龙主导的古生系统之一。总体情况正在出现在生态特定的恐龙群落中，在这些恐龙群落中正在迅速发展。尽管被识别的新分类单元的数量正在爆炸，但对单特异性骨床的多样性的分析正在通过定义单个人群中的可变性（个体遗传学，性，个体）来提供约束。也可以通过沿红鹿河至少五个不同的恐龙动物群的连续来跟踪所有恐龙谱系的进化变化。通过亚洲密切相关的形式移民，了解局部了解进化变化是复杂的。我在亚洲的主要重点将继续是蒙古的尼梅格特组，与恐龙公园的形成大致同时。 我正在进行的解剖学项目包括对北美和亚洲的Dromaeosaurids，Oviraptorosaurs和Troodondids的描述和系统发育分析，以及北美西部Ceratopsians的可变性和物种形成分析。 1996年，在中国发现羽毛恐龙的发现为我提供了许多与鸟类起源密切相关的标本工作的机会。这项工作正在继续新的中国trodontid分类群。 2009年在艾伯塔省收集的鸟霉素是北美已知的最好的羽毛印象，并且正在使用SEM和地球化学技术进行分析。