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

过去两年的工作重点是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动物群。该地区连续三叠纪海相沉积超过1200米，横跨早、中、晚三叠世。不列颠哥伦比亚省的三叠纪沉积物中含有各种各样的鱼类、鱼龙、海龙和蜥蜴龙化石，其中许多是科学上新发现的。这项研究涉及新化石材料的收集和准备，以及其他机构关键收藏品的比较研究。一个巨大的鱼龙标本的收集工作已经完成。2000年，世界上最大的海洋爬行动物被授予劳力士企业奖。所有标本都被收集起来，目前正在皇家泰雷尔博物馆进行准备工作。到目前为止完成的准备包括头骨，包括肱骨、尺骨、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。来自当地的菊石和双壳类由Paul Johnston(RTMP)研究，Conbdon分析由Mike Orchard(GSC-温哥华)负责，地层由J-P完成。Zonneveld(GSC-卡尔加里)和孢粉学调查由Dennis Braham(RTMP)进行。里斯·巴里克(北卡罗来纳州)采集了骨骼和周围基质的样本，进行了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.