New Cretaceous Theropods and Microvertebrates from Africa

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Intellectual Merit - Dr. Paul Sereno and his colleagues will study recently discovered dinosaur fossils from Cretaceous rocks in northern Africa. Paleontological expeditions to the Niger Republic in 1993, 1997 and 2000 and to Morocco in 1995 resulted in the discovery of well preserved dinosaurian fossils from three horizons spanning the Cretaceous period. In addition, approximately five tons of sediment was collected from several sites where microvertebrate remains were found on the surface. From a paleobiogeographic perspective, the faunas to which the dinosaur and microvertebrate material belong are of exceptional interest, because they range in age from late Early Cretaceous (Aptian/Albian) to early Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian), when Africa was breaking away from neighboring landmasses. Several hypotheses have been forwarded regarding the pattern and timing of isolation of the southern (Gondwanan) landmasses, and the results of this project thus will be of particular interest. The goals of the project are (1) to clean and study new theropod dinosaur skeletons, (2) to understand their taxonomic relationships and biogeographic distributions, (3) to study microvertebrate remains that aid in the dating of sampled horizons, and (4) to search for some of the first Cretaceous mammal teeth from continental Africa. The newly discovered skeletons and fossil-rich sediment at the center of this project will strongly impact the understanding of the fossil record on Africa, which is very poorly established by comparison to northern landmasses. The record of mammals of Cretaceous age from Africa is almost nonexistent and represents an exciting frontier. Broader Impacts - The project integrates research and training of undergraduate and graduate students in the biological and Earth sciences through classes taught by the PI and by involving students as volunteers in the PI's preparation lab at the University of Chicago. Students will assist with fossil preparation, sediment cleaning and sorting and molding/casting. Preparation of dinosaur discoveries will be showcased to the public through laboratory tours (up to 1500 people per year) and through public programs offered by the nonprofit science educational organization (www.projectexploration.org) co-founded by the PI. Since its inception in 1999, Project Exploration has brought 60 inner-city youth to Montana or Wyoming to conduct paleontology field work, served 85 minority middle school girls through our Sisters4Science program and trained 200 students to serve as docents for public exhibits. Ninety-three percent of our students continue their relationship with Project Exploration beyond their initial youth program experience. The project will also serve as a research tool for Project Exploration's school services programs that have provided in-depth professional development workshops to 300 Chicago Public School teachers, and reached more than 2,000 Chicago-area teachers and students through in-school programming and lab tours. In addition, Project Exploration has connected with more than one million people nationally and internationally through online initiatives and traveling exhibitions.