DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phylogeny and Cretaceous Biogeography of Gondwanan Mesoeucrocodylia

Suny At Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY

Investigators

Abstract

Crocodyliforms, ancestors of living crocodiles, were an incredibly diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates that represent an ideal, but often overlooked, taxonomic group for biogeographic analyses. An abundance of new crocodyliform fossils from poorly sampled southern hemisphere landmasses promises to assist in addressing major gaps in knowledge concerning the biogeographic and plate tectonic history of the southern supercontinent Gondwana. Unfortunately, the evolutionary relationships of crocodyliforms are still unsettled, thus preventing meaningful biogeographic interpretation. This project seeks to clarify the evolutionary history of crocodyliforms through phylogenetic analysis; it involves critical reexamination of previously described crocodyliform species and the inclusion of new species in a comprehensive analysis. Given the accessibility of fossil vertebrates to the public, this study provides an engaging mechanism for relating evolutionary and biogeographic questions to a wider audience. Moreover, this study will contribute to future research through the production of fossil casts and detailed morphological descriptions, images, and CT scans to be made available to other researchers. The phylogenetic dataset produced for this project will form the foundation for future work in crocodyliform evolutionary relationships. This study will also critically compare competing methods in biogeographic analysis through a comparative analysis that will provide the groundwork for ongoing investigations.