Team Publications

Publications by the members of the Paleosynthesis Team and Scientific Advisory Board

271 to 276 of 515

03MAY 2022
Team Publications
Large size in aquatic tetrapods compensates for high drag
“Various Mesozoic marine reptile lineages evolved streamlined bodies and efficient lift-based swimming, as seen in modern aquatic mammals. Ichthyosaurs had low-drag bodies, akin to modern dolphins, but plesiosaurs were strikingly different, with long hydrofoil-like limbs and greatly variable neck and trunk proportions. Using computational fluid dynamics, we explore the effect of this extreme morphological variation. […]“Various Mesozoic marine reptile lineages evolved streamlined bodies and efficient lift-based swimming, as seen in modern aquatic mammals. Ichthyosaurs had low-drag bodies, akin to modern dolphins, but plesiosaurs were strikingly different, with long hydrofoil-like limbs and greatly variable neck and trunk proportions. Using computational fluid dynamics, we explore the effect of this extreme morphological variation. […]
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20APR 2022
Team Publications
A colourful view of the origin of dinosaur feathers
“Birds and their dinosaur ancestors had feathers, and now it seems that a distantly related group called pterosaurs had them, too. The finding extends the origins of feathers back to long before birds evolved, and sheds light on their role.” Publication in Nature News and Views
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20APR 2022
Team Publications
Virgilian (Late Pennsylvanian) coiled nautiloids from the Finis Shale Member
“Nine species of Virgilian (Late Pennsylvanian) coiled nautiloids are described from the Finis Shale Member of the Graham Formation in north-central Texas, southern Midcontinent of North America. They include Tainoceras monilifer Miller, Dunbar and Condra, Metacoceras quadratum sp. nov., Endolobus sturgeoni sp. nov., Domatoceras tuckeri sp. nov., Titanoceras sp., Solenochilus jackense sp. nov., Liroceras liratum […]“Nine species of Virgilian (Late Pennsylvanian) coiled nautiloids are described from the Finis Shale Member of the Graham Formation in north-central Texas, southern Midcontinent of North America. They include Tainoceras monilifer Miller, Dunbar and Condra, Metacoceras quadratum sp. nov., Endolobus sturgeoni sp. nov., Domatoceras tuckeri sp. nov., Titanoceras sp., Solenochilus jackense sp. nov., Liroceras liratum […]
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19APR 2022
Team Publications
Origin of the Cretaceous olistostromes in the Oman mountains
“Mid- to Late Cretaceous olistostrome generation ensued sequentially, linked to progressive southwest-directed thrusting of the Semail Ophiolite towards and over Arabia – at first in the northeastern part of the oceanic Hawasina Basin (Umar Sub-Basin) and then in its southwestern part (Hamrat Duru-Sub-Basin). Thrusting steepened slopes, causing seismic tremors, which destabilized slope sediments and triggering […]“Mid- to Late Cretaceous olistostrome generation ensued sequentially, linked to progressive southwest-directed thrusting of the Semail Ophiolite towards and over Arabia – at first in the northeastern part of the oceanic Hawasina Basin (Umar Sub-Basin) and then in its southwestern part (Hamrat Duru-Sub-Basin). Thrusting steepened slopes, causing seismic tremors, which destabilized slope sediments and triggering […]
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19APR 2022
Team Publications
Fine-grain beta diversity in Palaearctic open vegetation
“Mean z-values were highest for lichens, intermediate for vascular plants and lowest for bryophytes. Bivariate regressions of z-values against environmental variables had rather low predictive power (mean R² = 0.07 for vascular plants, less for other taxa). For vascular plants, the strongest predictors of z-values were herb layer cover (negative), elevation (positive), rock and stone […]
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14APR 2022
Team Publications
Relative thickness of ammonoid septa
“The impact of increasing atmospheric CO2 and the resulting decreasing pH of seawater are in the focus of current environmental research. These factors cause problems for marine calcifiers such as reduced calcification rates and the dissolution of calcareous skeletons. While the impact on recent organisms is well established, little is known about long-term evolutionary consequences. Here, […]“The impact of increasing atmospheric CO2 and the resulting decreasing pH of seawater are in the focus of current environmental research. These factors cause problems for marine calcifiers such as reduced calcification rates and the dissolution of calcareous skeletons. While the impact on recent organisms is well established, little is known about long-term evolutionary consequences. Here, […]
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