The Fossil Record of Cretaceous Tetrapods

Abstract

Other| April 01, 2000 The Fossil Record of Cretaceous Tetrapods EMMANUEL FARA; EMMANUEL FARA 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MICHAEL J. BENTON MICHAEL J. BENTON 1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar PALAIOS (2000) 15 (2): 161–165. https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2000)015<0161:TFROCT>2.0.CO;2 Article history accepted: 10 Dec 1999 first online: 03 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation EMMANUEL FARA, MICHAEL J. BENTON; The Fossil Record of Cretaceous Tetrapods. PALAIOS 2000;; 15 (2): 161–165. doi: https://doi.org/10.1669/0883-1351(2000)015<0161:TFROCT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyPALAIOS Search Advanced Search Abstract The fossil record of the Cretaceous is critical for understanding the evolution of modern tetrapods. Using a measure of relative completeness of the fossil record—the Simple Completeness Metric (SCM)—quality of the fossil record and diversity during the Cretaceous appear to be closely related, suggesting an artifactual component. The SCM calculations also show that knowledge of the fossil record has improved in the last ten years. Recent proposals that modern orders of birds and mammals originated early in the Cretaceous are rendered unlikely by four arguments: (1) the SCM calculations indicate that the fossil record of Cretaceous birds and mammals is relatively good; (2) it is unlikely that all modern orders, independently, would have remained cryptic throughout the Cretaceous; (3) control samples of exquisitely preserved tiny Cretaceous tetrapods lack any specimens of modern groups of birds and mammals; and (4) the suggestion that the undiscovered ancestors of modern groups are to be found in unsampled parts of the Earth is not supported by cladistic evidence. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.