Impacts of the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and KPg Extinction on Mammal Diversification

Authors

Robert Meredith, Montclair State UniversityFollow
Jan E. Janečka, University of California at Riverside
John Gatesy, San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research
Oliver A. Ryder, University College Dublin
Colleen A. Fisher, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul
Emma C. Teeling, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Alisha Goodbla, University of California at Berkeley
Eduardo Eizirik, Pepperdine University
Taiz L.L. Simão, American Museum of Natural History
Tanja Stadler, University of Stellenbosch
Daniel L. Rabosky, Chaffey College
Rodney L. Honeycutt, La Trobe University
John J. Flynn, Washington and Lee University
Colleen M. Ingram, American Museum of Natural History
Cynthia Steiner, San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research
Tiffani L. Williams, Texas A and M University
Terence J. Robinson, University of Stellenbosch
Angela Burk-Herrick, University of California at Riverside
Michael Westerman, La Trobe University
Nadia A. Ayoub, University of California at Riverside
Mark S. Springer, University of California at Riverside
William J. Murphy, Texas A and M University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-28-2011

Journal / Book Title

Science

Abstract

Previous analyses of relations, divergence times, and diversification patterns among extant mammalian families have relied on supertree methods and local molecular clocks. We constructed a molecular supermatrix for mammalian families and analyzed these data with likelihood-based methods and relaxed molecular clocks. Phylogenetic analyses resulted in a robust phylogeny with better resolution than phylogenies from supertree methods. Relaxed clock analyses support the long-fuse model of diversification and highlight the importance of including multiple fossil calibrations that are spread across the tree. Molecular time trees and diversification analyses suggest important roles for the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and Cretaceous-Paleogene (KPg) mass extinction in opening up ecospace that promoted interordinal and intraordinal diversification, respectively. By contrast, diversification analyses provide no support for the hypothesis concerning the delayed rise of present-day mammals during the Eocene Period.

DOI

10.1126/science.1211028

Montclair State University Digital Commons Citation

Meredith, Robert; Janečka, Jan E.; Gatesy, John; Ryder, Oliver A.; Fisher, Colleen A.; Teeling, Emma C.; Goodbla, Alisha; Eizirik, Eduardo; Simão, Taiz L.L.; Stadler, Tanja; Rabosky, Daniel L.; Honeycutt, Rodney L.; Flynn, John J.; Ingram, Colleen M.; Steiner, Cynthia; Williams, Tiffani L.; Robinson, Terence J.; Burk-Herrick, Angela; Westerman, Michael; Ayoub, Nadia A.; Springer, Mark S.; and Murphy, William J., "Impacts of the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and KPg Extinction on Mammal Diversification" (2011). Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 222.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/biology-facpubs/222

Published Citation

Meredith, R. W., Janečka, J. E., Gatesy, J., Ryder, O. A., Fisher, C. A., Teeling, E. C., Goodbla, A., Eizirik, E., Simão, T. L., Stadler, T., Rabosky, D. L., Honeycutt, R. L., Flynn, J. J., Ingram, C. M., Steiner, C., Williams, T. L., Robinson, T. J., Burk-Herrick, A., Westerman, M., Ayoub, N. A., … Murphy, W. J. (2011). Impacts of the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution and KPg extinction on mammal diversification. Science (New York, N.Y.), 334(6055), 521–524. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1211028