About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

At present the family tree of the Amniota/Reptilia is in flux. Gene studies of living reptiles produce one tree and it is very simple owing to the small number of reptile clades now living. Morphological (anatomical) studies produce other trees, because they include both the ancestors of living taxa, plus all other extinct clades, including the flying reptiles, the marine giants, dinosaurs and assorted bizarre forms. At present no professional paleontologists are attempting to produce a family tree of the Amniota/Reptilia because the task involves cataloging the traits of hundreds of specimens. I have devoted the last four years to these studies with great success.

Current progress can be seen online at www.reptileevolution.com with a daily blog post at www.pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com

What is the significance of this project?

This project removes several enigmas and mysteries from current and traditional paleontology using established scientific methods. The size of this project (employing several hundred prehistoric reptiles) has discouraged previous workers from attempting this much needed study. Prior smaller studies have suffered because they were not based on a large gamut study that established relationships across the entire clade of reptiles. By 'suffered' I mean mistakes were made. These mistakes were identified in the larger study. Future studies will benefit from this new data base. Most of the work is done. The addition of 50 more specimens to the tree will fill in any minor gaps that may remain and clarify relationships.

What are the goals of the project?

This is the 'final lap' of a four-year project. As the project nears completion the addition of each new taxon solidifies and clarifies established relationships. Newly published taxa (several every month) are entered into the family tree. Previously published taxa are entered as I become aware of them. Each taxon takes about two days to illustrate, write up and enter data into the current large matrix of data. Ultimately this family tree will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. From that point on it will be the prime resource, the large 'umbrella' study, covering all clades within the Reptilia, for future workers to base their smaller, more focused phylogenetic analyses on.