Abstracts

SVPCA Conference

Platform presentation (15 mins)

An extremely primitive miniature tetrapod from The Late Devonian (Early Famennian) of North Timan, Russia

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Cranial anatomy of the Palaeocene snake Helagras prisciformis; early implications for crown macrostomatan snakes

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A CT-based survey of supramedullary diverticula in extant birds

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Those feathers won�t stick: maximum likelihood modelling supports scales as primitive for Dinosauria

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Improvements in the fossil record may largely resolve the conflict between morphological and molecular estimates of mammal phylogeny

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Reconstructing the dietary ecology of pterosaurs using quantitative 3D textural analysis of tooth microwear

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Modelling Avian Ventilation Mechanics with 3D Levers and Linkages

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Physical and environmental controls on Paleozoic tetrapod dispersal across Pangaea

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Ceratopsian braincase morphology and palaeoneurology through ontogeny.

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Standardising for spatial sampling bias demonstrates constrained diversification of Phanerozoic terrestrial tetrapods

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Evaluating the performance and correlation morphological characters in reconstructing avian and squamate evolutionary history

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3D investigation of the head and shoulder of a stensioellid fish reveals Stensioellida to be a valid group of placoderm-grade affinity

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A quantitative analysis of cranial growth and evolution in sea turtles (Testudinata: Chelonioidea)

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Climatic drivers behind the demise of non-avian dinosaurs at the end Cretaceous mass extinction

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Acherontiscus, the earliest durophagus tetrapod redux

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Uncovering the impact of palaeogeography on vertebrate taphonomy: an investigation of the Mazon Creek Lagerstätte.

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Lung evolution in osteichthyans: insights from synchrotron phase-contrast microtomography

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A third 'acanthodian' stem-chondrichthyan endoskeleton in a uniquely well-preserved specimen of Diplacanthus crassisimus

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Do birds have whiskers?

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Cranial osteology of Pachycormus, and relationships and divergence times among pachycormiforms

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Sediments, skulls and squishing � taphonomic investigations of ceratopsian skull deformation

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What is 'Steneosaurus'? evolutionary relationships within Teleosauroidea (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia)

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Brain structure supports interpretations of an active lifestyle in a small, iconic British dinosaur

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Estimating the Flight Capabilities of Fossil Birds from Extant Bird Data and Aerodynamic Theory

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Morphological convergence and functional diversification of sabre-toothed vertebrates

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Meta-analytical integration of fossil and molecular data in phylogenetic inference and the first truly comprehensive phylogeny for Cetacea

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Odd narial features in Ichthyosaurus suggest the presence of salt glands

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Non-random distribution of homoplasy and the definition of actinopterygian clades

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Walking with Unicorns - metacarpal morphology of the Rhinocerotidae

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A comprehensive description of Endothiodon bathystoma(Anomodontia, Therapsida), a dicynodont from the late Permian of the Karoo Basin of South Africa

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North Africa's first stegosaur and the armoured dinosaurs of Gondwana

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New insights on the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic history of eusauropod dinosaurs

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An everyday tool: how the avian neck has adapted to (almost) every situation

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A 3D reconstruction and mass estimation of a well-preserved pterosaur from Brazil

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The crystallography of the alligatorid eggshell. Insights from the EBSD.

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Impact of continuous character coding on the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of Basal Sauropodomorpha

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The role of soft tissues in a biomechanical model of the rat skull

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Reconciling morphology and molecular data in inferring phylogeny for extant crocodilians

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Functional morphology and hydrodynamics of plesiosaur necks: Does size matter?

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A quantitative protocol for assessing the developmental stage of embryos and its implications for pterosaurs

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Community preservation within the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation, Western Interior, USA

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Elephas recki: the wastebasket?

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Plenary Talk (30 mins)

Confidence in palaeontological systematics: lessons from mammals

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For many species, fossilizable data can accurately convey phylogenetic history. In other
cases, they may be misleading about evolutionary affinities on the Tree of Life. An
understanding of if and how fossilizable data (typically including hard tissues such as bones
and teeth) might be statistically consistent or biased is important in palaeontology. Here, I
draw on well corroborated phylogenetic trees and samples of fossilizable data for primates,
rodents, eutherians, and mammals generally, in order to quantify the extent to which certain
living species, with known phylogenetic affinities, are susceptible to error in phylogenetic
reconstruction using only their hard-tissues. Predictably, certain species perform well (e.g.,
Lemur, Sylvilagus) and others are more problematic (e.g., Erinaceus, Anomalurus). When
measured with metrics such as Robinson-Foulds and shared partitions, the former appear in
phylogenies reasonably close to the well-corroborated tree, with relatively little variation across
fragmentary to more complete fossil templates. The latter can show several times more
conflict with the well-corroborated tree. These results can be explained by a number of intuitive
factors, including branch leng

Sharks uprooted - new perspectives on early chondrichthyans

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Rearrangements at the base of the gnathostome crown are changing our understanding of
cartilaginous fishes: sharks, rays, and the chimaeroids. No longer resembling the hypothetical last
common ancestor of jawed vertebrates (operculate, ossified and armour plated), early sharks sensu
lato now include a populous stem lineage of acanthodians -and these are yet to be thoroughly
explored for insight into the origins of classic shark characteristics such as tiny scales, tessellate
calcified cartilage, broad-based fins, pelvic claspers, gill slits, and serial tooth production. Here,
three projects are summarized to re-frame the origin of the modern clade. Gladbachus, from the
mid-Devonian of Germany, provides yet another perspective on diversity and disparity in the
chondrichthyan stem, raising the possibility of multiple early experiments with chondrichthyan-like
conditions. Dwykaselachus, from the Permian of South Africa, spawned a newly detailed and
revised hypothesis of chimaeroid origin, rooting the highly specialized holocephalans among
symmoriiforms, including the textbook shark ancestor Cladoselache. And Tristychius, from the
Lower Carboniferous of Scotland, reveals unprecedented skeletal and biomechanical sophistication
among early elasmobranchs. If the emerging tree-shape is robust to further discoveries the
challenge is to explore these new data and hypotheses within a palaeobiological framework. Crown
chondrichthyans emerge against an increasingly detailed background of end Devonian extinctions,
and the subsequent recovery seems to generate new levels of diversity and disparity. But, the
implied, much deeper, origin of the total group remains murky, perhaps close to the base of the
Silurian, and, therefore close to the base the entire jawed vertebrate record.

Shaping the avian (super)tree of life

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Determining the patterns and processes that shaped the tree of life is one of the major goals in
palaeobiology. To achieve this we need large inclusive phylogenies at the species level. Whilst
large combined datasets � known as supermatrices � might be most desirable, in practise this
is often not practicable due to the difficulties of combining disparate data types, including both
extant and fossil taxa, and of reconciling character coding from different authors. An
alternative is to make use of synthetic meta-tree methods, in which smaller phylogenies are
combined to make a large inclusive phylogeny, usually termed a supertree. However, the
question remains of whether supertrees are suitable alternatives for phylogenies based on
primary character data. Birds are the most abundant land vertebrates on the planet and have
been of great historical interest to systematists. They have been the focus of intensive study
due to their economic and ecological importance and as a result we now have relatively
complete species-level phylogenies built using both supertree and supermatrix methods. Birds
are therefore an ideal group in which to compare and contrast these differing methodologies.
Using examples from extant birds I demonstrate that phylogenies built using supertree and
supermatrix methods recover the same macroevolutionary/macroecological signals, therefore
justifying the use of supertree methods for large scale analyses in clades for which complete
trees are not available. Finally, I consider ways in which global climate change through deep
time may have contributed to shaping the avian tree of life.

Unravelling osteichthyan relationships: evolutionary tales from the head of forgotten fishes.

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Tackling jawless fish: continuous characters, rooting and patterns of evolution in Heterostraci

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Dinosaur origin and success in the early Mesozoic: insights from the distribution of homoplasy

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SPPC/GCG Conference

Platform presentation (15 mins)

An introduction to "The Association for Materials and Methods in Palaeontology"  (AMMP) meeting.

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For more than 10 years I have been lucky to be able to attend the AMMP meetings. Originally
known as Fossil Preparation and Collections Symposium, in 2015 the name was changed to
AMMP to try to open the meeting to other areas of great importance when preparing fossils
such as packing, adhesives, materials and preventative conservation. In my talk I would like to
introduce you to this association and give you a taste of what a five day conference can
provide. The conference is set up in a way to provide different activities to enhance and learn
new techniques and tips in the conservation and preparation of fossil material. On the first day
you are able to choose between workshops such as Jacketing and cradle, teaching
observational, tactile skills and databases or undertaking fieldtrips to a Conservation Centre (if
available) or a local �must see� visitor attraction. The second day is the Symposia - Two
sessions on specific topics. This year the subjects were Conservation of In-situ Sites and
Health and Safety (delegates are encouraged to attend). On the third day there are more
workshops: Basic moulding and casting, advanced moulding and casting techniques and
materials, consolidant/adhesive topics and various preventive conservation methods. The
fourth day is the General Sessions Day, with oral presentations and posters on all aspects of
fossil preparation, conservation and collections care. Finally, the main field trip � This year we
visited the Ashfall Fossil -Miocene wildlife: Rhinos, horses, camels and other mammals
preserved in-situ in their death positions

Challenging preparation of a plesiosaur skeleton from a stressed nodule

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Preparation of fossil vertebrates can be a complex and demanding process. Every specimen
presents a different suite of challenges. This talk is about the preparation of a partial
plesiosaur skeleton in stellarated nodule from Bed 10 of the Oxford Clay, well-known for the
number of well-preserved marine reptiles it has yielded over the past two centuries. This was a
particularly challenging specimen. The nodule is riddled with veins of calcite, and highly
stressed due to overburden pressure and the processes of nodule formation. It fractures
unpredictably, sometimes for no apparent direct reason. The parts that break off are usually
slightly distorted as their internal stress is released, and don�t fit cleanly to the scar from which
they originate. Parts of the nodular material are very pyritic and harder than the bone it
contains. A number of different methods were attempted during the preparation, some
successful others not. This is not intended as a demonstration on how to prepare such a
difficult fossil. It is an account of the highs and lows encountered during the processes and the
lessons learned from them. Despite all the problems, preparation has uncovered interesting
information on the life history of the animal and its demise.

The air-abrasive technique: re-evaluation of its use in fossil preparation

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In 2017 new experiments were devised to assess the effect of air abrasion on matrix and fossil
material using various types of powder across a range of delivery angles and differing air
pressure settings. The experiments incorporated for the first time Scanning Electron
Microscope (SEM) photography and 3-dimensional profiling on matrix coated with consolidant
and copper powder to enable visual assessment and also on a piece of fossil bone. The
abrasive effect of powder flow at the point of impact and immediately surrounding area on the
test matrix, and damage across the surface of the bone fragment were revealed at the electron
microscopic level and documented for the first time, together with microscopic comparison of
the powder particles before and after use. The review incorporates information taken from the
application of airabrasion in the fields of conservation and industry, as these provide valuable
insights to the fossil preparator. Also part of the review, an international online survey of
preparators was undertaken and 84 individuals from 12 countries contributed information
about powder types used, micron particle size selection, the availability and use of equipment,
preferred techniques, personal protective clothing and other health and safety related issues.
The replies were drawn from professional, avocational and amateur preparators. The results of
both the laboratory experiments and the international survey are soon to be published and will
include practical advice on materials, techniques, laboratory set-up and health & safety
considerations

Rescuing an Early Cretaceous plesiosaur from an active tar sand mine

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In June of 2018 the Royal Tyrrell Museum received notice of a fossil reptile being discovered
in the Syncrude tar sand mine 25km north of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta, Canada.
A team of four people from the Museum � one curator and three technicians � were
dispatched to recover the specimen. Prior to commencement of work, all four museum staff
had to complete an online safety course and complete a final exam with minimum pass score
of 80%. Furthermore, one of the technicians had to complete a �mine safe driving course�. The
specimen was found as a series of large (50+ kg) irregularly shaped blocks of a once whole
concretion with bone exposed on the all broken internal surfaces. The fossil bone was not
permineralized, so a penetrant stabilizer was immediately applied to all the exposed bone.
Final bone protection was provided with medical grade plaster bandages (�Gypsonas�). Some
of the exposed bone and broken edges required full plaster and burlap jacketing for protection
during extraction and later transport. With the aid of a tracked excavator, its toothed bucket,
and a skilled operator, each of the heavy blocks was wrestled into the bucket, lifted up, and
then wrestled into the back of a Museum vehicle. The density and total mass of the
concretionary blocks was seriously underestimated, and we found we were 800kg over the
gross vehicle weight limit. Five of the offending blocks were shipped south at a later date

The Biddulph Grange geology gallery project: restoring a unique display from 1862 that encapsulates an important stage in the history of the development of geological thinking.

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In 1862 just three years after Darwin published �On the Origin of Species�, Oxford-educated
James Bateman (of the Royal Society) created a new entrance to his famous gardens at
Biddulph Grange, near Stoke. This was a long stone corridor with 75 fossils set into the wall on
one side, from graptolites and ferns to ichthyosaurs and a mammoth tusk in rough
stratigraphical order. However, they were arranged in six bays titled Day 1 to Day 6 and
represented the days of Creation. Bateman�s thinking was directly influenced by Hugh Miller,
in particular his theory of Genesis and Geology Compared, and the gallery was designed to
show how the newly discovered fossil record could be reconciled with the bible. Although open
to the public for several years, unfortunately the gallery became forgotten after Bateman sold
his estate and apart from ten original specimens the fossils eventually deteriorated or
disappeared. Now a National Trust property, over the last few years the gallery has been
renovated. The ten original specimens have been cleaned, conserved and moulded to make
casts for reinstating on the wall. With no records of the original gallery to guide us in filling the
remaining 65 holes we have borrowed museum specimens of species described by 1862 that
are from sites known by that date that are appropriate for their position in the gallery, to be as
authentic as possible. Replicas of these were made to complete the gallery which uniquely
captures a specific moment in the development of geology.

Using theatre skills in a science exhibition: Dinosaurs of China in Nottingham

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Dinosaurs of China was a world-exclusive temporary exhibition of iconic, mostly feathered
dinosaur fossils, which have revolutionised our understanding of dinosaur appearance and
biology over the last twenty years. Hunter the Sinraptor was a puppeteer-operated semianimatronic
theropod dinosaur costume. Hunter, accompanied by Dinosaur Rangers,
publicised the exhibition within Nottingham and beyond, visited schools to explore dinosaur
ecology, and interacted with visitors to the exhibition. The process of putting this element of
the exhibition into place included procurement of the costume, recruitment of volunteer
Rangers, and Dino-Factor auditions to find a skilled puppeteer. Hunter and the Rangers
contributed towards exhibition marketing and the public learning experience. However, the
dinosaur had mixed impacts on visitor expectations. In conclusion, we show that if used with
care, theatre and performance skills can enhance scientifically rigorous learning experiences.

From China to Nottingham: the making of Dinosaurs of China

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In summer 2017, Nottingham hosted a collection of Chinese fossils that told the story of
dinosaur evolution from scaly ground shakers to modern birds. This world-exclusive one-timeonly
Dinosaurs of China exhibition was the outcome of a multi-partnership between the
University of Nottingham, Nottingham City Council, the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology &
Paleoanthropology, and the Longhao Institute of Geology and Paleontology Inner Mongolia.
The exhibition combined Nottingham-based collections with loaned fossils and casts of
Chinese dinosaurs and birds, including real type specimens of feathered dinosaurs
(Microraptor guiand Caudipteryx dongi) and the tallest cast of a dinosaur skeleton ever
displayed in the UK (a rearing Mamenchisaurus). Many of the specimens were on display
outside of Asia for the first time. To bring the dinosaurs to Nottingham, the project team
overcame the challenges of designing, curating, transporting, and installing an exhibition in the
unusual setting of an Elizabethan mansion. Dinosaurs of China received 115,000 visitors in its
four-month duration and has helped to foster the identity of Nottingham, especially Wollaton
Hall, as a venue for natural science