Re: Tetrapod extinctions in the PETM?

[tholtz@geol.umd.edu]

>> Which raises the question in my mind: which tetrapod lineages *did*
>> disappear?
>
> AFAIK none. But the Paleocene fossil record is not terribly good, and
> neither is my knowledge of it.

Actually, the Paleocene record IS pretty good (for at least some regions).
 See, for example:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDGwyoming/PEmammals.htm

There are major extinctions within major clades of tetrapods, but not of
the entire clades themselves. (Similar to the issue with forams and
corals: diversity crashes in both, but the groups survive).

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Fax: 301-405-0796

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA