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NEW
YORK
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PALEONTOLOGICAL
SOCIETY
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MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
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Snake Origins
and the Evolution of Squamata
Dr. Jack Conrad
Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History,
New York City
Sunday,
February 21, 2010 2:00 P.M. Room 319
American Museum of Natural History New York City
Snake
origins are one of the most problematic areas for paleontologists
and evolutionary biologists. The earliest known snakes are
approximately 100 million years old and come from western
Asia. Some of these Cretaceous snakes, including Pachyrhachis
problematicus and Haasiophis terrasanctus show aquatic adaptations
and well-developed hind limbs, making them apparent intermediates
between dolichosaur-type mosasaurs and modern snakes. But
the story is never that simple, is it?
Although
some phylogenetic analyses suggest that snakes are close relatives
of mosasaurs, others suggest that they are more closely related
to modern geckos, or even iguanas. Dr. Conrad will discuss
the importance of broadly sampling squamate taxa to search
for snake origins. More than twenty independent squamate radiations
have become limb reduced and elongate. Which group of limbed
squamates is most closely related to snakes? Is this even
the question we should be asking? Come out for a discussion
of the evidence from a morphological perspective based on
data from fossils and living taxa including osteological,
brain, and myological characters.
N.Y.P.S. MEETING DATES FOR THE YEAR
These
are the meeting dates of the New York Paleontological Society
for the 2009-2010 season. We meet at 2:00 P.M. in room 319
at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City
(79th Street and Central Park West). Please check the Newsletter
for information regarding the annual party. Due to changes
in the museum’s schedule, the above dates may change
(usually very unlikely), so check your Newsletter or the monthly
meeting notice on this website.
| September
13, 2009* |
December 5, 2009 |
March
21, 2010
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| October
18, 2009 |
January
17, 2010 |
April
18, 2010
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| November
15, 2009 |
February
21, 2010
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May
16, 2010 |
| *
NOTE: All the above dates are third Sundays of their
respective months, except September which is the second
Sunday.
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