research


Mahajangasuchus insignis	Gregory A. Buckley	Araripesuchus n. sp.
Research

Illustrations by Carolyn McKee-Freese

My current research focuses on the 65-70 million year old fossil crocodiles collected in Madagascar since 1993. Thus far we have collected 7 different species, of various shapes and sizes, 6 of which are new to science. Studies of these crocodiles include a general description of the new species (including naming them), followed by determining their relationships to other known fossil and living crocodiles. By figuring out to what our species are most closely related, along with from where those relatives are known, we can examine past geographic connections between Madagascar and other continents. Additionally, we can examine the ecology of Madagascar as it existed during the end of the Age of Dinosaurs. Comparing our fossils with living crocodiles, it is possible to infer how our fossils lived; how big they got, what they ate, whether they lived primarily in aquatic habitats (lakes or rivers) or terrestrial habitats, and so on. Together with the other fossils we find (dinosaurs, birds, fish, mammals, snakes, frogs, turtles, etc.) we can paint a pretty good picture of the ancient Madagascar environment.

Our expeditions to Madagascar have been ongoing since 1993, with our latest trip occurring during the summer of 2003. These expeditions typically last for about 6 weeks at a time.

The following publications have resulted from this work in Madagascar:

H Hartman, J. H., N. A. Wells, D. W. Krause, and G. A. Buckley. 1994. Stratigraphy and paleontology of Late Cretaceous vertebrate and invertebrate discoveries in northwestern Madagascar. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs 26(7):501.	View Abstract
Krause, D. W., J. H. Hartman, N. A. Wells, G. A. Buckley, C. A. Lockwood, C. E. Wall, R. E. Wunderlich, J. A. Rabary, and L. L. Randriamiaramanana. 1994. Late Cretaceous mammals. Nature 368:298.
Buckley, G. A. and C. A. Brochu. 1996. Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) crocodyliforms from Madagascar and their biogeographic implication. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 16(3):24.	View Abstract
Buckley, G. A., C. A. Brochu, and D. W. Krause. 1997. Hyperdiversity and the paleobiogeographic origins of the Late Cretaceous crocodyliforms of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 17(3):35.	View Abstract
Krause, D. W., C. A. Forster, S. Sampson, G. A. Buckley, and P. Dodson. 1997. Vertebrate evolution on Gondwana: New evidence from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 17(3):58.	View Abstract
Krause, D. W., R. J. Asher, G. A. Buckley, M. D. Gottfried, and T. C. LaDuke. 1998. Biogeographic origins of the non-dinosaurian vertebrate fauna of Madagascar: new evidence from the Late Cretaceous. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 18(3):57.	View Abstract
Krause, D. W., C. A. Forster, S. D. Sampson, G. A. Buckley, and M. Gottfried. 1998. Vertebrate fossils from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar: Implications for Gondwanan plate tectonics and biogeography. Special Abstracts Issue, Gondwana 10: Event Stratigraphy of Gondwana. Journal of African Earth Sciences 27(1A):128-129.
Buckley, G. A., and Brochu, C. A. 1999. An enigmatic new crocodile from the Upper Cretaceous of Madagascar. In Unwin, D. (ed.), Cretaceous Fossil Vertebrates: Special Papers in Palaeontology No. 60, The Palaeontological Association (London), p. 149-175.
Buckley, G. A., C. A. Brochu, L. L. Randriamiaramanana, and D. W. Krause. 1999. A bizarre new crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 19(3):34.	View Abstract
Krause, D. W., R. R. Rogers, C. A. Forster, J. H. Hartman, G. A. Buckley, and S. D. Sampson. 1999. The Late Cretaceous vertebrate fauna of Madagascar: Implications for Gondwanan paleobiogeography. GSA Today 9(8):1-7.
Buckley, G. A., C. A. Brochu, D. W. Krause, and D. Pol. 2000. A bizarre pug-nosed crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Nature 405:941-944.
Buckley, G. A., and Brochu, C. A. 2001. A skull of Mahajangasuchus insignis (Crocodyliformes) from the Upper Cretaceous of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 21(3):36.	View Abstract
Rasmusson, E. and G. A. Buckley. 2001. New material of the enigmatic crocodyliform Trematochampsa oblita, from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 21(3):91.	View Abstract
Samonds, K. E., Loewen, M. A., Buckley, G. A., and Whatley, R. L. In Press. Terrestrial vertebrate fossils from the Cenozoic of Madagascar. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs.	View Abstract
Buckley, G. A., C. A. Brochu, and J. A. Georgi. 2003. A new slender-snouted crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation, Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 23(3):37A.	View Abstract
Casey, M. M., R. R. Rogers, M. J. Jackson, and G. A. Buckley. 2003. Magnetic stratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation (Campanian (?) - Maastrichtian), Northwestern Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Abstracts of Papers 23(3):37A.	View Abstract
Casey, M. M., R. R. Rogers, M. J. Jackson, and G. A. Buckley. 2004. Continuing research on the magnetic stratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian(?)-Maastrichtian) Maevarano Formation of Northwestern Madagascar. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 36(2):113.	View Abstract

Return to Buckley Home Page

gbuckley@roosevelt.edu