The Neogene Paleontology of the Northern Dominican Republic (DR) Project

Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the DR project was one of the first large multidisciplinary projects to collect fossils through a continuous 5-10 million year Neogene Caribbean sequence. During three field seasons in 1978-1980, a small field party (led by John Saunders & Peter Jung of the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, NMB) measured sections and collected large samples of microfossils and macrofossils at closely spaced intervals along nine river sections in the Cibao Valley of the northern Dominican Republic. Age dates for the sections were determined through study of planktic foraminifera and nannofossils. The collections were accessioned by the NMB, and distributed to specialists for identification and preparation of systematic monographs. To date, all collecting efforts have been completed, and ~20 systematic monographs have been published as part of a series entitled "Neogene Paleontology of the Northern Dominican Republic" in the Bulletins of American Paleontology. In addition, the DR collections have served as the basis for several classic studies in evolutionary paleontology, including Cheetham's (1986) widely cited demonstration of punctuated equilibrium in bryozoans and Jung's (1989) revision of the Strombina-Group.

Cheetham, A.H. 1986. Tempo of evolution in a Neogene bryozoan: rates of morphometric change within and across species boundaries. Paleobiology 12: 190-202

Jung, P. 1989. Revision of the Strombina-Group (Gastropoda: Columbellidae), Fossil and Living. Schweizerische Paläontologische Abhandlungen 111, 298 pp., 344 figs.

List of 20 project participants who have used the DR project collections since 1990

Bryozoans:

Alan Cheetham, NMNH

Corals:

Ann F. Budd (coordinator), University of Iowa-- Astrocoeniidae, Pocilloporidae, Acroporidae, Siderastreidae, Poritidae, Faviidae, Meandrinidae
Stephen Cairns, NMNH-- Caryophylliina, Dendrophylliina
Kenneth G. Johnson, Scripps Institution of Oceanography-- Faviidae, Trachyphylliidae, Mussidae
Thomas A. Stemann, University of the West Indies-- Agariciidae

Fish:

Dirk Nolf, Royal Belgium Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels

Molluscs:

Laurie Anderson, Lousiana State University-- Corbulidae
Alan Beu, Geological Survey, New Zealand-- Cymatiidae, Bursidae, Ficidae, Tonnidae, Cassidae
Rüdiger Bieler, Field Museum of Natural History-- Architectonicidae
Dana Geary, University of Wisconsin-- Strombidae
Carole Hickman, University of California, Berkeley-- Archaeogastropoda
Matthew James, Sonoma State University-- Turridae
Peter Jung, NMB (coordinator)-- Stombina, Cancellaridae, Columbella, Cuspidariidae, Verticordiidae
Alison Kay, University of Hawaii-- Cypraeidae
David Lindberg, University of California, Berkeley-- Patellacea
Paula Mikkelsen, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-- Cephalaspidae
Ross Nehm, University of California, Berkeley-- Marginellidae
Hiroshi Noda, Tsukuba University, Japan-- Arcidae
Gary Rosenberg, ANSP-- Ovulidae, Eratoidae
Emily Vokes, Tulane University-- Muricidae, Turbinellidae, Vasidae, Fasciolariidae, Volutidae, Thaididae, Coralliophilidae

List of DR project publications since 1990

(1) Monograph series in the Bulletins of American Paleontology in chronological order 1. Saunders, J.B., P. Jung, and B. Biju-Duval.1986. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 1. Field surveys, lithology, environment, and age. Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 89, 79 pp, 9 pls.
2. Jung, P. 1986. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic 2. The genus Strombina (Gastropoda: Columbellidae). Bulls. Am. Paleontology. 90: 1-42, 14 pls.
3. Foster, A. B.1986. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 3. The family Poritidae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 90: 47-123, pls. 15-38.
4. Foster, A. B.1987. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 4. The genus Stephanocoenia (Anthozoa: Scleractinia: Astrocoeniidae). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 93: 5-22, pls. 1-7.
5. Cairns, S.D. & J.W. Wells. 1987. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 5. The Suborders Caryophylliina and Dendrophylliina (Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 93: 23-43, pls. 8-11.
6. Logan, A. 1987. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 6. Phylum Brachipoda. Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 93: 44-52, pls. 12.
7. Bold, W.A. van den. 1988. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 7. The Subclass Ostracoda (Arthropoda: Crustacea). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 94: 5-105, 13 pls.
8. Vokes, E.H.1989. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 8. The Family Muricidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 97: 94 pp., 12 pls.
9. Vokes, H.E.1989. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 9. The Family Cardiidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 97: 87 pp., 7 pls.
10. Jung, P. and R.E. Petit. 1990. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 10. The Family Cancellaridae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 98: 62 pp., 15 pls.
11. Budd, A. F. 1991. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 11. The Family Faviidae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Part I. The Genera Montastraea and Solenastrea. Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 101: 5-83, 29 pls.
12. Vokes, H.E. & E.H. Vokes.1992. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 12. The Genus Spondylus (Bivalvia: Spondylidae). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 102: p. 1-13., 3 pls.
13. Kier, P.M. 1992. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 13. The Class Echinoidea (Echinodermata). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 102: 13-23, 5 pls.
14. Nolf, D. & G.L. Stringer 1992. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 14. Otoliths of teleostean fishes. Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 102: 41-81, 9 pls.
15. Jung, P. 1994. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 15. The genera Columbella, Eurypyrene, Parametaria, Conella, Nitidella and Metulella (Gastropoda: Columbellidae). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 106: 1-45.
16. Anderson, L.C. 1996. Neogene Paleontology in the northern Dominican Republic. 16. The Family Corbulidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 110(351).
17. Jung, P. 1996. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 17. The Families Cuspidariidae and Vertcordiidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 110(351).
18. Vokes, E.H. 1998. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic: 18. The super family Volutacea (in part) (NikkyscaL/ Gastrioida). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 113(354).
19. Budd, A.F. & K.G. Johnson. 1999. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. 19. The Family Faviidae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Part II. The Genera Caulastraea, Favia, Diploria, Thysanus, Hadrophyllia, Manicina, and Colpophyllia. Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 356: 1-83, 21 plates.
20. Nehm, R.H. 2000. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. xx. The Genus Prunum (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology, in press.
21. Stemann, T.A. 2000. Neogene Paleontology in the Northern Dominican Republic. xx. The Family Agariciidae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology, in press.

(2) Other publications based on the DR collections (since 1990)

1. Anderson, L.C. 1992. Naticid gastropod predation on corbulid bivalves: effects of physical factors, morphological features, and statistical artifacts. Palaios 7: 602-620.
2. Anderson, L.C. 1994. Paleoenvironmental control of species distributions and intraspecific variability in Neogene Corbulidae (Bivalvia: Myacea) of the Dominican Republic. Journal of Paleontology 68: 460-472.
3. Budd, A.F. 1990. Longterm patterns of morphological variation within and among species of reef-corals and their relationship to sexual reproduction. Systematic Botany 15: 150-165.
4. Budd, A.F. & K.G. Johnson. 1991. Size-related evolutionary patterns among species and subgenera in the Strombina - group (Gastropoda: Columbellidae). Jour. Paleontology 65: 417-434.
5. Budd, A.F., K.G. Johnson, & T.A. Stemann. 1996. Plio-Pleistocene turnover and extinctions in the Caribbean reef coral fauna. In: J. B. C. Jackson, A. F. Budd & A. G. Coates, eds. Evolution and environment in tropical America. Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago. p.168-204.
6. Budd, A.F., T.A. Stemann, & K.G. Johnson. 1994. Stratigraphic distributions of genera and species of Neogene to Recent Caribbean reef corals. Journal of Paleontology 68: 951-977.
7. Cairns, S.D. 1999. Stratigraphic distributions of Neogene Caribbean Azooxanthellate Corals (Scleractinia and Stylasteridae). Bulls. Amer. Paleontology 357: 109-118.
8. Cheetham, A.H., J.B.C. Jackson & L.A. Hayek. 1993. Quantitative genetics of bryozoan phenotypic evolution. I. Rate tests for random change versus selection in differentiation of living species. Evolution 47: 1526-1538.
9. Cheetham, A.H. & J.B.C. Jackson. 1995. Process from pattern: Tests for selection versus random change in punctuated bryozoan speciation. pp. 184-207. In: D.H. Erwin & R.L. Anstey, eds. New approaches to speciation in the fossil record. Columbia Univ. Press, New York.
10. Cheetham, A.H. & J.B.C. Jackson. 1996. Speciation, extinction and the decline of arborescent growth in Neogene and Quaternary cheilostome Bryozoa of tropical America. In: J. B. C. Jackson, A. F. Budd, & A. G. Coates, eds. Evolution and environment in tropical America. U. Chicago Press, Chicago. p.205-233.
11. Jackson, J.B.C. & A.H. Cheetham. 1994. Phylogeny reconstruction and the tempo of speciation in cheilostome Bryozoa. Paleobiology 20: 407-423.
12. Johnson, K.G. 1998. A phylogenetic test of accelerated turnover in Neogene Caribbean brain corals (Scleractinia: Faviidae). Palaeontology 41: 1247-1268.
13. Johnson, K.G., A.F. Budd, & T.A. Stemann. 1995. Extinction selectivity and ecology of Neogene Caribbean reef corals. Paleobiology 21: 52-73.
14. Nehm, R.H. & D.H. Geary. 1994. A gradual morphologic transition during a rapid speciation event in margenellid gastropods (Neogene: Dominican Republic). Journal of Paleontology 68: 787-794.

Last updated on August 2006 -afb.

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