Drumheller and Brochu | 1 1 PHYLOGENETIC TAPHONOMY: A STATISTICAL AND PHYLOGENETIC 2 APPROACH FOR EXPLORING TAPHONOMIC PATTERNS IN THE FOSSIL 3 RECORD USING CROCODYLIANS 4 STEPHANIE K. DRUMHELLER1, CHRISTOPHER A. BROCHU2 5 1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 6 Tennessee, 37996, U.S.A. 7 2. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 8 52242, U.S.A. 9 email:
[email protected] 10 RRH: CROCODYLIAN BITE MARKS IN PHYLOGENETIC CONTEXT 11 LRH: DRUMHELLER AND BROCHU Drumheller and Brochu | 2 12 ABSTRACT 13 Actualistic observations form the basis of many taphonomic studies in paleontology. 14However, surveys limited by environment or taxon may not be applicable far beyond the bounds 15of the initial observations. Even when multiple studies exploring the potential variety within a 16taphonomic process exist, quantitative methods for comparing these datasets in order to identify 17larger scale patterns have been understudied. This research uses modern bite marks collected 18from 21 of the 23 generally recognized species of extant Crocodylia to explore statistical and 19phylogenetic methods of synthesizing taphonomic datasets. Bite marks were identified, and 20specimens were then coded for presence or absence of different mark morphotypes. Attempts to 21find statistical correlation between trace types, marking animal vital statistics, and sample 22collection protocol were unsuccessful. Mapping bite mark character states on a eusuchian 23phylogeny successfully predicted the presence of known diagnostic, bisected marks in extinct 24taxa. Predictions for clades that may have created multiple subscores, striated marks, and 25extensive crushing were also generated. Inclusion of fossil bite marks which have been positively 26associated with extinct species allow this method to be projected beyond the crown group.