On 19th of November, ZooKeys has published the monograph of Paul Sereno and Hans Larsson 'Cretaceous Crocodyliforms from the Sahara' (http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys). The study presents fascinating discoveries of a diverse fossil crocodile fauna that inhabited the present-day Sahara some 100 million years ago. Four of the five crocodile species, nicknamed as BoarCroc, RatCroc, DogCroc, DuckCroc and PancakeCroc, are new to science (three new genera) and major additions to two previously known species, Araripesuchus wegeneri and Anatosuchus minor, are published as well.
The case shows clearly the great advantage of open access publishing of scientific results. The paper was published just one hour before the start of National Geographic press-conference in Washington D.C. dedicated to this great scientific discovery and became immediately available to anyone to freely read, download and distribute. The collaboration between National Geographic and ZooKeys led to a maximum dissemination to scientists and mass public in a unprecedented manner. Shortly after publication, the new species descriptions will also be available on Encyclopedia of Life (www.eol.org).
During the two days after publication, the paper enjoyed 11,548 visits with 1,467 and 2,153 unique visitors on Thursday and Friday, respectively!
You may learn more or have a look at these incredible creatures from the NG website at
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091119-dinosaurs-crocodiles-missions.html or from the the scientific paper itself at:
http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/article/view/325
The National Geographic Press Release can be downloaded from http://pensoftonline.net/NGPressRelease.pdf.
The NGC documentary “When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs” was shown on Nov. 21 as part of the Channel’s second annual Expedition Week.
All five main wires --- AP, Reuters, Agence France Presse, UPI and EFE -- did stories, as did numerous other outlets.
Online coverage:
AP http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091119/ap_on_sc/us_sci_odd_crocs_2
Reuters http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091119/wl_canada_nm/canada_us_crocodiles_2
UPI http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/19/Experts-Ancient-crocodile-ate-dinosaurs/UPI-87181258663702/
ABC News (Reuters) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wirestory?id=9126490&page=2
ABC News (AP) http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=9126097
USAToday http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2009-11-19-crocfossil_N.htm
Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-091119paul-sereno-dino-crocs,0,2850583.story
Gallery http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-091119-sereno-croc-pictures,0,19753.photogallery
Chicago Sun Times http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1893513,paul-sereno-dinosaurs-111909.article
Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,575752,00.html
US News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2009/11/19/new-ancient-crocodile-species-fossils-found.html?s_cid=rss:new-ancient-crocodile-species-fossils-found
Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010307105_apusscioddcrocs.html?syndication=rss
KWQC6 http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=11538974
ABC7 Chicago http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7128010
Charleston Daily Mail http://dailymail.com/News/NationandWorld/200911190324
Science Now http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1119/1
Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/animals/galloping-dinosaur-eating-crocodiles-found-in-the-sahara.html
NG News http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/11/091119-dinosaurs-crocodiles-missions.html
CBC News, Canda http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/11/19/tech-fossil-crocsc.html
ABC.es, Spain http://www.abc.es/20091119/ciencia-tecnologia-paleontologia-fosiles/descubren-tres-nuevas-especies-200911191642.html
The Guardian, UK http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/19/galloping-dinosaur-eating-crocodiles
Telegraph.co.uk, UK http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6605670/BoarCroc-and-DuckCroc-among-five-ancient-species-of-crocodile-discovered.html
Daily Mail, UK http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229250/Crocodiles-boar-like-teeth-pancake-flat-skulls.html
Canoe, Canada (AP) http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Science/2009/11/19/11811911-ap.html
CBCnews, Canada http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/11/19/tech-fossil-crocsc.html
Ziet News, Germany (DPA) http://www.zeit.de/newsticker/2009/11/19/iptc-bdt-20091119-545-23047790xml
O Globo, Brazil http://oglobo.globo.com/ciencia/mat/2009/11/19/fosseis-de-crocodilos-pre-historicos-encontrados-no-saara-914834858.asp
AFP, France http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091119/sc_afp/sciencepaleontologyafricaus_20091119175543
Le Figaro, France http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2009/11/19/01011-20091119FILWWW00611-des-fossiles-d-especes-inconnues-au-sahara.php
Knack News, Belgium http://knack.rnews.be/nieuws/wetenschap/krokodillen-uit-oertijd-ontdekt/site72-section45-article42711.html
Times of Malta, Malta http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091120/world-news/world-briefs
New Zealand Hearld, New Zealand http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10610499
Physorg.com http://www.physorg.com/news177851529.html
Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20091119/us-sci-odd-crocs/
Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111327.htm
Live Science http://www.livescience.com/animals/091119-boar-duck-crocodiles.html
ScienceBlog http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/boarcroc-ratcroc-dogcroc-duckcroc-and-pancakecroc-27402.html
UTV News (Guardian) http://u.tv/News/Fossil-hunters-unearth-galloping-dinosaur-eating-crocodiles-in-Sahara/1fa80eda-6c30-42cb-ac21-76b25083db73
Flesh and Stone http://www.fleshandstone.net/healthandsciencenews/1689.html
EurekAlert http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-11/ngs-brd111809.php
Idaho State Journal http://www.journalnet.com/news/science/image_9f7afd87-5172-5657-880b-d6470259c97b.html
Red Orbit http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1788844/prehistoric_supercroc_cousins_inhabit_sahara/index.html?source=r_science
PhysOrg http://www.physorg.com/news177851529.html
Futurity http://futurity.org/top-stories/bizarre-band-of-paleo-crocs-unearthed/ |
