The Fossil Calibration Database-A New Resource for Divergence Dating.
Fossils provide the principal basis for temporal calibrations, which are critical to the accuracy of divergence dating analyses. Translating fossil data into minimum and maximum bounds for calibrations is the most important-often least appreciated-step of divergence dating. Properly justified calibrations require the synthesis of phylogenetic, paleontological, and geological evidence and can be difficult for nonspecialists to formulate. The dynamic nature of the fossil record (e.g., new discoveries, taxonomic revisions, updates of global or local stratigraphy) requires that calibration data be updated continually lest they become obsolete. Here, we announce the Fossil Calibration Database (http://fossilcalibrations.org), a new open-access resource providing vetted fossil calibrations to the scientific community. Calibrations accessioned into this database are based on individual fossil specimens and follow best practices for phylogenetic justification and geochronological constraint. The associated Fossil Calibration Series, a calibration-themed publication series at Palaeontologia Electronica, will serve as a key pipeline for peer-reviewed calibrations to enter the database.
Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830, USA; dksepka@brucemuseum.org.
Daniel T
DT
Ksepka
John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center, Department of Geological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA;
James F
JF
Parham
Interrobang Digital Media,1034 Pebblebrook Drive, Wake Forest, NC 27587, USA;
James F
JF
Allman
School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK;
Michael J
MJ
Benton
Department of Paleobiology, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 121, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC 20013-7012, USA;
Matthew T
MT
Carrano
National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, 2024 West Main Street Suite A200, Durham, NC 27705, USA;
Karen A
KA
Cranston
School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK;
Philip C J
PC
Donoghue
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 228 Bessey Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA;
Jason J
JJ
Head
Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA;
Elizabeth J
EJ
Hermsen
Natural History Museum of Utah and Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA;
Randall B
RB
Irmis
Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 6, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland;
Walter G
WG
Joyce
Department of Biology, Rutgers University, 195 University Ave, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA;
Manpreet
M
Kohli
Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27965, USA;
Kristin D
KD
Lamm
National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, 2024 West Main Street Suite A200, Durham, NC 27705, USA; Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, 101 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA;
Dan
D
Leehr
Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil;
Josés L
JL
Patané
Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1001 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47401, USA;
P David
PD
Polly
School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4000, Australia;
Matthew J
MJ
Phillips
Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA;
N Adam
NA
Smith
Department of Biology, Howard University, 415 College Street NW, Washington, DC, 20059, USA;
Nathan D
ND
Smith
Centre of Evolutionary and Ecological Studies, Marine Evolution and Conservation Group, Univerity of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands;
Marcel
M
Van Tuinen
Department of Biology, Rutgers University, 195 University Ave, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA;
Jessica L
JL
Ware
Department of Paleobiology, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 121, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC 20013-7012, USA;
Rachel C M
RC
Warnock
D022126:Access to Information; D002138:Calibration; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D005580:Fossils; D020407:Internet; D010802:Phylogeny; D013995:Time
Calibration; divergence dating; fossil