Sirenia
Data Archive 14
Scope

This is a Paleobiology Database Data Archive that includes all known published systematic statements regarding fossil sirenians. Some accounts of recent sirenian systematics have been entered, but no effort has been made to be comprehensive for recent taxa. This archive also contains every known published occurrence of fossil Sirenia. If any known published account of a fossil sirenian seems to be missing from this archive, please contact the author using the information below, and report the missing occurrence, along with the relevant bibliographic information.

Scientific goals

This archive aims to compile all information about the identity and distribution of fossil sirenian taxa to facilitate any and all other studies regarding fossil Sirenia. The original goal of this compilation was to provide a comparison taxon for a study the history of cetacean diversity in the broadest sense. This study was completed and published in August of 2007 (see below). All of the data are publicly available for use by anyone.

History

Entry of these data began in 2000 and is an ongoing process. New publications on sirenian taxonomy are entered as soon as the author is made aware of them. Much of the taxonomic information is drawn from Domning (1996, see below).

Publications
  • M. D. Uhen and N. Pyenson. 2007. Diversity estimates, biases, and historiographic effects: Resolving cetacean diversity in the Tertiary. Palaeontologia Electronica 10:1-22.
  • D. P. Domning. 1996. Bibliography and index of the Sirenia and Desmostylia. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 80:1-611.
Contact information

Mark D. Uhen
George Mason University
Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences
MS 5F1
Fairfax, VA 22030
Email: muhen@gmu.edu
Phone: 703-993-5264
Fax: 703-993-1066

Download Uhen's sirenian data