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III International Meeting
on Mesozoic Fishes
- Systematics, Paleoenvironments and Biodiversity -
August 2001
Serpiano (TI-CH)
Dear Colleagues,
We are very glad to host the third international meeting on Mesozoic Fishes
in one of the most famous sites for these fossils, the Monte San Giorgio-Besano
area. The organization of the meeting is supported by the Dipartimento
di Scienze della Terra of the Milano University (Andrea Tintori), the
Museo Cantonale di Storia Naturale in Lugano (Markus Felber), the Palaeontologisches
Institut und Museum der Universitaet Zuerich (Heinz Furrer).
Since the half of the last century, fossil vertebrates have been collected
there, not only as a byproduct of commercial mining works, but during
paleontological excavations supported by various scientific entities,
both Italian and Swiss. About 100 paleontological campaigns have been
officially carried on: to specimens, by the thousands, collected during
this field work, we must add material found by private collectors or during
mining activity, which stopped a few years after the II World War. This
War had very bad effects also for the Besano-Monte San Giorgio fossils
as the Milano Museum was bombed and almost all its specimens were destroyed.
Middle Triassic fishes have not been much studied in the past; only Brough
published a good monographaph. In the last 15 years there was a good reappraisal
and now we are working intensively on this ichthyofauna. The main results
are related to (1) the radiation of advanced basal actinopterygians, the
so-called subholosteans, and the presence of several basal neopterygians,
most of them still in need of a modern description. These studies are
fundamental to understanding the phylogenetic relationships of the fishes,
a work that has not been done yet. (2) paleoenvironmental studies; the
restoration points to a shallow environment, usually marine, which can
possibly be related to a burst in actinopterygian variability and/or rapid
evolution.
This suggested to us that we devote part of this meeting to the interrelationships
between the paleoenvironment and the fish faunas to try to understand
if there are paleoenvironments which may favour biodiversity and evolution.
Salinity, depth of the water, kind of bottom of the basins, distance from
the coast: how can these characters influence the paleocommunities? How
are interrelationships between the fish species influenced by the paleoenvironment?
The Triassic seems to be a crucial period for the fishes, like the Late
Cretaceous: is it just because these main fossiliferous sites represented
peculiar paleoenvironments or because evolutionary forces were ready to
speed up? However, as in the two previous meetings, the main goal of this
third one will be the morphological studies and the systematics of fish
groups. New findings, redescriptions and acid preparation, when possible,
much improved the available details during last years as shown by the
results of the first two meetings. We hope to have plenty of interesting
contributions devoted to this goal. Only throughout a good knowledge of
the single species it is possible to render philogenetic relationships
more sound.
We all hope that this meeting will throw new light on all these aspects
of our beloved fossil fishes.
As was the case for the previous two meetings, we will have a proceedings
volume edited by Gloria Arratia and Andrea Tintori. You all are invited
to prepare and have ready your important manuscripts at the time of the
meeting (Please, follow the presentation of Mesozoic Fishes 2).
LOGISTICS
The Serpiano resort is in a wonderful position on the Monte San Giorgio
in Switzerland, looking toward the Ceresio Lake and the Alps. The locality
is easily reached from the Milano-Malpensa and Lugano-Agno airports by
bus. However, we will try to organise special shuttles from the airports
to the Hotel.
Visits to the Monte San Giorgio-Besano different fossiliferous localities
are possible, being all a very short distance from the hotel, without
any more expenses.
Price will be about 110 US$ per day, INCLUDING everything, e.g., room,
food, swimming pool, symposium rooms, coffee breaks, etc. This will allow
to keep the meeting fee low, no more than 100 US$.
Since Serpiano is quite close to Milano, Bergamo, Lugano, and Zurich,
it is possible to organize trips for people interested in visiting the
fish collections housed in those museums.
If you need a special invitation and/or financial support, please let
us know as soon as possible. Remember to have visa, if you need one, for
both Switzerland and Italy, as we will move across the border to see the
fossiliferous sites.
SCHEDULE
The registration form must be sent before June 30, 2000. The second circular
will be forwarded in the fall 2000 with more detailled informations regarding
the actual dates of the meeting, tentatively August 26-31, 2001, and the
deadlines for fees payment and abstract submission.
Registration forms, mail, inquires have to be send to: (please, when possible,
use the e.mail)
Prof. Andrea Tintori
Dip. Scienze della Terra
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Mangiagalli 34
I-20133 MILANO
Italy |
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Phone: |
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+39.02.23698202
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| Fax:
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+39.02.70638261 |
| E-mail |
andrea.tintori@unimi.it |
REGISTRATION FORM
To be sent before June, 30 2000
FAMILY
NAME
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FIRST
NAME
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INSTITUTION
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ADDRESS
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CITY
& PROV
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ZIP
& COUNTRY
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FAX
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Please underline as appropriate:
Do you wish to present an oral communication? YES NO
Provisional title (please add eventual co-authors names)
............................................................................. .............................................................................
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Communications must last 20 minutes as a maximum, plus 10 min. for discussion.
Do you wish to present a poster? YES NO
Provisional title (please add eventual co-authors names)
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
Poster size cm 70x100.
Prof. Andrea Tintori
Dip. Scienze della Terra
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Mangiagalli 34
I-20133 MILANO
Italy |
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Phone: |
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+39.02.23698202
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| Fax:
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+39.02.70638261 |
| E-mail |
andrea.tintori@unimi.it |
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