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areas such as Timan Pechora and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, correlation of event levels (e.g. extinctions, geochemical markers) across the Circum-Arctic region, and comparisons of fossil species in different areas to avoid duplication of names and to clarify the evolution of many groups. Workshops were held on vertebrate morphology and on palaeontological databases. A two-day field excursion included visits to most of the important Devonian localities of northeastern Latvia, including the famous Lode Quarry.
The meeting provided a forum for reporting of significant advances in biostratigraphical and paleobiological research. Some 39 oral presentations and several posters were given.
Publications and Follow-Up:
Some 39 extended abstracts were published in the conference volume: E. Luksevics, G. Stinkulis, and M.V.H. Wilson (eds). 1999. Lower-Middle Palaeozoic Events Across the Circum-Arctic. Ichthyolith Issues Special Publication5, 68 pp. A field guide to Devonian sections in northeastern Latvia was also compiled for the conference field excursion.
More than 20 additional reports were contributed to the Fourth Baltical Stratigraphical Conference by IGCP 406 participants. Those abstracts are published in the volume called "Problems and Methods of Regional Stratigraphy," published by University of Latvia, State Geological Survey of Latvia, Latvian Museum of Natural History, Baltic Stratigraphical Association, and IGCP 406. Other participants in the Latvia meeting presented papers that will be published in various international journals.
Excellent progress toward publication of two special volumes has been made: one a large collection of studies on the palaeontology of Severnaya Zemlya, to be published in Paris by Geodiversitasand edited by D. Goujet, and the other a volume of five papers on Timan-Pechora geology, in English, to be published in Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, Geology Series, planned for issue 2 of year 2000.
At the meeting, Dr. Michal Ginter of Warsaw announced the publication of the IGCP 406 Special Issue of Acta Geologica Polonica, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 81-173, edited by M. Ginter and M. V. H. Wilson, and containing introductory chapters plus eight technical papers based on research presented at the 1998 meeting held in Warsaw. Two additional technical papers will be published in Acta Geologica Polonica49(3).
Dr. S. Turner announced that the last papers resulting from the Gross Symposium (IGCP 328, Göttingen, Germany, 1995) will be published in Modern Geologyvol. 24. Several other issues of Modern Geologyhave previously contained results from this symposium, including papers by many IGCP 406 participants. An upcoming Geological Society (U.K.) special report will include several chapters on microvertebrates used in zonation. Publication is expected in 2001.
During 1999 B. J. Stahl's "Chondrichthyes III" volume of the Handbook of Paleoichthyologywas published (Verlag Dr. F. Pfeil, series editor is IGCP 406 participant H.-P. Schultze). The agnathan volume of Handbook of Paleoichthyologyis in preparation by several authors, most of whom are IGCP 406 participants. Many contributors to the Major Events in Vertebrate Evolution meeting organized by P. Ahlberg (London) have submitted manuscripts for a proceedings volume. IGCP 406 participants are prominent in this group. IGCP 406 members will also play key roles in the 9th International Meeting on Early Vertebrates/Lower Vertebrates, planned for May of 2000 in Flagstaff, Arizona, and hosted by IGCP 406 member Dr. D. Elliott. Relevant field excursions include a pre-meeting trip to the Ordovician of Colorado, and a post-meeting trip of 8 days to the Devonian of Nevada and Utah.
The final Annual Meeting of IGCP 406 will be hosted by A. Anthoshkina and colleagues in July 2000, in Syktyvkar, Russia. "Circum-Arctic Palaeozoic Vertebrates 2000" will include two field excursions, a pre-meeting trip of 5 days to the Late Devonian of southern Timan, and a post-meeting trip of 10 days to the Ordovician through Carboniferous of the Subpolar Urals, including ample opportunity for participants to collect samples in the field and to examine core sections at the Komi Science Centre, Ukhta.

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, USA
IGCP 406 members from Canada, France, U.S.A., and U.K. participated in the Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Denver. Published abstracts and oral and poster presentations described the significance of Palaeozoic fossils in the early evolution and biogeography of vertebrates. Papers were presented on the evolution of major features of vertebrates (e.g. D. Elliott, U.S.A on heterostracans; M. Wilson, S. Sahney, and G. Hanke, Canada on the head of early gnathostomes; D. Goujet on the head of placoderms; M. Coates on primitive chondrichthyans; H.-P. Schultze, Germany, on early actinopterygians) during the Fish Heads Symposium, one of four symposia at the meetings. Meeting abstracts were published in the SVP's