  D. TAB RASMUSSEN Professor, Physical Anthropology Ph.D., Duke University, 1986 314-935-4844 Publication List dtrasmus[at]artsci.wustl.edu |
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| D. TAB RASMUSSEN Professor, Physical Anthropology Ph.D., Duke University, 1986 314-935-4844 Publication List dtrasmus[at]artsci.wustl.edu |
|
I study primate evolution by drawing on two major lines of evidence: the fossil record and the comparative study of living primates. One goal of this research is to trace the actual course of primate evolution. More importantly, detailed studies of primate evolution can provide insight into the evolutionary process itself. I have been particularly interested in major evolutionary transitions, such as primate origins and anthropoid origins. I also have research interests in the adaptive radiations of prosimian primates, both living and extinct.
Over the years, I have conducted fieldwork in Egypt, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Namibia, Mali, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Brazil, among other places. My current fieldwork centers around two major projects. The first of these is paleontological work on a new Oligocene mammalian fauna from Chilga, Ethiopia. This fauna is particularly important as one of the few paleontological views we have of sub-Saharan African mammals of the early Tertiary. The Chilga fauna is a bit younger than the famous Fayum fauna of Egypt, but it contains some of the same kinds of mammals. This project is done in collaboration with John Kappelman of the University of Texas. The second major field project is on the middle Eocene mammals of the Uinta Formation, in northwestern Utah. Omomyid prosimians are found there that occur at a time when primate diversity and abundance was declining in North America, apparently in association with the deterioration of tropical habitats and climates. This work is done in collaboration with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates from Washington University. The Utah fossil collection is housed at Washington University and is available for student research projects.
In addition to the two field projects, I maintain active research involvement in several other research efforts, including work on the primates of the Fayum, Egypt. Besides the work on primates, I also study evolution in other mammals and birds.
Primate Biology, Human Osteology, Evolution of Non-Human Primates, History of Physical Anthropology, Topics in Anthropoid Origins, Primate Phylogeny, Primate Biology, Films, Human Evolution and Cultures
Rasmussen, D.T. and Nekaris K.A.
1998 The evolutionary history of lorisiform primates. In: Harcourt, C.S.; Crompton, R.H. and Feistner, A.T.C. (eds.) Biology and Conservation of Prosimians. Folia Primatologica 69, supplement 1: 250-285.
Rasmussen, D.T.; Conroy, G.C. and Simons, E.L.
1998 Tarsier-like locomotor specializations in the Oligocene primate Afrotarsius. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 95: 14848-14850.
Rasmussen, D.T., Conroy, G.C., Friscia, A.R., Townsend, K.E., & Kinkel, M.D.
1999 Mammals of the Middle Eocene Uinta Formation. In: Gillette, D. (ed.) Vertebrate Paleontology of Utah, Utah State Geological Survey, pp. 401-420.
Rasmussen, D.T. and Simons, E.L.
2000 Ecomorphological diversity among Paleocene hyracoids (Mammmalia): A new cursorial browser from the Fayum, Egypt. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(1): 167-176.
Rasmussen, D.T.
2001 Primate origins. In: Hartwig, W.C. (editor) The Primate Fossil Record, Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 5-10.
Rasmussen, D.T.
2001 Early catarrhines of the African Eocene and Oligocene. In: Hartwig, W.C. (editor) The Primate Fossil Record, Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 203-220.
Tab Rasmussen examines a fossil arsinoithere cranium in the Cairo Geological Museum, Egypt, 2002.