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Professor R. Ewan Fordyce

R. Ewan Fordyce BSc PhD(Cant)
  • vertebrate paleobiology
  • systematics and phylogeny of Cetacea (whales and dolphins)
  • Cretaceous-Cenozoic paleontology & stratigraphy
  • paleoceanography and paleoclimates

Email ewan.fordyce@otago.ac.nz

Phone: +64 3 479 7510

 

Contact for

The courses below; the Geology Museum; 200-level course advising.

Affiliations

Research Interests (see also fossil research web pages)

  • vertebrate paleobiology (see paleontology section of this website), especially New Zealand-Southwest Pacific
  • systematics and phylogeny of Cetacea (whales and dolphins)
  • Cretaceous-Cenozoic paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleoecology
  • paleoceanography and paleoclimates, especially based on chemical proxies from fossils
  • public understanding of geology, especially paleontology, linked with the Vanished World Trail and Vanished World Centre of North Otago

Current and recent research

Mead & FordyceA major long-term project is: Mead, J.G. and Fordyce, R.E. - The therian skull: a lexicon with emphasis on the odontocetes. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 627: 1-248. The volume was published online on 20 October 2009. Our monograph is an illustrated interpretive dictionary of osteological landmarks in the dolphin skull, based on study of modern and fossil species. Dolphins and whales are radically different from terrestrial mammals; their skeletons present many features that, although perplexing in terms of origin and homology, are widely used to interpret relationships, evolution, and lifestyle. 
The monograph homologises features of dolphin skulls with those of other mammals, and explains the comparisons. This work should be of interest to cetacean systematists, mammalogists and vertebrate paleontologists.
Free pdf download

Other recent activity has included coediting “A continent on the move: New Zealand geoscience into the 21st century” (I.J. Graham and others, editors, Geological Society of New Zealand ), producing contributions for the second edition of Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, and contributing to molecular studies of cetacean phylogeny. Current research interests include: postgraduate student research outlined below; the phylogeny of baleen whales, especially Mauicetus and other stem-Mysticeti; skull terminology in baleen whales (a follow-up to Mead and Fordyce 2009, above); bone geochemistry; and systematics of stem-penguins.

Postgraduate Student Supervision

Are you an international student interested in postgraduate study with Ewan Fordyce? If so, please see International Students to see if you are eligible. International students will need a PhD scholarship to fund their study; applications for Otago scholarships, which are competitive awards, normally close late October. There are few scholarships for MSc study, and these are highly competitive. If you are eligible to study here, and have first class grades that are likely to win you a scholarship, then please contact Ewan Fordyce.

Current and recent students

  • Gabriel Aguirre - New Zealand fossils and the Neogene radiation of the Delphinidae (PhD, in progress)
  • Simone Hicks - Ecological and sedimentological evolution of the volcanically active Eo/Oligocene continental shelf, east Otago (PhD, in progress)
  • Carolina Loch Silva - Comparative study of modern and fossil cetacean dentitions (Cetacea: Delphinoidea and Platanistoidea) (PhD, in progress) (Jointly with Department of Oral Sciences, Dentistry)
  • Felix Marx - Evolution of structural disparity in the Cetacea (PhD, in progress) (Jointly with University of Bristol)
  • Moyna Müller - Evolution in the Southern Ocean dolphin genus Cephalorhynchus (PhD, in progress) (Jointly with Departments of Marine Sciences, and Anatomy and Structural Biology)
  • Kristina Arthur - Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, isotopic patterns, and Middle Miocene climate change in the Bryce Burn section (MSc, completed)
  • Megan Ortega - Systematics and geological setting of fossil whales and dolphins from Gee Greensand and Mount Harris Formation, Awamoa Beach, North Otago (MSc, completed)
  • Daniel Thomas - Evolution of thermal physiology in penguins: fossils, modern penguins, anatomy, and geochemistry (PhD, completed) (jointly with Department of Chemistry)

Outreach - for the public

  • Te Ara Online Encyclopedia - fossil baleen whales: more...
  • Te Ara Online Encyclopedia - fossil shark toothed dolphin: more...

Selected Recent Publications

most of which are available as pdfs on request

  • Thomas, D.B., McGoverin, C.M., Fordyce, R.E., Frew, R.D., Gordon, K.C., 2011. Raman spectroscopy of fossil bioapatite - a proxy for diagenetic alteration of the oxygen isotope composition. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.06.016.
  • Thomas, D.B., Ksepka, D.T., Fordyce, R.E., 2011. Penguin heat-retention structures evolved in a greenhouse Earth. Biology Letters 7, 461-464.
  • Fordyce, R.E., Thomas, D.B., 2011. Kaiika maxwelli, a new Early Eocene archaic penguin (Sphenisciformes, Aves) from Waihao Valley, South Canterbury, New Zealand. New Zealand journal of geology and geophysics 54, 43-51.
  • Fordyce, R.E., 2010. Darwin’s legacy and New Zealand fossils, in: Galloway, D. (Ed.), Aspects of Darwin: a New Zealand celebration. Friends of Knox College Library, Dunedin, pp. 65-84.
  • Mead, J. G., and R. E. Fordyce. 2009. The therian skull: a lexicon with emphasis on the odontocetes. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 627:1-248.
  • Steeman, M. E., M. B. Hebsgaard, R. E. Fordyce, S. Y. W. Ho, D. L. Rabosky, R. Nielsen, C. Rahbek, H. Glenner, M. V. Sorensen, and E. Willerslev. 2009. Radiation of Extant Cetaceans Driven by Restructuring of the Oceans. Systematic Biology:doi:10.1093/sysbio/syp060
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2009. Cetacean evolution; pp. 201-207 in W. F. Perrin, J. G. M. Thewissen, and B. Würsig (eds.), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Elsevier, San Diego.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2009. Cetacean fossil record; pp. 207-215 in W. F. Perrin, J. G. M. Thewissen, and B. Würsig (eds.), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Elsevier, San Diego.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2009. Fossil sites; pp. 459-466 in W. F. Perrin, J. G. M. Thewissen, and B. Würsig (eds.), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Elsevier, San Diego.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2009. Neoceti; pp. 758-763 in W. F. Perrin, J. G. M. Thewissen, and B. Würsig (eds.), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Elsevier, San Diego.

  • Fordyce, R. E., D. E. Lee, and G. S. Wilson. 2009. Field trip 3: Cretaceous-Paleogene stratigraphy of the Canterbury Basin. Climatic and Biotic Events of the Paleogene Conference Field Trip Guides, 6-21 January 2009, Te Papa, Wellington, New Zealand. GNS Science Miscellaneous Series 17:92-129. pdf

  • King, C. M., C. D. Roberts, B. D. Bell, R. E. Fordyce, R. S. Nicoll, T. H. Worthy, C. D. Paulin, R. A. Hitchmough, I. W. Keyes, A. N. Baker, A. L. Stewart, N. Hiller, R. M. McDowall, R. N. Holdaway, R. P. McPhee, W. W. Schwarzhans, A. J. D. Tennyson, S. Rust, and I. Macadie. 2009. Phylum Chordata.  Lancelets, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals; pp. 433-553 in D. P. Gordon (ed.), The New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity: A Species 2000 Symposium Review. University of Canterbury Press, Christchurch. [includes fossil reptiles, modern and fossil marine mammals]
  • Uhen, M. D., R. E. Fordyce, and L. G. Barnes. 2008. Mysticeti; pp. 607-628 in C. M. Janis, G. F. Gunnell, and M. D. Uhen (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary mammals of North America, 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  • Uhen, M. D., R. E. Fordyce, and L. G. Barnes. 2008. Odontoceti; pp. 566-606 in C. M. Janis, G. R. Gunnell, and M. D. Uhen (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary mammals of North America, 2. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  • Marino, L., R. C. Connor, R. E. Fordyce, L. M. Herman, P. R. Hof, L. Lefebvre, D. Lusseau, B. McCowan, E. A. Nimchinsky, A. A. Pack, L. Rendell, J. S. Reidenberg, D. Reiss, M. D. Uhen, E. Van Der Gucht, and H. Whitehead. 2008. A claim in search of evidence: Reply to Manger’s thermogenesis hypothesis of cetacean brain structure. Biological Reviews, Cambridge Philosophical Society 83:417-440.
  • Graham, I. J., R. L. Brathwaite, L. Carter, R. M. Carter, J. W. Cole, M. J. Crozier, A. F. Cooper, R. A. Cooper, R. E. Fordyce, M. R. Johnston, M. J. Isaac, P. R. King, N. Mortimer, and D. N. B. Skinner eds. 2008. A continent on the move: New Zealand geoscience into the 21st century. Geological Society of New Zealand, Wellington, NZ ix, 377 pp.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2008. Unveiling the past. Vertebrate fossils; pp. 127-137 in S. Nathan and M. Varnham (eds.), The amazing world of James Hector. Awa Press, Wellington.   
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2008. Fossil mammals; pp. 415-428 in M. J. Winterbourn, Knox, G.A., Burrows, C.J., Marsden, I. (ed.), Natural history of Canterbury. University of Canterbury Press, Christchurch.
  • Thomas, D. B. and Fordyce, R. E.  2007.  The heterothermic loophole exploited by penguins.  Australian Journal of Zoology 55: 317-321.
  • Thomas, D. B., Fordyce, R. E., Frew, R. D., and Gordon, K. C.  2007.  A rapid, non-destructive method of detecting diagenetic alteration in fossil bone using Raman spectroscopy.  Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 38: 1533-1537.
  • Ichishima, H. and Fordyce, R. E.  2007.  Kujira ga riku o aruite ita koro: kyoryu zetsumetsugo no oja [When the whales roamed on land].  Special Exhibitions Volume. Fukui Kenritsu Kyoryo Hakubutsukan, Katsuyama.  87 p.
  • Marino, L., Connor, R. C., Fordyce, R. E., Herman, L. M., Hof, P. R., Lefebvre, L., Lusseau, D., Mccowan, B., Nimchinsky, E. A., Pack, A. A., Rendell, L., Reidenberg, J. S., Reiss, D., Uhen, M. D., Van Der Gucht, E., and Whitehead, H.  2007. Cetaceans have complex brains for complex cognition.  PLoS Biology 5 (5): 966-972. 
  • Fordyce, R. E.  2006.  A southern perspective on cetacean evolution and zoogeography.  Pages 755-778 in Merrick, J. R. Archer M. Hickey G. and Lee M. S. Y. (eds), Evolution and biogeography of Australasian vertebrates.  AusSciPub [Australian Scientific Publishing], Sydney.  942 p.
  • Gottfried, M. D., Fordyce, R. E., and Rust, S.  2006.  Megalampris keyesi, a giant moonfish (Teleostei, Lampridiformes) from the late Oligocene of New Zealand.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 26 (3): 544-551.
  • Slack, K. E., Jones, C. M., Ando, T., Harrison, G. L., Fordyce, R. E., Arnason, U., and Penny, D.  2006.  Early penguin fossils, plus mitochondrial genomes, calibrate avian evolution.  Molecular Biology and Evolution 23 (6): 1144-1155. [on new species of Waimanu basal penguins]
  • Sasaki, T., Nikaido, M., Hamilton, H., Goto, M., Kato, H., Kanda, N., Pastene, L. A., Cao, Y., Fordyce, R. E., Hasegawa, M., and Okada, N.  2005.  Mitochondrial phylogenetics and evolution of mysticete whales.  Systematic biology 54 (1): 77-90.
  • Darby, J. T., Fordyce, R. E., Mark, A. F., Probert, P. K., and Townsend, C. (editors). 2003. The natural history of southern New Zealand. University of Otago Press, Dunedin. 387 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2003. Fossils and the history of life. Pages 35-64 in Darby, J. T., Fordyce, R. E., Mark, A. F., Probert, P. K., and Townsend, C. (editors), The natural history of southern New Zealand. University of Otago Press, Dunedin. 387 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2003. Cetacea evolution and Eocene-Oligocene oceans revisited. Pages 154-170 in Prothero, D. R., Ivany, L. C., and Nesbitt, E. A. From greenhouse to icehouse. The marine Eocene-Oligocene transition. Columbia University Press, New York. 376 p.
  • Cruickshank, A. R. I. and Fordyce, R. E. 2002. A new marine reptile (Sauropterygia) from New Zealand: Further evidence for a Late Cretaceous austral radiation of cryptoclidid plesiosaurs. Paleontology 45 (3): 557-575.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2002. Simocetus rayi (Odontoceti:Simocetidae) (new species, new genus, new family), a bizarre archaic Oligocene dolphin from the eastern North Pacific. Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology 93: 185-222.
    Pdf (16 Mb)
    Symposium volume
    Simocetus read more...
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2002. Cetacean evolution.  Pages 214-220 in Perrin, W. F. et al., (editors), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Academic Press, San Diego. 1414 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2002. Fossil record. Pages 453-471 in Perrin, W. F. et al., (editors), Encyclopedia of marine mammal. Academic Press, San Diego. 1414 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2002. Fossil sites, noted. Pages 471-482 in Perrin, W. F. et al., (editors), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Academic Press, San Diego. 1414 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2002. Neoceti. Pages 787-791 in Perrin, W. F. et al., (editors), Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Academic Press, San Diego. 1414 p.
  • Fordyce, R. E., Quilty, P. G., and Daniels, J. 2002. Australodelphis mirus, a bizarre new toothless ziphiid-like fossil dolphin (Cetacea: Delphinidae) from the Pliocene of Vestfold Hills, east Antarctica. Antarctic Science 14 (1): 37-54.
  • Nikaido, M., Matsuno, F., Hamilton, H., Brownell, R. L., Cao, Y., Ding, W., Zuoyan, Z., Shedlock, A. M., Fordyce, R. E., Hasegawa, M., and Okada, N. 2001. Retroposon analysis of major cetacean lineages:  the monophyly of toothed whales and the paraphyly of river dolphins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 98 (13): 7384-7389.
  • Fordyce, R. E. 2001. Brian John Marples, BA MA, MSc, FRSNZ, FAZ, 1907-1997. Yearbook of the Academy Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand 2000: 72-79.
  • Gottfried, M. D. and Fordyce, R. E. 2001. An associated specimen of Carcharodon angustidens (Chondrichthyes, Lamnidae) from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand, with comments on lamnid interrelationships. Journal of vertebrate paleontology 21 (4): 730-739.
  • Fordyce, R. E. and Muizon, C. de. 2001. Evolutionary history of whales: a review. Pages 169-234 in Mazin, J.-M. and Buffrenil, V. de (editors), Secondary adaptation of tetrapods to life in water. Proceedings of the international meeting, Poitiers, 1996. Verlag Dr Friedriech Pfeil, München. 367p.

  • Fordyce, R. E. 1994. Waipatia maerewhenua, new genus and new species (Waipatiidae, new family), an archaic Late Oligocene dolphin (Cetacea: Odontoceti: Platanistoidea) from New Zealand; pp. 147-176 in A. Berta and T. Deméré (eds.), Contributions in marine mammal paleontology honoring Frank C. Whitmore, Jr. Proceedings of the San Diego Society of Natural History 29.
    Pdf
    Waipatia read more...

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