Abstract
Strong correlations between various local and global estimates of Phanerozoic marine diversity for taxa below the ordinal level indicate a single pattern of change underlying all data on fossil density. Geological time alone seems insufficient to explain all of the significant covariation among the data sets, and it is proposed that the common pattern in diversity reflects the signal from a real evolutionary phenomenon strong enough to overcome the biases inherent in the fossil record.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Newell, N. D. J. Paleontol. 33, 488–499 (1959).
Simpson, G. G. in Evolution after Darwin Vol. 1 (ed. Tax, S.) 117–180 (University of Chicago Press, 1960).
Raup, D. M. Science 177, 1065–1701 (1972).
Bambach, R. K. Paleobiology 3, 152–167 (1977).
Signor, P. W. III Paleobiology 4, 394–406 (1978).
Seilacher, A. Neues Jb. Geol. Paläont. Mh. H 4, 233–245 (1974); in Patterns of Evolution (ed. Hallam, A.) 359–376 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977).
Raup, D. M. Paleobiology 2, 279–288 (1976).
Raup, D. M. Paleobiology 4, 1–15 (1978).
Moore, R. C., Teichert C. & Robison, R. A. (eds) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology (Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, 1953–1979).
Sepkoski, J. J. Jr Paleobiology 7, 36–53 (1981).
Sepkoski, J. J. Jr Paleobiology 5, 222–251 (1979).
Yule, G. V. J. R. stat. Soc. 89, 1–64 (1926).
Raup, D. M. in Patterns of Evolution (ed. Hallam, A.) 59–78 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1977).
Valentine, J. W. & Mallory, B. J. Geol. 73, 683–701 (1965).
Peterson, C. H. Lethaia 9, 137–148 (1976).
Raup, D. M. Bull. Carnegie Mus. nat. Hist. 13, 85–91 (1979).
Raup, D. M. Paleobiology 2, 289–297 (1976).
Sepkoski, J. J. Jr Paleobiology 2, 298–303 (1976).
Flessa, K. W. & Sepkoski, J. J. Jr Paleobiology 4, 359–366 (1978).
Newell, N. D. Scient. Am. 208, 76–92 (1963); Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 89, 63–91 (1967).
Valentine, J. W. Palaeontology 12, 684–709 (1969).
Romer, A. S. Vertebrate Paleontology 3rd edn (University of Chicago Press, 1966).
Rudwick, M. J. S. The Meaning of Fossils, 240 (Macdonald, London, 1972).
Grant, R. E. J. Paleontol. 54, 499–507 (1980).
Simpson, G. G. Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 22, 162–177 (1969).
Sepkoski, J. J. Jr Paleobiology 4, 223–251 (1978).
Valentine, J. W. Paleobiology 6, 444–450 (1980).
Raup, D. M. J. Paleontol. 52, 517–523 (1978).
Frey, R. W. & Seilacher, A. Lethaia 13, 183–208 (1980).
Webb, S. D. Evolution 23, 688–702 (1969).
Harper, C. W. Jr, J. Paleontol. 49, 752–757 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sepkoski, J., Bambach, R., Raup, D. et al. Phanerozoic marine diversity and the fossil record. Nature 293, 435–437 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/293435a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/293435a0
This article is cited by
-
Impact of global climate cooling on Ordovician marine biodiversity
Nature Communications (2023)
-
The overlooked role of landscape dynamics in steering biodiversity
Nature (2023)
-
Scaling in the Evolution of Biodiversity
Biological Theory (2023)
-
Combining palaeontological and neontological data shows a delayed diversification burst of carcharhiniform sharks likely mediated by environmental change
Scientific Reports (2022)
-
Vertical decoupling in Late Ordovician anoxia due to reorganization of ocean circulation
Nature Geoscience (2021)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.