Guillermo Rougier, Ph.D., Associate Professor

E-Mail: gwroug01@gwise.louisville.edu
Phone: 502-852-4541
Curriculum Vitae (pdf)


The focus of Dr. Rougier’s research is the early evolution of mammals. Phylogeny, biogeography, and morphological transformations are the major topics being developed. Several sources of data are employed to gather information on past evolutionary history—prominent among them are fossils and embryos. A dynamic field program is carried on including fossil collection in Argentina and Mongolia.

During the past four years, most of the research projects were directed toward solving the interrelationships of very primitive groups of mammals, only distantly related to living forms. However, recent discoveries have permitted important advances with regard to the origin of marsupials and placentals.

Dr. Rougier has been extremely involved in fieldwork in several parts of the globe, including South America and three different locations in Asia. Masters students and Ph.D. Students have participated in these trips. These projects have served to expand the department’s student base through the recruitment of a Ph.D. student (Analia Forasiepi) from Argentina.

Mammalian Phylogeny

Representative Publications: ROUGIER, G.W., and J.R. WIBLE. 2006. Major changes in the ear region and basicranium of early mammals. In M. Carrano, T.J. Gaudin, R. Blob, and J.R. Wible (editors), Amniote Paleobiology: Phylogenetic and Functional Perspectives on the Evolution of Mammals, Birds and Reptiles: 269-311. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

ZAN, S., C. B. WOOD, G. W. ROUGIER, L. JIN, J. CHEN and C. R. SCHAFF. 2006. A new “Middle” Cretaceous zalambdalestid mammal, from a new locality in Jilin province, northeastern China. Journal of the Paleontological Society of Korea, 22(1): 153-172.

ASHER, R. J., J. MENG, J. R. WIBLE, M. C. MCKENNA, G. W. ROUGIER, D. DASHZEVEG, AND M. J. NOVACEK. 2005. Stem lagomorpha and the antiquity of Glires. Science 307 (5712):1091-1094.

ROUGIER, G.W., FORASIEPI, A.M. and A. G. MARTINELLI 2005. Independent origins of middle ear bones in monotremes and therians.  Reply Science 309:1492.

WOOD, C. B and ROUGIER, G.W. 2005. Updating and rescoring enamel microstructure in Mesozoic mammals: in search of discrete characters for phylogenetic reconstruction.. Journal of  Mammalian Evolution. 12 (3/4):433-460

Papers in Press: ROUGIER, G.W., A.M. FORASIEPI,A. G. MARTINELLI and M. J. NOVACEK. New Jurassic Mammals from Patagonia, Argentina: a reappraisal of Australosphenidan morphology and interrelationships.  American Museum Novitates. 77pp.,8 fig., 3 appendix.

APESTEGUIA, S. and ROUGIER, G.W. A Late Campanian sphenodontid maxilla from northern Patagonia. 19pp. American Museum Novitates.

ROUGIER,G.W., S. ISAJI and M. MANABE. An Early Cretaceous Mammal from the Kuwajima Formation (Tetori Group), Japan and a reassessment of “triconodont” phylogeny. Annals of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 110pp 7 fig.

MARTINELLI, A. G and G.W. ROUGIER. On Chaliminia musteloides (Eucynodontia; Tritheledontidae) from the Late Triassic of Argentina, and a phylogeny of Ictidosauria. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 55pp, 3 app. 6 fig.

ROUGIER, G.W., A. GARRIDO; L. GAETANO,  P. PUERTA, C. CORBITT and M. NOVACEK. First Jurassic triconodont from South America. 33pp American Museum Novitates

STERLI, J., M. S. de la FUENTEe and G. W. ROUGIER. Anatomy and relationships of Palaeochersis talampayensis, a Late Triassic turtle from Argentina. Palaeontographica Albeitung A 129 pp. 14 Figures.