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 includes/included fossil collecting in USA, Argentina, Bolivia, Japan and Mongolia.

My research has focused on anatomy/evolution falling broadly within Anatomical Sciences disciplines. Highlights of my research to date are 11 publications in Science or Nature, including 1 cover as lead author in each one of those journals, and a paper as a lead in PNAS. As I have become more senior and responding to changing demands in ASNB, I have progressively become more involved in the teaching mission of the department. I assumed leadership roles (Course director, co-course director, block director, thread director) in several of the courses for which ANSB is responsible and  in conjunction with Dr. Brian Davis I developed a 500/600 level course from scratch (Origin of the Mammalian Sensory Systems and Comparative Neurobiology). During this time I transitioned from Gross Anatomy to Dental Histology, helped solve a leadership crisis, modernized the course, prepared it to transition to an integrated curriculum, and dramatically improved student/administration ratings and student satisfaction. I see myself serving a similar/greater role in teaching and leadership in the near future. I welcome students interested in any aspect of morphological, evolutionary research. I have mentored students pursuing a career in Research, Professional Careers in medicine and dentistry, as well as Graduate education and teaching. I have just published a book with two former students of mine..see below!

Current Projects

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, particularly from South America. However, recent discoveries have permitted important advances with regard to the origin of marsupials and placentals,and the establishment of the modern fauna.

I have been deeply 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 occasionally participated in these trips. These projects have served to expand the department’s student base through the recruitment of  minority Ms. and Ph.D. student.

Selected  high impact Key Publications (see below for 2019-2021 pubs)

O’Leary, M.A., J. I. Bloch, J. J. Flynn, T. J. Gaudin, A. Giallombardo, N. P. Giannini, S. L. Goldberg, B. P. Kraatz, Z-X Luo, J Meng, X. Ni, M. J. Novacek, F. A. Perini,Z. Randall, G. W. ROUGIER, E. J. Sargis, M.T. Silcox, N. B. Simmons, M. Spaulding, P. M. Velazco, M. Weksler, J. R. Wible, A. L. Cirranello. 2013. The placental mammal ancestor and the post-KPg radiation of placentals. SCIENCE 339:662-667. DOI: 10.1126/science.1229237

O’Leary, M.A., J. I. Bloch, J. J. Flynn, T. J. Gaudin, A. Giallombardo, N. P. Giannini, S. L. Goldberg, B. P. Kraatz, Z-X Luo, J Meng, X. Ni, M. J. Novacek, F. A. Perini,Z. Randall, G. W. ROUGIER, E. J. Sargis, M.T. Silcox, N. B. Simmons, M. Spaulding, P. M. Velazco, M. Weksler, J. R. Wible, A. L. Cirranello.  Response to Comment on “The Placental Mammal Ancestor and the Post–K-Pg Radiation Of Placentals” SCIENCE 341:613. DOI:10.1126/science.1238025

ROUGIER, G.W., J. R. WIBLE, R. M. D. BECK, and S. APESTEGUIA. The Miocene mammal Necrolestes demonstrates the survival of a Mesozoic nontherian lineage into the late Cenozoic of South America.PNAS 109:20053-20058, 2012.

GAETANO, L. and ROUGIER, G.W. 2012 First “amphilestid” from South America: a molariform from the Jurassic Cañadon Asfalto Formation, Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. DOI 10.107/s10914-012-9194-1. March 2012.

APESTEGUIA, S; R. GOMEZ and G.W. ROUGIER. 2012. A basal sphenodontian (Lepidosauria) from the Jurassic of Patagonia: New insights on the phylogeny and biogeography of Gondwanan rhynchocephalians. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 166:342-360. plus supplement.

GAETANO, L. and ROUGIER, G.W. 2011. New materials of Argentoconodon fariasorum (Mammaliaformes, Triconodontidae) from the Jurassic of Argentina and its bearing on triconodont phylogeny.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31(4):829-843.

ROUGIER, G.W., S. APESTEGUíA and L. GAETANO. 2011. Highly specialized mammalian skulls from the Late Cretaceous of South America. NATURE 479:98-102.

HARPER, T., and  ROUGIER,G.W   2019. Petrosal morphology and cochlear function in Mesozoic stem therians.  PLoS ONE 14(8): e0209457. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209457

Recent publications 2019-2021

73. STERLI, J., M. S. de la FUENTE and G. W. ROUGIER . 2019 New remains of Condorchelys antiqua (Early-Middle Jurassic of Patagonia) and size evolution in turtles.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e1480112 (17 pages)

 74. GARCIA LOPEZ, D., DERACO, V., ROUGIER, G.W., del PAPPA, C.,  BABBOT, J. W., BERTELLI, S., HERRERA, C., and GIANNINI, N. 2019. New record of Pampahippus secundus (Mammalia, Notoungulata) in the Eocene Lumbrera Formation, Northwestern Argentina: taxonomy and biostratigraphy. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e1582537 (5 pages DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2019.1582537

 75. BABOT, M.J., ROUGIER, G.W. GARCIA-LOPEZ, D. and DAVIS, B.M. 2019 New small bunnodont Metatheria from the Late Eocene of the Argentinean Puna. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. doi.org/10.1007/s10914-019-09468-7 12pp

 76. HARPER, T., and  ROUGIER,G.W   2019. Petrosal morphology and cochlear function in Mesozoic stem therians.  PLoS ONE 14(8): e0209457. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0209457

 77. GOMEZ, R.O., F. F. GARBEROGLIO, G.W. ROUGIER. 2019. A new Late Cretaceous snake from Patagonia: phylogeny and trends in body size evolution of madtsoiid snakes. Comptes Rendus Paleoevol. 11pp + 1 supplementary information.  doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2019.09.003

 78 GONZALEZ, B., SORIA ESCOBAR, A., ROJAS DIAZ, V., PUSTOVRH, M. ,SALAZAR MONSALVE, L.,  ROUGIER G.W.  2020 The embryo of the Silky Shrew-Opossum, Caenolestes fuliginosus (Tomes, 1863): first description of the embryo of Paucituberculata. Journal of Morphology. 281:326-337. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21101

 79 MUZZOPAPPA, P, A.G. MARTINELLI, J.P. GARDERES and G.W. ROUGIER  2020. Exceptional avian pellet from the Paleocene of Patagonia and description of its content: a new species of calyptocephalellid (Neobatrachia) anuran. Papers in paleontology. Pp 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1333

 80. KRAUSE, D. W., Y. HU, S. HOFFMANN, J. R. GROENKE, J. A. SCHULTZz, A. EVANS,  G.W. ROUGIER and W. von KOENIGSWALD.  2020. Dental morphology of Adalatherium hui (Mammalia, Gondwanatheria) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar; pp. 97-132. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 2. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 40 (2, Supplement).  

 81. KRAUSE, D. W., S. HOFFMAN, J. B. ROSSIE, Y. HU, J. R. WIBLE, G. W. ROUGIER, E. C. KIRK, and J. R. GROENKE. 2020. Craniofacial morphology of Adalatherium hui (Mammalia, Gondwanatheria) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar; 19-66. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 21. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 40 (2, Supplement). 

82. KRAUSE, D. W., S. HOFFMAN,  J. R. WIBLE, G. W. ROUGIER. 2020. Lower jaw morphology of Adalatherium hui (Mammalia, Gondwanatheria) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar; pp 81-96. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 21. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 40 (2, Supplement).

 83. Hoffmann, S., R. M. D. Beck, J. R. Wible, G. W. ROUGIER, and D. W. Krause. 2020. Phylogenetic relationships of Adalatherium hui (Mammalia, Gondwanatheria) from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar; pp. 213–234. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 21. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 40 (2, Supplement). 

 83. KRAUSE D.W., S. Hoffmann, Y. Hu, J. R. Wible, G. W. ROUGIER, E.K.  Kirk, J. R. Groenke, R. R. Rogers, J. B. Rossie, J. A. Schultz, A.R. Evans, W. von Koenigswal  and L. J. Rahantarisoa. 2020. Skeleton of Cretaceous mammal from Madagascar reflects long-term insularity. Nature 581:421-427.

 84. MUZZOPAPPA, P, A.G. MARTINELLI, J.P. GARDERES and ROUGIER G.W 2020. Un “vomito” revelador. Desde La Patagonia Vol 17, 30: 2-11.

85. STERLI, J., PARRAS, A., ALBINO, A., BECERRA, M., CARBALLIDO, J. L., GOURIC-CAVALLI, S., MUZZOPAPPA, P., ORIOZABALA, C. PANZERI, K., PEREZ-MORENO, A., POL, D., ROUGIER, G. W. and L. SALGADO.  2021.Vertebrados continentales de la Formación La Colonia (Campaniano-Maastrichtiano), Chubut, Argentina. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 34pp.

 86. MARTINELLI, A.G., and A.M. FORASIEPI, ROUGIER, G.W.  2021 Mamíferos en tiempos de Dinosaurios. Desde la Patagonia. Vol. 18 :31:10-22. 

BOOK

ROUGIER, G.W., MARTINELLI, A.G., and A.M. FORASIEPI. On line 2020 Mesozoic Mammals from South America and Their Forerunners. Springer Verlag. 388 pages (text and figure legends) + 136 figures + 1 table. Scheduled for publication Paper 3-2021. Springer Verlag.

In press/post review

 87. POL, D., CARBALLIDO, J.L., ROUGIER, G.W., RAUHUT, O.W.M., STERLI, J. y GOMEZ, K. 2021.  Vertebrados tetrápodos mesozoicos de la cuenca Cañadón Asfalto.  En: Giacosa, R.E. (Ed.), Geología y Recursos Naturales de la Provincia del Chubut. Relatorio del XXI Congreso Geológico Argentino, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 21pp.

Recent book On early mammalian evolution

Early mammals from the time of dinosaurs in South America!

 https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030638603

Recent Field Work

Patagonia Argentina