Preface

"Preface." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 35(sup1), pp. 1–2

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We especially would like to thank G. Beebeejaun, V. Rupear, and staff from the Mauritius Institute, the members of the Mauritius Museums Council, and D. Allan, A. Ruiters, and the staff of the Durban Natural Science Museum, for all their assistance in providing access to the Thirioux skeletons for 3-D scanning. We also thank P. Sweet and J. Cracraft (AMNH), C. Taylor (Hampshire Museums), S. Chapman, J. Cooper, and R. Prŷs-Jones (NHMUK), M. Nowak-Kemp (OUM), C. Bens, R. Allain, and C. Sagne (MNHN), M. Brooke, M. Long, and M. Taylor (UMZC), H. James, S. Olson, and B. Schmidt (NMNH), C. Taylor (Hampshire Cultural Trust), O. Griffiths (Bioculture Mauritius Ltd./François Leguat Ltd.), C. Norris, K. Zyskowski, R. Prum, and J. Gauthier (YPM), J. Trimble and S. Edwards (MCZ), and J. Fjeldså, (ZMUC) for providing access to specimens in their care.

Three-dimensional laser surface scanning and scan postprocessing was largely undertaken by undergraduate research students at the College of the Holy Cross as part of the National Science Foundation sponsored Aves 3D project (http://Aves3D.org). Students A. Biedlingmaier and J. Leavitt undertook 3-D scanning in Port Louis and Durban, and G. Monfette, A. Kimelblatt, and A. Randall provided additional help with 3-D scan processing.

We thank J. Parish for many helpful discussions and generously sharing materials. We thank R. Prŷs-Jones, E. Fuller, and M. Reindersma for discussions, L. Schmitz for advice on scleral ossicles, and J. Hutchinson for advice on avian patellar structure. We thank T. Worthy, G. Dyke, J. Parish, and one anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments on the memoir, and R. Irmis for his careful guidance as the memoir series editor.

The Dodo Research Programme and Dodo Alive nonprofit foundation wish to thank C. Foo Kune, M. C. Foo Kune, A. Janoo, G. Beebeejaun, P. La Hause de La Louvière, J. M. d'Unionville, R. C. Payen, V. Tataya, P. Augustinus, J. C. Autrey, D. Bablee, M. van der Meer, I. Prins, M. Schilthuizen, R. W. J. Dekker, and especially the technical staff of Omnicane at Mon Desert for their advice, support, and trust. Dodo Alive thanks Members of the Commission of Recommendation of Dodo Alive: A. Oostra (chair), W. Ferwerda, R. Rabbinge, S. Kroonenberg, M. Dekkers, K. Vuursteen, P. Moree, and H. Hooghiemstra.

Funding for the 3-D scanning was provided to L.C. by the National Science Foundation (Aves 3D project, DBI 0743327) and a College of the Holy Cross Research and Publication grant. L.C. also gratefully acknowledges the support of a Naturalis Biodiversity Center Temminck fellowship for his work on the dodomotion project in the fall of 2011. The Dodo Research Programme and the Dodo Alive nonprofit foundation acknowledge financial, capacity, logistic, and/or material support by the following institutes: Omnicane; The Mauritius Museums Council; The Ministry of Arts and Culture of the Government of Mauritius; The National Heritage Fund of Mauritius; The Natural History Museum of Mauritius; Mauritius Wildlife Fund; Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute; The Treub Maatschappij, society for scientific research in the tropics; Hollandia Archeology; The Geological Survey of The Netherlands, TNO; Naturalis; Deltares; World Wildlife Fund, The Netherlands; Water Research Co., Mauritius; IUCN, The Netherlands; and Air Mauritius. J.P.H. acknowledges support from the Percy Sladen Centenary Fund, the Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund, and the Department Investment Fund (NHMUK). H.J.M.M. acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2011-28681) and the Generalitat de Catalunya (BP-B-00174).

Leon P.A.M. Claessens Hanneke J.M. Meijer Julian P. Hume Kenneth F. Rijsdijk