The Australasian Cretaceous scene

Abstract

The Cretaceous saw dramatic changes in the tectonic setting, landscape and biodiversity of Australasia. Continental fragmentation, marine transgression, the rise of ‘modern’ faunas and floras, and the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction represent key events that set the stage for future evolution of this region's insular Cenozoic biotas. Australasia's rich but scattered Cretaceous fossil record also provides a rare glimpse into austral high-latitude life and environments throughout the breakup phase of southeastern Gondwana.

Acknowledgements

This volume compiles results from a large-scale collaborative study of Australian Cretaceous biotas funded by the Australian Research Council (LP100100339). Additional financial support for S.M. was provided by the Swedish Research Council; and for B.P.K. by La Trobe University, the National Geographic Society and the Sir Mark Mitchell Research Fund. We thank Pi Willumsen and Vivi Vajda for their comments on the manuscript.