American Museum of Natural History

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Jin Meng

Associate Curator

Ph.D., Columbia University, 1991 "Craniodental Morphology and Systematics of Didymoconidae (Insectivora, Mammalia)"

RESEARCH

Jin Meng studies the morphology, systematics, and evolution of mammals, particularly early mammals. Unlike some paleontologists who focus primarily upon teeth and dentition as their evidence, Dr. Meng examines the cranium, ear region, and enamel microstructure of teeth as sources of data to address evolutionary issues concerning mammals. He uses digital imaging, radiography, scanning electron microscopy, and computerized tomography to enhance observations and field work. Most of Dr. Meng's fieldwork takes place in Asia-primarily in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang Province in northeast China, and southern China. Dr. Meng has done research on several mammal groups including didymoconids, multituberculates, and gliriforms (a group that includes rodents, gnawing herbivores such as rabbits, and their early kin). Most recently, Dr. Meng and his colleagues published research on a fossil of a 130-million-year-old opossum-sized mammal, Repenomamus robustus, found with the remains of a psittacosaur in its stomach area. This fossil is the first direct evidence that some primitive mammals were carnivores and fed on small vertebrates, including young dinosaurs. Dr. Meng also is an adjunct professor at the City University of New York and an overseas assessor for the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Dr. Meng earned a Ph.D. in paleontology at Columbia University in 1991. Before joining the Museum in 1999 as an Assistant Curator, he was an assistant professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

RECENT SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS

2005. Asher, R. J., J. Meng, M. C. McKenna, J. R. Wible, D. Dashzeveg, G. Rougier, and M. J. Novacek. Stem Lagomorpha and the Antiquity of Glires. Science.

2005. Meng, J. and A. R. Wyss. A review on morphology, phylogeny and divergence of Glires (Mammalia). In: The rise of placental mammals: origins and relationships of major extant clades, D. Archibald and K. Rose (editors). The Johns Hopkins University Press.

2005. Meng, J., Y.-m. Hu, Y.-q. Wang, and C.-k. Li. A new gobiconodont species (Mammalia) from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica.

2005. Hu, Y.-m., J. Meng, C.k. Li, and Y.-q. Wang. Large Mesozoic mammals fed on young dinosaurs. Nature 433: 149-152.

2004. Wu, W.-y., Meng, J., Ye, J. and Ni, X.-j. Propalaeocastor (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Early Oligocene of Burqin Basin Xinjiang. American Museum Novitates 3461, 16 pp.

2004. Meng, J. and Y.-m. Hu. Lagomorphs from the Yihesubu Upper Eocene of Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia). Vertebrata PalAsiatica 42: 261-275.

2004. Vater, M., Meng, J., and Fox, R. Hearing organ evolution and specialization - early and later mammals; pp 256-288 In: "Evolution of the vertebrate auditory system" G. A. Manley, A, N. Popper, and R. R. Fay (editors). Springer Handbook of Auditory Research. New York: Springer.

2004. Meng, J. Phylogeny and Divergence of Basal Glires. American Museum Novitates. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 285: 93-109.

2004. Tong, Y.-s., J.-w. Wang and J. Meng. Olbitherium millenariusum, a new perissodactyl-like archaic ungulate (Mammalia) from the early Eocene Wutu Formation, Shangdong. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 42: 27-38.

2004. Meng, J., G. J. Bowen, J. Ye, P. L. Koch, S.-y. Ting, Q. Li, and X. Jin. Gomphos elkema (Glires, Mammalia) from the Erlian Basin: Evidence for the Early Tertiary Bumbanian Land Mammal Age in Nei-Mongol, China. American Museum Novitates 3425: 24 pp.

2003. Jie Ye, J. Meng, and Wenyu Wu. A preliminary biostratigraphic study of the Oligocene/Miocene boundary from northern Jungur Basin of Xinjiang, China. American Museum Bulletin 279: 568-585.

2003. Jie Ye, Meng, J., and Wu Wenyu. Discovery of Paraceratherium in the northern Jungur Basin of Xinjiang. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 41: 220-229.

2003. Meng, J. The journey from jaw to ear Evolution of the mammalian middle ear. Biologist 50: 154-158.

2003. Meng, J., Hu, Y., Wang, Y., and Li C.-K. The ossified Meckel's cartilage and internal groove in Mesozoic mammaliaforms: implications to origin of the definitive mammalian middle ear. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 138: 431-448.

2003. Meng, J., Hu, Y.-m., and Li, C. The Osteology of Rhombomylus (Mammalia, Glires) and its implication for Glires systematics and evolution. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 275: 1-247.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology of America (Member, Bryan Patterson Award Committee)
Society for Study of Mammalian Evolution
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, China
Research Associate, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, China

EDITORIAL AND ADJUNCT APPOINTMENTS

Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology Department, CUNY
Adjunct Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, CUNY
Overseas Assessor, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Member, Publication Committee, American Museum of Natural History
Associate Editor, Progress in Natural Science, National Natural Science Foundation of China
Associate Editor, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
Associate Editor, Vertebrata PalAsiatica