DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolution of the Cranial Cavity in Mammals and Extinct Cynodonts

论文研究：哺乳动物和灭绝的犬齿兽颅腔的进化

• 批准号: 0309369
• 负责人: Timothy Rowe
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-06-01 至 2005-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0309369&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Evolution; Cranial; Cavity

Abstract for DEB-0309369A grant has been awarded to Dr. Timothy Rowe and Mr. Ted Macrini of The University of Texas at Austin to study the evolution of the braincase, endocranial cavity, and brain in Recent mammals and some of their closest extinct relatives within Cynodontia. The relative importance of different sensory modalities, endocranial capacity, and intelligence will be assessed for selected Recent and extinct specimens, chosen to represent the last 200 million years of mammalian diversification. X-ray computed tomographic (CT) scanning will be used to quantitatively explore different components of sensory acuity, behavior, and intelligence through the examination of digital endocasts, or three-dimensional infillings of the braincase. Brains rarely, if ever, fossilize, but brain volume and external shape are often preserved by the bones of the braincase that enclose the endocranial cavity. Until recently natural endocasts were largely unobtainable without destroying the specimen. X-ray CT permits non-destructive recovery of endocranial surfaces and volumes from living and extinct species never before studied in this capacity. Comparisons will be made between endocasts and actual brains in Recent species, and between those extinct species whose phylogenetic positions are relatively well constrained. Scanning will be performed by the University of Texas High-Resolution CT Facility, an NSF-sponsored Multi User Facility.This study will generate large volumes of high quality digital data and visualizations of interest to the wide audience that studies the evolution of mammalian behavior and intelligence. Data generated in this study may also help resolve persistent problems in mammalian systematics. Legacy data generated by this study will be distributed via www.DigiMorph.org, an NSF-sponsored Digital Library of Vertebrate Morphology.

得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的Timothy Rowe博士和Ted Macrini先生获得了DEB-0309369号的资助，用于研究现代哺乳动物及其近亲的脑壳、内颅腔和脑的进化。不同感觉模式、内颅骨能力和智力的相对重要性将针对选定的新的和灭绝的样本进行评估，这些样本被选为代表哺乳动物过去2亿年的多样化。X射线计算机断层扫描将被用来通过检查数字内铸件或脑壳的三维填充来定量地探索感官敏锐度、行为和智力的不同组成部分。大脑很少会变成化石，但大脑的体积和外部形状通常是由包围内颅腔的脑壳骨骼保存下来的。直到最近，如果不销毁标本，很大程度上无法获得自然的内胚层。X射线CT可以无损地从活的和灭绝的物种中恢复内颅骨表面和体积，这是以前从未在这种能力下研究过的。我们将比较新物种的内源细胞和实际大脑，以及那些系统发育位置相对较好的已灭绝物种。扫描将由德克萨斯大学高分辨率CT设备进行，这是一家由NSF赞助的多用户设备。这项研究将产生大量高质量的数字数据和可视化，研究哺乳动物行为和智力的进化。这项研究中产生的数据也可能有助于解决哺乳动物系统学中长期存在的问题。这项研究产生的遗留数据将通过www.DigiMorph.org发布，这是一个由NSF赞助的脊椎动物形态数字图书馆。