DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phylogeny, Ontogeny, and Endocranial Evolution of Oviraptorosauria (Theropoda: Coelurosauria)

卵龙、一组非鸟类恐龙和现存鸟类的形态特征使得这一组相对于鸟类的进化位置很难辨别。这项研究试图通过系统发育分析为这些进化关系提供一个可靠的假说。生成的系统发育树将与适当的统计方法一起用于解决与导致飞行起源的中枢神经系统(CNS)变化有关的问题。由于内颅腔近似于大脑的形态，利用CT扫描技术创建该空间的内铸件将使研究人员能够研究中枢神经系统如何沿着这一重要谱系在形态上发生变化，以及它如何通过这些生物的生活史发生变化。鉴于公众对恐龙的兴趣以及与飞行相关的特征的起源，这项研究为向公众教授进化论提供了一个有吸引力的模型。将产生一个进化关系假说，可用于未来对与这一群体有关的生物学问题感兴趣的研究。这项研究将产生大量详细的新标本和新的解剖系统的形态描述。此外，数字生成的内颅骨模型将为研究恐龙的神经解剖学的研究人员提供宝贵的数据。

Morphological features of Oviraptorosauria, a group of non-avian dinosaurs, and extant birds have made the evolutionary placement of this group with respect to birds difficult to discern. This study seeks to provide a robust hypothesis of these evolutionary relationships through a phylogenetic analysis. The resulting phylogenetic tree will be used along with appropriate statistical methods to address questions concerning changes in the central nervous system (CNS) leading to the origin of flight. Since the endocranial cavity approximates the morphology of the brain, creating endocasts of this space with CT scanning technology will allow the investigators to study how the CNS changes morphologically along this important lineage, as well as how it changes through the life history of these organisms.Given the public interest in dinosaurs and the origination of characters associated with flight, this study provides an appealing model for teaching evolutionary theory to the public. A hypothesis of evolutionary relationships will be generated that can be used in future studies interested in biological questions concerning this group. The study will generate a large body of detailed morphological descriptions of new specimens and novel anatomical systems. Additionally, digitally generated endocranial casts will provide invaluable data for researchers studying the neuroanatomy of dinosaurs.