Morphological and developmental study on the evolution of the head (especially brain and inner ear) and neck in theropod dinosaurs

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A first, cleared-and-stained specimens of embryos of the American Alligator housed at a museum in the U.S. was observed for sequences of ossification patterns. Furthermore, fertilized eggs of the domestic chickens were incubated and were periodically fixed until immediately before hatching. These specimens were scanned using a CT scanner for obtaining data on ossification sequences. The obtained sequence is consistent with those of other birds published previously. In addition, fossil archosaur specimens ranging from the Late Triassic through Cretaceous in age were observed in museums in the U.S. and Argentina and morphological data on their braincases and necks were obtained. Based on these data, a character data matrix is now in making for analyzing patterns of evolution in these skeletal parts in archosaurs.