CAREER: Skull Evolution in Early Mammals and Advanced Cynodonts

小行星9527892 卡内基自然历史博物馆和匹兹堡大学的罗哲熙博士正在研究早期哺乳动物的新化石，主要来自中国，并使用计算机断层扫描（CT）方法获得内部解剖特征，用于比较系统发育分析。三维图形CT方法允许对化石进行非破坏性取样，否则这些化石可能很罕见或无法进行详细研究。爬行动物的形式通常被放在“犬齿兽”被认为是代表动物群体的第一个真正的哺乳动物进化而来。在中国新发现的化石为这些动物提供了许多新的材料，其中一些头骨遗骸提供了鼻，眼眶，蝶骨和耳朵区域的特征。头骨结构的变化伴随着向哺乳动物的进化过渡，可能与进食、呼吸、嗅觉和听觉的功能变化有关。通过中国和其他地方的同事获得这些新化石，PI处于一个非常有利的位置，可以获得新的和潜在的决定性数据，这些数据与爬行动物犬齿兽早期哺乳动物进化过程中的结构和功能变化有关。 这项古生物学研究将在卡内基博物馆和匹兹堡大学的本科生的帮助下进行，PI将与生物学和地质学的同事合作，建立系统生物学和脊椎动物古生物学的新教学和研究计划。学生将有机会获得在卡内基博物馆令人印象深刻的藏品，沿着与相关的策展专业知识，同时保留在大学宝贵的教学环节。

9527892 Luo In a CAREER project with both research and education components, Dr. Zhexi Luo of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the University of Pittsburgh is studying new fossils of early mammals, mostly from China, and using Computer Tomography (CT) methods to acquire internal anatomical characters for comparative phylogenetic analyses. The three-dimensional graphical CT methods allow non-destructive sampling of fossils that might otherwise be rare or inaccessible to detailed study. Reptilian forms usually placed in the "cynodonts" are thought to represent animal groups from which the first true mammals evolved. New fossil findings in China have provided much new material of these animals, some with cranial remains that provide features of the nasal, orbital, sphenoidal, and ear regions. Changes in the structure of the skull attendant on the evolutionary transition to mammals likely relate to functional changes in feeding, respiration, olfaction, and hearing. With access to these new fossils through colleagues in China and elsewhere, the PI is in an excellent position to acquire new and potentially decisive data bearing on structural and functional changes in the early evolution of mammals from reptilian cynodonts. This paleontological research is to be conducted with the help of undergraduate students enrolled in programs both at Carnegie Museum and at University of Pittsburgh, where the PI will be working with colleagues in biology and geology to establish new teaching and research programs in systematic biology and vertebrate paleontology. Students will have access to the impressive collections at the Carnegie Museum, along with associated curatorial expertise, while retaining valuable pedagogical links at the University.