A Description of new baryonychine material and assessment of trigeminal (palaeo) neuroanatomy in extinct and extant archosaurs

Attempts to quantify rostral sensitivity in extinct taxa have proven successful in dinosaurs that are closely related to Tyrannosaurus rex. However, this is undetermined for the Baryonychine group, which has been associated with aquatic foraging and crocodilian-like ecology and behaviour. This project will examine and describe the exceptional and unique Baryonychine dinosaur material from Brightstone Bay, Isle of Wight. By applying and further developing advanced 3D micro-computed tomographic (uCT) imaging and computational approaches for state-of-the art quantitative morphometry for mineralised and fossilised tissues/materials, the PhD student will visualise and quantitatively evaluate and interpret data derived from bone density, and skeletal anatomy, brain anatomy, the position of eyes and nasal passages, to elucidate the life habits of the taxon, and assess the likelihood of aquatic habits. By better understanding this taxon, in relation to the known phylogeny, the student will be able to determine character acquisition and behaviours in a unique enigmatic and charismatic British theropod.

This multidisciplinary project draws on expertise in Engineering, Philipp Schneider (uCT, Academic Director u-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre) and Biological Sciences, Claire Clarkin (Bone Anatomy) and Neil Gostling (Palaeontology and Evolution) it will reinvigorate undergraduate teaching across the University and builds upon the MoU between the University and Dinosaur Isle (www.dinosaurisle.com) on the Isle of Wight, providing free access to the prep-laboratory and to other specimens that come to light. The use of uCT technology means that fossil specimens are non-destructively sampled, allowing us unparalleled means of describing the neuroanatomy and sensitivity in a 127-million-year-old dinosaur.