Evolutionary Morphology of the Pectoral Girdle of Temnospondyli

• Applicant: Professor Dr. John A. Nyakatura
• Subject Area: Systematics and Morphology (Zoology) ; Palaeontology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 534442498

Temnospondyls represent a multi-faceted radiation of early tetrapods, which, in contrast to all extant tetrapods, are morphologically similar to many stem-group representatives of the tetrapods. A deeper understanding of the anatomical form-function relationships in light of the ecological adaptations of temnospondyls, which range from a strictly aquatic lifestyle to a predominantly terrestrial one, thus also provides insight into the water-land transition of tetrapods. Despite the critical role of the changes to the pectoral girdle in the evolution of early tetrapods, this body region has not received as much attention as the limbs. The here proposed project aims to use an integrated approach and leverage computational modelling to focus on the functional morphology of the pectoral girdle in a comparative and phylogenetically informed fashion. The study primarily aims to deepen the understanding of the temnospondyls but has relevance for the understanding of the early evolution of land-living vertebrates, too.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants