Background
Ichthyosaurs are marine reptiles from the Mesozoic that were the first tetrapods to live in the open ocean. Fossils have been found worldwide for centuries, but many questions remain about their biology. One body region that we know little about, is the pelvic girdle and its evolution. In this project, you will study fossils of Jurassic ichthyosaurs to discuss the function of certain aspects of the pelvic girdle. We are especially interested in how the pelvis might be adapted both for aiding in swimming, and for reproduction.
Research aims
Map the morphological diversity in the pelvis among Jurassic ichthyosaurs. Detect muscle attachment sites on the ichthyosaur pelvic girdle. Look for potential sexual dimorphism in the ichthyosaur pelvic girdle
Methods
You will study fossils of ichthyosaurs in the collection of the Natural History Museum in Oslo and abroad, using comparative anatomy techniques for interpreting the homology and function of the pelvis, as well as quantitative methods for comparing shape and size.
The project will be supervised by Feiko Miedema and Lene Liebe Delsett, as part of the EXPLAC project.