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Download StatisticsJones, Andrew Stephen (2019). Re-analysing the phylogeny, morphology and ecology of phytosauria and its evolutionary convergence with crocodylomorpha. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.
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Jones2019PhD.pdf
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Abstract
Phytosauria is a clade of large, semi-aquatic archosauromorphs which reached its peak diversity and an almost global distribution in the Late Triassic (c. 230–201 Mya). Their characteristic morphological convergence with crocodylomorphs has led to the acceptance of ecological equivalence, but comparisons between the groups have been entirely qualitative. Here, I present the first attempt to quantify ecological convergence between phytosaurs and crocodylomorphs. Previous phylogenetic analyses of Phytosauria have been limited in taxonomic scope; therefore, to provide an evolutionary context for subsequent analyses I produced the first comprehensive phytosaur phylogeny, aided by recently developed analytical techniques. The resulting trees presented two partially conflicting topologies, but were generally consistent with previous phylogenetic hypotheses. The discrete character tree was incorporated into geometric morphometric analyses to quantify phytosaur cranial convergence with extant and extinct crocodylomorphs, and to investigate morphological evolutionary trends. Phytosaurs were found to be morphologically distinct from all crocodylomorphs except thalattosuchians. Similarities were observed between phytosaurs and some crocodylids, including repeated morphological divergences and potential similarities in cranial modularity. Convergence of dietary ecology was investigated using dental microwear, with phytosaurs projected into crocodylian dietary space. Phytosaurs were recovered as generalists, with no dietary partitioning observed between dental positions or cranial ecomorphs.
| Type of Work: | Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.) | |||||||||
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| Award Type: | Doctorates > Ph.D. | |||||||||
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| Licence: | All rights reserved | |||||||||
| College/Faculty: | Colleges > College of Life & Environmental Sciences | |||||||||
| School or Department: | School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences | |||||||||
| Funders: | Other | |||||||||
| Other Funders: | Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA), SYNTHESYS Access Scheme | |||||||||
| URI: | http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/9508 |
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