Archosauriformes non Ornithosuchian from Brazilian Triassic: anatomy, taxonomy and phylogeny

• Grant number: 11/23834-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2012
• End date: June 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Paleozoology
• Principal Investigator: Max Cardoso Langer
• Grantee: Marco Aurélio Gallo de França
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Archosauriformes consists of Archosauria and its relatives stem-taxa. During the Triassic, archosaurs diverged into two major lineages: Pseudosuchia ("pro-crocodilian") and Ornithosuchia ("pro-avian"). The Ornithosuchia is a well-know and studied lineage. In contrast, the Pseudosuchia lineage and the Archosauriformes non-archosaurian have several uncertainties about their evolution, such as relative position of groups and monophyly of some of these. In this regards, recent work of archosauriformes indicate the need for detailed anatomical and taxonomic studies of the taxa previously proposed in the literature and the description of new specimens and species. Brazil has a prominent position in the contribution to the study of the Archosauriformes evoltion, recording the majority of their groups in the Triassic from Rio Grande do Sul. However, some of these taxa have not had a detailed anatomical description, and there are several specimens deposited in scientific collections without more precise identification. This away, it is evident the need for revisional study of the anatomy and taxonomy of these Brazilian fossil materials. A study of this nature, as proposed in this post-doctoral project, may result in important information about the Archosauriformes evolution, providing relevant paleobiogeographical and temporal distribution data of its sub-groups, as well as the possible identification of groups not yet registered or poorly sampled in Brazil. Furthermore, the inclusion of these taxa in a phylogenetic analysis allows testing the position of these, from the perspective of cladistics principles. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HSIOU, ANNIE SCHMALTZ; GALLO DE FRANCA, MARCO AURELIO; FERIGOLO, JORGE. New Data on the Clevosaurus (Sphenodontia: Clevosauridae) from the Upper Triassic of Southern Brazil. PLoS One, v. 10, n. 9, SEP 10 2015. (11/14080-0, 11/23834-9)

DE FRANCA, MARCO A. G.; LANGER, MAX C.; FERIGOLO, JORGE; NESBITT, SJ; DESOJO, JB; IRMIS, RB. The skull anatomy of Decuriasuchus quartacolonia (Pseudosuchia: Suchia: Loricata) from the middle Triassic of Brazil. ANATOMY, PHYLOGENY AND PALAEOBIOLOGY OF EARLY ARCHOSAURS AND THEIR KIN, v. 379, p. 33-pg., 2013-01-01. (09/54645-7, 11/23834-9)