From Faunivory to Herbivory: Exploring the Dietary Transition in Sauropodomorpha Using Biomechanical Analysis in China

• Grant number: 25/14525-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 11, 2026
• End date: March 10, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Paleozoology
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Chinaglia Montefeltro
• Grantee: Gabriel Gonzalez Barbosa
• Supervisor: Qian-Nan Zhang
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institute Of Vertebrate Paleontology And Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, China
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/08493-8 - How did Sauropods become the largest herbivores on Earth? The transition between faunivory and herbivore diet in Sauropodomorpha using Finite Element Analysis, BP.DR

Abstract

Sauropodomorpha represents one of the most iconic clades of Mesozoic dinosaurs, encompassing over 200 genera and including the largest terrestrial animals to ever exist. The origin of the group can be traced to the Late Triassic, to an array of small forms, with bipedal posture, omnivorous or faunivorous. However, along the evolution sauropodomorphs transitioned to colossal, quadrupedal and strictly herbivores. This evolutionary shift involved profound changes in body plan and feeding strategies, yet key functional aspects, particularly cranial biomechanics, remain poorly understood due to the rarity of cranial materials in quantitative studies. China plays a central role in the evolutionary history of Sauropodomorpha, particularly during the Triassic-Jurassic transition. Several well-preserved taxa have been described from Chinese geologic unities, many of which include cranial and mandibular elements. Despite the high quality of preservation, these specimens are still underrepresented in biomechanical and functional morphology studies. This project aims to address this gap by applying advanced digital reconstruction and biomechanical modelling to investigate how cranial anatomy evolved in relation to diet within Sauropodomorpha, incorporating for the first time a set of the Chinese taxa to combine into a comprehensive dataset already included in the main project (Brazilian Triassic Sauropomorphs, and Argentinian and North American Jurassic and Cretaceous taxa). The core of the project is to test three hypotheses: (1) basal and derived sauropodomorphs show distinct craniomandibular biomechanical adaptations correlated with dietary shifts; (2) the faunivory-to-herbivory transition occurred gradually and can be traced phylogenetically; and (3) paleoenvironmental context influenced the direction of these adaptations. The methodology involves 3D scanning and digital reconstruction of key Chinese specimens including Mamenchisaurus, Shunosaurus, Yizhousaurus, and Lufengosaurus, followed by detailed mapping of jaw adductor muscles, bite force estimation via digital modelling and extrinsic tests through Finite Element Analysis (FEA). FEA enables in silico simulations of stress and strain distribution under different loading scenarios, offering empirical, reproducible, and non-destructive insights into feeding mechanics. Combined with phylogenetic and paleoecological data, this approach allows for functional comparisons between taxa at different evolutionary stages. This international internship will be conducted at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing (China), one of the world's leading centres for vertebrate palaeontology. The project will significantly enhance the biomechanical scope of the applicant's ongoing PhD research and strengthen scientific collaboration between Brazilian and Chinese institutions. These results will be disseminated in high-impact, internationally recognized journals and international conferences. (AU)