Cervical mechanics in extinct archosaurs: combining fossils, soft tissues, and digital modeling.

• Grant number: 26/06401-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2026
• End date: June 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Paleozoology
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Chinaglia Montefeltro
• Grantee: Richard Santos Buchmann de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Archosauria is a monophyletic group, currently represented only by crocodilians and birds. However, the group exhibits great morphological diversity especially in extinct taxa, which allowed them to explore a wide variety of ecological niches throughout geological time. Therefore, the study of cervical movements is relevant for understanding foraging and locomotion strategies, since the neck acts as a limb that controls the position of the head. According to functional morphology, there was extensive variation in mobility and range of motion of the neck among extinct archosaurs, due to differences in the vertebral cortex along the cervical series and between distinct clades. Furthermore, pneumatization of the vertebrae reduces bone density in saurischian and pterosaur dinosaurs, which influences the strength of the structure. In this context, the hypotheses raised from functional studies can be confirmed through biomechanical analyses, which are still scarce among Archosauria. Thus, the project proposes to investigate the mechanical behavior of the cervical vertebrae of extinct and extant archosaurs. The materials analyzed will include extinct and extant Crocodyliformes, pterosaurs, saurischian dinosaurs, and modern birds, which will allow for phylogenetically informed functional comparisons. The methodology to be used consists of Finite Element Analysis, a non-invasive approach that simulates muscle loads and mechanical shocks on three-dimensional models. Using this technique, stress patterns and responses to applied forces will be identified, demonstrating cervical biomechanical differences during habits performed by animals in life. (AU)