Skull mechanics in sauropodomorph dinosaurs
A skeletal reconstruction of Camarasaurus, a Sauropod dinosaur which lived during the Upper Jurassic period, 140 to 150 million years ago. Fossils have been found mainly North America, and in Portugal.
Sauropodomorpha includes the largest terrestrial herbivores of all time, yet their feeding mechanisms remain relatively poorly known.
This project aims to use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to elucidate patterns of stress and strain within ‘prosauropod’ and sauropod skulls in order to determine the mechanical constraints on skull form and feeding in these animals.
Project staff
Project collaborators
- Dr Emily Rayfield, University of Bristol
- Dr Mark Young, University of Bristol
- Prof Larry Witmer, University of Ohio