Jaws emerge: Insight from placoderms to resolve the evolutionary emergence of gnathostomes

Project Information

JAWS EMERGE

Grant agreement ID: 220634

Project closed

Start date 1 October 2008

End date 30 September 2010

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 177 740,04

EU contribution € 177 740,04

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
United Kingdom

Objective

The origin of jawed vertebrates represents one of the most dramatic changes in anatomy and genetics in animal evolutionary history, and it is the episode on which the whole of vertebrate biodiversity is now based. It is widely thought to have resulted from an adaptive radiation, predicated on the key innovations of teeth and jaws, allowing jawed vertebrates to feed in ways that none had done before. However, this entire thesis is now in disarray because of the discovery that teeth and jaws did not evolve in concert, and evolutionary implications of this thesis, in terms of scenarios of the emergence of jawed vertebrates, remain unconsidered, not least because we know so little about feeding ecology in the jawed but toothless placoderms. This proposal will combine the candidate fellow, who is an expert in placoderm anatomy, with the host organisation, which has state of the art expertise, techniques and methodologies that will allow us to better understand the ecology and feeding strategies adopted by these early jawed vertebrates. The programme of research will be focussed on the placoderm Bothriolepis. X-ray Tomographic Microscopy (XTM) will be used to obtain 3D digital models of cephalothorax and jaws. Competing hypotheses for the function of the growing cephalothoracic skeleton will be tested using Computed Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modelling (hydrodynamics), validated in wind tunnel experiments, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) (protection versus locomotion). Function of the jaws will also be tested using FEA, validated using microwear data. Constraints will be considered within an interrogative geometric morphometric framework that interfaces with FEA and CFD. XTM data will also be used to test hypotheses on the homology of tooth and jaw development in these earliest jawed vertebrates. Finally, a limited comparative study will be undertaken on a distant placoderm relative to determine the generality of the results of these experiments.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › genetics
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › aircraft
• natural sciences › physical sciences › classical mechanics › fluid mechanics › fluid dynamics
• natural sciences › physical sciences › optics › microscopy
• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology › ecosystems

Keywords

• FEA
• Natural sciences
• biomechanics
• jaw development
• jaw evolution
• microwear
• palaeontology
• placoderms

Programme(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• PEOPLE-2007-2-1.IEF - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development"

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-1-IEF
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

• EU contribution: € 177 740,04
• Address: BEACON HOUSE QUEENS ROAD ; BS8 1QU Bristol ; United Kingdom
• Region: South West (England) › Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area › Bristol, City of
• Activity type: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Administrative Contact: Michael Audrey (Ms.)
• Total cost: No data