Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs

Autores
Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel; Ezcurra, Martin Daniel; Paschetta, Carolina Andrea; Méndez, Ariel Hernán
Año de publicación
2025
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Abelisauridae is the most abundant and well-known clade of Gondwanan theropods, characterized by uniquely tall, robust and heavily ornamented skulls. Different processes have been proposed to explain the evolution of the abelisaurid skull based on anatomical and biomechanical studies, but a quantitative analysis under an explicit macroevolutionary approach is lacking. In this study, we assess patterns of modularity, integration and macroevolutionary trends of the abelisaurid skull by quantifying different cranial regions and bones using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Our results reveal phylogenetic modularity and evolutionary integration between the neurocranium and rostral regions. High disparity and evolutionary rates are found in the occipital region, squamosal, quadratojugal, lacrimal and postorbital. These findings suggest that the neurocranium was the main region involved in the proportional cranial height increase in Abelisauridae. The observed patterns are linked to different feeding strategies, supporting ecological specialization within this theropod lineage. We propose that ecological pressures were the main drivers of skull evolution in abelisaurids, with some features co-opted for socio-sexual display. Future research should focus on evolutionary modelling to investigate patterns of evolutionary rate selection and constraints that can explain the diversification of the skull shape of this clade during the Cretaceous.
Fil: Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
Fil: Ezcurra, Martin Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
Fil: Paschetta, Carolina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
Fil: Méndez, Ariel Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
Materia
Abelisauridae
modularity
integration
evolutionary rate
disparity
cranial regions
skull
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/291742
Acceder
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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaursSeculi Pereyra, Enzo EmanuelEzcurra, Martin DanielPaschetta, Carolina AndreaMéndez, Ariel HernánAbelisauridaemodularityintegrationevolutionary ratedisparitycranial regionsskullhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Abelisauridae is the most abundant and well-known clade of Gondwanan theropods, characterized by uniquely tall, robust and heavily ornamented skulls. Different processes have been proposed to explain the evolution of the abelisaurid skull based on anatomical and biomechanical studies, but a quantitative analysis under an explicit macroevolutionary approach is lacking. In this study, we assess patterns of modularity, integration and macroevolutionary trends of the abelisaurid skull by quantifying different cranial regions and bones using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Our results reveal phylogenetic modularity and evolutionary integration between the neurocranium and rostral regions. High disparity and evolutionary rates are found in the occipital region, squamosal, quadratojugal, lacrimal and postorbital. These findings suggest that the neurocranium was the main region involved in the proportional cranial height increase in Abelisauridae. The observed patterns are linked to different feeding strategies, supporting ecological specialization within this theropod lineage. We propose that ecological pressures were the main drivers of skull evolution in abelisaurids, with some features co-opted for socio-sexual display. Future research should focus on evolutionary modelling to investigate patterns of evolutionary rate selection and constraints that can explain the diversification of the skull shape of this clade during the Cretaceous.Fil: Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Ezcurra, Martin Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Paschetta, Carolina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Méndez, Ariel Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaThe Royal Society2025-11info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/291742Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel; Ezcurra, Martin Daniel; Paschetta, Carolina Andrea; Méndez, Ariel Hernán; Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs; The Royal Society; Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences; 292; 2058; 11-2025; 1-91471-2954CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0943info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0943info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2026-08-25T15:08:07Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/291742instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982026-08-25 15:08:08.014CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
title Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
spellingShingle Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel
Abelisauridae
modularity
integration
evolutionary rate
disparity
cranial regions
skull
title_short Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
title_full Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
title_fullStr Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
title_full_unstemmed Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
title_sort Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel
Ezcurra, Martin Daniel
Paschetta, Carolina Andrea
Méndez, Ariel Hernán
author Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel
author_facet Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel
Ezcurra, Martin Daniel
Paschetta, Carolina Andrea
Méndez, Ariel Hernán
author_role author
author2 Ezcurra, Martin Daniel
Paschetta, Carolina Andrea
Méndez, Ariel Hernán
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Abelisauridae
modularity
integration
evolutionary rate
disparity
cranial regions
skull
topic Abelisauridae
modularity
integration
evolutionary rate
disparity
cranial regions
skull
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Abelisauridae is the most abundant and well-known clade of Gondwanan theropods, characterized by uniquely tall, robust and heavily ornamented skulls. Different processes have been proposed to explain the evolution of the abelisaurid skull based on anatomical and biomechanical studies, but a quantitative analysis under an explicit macroevolutionary approach is lacking. In this study, we assess patterns of modularity, integration and macroevolutionary trends of the abelisaurid skull by quantifying different cranial regions and bones using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Our results reveal phylogenetic modularity and evolutionary integration between the neurocranium and rostral regions. High disparity and evolutionary rates are found in the occipital region, squamosal, quadratojugal, lacrimal and postorbital. These findings suggest that the neurocranium was the main region involved in the proportional cranial height increase in Abelisauridae. The observed patterns are linked to different feeding strategies, supporting ecological specialization within this theropod lineage. We propose that ecological pressures were the main drivers of skull evolution in abelisaurids, with some features co-opted for socio-sexual display. Future research should focus on evolutionary modelling to investigate patterns of evolutionary rate selection and constraints that can explain the diversification of the skull shape of this clade during the Cretaceous.
Fil: Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
Fil: Ezcurra, Martin Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina
Fil: Paschetta, Carolina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
Fil: Méndez, Ariel Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina
description Abelisauridae is the most abundant and well-known clade of Gondwanan theropods, characterized by uniquely tall, robust and heavily ornamented skulls. Different processes have been proposed to explain the evolution of the abelisaurid skull based on anatomical and biomechanical studies, but a quantitative analysis under an explicit macroevolutionary approach is lacking. In this study, we assess patterns of modularity, integration and macroevolutionary trends of the abelisaurid skull by quantifying different cranial regions and bones using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Our results reveal phylogenetic modularity and evolutionary integration between the neurocranium and rostral regions. High disparity and evolutionary rates are found in the occipital region, squamosal, quadratojugal, lacrimal and postorbital. These findings suggest that the neurocranium was the main region involved in the proportional cranial height increase in Abelisauridae. The observed patterns are linked to different feeding strategies, supporting ecological specialization within this theropod lineage. We propose that ecological pressures were the main drivers of skull evolution in abelisaurids, with some features co-opted for socio-sexual display. Future research should focus on evolutionary modelling to investigate patterns of evolutionary rate selection and constraints that can explain the diversification of the skull shape of this clade during the Cretaceous.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025-11
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/291742
Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel; Ezcurra, Martin Daniel; Paschetta, Carolina Andrea; Méndez, Ariel Hernán; Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs; The Royal Society; Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences; 292; 2058; 11-2025; 1-9
1471-2954
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/291742
identifier_str_mv Seculi Pereyra, Enzo Emanuel; Ezcurra, Martin Daniel; Paschetta, Carolina Andrea; Méndez, Ariel Hernán; Building a predator: macroevolutionary patterns in the skull of abelisaurid dinosaurs; The Royal Society; Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences; 292; 2058; 11-2025; 1-9
1471-2954
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0943
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0943
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The Royal Society
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 13.265058

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