Finite element analysis (FEA) is a powerful quantitative tool that models mechanical
performance in virtual reconstructions of complex structures, such as animal skeletons. The …

The development of virtual methods for anatomical reconstruction and functional simulation
of skeletal structures offers great promise in evolutionary and ontogenetic investigations of …

Virtual palaeontology, the use of interactive three-dimensional digital models as a
supplement or alternative to physical specimens for scientific study and communication, is …

Factors intrinsic and extrinsic to organisms dictate the course of morphological evolution but
are seldom considered together in comparative analyses. Among vertebrates, squamates …

Complex organismal structures are organized into modules, suites of traits that develop,
function, and vary in a coordinated fashion. By limiting or directing covariation among …

The mouse has been the dominant model organism in studies on the development, genetics
and evolution of the mammalian skull and associated soft‐tissue for decades. There is the …

Sutures form an integral part of the functioning skull, but their role has long been debated
among vertebrate morphologists and palaeontologists. Furthermore, the relationship …

Hypotheses regarding patterns of stress, strain and deformation in the craniofacial skeleton
are central to adaptive explanations for the evolution of primate craniofacial form. The …

The extinct nonavian dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex, considered one of the hardest biting
animals ever, is often hypothesized to have exhibited cranial kinesis, or, mobility of cranial …

A fundamental research question for morphologists is how morphological variation in the
skeleton relates to function. Traditional approaches have advanced our understanding of …