Promoter: Leonard Dewaele
​Subject: The Neogene fossil record of seals (Pinnipedia: Phocidae) in the North Atlantic is relatively extensive, with well over ten species that have historically been described. Many of these have been described based on (isolated) postcranial bones. However, recent studies by various researchers have questioned the diagnostic value of isolated humeri and femora to identify seal species. Consequently, the validity of many of these fossil taxa can be doubted.
​One way to re-assess the diversity of fossil true seals from the Neogene North Atlantic, would be to perform a geometric morphometric analysis of the postcanine teeth found in the fossil record to reveal how a morphometric (and morphologic) variety and make inferences on the diversity of these fossil seals.
In this project, the student will: (1) become familiar with the anatomy of otariid pinnipeds; (2) gather 3D surface scans of otariid mandibles; (3) conduct quantitative analyses of morphology using 3D geometric morphometrics on the teeth of extant and extinct phocid seals; (4) assess interspecific and intraspecific differences in tooth morphology across the fossil phocid fossil record from the North Atlantic.