Anatomy of New cynodonts from the Triassic of Argentina

The aims of the present Project are based on the study of non mammalian cynodonts from the Upper Triassic (Norian, ~227,3–205,7 My) from Argentina. The nine, more complete and anatomically different specimens collected by our team in outcrops of the Los Colorados Formation constitute the empirical basis for this research. Preliminary analysis based on laboratory based X-ray CT data suggest these new specimens represent a new species. Moreover, the CT-scans obtained at LAHN show the preservation of unerupted teeth, which will allow to analyze the changes in the dentition through ontogeny as well as the tooth replacement patterns. In addition, the good preservation of some regions of the skull will allow for the reconstruction of endocranial structures and the path of some nerves, relevant for the recognition of structures that do not fossilize but that are important for the understanding of the origin and evolution of mammalian features.