Origins of hearing and sensory capabilities in early amniotes

The origins of terrestrial sensory capabilities in vertebrates are a source of major unanswered questions in evolutionary biology. This gap in understanding can be addressed by investigating the neural anatomy of early members of Amniota, the group of four-legged vertebrates that conquered land. Here we propose to scan the skulls of four extinct early amniote species (comprising 9 specimens) from the Permian of South Africa. With these scans we will be able to reconstruct their brain endocasts, cranial nerves, and inner ear, enabling an evolutionary understanding of the sensory capabilities in these important fossil species.