Histological analysis and bone microanatomy of appendicular elements of Sphagesauria

[Flávio Ferreira]

Hello everyone! My name is Flávio, and I am from São Paulo, Brazil. I am developing a graduate research project involving the histology of South American Notosuchia—specifically, those belonging to the clade Sphagesauria.

 Initially, I intended to enroll in the Master’s program in Zoology at the Institute of Biosciences at the University of São Paulo (USP). However, Professor Pedro L. Godoy, who supervised my work until last year, went on leave and advised me to look into other programs. I also spoke with Professor Juliana M. Sayão from the National Museum (UFRJ); we even held a meeting, but due to other commitments, she was unable to follow up with me. 

 So, I decided to take a chance and email Professor Phil Mannion at UCL in London (UK). He replied promptly, explaining the selection process and the scholarship opportunities at the institution. After reviewing what I had written so far, he noted that the project still required some further development, as the university does not offer a Master’s degree in this field—only a direct-entry PhD program. Professor Phil suggested that the histology work should be part of a broader study on the evolutionary history of Notosuchia; he proposed incorporating endocranial anatomy via CT scanning, combining these elements with histology to create an even more comprehensive study on ecomorphology and paleobiology.  I also considered adding X-ray microfluorescence analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Another point he emphasized was the specific research questions I aim to answer; he noted that a great deal is already known about notosuchian growth—a topic his group is actively researching in collaboration with Pedro. Some of the questions I wanted to address included whether growth patterns could be established as a taxonomic trait acquired by the group—specifically, whether carnivorous forms (such as Baurusuchidae) exhibit rapid growth, while herbivorous and omnivorous forms (like certain Sphagesauria and other taxa) exhibit slow growth. Another interesting question—though one the group is likely already investigating—is whether sphagesaurids exhibit growth patterns similar to those of basal pseudosuchians, or whether the bone anatomy of Mariliasuchus and Notosuchus might reveal insights into their lifestyle, as demonstrated by Sena et al. (2018) with Pepesuchus.

 Below is the link to my project: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GGTpSwy6ho5PK6oWrORKXOFknm4BMvo8d50ba7iMMFs/edit?usp=sharing

I look forward to any help!
Best regards!