Projets soutenus

Nautilids are pelagic mollusks and the only living representatives of outer shell cephalopods, which most famous examples are ammonites. Nautilids have been popularized as “living fossils”, meaning that their body shape and ecology remained almost unchanged during evolution. However, this widespread view contrasts with the diversity of their feeding apparatus preserved in the fossil record. Despite representing a potential source of critical information for our understanding of the evolution of the feeding habits in nautilids, this fossil material has never been studied using rigorous, quantitative approaches. As such, major aspects of the palaeobiology and evolution of nautilids remain unknown. In this project, we bring together expertise in nautilids palaeontology and biology, statistical shape analysis, and computer-based biomechanical simulations to elucidate the evolution of the feeding function and diet in nautilids over geological times. We expect the results of this project to represent a major step in our understanding of the evolution of this iconic group.