Developmental constraints and functional innovations during the evolution of the tetrapod head

The emergence of tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, and mammals) from fish-like ancestors and their subsequent diversification on land entailed dramatic changes in the vertebrate body plan, and especially in their head anatomy. These phenotypic transformations are now well-documented in the fossil record, but the mechanisms that drive these changes remain poorly understood. The phenotypic variation of complex biological systems such as the head are influenced by different demands and constraints, which include development, evolutionary history, and essential functions such as feeding. In this presentation, I will discuss how data derived from comparative anatomy, development, physiology, and biomechanics can be collected and integrated to decipher the influence of the balancing factors underpinning the phenotypic evolution of the tetrapod head.