Thalattosuchian Crocodylomorph Sensory Anatomy from CT Scans

22 skulls of crocodylomorph species, including thalattosuchians and extant relatives, were analyzed using CT scans. The dataset contains comparative measurements of trigeminal ganglia and visual structures like orbit and optic nerve canal dimensions. Ashish Soni published this analysis on figshare in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze scaling relationships between skull size and trigeminal ganglia volume across species.
• Compare orbit dimensions and optic nerve canal size to infer visual reliance in different ecological groups.
• Model evolutionary transitions in somatosensory investment from semi-aquatic to pelagic crocodylomorphs.
• Perform phylogenetic comparative analyses using sensory structure measurements as traits.

Strengths

• Data derived from computed tomography scans of 22 skull specimens.
• Explicit focus on two sensory systems (somatosensation and vision) for comparative analysis.
• Published under a permissive CC-BY-4.0 license.

Limitations

• The dataset is very small at 21.3 KB, indicating limited raw data or summary statistics.
• Sample size is restricted to 22 skulls, which may limit statistical power for some analyses.
• Contains only crocodylomorph species, limiting broader vertebrate comparisons.

Provenance

Source

figshare, authored by Ashish Soni.

Collection Method

Digital endocranial reconstructions from CT scans of fossil and extant skulls.

Time Range

Mesozoic era (fossil specimens).

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Global (specimens from various fossil localities).