Ecomorphology - study of relationship between ecological roles and morphological adaptations
Assess morphological disparity and dietry trends using analysis of lower molars
Previous hypothesis - mammalian diversity suppressed in Mesozoic and increased rapidly in K-Pg extinction event
Ecomorphological diversity of therians began 10-20my prior to K-Pg mass extinction
- Same time as radiation of multituberculate mammals and angiosperms
- Mammals benefited from rise of angiosperms
Therian disparity decreased after K-Pg event - selective extinction againsts ecological speialists and metatherians
Taxonomic diversity increases after K-Pg = earliest extinction survivors underwent rapid taxonomic diversification but no morphological diversification
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