Gabriela Sobral

Paleontology has always been a great interest of mine ever since I can recall anything. Inspired throughout he years by books, encyclopaedias and films, in 2006 I received my BSc degree at the Biology Institute at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and then migrated in 2007 to Ribeir ã o Preto for my MSc degree at Universidade de S ã o Paulo (USP).

My Monograph was made at the Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ) under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sérgio Alex K. de Azevedo and MSc. Pedro Seyferth R. Romano (Department of Geology and Palaeontology – MNRJ) and Prof. Dr. Luiz Antônio Pedreira Gonzaga (Laboratory of Ornithology and Bioacoustics - UFRJ). The subject then investigated was the Supertree method Matrix Representation with Parsimony (MRP), where I mostly got to understand and work with the method. My Master Dissertation was focused on tests of Supertree x Supermatrix methods for Theropoda and their subsequent application to the mesozoic archosauromorph group Prolacertiformes. My research was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Max C. Langer.

As a tendency from the second part of my Master's project, I came to Germany to have a bigger, practical knowledge in archosaurian anatomy. I am still very interested in theoretical phylogenetics and its methods, but I believe that being a true researcher implies not only in deep understanding in only one area. And for palaeontology, a good anatomical knowledge is especially required. Therefore will my PhD thesis focus on the origins and patterns of archosaurian otic region regarding the evolution of the impedance-matching hearing. How often did it appear throughout the tree, the intermediate steps, its connection to phylogenetic diversification and the paleo-ecological interpretation of this feature are among the goals of my research. A phylogenetic study for basal archosauromorphs may be included in this project.

For more details, see CV

 

Contact

Museum fuer Naturkunde
Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung
an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Invalidenstr. 43
10115 Berlin
Germany

+49 30 20938765
gabriela.sobral[at]mfn-berlin.de