Melvin Vankelst

The rise of carnivoran mammals in Europe through the lens of body mass

Carnivoran mammals (cats, dogs, bears, seals, etc.) and their kin radiated during the Palaeogene, among other carnivorous clades (hyaenodonts, mesonychians, and oxyaenodonts). This radiation has often been framed as a competition ultimately won by carnivorans, but the data suppor...

Decoupling geometry and topography reveals contrasting ecomorphological signals in carnivoran carnassial teeth

Abstract The lower carnassial tooth (m1) is a key innovation underlying the ecological diversification of Carnivora. However, their exceptionally diverse phenotypes result from both functional adaptation and phylogenetic inertia which challenges ecomorphological inferences. We in...