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Alex will be speaking about the anatomy and function of highly specialized avian lung and its deep origins amongst non-avian dinosaurs (and how we know dinosaurs had this lung). This specialized lung is one of the essential features that helped lead to the long term success of dinosaurs and can tell us about the metabolism and life histories of these extinct animals. We will learn how this led to the unique modern system of respiration found in birds, including lungs and air sacs and how it differs from mammals. He may also (time permitting) speak to some of his published work on the unexpectedly early origin of important bones of the avian wrist.

Alex is a vertebrate paleontologist. He recently defended his PhD dissertation at Yale University and has master’s and bachelor’s degrees from George Washington University. His current work focuses on the evolution of early crocodilians and bird-like dinosaurs and major anatomical structures of the reptile skull. He has published papers on the construction of the crocodilian skull and the origins of the avian wrist, named new species of meat eating dinosaurs (with more in the works), and carried out field work in the US, South Africa, Lesotho and China.  

Contact info@theparrotclub.org for a Zoom link.