Fossil Carnivore Specialist Group Meeting
In March 2026, members of SCAR took part in the Fossil Carnivore Specialist Group (FCSG) Meeting held in Florence, Italy, from 4–6 March. The meeting brought together researchers working on fossil carnivorans and showcased a wide range of approaches, including virtual palaeontology, neuroanatomy, functional morphology and ecomorphology.
Narimane Chatar presented a study investigating how carnassial tooth shape constrains the balance between slicing and crushing performance across carnivorous mammals.
Davide Tamagnini presented an eco-evolutionary analysis of living and extinct canids, combining cranial morphology, ecological data and evolutionary landscapes to investigate how ecological and morphological specialisation shaped their diversification.
Margot Michaud explored how ecology and evolutionary history have shaped musteloid brain architecture, using virtual endocasts to investigate variation associated with lineage, diet and ecological specialisation
Finally, Melvin Vankelst investigated the relationship between carnassial tooth morphology and diet, comparing dental topography with high-density 3D geometric morphometrics to identify patterns of functional convergence across Carnivora
It was an amazing opportunity to share ongoing research, discover new approaches and discuss carnivoran evolution with colleagues from across the field.
The full meeting programme and all abstracts are available in the FCSG 2026 Abstract Booklet.
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We warmly thank the organizers for putting together such a stimulating meeting and for creating such a welcoming environment for scientific exchange and new collaborations
