Lívia Roese-Miron, a graduate of the Animal Biodiversity Graduate Program at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), was awarded the John C. Marsden Medal in 2026 by the Linnean Society for the best doctoral thesis in biology outside the field of botany.

The award recognizes a 2025 study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, which presented key findings from her doctoral research. Roese-Miron investigated the cynodont Siriusgnathus niemeyerorum, a prehistoric vertebrate belonging to the ancestral lineage of mammals that lived more than 200 million years ago during the Triassic Period in southern Brazil.

By utilizing high-resolution computed tomography (CT scanning), the research team conducted a detailed analysis of a complete skull specimen. This advanced digital approach enabled the reconstruction of internal anatomical structures, including the inner ear and the pathways previously occupied by cranial nerves. The findings also revealed new insights into the animal’s facial mobility, offering a clearer understanding of behaviors such as feeding, defense, and social interaction in these extinct mammal ancestors.     

“I am deeply honored to receive this award. It reflects the effort invested in the research and highlights the importance of studying synapsid evolution. I am especially grateful to my co-authors and to my supervisor, Professor Leonardo Kerber, whose contributions were essential,” the researcher stated.

According to the journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Streicher, who selected the award-winning paper, the study stands out for its analytical rigor and the quality of its illustrations. He also emphasized the potential of current technologies to investigate nervous system structures in species that became extinct millions of years ago. The official announcement of the award is available on the Linnean Society website, and the article can be accessed online.  

Text: CAPPA/UFSM
Translation: Amy Graham Lee, International Affairs Office