查看更多>>摘要：Here we describe the first occurrence of the stem turtle Naomichelys from the Late Cretaceous of eastern North America. The specimen (MSC 41038) was collected as float from locality AMg-1 in Montgomery County, Alabama, USA. Although this locality consists of exposures of both the upper Santonian Tombigbee Sand Member of the Eutaw Formation and Mooreville Chalk, it is likely that the specimen was derived from the latter unit, which is known to possess both nearshore and terrestrial components. The specimen consists of a single incomplete peripheral and is referred to Naomichelys based on its Santonian age and the presence of numerous cylindrical tubercles covering the surface of the element that never coalesce and are easily dislodged. The presence of Naomichelys in the Gulf Coastal Plain greatly expands the geographical range of helochelydrids in North America. This occurrence indicates that helochelydrid turtles were likely a well-established component of the Appalachian terrestrial fauna and reinforces the emerging pattern of faunal similarities between Laramidia and Appalachia seen in Late Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs. The recovery of helochelydrid remains from the Santonian of Alabama therefore represents an important contribution to our understanding of the terrestrial palaeoecology of Appalachia.
查看更多>>摘要：The morphology of the neurovascular canal in the jaw has been analysed in several fossil reptiles, including theropod dinosaurs. However, the details of the neurovascular canal in the dentary of theropods have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we described the well-preserved dentary of Tyrannosaurus rex, analysed the morphology of the neurovascular canal in the dentary using computed tomography techniques, and compared its distribution pattern with other dinosaurs and extant crocodiles. The results show that the neurovascular canal in the dentary of Tyrannosaurus exhibits a rather complex branching amongst the sampled dinosaurs, and that the complexity is comparable to that of extant crocodilians. The complexity of the canal branching is likely related to the high tactile sensitivity of the dentary, suggesting that the jaw tip of Tyrannosaurus may have played an essential role as a sensitive tactile sensor.
查看更多>>摘要：The genus Hippopotamus dispersed from Africa to Europe during the Pleistocene and the taxon is testified from different Italian localities. Despite the large number of available specimens, Hippopotamus is mainly documented by fragmentary remains and detailed stratigraphic and/or geographic data are often absent or uncertain. In Italy, hippopotamuses are recorded in at least 100 fossiliferous localities spanning from the late Early Pleistocene to the Late Pleistocene. At present, three different Pleistocene species are recognised: H. antiquus from Early to Middle Pleistocene, H. amphibius from Middle to Late Pleistocene and H. pentlandi from late Middle-early Late Pleistocene Sicilian localities. Upper Valdarno basin (Tuscany), Chiusi basin (Tuscany), Colfiorito basin (Umbria), Sant'Oreste (Latium), Puntali Cave (Sicily) and Acquedolci (Sicily) are just a few fossiliferous Italian sites where significative findings of Hippopotamus were collected during the 19th and 20th centuries.
查看更多>>摘要：A new nyctitheriid (Indonyctia cambayensis gen. et sp. nov.) is described from an early Eocene (similar to 55 Ma) marginal marine sequence (Cambay Shale) at Vastan Lignite Mine, Gujarat, western India. The new taxon is diagnosed by a unique combination of several characters including a single-rooted p2; a p4 with a tiny paraconid at the base but without a metaconid; weakly developed talonid basin; reduced p3 relative to p2 and p4; molar trigonid wider and much higher than talonid; hypoconulid nearly on midline; entoconid positioned anterolingual to hypoconulid; presence of precingulid and a larger and taller protoconid than metaconid. The Asian affinities of the Indian nyctitheriid are indicated by its structurally reduced, premolariform p4 with a weakly developed unicuspid talonid. In several respects, the Indian nyctitheriid is similar to Voltaia, a late Palaeocene taxon from Kazakhstan originally assigned to the Palaeoryctidae but later classified as a nyctitheriid. The presence of a nyctitheriid in the basal Eocene of India suggests a wider palaeogeographic distribution and complex dispersal of this Holarctic family. The Asian affinities of the Indian nyctitheriid suggest faunal exchanges between India and the Mainland Asia possibly via the Dras-Kohistan island arc around the Palaeocene-Eocene boundary (similar to 56 Ma).
Monferran, Mateo Danielde Lima, Flaviana JorgeKellner, Alexander Wilhelm ArminSayao, Juliana Manso...
9页
查看更多>>摘要：The Crato Formation boasts an extremely high diversity and abundance of fossil insects with many families preserved in the limestone beds, and several yet unnamed taxa. Here, we present a new insect species found in the Crato Formation limestone associated with branches and leaves of Ruffordia goeppertii, a small creeping plant of Leptosporangiate ferns. The insect is assigned as a member of the Cicadellidae family and is named Hallex martinsnetoi sp. nov. based on morphological description based also on SEM images. The new specimen is articulated and preserved in three-dimensionality, suggesting a relatively fast burial preventing the contact with decomposers or preservation in local anoxic conditions. This fossil shows a rare example of preservation involving Ruffordia goepertii leaves and the Cicadellidae (leafhopper) specimen. The fact that Hallex martinsnetoi sp. nov. was preserved in one leaf, and could be interpreted as some type of insect-plant interaction, but it could also be a taphonomic artefact. The occurrence of Cicadomorpha is consistent with the present interpretation that the limestone of the Crato Formation was formed in lacustrine conditions, and ideal habitat for this group of insects that might be more diverse in this deposit than previously thought.
Mather, Ellen K.Camens, Aaron B.Worthy, Trevor H.Lee, Michael S. Y....
33页
查看更多>>摘要：The Australian pre-Pleistocene fossil record of Accipitridae (eagles, hawks, old-world vultures) comprises one latest Oligocene or early Miocene and one middle Miocene species, each represented by partial bones. Globally, most fossil accipitrids are based on single bones. The recent discovery of an older and considerably more complete accipitrid from late Oligocene sediments in Australia is therefore significant. It is derived from the Pinpa Local Fauna from the Namba Formation at Lake Pinpa, South Australia (similar to 26-24 Ma). The fossil, described as Archaehierax sylvestris gen. et sp. nov., represents a raptor that was larger than the black-breasted buzzard Hamirostra melanosternon but smaller and more gracile than the wedge-tailed eagle Aquila audax. Comprehensive morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses resolved Archaehierax as a basal accipitrid, not closely related to any living subfamily and perhaps the sister taxon to all other accipitrids exclusive of elanines. Relatively short wings similar to species of Spizaetus and Spilornis suggest it was adapted for flight within enclosed forests. Additional accipitrid fossils from the Namba Formation, a distal femur and a distal humerus, are incomparable with the holotype of A. sylvestris; they may represent distinct species or smaller individuals of the new taxon.
查看更多>>摘要：Brachyericinae is a subfamily of Erinaceidae (hedgehogs and moonrats) with a very short history and limited distribution. Fossil records of brachyericines, with rare materials, were confined to the Oligocene and early Miocene in Central Asia and to the Miocene in North America. Here, we report three forms of short-faced hedgehogs: Synexallerix junggarensis, Brachyericinae gen. et sp. indet. 1 and Brachyericinae gen. et sp. indet. 2 from Aoerban and Gashunyin Adege, localities of the early Miocene in Central Nei Mongol. S. junggarensis is the first discovery outside the Suosuoquan Formation in Xinjiang and detailed description of the new materials, including a nearly complete skull, clarifies its taxonomic position within the Brachyericinae. The new Nei Mongol material is important not only because they include a nearly complete skull of S. junggarensis (previously known by a rostral part of the skull) but also because of the presence of three taxa of the brachyericines from the same general area. The similarity of its morphological characteristics with the North American genera also further confirms the close affinities of brachyericines from the two continents during the early Miocene.
Aftab, KiranKhan, Muhammad AkbarBabar, Muhammad AdeebAbbas, Syed Ghyour...
10页
查看更多>>摘要：We visited several late Miocene to early Pliocene localities of the Dhok Pathan and Naragghi villages in the Chakwal district of Punjab, Pakistan and recovered a comprehensive collection of hipparionine fossils. The recently recovered specimens from these localities are compared to the previously collected material of the Middle Siwalik Hipparionini, allowing for the identification of four types of hipparionines: Cormohipparion, Sivalhippus, Hipparion, and Hipparionini indet. The hipparionine horses are common elements of the late Miocene to early Pliocene of the Siwalik Group in Pakistan.
查看更多>>摘要：The coral microbiome comprises skeleton-associated microendoliths (boring algae, bacteria and fungi) which are important for coral health and reef conditions. The analysis of microborings is a key tool in deciphering of the skeletal microbiome of fossil corals. Even micrometre-size traces have a high preservation potential and indicate the trace-maker organisms that inhabited skeletons of live corals. SEM studies of resin replicas and naturally occurring internal moulds of microborings were performed on skeletons of Jurassic, Cretaceous, Palaeogene, and Miocene colonial corals. This study and a literature review show that microborings (mostly 2-10 mu m in diameter) which were formed in coral skeletons during their lifetimes are common in some fossil corals. They are ubiquitous throughout the whole colony, concentrated in the inner part of skeletal elements, and located commonly roughly along their longitudinal axis, in the direction of the coral growth. Post-mortem microborings, occurring at the margin of the skeletal elements, were rare in the examined samples. The coral-associated microendoliths were like in modern reef corals, mainly represented by Ostreobium quekettii or similar green algae, and less commonly by red algae, cyanobacteria, and fungi. Analyses of microborings can be also applied in studies of the skeleton microbiome of modern living corals.
查看更多>>摘要：The fossil Afrillonura namibensis gen. et sp. nov. from the late Middle Miocene (12-13 Ma) site of Berg Aukas I, Namibia was a medium-sized emballonurid with a gracile dentition. It shows a mosaic combination of dental features of extant Emballonurini and distinct plesiomorphies suggesting its basal phylogenetic position close to the root of the extant clades of the tribe. It shares many odontological characteristics with Coleura and Paremballonura but also with some species of Emballonura. Afrillonura namibensis gen. et sp. nov. differs from most members of the tribe Emballonurini particularly in the presence of a vestigial paracrista on M1, resembling the state in the Palaeogene genus Dhofarella. Together with other available fossils, the new material from Namibia supports the hypothesis of the African origin of the family Emballonuridae. Further phylogenetic conclusions and biogeographic scenarios of emballonurid ancestral distribution are discussed.
NSTL
Taylor & Francis