Michael A. Kaminski, Syouma Hikmahtiar, Claudia G. Cetean
The uppermost 2 meters of the Maastrichtian Scaglia Rossa Fm. (Gubbio, Italy) record a notable change in the proportions of morphogroups of deep-water agglutinated foraminifera beginning about 1.4 m below the boundary, where we observe a gradual decrease in the abundance of the morphotype M4 (infauna) and a concurrent increase in the morphotype M1 (suspension feeders). This trend suggests a reduction in the flux of organic matter to the sea floor began approximately 114 k.y. before the boundary event. The abundance of M4 shows an abrupt decline from around 13% below the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary, to a minimum of 7% in the beds directly above the boundary. This trend suggests a modest, but temporary reduction in organic matter flux to the sea floor following the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary event, though not in the category of a “Strangelove Ocean”. Morphotype M1 shows a marked decrease across the boundary, with values decreasing from >70% to around 11%. The lower Paleocene displays strong fluctuations in the M4 morphogroup. In the same interval we observe a rise in Morphotype M2 (epifaunal detritivores) from values below 10% in the Maastrichtian to over 50% in the basal Paleocene, and a short-lived maximum in Morphotype M3, indicating a decline in particulate organic matter input from suspension and a concurrent increase in bacterial-derived organic matter in the early recovery phase of the Paleocene. The deep-marine ecosystem as witnessed by deep-water agglutinated foraminiferal morphogroups shows a prolonged recovery, with M1 abundance returning to Maastrichtian values approximately 2.8 meters above the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary clay, corresponding to an age of 810 k.y. after the event. These findings support previous research from calcareous nannofossil studies, which suggested a prolonged recovery of the marine food web following the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary event.
Bothriolepis yunnanensis Liu, 1962, was first described based on an anterior median dorsal plate (assigned here as the lectotype) and a posterior median dorsal plate (assigned here as the paralectotype) from the Shangshuanghe Formation (Eifelian, Middle Devonian) in Qujing, Yunnan, southwestern China. Since then, no additional material has been assigned to B. yunnanensis, resulting in its morphology and phylogeny being poorly understood. In this study, we provide a comprehensive description of the head shield, trunk armor, and pectoral appendage of B. yunnanensis based on newly collected specimens from the type locality and neighboring sites in the Zhujiangyuan (Pearl River Source) area, Qujing. With the new fossil horizon in the Xichong Formation (Givetian), our latest findings extend the temporal range of B. yunnanensis to the entire Middle Devonian. Phylogenetic analysis shows that B. yunnanensis, B. zhujiangyuanensis, B. sinensis, and B. kwangtungensis from China and some Bothriolepis species from Laurussia and Kazakhstania are united into a clade sharing a slender proximal segment of the pectoral appendage, the absence of the median occipital crista, and a long posterior pit line. This result further corroborates the paleogeographic proximity between the South China and Kazakhstania blocks.
Fossil records of porcupines (Hystrix) from island environments in East Asia have never been reported, leaving their Pleistocene dispersal and biogeographic history poorly understood. This study describes fossil remains of Hystrix subcristata from the Chochen–Tsailiao locality, south-western Taiwan. The locality, part of the Chiting Formation in Tainan, is dated to the Middle Pleistocene. The collection includes a well-preserved upper molar (M1/2), a lower last premolar (p4), a fragmentary lower molar (m1/2) and three fragmentary incisors. Biometric analysis indicates that the Chochen–Tsailiao specimens are smaller than H. refossa, but larger than H. lagrelii and H. vinogradovi and closely comparable in size to H. subcristata. Morphological features further corroborate this identification. This discovery is the first record of H. subcristata from Taiwan, representing both its easternmost known occurrence and the first island evidence for the genus, contrasting with all prior records which consisted only of mainland forms.
JIANGZUO Qi-Gao, LI Hong, YAMAGUCHI Nobuyuki, Joan MADURELL-MALAPEIRA, ZHANG Jian-Sheng, MA Hui-Min, GUO Ding-Ge, LI Shi-Jie, FU Jiao, ZHANG Xiao-Xiao, LI Chun-Xiao, XIE Kun, TONG Hao-Wen, LIU Jin-Yi, WANG Shi-Qi, DENG Tao
Cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains have been described in all the Holarctic domain, however, its records in China are very rare. Here we describe an almost complete cranium from Salawusu, Northern China. Even though the dentition is largely broken or missing, the cranium shows key characters with clear cave lion affinity, particularly from the basicranium region. These features include wide and short nasals, wide rostrum without post-canine constriction, enlarged ectotympanic, flatted entotympanic, separated stylomastoid foramen and hyoid fossa and medially located hypoglossal foramen. The cranium is larger than the known cranial size range of Beringia cave lion P. spelaea vereshchagini, suggesting that the geographical delimitation of cave lion subspecies may be more complex than previously understood. The coexistence of cave lion with Palaeoloxodon in Salawusu indicates a high plasticity in diet and environmental adaptation for this species.
Susana Heredia, Ana Mestre, Mercedes Gallardo
et al.
The La Cantera Formation is a siliciclastic unit with restricted distribution that crops out at the eastern edge of the Villicum range (Eastern Precordillera), province of San Juan, Argentina. Its age has previously been recorded based on index graptolites. Several conglomerate, sandstone, and mudstone samples were collected from the lower and middle members of the La Cantera Formation, which provided conodonts and other microfossils such as ostracoderm plates, gastropods, bryozoans, and fragmented brachiopod shells. The retrieved conodont fauna is poorly diverse and just appears as casts in the mudstone bedding planes. It is composed mostly of elements of the genus Eoplacognathus that were recovered from sandstone units and elements of the genus Pygodus that appear as casts in the mudstone units. In addition, elements of the genera Baltoniodus, Pygodus, Periodon, and Erismodus among others, were retrieved from sandstone units. The conodont associations allow proposing, for the first time, a Middle-Upper Ordovician biostratigraphy for the Eastern Precordillera which includes three conodont zones and subzones, in ascending order: Lenodus suecicus Zone (Pygodus anitae Subzone), Pygodus serra Zone (Eoplacognathus robustus Subzone), and Pygodus anserinus Zone (Upper Subzone). This new biostratigraphic information provides an accurate correlation of this classic unit from the Eastern Precordillera with other units from the Central Precordillera. Also, the recognition of several hiatuses in different time intervals reveals the instability of the basin during the late Darriwilian–early Sandbian.
María Belén Santelli, Claudia J. Del Río, Vladimir De Araújo Távora
et al.
A taxonomic revision of the Tribe Aequipectini from the upper Burdigalian, Lower Miocene Pirabas Formation in Brazil) resulted in an identification of Leptopecten daideleus comb. nov., Perapecten tetristriatus and description of Iemanjavola monlafertei gen. et sp. nov. The genus Perapecten is re-validated, P. tetristriatus being the first fossil representative of the genus, extending it back to the Early Miocene of the western Atlantic Ocean and Middle Miocene–Pliocene Perapecten scabrellus from the Mediterranean Sea/Central Paratethys is included into Perapecten. We also reported the oldest record of Leptopecten, which along with Perapecten, seem to have originated in the Early Miocene tropical region of the western Atlantic Ocean. Leptopecten dispersed during the Middle or Late Miocene to the eastern Pacific through the Central American Seaway, while Perapecten spread across the North Atlantic into Europe via the Circumtropical Current and the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic Drift.
Study of the history of nature in the past are in the main directions of modern world scientific trends. In the sector of paleogeography of the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine traditionally develop fundamental and applied aspects related to the study of late Cenozoic sediments. The subject of the works is related to the research of the history and stages of development of nature and its components on the territory of Ukraine in the Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene, as well as the reproduction of natural living conditions of ancient man. The publication focuses on the main directions and scientific results, achieved by the scientists of the Sector Paleogeography of the Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in recent years. In particular, the issue of the impact of global Pleistocene events on the state and evolution of the main components of nature of the territory of Ukraine has been studied; paleogeographic preconditions that contributed to the formation of certain types of sedimentary Cenozoic minerals in Ukraine are outlined; the main natural factors of the paleogeographic environment that influenced changes in human living conditions in Ukraine in the Pleistocene and Holocene are considered; changes in Pleistocene and Holocene soils in key areas of modern Ukraine have been reconstructed. Promising areas of investigation have been identified and an assessment of the possible applied use of the results of paleogeographic research has been made. Thus, the results of paleogeographic research, as well as professional services of paleogeographers can be used: to assess current climate change based on paleogeographic data; for geological additional research and rational use of the subsoil of Ukraine; to develop popular scientific and educational information on the paleogeographical features of the development of nature reserves and geological sites with tourist and recreational potential; to assess the current state and dynamics of spatio-temporal changes in environmental conditions based on paleogeographic analysis of the content of various substances in soils; during geoarchaeological, paleontological, soil research, etc.
NADIA GAALOUL, ALFRED UCHMAN, SYRINE BEN ALI
et al.
The polychaete borings Caulostrepsis taeniola, Caulostrepsis cretacea, Caulostrepsis avipes, Caulostrepsis penicillus
isp. nov., Maeandropolydora elegans, Maeandropolydora sulcans, Sulcichnus sigillum, the bryozoan boring
Pinaceocladichnus onubensis and the phoronid boring Talpina cf. hackberryensis occur in coralla of the solitary scleractinian
coral Ceratotrochus (Edwardsotrochus) duodecimcostatus in the upper Pliocene middle/lower neritic to upper
bathyal fine-grained deposits of NE Tunisia. This very rich assemblage of borings is produced in vivo as suggested by
(i) their occurrence close to the surface and mostly in the upper part of coralla (Caulostrepsis ispp., M. elegans), even if
they are known to penetrate deeply in the substrate, or (ii) evidence of corallum deformation in response to the boring
action (Sulcichnus sulcans). The remaining borings were probably produced post mortem; they penetrate deeply into
the corallum (M. sulcans) or always occur shallowly in the substrate (Talpina) and, in addition, cross cut other borings
(Pinaceocladichnus). The polychaete borings are dominant. The abundance of the borings is probably caused by ecological
pressure from shallower zones in subtropical waters. This resulted in the colonization of hard, small-sized substrates
located in relatively deep (offshore) waters. The interpretation of age and palaeoenvironment was elucidated by the
analysis of benthic and planktonic foraminifers.
JAROSLAV ŠAMÁNEK, LOTHAR H. VALLON, RADEK MIKULÁŠ
et al.
The old brickyard Velká nad Veličkou in the Czech Republic offers a unique insight into an Eocene deep-sea ichnoassemblage
that is dominated by sequestrichnia. Secondary use of such food-stowing was made by the tracemaker
of Chondrites intricatus as evidenced by its frequent penetration of the trace fossil Zoophycos brianteus and its occurrence
preferentially on the surface of Zoophycos spreiten. Here, the Chondrites tracemaker presumably exploited
the nutrient-enriched micro-environment (nucleocave). This close interrelations between Chondrites and Zoophycos
support the hypothesis of a sequestrichnial behaviour of the Zoophycos producer. The studied locality also yields
Helminthopsis tenuis, Tubulichnium mediterranensis, Scolicia strozzii, ?Dactyloidites isp., Megagrapton irregulare,
and Planolites isp.
The Kuanchuanpu biota (ca. 535 Ma) from the basal Cambrian in South China yields various phosphatized, three-dimensionally
preserved microscopic fossils, such as animal embryos, cyanobacteria, and algae. This provides an exceptional
window for investigating the rapid divergent evolution of animal phyla in the early Cambrian ocean. However,
the fossil eukaryotic algae are poorly documented and are not properly incorporated into the conceptual food web of
the Cambrian ocean ecosystem. In this study, we report a new taxon of calathiform alga, Calathophycus irregulatus
Tang gen. et sp. nov., and an indeterminate alga, from the Kuanchuanpu biota. Calathophycus irregulatus can be distinguished
from other reported phosphatized multicellular algal fossils from the Kuanchuanpu biota and the Ediacaran
Weng’an biota (Guizhou Province, China), based on the external morphology and features of cell clump aggregation.
The observation of C. irregulatus and the indeterminate alga indicates a certain diversity of algae at the beginning of the
Cambrian. Concerning the regularly or irregularly shaped multicellular algal fossils from the Kuanchuanpu Formation,
co-occurring spherical fossils, previously interpreted as “cleavage stage” of animal embryos, should be reconsidered
in affinity.
In the construction and development of human civilization, nature contains a large number of representative paleontological fossils, and these contents are an important basis for current scholars to understand and study biological evolution and earth civilization. According to THE analysis of the Cretaceous fossils collected and found in Laiyang area in recent years, it can be seen that the local area, as an important place to explore the history of human development and biological civilization, is also the focus of attention of historians and biologists from all over the world. Therefore, On The Basis Of Unerstaning The Resent Sityation Of Paleontological Fossil Research In Laiyang Area, An Accoring To The New Discoveries Of Cretaceous Paleontological Fossils In China In Recent Yeas, This Paper Deeply Discusses The Discovery Factors Of Related Fossils, And Makes Clear The Main direction Of The Future Research Of Cretsceous Paleontological Fossils.
Mathew Stewart, Eric Andrieux, Richard Clark-Wilson
et al.
Studies of modern carnivore accumulations of bone (i.e., neo-taphonomy) are crucial for interpreting fossil accumulations in the archaeological and paleontological records. Yet, studies in arid regions have been limited in both number and detailed taphonomic data, prohibiting our understanding of carnivore bone-accumulating and -modifying behavior in dry regions. Here, we present a taphonomic analysis of an impressive carnivore-accumulated bone assemblage from the Umm Jirsan lava tube in the Harrat Khaybar region, Saudi Arabia. The size and composition of the bone accumulation, as well as the presence of hyena skeletal remains and coprolites, suggest that the assemblage was primarily accumulated by striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena). Our findings (1) identify potentially useful criteria for distinguishing between accumulations generated by different species of hyenas; (2) emphasize the need for neo-taphonomic studies for capturing the full variation in carnivore bone-accumulating and modifying behavior; (3) suggest that under the right settings, striped hyena accumulations can serve as good proxies for (paleo)ecology and livestock practices; and (4) highlight the potential for future research at Umm Jirsan, as well as at the numerous nearby lava tube systems. We encourage continued neo-taphonomic efforts in regions important in human prehistory, particularly in arid zones, which have received little research attention.
Abstract Mating was observed and described in captive individuals of Sepiola affinis, Sepiola intermedia and Sepietta obscura (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) collected in the Catalan Sea, western Mediterranean Sea. This is the first report of a mating event in S. intermedia; it is also the first detailed description of the mating behaviour for the other two species. The published literature on mating in Sepiolinae, which includes both cursory reports and in-depth descriptions of mating events, was thoroughly reviewed. In all, copulation has been examined in eight species belonging to four different genera, namely, Eumandya, Euprymna, Sepietta and Sepiola, starting from 1894 to the present. Common traits of the mating behaviour were detected among the studied sepioline species, so that a general five stages succession of actions is established to portray the mating progress in Sepiolinae: (A) female hovers by, male attention (it is discussed whether actual copulation is preceded by any courtship); (B) male approaches female from below; (C) male grasps female at the neck by its third arms, inserts its first arms in the female’s mantle cavity (the hectocotylised left arm is thus aligned with the bursa copulatrix), holds the female’s mantle by its second arms and positions itself and mate in the “parallel position”; (D) copulation and transfer of spermatophores from male to female (this stage may last from 3 min to 3 h); (E) mating dissolution. Mating occurs preferentially during the dark hours; it is described as violent and the female tries to escape the forceful grasp by the male; the male skin coloration turns darker. The similarity of the mating behaviour in all examined sepioline species is an evidence of both its evolution in harmony with their copulatory organs (hectocotylus and bursa copulatrix) and, seemingly, its common derivation to the whole Sepiolinae clade.
Imanol Yáñez, Diego Pol, Juan Martín Leardi
et al.
In this contribution we introduce a new Late Triassic archosaur, Incertovenator longicollum gen. et sp. nov., with an unusual combination of character states that are present in certain early avemetatarsalian and pseudosuchian archosaur clades. The holotype consists of a partial postcranial skeleton, preserving most of the axial skeleton and displaying a marked anteroposterior elongation in the cervical vertebrae. We include I. longicollum gen. et sp. nov. into one of the most comprehensive early archosaur phylogenetic data sets available, and recover it as either an early diverging avemetatarsalian, closely associated with the clade Aphanosauria and Ornithodira, or as an early diverging loricatan closely related to Mandasuchus tanyauchen in the most parsimonious trees. We further evaluate which alternative phylogenetic positions can I. longicollum gen. et sp. nov. take in the suboptimal trees, and determined which character states support those alternative positions in comparison with those of the unconstrained analysis. The analyses recover the new taxon in three main general phylogenetic placements within Archosauria, as well as one position outside this clade, highlighting widespread morphological evolutionary convergence towards neck elongation in several clades of Triassic archosauriforms.
Libro de Resúmenes de las 2das Jornadas de Paleovertebrados de la Cuenca Neuquina, realizadas durante el 31 de octubre y el 2 de noviembre de 2019 en la ciudad de Neuquén.
El Harhoura 2 cave (Temara, Morocco) has yielded Aterian and Iberomaurusian lithic arti-facts associated with faunal remains. Both humans and carnivores occupied this cave and non-human predator modifications occurred mainly at the end of the Late Pleistocene. Diverse faunal taxa have been identified, with a predominance of gazelles and various car-nivores, particularly canids. The location of the cave and of the excavation area, at the bottom of a cliff of low elevation and in the entrance of the cave, does not correspond to a protected area for large raptor nests or a natural trap. Considering the consumed species, the type of carnivore remains, the skeletal representation of prey, taphonomic alterations such as tooth marks, semi-digested bones and destruction sequences, large canids would be the main cause for faunal modifications. However, North African fossil data attributed to hyena activities present similar results. This paper highlights the difficulty of discriminating between potential accumulators/consumers due to a lack of taphonomic reference data. This study thus demonstrates the necessity of compiling fossil records and neotaphonomic reference data for North African medium-large predators in order to better understand the taphonomic history of North African archaeological and paleontological sites.