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Halaçlar K, Erol AS, Köroğlu T, Rummy P, Deng T, Mayda S. A new Late Miocene Hystrix (Hystricidae, Rodentia) from Turkey. Integr Zool 2024; 19:548-563. [PMID: 37532680 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The Çorakyerler fossil locality in Anatolia reveals unique faunal elements. This study introduces Hystrix kayae sp. nov., a new Late Miocene porcupine initially classified as Hystrix sp. Yavuz et al., 2018. This finding expands our knowledge of Late Miocene Anatolian porcupines, bringing the total number of known species to three. H. kayae sp. nov. is larger than Hystrix aryanensis and exhibits greater upper cheek tooth crown height. Its cheek tooth morphology differs from Hystrix depereti, and it possesses distinctive U-shaped choanae unlike Hystrix primigenia. The Çorakyerler locality may predate sites with H. aryanensis and H. primigenia but aligns temporally with Hystrix parvae localities. This study enhances our understanding of Late Miocene porcupine diversity in Anatolia, emphasizing the importance of Çorakyerler in unraveling the evolutionary history of these fascinating mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazım Halaçlar
- Natural History Application and Research Centre, Ege University, Turkey
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ayla Sevim Erol
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Languages and History, Geography, Ankara University, Turkey
| | - Tolga Köroğlu
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Languages and History, Geography, Ankara University, Turkey
| | - Paul Rummy
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Serdar Mayda
- Natural History Application and Research Centre, Ege University, Turkey
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ege University, Turkey
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Zhang L, Du B, Hu R, Zhao L. Three-dimensional molar enamel thickness and distribution patterns in Late Miocene Lufengpithecus lufengensis from Shihuiba, Southwest China. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38500176 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Enamel thickness and distribution provide dietary insights in hominoids. Yet, three-dimensional (3D) enamel analysis of the Late Miocene Lufengpithecus from southwest China is lacking. We digitally reconstructed 68 unworn or lightly worn Lufengpithecus (L.) lufengensis molars using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Comparisons with modern humans, Homo erectus, extant/fossil Pongo, Pan, and Gorilla reveal L. lufengensis has "intermediate/thick" enamel, thicker than Pongo and Gorilla, but thinner than modern humans and H. erectus. In enamel distribution, relatively thicker enamel lies on the lingual cusps of the maxillary molars. The hypoconid, hypoconulid, and entoconid exhibit relatively thicker enamel compared to the metaconid and protoconid of the mandibular molars. L. lufengensis also exhibits an uneven pattern on the lingual and buccal walls. With relatively intermediate/thick enamel and distinctive distribution pattern, L. lufengensis may be able to respond to dietary variation in seasonal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Baopu Du
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Hu
- Institute of Anthropology, Department of Anthropology and Ethnology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingxia Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Kamaruzaman EH, La Croix AD, Kamp PJ. Dataset of 3D computer models of Late Miocene Mount Messenger Formation outcrops in New Zealand, built with UAV drones. Data Brief 2024; 52:110035. [PMID: 38293575 PMCID: PMC10827393 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of constructing 3D computer models of outcrops of the Mount Messenger Formation using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) drone technology was to enable better visualization and potential for analysis of deep-water sedimentary systems in Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. The Late Miocene-aged strata crop out along the north Taranaki coast of western North Island, New Zealand. The Mount Messenger Formation sandstone and siltstone beds are outstanding examples of deep-water sedimentary strata. These strata can be observed in outcrop sections, as well as in offshore drillholes (wireline logs) and in seismic reflection data acquired immediately offshore of the north Taranaki coastal section. In previous research undertaken on the Mount Messenger Formation in North Taranaki Basin, geologists used photographs and coupled these with observations and descriptions of strata in the field. Modern UAV drone technology now enables 3D perspectives to be obtained of outcrop sections, which greatly improves geometrical analysis of the rocks. This type of analysis, coupled with mapping of seismic reflection data in the immediate offshore area has enabled us to better understand the nature of Mount Messenger Formation deep-water sedimentary strata and to interpret the associated paleogeography with implications for energy resource exploration and evaluation. Using UAV drone photogrammetry, we acquired ∼3000 images of the Mount Messenger Formation outcrop at four locations along the north Taranaki coast. Drone surveys were conducted using a real-time kinetic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS) for accurate geolocation. The surveys were conducted on a DJI Phantom 4 drone, with a focal length of 24 mm with a 20-megapixel resolution. Survey images overlapped by 80-90%. The drone work adhered to the rules and regulations of the Aviation Security Service and the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Images were captured using programmed flight paths where the drone faced the outcrops at distances ranging from ∼3-7 m. 3D computer models were constructed using Pix4Dmapper version 4.4.12 to generate dense 3D point clouds, digital surface models (DSMs), triangle meshes, and orthomosaic images of the outcrops (i.e., 3D models). Once the 3D computer models of the outcrops were constructed, they were exported out of Pix4Dmapper as ArcGIS Scene Layer Package format (.slpk) and loaded into ArcGIS Pro version 3.0.3 for further analysis. The 3D computer models comprise a rich and valuable scientific dataset that can enhance geological analysis of sedimentary strata beyond the capabilities of photographs and manual fieldwork. These models allow desktop analysis of the geology and "virtual fieldwork" by imaging areas that are commonly inaccessible on foot due to their high elevation above ground level, location in rugged and steep terrane, as well as periodic intertidal flooding. This electronic geological dataset is stored in commonly used spatial format and plain-text ASCII files, allowing the preservation of geological data in digital records, especially when the outcrops are prone to erosion and cover by vegetation. The drone model dataset can be reused by the scientific community for virtual geological fieldwork, as petroleum and water reservoir analogues, as well as for research on coastal, environmental and geotechnical topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erman H. Kamaruzaman
- Sedimentary Environments and Analogues Research Group, Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Andrew D. La Croix
- Sedimentary Environments and Analogues Research Group, Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Peter J.J. Kamp
- Sedimentary Environments and Analogues Research Group, Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
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Kundu S, Hazra T, Chakraborty T, Bera S, Khan MA. Evidence of the oldest extant vascular plant (horsetails) from the Indian Cenozoic. Plant Divers 2023; 45:569-589. [PMID: 37936814 PMCID: PMC10625922 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Equisetum (Equisetaceae) has long been a focus of attention for botanists and palaeontologists because, given its extensive and well-documented fossil record, it is considered the oldest extant vascular plant and a key element in understanding vascular plant evolution. However, to date, no authentic fossil evidence of Equisetum has been found from the Indian Cenozoic. Here, we describe a new fossil species, namely, E. siwalikum sp. nov., recovered from the middle Siwalik (Late Miocene) sediments of Himachal Pradesh, western Himalaya. We identified fossil specimens based on morphological and epidermal characters. In addition, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to determine the mineral composition of compressed stems of Equisetum. The close affinity of our recovered Siwalik fossils to Equisetum is supported by the presence of both macromorphological and epidermal characters. Because Equisetum generally grows in wet conditions around water reservoirs, our findings indicate that the fossil locality was humid and surrounded by swamp and lowland regions during deposition. Ample fossil evidence indicates that this sphenopsid once existed in the western Himalaya during the Siwalik period. However, at present Equisetum is confined to a particular area of our fossil locality, probably a consequence of severe environmental changes coupled with competition from opportunistic angiosperms. Our discovery of Equisetum fossils in appreciable numbers from the Siwalik sediments of the Himachal Himalayas is unique and constitutes the first reliable recognition of Equisetum from the Indian Cenozoic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sampa Kundu
- Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723104, India
| | - Taposhi Hazra
- Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723104, India
| | - Tapan Chakraborty
- Geological Studies Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, B.T. Road, Kolkata 700108, West Bengal, India
| | - Subir Bera
- Centre of Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, B.C. Road, Kolkata 700019, India
| | - Mahasin Ali Khan
- Palaeobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia 723104, India
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de Bonis L, Chaimanee Y, Grohé C, Chavasseau O, Mazurier A, Suraprasit K, Jaeger JJ. A new large pantherine and a sabre-toothed cat (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) from the late Miocene hominoid-bearing Khorat sand pits, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand. Naturwissenschaften 2023; 110:42. [PMID: 37584870 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-023-01867-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
We describe two large predators from the hominoid-bearing Khorat sand pits, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand: a new genus of pantherine, Pachypanthera n. gen., represented by partial mandible and maxilla and an indeterminate sabre-toothed cat, represented by a fragment of upper canine. The morphological characters of Pachypanthera n. gen., notably the large and powerful canine, the great robustness of the mandibular body, the very deep fossa for the m. masseter, the zigzag HSB enamel pattern, indicate bone-cracking capacities. The genus is unique among Felidae as it has one of the most powerful and robust mandibles ever found. Moreover, it may be the oldest known pantherine, as other Asian pantherines are dated back to the early Pliocene. The taxa we report here are the only carnivorans known from the late Miocene of Thailand. Although the material is rather scarce, it brings new insights to the evolutionary history of Neogene mammals of Southeast Asia, in a geographic place which is partly "terra incognita."
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Affiliation(s)
- L de Bonis
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystemes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR 7262 CNRS INEE), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France.
| | - Y Chaimanee
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystemes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR 7262 CNRS INEE), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France
| | - C Grohé
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystemes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR 7262 CNRS INEE), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France
| | - O Chavasseau
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystemes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR 7262 CNRS INEE), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France
| | - A Mazurier
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP, UMR CNRS 7285), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 4 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France
| | - K Suraprasit
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - J J Jaeger
- Laboratoire Paléontologie Evolution Paléoécosystemes Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM, UMR 7262 CNRS INEE), Faculté Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, 6 rue Michel Brunet, 86073, Poitiers, France
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Tarasenko KK, Sivkova TN. Metacercariae in Coprolites of Seals of the Genus Pachyphoca (Cystophorinae, Phocidae) from the Late Miocene of the North Caucasus. Dokl Biol Sci 2023; 511:277-279. [PMID: 37833587 DOI: 10.1134/s0012496623700552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Coprolites of the seal Pachyphoca volkodavi from the Upper Miocene deposits (Kherson) of the Fortepyanka locality (Republic of Adygea) were studied. Two out of five seal coprolites contained a structure resembling fish muscle tissue and included objects with morphology of trematode metacercariae. Obviously, the larvae of the parasite got into the digestive tract of seals from the fish they ate. Microscopic analysis of the coprolites did not reveal helminth eggs, which indicates possible absence of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- K K Tarasenko
- Borisiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117647, Moscow, Russia.
| | - T N Sivkova
- Pryanishnikov Perm State Agro-Technological University, 614045, Perm, Russia
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Yang LE, Sun L, Peng DL, Chen GJ, Sun H, Nie ZL. The significance of recent diversification in the Northern Hemisphere in shaping the modern global flora revealed from the herbaceous tribe of Rubieae (Rubiaceae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 177:107628. [PMID: 36096462 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The global herbaceous flora is probably shaped by both ancient and/or recent diversification, companied with the impacts from geographic differences between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Therefore, its biogeographic pattern with respect to temporal and spatial divergence is far from full understanding. Tribe Rubieae, the largest herbaceous tribe in the woody-dominant Rubiaceae, provides an excellent opportunity for studying the macroevolution of worldwide colonization. Here, we aim to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Rubieae with regard to climate fluctuation and geological history in the Cenozoic. A total of 204 samples of Rubieae representing all the distribution areas of the tribe were used to infer its phylogenetic and biogeographic histories based on two nrDNA and six cpDNA regions. The ancestral area of Rubieae was reconstructed using a time-calibrated phylogeny in RASP and diversification rates were inferred using Bayesian analysis of macroevolutionary mixtures (BAMM). Our results show Rubieae probably originated in European region during the middle Oligocene, with the two subtribes separating at 26.8 million years ago (Ma). All the genera in Rubieae formed separate clades between 24.79 and 6.23 Ma. The ancestral area of the subtribe Rubiinae was the Madrean-Tethyan plant belt and the North Atlantic land bridge (NALB) provided passage between North America and Europe for Rubiinae. The subtribe Galiinae clade originated in Europe/central Asia during the late Oligocene. Two diversification shifts were detected within Rubieae in the late Neogene. Most extant Rubieae species diverged recently during the Neogene within clades that generally were established during the late Paleogene. The tribe shows complex migration/dispersal patterns within the North Hemisphere combined with multiple recent dispersals into Southern Hemisphere. Our results highlighted the important role of recent biogeographic diversification in the Northern Hemisphere in shaping the modern global herbaceous flora during the latest and rapid worldwide expansion in the Neogene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-E Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of Eastern Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Geographical Processes and Environmental Change, Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Lu Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of Eastern Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - De-Li Peng
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China
| | - Guang-Jie Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Geographical Processes and Environmental Change, Faculty of Geography, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of Eastern Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
| | - Ze-Long Nie
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Utilization, College of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou, China.
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Nel A, Sammut RM, Wei M, Niu G, Jouault C. The First Fossil Representatives of the Sawfly Genera Emphytus and Empria from the upper Miocene of France (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). Insects 2022; 13:218. [PMID: 35206791 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Two sawflies belonging to the tenthredinid genera Emphytus and Empria are described from upper Miocene diatomite paleolakes from Southern France. They are compared with all their extant and fossil relative genera. The previously described fossil representatives of these two genera are discussed. These fossils are of great interest for dating in future phylogenetic analyses of the Tenthredinidae. Abstract Emphytusmiocenicus sp. nov., first fossil representative of this genus, is described from the upper Miocene of the diatom paleolake of Montagne d’Andance (Ardèche, France). Its placement is ensured by an in-depth comparison with all the extant and fossil genera of the subfamily Allantinae. The representatives of Emphytus are distributed in the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Oriental regions. Empria sammuti sp. nov., second representative of the latter genus, is described from the latest Miocene of the diatom paleolake of Sainte-Reine (Cantal, France). The placement of this new species is based on a detailed comparison with the extant genera of the tribe Empriini. The larvae of the extant Emphytus and Empria spp. are known to be phytophagous on angiosperm leaves of several families, all present as fossils in the taphocenoses of la Montagne d’Andance and Sainte-Reine. Emphytus miocenicus sp. nov. represents the oldest record of this genus and of its crown group, corroborating the estimate of a middle Eocene–middle Oligocene age for its stem group. Throughout our study, it appears that the first described fossil of the genus Empria, E. oligocaenica, from the Oligocene of Germany, needs to be revised and redescribed. It should preferably be treated until the revision as incertae sedis in Allantinae sensu lato.
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Nicolas V, Mikula O, Lavrenchenko LA, Šumbera R, Bartáková V, Bryjová A, Meheretu Y, Verheyen E, Missoup AD, Lemmon AR, Moriarty Lemmon E, Bryja J. Phylogenomics of African radiation of Praomyini (Muridae: Murinae) rodents: First fully resolved phylogeny, evolutionary history and delimitation of extant genera. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 163:107263. [PMID: 34273505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The tribe Praomyini is a diversified group including 64 species and eight extant rodent genera. They live in a broad spectrum of habitats across whole sub-Saharan Africa. Members of this tribe are often very abundant, they have a key ecological role in ecosystems, they are hosts of many potentially pathogenic microorganisms and comprise numerous agricultural pests. Although this tribe is well supported by both molecular and morphological data, its intergeneric relationships and the species contents of several genera are not yet fully resolved. Recent molecular data suggest that at least three genera in current sense are paraphyletic. However, in these studies the species sampling was sparse and the resolution of relationships among genera was poor, probably due to a fast radiation of the tribe dated to the Miocene and insufficient amount of genetic data. Here we used genomic scale data (395 nuclear loci = 610,965 bp long alignment and mitogenomes = 14,745 bp) and produced the first fully resolved species tree containing most major lineages of the Praomyini tribe (i.e. all but one currently delimited genera and major intrageneric clades). Results of a fossil-based divergence dating analysis suggest that the radiation started during the Messinian stage (ca. 7 Ma) and was likely linked to a fragmentation of the pan-African Miocene forest. Some lineages remained in the rain forests, while many others adapted to a broad spectrum of new open lowland and montane habitats that appeared at the beginning of Pliocene. Our analyses clearly confirmed the presence of three polyphyletic genera (Praomys, Myomyscus and Mastomys). We review current knowledge of these three genera and suggest corresponding taxonomic changes. To keep genera monophyletic, we propose taxonomic re-arrangements and delimit four new genera. Furthermore, we discovered a new highly divergent genetic lineage of Praomyini in southwestern Ethiopia, which is described as a new species and genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violaine Nicolas
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP51, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ondřej Mikula
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Leonid A Lavrenchenko
- A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 33, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Radim Šumbera
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Bartáková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Bryjová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Yonas Meheretu
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Biology and Institute of Mountain Research and Development, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
| | - Erik Verheyen
- Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Operational Direction Taxonomy and Phylogeny, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; Evolutionary Ecology Group, Biology Department, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alain Didier Missoup
- Zoology Unit, Laboratory of Biology and Physiology of Animal Organisms, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Alan R Lemmon
- Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Dirac Science Library, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, United States
| | - Emily Moriarty Lemmon
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, PO Box 3064295, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, United States
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
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d'Oliveira Coelho J, Anemone RL, Carvalho S. Unsupervised learning of satellite images enhances discovery of late Miocene fossil sites in the Urema Rift, Gorongosa, Mozambique. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11573. [PMID: 34164235 PMCID: PMC8194420 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Paleoanthropological research focus still devotes most resources to areas generally known to be fossil rich instead of a strategy that first maps and identifies possible fossil sites in a given region. This leads to the paradoxical task of planning paleontological campaigns without knowing the true extent and likely potential of each fossil site and, hence, how to optimize the investment of time and resources. Yet to answer key questions in hominin evolution, paleoanthropologists must engage in fieldwork that targets substantial temporal and geographical gaps in the fossil record. How can the risk of potentially unsuccessful surveys be minimized, while maximizing the potential for successful surveys? Methods Here we present a simple and effective solution for finding fossil sites based on clustering by unsupervised learning of satellite images with the k-means algorithm and pioneer its testing in the Urema Rift, the southern termination of the East African Rift System (EARS). We focus on a relatively unknown time period critical for understanding African apes and early hominin evolution, the early part of the late Miocene, in an overlooked area of southeastern Africa, in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. This clustering approach highlighted priority targets for prospecting that represented only 4.49% of the total area analysed. Results Applying this method, four new fossil sites were discovered in the area, and results show an 85% accuracy in a binary classification. This indicates the high potential of a remote sensing tool for exploratory paleontological surveys by enhancing the discovery of productive fossiliferous deposits. The relative importance of spectral bands for clustering was also determined using the random forest algorithm, and near-infrared was the most important variable for fossil site detection, followed by other infrared variables. Bands in the visible spectrum performed the worst and are not likely indicators of fossil sites. Discussion We show that unsupervised learning is a useful tool for locating new fossil sites in relatively unexplored regions. Additionally, it can be used to target specific gaps in the fossil record and to increase the sample of fossil sites. In Gorongosa, the discovery of the first estuarine coastal forests of the EARS fills an important paleobiogeographic gap of Africa. These new sites will be key for testing hypotheses of primate evolution in such environmental settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- João d'Oliveira Coelho
- University of Oxford, Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Universidade de Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Robert L Anemone
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Anthropology, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Susana Carvalho
- University of Oxford, Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Universidade de Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Coimbra, Portugal.,Universidade do Algarve, Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behaviour (ICArEHB), Faro, Portugal.,Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
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11
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Mikula O, Nicolas V, Šumbera R, Konečný A, Denys C, Verheyen E, Bryjová A, Lemmon AR, Moriarty Lemmon E, Bryja J. Nuclear phylogenomics, but not mitogenomics, resolves the most successful Late Miocene radiation of African mammals (Rodentia: Muridae: Arvicanthini). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 157:107069. [PMID: 33421615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The tribe Arvicanthini (Muridae: Murinae) is a highly diversified group of rodents (ca. 100 species) and with 18 African genera (plus one Asiatic) represents probably the most successful adaptive radiation of extant mammals in Africa. They colonized a broad spectrum of habitats (from rainforests to semi-deserts) in whole sub-Saharan Africa and their members often belong to most abundant parts of mammal communities. Despite intensive efforts, the phylogenetic relationships among major lineages (i.e. genera) remained obscured, which was likely caused by the intensive radiation of the group, dated to the Late Miocene. Here we used genomic scale data (377 nuclear loci; 581,030 bp) and produced the first fully resolved species tree containing all currently delimited genera of the tribe. Mitogenomes were also extracted, and while the results were largely congruent, there was less resolution at basal nodes of the mitochondrial phylogeny. Results of a fossil-based divergence dating analysis suggest that the African radiation started early after the colonization of Africa by a single arvicanthine ancestor from Asia during the Messinian stage (ca. 7 Ma), and was likely linked with a fragmentation of the pan-African Miocene forest. Some lineages remained in the rain forest, while many others successfully colonized broad spectrum of new open habitats (e.g. savannas, wetlands or montane moorlands) that appeared at the beginning of Pliocene. One lineage even evolved partially arboricolous life style in savanna woodlands, which allowed them to re-colonize equatorial forests. We also discuss delimitation of genera in Arvicanthini and propose corresponding taxonomic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Mikula
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Violaine Nicolas
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP51, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Radim Šumbera
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Konečný
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Christiane Denys
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, CP51, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Erik Verheyen
- Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Operational Direction Taxonomy and Phylogeny, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; Evolutionary Ecology Group, Biology Department, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Anna Bryjová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alan R Lemmon
- Department of Scientific Computing, Florida State University, Dirac Science Library, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, United States
| | - Emily Moriarty Lemmon
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, 319 Stadium Drive, PO Box 3064295, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, United States
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.
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12
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Ji X, Youlatos D, Jablonski NG, Pan R, Zhang C, Li P, Tang M, Yu T, Li W, Deng C, Li S. Oldest colobine calcaneus from East Asia (Zhaotong, Yunnan, China). J Hum Evol 2020; 147:102866. [PMID: 32862123 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Apart from a juvenile hominoid, the locality of Shuitangba (southwestern China, 6.5-6.0 Ma) has yielded a mandible and proximal femur attributed to the colobine genus Mesopithecus. A complete colobine calcaneus also accompanies this material, but its association with the other Mesopithecus material remains to be confirmed. These fossil elements are very important as they represent the oldest known colobines from East Asia, extend the dispersal of Mesopithecus to southwestern China, and underscore its close affinities and potential ancestry to the odd-nosed colobines. The present article focuses on the functional morphology of this complete calcaneus to reconstruct the positional habits, infer the paleocology, and understand the dispersal patterns of this fossil colobine. The studied characters corroborate the attribution of this element to colobines and support potential affinities with the Mesopithecus remains of the same locality. Functionally, characters such as the long and narrow tuber calcanei, the short proximal calcaneal region, and the relatively extended and long and narrow proximal calcaneoastragalar facet appear to enable habitual pedal flexion with conjunct inversion that accommodate the foot on diversely oriented and differently sized arboreal substrates. On the other hand, the relatively short distal calcaneal region is functionally related to (mainly terrestrial) quadrupedal activities, wherein thrust and rapid flexion are required. This combination of characters suggests that the Shuitangba colobine could move at ease on arboreal substrates and was also able to occasionally use terrestrial substrates. The potential affinities of this calcaneus to Mesopithecus and its positional profile most likely imply an eastward migration via forested corridors. In Shuitangba, this fossil colobine could trophically and positionally exploit a wide range of habitats successfully coexisting with resident hominoids.
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13
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Tarasenko KK, Lopatin AV, Startsev DB. The First Finding of the Late Miocene Baleen Whales of the Genus Zygiocetus (Cetotheriidae, Mysticeti) in Crimea (Melek-Chesme Locality, Kerch Peninsula). Dokl Biol Sci 2020; 491:63-66. [PMID: 32483712 DOI: 10.1134/s0012496620020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2019] [Revised: 12/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Fragments of four Zygiocetus sp. whale skeletons from the Melek-Chesme locality at the Kerch Peninsula are described. This is the first finding of the representatives of this genus in Crimea.
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Affiliation(s)
- K K Tarasenko
- Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russia.
| | - A V Lopatin
- Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997, Moscow, Russia.,Moscow State University, 119992, Moscow, Russia
| | - D B Startsev
- Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, 295007, Simferopol, Russia
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14
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Vasilyan D, Bukhsianidze M. The fossil record of the genus Varanus from the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia). PeerJ 2020; 8:e8322. [PMID: 31915588 PMCID: PMC6942675 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Southern Caucasus, with its special geographic position and complex topography, is a well-known biodiversity hotspot. However, the formation of this hotspot remains largely unstudied. To reveal this, a thorough study of the fossil record of the region is necessary. In the present paper, we describe for the first time fossil monitor lizards (Varanus sp.) from two late Miocene localities from the Southern Caucasus (Jradzor, Armenia and Tetri Udabno, Georgia). We suggest that both fossils belong to a small-sized monitor lizard, comparable to the present-day species found in Iran and the Middle East (e.g., Iraq, Saudi Arabian)-the most western part of the extant monitor lizards' Eurasian distribution range. Our finds show that the genus had a broad distribution in the Eastern Paratethyan region during the late Miocene. In addition, we provide the probable temperature ranges for fossil localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davit Vasilyan
- JURASSICA Museum, Porrentruy, Switzerland
- Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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15
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Agustí J, Oms O, Piñero P, Chochisvili G, Bukhsianidze M, Lordkipanidze D. Late survival of dryopithecine hominoids in Southern Caucasus. J Hum Evol 2019; 138:102690. [PMID: 31759255 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J Agustí
- IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona Educacional 4-Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - O Oms
- Departament de Geologia, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Piñero
- IPHES, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, Zona Educacional 4-Campus Sescelades URV (Edifici W3), 43007 Tarragona, Spain; Àrea de Prehistòria, Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Avinguda de Catalunya 35, 43002 Tarragona, Spain
| | - G Chochisvili
- Georgian National Museum, 3 Putseladze Street, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - M Bukhsianidze
- Georgian National Museum, 3 Putseladze Street, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - D Lordkipanidze
- Georgian National Museum, 3 Putseladze Street, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
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16
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Ioannidou M, Koufos GD, de Bonis L, Harvati K. A new three-dimensional geometric morphometrics analysis of the Ouranopithecus macedoniensis cranium ( Late Miocene, Central Macedonia, Greece). Am J Phys Anthropol 2019; 170:295-307. [PMID: 31339568 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aims to virtually reconstruct the deformed face (XIR-1) and maxilla (RPl-128) of the Late Miocene hominoid Ouranopithecus macedoniensis from Greece, through the application of mirror-imaging and segmentation. Additionally, analysis was conducted through 3D geometric morphometrics, utilizing a comparative sample of fossil hominoids, extant great apes (Gorilla, Pan, and Pongo) and humans, so as to explore shape variation and phenetic similarities between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS High-resolution computed tomography was used to create digital representations of the XIR-1 and RPl-128 specimens. The virtual reconstruction of the XIR-1 cranium was achieved by mirror-imaging, while the RPl-128 maxilla was virtually segmented and reattached in a correct anatomical position. Anatomical landmarks were registered in three dimensions on a comparative sample of adult crania of extant great apes, humans and fossil hominoids. The data were processed with Procrustes superimposition and analyzed using multivariate statistics methods. RESULTS Results show that Ouranopithecus macedoniensis falls within or close to the Gorilla convex hull in the principal component analyses, and it is closer to the mean Procrustes shape distance of primarily Gorilla. Both specimens, XIR-1 and RPl-128, are classified as Gorilla based on discriminant function analyses. DISCUSSION The results of our geometric morphometrics analyses indicate that Ouranopithecus macedoniensis is morphologically more similar to Gorilla than to Homo, Pan, or Pongo, results that can contribute to the evaluation of existing hypotheses about its phylogenetic position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Ioannidou
- Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - George D Koufos
- School of Geology, Laboratory of Geology & Paleontology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Louis de Bonis
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Evolution, Paléoécosystèmes, Paléoprimatologie (PALEVOPRIM) - UMR CNRS 7262, Université des Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Katerina Harvati
- Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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17
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Ferreira GS, Bandyopadhyay S, Joyce WG. A taxonomic reassessment of Piramys auffenbergi, a neglected turtle from the late Miocene of Piram Island, Gujarat, India. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5938. [PMID: 30479901 PMCID: PMC6240434 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Piramys auffenbergi was described as an emydine turtle based on a well-preserved skull retrieved from late Miocene deposits exposed on Piram Island, India. The description and figures provided in the original publication are vague and do not support assignment to Emydinae. This taxon has mostly been ignored by subsequent authors. MATERIAL AND METHODS We reexamine the holotype specimen, provide an extensive description and diagnosis for Piramys auffenbergi, and include this taxon in a global character-taxon matrix for Pleurodira. RESULTS The presence of a processus trochlearis pterygoidei conclusively shows pleurodiran affinities for Piramys auffenbergi. Inclusion of this taxon in a phylogenetic analysis retrieves it within Stereogenyini closely related to the Asian taxa Shweboemys pilgrimi and Brontochelys gaffneyi. DISCUSSION Our reexamination of the holotype of Piramys auffenbergi confidently rejects the original assessment of this taxon as an emydine testudinoid and conclusively shows affinities with the pleurodiran clade Stereogenyini instead. Even though most taxa from this lineage are thought to be coastal turtles, all Asian stereogenyines were collected from continental deposits, suggesting a more diverse paleoecology for the group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel S. Ferreira
- Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Walter G. Joyce
- Departement für Geowissenschaften, University of Fribourg, Freiburg, Switzerland
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18
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Post K, Louwye S, Lambert O. Scaldiporia vandokkumi, a new pontoporiid (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the Late Miocene to earliest Pliocene of the Westerschelde estuary (The Netherlands). PeerJ 2017; 5:e3991. [PMID: 29109917 PMCID: PMC5671118 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The family Pontoporiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Inioidea) is currently represented in our oceans by just one species of diminutive dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei, franciscana). Although P. blainvillei is limited to coastal waters of the South Atlantic along Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, multiple Miocene and Pliocene fossils indicate the past presence of members of the family in the South Atlantic, South Paciifc and North Atlantic oceans. Our comprehension of the origin and diversity of this clade and of the relationships of its members with other inioids is hampered by the fact that part of the described fossil specimens, especially from the North Atlantic realm, are cranial fragments often associated to limited stratigraphic information. Methods Based on an almost complete fossil cranium of pontoporiid from the Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands, whose preservation allows for detailed morphological observations, we describe a new genus and species. The latter is compared to other pontoporiids, as well as a few non-pontoporiid inioids. A phylogenetic analysis is performed to investigate the relationship of S. vandokkumi with the best-known extinct and extant inioids. Palynological analysis of the sediment associated to the holotype is used to assess its geological age. Results and discussion The new genus and species Scaldiporia vandokkumi is characterized among others by greatly thickened premaxillary eminences reaching the level of the antorbital notch. Palynologically dated from the late Tortonian—earliest Zanclean (7.6–5 Ma, Late Miocene—earliest Pliocene), this new pontoporiid confirms the surprising past diversity of marine inioids in the North Atlantic area. Finally the content of the pontoporiid subfamily Brachydelphininae is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaas Post
- Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen Louwye
- Paleontology Research Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Olivier Lambert
- D.O. Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
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19
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Abstract
The chronology of dental development and life history of primitive catarrhines provides a crucial comparative framework for understanding the evolution of hominoids and Old World monkeys. Among the extinct groups of catarrhines are the pliopithecoids, with no known descendants. Anapithecus hernyaki is a medium-size stem catarrhine known from Austria, Hungary and Germany around 10 Ma, and represents a terminal lineage of a clade predating the divergence of hominoids and cercopithecoids, probably more than 30 Ma. In a previous study, Anapithecus was characterized as having fast dental development. Here, we used non-destructive propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-tomography to image several dental microstructural features in the mixed mandibular dentition of RUD 9, the holotype of A. hernyaki. We estimate its age at death to be 1.9 years and describe the pattern, sequence and timing of tooth mineralization. Our results do not support any simplistic correlation between body mass and striae periodicity, since RUD 9 has a 3-day periodicity, which was previously thought unlikely based on body mass estimates in Anapithecus. We demonstrate that the teeth in RUD 9 grew even faster and initiated even earlier in development than suggested previously. Permanent first molars and the canine initiated 49 and 38 days prenatally, respectively. These results contribute to a better understanding of dental development in Anapithecus and may provide a window into the dental development of the last common ancestor of hominoids and cercopithecoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103, Leipzig, Germany; Beamline ID19, Structure of Materials, ESRF - The European Synchrotron, 71, avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, F-38043, Grenoble, Cédex 9, France.
| | - M Christopher Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - David R Begun
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONT M5S 3G3, Canada.
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20
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Marx FG, Bosselaers MEJ, Louwye S. A new species of Metopocetus (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Cetotheriidae) from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1572. [PMID: 26835183 PMCID: PMC4734074 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The family Cetotheriidae has played a major role in recent discussions of baleen whale phylogenetics. Within this group, the enigmatic, monotypic Metopocetus durinasus has been interpreted as transitional between herpetocetines and other members of the family, but so far has been restricted to a single, fragmentary cranium of uncertain provenance and age. Here, we expand the genus and shed new light on its phylogenetic affinities and functional morphology by describing Metopocetus hunteri sp. nov. from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands. Unlike the holotype of M. durinasus, the material described here is confidently dated and preserves both the tympanic bulla and additional details of the basicranium. M. hunteri closely resembles M. durinasus, differing primarily in its somewhat less distally expanded compound posterior process of the tympanoperiotic. Both species are characterised by the development of an unusually large fossa on the ventral surface of the paroccipital process, which extends anteriorly on to the compound posterior process and completely floors the facial sulcus. In life, this enlarged fossa may have housed the posterior sinus and/or the articulation of the stylohyal. Like other cetotheriids, Metopocetus also bears a well-developed, posteriorly-pointing dorsal infraorbital foramen near the base of the ascending process of the maxilla, the precise function of which remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Georg Marx
- Department of Geology and Palaeontology, National Museum of Nature and Science , Tsukuba , Japan
| | - Mark E J Bosselaers
- Directorate of Earth and History of Life, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium; Marine Vertebrates, Koninklijk Zeeuwsch Genootschap der Wetenschappen, Middelburg, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen Louwye
- Department Geology/Research Unit Palaeontology, Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium
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21
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Liu W, Liu Z, An Z, Sun J, Chang H, Wang N, Dong J, Wang H. Late Miocene episodic lakes in the arid Tarim Basin, western China. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:16292-6. [PMID: 25368156 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1410890111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Tibetan Plateau uplift and Cenozoic global cooling are thought to induce enhanced aridification in the Asian interior. Although the onset of Asian desertification is proposed to have started in the earliest Miocene, prevailing desert environment in the Tarim Basin, currently providing much of the Asian eolian dust sources, is only a geologically recent phenomenon. Here we report episodic occurrences of lacustrine environments during the Late Miocene and investigate how the episodic lakes vanished in the basin. Our oxygen isotopic (δ(18)O) record demonstrates that before the prevailing desert environment, episodic changes frequently alternating between lacustrine and fluvial-eolian environments can be linked to orbital variations. Wetter lacustrine phases generally corresponded to periods of high eccentricity and possibly high obliquity, and vice versa, suggesting a temperature control on the regional moisture level on orbital timescales. Boron isotopic (δ(11)B) and δ(18)O records, together with other geochemical indicators, consistently show that the episodic lakes finally dried up at ∼4.9 million years ago (Ma), permanently and irreversibly. Although the episodic occurrences of lakes appear to be linked to orbitally induced global climatic changes, the plateau (Tibetan, Pamir, and Tianshan) uplift was primarily responsible for the final vanishing of the episodic lakes in the Tarim Basin, occurring at a relatively warm, stable climate period.
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22
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Bover P, Rofes J, Bailon S, Agustí J, Cuenca-Bescós G, Torres E, Alcover JA. Late Miocene/Early Pliocene vertebrate fauna from Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean): an update. Integr Zool 2014; 9:183-196. [PMID: 24673762 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate fossil record from the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean) has improved considerably over the past decade, especially in Mallorca and Menorca. In Menorca, the Pliocene terrestrial fauna was updated by the discovery and description of the large-sized leporid Nuralagus, several reptiles and an amphibian. In Mallorca, paleontological exploration yielded 2 deposits with a Late Miocene/Early Pliocene chronology, Caló den Rafelino (CdR) and Na Burguesa-1 (NB-1). So far, 4 new mammalian taxa and 2 new reptiles have been identified for the CdR deposit, whereas the faunal assemblage from the recently discovered deposit (Apr 2012) of NB-1 is currently composed of, at least, 6 terrestrial mammals, 8 reptiles and an amphibian. Its faunal composition and some primitive characteristics of the obtained taxa suggest that the chronology of this deposit is slightly earlier than the CdR. The terrestrial vertebrates recorded in these 2 Mallorcan deposits are changing the view of the paleofaunal assemblage previously known for the Plio-Pleistocene of the island. Morphological characteristics displayed by some of the taxa suggest that these faunas would be at the beginning of an isolated evolution. In this paper we present a preliminary report on the fossils recovered from the NB-1 deposit, as well as some unpublished data from CdR, and we analyze the whole fauna from both Mallorcan deposits, focusing on taxonomical and paleobiogeographical aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pere Bover
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Balearic Islands, Spain.,Research Associate Division of Vertebrate Zoology/Mammalogy Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Juan Rofes
- Department of Stratigraphy and Paleontology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.,Grupo Aragosaurus-IUCA, Area of Paleontología, Earth Sciences Department, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Salvador Bailon
- UMR 7209-7194 of CNRS, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France
| | - Jordi Agustí
- ICREA, Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Gloria Cuenca-Bescós
- Grupo Aragosaurus-IUCA, Area of Paleontología, Earth Sciences Department, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Enric Torres
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Josep Antoni Alcover
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Balearic Islands, Spain.,Research Associate Division of Vertebrate Zoology/Mammalogy Department, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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Gross M, Ramos MI, Caporaletti M, Piller WE. Ostracods (Crustacea) and their palaeoenvironmental implication for the Solimões Formation ( Late Miocene; Western Amazonia/Brazil). J South Am Earth Sci 2013; 42:216-241. [PMID: 26523090 PMCID: PMC4599595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsames.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Western Amazonia's landscape and biota were shaped by an enormous wetland during the Miocene epoch. Among the most discussed topics of this ecosystem range the question on the transitory influx of marine waters. Inter alia the occurrence of typically brackish water associated ostracods is repeatedly consulted to infer elevated salinities or even marine ingressions. The taxonomical investigation of ostracod faunas derived from the upper part of the Solimões Formation (Eirunepé; W-Brazil) documents a moderately diverse assemblage (19 species). A wealth of freshwater ostracods (mainly Cytheridella, Penthesilenula) was found co-occurring with taxa (chiefly Cyprideis) usually related to marginal marine settings today. The observed faunal compositions as well as constantly very light δ18O- and δ13C-values obtained by measuring both, the freshwater and brackish water ostracod group, refer to entirely freshwater conditions. These results corroborate with previous sedimentological and palaeontological observations, which proposed a fluvial depositional system for this part of western Amazonia during the Late Miocene. We demonstrate that some endemic, "brackish" water ostracods (i.e., Cyprideis) have been effectively adapted to freshwater conditions. Thus, their occurrence is no univocal evidence for the influence of brackish or marine waters in western Amazonia during the Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Gross
- Department for Geology and Palaeontology, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Weinzöttlstrasse 16, 8045 Graz, Austria
| | - Maria Ines Ramos
- Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Avenida Perimetral, s/n Terra Firme, Belém-PA 66077-830, Brazil
| | - Marco Caporaletti
- Institute for Earth Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University, Heinrichstrasse 26, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Werner E. Piller
- Institute for Earth Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University, Heinrichstrasse 26, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Gross M, Piller WE, Ramos MI, Douglas da Silva Paz J. Late Miocene sedimentary environments in south-western Amazonia (Solimões Formation; Brazil). J South Am Earth Sci 2011; 32:169-181. [PMID: 26523089 PMCID: PMC4599590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsames.2011.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2011] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In Miocene times a vast wetland existed in Western Amazonia. Whereas the general development of this amazing ecosystem is well established, many questions remain open on sedimentary environments, stratigraphical correlations as well as its palaeogeographical configuration. Several outcrops located in a barely studied region around Eirunepé (SW Amazonas state, Brazil) were investigated to obtain basic sedimentological data. The observed deposits belong to the upper part of the Solimões Formation and are biostratigraphically dated to the Late Miocene. Vertically as well as laterally highly variable fine-grained clastic successions were recorded. Based on the lithofacies assemblages, these sediments represent fluvial deposits, possibly of an anastomosing river system. Sand bodies formed within active channels and dominant overbank fines are described (levees, crevasse splays/channels/deltas, abandoned channels, backswamps, floodplain paleosols). Lacustrine environments are restricted to local floodplain ponds/lakes. The mollusc and ostracod content as well as very light δ18O and δ13C values, measured on ostracod valves, refer to exclusively freshwater conditions. Based on palaeontological and geological results the existence of a long-lived lake ("Lake Pebas") or any influx of marine waters can be excluded for that region during the Late Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Gross
- Department for Geology and Palaeontology, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Weinzöttlstrasse 16, 8045 Graz, Austria
| | - Werner E. Piller
- Institute for Earth Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University, Heinrichstrasse 26, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Maria Ines Ramos
- Coordenação de Ciências da Terra e Ecologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Avenida Perimetral, s/n Terra Firme, Belém-PA 66077-530, Brazil
| | - Jackson Douglas da Silva Paz
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, Departamento de Recursos Minerais, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa, s/n Coxipó, Cuiabá-MT 78060-900, Brazil
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Danielopol DL, Gross M, Harzhauser M, Minati K, Piller WE. How and why to achieve greater objectivity in taxonomy, exemplified by a fossil ostracod ( Amplocypris abscissa) from the Miocene Lake Pannon. Joannea Geol Palaontol 2011; 11:273-326. [PMID: 28090196 PMCID: PMC5229259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A project on fossil ostracods from Hennersdorf (Vienna Basin, Middle Pannonian "E" stage) documents the non-marine ostracod Amplocypris abscissa (Reuss 1850) as a polymorphic taxon. The high morphological variability of the valves belonging to this species and its geographic distribution in the Lake Pannon point to a widely spread fossil taxon. This traditional view emerges from the fact that A. abscissa displays few homologous "landmarks" (morphological reference points) which makes it difficult to compare morphotypes within and among populations. The present contribution offers arguments for the need of objective criteria when describing ostracods with few visible morphological traits. It is demonstrated that using a composite algorithmic approach which combines information implemented in the computer programme MORPHOMATICA for different variables, measured on interval and ratio scales, is able to define morphological traits objectively. The data analysed with multivariate statistics are further used for diagnostic profiles of clearly delineated morphotypes. The potential taxonomic value of three morphotypes here identified for Amplocypris abscissa is discussed. It is argued that this taxon represents a phylogenetic lineage within which a cluster of species with discrete morphological traits exists. Finally, it is proposed to apply similar algorithms for the necessary revision of the whole group of Amplocypris species from Lake Pannon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan L Danielopol
- Commission for the Stratigraphical and Palaeontological Research of Austria, Austrian Academy of Sciences, c/o Institute of Earth Sciences (Department of Geology & Palaeontology), Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Gross
- Universalmuseum Joanneum, Department for Geology & Palaeontology, Weinzöttlstrasse 16, A-8045 Graz, Austria
| | - Mathias Harzhauser
- Natural History Museum Vienna, Geological-Palaeontological Department, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus Minati
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Department of Geology & Palaeontology, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Werner E Piller
- Institute of Earth Sciences, Department of Geology & Palaeontology, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, Austria
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