scholarly journals A new species of Myotragus Bate, 1909 (Artiodactyla, Caprinae) from the Early Pliocene of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean)

2010 ◽  
Vol 147 (6) ◽  
pp. 871-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
PERE BOVER ◽  
JOSEP QUINTANA ◽  
JOSEP ANTONI ALCOVER

AbstractMyotragus palomboi n.sp. (Artiodactyla, Caprinae) is described from the Early Pliocene of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean). This species is the earliest representative of the Myotragus lineage known to date in the Balearic Islands. A metatarsal, and several teeth and postcranial remains were found in a karstic deposit located on the east coast of the island, near Caló den Rafelino (Manacor), together with remains of Hypolagus, two rodent species, an insectivore and several reptiles. The metatarsal and phalanges of the new bovid are short and robust and display a combination of characters only observed in Myotragus. The presence of a larger p2, a metatarsal robustness index lower than in M. pepgonellae (the earliest known species to date), together with the morphology of the incisors, all suggest that M. palomboi should be considered as the ancestor of M. pepgonellae. Short metapodials and the reduction of p2 displayed by M. palomboi could be linked to a first stage of evolution in insular conditions. The arrival of this bovid to the island of Mallorca probably took place during the Mediterranean Messinian Salinity Crisis (Late Miocene, 5.6–5.32 Ma ago). Although the relationship of the new taxon to other fossil caprines cannot be definitively established, it could be phylogenetically close to the Late Miocene European species Aragoral mudejar and Norbertia hellenica.

2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (10) ◽  
pp. 1742-1750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enric Torres-Roig ◽  
Pedro Piñero ◽  
Jordi Agustí ◽  
Pere Bover ◽  
Josep Antoni Alcover

AbstractA new insular species of Paraethomys (Muridae, Rodentia) with medium-sized hypsodont teeth is described from the Zanclean of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean). The m1 displays the most distinctive traits: hypsodonty, a high occurrence of an unusual anterior cingulum, a well-developed labial cingulum, high accessory labial cuspids resembling the Apodemus pattern and a funnel between c1 and the hypoconid. Paraethomys balearicus sp. nov. preserves traits close to those present in the earliest populations of Paraethomys meini from the upper Turolian, such as a developed posterior spur on t3 in the M1, a connection between t4 and t8 in the M1, a narrow connection between t6 and t9 in the M1 and the occasional presence of an individualized t9 and a t12 in some M2s. The relationship between the new taxon and its direct mainland ancestor gives additional support to a Messinian origin for the so-called Myotragus fauna, which became isolated after the refilling of the Mediterranean Sea 5.33 Ma ago. The absence of Paraethomys in other known younger Mallorcan sites suggests that its extinction most probably occurred at an indeterminate time during the Pliocene Epoch.


2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 566-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo A. Bonini ◽  
Gabriela I. Schmidt ◽  
Marcelo A. Reguero ◽  
Esperanza Cerdeño ◽  
Adriana M. Candela ◽  
...  

AbstractA new species of toxodontid notoungulate, Xotodon maimarensis n. sp., is described from the Maimará Formation (late Miocene–early Pliocene), Jujuy Province, northwestern Argentina. This is the first record of a toxodontid from the Eastern Cordillera. The specimen is housed at the Museo de Geología, Mineralogía y Paleontología, Instituto de Geología y Minería de la Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. It consists of an incomplete mandible preserving the right mandibular ramus with part of the dental series, partially preserved symphysis with all the incisors, and a small portion of the left ramus without teeth. The following characters distinguish it as a new taxon: symphysis long and narrow with slight divergence of its lateral borders; strong procumbence of lower incisors and deeply implanted i3; chin angle lower than in X. major and X. cristatus and bulging labial keel limiting strong lateral concavities. Comparative analysis in the context of the recently revised Neogene Toxodontidae indicates that the Maimará specimen shares mandibular features and dental characters with Xotodon and Mixotoxodon, differing from the latter by the more upraised symphysis. The phylogenetic position of Xotodon maimarensis n. sp. supports the taxonomic interpretation of the studied specimen as a new species of Xotodon. This new Toxodontidae increases the knowledge of the diversity and radiation of this group of notoungulates in northwest Argentina.


2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere BOVER ◽  
Juan ROFES ◽  
Salvador BAILON ◽  
Jordi AGUSTÍ ◽  
Gloria CUENCA-BESCÓS ◽  
...  

Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 349 (1) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
LUÍS ADRIANO FUNEZ ◽  
EMERSON RICARDO PANSARIN

Cleistes pallida, a new species of Orchidaceae, is described and illustrated. The relationship of this new species to other taxa of the genus are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 1431
Author(s):  
Elizeu B. Castro ◽  
Ronald Ochoa ◽  
Reinaldo J.F. Feres

A new species, Terminalichus simplex sp. nov., is described based on adult females, deutonymphs and protonymphs, collected on Terminalia catappa L. (Combretaceae) from Thailand. The relationship of Terminalichus with other brevipalpine genera is discussed and a key to species of Terminalichus, Tenuilichus, Amblypalpus, Colopalpus and Priscapalpus is provided.  


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4303 (3) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUIS PÉREZ ◽  
MARYZENDER RODRÍGUEZ ◽  
ANGÉLICO ASENJO

A new species of the genus Piestus Gravenhorst is described from Peru, P. chullachaqui sp. nov. (Cuzco). Photographs and drawings of the major diagnostic characters are provided. A key to Piestus species is modified to include the new species. New records are provided for Piestus angularis Fauvel, Piestus bicornis (Olivier), Piestus fronticornis (Dalman), Piestus lacordairei Laporte, Piestus longipennis (Fauvel), Piestus mexicanus Laporte, Piestus minutus Erichson, Piestus pennicornis Fauvel, Piestus spinosus (Fabricius), Piestus sulcatus Gravenhorst, Piestus surrufus Caron et al. and Piestus validus Sharp. Cladistic analysis is made to know the relationship of the P. chullachaqui sp. nov. within Piestus.  


Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 407 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
YI TONG ◽  
DAI-KE TIAN ◽  
JIANG-PING SHU ◽  
YAN XIAO ◽  
BING-MOU WANG ◽  
...  

Begonia yizhouensis, a new species in Begonia sect. Coelocentrum (Begoniaceae) from Guangxi of China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is similar to the adjacently distributed B. luochengensis, but clearly separated by its waxy leaves with glabrous or sometimes sparsely puberulous surfaces, larger variation in leaf color and maculation along the main veins, white to pinkish-white flowers and late flowering. Furthermore, molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated B. yizhouensis was a monophyletic lineage and was sister with B. luochengensis. The relationship of the new species and other similar species is also discussed. This new species is endemic to limestone hills in Guangxi and is assessed as “Endangered” (EN) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Additionally, morphological and molecular evidence for B. yishanensis not being synonymous with B. porteri is presented.


1983 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 743 ◽  
Author(s):  
DW Cooper ◽  
A Woolley

Eight species of dasyurid marsupials have been typed for the electrophoretic mobility of 18 of their enzymes and proteins. The species were the Ningbing antechinus (Pseudantechinus sp.), Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis (formerly Antechinus macdonnellensis), Parantechinus apicalis (formerly Antechinus apicalis), Parantechinus bilarni (formerly Antechinus bilarni), Antechinus stuartii, Dasykaluta rosamondae (formerly Antechinus rosamondae), Dasycercus cristicauda and Planigale maculata. The results show that the Ningbing antechinus is a probable new species. The data suggest that its nearest relative is Dasycercus cristicauda. Analysis of the results by calculation of a modified x2 and an approximation to Nei's genetic distance indicates that all species have been the product of one radiation, possibly in the late Miocene or early Pliocene. Two races of P. macdonnellensis probably exist, separable by their transferrin types.


Author(s):  
Enric Torres-Roig ◽  
Kieren J Mitchell ◽  
Josep Antoni Alcover ◽  
Fernando Martínez-Freiría ◽  
Salvador Bailón ◽  
...  

Abstract Viperinae is a subfamily of viperid snakes whose fossil record in the Mediterranean islands is, until now, restricted to 12 palaeontological deposits on seven islands. Revision of the material excavated 30 years ago from the Middle/Late Pleistocene–Holocene deposit of Es Pouàs [Eivissa (= Ibiza), Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean] revealed about 6000 bones of a small-sized viper across different stratigraphic levels. Its morphological characteristics are different enough to known species of Vipera to warrant the description of a new species, but the nearly complete mitochondrial genome obtained from this snake based on a sample dated to 16 130 ± 45 bp, suggested it belonged to a new insular population of Lataste’s viper (Vipera latastei), Vipera latastei ebusitana subsp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the dispersal of the ancestors of V. l. ebusitana to Eivissa, most probably from a north-east Iberian population, occurred via overwater colonization < 1.5 Mya, well after the Messinian Salinity Crisis (5.97–5.32 Mya) when land bridges allowed terrestrial colonization of the Balearic Islands by mainland faunas. The morphological differences between V. l. ebusitana and the Iberian populations suggest that it is a new dwarf taxon resulting from insular evolutionary processes, becoming extinct shortly after the first human arrival to this island about 4000 years ago.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
pp. 1135-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Bolt ◽  
R. Eric Lombard

A new colosteid, Deltaherpeton hiemstrae gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Mississippian Upper Viséan site at Delta, Iowa. Deltaherpeton is represented by a skull roof and both jaws. The new taxon is unique among colosteids in having an internasal and single midline postparietal. An additional midline pair of cf. ‘interfrontonasals’ may be present. Characters previously used to define the colosteids are reviewed and a refined diagnosis for the family Colosteidae is presented. Synapomorphies which unite Deltaherpeton, Colosteus, Greererpeton, and Pholidogaster as Colosteidae are: premaxilla with fang pair; dentary with notch for receipt of premaxillary fang; mandible with single elongate exomeckelian fenestra; pre-narial infraorbital lateral line terminating at ventral margin of premaxilla just anterior to external naris; and post-narial infraorbital lateral line terminating at the ventral margin of the maxilla just posterior to the external naris. Our review of dermal bones in the colosteid snout concludes that no specimen is sufficiently free of distortions or breakage to indicate clearly whether or not the prefrontal borders the external naris, or that an anterior tectal is present. The morphology of Deltaherpeton and the revised data presented for colosteids do not clarify the relationship of colosteids to other early tetrapods.


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