scholarly journals The oldest fossil record of the extant genus Berardius (Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) from the Middle to Late Miocene boundary of the western North Pacific

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayako Kawatani ◽  
Naoki Kohno
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Late Miocene ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Posterior Part ◽  
The Sea Of Japan ◽  
Maximum Width ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Extant Genus ◽  
Extant Species

A new species of a beaked whale that belongs to the extant genus Berardius is described from the Middle to Late Miocene boundary age Tsurushi Formation ( ca 12.3–11.5 Ma) on the Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The new species, Berardius kobayashii sp. nov. represents the oldest record of this genus and provides a minimum age for the emergence of this extant genus. Berardius kobayashii sp. nov. has the following generic characters: the ratio between the width of the premaxillary crests and the width of the premaxillary sac fossae is 1.0–1.25, nodular frontals make isolated protuberance on the posterior part of the vertex. Among the species within the genus, B. kobayashii sp. nov. shares a unique character with B. minimus : the apices of the left and right hamular processes of the pterygoids contact medially, forming together a posteriorly directed medial point. In addition, B. kobayashii sp. nov. displays a unique combination of the following characters: it is extremely small in size, and the nasals are short, the ratio between the length of the medial suture of nasals on the vertex and the maximum width of nasals is less than 0.4. Berardius kobayashii sp. nov. fills the gap between the origin of the genus and later diversifications of the extant species. This discovery is also key to elucidate the process of the emergence and dispersal of the genus during the Middle to Late Miocene. Based on the distributional patterns of the fossil and extant species of the genus, the western North Pacific including the Sea of Japan may have been one of the areas for the evolution and radiation of this genus at the time before 11 Ma.

A revision of the western North Pacific swellsharks, genus Cephaloscyllium Gill 1862 (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae), including descriptions of two new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1872 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAYNA A. SCHAAF-DA SILVA ◽  
DAVID A. EBERT
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Maximum Size ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Dichotomous Key ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Mouth Size

The genus Cephaloscyllium Gill 1862 (Chondrichthyes, Carcharhiniformes, Scyliorhinidae) until recently had only two species recognized, C. isabellum [= C. umbratile (Jordan & Fowler 1903)] and C. fasciatum Chan 1966, from the western North Pacific (WNP), with one dubious species, C. formosanum, having been described by Teng in 1962. Recently, three additional species were described, C. circulopullum Yano et al. 2005, C. sarawakensis Yano et al. 2005, and C. parvum Inoue & Nakaya 2006 from this region. Here we present a revision of this genus for the WNP, including redescriptions of C. fasciatum and C. umbratile based on the holotypes, a re-examination of the recently described species, and descriptions of two new species from Taiwan. Cephaloscyllium umbratile can be distinguished from its congeners based on maximum size, length of first dorsal-fin base, anal–caudal space, and dorsal–caudal space. We conclude, based on a comparison of C. parvum and C. sarawakensis, that the former is a junior synonym of the latter species. The two new Taiwanese species can be separated from other WNP species by color pattern, shape of the anterior nasal flap, anal and dorsal-fin size, internarial width, and mouth size. Finally, we present a revised dichotomous key to the WNP Cephaloscyllium recognizing six contemporary taxa: C. circulopullum, C. fasciatum, C. sarawakensis, C. umbratile, C. pardelotum sp. nov. and C. maculatum sp. nov.

Speocarcinus berglundi n. sp. (Decapoda: Brachyura), a new crab from the Imperial Formation (late Miocene-late Pliocene) of southern California

1994 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 800-807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette B. Tucker ◽  
Rodney M. Feldmann ◽  
Charles L. Powell
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Late Miocene ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Late Pliocene ◽  
Riverside County ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
A New Species

Speocarcinus berglundi n. sp. is described from the Imperial Formation in Riverside County, California. Although the Imperial Formation spans late Miocene through late Pliocene time, the part of the unit that bears crabs has been radiometrically dated as late Miocene. The identification of a new species was based upon comparison with four extant species and represents the first documented fossil occurrence for the genus. The occurrence of this new species suggests that the genus may have originated in the Pacific and, during the Miocene, dispersed through the Isthmus of Panama to the Caribbean. Two of the specimens exhibit parasitism by Bopyridae (Isopoda).

scholarly journals A new species of <i>Lacinius</i> in amber (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Fossil Record ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Mitov ◽  
J. A. Dunlop ◽  
D. Penney
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Extinct Species ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
A New Species

Abstract. A new specimen of Lacinius Thorell, 1876; (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) from Eocene Baltic amber is described. We interpret it as conspecific with a slightly younger record from the German Bitterfeld amber, originally referred to as the extant species L. erinaceus Staręga, 1966. Our new specimen reveals pedipalpal apophyses on both the patella and the tibia, features which we can now confirm in the Bitterfeld fossil too. This unique character combination for the genus justifies a new, extinct species: Lacinius bizleyi sp. nov. The Baltic amber inclusion dates to ca. 44–49 Ma, and is thus the oldest putative example of Lacinius in the fossil record. It is a further example of an arachnid species shared between Baltic and Bitterfeld amber.

scholarly journals Turtles of the genus Sakya (Geoemydidae): new material from the late Miocene of Russia and Ukraine, new taxonomic diversity and expansion of the stratigraphic range

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Syromyatnikova ◽  
Igor Danilov
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Late Miocene ◽  
Posterior Part ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
New Material

Background. Sakya Bogachev, 1960 is a genus of geoemydid turtles with unusual scalation of the carapace consisting of 9–10 vertebrals and 8–10 pairs of pleurals. It is known from Neogene localities of Eastern Europe and includes two species: Sakya riabinini (Khosatzky, 1946) (= S. pontica Bogachev, 1960), from the late Miocene (MN13) to early Pleistocene of Eastern Europe (Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine) and Sakya kolakovskii Chkhikvadze, 1968 from the Pliocene of Abkhazia. Attribution of Melanochelys etuliensis Khosatzky and Redkozubov, 1986 from the early Pliocene of Moldova to Sakya is poorly corroborated. Here we report new material of Sakya from the late Miocene of Russia and Ukraine, which, probably, belongs to one or two new species of this genus and expands its stratigraphic distribution. Methods. We examined new material of Sakya, that includes posterior part of carapace and incomplete plastron from Morskaya 2 locality (MN 13, Rostov Province, Russia), incomplete carapace and plastron from Egorovka locality (MN 12, Odessa Province, Ukraine), and fragmentary shell remains from Fortepianka locality (MN 11, Republic of Adygea, Russia). For comparison we used published data and personal observations on other specimens of Sakya. Results. The specimens from Morskaya 2 and Egorovka are assigned to Sakya based on the presence of increased number of vertebrals and pleurals. Both specimens differ from the described species of Sakya by reduced number of vertebrals (seven in the Morskaya 2 specimen, and five in the Egorovka specimen), and extension of the posteriormost vertebral onto pygal. In addition, they differ from S. riabinini in the presence of eight neurals, longer than wide pleurals, and from S. kolakovskii in the presence of two suprapygals and serrated posterior edge of the carapace. The material from Fortepianka is too fragmentary for detailed comparison, but also differs from S. riabinini in the reduced number of vertebrals. Discussion. The reported material may represent one or two new species of Sakya. The reduced number of vertebrals in these forms probably represents a primitive condition, whereas the extension of the posteriormost vertebral onto the pygal may be a synapomorphy, which unites the new forms. Thus, the Morskaya 2 and Egorovka specimens of Sakya may represent a separate primitive lineage of this genus. In this case, S. kolakovskii and S. riabinini form a more advanced clade with increased number of carapacial scales. These issues as well as phylogenetic position of Sakya within Geoemydidae will be checked by future phylogenetic analysis. The Sakya material from Fortepianka (MN11, late Sarmatian) represents the earliest reliable record of this genus, known previously beginning from MN 12 (Meotic).

Cirrhigaleus australis n. sp., a new Mandarin dogfish (Squaliformes: Squalidae) from the south-west Pacific

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1560 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM T. WHITE ◽  
PETER R. LAST ◽  
JOHN D. STEVENS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Pectoral Fins ◽  
Southeastern Australia ◽  
South West ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Family ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Mandarin dogfish, Cirrhigaleus australis n. sp., is described based on specimens from southeastern Australia. Australian populations were previously considered to be conspecific with Cirrhigaleus barbifer from the western North Pacific and Indonesia, but recent investigations revealed that the two forms differ in morphology and in the structure of the CO1 gene. Cirrhigaleus australis has a smaller eye, shorter dorsal-caudal space, and smaller pectoral fins and dorsal fins and spines. These species are clearly separable from the only other congener, C. asper, and all other members of the family Squalidae, by the possession of a greatly produced barbel on their anterior nasal flap. The new species occurs in temperate waters of eastern Australia, and possibly New Zealand.

Halaelurus maculosus n. sp. and H. sellus n. sp., two new species of catshark (Carcharhiniformes: Scyliorhinidae) from the Indo–West Pacific

Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1639 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM T. WHITE ◽  
PETER R. LAST ◽  
JOHN D. STEVENS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
North Pacific ◽  
Western North Pacific ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
West Pacific ◽  
Eastern Indonesia ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Northwestern Australia

Two scyliorhinid catsharks of the genus Halaelurus, H. sellus n. sp. and H. maculosus n. sp., are described from northwestern Australia and eastern Indonesia, respectively. The new species, which have been confused with H. boesemani (western North Pacific) and H. buergeri (northwestern Indian Ocean), have a colour pattern consisting of dark bars and dark spots but differ from these species by a combination of coloration, morphometrics, and meristics. These species differ from southern African endemics, H. lineatus and H. natalensis, in having a snout tip that is rounded rather than upturned. A related catshark Halaelurus quagga, from the northwestern Indian Ocean, has a colour pattern consisting of more numerous dark bars without spots.

Fossil seed cuticles from the Upper Cretaceous Whitemud beds of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 2717-2728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pier L. Binda ◽  
E. M. V. Nambudiri
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Lacustrine Environment ◽  
Extant Genus ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Southern Alberta

Abundant fossil cuticles are associated with megaspores in the Upper Cretaceous Whitemud beds of the southern Alberta plains and in the Whitemud Formation of the Cypress Hills. Form genera Spermatites Miner and Costatheca (Dijkstra) Hall are emended, and the new genus Carpotheca is described. The three genera are differentiated by shape and orientation of cuticular cells. Ten new species of seed cuticles are described. The affinity of Spermatites with the extant genus Juncus L. is reaffirmed, and it is suggested that Costatheca may be related to extant species of Butomus L. In the Whitemud, Costatheca is more abundant in the Alberta plains, whereas Spermatites and Carpotheca are better represented in the Cypress Hills. The fossil microfloral assemblage indicates that these beds were deposited in a continental, fluviatile to lacustrine environment, having a subtropical climate, in agreement with previous sedimentological, isotopic, and palynological investigations.

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