scholarly journals The Brazilian Pareiasaur Revisited

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan C. Cisneros ◽  
Paula Dentzien-Dias ◽  
Heitor Francischini

Provelosaurus americanus is the only known representative of the Pareiasauria in the Americas. This mid-size pareiasaur from the Rio do Rasto Formation of southern Brazil has been traditionally considered to be related to smaller forms from the South African Karoo known as the “dwarf pareiasaurs” of Lopingian age. P. americanus, however, co-existed with dinocephalians, which indicates a Guadalupian age. New fossils provide a nearly complete osteological account that forms the basis for a revised diagnosis and a test of phylogenetic relationships of P. americanus. Our results offer further support to the hypothesis that the Brazilian pareiasaur is the sister taxon of the Karoo “dwarf pareiasaurs,” being the earliest member of this group and one of the oldest pareiasaurs known so far. This is reinforced by a radiometric dating of the Morro Pelado Member of the Rio do Rasto Formation. In addition, the association of four individuals of various ontogenetic stages at the type locality supports some degree of social behavior in P. americanus.

Author(s):  
Mavhungu Abel Mafukata

The South African government has lobbied institutions of higher learning to recruit academics from across Africa to address the challenge of shortage of skills. Some universities have indeed exploited this opportunity. However, it has emerged that these nationals get to face unbearable anti-social behavior from the locals. Among others, these expatriates contend incidences of tribal-ethnic tensions and xenophobia. Multiple theories were adopted to assist the analysis. The results revealed that there was evidence of tribalism, ethnicity, and incited xenophobia at this university. Furthermore, the study found that the acts of tribalism and ethnicity cut across the university community. The study revealed that deaneries and departments reflected ethnic-tribal orientations depending on the tribes of the respective incumbents in those sections. The university should recognise that it has become a space of cultural diversity where people should be recognized outside the ethnic and tribal framework of locality.


1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Rourke

In Africa the Proteaceae are represented by 16 genera of which two (Dilobeia Thouars. and Malagasia L.Johnson and B.Briggs) are endemic to Madagascar and one (Faurea Harv.) is common to both Madagascar and Africa where it is widespread in forest and savannah woodland from the southern Cape to Eritrea. The remaining 13 genera are Cape-centred (10 are endemic to the western Cape) and with the exception of the monotypic riverine Brabejum L. (Grevilleoideae), are confined to fynbos (heathland) communities on oligotrophic soils. These 12 Cape heathland genera currently assigned to two subtribes (Proteinae and Aulacinae) within the subfamily Proteoideae have all been recently revised or are in the final stages of revision. Preliminary cladistic studies now suggest that they could be arranged in several new subtribes within the subfamily Proteoideae to reflect more accurately their phylogenetic relationships. Using morphological characters in a cladistic analysis, the South African Proteoideae (tribe Proteeae) resolve into two broad groups; Aulax Berg., Faurea Harv. and Protea L. form a weakly supported group while the second, large, well-supported group resolves into two clades in which the heterogeneous Leucadendron R.Br. stands apart while the other clade underpinned by Vexatorella Rourke resolves into two further groups, the ‘Leucospermum group’ and the ‘Serruria group’. The dioecious genera Leucadendron and Aulax previously united in the subtribe Aulacinae have been shown to differ markedly and should probably be placed in separate subtribes. Selection pressure, especially from fire and pollinators, has resulted in major morphological modifications in the 12 fynbos genera from the western Cape.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther O. Awotunde ◽  
Martha N. Bemji ◽  
Olajide Olowofeso ◽  
Ikechukwu J. James ◽  
O. O. Ajayi ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Francisco J. Ayala ◽  
Camilo J. Cela-Conde

This chapter analyzes the hominins of the Middle and Upper Pliocene, encompassing a considerable diversification of the genus Australopithecus, which is polyphyletic; it brings also into consideration the exemplars from South Africa and Chad. The contrast between “gracile” and “robust” exemplars among the South African fossils brings about the description of the Paranthropus genus, with African (P. robustus) and Rift species (P. boisei and P. aethiopicus). Later, the chapter explores the consistency between the gracile and robust evolutionary patterns of the australopithecines, examining the extent of monophyly in Australopithecus, as well as Paranthropus, concluding with an examination of their phylogenetic relationships. Attributing to P. robustus and P. boisei an increase in robustness with the passage of time allows these two taxa to be included in the same clade or lineage.


1980 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leif Lyneborg

AbstractNeotabuda Kröber (1931) is a widespread genus of therevids in southern Africa. Its possible monophyly is discussed, and a sister-group relationship with the Palaearctic genus Salentia A. Costa is motivated. Twenty species are recognized, only five of which were described previously. All species are keyed, described and figured. They are arranged in two species-groups, each with two subgroups, and the phylogenetic relationships of these are discussed. The fifteen new species are: incrassaia (Cape Prov.), latifrons (Cape Prov.), longestylata (Cape Prov.), lanigera (Cape Prov.), pilosa (Cape Prov.), subpilosa (Cape Prov.), turneri (Cape Prov.), multisetosa (Cape Prov.), longicornis (Cape Prov.), tomentosa (Namibia), major (Namibia), natalensis (Natal Prov.), diversicornis (Natal Prov.), truncata (Mozambique, Natal Prov.), and nigropilusa (Cape Prov.). The five previously described species are (in their original combination): Thereva anthracina Loew, 1858; Orthactia nigra Kröber, 1912; Pachygenia nitida Kröber, 1912; Actorthia capensis Kröber, 1931; and Neotabuda ater Kröber, 1931. Pachygenia Kröber, 1912 and Neotabuda Kröber, 1931 are placed in new synonymy, but Pachygenia Kröber cannot be used because of its preoccupation by Pachygenia Motschulsky (1874).


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2569 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
JORGE SEBASTIÃO BERNARDO-SILVA ◽  
RAQUEL ROCHA DOS SANTOS ◽  
CAMILA BOTH

The genus Melanophryniscus comprises 24 species, occurring in northern Argentina, southern Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay (Frost, 2009). The genus belongs to the family Bufonidae; it is probably monophyletic (Graybeal & Cannatella, 1995), and was considered a sister taxon of all other bufonids by Frost et al. (2006). Melanophryniscus cambaraensis was described in 1979 by Braun and Braun, and belongs to the M. tumifrons group (Cruz & Caramaschi, 2003). The species is endemic to the southeastern Araucaria Forest, southern Brazil, with records from Cambará do Sul (type locality; Braun & Braun, 1979), and neighbor areas in the municipality of São Francisco de Paula (Kwet & Di-Bernardo, 1999). The tadpole of M. cambaraensis is undescribed so far. Herein, we describe its external morphology, and compare it briefly with the tadpole of M. orejasmirandai Prigioni and Langone, the only previously described tadpole in the Melanophryniscus tumifrons group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. ec02016
Author(s):  
Irina Morales ◽  
Nikolas G. Cipola

Here Schizopteridae is registered for the first time in Paraná State with the record of four species, being one to generic level, Glyptocombus sp. The three nominal species recorded are: Schizoptera (Schizoptera) apicalis Reuter, 1882, Schizoptera (Cantharocoris) reitteri Reuter, 1891, and Ptenidiophyes mirabilis Reuter, 1891, all only recorded from type locality. The Schizopteridae fauna of Brazil is now composed of 22 nominal species in 13 genera, recorded in nine Brazilian states, plus the genus Glyptocombus recorded in the South and Southeast regions of the country.


2006 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Diogo ◽  
Roger Bills

AbstractThe cephalic and pectoral girdle structures of the South African catfish Austroglanis gilli are described and compared with those of other catfishes, either studied by us or described in the literature, as the foundation for a discussion on Austroglanididae autapomorphies, and also on the phylogenetic relationships between the austroglanidids and the other catfishes. Our observations, comparisons, and bibliographical overview revealed only two Austroglanidae autapomorphies, namely: 1) the peculiarly shaped, posteriorly bifurcated sesamoid bone 1 of the suspensorium; and 2) the markedly broad fourth basibranchial. Another feature, the marked lateral bifurcation of the anterodorsolateral laminar projection of the sphenotic bone, may eventually constitute an additional austroglanidid autapomorphy, but, perhaps more reasonably, be a synapomorphic feature to support a close relationship between A. gilli and A. barnardi. With respect to the phylogenetic position of the Austroglanididae within the Siluriformes, these fishes seem to be closely related to the ictalurid and the cranoglanidid, and particularly to the ariid and the claroteid catfishes.


Author(s):  
Belinda Bedell ◽  
Nicholas Challis ◽  
Charl Cilliers ◽  
Joy Cole ◽  
Wendy Corry ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document