scholarly journals Extensive Diversity and Disparity of the Early Miocene Platanistoids (Cetacea, Odontoceti) in the Southeastern Pacific (Chilcatay Formation, Peru)

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Bianucci ◽  
Christian de Muizon ◽  
Mario Urbina ◽  
Olivier Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Cladistic Analysis ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Early Miocene ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
The Past ◽  
Southeastern Pacific ◽  
Toothed Whale ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material ◽  
Trophic Partitioning

Several aspects of the fascinating evolutionary history of toothed and baleen whales (Cetacea) are still to be clarified due to the fragmentation and discontinuity (in space and time) of the fossil record. Here we open a window on the past, describing a part of the extraordinary cetacean fossil assemblage deposited in a restricted interval of time (19–18 Ma) in the Chilcatay Formation (Peru). All the fossils here examined belong to the Platanistoidea clade as here redefined, a toothed whale group nowadays represented only by the Asian river dolphin Platanista gangetica. Two new genera and species, the hyper-longirostrine Ensidelphis riveroi and the squalodelphinid Furcacetus flexirostrum, are described together with new material referred to the squalodelphinid Notocetus vanbenedeni and fragmentary remains showing affinities with the platanistid Araeodelphis. Our cladistic analysis defines the new clade Platanidelphidi, sister-group to Allodelphinidae and including E. riveroi and the clade Squalodelphinidae + Platanistidae. The fossils here examined further confirm the high diversity and disparity of platanistoids during the early Miocene. Finally, morphofunctional considerations on the entire platanistoid assemblage of the Chilcatay Formation suggest a high trophic partitioning of this peculiar cetacean paleocommunity.

Great Whales

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bannister
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Fin Whale ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Toothed Whale ◽  
History Of ◽  
Storey Building

Whales are mysterious and fascinating creatures. Despite modern technology, their world is still largely unexplored and unknown. They can only be seen, or rather glimpsed, when they are near the sea surface, either from boats, or perhaps from shore, or underwater by divers. They also reach astonishing sizes – the blue whale, for example, can grow to 30 metres in length, equivalent to the height of a six-storey building, and can weigh more than 130 tonnes. Seven ‘Great Whales’ are found in the coastal waters surrounding Australia. These include six of the largest baleen whales – blue whale, fin whale, humpback whale, sei whale, Bryde’s whale and southern right whale – and the sperm whale, the largest toothed whale. This book provides a detailed account of these extraordinary mammals. As well as the seven Great Whales, a smaller species – the minke whale – is included because of its special interest to Australians. The book describes whales’ highly specialised mammalian structure and biology, and the history of people’s association with them, at first through legend and wonder, then whaling, and more recently whale watching. It also looks at their past and current status, and the conservation initiatives that are in place to protect them from existing or potential threats. With both historical and recent photographs, as well as an extensive glossary, Great Whales will be enjoyed by natural history enthusiasts, zoologists and students alike.

scholarly journals Going to America to See the Fens Better? Stephen Gyllenhaal’s Waterland

Text Matters ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 205-217
Author(s):  
Adam Sumera
Keyword(s):  
Time Travel ◽  
Film Adaptation ◽  
American City ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Wide Scope ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material ◽  
Order Of Presentation ◽  
The Way

Waterland (1992), directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal on the basis of the screenplay by Peter Prince, is a film adaptation of Graham Swift’s novel under the same title, published in 1983. The book could be called unfilmable although the history of cinema knows examples of successful screenings of apparently unfilmable novels, e.g., The French Lieutenant’s Woman. In the case of Swift’s novel, the main potential difficulties could be seen in its wide scope, its intricate mosaic character, and its style. The article analyzes the changes introduced in the adaptation, including the shift of the contemporary action from Greenwich, England to the American city of Pittsburgh. The way of connecting the present with the past by means of “time travel” is discussed. Consequences for possible interpretation resulting from omitting certain elements of the book and introducing new material as well as changing the order of presentation of some of the scenes are shown. Comments on the film are juxtaposed with interpretations of some aspects of the novel taken from key critical texts on Swift’s book. Also specifically cinematic solutions present in Gyllenhaal’s movie are taken into account.

scholarly journals Academician Pavlova Mariia Vasylivna (1854–1938): life and scientific work

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1(16)) ◽  
pp. 100-109
Author(s):  
Hanna Deforzh
Keyword(s):  
New World ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Scientific School ◽  
Scientific Heritage ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Crimea ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material ◽  
Scientific Value ◽  
Comprehensive Study

The article is devoted to the study of dedicated contribution of academician Mariia Vasylivna Pavlova (Gortynskaya) in the development of Paleozoology Science. It is noted that her research was carried out in several directions including studying the causes of extinction of animals in the past geological epochs, investigating the remains of fossil elephants, rhinos, tapirs, notartiodactyls and artiodactyls, describing the remains of mammals in Tiraspol gravel. M. V. Pavlova described hipparions and horses, found mainly in the southern regions of Ukraine and the Crimea. By this new material she proved that horses had originated from American protogippus. The idea of a single trunk development of horses both the Old and New World caused objections, especially in America, as in Europe, there were no finds of ancient forms of horse series – anchitheriinae and protogippus. M. V. Pavlova consistently sought them in Eurasia, and in 1903 she discovered the remains of the bones of the limbs of these ancient horses. Analysis of the scientific heritage of Academician M. V. Pavlova, an outstanding national paleoscientist, a specialist in evolutionary theory, an organizer of Paleozoology science and a teacher, makes it possible to understand the processes of development of national biological science. She takes one of the places of honor in the world of paleontological science. Her name is associated with the development of Paleozoology science of late XIX – the first third of the twentieth century and the scientific outlook on the development of various Paleozoology concepts, laws and ideas. It suggests the urgency and necessity of this research. Its relevance is also caused by significant civil and scientific value of a person M. V. Pavlova in Paleozoology science, the lack of special comprehensive study of her life, scientific, organizational and administrative activities in the history of science, the need to create the most objective biography of M. V. Pavlova, the analysis of creative works and the importance of the introduction of solid scientific use of new sources and facts. Scientific activities of Pavlova as the scientific leader and founder of scientific school and her contribution in Paleozoology science has been marginally disclosed yet.

scholarly journals New material of the ‘microsaur’ Llistrofus from the cave deposits of Richards Spur, Oklahoma and the paleoecology of the Hapsidopareiidae

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryan M. Gee ◽  
Joseph J. Bevitt ◽  
Ulf Garbe ◽  
Robert R. Reisz
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Neutron Tomography ◽  
Early Permian ◽  
Cave Deposits ◽  
Internal Structures ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material

The Hapsidopareiidae is a group of “microsaurs” characterized by a substantial reduction of several elements in the cheek region that results in a prominent, enlarged temporal emargination. The clade comprises two markedly similar taxa from the early Permian of Oklahoma, Hapsidopareion lepton and Llistrofus pricei, which have been suggested to be synonymous by past workers. Llistrofus was previously known solely from the holotype found near Richards Spur, which consists of a dorsoventrally compressed skull in which the internal structures are difficult to characterize. Here, we present data from two new specimens of Llistrofus. This includes data collected through the use of neutron tomography, which revealed important new details of the palate and the neurocranium. Important questions within “Microsauria” related to the evolutionary transformations that likely occurred as part of the acquisition of the highly modified recumbirostran morphology for a fossorial ecology justify detailed reexamination of less well-studied taxa, such as Llistrofus. Although this study eliminates all but one of the previous features that differentiated Llistrofus and Hapsidopareion, the new data and redescription identify new features that justify the maintained separation of the two hapsidopareiids. Llistrofus possesses some of the adaptations for a fossorial lifestyle that have been identified in recumbirostrans but with a lesser degree of modification (e.g., reduced neurocranial ossification and mandibular modification). Incorporating the new data for Llistrofus into an existing phylogenetic matrix maintains the Hapsidopareiidae’s (Llistrofus + Hapsidopareion) position as the sister group to Recumbirostra. Given its phylogenetic position, we contextualize Llistrofus within the broader “microsaur” framework. Specifically, we propose that Llistrofus may have been fossorial but was probably incapable of active burrowing in the fashion of recumbirostrans, which had more consolidated and reinforced skulls. Llistrofus may represent an earlier stage in the step-wise acquisition of the derived recumbirostran morphology and paleoecology, furthering our understanding of the evolutionary history of “microsaurs.”

Crustaceans and Insect Origins

2020 ◽  
pp. 105-120
Author(s):  
Björn M. von Reumont ◽  
Gregory D. Edgecombe
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetics ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Typical Pattern ◽  
Molecular Analyses ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Critical Interpretation ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses

Although Crustacea has a long history of being recognized as a formal taxonomic group in arthropod classification, the past 30 years have witnessed repeated challenges to crustacean monophyly. Few unambiguous autapomorphic characters for crustaceans have been proposed by morphologists, and many diagnostic characters can be interpreted as symplesiomorphies of Mandibulata. More serious challenges arise from molecular phylogenetics: irrespective of the scope of taxonomic and/or character sampling or analytical methods, a pancrustacean clade in which “Crustacea” is paraphyletic with respect to Hexapoda is retrieved. However, most traditional single to multigene studies infer phylogenies that display considerable mutual conflict. Although hexapod monophyly is robust and its deep branchings have recently been recovered using large-scale transcriptomic datasets, its crustacean sister group has been contentious. To some extent, a conclusive result is still hindered by uneven taxonomic coverage, with some key groups still being undersampled in phylogenomic studies. Nonetheless, phylogenomic analyses provide some robust results: notably, Hexapoda is part of a pancrustacean clade named Allotriocarida, which includes Cephalocarida and Branchiopoda as a grade or each other’s sister group, and Remipedia as the closest relatives to Hexapoda. Neuroanatomical support for a rival malacostracan-remipede-hexapod clade is incongruent with molecular datasets, which instead group Malacostraca, Copepoda, and Cirripedia as a clade. However, cirripedes resolve either as a sister group to copepods or to malacostracans, and this instability casts doubt on the typical pattern in molecular analyses that position malacostracans unexpectedly deep within the crustacean lineage. Pancrustacean phylogeny requires critical interpretation of phylogenomic data to reveal conflict in the data and ambiguous signals within the selected set of orthologous genes.

The evolutionary history of sauropod dinosaurs

1995 ◽  
Vol 349 (1330) ◽  
pp. 365-390 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Cladistic Analysis ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Geographic Isolation ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
New Family ◽  
Restricted Sense ◽  
History Of

Most recent studies of dinosaur phylogeny have concentrated on theropods and ornithischians. As a result, the evolutionary relationships of sauropod dinosaurs are poorly understood. In this paper previous studies of sauropod phylogeny are reviewed and contrasted with the results of a recent cladistic analysis. This analysis forms the basis for a reconstruction of sauropod phylogeny. Sauropods diverged from other dinosaurs at some time in the Upper Triassic, but a large part of their early history is totally unknown. Vulcanodon is currently the most primitive sauropod. Many, but perhaps not all, of the Jurassic Chinese sauropods form a monophyletic radiation (the Euhelopodidae) which may reflect the geographic isolation of China during the Lower Jurassic. Members of the Euhelopodidae, such as Mamenchisaurus , are not considered to be closely related to the Diplodocidae. ‘Forked’ chevrons, which have played such an important role in previous studies of sauropod phylogeny, are here considered to have evolved twice within the Sauropoda. This convergence may reflect a correlation between chevron shape and the use of the tail as a weapon within these two sauropod families. The ‘Neosauropoda’ (sister group to the Euhelopodidae) contains the Brachiosauridae, Camarasauridae and the new superfamilies Titanosauroidea and Diplodocoidea. The Cetiosauridae (here defined in a rather restricted sense) is also provisionally included within the Neosauropoda, but may be removed in future studies. The enigmatic Upper Cretaceous sauropod, Opisthocoelicaudia , is thought to be the sister taxon to the Titanosauridae and not a camarasaurid as previously suggested. The Diplodocoidea contains two well established families, the Dicraeosauridae and Diplodocidae, and the new family Nemegtosauridae. Finally, an overview of sauropod phylogeny is compared with recently published palaeogeographic reconstructions. There are many difficulties associated with the analysis of sauropod biogeographic distribution. Nevertheless, some aspects of sauropod phylogeny may be linked to the break-up of Laurasia and Gondwanaland during the Jurassic and Cretaceous.

scholarly journals Morphology and life history of an ant parasitoid, Psilocharis afra (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4482 (3) ◽  
pp. 491 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN M. HERATY ◽  
ROGER A. BURKS ◽  
NOKUTHULA MBANYANA ◽  
SIMON VAN NOORT
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Life History ◽  
Plant Tissue ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Mpumalanga Province ◽  
Life History Data ◽  
First Instar ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material

Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera) are specialized ant (Formicidae) parasitoids. As we begin to develop a better understanding of their phylogenetic relationships, it is critical to establish baselines for morphological and biological data. A morphological review and the first report of life history data for Psilocharis afra Heraty is provided based on new material from the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Psilocharis Heraty is included in Eucharitinae, but it is unclear whether it is the sister group of all other members of the subfamily, or sister group to Neolosbanus Girault in a monophyletic Psilocharitini, which would in turn be sister group to Eucharitini. The oviposition habits of P. afra differ from those of other Eucharitidae in that eggs are placed among trichomes under bracts at flower bases, instead of either being inserted into cavities formed in plant tissue by an enlarged ovipositor (as in Oraseminae and some Neolosbanus) or inserted into cavities in plant tissue, as in most Eucharitini. The egg and first-instar planidia larva are described, and adult morphology is discussed with reference to Eucharitidae and other parasitoid Hymenoptera. 

New taxa of the Lygistorrhinidae (Diptera: Sciaroidea) and their implications for a phylogenetic analysis of the family

Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 960 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
HEIKKI HIPPA ◽  
INGEGERD MATTSSON ◽  
PEKKA VILKAMAA
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
New Taxa ◽  
Cladistic Analysis ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Parsimony Analysis ◽  
The Family ◽  
Outgroup Species ◽  
New Material

New Oriental taxa of the Lygistorrhinidae - Blagorrhina gen. n., with B. blagoderovi sp. n. and B. brevicornis sp. n.; Gracilorrhina gracilis gen. n., sp. n.; and Labellorrhina gen. n., with L. grimaldii sp. n. and L. quantula sp. n. are described, and two undescribed species, known only from females, are characterized. Based on this new material, the family is redefined. The phylogeneticrelationships among the taxa of Lygistorrhinidae were studied by parsimony analysis using 43 morphological characters from the adults of 25 ingroup and one outgroup species. The cladistic analysis produced 14 most parsimonious cladograms. The solution obtained suggests unambiguously the following phylogeny: Palaeognoriste Meunier and “Lygistorrhina” asiatica Senior-White are successively sister groups of the rest of the Lygistorrhinidae; there is a clade Labellorrhina + (Gracil- orrhina + (Blagorrhina + ((Seguyola Matile + (Loyugesa Grimaldi & Blagoderov + Matileola Papp))))) with a monophyletic Lygistorrhina Skuse – Probolaeus Williston lineage as sister group. The phylogeny among the latter group remains largely unresolved.

scholarly journals Exceptionally preserved North American Paleogene metatherians: adaptations and discovery of a major gap in the opossum fossil record

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Sánchez-Villagra ◽  
Sandrine Ladevèze ◽  
Inés Horovitz ◽  
Christine Argot ◽  
Jeremy J Hooker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Critical Time ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Early History ◽  
Crown Group ◽  
White River ◽  
Early Oligocene ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Material ◽  
Divergence Estimates

A major gap in our knowledge of the evolution of marsupial mammals concerns the Paleogene of the northern continents, a critical time and place to link the early history of metatherians in Asia and North America with the more recent diversification in South America and Australia. We studied new exceptionally well-preserved partial skeletons of the Early Oligocene fossil Herpetotherium from the White River Formation in Wyoming, which allowed us to test the relationships of this taxon and examine its adaptations. Herpetotheriidae, with a fossil record extending from the Cretaceous to the Miocene, has traditionally been allied with opossums (Didelphidae) based on fragmentary material, mainly dentitions. Analysis of the new material reveals that several aspects of the cranial and postcranial anatomy, some of which suggests a terrestrial lifestyle, distinguish Herpetotherium from opossums. We found that Herpetotherium is the sister group to the crown group Marsupialia and is not a stem didelphid. Combination of the new palaeontological data with molecular divergence estimates, suggests the presence of a long undocumented gap in the fossil record of opossums extending some 45 Myr from the Early Miocene to the Cretaceous.

On The Possibility of an Autonomous History of Modern Southeast Asia

1961 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. W. Small
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Contemporary History ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of

It is generally accepted that history is an element of culture and the historian a member of society, thus, in Croce's aphorism, that the only true history is contemporary history. It follows from this that when there occur great changes in the contemporary scene, there must also be great changes in historiography, that the vision not merely of the present but also of the past must change.

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