scholarly journals A non-archaeopterygid avialan theropod from the Late Jurassic of southern Germany

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver WM Rauhut ◽  
Helmut Tischlinger ◽  
Christian Foth
Keyword(s):  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Early Evolution ◽  
Flapping Flight ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Pectoralis Muscle ◽  
Southern Germany ◽  
Evolution Of Birds ◽  
Bird Origins

The Late Jurassic ‘Solnhofen Limestones’ are famous for their exceptionally preserved fossils, including the urvogel Archaeopteryx, which has played a pivotal role in the discussion of bird origins. Here we describe a new, non-archaeopterygid avialan from the Lower Tithonian Mörnsheim Formation of the Solnhofen Archipelago, Alcmonavis poeschli gen. et sp. nov. Represented by a right wing, Alcmonavis shows several derived characters, including a pronounced attachment for the pectoralis muscle, a pronounced tuberculum bicipitale radii, and a robust second manual digit, indicating that it is a more derived avialan than Archaeopteryx. Several modifications, especially in muscle attachments of muscles that in modern birds are related to the downstroke of the wing, indicate an increased adaptation of the forelimb for active flapping flight in the early evolution of birds. This discovery indicates higher avialan diversity in the Late Jurassic than previously recognized.

scholarly journals On a remarkable new species of <i>Tharsis</i>, a Late Jurassic teleostean fish from southern Germany: its morphology and phylogenetic relationships

Fossil Record ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Arratia ◽  
Hans-Peter Schultze ◽  
Helmut Tischlinger
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Morphological Description ◽  
Sister Group Relationship ◽  
Southern Germany

Abstract. A complete morphological description, as preservation permits, is provided for a new Late Jurassic fish species (Tharsis elleri) together with a revision and comparison of some morphological features of Tharsis dubius, one of the most common species from the Solnhofen limestone, southern Germany. An emended diagnosis of the genus Tharsis – now including two species – is presented. The new species is characterized by a combination of morphological characters, such as the presence of a complete sclerotic ring formed by two bones placed anterior and posterior to the eye, a moderately short lower jaw with quadrate-mandibular articulation below the anterior half of the orbit, caudal vertebrae with neural and haemal arches fused to their respective vertebral centrum, and parapophyses fused to their respective centrum. A phylogenetic analysis based on 198 characters and 43 taxa is performed. Following the phylogenetic hypothesis, the sister-group relationship Ascalaboidae plus more advanced teleosts stands above the node of Leptolepis coryphaenoides. Both nodes have strong support among teleosts. The results confirm the inclusion of Ascalabos, Ebertichthys and Tharsis as members of this extinct family. Tharsis elleri n. sp. (LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6434E6F5-2DDD-48CF-A2B1-827495FE46E6, date: 13 December 2018) is so far restricted to one Upper Jurassic German locality – Wegscheid Quarry near Schernfeld, Eichstätt – whereas Tharsis dubius is known not only from Wegscheid Quarry, but also from different localities in the Upper Jurassic of Bavaria, Germany, and Cerin in France.

Protohemiphlebiidae fam. nov., a stem hemiphlebioid damselfly from Cretaceous amber in Kachin

2021 ◽  
pp. SP521-2020-249
Author(s):  
Daran Zheng ◽  
Edmund A. Jarzembowski ◽  
De Zhuo ◽  
André Nel
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Early Evolution ◽  
Relict Species ◽  
Wing Base ◽  
New Family ◽  
Stem Group ◽  
The Family

AbstractHemiphlebiidae are the most basal lestomorphan family following the latest phylogenetic analysis of the Zygoptera: this unique damselfly family today contains one relict species found in the wetlands of Australia. It was, however, very diverse and widespread during the Mesozoic. Nevertheless, very few species were known obscuring the origination and early evolution of the family. Here we propose a new stem hemiphlebioid taxon (Protohemiphlebiidae Zheng, Jarzembowski & Nel, fam. nov.) based on a new genus and two species: Protohemiphlebia zhangi Zheng, Jarzembowski & Nel, sp. nov. and Protohemiphlebia meiyingae Zheng, Jarzembowski & Nel, sp. nov. The new family shares the characters of both Hemiphlebiidae and Coenagrionoidea, but it is more closely related to Hemiphlebiidae in having the pterostigma with a ‘star-shaped’ microsculpture, and AA originating from the wing base slightly distal of Ax0. Protohemiphlebia Zheng, Jarzembowski & Nel, gen. nov. is further considered to belong to the stem group of Hemiphlebioidea, instead of belonging to the Hemiphlebiidae, in possessing pretibial combs and a weakly kinked RP1 below the Pt-brace. The new damselflies will help to calibrate the origin of Hemiphlebiidae, which could be earlier than their current oldest records in the Kimmeridgean (Late Jurassic).

First records of Somalinautilus (Cephalopoda: Nautiloidea) from the Jurassic of Southern Germany – inferences for trans-provincial migrations

2020 ◽  
Vol 298 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-146
Author(s):  
Günter Schweigert
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
Middle Jurassic ◽  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Southern Germany ◽  
First Time ◽  
Lower Kimmeridgian ◽  
Lower Bathonian

The Late Jurassic nautiloid Somalinautilus antiquus (Dacqué, 1910), previously only known by the holotype from Lower Kimmeridgian strata of Ethiopia, is reported from the Lower Kimmeridgian (Platynota Zone) of Southern Germany. This unexpected record largely expands the known geographic distribution of this species. Another species of Somalinautilus, S. clavifer Tintant , 1994, is recorded for the first time from the Middle Jurassic (Lower Bathonian, Zigzag Zone) of Southern Germany. A short stratigraphic and palaeogeographic review of Somalinautilus occurrences is provided. Faunal migrations of nautiloids over large distances were probably triggered by sea- level highstands and/or palaeocurrents.

Early evolution of birds

Nature ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 331 (6155) ◽  
pp. 389-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Cracraft
Keyword(s):  
Early Evolution ◽  
Evolution Of Birds
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