scholarly journals A new plesiosaurian from the Jurassic–Cretaceous transitional interval of the Slottsmøya Member (Volgian), with insights into the cranial anatomy of cryptoclidids using computed tomography

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey Jane Roberts ◽  
Patrick S. Druckenmiller ◽  
Benoit Cordonnier ◽  
Lene L. Delsett ◽  
Jørn H. Hurum

Cryptoclidids are a major clade of plesiosauromorph plesiosaurians best known from the Middle—Late Jurassic, but little is known regarding their turnover into the Early Cretaceous. Of the known cryptoclidid genera, most preserve only a limited amount of cranial material and of these Cryptoclidus eurymerus, displays the most complete, but compressed cranium. Thus, the lack of knowledge of the cranial anatomy of this group may hinder the understanding of phylogenetic interrelationships, which are currently predominantly based on postcranial data. Here we present a nearly complete adult cryptoclidid specimen (PMO 224.248) representing a new genus and species Ophthalmothule cryostea gen et sp. nov., from the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous part of the Slottsmøya Member, of central Spitsbergen. The holotype material preserves a complete cranium, partial mandible, complete and articulated cervical, pectoral and anterior to middle dorsal series, along with the pectoral girdle and anterior humeri. High resolution microcomputed tomography reveals new data on the cranial anatomy of this cryptoclidid, including new internal features of the braincase and palate that are observed in other cryptoclidids. A phylogenetic analysis incorporating new characters reveals a novel tree topology for Cryptoclididae and particularly within the subfamily Colymbosaurinae. These results show that at least two cryptoclidid lineages were present in the Boreal Region during the latest Jurassic at middle to high latitudes.

2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmara Żyła ◽  
Piotr Wegięrek

A new genus and species of the aphid family Palaeoaphididae, Primpalaeoaphis khotontensis gen. et sp.n. is described from the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous locality of Khotont (Mongolia). This is the oldest representative of Palaeoaphididae.


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2388 (1) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
DI-YING HUANG ◽  
ANDRÉ NEL

Sinahemeroscopus magnificus gen. and sp. nov. is described from the Early Cretaceous of China. We tentatively attribute it to the Nannogomphidae. This family was currently known from the Late Jurassic of Germany.


2012 ◽  
Vol 183 (6) ◽  
pp. 517-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Evans ◽  
Marc E. H. Jones ◽  
Ryoko Matsumoto

Abstract The Purbeck Limestone Group of England has yielded a rich assemblage of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) vertebrate fossils, including one of the most diverse Early Cretaceous lizard assemblages on record. Here we describe the first articulated lizard skull from Purbeck. The specimen was rediscovered in the collections of the British Geological Survey, having been excavated at least a century ago. Although originally assigned to the Purbeck genus Paramacellodus, with which it shares maxillary and some dental characters, the new Purbeck skull differs from other Purbeck genera, including Paramacellodus, in frontal, pterygoid and maxillary morphology. It is here assigned to a new genus and species. Cladistic analysis groups it with Lacertoidea, unlike Paramacellodus, Becklesius and Parasaurillus which group with scincids and cordyliforms.


Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1629 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
JIANDONG HUANG ◽  
DONG REN ◽  
NINA D. SINITSHENKOVA ◽  
CHUNGKUN SHIH

A new genus and two new species of the extinct family Hexagenitidae, Epicharmeropsis hexavenulosus gen. et sp. nov. and Epicharmeropsis quadrivenulosus sp. nov., are described from the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, Hebei and Liaoning Provinces in China. Detailed description and illustration of the specimens along with a brief review of Hexagenitidae are given. By comparing with the imago specimens of so-called Ephemeropsis which were previously reported from China, we believe these Ephemeropsis-like specimens should be placed into Epicharmeropsis gen. nov. and Ephemeropsis Eichwald could be absent in China.


2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (08) ◽  
pp. 1440-1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Wang ◽  
Y. N. Fang ◽  
Y. Fang ◽  
E. A. Jarzembowski ◽  
B. Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractBaissogryllidae is an extinct family of the insect superfamily Grylloidea, previously known from Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous time. A new genus and species, Sinagryllus xinjiangensis gen. et sp. nov., is described here based on a well-preserved forewing from the Lower Jurassic Sangonghe Formation of Xinjiang, northwestern China. It can be attributed to Baissogryllidae based on the combination of the following characteristics: a true mirror in the male tegminal stridulatory apparatus; and a distinct widening of the area between CuA2, lateral part of the diagonal vein, and proximal part of the proximal branch of MP+CuA1. This find represents not only the earliest record of Baissogryllidae, but also the first fossil wing of Grylloidea reported from China.


2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 695-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Jiménez-Sánchez ◽  
Robert L. Anstey ◽  
Beatriz Azanza

2021 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yann Rollot ◽  
Serjoscha W. Evers ◽  
Walter G. Joyce

AbstractWe study the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) turtle Uluops uluops using micro-computed tomography scans to investigate the cranial anatomy of paracryptodires, and provide new insights into the evolution of the internal carotid artery and facial nerve systems, as well as the phylogenetic relationships of this group. We demonstrate the presence of a canalis caroticus lateralis in Uluops uluops, the only pleurosternid for which a palatine artery canal can be confidently identified. Our phylogenetic analysis retrieves Uluops uluops as the earliest branching pleurosternid, Helochelydridae within Pleurosternidae, and Compsemydidae including Kallokibotion bajazidi within Baenidae, which suggests at least two independent losses of the palatine artery within paracryptodires. We expect future studies will provide additional insights into the evolution of the circulation system of paracryptodires, as well as clarifying relationships along the turtle stem.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Boessenecker ◽  
R. Ewan Fordyce

The early evolution of toothless baleen whales (Chaeomysticeti) remains elusive despite a robust record of Eocene-Oligocene archaeocetes and toothed mysticetes. Eomysticetids, a group of archaic longirostrine and putatively toothless baleen whales fill in a crucial morphological gap between well-known toothed mysticetes and more crownward Neogene Mysticeti. A historically important but perplexing cetacean is “Mauicetus” lophocephalus (upper Oligocene South Island, New Zealand). The discovery of new skulls and skeletons of eomysticetids from the Oligocene Kokoamu Greensand and Otekaike Limestone permit a redescription and modern reinterpretation of “Mauicetus” lophocephalus, and indicating that this species may have retained adult teeth. A new genus and species, Tokarahia kauaeroa, is erected on the basis of a well-preserved subadult to adult skull with mandibles, tympanoperiotics, and cervical and thoracic vertebrae, ribs, sternum, and forelimbs from the Otekaike Limestone (>25.2 Ma). “Mauicetus” lophocephalus is relatively similar and recombined as Tokarahia lophocephalus. Phylogenetic analysis supports inclusion of Tokarahia within the Eomysticetidae alongside Eomysticetus, Micromysticetus, Yamatocetus, and Tohoraata, and strongly supports monophyly of Eomysticetidae. Tokarahia lacked extreme rostral kinesis of extant Mysticeti and primitively retained a delicate archaeocete-like posterior mandible and synovial temporomandibular joint, suggesting that Tokarahia was capable of at most, limited lunge feeding in contrast to extant Balaenopteridae, and utilized an alternative as-yet unspecified feeding strategy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva ◽  
Allysson Pontes Pinheiro ◽  
William Santana

AbstractA new genus and species of the planktonic shrimp family Luciferidae,Sume marcosin. gen. n. sp., is described and illustrated from material collected in calcareous shale of the late Early Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) Romualdo Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. The material is very well preserved, including the antennae, stalked eyes, second and third maxillipeds, pleopods, and uropods, and represents the first described fossil of the family Luciferidae.UUID:http://zoobank.org/fdf825b8-6fe9-42ae-8fc7-73c220eec03a


2021 ◽  
pp. SP521-2020-249
Author(s):  
Daran Zheng ◽  
Edmund A. Jarzembowski ◽  
De Zhuo ◽  
André Nel

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).


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