A new vertebrate fauna from the Lower Cretaceous Holly Creek Formation of the Trinity Group, southwest Arkansas, USA

We present a previously discovered but undescribed late Early Cretaceous vertebrate fauna from the Holly Creek Formation of the Trinity Group in Arkansas. The site from the ancient Gulf Coast is dominated by semi-aquatic forms and preserves a diverse aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial fauna. Fishes include fresh- to brackish-water chondrichthyans and a variety of actinopterygians, including semionotids, an amiid, and a new pycnodontiform, Anomoeodus caddoi sp. nov. Semi-aquatic taxa include lissamphibians, the solemydid turtle Naomichelys, a trionychid turtle, and coelognathosuchian crocodyliforms. Among terrestrial forms are several members of Dinosauria and one or more squamates, one of which, Sciroseps pawhuskai gen. et sp. nov., is described herein. Among Dinosauria, both large and small theropods (Acrocanthosaurus, Deinonychus, and Richardoestesia) and titanosauriform sauropods are represented; herein we also report the first occurrence of a nodosaurid ankylosaur from the Trinity Group. The fauna of the Holly Creek Formation is similar to other, widely scattered late Early Cretaceous assemblages across North America and suggests the presence of a low-diversity, broadly distributed continental ecosystem of the Early Cretaceous following the Late Jurassic faunal turnover. This low-diversity ecosystem contrasts sharply with the highly diverse ecosystem which emerged by the Cenomanian. The contrast underpins the importance of vicariance as an evolutionary driver brought on by Sevier tectonics and climatic changes, such as rising sea level and formation of the Western Interior Seaway, impacting the early Late Cretaceous ecosystem.

Terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the landscape reserve „La castel” from the northern part of the Republic of Moldova

The studies were performed in the period 2015-2021 in various ecosystems of the Landscape Reserve „La Castel” from the northern part of the Republic of Moldova. The amphibian are represented by 11 species of the orders Urodela and Anura. Among reptiles 8 species from two orders have been identified: Testudines with one species and Squamata with 7 species. 11 species of herpethofauna are listed in the Red Book of Moldova. The ornithofauna was represented by over 120 species and is dominated by the silvicolous species. Four bird species are listed in the Red Book of Moldova. The mammal fauna includes 45 species, of which 13 are listed in the Red Book of Moldova. A large maternity colony of Myotis blythii was monitored during the last years. The Reserve „La Castel” represent an important scientific site and the studies will continue.

Pemanfaatan Fauna Vertebrata dan Kondisi Lingkungan Masa Okupasi 8.000 – 550 BP di Situs Leang Jarie, Maros, Sulawesi Selatan

Utilization Of Vertebrate Fauna And Environmental Conditions Of Occupational Period 8.000 – 550 BP On The Site Of Leang Jarie, Maros, South Sulawesi. Vertebrate Remains from Leang Jarie Site at 8.000-550 BP Occupation in Maros Karst Area, South Sulawesi. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of vertebrate fauna in Maros Pangkep karstic area, as one of the occupation areas at 8.000 years ago, Specifically, the purpose of this study is to describe of faunal remains found in the 2018-2019 excavation at Leang Jarie Site, Maros, South Sulawesi. This goal is achieved by using the Number of Identified Specimens (NISP) and Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) calculation methods. The results of the study then showed that the fauna lived alongside human at this site included: fish, lizards, snakes, birds, frogs/toad, small Sulawesi cuscus, microchiroptera, megachiroptera, Sulawesi monkeys, rats, weasel/ferrets, babirussa and sus celebensis, anoa, buffaloes, and dogs. The results of the analysis and identification show that the presence of fauna on the Leang Jarie site is strongly influenced by humans who inhabit this site, this can be seen from the variety of fauna that lives following the changes of humans who inhabit Leang Jarie Sites at 8.000 to 550 BP. This study is one of the references of fauna that have lived and used as a food source or as human life support in this area. Abstrak. Penulisan artikel ini bertujuan untuk memberikan deskripsi tentang fauna vertebrata di kawasan karst Maros Pangkep sebagai salah satu wilayah hunian sejak 8.000 tahun yang lampau, khususnya tentang jenis fauna pada ekskavasi 2018 dan 2019 di Situs Leang Jarie, Maros, Sulawesi Selatan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis penghitungan number of identified specimens dan penghitungan minimum number of individu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa fauna yang hidup berdampingan dengan manusia di situs itu, antara lain ikan, kadal/biawak, ular, burung, katak/kodok, kuskus kecil Sulawesi, kelelawar pemakan serangga, kelelawar pemakan buah, monyet sulawesi, tikus, musang, babi rusa dan babi Sulawesi, anoa, kerbau, dan anjing. Hasil analisis dan identifikasi menunjukkan bahwa keberadaan fauna di Situs Leang Jarie sangat dipengaruhi oleh manusia yang menghuni situs itu. Hal itu terlihat dari variasi fauna yang hidup mengikutiperubahan manusia yang mendiaminya pada 8.000 sampai 550 BP. Penelitian ini merupakan salah satu referensi informasi fauna yang pernah hidup dan dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber bahan makanan atau sisa fauna yang dimanfaatkan sebagai peralatan penunjang hidup manusia di wilayah tersebut.

A possible phytosaurian (Archosauria, Pseudosuchia) coprolite from the Late Trias-sic Fleming Fjord Group of Jameson Land, central East Greenland

A large, well-preserved vertebrate coprolite was found in a lacustrine sediment in the Malmros Klint Formation of the Late Triassic Fleming Fjord Group in the Jameson Land Basin, central East Greenland. The size and internal and external morphology of the coprolite is consistent with that of crocodilian coprolites and one end of the coprolite exhibits evidence of post-egestion trampling. As the associated vertebrate fauna of the Fleming Fjord Group contains abundant remains of pseudosuchian phytosaurs, the coprolite is interpreted as being from a large phytosaur.

A platysomid occurrence from the Tournaisian of Nova Scotia

The Hangenberg extinction has been hypothesized as a first order event in vertebrate evolution; however, information on the earliest Carboniferous vertebrate fauna, crucial in evaluating biodiversity changes, is scarce. Post-extinction recovery has been suggested as the driver of ray-finned fish (actinopterygian) richness increase and differentiation in the Carboniferous. Under this model, actinopterygian postcranial morphology differentiates in the second stage of their radiation. Here, we report on a platysomid occurrence from the Tournaisian of Nova Scotia, Canada. Despite long-standing taxonomic issues with deep-bodied actinopterygians, this specimen represents the earliest known occurrence of one such fish. Its presence in the earliest Carboniferous indicates that actinopterygians were already postcranially differentiated in the aftermath of the Hangenberg. Moreover, this specimen suggests that earliest Carboniferous actinopterygians used multiple locomotory modes; recent data from later Carboniferous taxa suggest that actinopterygian locomotory modes proliferated throughout the Carboniferous. Taken together, these data suggest that early Carboniferous actinopterygians were morphologically, ecologically, and functionally diverse.

Fossil trackways of the Baynunah Formation

In addition to skeletal remains that record the presence of a diverse vertebrate fauna, the Baynunah Formation also preserves fossil trackways. These are found on deflated surfaces of carbonate-rich beds, mainly at sites located inland from the coast. Footprints, like other trace fossils, may be difficult to assign to particular species, but provide a window onto ancient behavior that is not attainable from skeletal remains alone. Nine sites bearing fossil footprints have been identified to date in the Baynunah Formation. These are presented and described here, most for the first time. The large majority of footprints (and the most easily identifiable) were made by proboscideans, but three trackways belong to a large ungulate, probably a giraffid, and one print may be that of a hippopotamid. The site of Mleisa 1 is particularly important for its remarkable preservation of the passage of a proboscidean herd intersected by the trackway of a large solitary individual, showing that herding behavior, and possibly also sexual segregation, both hallmarks of modern elephants, were already present in late Miocene proboscideans. Given the large areas across which the carbonates of the Baynunah Formation are exposed inland, many more trackways likely remain to be discovered.