The European Paromomyidae (Primates, Mammalia): taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeographic implications

Plesiadapiforms represent the first radiation of Primates, appearing near the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. Eleven families of plesiadapiforms are recognized, including the Paromomyidae. Four species of paromomyids from the early Eocene have been reported from Europe:Arcius fuscusRussell et al., 1967,Arcius lapparentiRussell et al., 1967, andArcius rougieriGodinot, 1984 from France andArcius zbyszewskiiEstravís, 2000 from Portugal. OtherArciusspecimens from the early Eocene are known from Masia de l’Hereuet (Spain), Abbey Wood (England), and Sotteville-sur-Mer (Normandy, France). A cladistic analysis of the European paromomyids has never previously been published. A total of 53 dental characters were analyzed for the fourArciusspecies and the specimens from Spain, England, and Normandy. The results of a parsimony analysis using TNT agree with previous conceptions ofA. zbyszewskiias the most primitive member of the genus. Consistent with existing hypotheses,Arcius rougieriis positioned as the sister taxon ofA. fuscusandA. lapparenti, and the results suggest that the fossil from Normandy isA. zbyszewskii. However, the English fossil pertains to a primitive lineage, rather than grouping withA. lapparentias had been suggested; as such it is recognized here as a distinct species (Arcius hookerinew species). The Spanish fossils cluster together with the French species but do not show the previously proposed special relationship withA. lapparentiand are sufficiently distinct to be placed in a new species (Arcius ilerdensis).Arciusis recovered as monophyletic, which is consistent with a single migration event from North America to Europe around the earliest Eocene through the Greenland land bridge.UUID:http://zoobank.org/f4aac438-82d2-4a25-887b-3e0c072d87f6

Gladiopycnodontidae, a new family of pycnodontiform fishes from the Late Cretaceous of Lebanon, with the description of three genera

The osteology of Gladiopycnodus karami gen. et sp. nov., of Monocerichthys scheuchzeri gen. et sp. nov. and of Rostropycnodus gayeti gen. et sp. nov., three new fossil fishes from the marine Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Lebanon, is studied in detail. Some of their cranial characters and the presence of a postcoelomic bone clearly refer these fishes to the order Pycnodontiformes. However, they differ from all other described Pycnodontiformes by two important characters. Their snout is elongated as a rostrum, formed by the enlarged prefrontal and the toothless premaxilla, with this premaxilla sutured by its upper margin to the lower margin of the prefrontal. Their pectoral fin is replaced by a strong spine articulated with the cleithrum. These two apomorphies justify the erection of a new family, the Gladiopycnodontidae. The skull of Monocerichthys scheuchzeri sp. nov. does not differ greatly from a classical pycnodontiform skull and this species seems to be the more primitive member of this new family. Gladiopycnodus karami gen. et sp. nov. and Rostropycnodus gayeti gen. et sp. nov. are much more specialized. They share some apomorphies not present in Monocerichthys scheuchzeri gen. et sp. nov., i. e., an extremely long rostrum and an elongated first anal pterygiophore that sustains with the postcoelomic bone a strong and long anal spine. Gladiopycnodontidae fam. nov. and Coccodontidae share a series of apomorphies that justify the erection of a new superfamily, Coccodontoidea, grouping these two families.

Extinct peccary “Cynorca” occidentale (Tayassuidae, Tayassuinae) from the Miocene of Panama and correlations to North America

Recently collected specimens of the extinct tayassuine peccary “Cynorca” occidentale (and another indeterminant tayassuid) are described from new excavations along the southern reaches of the Panama Canal. Fossil peccaries were previously unknown from Panama, and these new tayassuid specimens therefore add to the extinct mammalian biodiversity in this region. “Cynorca” occidentale occurs in situ in the Centenario Fauna (new name) from both the upper part of the Culebra Formation and overlying Cucaracha Formation, thus encompassing a stratigraphic interval that includes both of these formations and the previously described and more restricted Gaillard Cut Local Fauna. “Cynorca” occidentale is a primitive member of the clade that gives rise to modern tayassuines in the New World. Diagnostic characters for “C.” occidentale include a retained primitive M1, reduced M3, and shallow mandible, and this species is small relative to most other extinct and modern tayassuine peccaries. Based on the closest biostratigraphic comparisions (Maryland, Florida, Texas, and California), the presence of “C.” occidentale indicates an interval of uncertain duration within the early Hemingfordian (He1) to early Barstovian (Ba 1) land mammal ages (early to middle Miocene) for the Centenario Fauna, between about 19 and 14.8 million years ago. Based on what is known of the modern ecology of tayassuines and previous paleoecological interpretations for Panama, “C.” occidentale likely occupied a variety of environments, ranging from forested to open country habitat mosaics and fed on the diverse array of available plants.

A primitive istiodactylid pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea) from the Jiufotang Formation (Early Cretaceous), northeast China

A new pterosaur, Hongshanopterus lacustris gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation, western Liaoning, China is described. The specimen (IVPP V14582) consists of a skull preserved in palatal view and some isolated cervical vertebrae. Based on the labiolingually compressed teeth with a triangular crown Hongshanopterus lacustris is referred to the Istiodactylidae. It presents several plesiomorphic features such as the teeth not confined to the anterior third of the skull but extended more posteriorly, and is thus considered the most primitive member of this group. This new species also differs from other istiodactylids by having more teeth, some showing the crown distinctively directed posteriorly. Three other members of the Istiodactylidae are currently represented in the Jiufotang deposits: Nurhachius ignaciobritoi, Istiodactylus sinensis and Longchengpterus zhaoi. To those we add Liaoxipterus brachyognathus, previously classified in the Ctenochasmatidae but that also has triangular labiolingually compressed teeth, and is a potential senior synonym of Lonchengpterus zhaoi. The palatal anatomy of Hongshanopterus lacustris also agrees with previous hypothesis that considers Istiodactylidae more closely related to the Anhangueridae than to Pteranodon (or Pteranodontidae).

Notas sobre Spinosauridae (Theropoda, Dinosauria)

Spinosaur remains were collected in Africa, Europa, Asia and Brazil, coming from deposits with ages ranging from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous. Although having a wide distribution - both geographically and temporally - little is actually known about the group since most specimens are incomplete. Up to now, only eight species were described. Spinosauridae is divided into the Baryonychinae (Suchomimus + Baryonyx + Cristatosaurus) and Spinosaurinae (Spinosaurus+ Angaturama + Irritator). Only in Africa members of both clades were found. One possible scenario that could explain the spinosaurid distribution, suggests that forms related to Baryonyx (the most primitive member of this clade) dispersed from Europe to Northern Africa, where Spinosaurinae were originated. Later, members of the Spinosaurinae further spread to South America.

The diet of the musky rat-kangaroo, Hypsiprymnodon moschatus, a rainforest specialist

Musky rat-kangaroos inhabit tropical rain forest and are Australia's smallest and most primitive member of the Macropodoidea. Their ecology and behaviour has remained unknown in the wild until this study, and is expected to be representative of an early unspecialised macropodoid lifestyle. I examined the diet of musky rat-kangaroos using a range of methods including microscopic examination of faecal pellets, direct observation, spool-and-line tracking and examinion of teeth marks left in fruit on the forest floor. Musky rat-kangaroos are frugivores and consumed the fruits of 40 species of plant on a 9-ha rainforest site in Wooroonooran National Park, Queensland. They ate primarily the flesh of fruits, but 11% of seeds from approximately half the species of fruit consumed were also eaten. While musky rat-kangaroos ate fruit from all size classes, they preferred large, fleshy drupes and seeds with a moderate to soft seed coat but without latex present. Invertebrates and the epigeal fruiting bodies of some agaric fungi were the other significant dietary components and these showed seasonal patterns of significance in the diet and differential use by adults and subadults. Musky rat-kangaroos eat the lowest-fibre diet of all animals in the superfamily Macropodoidea and their size and digestive tract reflect this unspecialised, and probably ancestral, diet.

Diurnal behaviour and habitat use of nonbreeding Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris

The diurnal behaviour and habitat use of the globally threatened Marbled Teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris, were studied in Morocco and Spain from October to March. This is the first study of nonbreeding Marbled Teal, the most primitive member of the pochards (tribe Aythyini). Like other Aythyini, Marbled Teal pair relatively late: only 35% of individuals were paired by mid-March. Feeding was mainly nocturnal, and less than 2% of daytime was spent feeding from November to March. Feeding behaviour was similar to that of dabbling ducks (tribe Anatini). A steady increase in swimming activity from October to March was related to increased courtship activity and raptor-avoidance behaviour. Teal selected areas close to the shoreline and avoided open water. Selection of shoreline habitats and distance to shoreline covaried with month and behaviour type. The Marbled Teal is an aberrant pochard with a stronger ecological affinity with the Anatini.

Ultrastructural and protein analysis of surfactant in the Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri: evidence for conservation of composition for 300 million years

The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is the most primitive member of the lungfish family, with a surfactant lipid composition similar to the actinopterygiian fishes, which evolved 400 million years ago. We have analysed the proteins associated with surfactant isolated from lung lavage of this species, and used electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to examine the surfactant structures and the subcellular localisation of these proteins. The epithelial lining of the gas-exchange region of the lungfish lung consists of one basic cell type, which has characteristics of both mammalian alveolar type I and type II cells and may be the common ancestor of both. It has long cytoplasmic plates containing microvilli, large osmiophilic bodies resembling mammalian lamellar bodies and a cytoplasm rich in metabolic organelles. Extracellular structures reminiscent of mammalian surfactant forms, but not including tubular myelin, were observed in the airspaces. Immunochemical analysis of the lungfish surfactant and lung tissue, using antibodies to human SP-A and SP-B, showed a similar staining pattern to human surfactant, indicating that SP-A- and SP-B-like proteins are present. Immunohistochemistry revealed that both SP-A and SP-B reactivity was present in the secretory cell osmiophilic bodies. In conclusion, our results suggest that, despite the great diversity in present day lung structures, a common cellular mechanism may have evolved to overcome fundamental problems associated with air-breathing.

First lambeosaurine hadrosaurid from Europe: palaeobiogeographical implications

New dinosaur specimens from the uppermost Cretaceous of Spain represent the first record of a lambeosaurine hadrosaurid from Europe. This discovery, which consists of skull, mandible, and postcranial remains from the Tremp Basin (Lleida Province, Catalonia), is particularly unexpected because lambeosaurines are otherwise well known from western North America and central and eastern Asia. Originally named Pararhabdodon isonensis, a species previously regarded as a basal iguanodontian dinosaur, new material indicates that Pararhabdodon is in fact a primitive member of the lambeosaurine clade. The presence of lambeosaurines on the Iberian Peninsula at the very end of the Cretaceous period is likely due to vicariance rather than dispersal. The distribution of hadrosaurids suggests biogeographic differences across the European archipelago at the end of the Cretaceous.