Cretaceous Of Europe Research Articles

A new Mesozoic record of the pseudoscorpion family Garypinidae from Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Ajkaite amber, Ajka area, Hungary

Pseudoscorpions have a sparse fossil record although they are among the oldest terrestrial lineages with origins extending to the Devonian (ca. 390 Ma). Amongst the 25 extant families of pseudoscorpions, only 14 are known from fossils, most of which are preserved in European ambers from the Eocene. Fossil pseudoscorpions from the Cretaceous of Europe have only been reported from three localities, Archingeay amber (France), from the Rhenish Massif (Germany), and from Álava and Teruel amber (Spain), but only one of these has ever been formally described. Here we add a new fossil pseudoscorpion genus and species, Ajkagarypinus stephani gen. et sp. nov., from an Upper Cretaceous (Santonian, ca. 86.3–83.6 Ma) amber deposit in the Ajka Coal Formation (Ajka area, Hungary), the so-called Ajkaite. This fossil extends the spatial range of the pseudoscorpion family Garypinidae and suggests that they might have been widespread in the whole Eurasian landmasses under humid, subtropical climatic conditions.

An Early Cretaceous sponge meadow from the Neuquén Basin, west-central Argentina: unsuspected hosts of a dynamic sclerobiont community

ABSTRACTSponges, especially Calcarea, are minor components of benthic associations, especially during the Mesozoic. In the Lower Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, small calcareous sponges have been found building a small monospecific meadow. It is restricted to a marlstone lens-shaped bed in a quiet outer-ramp setting in the Cerro Marucho Locality (Picún Leufú depocentre), above a shell bed of small exogyrid oysters; oysters and sponges were the only preserved macrobenthic faunal elements. Individual sponges were small, under 4 cm high, and presented a sub-cylindrical morphology with one or more rounded, apical osculi, many inhalant openings and triactine spicules. Specimens studied here were assigned to Endostoma sp. aff. Endostoma nodosa. These sponges are quite commonly encrusted by exogyrid oysters, serpulids, sabellids, agglutinating foraminifers and cyclostome bryozoans. Overgrowths among sclerobionts were common, though no undoubtedly in vivo interaction has been recorded. Disarticulated left oyster valves were frequently bioclaustrated by the sponges, showing that in vivo settlement upon sponges was common. Many oysters settled in the periphery of the osculum suggesting a commensal relationship. The study of this sponge meadow and its sclerobiont community allowed the identification of different stages of ecological succession. The pioneer stage was characterised by sponge settlement on oyster valves, within an otherwise soft consistency bottom. High sedimentation or high nutrient inputs, either individually or in combination, could explain the great abundance of oysters. During the climax stage, sponges thrived and harboured several sclerobiont taxa, developing a relatively dynamic palaeocommunity. Finally, an intensification in either sedimentation rates or nutrient input (or both) past the tolerable threshold for sponges may have been the cause(s) of the meadow's demise. Endostoma and similar forms were up to now reported mostly from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Europe as accessory builders, or as accompanying fauna in reefal settings. This new record shows that in rare occasions they could form low-relief meadows on their own.

The first true procercopid (Hemiptera, Cercopoidea) from England

A new genus and species belonging to the Procercopidae, Valdicopis tonyi Li, Chen and Jarzembowski, gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Wealden) of southern England. It represents the first definite record of the Procercopidae from England and is the first named procercopid from the Cretaceous of Europe, extending the distribution of the Procercopidae, an extinct family of froghoppers. Valdicopis gen. nov. differs from other genera in possessing a slender tegmen, wing surface mottled in basal and apical third of wing; CuA directed toward wing base, then strongly geniculate at connection with crossvein cua-cup; crossvein rp-mp distal to crossvein ir; crossvein imp absent; CuA1 fused with MP3+4; crossvein cua-cup connecting CuA; veins R, MP, and CuA leaving basal cell at common point.

New thoracican cirripedes (Crustacea) from the Cretaceous of Europe and North Africa

Thoracican cirripedes from the Cretaceous (Albian– Maastrichtian) of Europe (UK, France, Germany) and North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia) are described taxonomicallyand significantly aug - ment the diversity previously known from these regions. The new taxa include: a new zeugmatole - padid, Subsecolepas gen. nov. (type species: S. holtwilsoni sp. nov.), three new cretiscalpellid genera, Witherscalpellum gen. nov., Jagtscalpellum gen. nov. and Striascalpellum gen. nov., including the new species J. africanum, J. spinosum, S. bromleyi , S. barringtonensis and S. elegans and a new scalpellid of the genus Regioscalpellum , R. kennedyi. In addition, the Virgiscalpellinae subfam. nov. includes two new genera, Collinslepas and Virgilepas, with the new species C. aitlaminensis, C. robustus , C. tunisiensis, V. aboudaensis, V. peakei and V. hancocki. Paedomorphic evolution in the sub-family led to forms with reduced numbers of capitular plates. Five new species of Virgiscalpellum are also erected: V. mhrilensis sp. nov., V. multilineatum sp. nov., V. truncatum sp. nov., V. laevis sp. nov. and V. sussexiense sp. nov., as well as a new Proverruca, P. anglica. The Eoverrucidae fam. nov. is erected for the genus Eoverruca, for which two new species, E. aubensis (middle Albian, France) and E. symmetrica (upper Campanian, UK) are described. The record from the Albian takes the origin of the verrucomorph cirripedes back 25 million years. Furthermore, two new species of Brachylepas, B. thieli and B. hantonensis, extend the range of the genus down into the Cenomanian, and a new genus of brachylepadid, Fallaxlepas, is erected, with the type species Pollicipes fallax Darwin , 1851. The stratigraphical distribution of Cretaceous cirripede genera is tabulated and demonstrates a remarkable increase in diversity through the Albian to mid-Campanian, above which there is a minor decrease. The Cretaceous– Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary saw the extinction of 15 cirripede genera.

A plesiosaur (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Algora (Guadalajara Province, Central Spain)

A new Plesiosauria specimen from the Cenomanian (early Late Cretaceous) of Algora (Castilla-La-Mancha, Spain) is described here. It represents the first one found in this area and one of the few from the Cretaceous of Spain, being the only one preserving several bones. This is also one of the few plesiosaur specimen found in the Cretaceous of Europe. The specimen consists of a caudal vertebra and an almost complete pelvic girdle, whose character combination permits to refer it to an indeterminate Elasmosauridae. This is the first evidence of plesiosaur in the coastal marine outcrops of Algora, which has already yielded terrestrial, freshwater and coastal reptile taxa. This plesiosaur specimen can therefore represents either a carcass of a pelagic animal thrown on the coast by waves and currents (thanatocoenosis), or remains of an animal living in the area (biocoenosis).

The earliest known titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur and the evolution of Brachiosauridae.

Brachiosauridae is a clade of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaurs that includes the well-known Late Jurassic taxa Brachiosaurus and Giraffatitan. However, there is disagreement over the brachiosaurid affinities of most other taxa, and little consensus regarding the clade’s composition or inter-relationships. An unnamed partial sauropod skeleton was collected from middle–late Oxfordian (early Late Jurassic) deposits in Damparis, in the Jura department of eastern France, in 1934. Since its brief description in 1943, this specimen has been informally known in the literature as the ‘Damparis sauropod’ and ‘French Bothriospondylus’, and has been considered a brachiosaurid by most authors. If correctly identified, this would make the specimen the earliest known titanosauriform. Coupled with its relatively complete nature and the rarity of Oxfordian sauropod remains in general, this is an important specimen for understanding the early evolution of Titanosauriformes. Full preparation and description of this specimen, known from teeth, vertebrae and most of the appendicular skeleton of a single individual, recognises it as a distinct taxon: Vouivria damparisensis gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis of a data matrix comprising 77 taxa (including all putative brachiosaurids) scored for 416 characters recovers a fairly well resolved Brachiosauridae. Vouivria is a basal brachiosaurid, confirming its status as the stratigraphically oldest known titanosauriform. Brachiosauridae consists of a paraphyletic array of Late Jurassic forms, with Europasaurus, Vouivria and Brachiosaurus recovered as successively more nested genera that lie outside of a clade comprising (Giraffatitan + Sonorasaurus) + (Lusotitan + (Cedarosaurus + Venenosaurus)). Abydosaurus forms an unresolved polytomy with the latter five taxa. The Early Cretaceous South American sauropod Padillasaurus was previously regarded as a brachiosaurid, but is here placed within Somphospondyli. A recent study contended that a number of characters used in a previous iteration of this data matrix are ‘biologically related’, and thus should be excluded from phylogenetic analysis. We demonstrate that almost all of these characters show variation between taxa, and implementation of sensitivity analyses, in which these characters are excluded, has no effect on tree topology or resolution. We argue that where there is morphological variation, this should be captured, rather than ignored. Unambiguous brachiosaurid remains are known only from the USA, western Europe and Africa, and the clade spanned the Late Jurassic through to the late Albian/early Cenomanian, with the last known occurrences all from the USA. Regardless of whether their absence from the Cretaceous of Europe, as well as other regions entirely, reflects regional extinctions and genuine absences, or sampling artefacts, brachiosaurids appear to have become globally extinct by the earliest Late Cretaceous.

Intra- and interspecific variability in allodaposuchid crocodylomorphs and the status of western European taxa

The genus Allodaposuchus is an endemic eusuchian from the Late Cretaceous of Europe. This genus was erected in 1928 by Baron Franz Nopcsa based on Allodaposuchus precedens from the Maastrichtian of Romania. Fragmentary skulls recovered from France and Spain were later referred to A. precedens, but three new species of Allodaposuchus have since been described: A. subjuniperus, A. palustris and A. hulki. A set of remains from Velaux, France, was recently interpreted as an ontogenetic series of A. precedens, prompting the argument that other species referred to Allodaposuchus are synonyms of A. precedens. Here, we review intra- and interspecific variability among allodaposuchids. Diagnostic characters for different allodaposuchids are outside the ranges of variation for modern species. Ontogenetic (intraspecific) variation observed in the allodaposuchid from Velaux is not in conflict with the presence of at least four taxa in the European Archipelago during the Late Cretaceous.

“Megalosaurus cf. superbus” from southeastern Romania: The oldest known Cretaceous carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and its implications for earliest Cretaceous Europe-Gondwana connections

Some of the best records of continental vertebrates from the Cretaceous of Europe come from Romania, particularly two well-known occurrences of dwarfed and morphologically aberrant dinosaurs and other taxa that lived on islands (the Cornet and Haţeg Island faunas). Substantially less is known about those vertebrates living in the more stable, cratonic regions of Romania (and Eastern Europe as a whole), particularly during the earliest Cretaceous. We describe one of the few early Early Cretaceous fossils that have ever been found from these regions, the tooth of a large theropod dinosaur from Southern Dobrogea, which was discovered over a century ago but whose age and identification have been controversial. We identify the specimen as coming from the Valanginian stage of the Early Cretaceous, an incredibly poorly sampled interval in global dinosaur evolution, and as belonging to Carcharodontosauridae, a clade of derived, large-bodied apex predators whose earliest Cretaceous history is poorly known. Quantitative analyses demonstrate that the Romanian tooth shows affinities with a derived carcharodontosaurid subgroup, the Carcharodontosaurinae, which until now has been known solely from Gondwana. Our results suggest that this subgroup of colossal predators did not evolve vicariantly as Laurasia split from Gondwana, but originated earlier, perhaps in Europe. The carcharodontosaurine diversification may have been tied to a north-to-south trans-Tethyan dispersal that took place sometime between the Valanginian and the Aptian, illustrating the importance of palaeogeographic ties between these two realms during the largely mysterious early–mid Early Cretaceous.

Notice of nodosaur (Dinosauria, Ankylosauria) remains from the mid-Cretaceous of Cambridge, England, with comments on cervical half-ring armour

Three pieces from cervical half-rings of an immature nodosaur, part of a nodosaurid presacral rod and some post-cranial osteoderms from the Cretaceous of Cambridge were studied at the Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton, UK. Two of the three half-ring elements show dorsal ridge morphologies distinct from each other, and all three have unfused sutured lateral borders. It is possible they may be derived from the same animal. Comparison with other material from the Cretaceous of Europe, USA and Asia indicates the presence of a large nodosaurid in the Cambridge Greensand fauna, with cervical half-ring morphologies similar to North American taxa, but unlike any previously known from the European Cretaceous.

A Cretaceous Shark Tooth in Glacial Debris of Middle Missouri

Fossil Crow shark teeth, extinct genus Squalicorax, are widespread and are reported from the Late Cretaceous of Europe, northern Africa and North America. In the spring of 2011 a fossil tooth of Squalicorax kaupi was discovered in glacial debris of north-central Missouri. The tooth is fairly worn. It is about 1.5 cm tall and 1.6 cm at its widest point. Both cutting edges show evidence of heavy serrations though they are preserved well only at the distal notch. Portions of the enamel are missing and the broken edges are worn smooth. There are two likely sources for the fossil shark tooth of this study. It could have arrived in Missouri by fluvial and glacial movements from formations of the Western Interior Seaway of Kansas, Nebraska or Iowa or from the north northwest by glacial movements from the Hudson Seaway. There are no marine deposits of the Late Cretaceous in this part of Missouri, but Late Cretaceous marine formations and fossils are abundant from Kansas and Nebraska and lesser so from Iowa.

Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) siliceous sponges from Nezvys'ko and Rakovets' (Pokuttian Podillia, western Ukraine)

A taxonomic description of newly collected phosphatizated sponges from the Cenomanian strata of Nezvys'ko and Rakovets' (Pokuttian Podillia, western Ukraine) is presented. The sponge assemblage comprises almost only hexactinellids. The sponges described comprise eleven species belonging to the order Hexactinosida, nineteen species to the order Lychniscosida and one lithistid demosponge species to the suborder Tetracladina, all of which were previously known from the Cretaceous of Europe. Twenty-three species are described from the Cenomanian of Pokuttian Podillia for the first time. The rich assemblage of sponges inhabited the deeper parts of a shelf sea, where the slow sedimentation rate and reduced turbulence favoured their development. Most have a basal plate and were attached to a hard substrate, e.g. on the skeletons of other siliceous sponges or hard skeletons of other animals.

Larachelus morla, gen. et sp. nov., a new member of the little-known European Early Cretaceous record of stem cryptodiran turtles

ABSTRACT A relatively diverse record of European Early Cretaceous pan-cryptodiran turtles has been revealed from the analysis of new specimens and from a review of previously defined taxa. However, knowledge about many of these taxa remains relatively limited. We erect the new taxon, Larachelus morla, gen. et sp. nov., on the basis of a shell from the late Hauterivian–early Barremian of the Iberian Range (Spain). The comparative study of this taxon with the continental European Cretaceous pan-cryptodiran representatives and cladistic analyses reveal L. morla to be a member of the little-known European Early Cretaceous stem Cryptodira. Stem cryptodirans have been recognized from the Early Cretaceous of several continents. The study of L. morla not only confirms the presence of this group in the Early Cretaceous of Europe, it also provides new insights into the European evolution of Pan-Cryptodira. This finding reveals greater diversity in European Early Cretaceous continental pan-cryptodires, highlighting its Hauterivian–Aptian record. This diversity is particularly relevant in the Iberian Range, where several clades of turtles whose coexistence has not been recognized in the Lower Cretaceous of any other region are identified: paracryptodiran members, stem cryptodiran turtles, and representatives of several lineages of the crown group Cryptodira. This very high diversity of continental taxa shows a wide range of morphological diversity that could be related to adaptation to different ecological niches.

A hotspot for cretaceous goniodromitids (Decapoda: Brachyura) from reef associated strata in Spain

Goniodromitidae is an extinct family of primarily Jurassic and Cretaceous crabs that are found mainly in Europe. Herein, we report upon a diversity hotspot for goniodromitids from the Koskobilo quarry in northern Spain exposing mid-Cretaceous (Albian/Cenomanian) coral reef limestones. Five species of goniodromitid are described and discussed: Distefania incerta, D. renefraaijei n. sp., Eodromites grandis, Goniodromites laevis, and Navarradromites pedroartali n. gen., n. sp. Furthermore, Distefania centrosa is herein synonymized with D. incerta. Eodromites grandis was previously known only from the Late Jurassic, resulting in a time gap of 45 Myr. Other species of decapod with long time ranges are known. Additionally, the Spanish representatives of Eodromites grandis are the only Cretaceous specimens known from this genus. Species of the genera Distefania, Eodromites, and Goniodromites were predominantly found in coral/sponge limestones from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Europe and were important for the survival of the family into the Cretaceous and indirectly into the Paleocene.

First record of stegosaur dinosaur tracks in the Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian) of Europe (Oncala group, Soria, Spain)

This paper describes for the first time a stegosaur track from the Cretaceous of Europe. It focuses on a cast that preserves pes-manus tracks recovered in the Huérteles Alloformation of the Berriasian of Soria (northern Spain). This track has been assigned to Deltapodus isp. on the basis of the pes morphology. Nonetheless, in the manus lacks the claw-shaped imprint of the pollex that characterizes Deltapodus brodricki Whyte & Romano, 1994, the type ichnospecies of the ichnogenus Deltapodus Whyte & Romano, 1994. The stegosaurs were abundant and diverse in the Late Jurassic of the Iberian Peninsula, as evidenced by their ichnological and osseous record. The presence of Deltapodus isp. provides further support for the view that the stegosaurs did not disappear in the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary crisis and kept going on the Iberian Peninsula for at least for the initial part of the Early Cretaceous.

A new asteroid (Echinodermata) faunule from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of Morocco

An asteroid (Echinodermata) faunule of four taxa representing three surviving families and a probable fourth is described from the Barremian (Early Cretaceous) of Morocco, northwest Africa. The four together suggest limited morphologic evolution since the Cretaceous but biogeographic and depth patterns have changed. Marocaster coronatus n. gen. n. sp. (Valvatida, Goniasteridae) combines apparent derived features of the dorsal disk and superomarginal shape with more stemward expressions of the abactinal ossicles. Betelgeusia orientalis n. sp. is a fourth Mesozoic occurrence of the Radiasteridae (Paxillosida), the new species similar to earlier occurrences from the Middle Jurassic of India, the Early Cretaceous of Texas, and the Late Cretaceous of Europe. Reported modern occurrences of the family are few, widely scattered, and limited to deeper water; the extinct species together testify to a once-broader familial distribution. Dipsacaster africanus n. sp., a member of the Astropectinidae (Paxillosida), is remarkably similar to extant congeners. Dipsacaster today is widely distributed in the Pacific Ocean but occurrences in the Atlantic are few. Because of preservation, a single small specimen of the Zoroasteridae? (Forcipulatida) cannot be identified with certainty. Extant zoroasterids are deep-water in distribution, although shallow-water Eocene representatives are known.

Additional non-avian theropod and bird remains from the early Late Cretaceous (Santonian) of Hungary and a review of the European abelisauroid record

Hitherto unpublished remains of non-avian and avian theropods from the Late Cretaceous (Formation Csehbánya, Santonian) Iharkút locality (western Hungary) are described. Non-avian theropod remains include an abelisaurid femur, which confirms the presence of this theropod family at Iharkút, and a metacarpal and a tibiotarsus from a paravian which may belong to Pneumatoraptor fodori, previously described from Iharkút. Birds are represented by two femora which clearly belong to enantiornithines, possibly to Bauxitornis, previously described from Iharkút. The abelisauroid record from the Cretaceous of Europe is reviewed.

A new albanerpetontid amphibian from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, southern England

A new albanerpetontid, Wesserpeton evansae gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, southern England, is described. Wesserpeton is established on the basis of a unique combination of primitive and derived characters relating to the frontals and jaws which render it distinct from currently recognized albanerpetontid genera: Albanerpeton (Late Cretaceous to Pliocene of Europe, Early Cretaceous to Paleocene of North America and Late Cretaceous of Asia); Celtedens (Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of Europe); and Anoualerpeton (Middle Jurassic of Europe and Early Cretaceous of North Africa). Although Wesserpeton exhibits considerable intraspecific variation in characters pertaining to the jaws and, to a lesser extent, frontals, the new taxon differs from Celtedens in the shape of the internasal process and gross morphology of the frontals in dorsal or ventral view. It differs from Anoualerpeton in the lack of pronounced heterodonty of dentary and maxillar...

Allodaposuchus Nopsca, 1928 (Crocodylia, Eusuchia), from the Late Cretaceous of southern France and its relationships to Alligatoroidea

ABSTRACT The eusuchian Allodaposuchus is described from Late Cretaceous continental strata of southeastern France. Contrary to recent work involving this genus, a new and more derived position within Eusuchia is proposed in the present study. Allodaposuchus cf. A. precedens from southern France and Allodaposuchus precedens from Romania can be assigned to basal alligatoroids, but their relationship to other basal forms such as Leidyosuchus, diplocynodontids, and other basal globidontans remains unresolved. Most of the inconsistency in the position of Allodaposuchus within alligatoroids may be related to the presence of a laterally open canalis quadratosquamosoexoccipitalis in at least Allodaposuchus precedens from Romania, which also characterizes the basal eusuchian Hylaeochampsa. Although this character remains problematic, the combination of alligatoroid synapomorphies in Allodaposuchus supports its position within Alligatoroidea. The new Allodaposuchus specimen from France suggests the presence of a stock of basal alligatoroids in the Late Cretaceous of Europe, whereas North America and Europe remain equally likely options for the biogeographic origin of the clade.

Application of the Wagner's Parsimony Method in fossil plant assemblages from the Cretaceous of Europe

Wagner's Parsimony Method, a grouping method used in phylogeny and synecology, is applied for the first time to taxon lists of fossil plant assemblages from the Albian–Cenomanian of Europe. When compared to a “classical” Correspondence Analysis, WPM allows for a higher resolution, using taxa named in “cf.” or “aff.” and points out both clusters and gradients. WPM results in a tree in which localities order according to their species content and minimizes the number of changes of character states (presence/absence), whereas Correspondence Analysis plots the localities along axes and maximizes the inertia (“variance” explaining most differences between localities). Close relationships exist between the plant palaeobiocenoses and palaeobiotopes, the latter being inferred from taphonomical data (especially the salinity and the clastic size). The space/time working scale can be very fine, up to the landscape ecology level.

NEW AND LITTLE-KNOWN GASTROPODS FROM THE ALBIAN OF THE MAHAJANGA BASIN, NORTHWESTERN MADAGASCAR

Thirty-one gastropod species and one type of isolated larval shell are described from a quarry near Ambatolafia in the Mahajanga Basin, northwestern Madagascar. The ammonite fauna indicates a lower Albian age of the fauna (Cleoniceras besairiei Zone). The taxonomic position of the species described earlier is reviewed, incorporating new data on shell structure and protoconch morphology. Twelve species and one genus are new, with four species described in open nomenclature. The oldest hitherto known representatives of Cocculina sensu lato, Iphitus, Conjectura, Entomope, Tomura, and possibly Vatopsis and Paladmete, are described. Nacre is documented in a species of Semisolarium, providing further evidence for the position of this genus within the Vetigastropoda. Eight of the species occur also in the Cretaceous of Europe or are tentatively assigned to European species. Three species have close relatives in the Aptian/Albian of Japan, one species may have relations to the Albian of Texas. The new genus is Mahajangina (family uncertain) for a species having a small, trochispiral teleoconch with spines on the periphery, and a conical, bicarinate larval shell. The new species are: Cirsocerithium collignoni, Zardinistylus betsibokaensis, Pommerozygia mahajangensis, Conjectura minuta, Buvignieria berwaldi, Mahajangina weitschati, Entomope crassilabrum, Paladmete? rasoarinoroae, Tomura ambatolafiensis, Carinathilda parviruga, Carinathilda bandeli, and Gymnothilda pagodoidea.