Fossil Species Research Articles

Hepatics from Rovno amber (Ukraine). 11. Radula oblongifolia and R. tikhomirovae sp. nov.

A study of Rovno amber has revealed two fossil leafy liverwort species of the genus Radula (Radulaceae, Marchantiophyta) that are new to the late Eocene flora of Rovno amber. One of these species, R. oblongifolia, was described previously from Eocene Baltic and Bitterfeld amber, whereas the other species, R. tikhomirovae, is described here as new. Radula tikhomirovae differs from R. oblongifolia and two other Eocene species of that genus, R. sphaerocarpoides and R. baltica, by the presence of microphyllous branches and by the shape of its leaf lobules.

Virtual reconstruction of the Canis arnensis type (Canidae, Mammalia) from the Upper Valdarno Basin (Italy, Early Pleistocene)

Taphonomic deformation, whether it be brittle or plastic, is possibly the most influential process hindering the correct understanding of fossil species morphology. This is especially true if the deformation affects type specimens or applies to or obscures taxonomically diagnostic or functionally significant traits. Target Deformation, a recently developed virtual manipulation protocol, was implemented to address this issue by applying landmark-guided restoration of the original, deformed fossils, using undeformed specimens (or parts thereof) of the same species as a reference. The enigmatic Early Pleistocene canid Canis arnensis provides a typical example of a fossil species in dire need of virtual restoration. Its lectotype specimen is heavily deformed and none of the few known skulls are well preserved, obscuring the recognition of its systematic and phylogenetic position. Our results indicate that the algorithm effectively countered the lectotype skull’s laterolateral compression and its concomitant rostrocaudal elongation. Morphometrically, comparison of the retrodeformed cranium (IGF 867_W) with other specimens of the same species, and to other fossil and extant canid material, confirms IGF 867_W consistently clusters within C. arnensis variability. Overall, the evidence presented here confirms that Target Deformation provides a powerful tool to better characterize complex taxa like C. arnensis, whose knowledge is severely affected by the state of preservation of its fossil material.

A new species of the extant genus Bulasconotus from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Colydiinae)

A fossil species of the extant colydiine genus Bulasconotus Ślipiński & Lawrence, B. carinisternus Li, Ślipiński & Cai sp. nov., is reported from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of northern Myanmar. The new species shares with extant Bulasconotus the 3-segmented antennal club, externally open procoxal cavities, and similar sculpture on the pronotum and elytra, but could be recognized by the medially carinated prosternal process. The present discovery provides a valuable example of morphological stasis in the cylindrical bark beetles.

One New Genus and Four New Species of Beaded Lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar Amber.

In recent years, as more and more fossil species of berothids from Myanmar have been reported, the species and morphological diversity of Berothidae continues to increase. Herein, one new species of Berothidae, Aggregataberotha paucipunctata sp. nov., and one new genus, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., with three new species (Sejunctaberotha sphaerica gen. et sp. nov., Sejunctaberotha tenuis gen. et sp. nov. and Sejunctaberotha transversa gen. et sp. nov.) are described from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. A. paucipunctata sp. nov. is assigned to Aggregataberotha Wang, Huang & Wang, 2022, based on the characteristics of the similar female terminalia and wing venation, but can be different from A. punctate regarding the pale pterostigma and a few detailed features of wing venation. Additionally, representatives of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. are remarkably different from the representatives of the other genera within Berothidae in the configuration of wing venation. For example, Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. has simple subcostal veinlets, obviously free Sc and RA at the apex present both in fore- and hindwings, a single ra-rp crossvein connecting the RA with RP3, a single rp-m crossvein locating before the origin of the MP, a simple CuP and no gradate veins. Interestingly, in one of the specimens of Sejunctaberotha gen. nov., a pair of spherical bulges was found at the end of the antennae. The new genus Sejunctaberotha gen. nov. suggests that Berothidae had a higher potential diversification during the Mesozoic Era.

A new Bothriembryon from the Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia, with insights on the age of Bothriembryon praecursor from Kangaroo Well, Northern Territory

Fossil Bothriembryon specimens were recovered from the northwestern edges of the Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia, ∼300 km inland from the current southern coastline. This locality is significant because extant species of Bothriembryon from the Nullarbor are confined to within 50 km of the coastline. Principle component analysis (PCA) was used to compare the Nullarbor Bothriembryon species with a morphologically comparable extant species from the Eucla Basin, Bothriembryon barretti, and geographically closest fossil species: Bothriembryon kremnobates and Bothriembryon praecursor. Results showed strong support for a new fossil species herein described as Bothriembryon pilkiensis sp. nov. Specimens were found as internal moulds within pisolitic calcrete overlying the early Miocene Colville Sandstone. The chronology of the pisolitic calcrete is poorly studied; here we discuss the results of palynological and U–Th disequilibrium investigations which attempted to constrain the time of deposition and fossilization, with palynology results suggesting the late Pliocene. The type locality of B. praecursor, Kangaroo Well, Northern Territory, was also re-evaluated in age to the early Miocene, using biocorrelation of two balbarid species to taxa found within Riversleigh World Heritage Area assemblages. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E33B1587-1023-419D-AFE8-11FD8C443A27 Helen E. Ryan [ helen.ryan@museum.wa.gov.au ], Collection and Research Centre, WA Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA, 6106; Kenny J. Travouillon [ Kenny.travouillon@museum.wa.gov.au ], Collection and Research Centre, WA Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA, 6106; Lynne A. Milne [ L.Milne@curtin.edu.au ], School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, WA, 6102; Sarah K. Martin [ sarah.martin@dmirs.wa.gov.au ], Geological Survey of Western Australia, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, 100 Plain Street, East Perth, WA, 6004; Kailah M. Thorn [ Kailah.thorn@museum.wa.gov.au ], Collection and Research Centre, WA Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA, 6106; Corey S. Whisson [ corey.whisson@museum.wa.gov.au ], Collection and Research Centre, WA Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA, 6106.

First record of the genus Neosimnia (Gastropoda: Ovulidae) in the Eastern Indian Ocean, with the description of five fossil species from the Miocene of West Java, Indonesia

The genus Neosimnia P. Fisher, 1884, is reported for the first time from Indonesia in the form of several fossil species, recovered together from the Miocene deposits of Tasikmalaya, West Java. The species described closely resemble their current Atlantic counterparts, of which they exhibit all the modern characteristics. Nevertheless, they are undoubtedly new to science, as no living or fossil specimens of this genus are known from the Indian Ocean or the Western Pacific Region.

New Miocene fossil taxa illuminate the evolution and paleobiogeography of the Ponto-Caspian gammaroid amphipod radiation

Abstract The Ponto-Caspian radiation of gammaroid amphipods is one of the world’s most diverse lacustrine crustacean radiations as well as the only lacustrine amphipod radiation with a fossil record (dating back 9 Ma). However, the phyletic relationship between fossils and extant species was never formally investigated, hampering our evolutionary understanding of this diverse clade. Here, we present the first morphology-based phylogeny (114 characters) of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids that includes 99% of extant taxa, all previously known fossils, as well as newly discovered fossil specimens from the Late Miocene (10.5 Ma) of eastern Romania. Our phylogenetic and phenetic results strongly support the monophyly of all fossil taxa. However, despite its widespread Late Miocene distribution throughout the Paratethys Sea, this fossil clade left no modern descendants. Its exact phylogenetic position is ambiguous, although it is nested in the radiation’s crown group. Morphometric analyses further indicate that fossil species occupy a narrower and peripheral morphospace relative to extant taxa. Our results support the assignment of the newly discovered Romanian fossils to a new genus, Eogmelina gen. nov. with two new species Eogmelina moldavica gen. et sp. nov. and Eogmelina prisca gen. et sp. nov. Finally, our findings call for a fundamental systematic restructuring of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids at genus and family level.

NEW REPORT OF DECAPOD AND ISOPOD CRUSTACEANS FROM THE LOWERMIDDLE PLEISTOCENE OF MONTALBANO JONICO, MATERA (BASILICATA, SOUTHERN ITALY)

The study of the Lower-Middle Pleistocene decapod crustacean fauna from Montalbano Jonico succession allowed 12 taxa to be recognized. The studied samples include some fossil species already known from the Pleistocene record of Italy, as Ebalia nux A. Milne-Edwards, 1883, Monodaeus bortolottii Delle Cave, 1988, Liocarcinus depurator (Linnaeus, 1758), Goneplax rhomboides (Linnaeus, 1758), and Chlinocephalus demissifrons Ristori, 1886. These species are reported for the first time from Basilicata, except for E. nux, whereas Carcinoplax jonica n. sp. and Neogoneplax bradanica n. sp. are introduced as new species. Moreover, one poorly preserved specimen is assigned to Ebalia sp.; one dubitative specimen to ?Carcinus sp.; one specimen to Bathycalliax sp. (Axiidea de Saint Laurent, 1979); one to an indeterminate galatheid; and two poorly preserved large-sized specimens are tentatively referred to Carcinoplax sp. (Goneplacidae, MacLeay, 1838). Finally, several indeterminate specimens of cirolanid (Isopoda) are reported, as well.The studied decapod community from Basilicata allows us to expand our knowledge of Pleistocene fossil crabs and their distribution around the Mediterranean Sea basin in the Lower-Middle Pleistocene.

The Falls of the Ohio River: America's First Fossil Bed

Abstract The Falls of the Ohio is a world-renowned geoheritage site of palaeontological and geological importance that also played key roles in the cultural and historical development of America. Studied by geologists for over two centuries, over 600 species of fossils are known from the site, hundreds of which were first described here. Beyond geology, the Falls of the Ohio can also be considered the origin and ending of the Lewis and Clark expedition, as well as an important location for naturalists and educators. A treasure of natural and human history and a National Natural Landmark, this spectacular 220 acre (89 ha) expanse of fossiliferous bedrock is worthy of ongoing study and protection.

Four new species of Burmomiles (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Here we describe four new fossil species of soldier beetles, Burmomiles brevicollis sp. nov., B. angustipennis sp. nov., B. recticollis sp. nov., B. dentatus sp. nov., which are collected from the mid-Cretaceous amber in Kachin (Hukawng valley) of Northern Myanmar. They are placed in Burmomiles Fanti, Damgaard et Ellenberger, 2018 based on the male antennomeres IV‒X each with an antennal appendage inserted at a basal cavity on the ventral side, and tibiae hardly longer than femora, tarsomeres I normal and less than twice as long as II. Moreover, with more species added, the key for the identification of all Burmomiles species is updated. These results will significantly expand our knowledge on the species diversity of Burmite cantharids.

The second extinct microhisterid species (Coleoptera: Histeridae: Bacaniini) described from the Eocene Rovno amber using X-Ray microtomography

ABSTRACT The third fossil species of the tribe Bacaniini (Coleoptera, Histeridae), Bacanius caterinoi Sokolov et Perkovsky, sp. nov., is described from the Eocene Rovno amber. Previous two extinct species were known from the Rovno and Baltic amber. We compared the new species with them and extant representatives of related taxa. The new species belongs to the extant genus Bacanius LeConte, 1853 and can be included to the extant subgenus Gomyister Mazur 1984. This is the second species of the subgenus from Rovno amber indicating the diversity of this currently primarily tropical group in the Eocene of Europe. Zoobank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:85027CC6-42D0-44CB-B111-8CE1A8F53F12

A new fossil species of Callipteris (Callipteridae) in the Early Permian from the Xishan Area in Beijing, North China

A new early Permian Medullosa (Pteridospermatophyta) is described based on a moderately well-preserved sample from Xishan Area in Beijing, North China. Callipteris seshufenensis Chen sp. nov. represents the first record of genus Callipteris in the early Permian period in Beijing region. Callipteris seshufenensis has a remarkable morphology characterized by a narrow midvein with distinct transverse stripes, small pinnules with 2–3 lateral branches directly connected with pinna-rachis except for the rounded-obtuse apex of pinnule and costule divided more than three times (sometimes more than five times). Together with coeval callipterid fossils recorded from the North China plate and the Siberian plate, the present discovery suggests that the migration route of callipterids in China extended from West China to Northeast China.

A New Fossil of Cystodium (Cystodiaceae) from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

The only known fossil of Cystodium (Cystodiaceae) is C. sorbifolioides from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Here we describe a new fossil species of Cystodium, C. parasorbifolium, also from amber collected in Myanmar. This new species belongs to Cystodium based on pinnate fertile lamina segments, terminal sori protected by a reflexed lobe of the lamina (outer or false indusium), free veins, vertical annuli interrupted at the stalk, trilete spores, and striate perines. It differs from C. sorbifolioides by reflexed ovate-conical indusia and spores with clear striate perines. This new fossil species suggests that Cystodium was more diverse in the forests of Myanmar during the Cretaceous.

A new species of Eocene fossil Malthodes (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) with a rarely observed aedeagus.

A new Malthodes (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Malthininae) in Eocene amber from Poland (Baltic amber) is illustrated and described here: Malthodes (s. str.) maximiliani sp. nov. The new species of soldier beetle is characterized by its small body size and last tergites and last sternite distinct from similar taxa. Notably, the specimen has a partially visible aedeagus, a characteristic rarely seen in fossil Malthodes of the nominotypical subgenus; it has been observed in only three fossil species of this subgenus.

Redescription of three fossil baleen whale skulls from the Miocene of Portugal reveals new cetotheriid phylogenetic insights.

Cetotheriidae is a family of baleen whales that went nearly extinct during the Pleistocene (excluding Caperea marginata). For a long time, the Cetotheriidae family has been seen as a problematic clade, but in the past two decades there have been various studies trying to resolve the phylogeny of this group. In 1831, Alexandre Vandelli described three cetotheriid skulls, found during a gold exploration at Adiça beach (Portugal). These specimens constituted the first Portuguese vertebrate fossils ever published in the literature. Another skull was added to the "Vandelli skulls" by Jacinto Pedro Gomes, in 1914, during a survey of the Museu Nacional de História Natural collections without giving information on the origin of this skull. In 1941, Remington Kellogg states that one of the original "Vandelli skulls" is no longer present in the Museu Nacional de História Natural collections. Until today, there is no information on how, or exactly when, the fourth skull and one of the original three "Vandelli skulls" appeared and disappeared, respectively. Since their discovery, all the attempts to describe these specimens were not based on direct observations and no comprehensive phylogenetic analysis have included the three skulls. Here we provide a detailed anatomic description, a new phylogenetic analysis and a palaeoecological reconstruction of these specimens, clarifying their relationships within the Cetotheriidae family and fostering the importance of these historical specimens to the modern comprehension of fossil whale evolution. In addition, our results support that Cephalotropis nectus is a valid species with an emended diagnosis. We also concluded that two specimens belong to a new genus, forming two new fossil species (new combinations).

Dental caries in living and extinct strepsirrhines with insights into diet.

Dental caries is one of the most common diseases afflicting modern humans and occurs in both living and extinct non-human primates, as well as other mammalian species. Compared to other primates, less is known about the etiology or frequency of caries among the Strepsirrhini. Given the link between caries and diet, caries frequency may be informative about the dietary ecology of a given animal. Understanding rates of caries in wild populations is also critical to assessing dental health in captive populations. Here, we examine caries frequency in a sample of 36 extant strepsirrhine species (n = 316 individuals) using odontological collections of wild-, non-captive animals housed at the American Museum of Natural History by counting the number of specimens characterized by the disease. Additionally, in the context of studying caries lesions in strepsirrhines, case studies were also conducted to test if similar lesions were found in their fossil relatives. In particular, two fossil strepsirrhine species were analyzed: the earliest Late Eocene Karanisia clarki, and the subfossil lemur Megaladapis madagascariensis. Our results suggest that caries affects 13.92% of the extant individuals we examined. The frugivorous and folivorous taxa were characterized by the highest overall frequency of caries, whereas the insectivores, gummivores, and omnivores had much lower caries frequencies. Our results suggest that caries may be common among wild populations of strepsirrhines, and in fact is more prevalent than in many catarrhines and platyrrhines. These findings have important implications for understanding caries, diet, and health in living and fossil taxa.

Otoliths of the Gobiidae from the Neogene of tropical America

Otoliths are common and diverse in the Neogene of tropical America. Following previous studies of Neogene tropical American otoliths of the lanternfishes (Myctophidae), marine catfishes (Ariidae), croakers (Sciaenidae), and cusk-eels (Ophidiiformes), we describe here the otoliths of the gobies (Gobiidae). The Gobiidae represent the richest marine fish family, with more than 2000 species worldwide and about 250 in America. In the fossil record too they are the species richest family in the Neogene of tropical America. We have investigated otoliths sampled from Ecuador, Pacific and Atlantic Panama, Atlantic Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Trinidad, ranging in age from late Early Miocene (late Burdigalian) to late Early Pleistocene (Calabrian). Most of the studied material originates from the collection expeditions of the Panama Paleontology Project (PPP). Our study represents the first comprehensive record of fossil gobies from America, and we recognize 107 species, of which 51 are new to science, 35 are in open nomenclature, and 19 represent species that also live in the region today. Previously, only two fossil otolith-based goby species have been described from the Neogene of tropical America. The dominant gobies in the fossil record of the region are from the Gobiosomatini, particularly of genera living over soft bottoms or in deeper water such as Bollmannia, Microgobius, Antilligobius, and Palatogobius. Another purpose of our study is to provide a first comprehensive account of otoliths of the extant Gobiidae of America, which we consider necessary for an adequate identification and interpretation of the Neogene otoliths. We studied otoliths of 130 extant American gobiid species and figured 106 of them for comparison. We also present a morphological analysis and characterization of the extant otoliths as a basis for the identification of fossil otoliths. Problems that commonly arise with the identification of fossil otoliths and specifically of fossil goby otoliths are addressed and discussed. A comparison of the history of the Gobiidae in tropical America reveals a high percentage of shared species between the Pacific and the Atlantic basins during the Late Miocene (Tortonian and Messinian) from at least 11 to 6 Ma. A recording gap on the Pacific side across the Pliocene allows a comparison again only in the late Early Pleistocene (Calabrian, 1.8 to 0.78 Ma), which shows a complete lack of shared species. These observations support the effective closure of the former Central American Seaway and emersion of the Isthmus of Panama in the intervening time. Groups that today only exist in the East Pacific were also identified in the Miocene and Pliocene of the West Atlantic, and there is also at least one instance of a genus now restricted to the West Atlantic having occurred in the East Pacific as late as the Pleistocene. The evolution of gobies in tropical America and the implications thereof are extensively discussed. Furthermore, observations of fossil gobies in the region are discussed in respect to paleoenvironmental indications and paleobiogeographic aspects.

Current evidence indicates a Eurasian origin for the Last Common Ancestor of African apes and humans, and supports a new hypothesis suggesting that the Zanclean Megaflood (5.3 Ma) may have played a role in the ultimate divergence of Pan and Homo.

While the established paradigm of human evolution asserts that the lineages leading to the extant great apes and Homo arose in Africa, the large number of fossil discoveries from Europe in recent decades support arguments for a European origin of the Hominidae (all great apes) and plausibly, also a European common ancestor of the Homininae (African great apes, Australopithecus species, and the genus Homo). Meanwhile, a lack of consensus remains regarding the phylogenetic placement of australopithecine fossil species in Africa, with substantial evidence indicating that some of them may align more closely to extant African great apes than to Homo. Based on a novel interpretation of existing fossil, genetic, paleogeographic and paleoclimatic evidence, this paper aims to put forward a new hypothesis regarding the separate divergences of Gorilla, Pan, and Homo. We support existing arguments that the last common ancestor of African great apes and Homo may have lived in Europe in the late Miocene, and we put forward a new hypothesis as to where, when, and why the separate lineages may have started to diverge. Extreme conditions during the Vallesian Crisis (11.6-8.0 Ma) and the Messinian Salinity Crisis (6.0-5.3 Ma) may have forced separate branches of European hominids to migrate out of the Mediterranean region. We argue that the lineages leading to Gorilla and Pan independently migrated into Africa, while the lineage leading to Homo went in another direction. Thereafter, the Zanclean Megaflood (5.3 Ma)--which caused the Mediterranean to refill very quickly--may have cut off the migration route between Eurasia and Africa at the Sinai Peninsula, isolating a small population (the putative Homo lineage) on the Arabian Peninsula / Red Sea coast during a period of hyperaridity. The other group (Pan lineage) crossed into Africa, where it subsequently diversified into various species of Australopithecus.

Comparison of dental topography of marmosets and tamarins (Callitrichidae) to other platyrrhine primates using a novel freeware pipeline

Dental topographic metrics (DTMs), which quantify different aspects of the shape of teeth, are powerful tools for studying dietary adaptation and evolution in mammals. Current DTM protocols usually rely on proprietary software, which may be unavailable to researchers for reasons of cost. We address this issue in the context of a DTM analysis of the primate clade Platyrrhini (“New World monkeys”) by: 1) presenting a large comparative sample of scanned second lower molars (m2s) of callitrichids (marmosets and tamarins), previously underrepresented in publicly available datasets; and 2) giving full details of an entirely freeware pipeline for DTM analysis and its validation. We also present an updated dietary classification scheme for extant platyrrhines, based on cluster analysis of dietary data extracted from 98 primary studies. Our freeware pipeline performs equally well in dietary classification accuracy of an existing sample of platyrrhine m2s (excluding callitrichids) as a published protocol that uses proprietary software when multiple DTMs are combined. Individual DTMs, however, sometimes showed very different results in classification accuracies between protocols, most likely due to differences in smoothing functions. The addition of callitrichids resulted in high classification accuracy in predicting diet with combined DTMs, although accuracy was considerably higher when molar size was included (90%) than excluded (73%). We conclude that our new freeware DTM pipeline is capable of accurately predicting diet in platyrrhines based on tooth shape and size, and so is suitable for inferring probable diet of taxa for which direct dietary information is unavailable, such as fossil species.

A new fossil species of a liverwort of the Frullania genus (Frullaniaceae, Marchantiophyta) from the Miocene amber of Simojovel de Allende, Chiapas, Mexico

The fossil record based on liverworts in Mexico remains poorly studied. To date, they have been documented only in Miocene amber deposits from Chiapas, southern Mexico. From this same amberiferous locality, here we described a new fossil species belonging to the Frullania genus. This plant is characterized by irregular, terminal branching of the Frullania type. Lobes obliquely oblong-rounded with rounded apex, sometimes with an inconspicuous one-celled apiculus. Ocelli are present in the lobes. Lobules distant from the stem, obliquely extended, inflated, some of the wider in the middle, narrowing toward its apex. Underleaves distant, lateral margins angular. This new record represents the second report of this genus for Mexico, indicating that the flora represented by liverworts was more important in southern Mexico during the Early Miocene.