Revision of the late Visean-Serpukhovian (Mississippian) calcareous algae, foraminifers and microproblematica from Balia-Maden (NW Turkey)

The taxonomic revision of the carbonate microbiota of the limestone lenses intercalated into the Carboniferous siliciclastic series of Balia-Maden (Turkey) shows that most lenses are early or middle Brigantian in age (latest Visean), only a single lens being of younger age (late Serpukhovian). Calcareous microbiota are abundant in the Balia-Maden lenses carbonates. Microfacies analysis shows the dominance of shallow water environments. The Brigantian assemblage is accurately illustrated. The new foraminiferal taxon Cribrospira baliamadeni nov. sp. is morphologically similar to type-material of Cribrospira panderi von Möller, but has a porous wall with wider pores, almost keriothecal. C. baliamadeni nov. sp. corresponds to the misinterpreted Bradyina and Janischewskina of the previous literature on Balia-Maden lenses. These limestones show a great diversity of algosponges (carbonate microproblematica). Among them, (1) small, atypical Fasciella previously confused with Eosigmoilina; (2) an abundant form described for the first time, Frustulata reticulata nov. sp.; and (3) typical Falsocalcifolium punctatum (Maslov), important for the biostratigraphic implications, are also mentioned. The single Serpukhovian lens consists of a grainstone and contains the age-sensitive alga Archaeolithophyllum johnsoni Racz, and the foraminifers Monotaxinoides gracilis and Janischewskina sp.     

Diploporaceae (calcareous green algae dasycladales) from the late Visean (Mississippian) of Montagne Noire (southern France)

The Montagne Noire limestones are rich in late Visean (Mississippian) dasycladales and the locality of Cabrières in particular has been famous for over 30 years for the Diploporaceae (metaspondyl dasycladales). New Diploporaceae are described, in order to introduce the necessary nomenclature for future studies. The following new taxa are described: Windsoporella solida, n. sp., W. longirostris n. sp., Cabrieroporinae n. subtrib., Kulikiinae n. subtrib., Borladellinae n. subtrib., Guadiatella heraldica n. sp., Murvielipora n. gen., Murvielipora aretzii n. gen. n. sp., Cabrieroporellopsis n. gen., Cabrieroporellopsis inopinatus n. gen. n. sp. The emended taxa are Windsoporella, W. tulayae, Kulikia and Cabrieropora.     

Late Devonian Acritarchs from the Gneudna formation in the Western Carnarvon basin,Western Australia

The Gneudna Formation is a Late Devonian(Frasnian) sequence of marine calcareous sediments that occurs in the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia. The present palynological study is based upon subsurface silty strata from a borehole (Pelican Hill or Bibbawarra Bore) that was drilled early this century near the western coastal limit of the Carnarvon Basin.The subject strata have previously been attributed to the Gneudna Formation on lithostratigraphic grounds. They contain a rich and varied assemblage of marine microphytoplankton (acritarchs), associated with trilete miospores of which Geminospora lemurataBalme, 1962 is the dominant form. Forty-seven species of acritarchs are recognizable in the palynoflora, which corresponds very closely with that described recently (Playford & Dring, 1981) from the Gneudna Formation in the vicinity of its type section on the opposite (eastern) side of the Carnarvon Basin. The apparently parochial complexion of the Gneudna acritarch suite is probably illusory, insofar as early Late Devonian acritarchs have not been studied extensively or intensively from either the northern or southern hemispheres.The following new species of acritarchs areformally instituted herein: Elektoriskos villosa, Lophosphaeridium pelicanensis, and Pterospermella tenellula.     

Carboniferous and Permian biostratigraphy by foraminifers and calcareous algae of Bir Mastoura (BMT-1) and related boreholes of southern Tunisia

In South Tunisia, the Bir Mastoura (BMT-1) borehole provides Carboniferous, Permian, and early Triassic foraminifers and carbonate algae which permit to establish a local biozonation which can be correlated with (1) the Capitanian (Late Middle Permian) outcrops of Jbel Tebaga; (2) other Tunisian boreholes; and (3) several stratotypes and/or well-studied Tethyan outcrops. Microfacies, microfaunas and microfloras of BTM-1 reveal subtropical, carbonate, inner platform deposits. As everywhere in the world, the Early Triassic is faunistically very poor. The Upper Permian and Upper Middle Permian microfaunas and microfloras are traditional in Tunisia, but a little poorer than the Tebaga assemblages. The fusulinids of the middle and lower Middle Permian strata are also less numerous than in other Tunisian boreholes. The late Pennsylvanian fusulinids known in some of these boreholes, were not observed in BMT-1; however, these fusulinids are re-discussed here due to their biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic importance; they are assigned to two substages, early Gzhelian with Darvasoschwagerina spp. and late Kasimovian with Schwageriniformis petchoricus. Neither early-middle Kasimovian nor late Moscovian microfossils were found, and their absence is probably regional in the whole North Africa. In contrast, the early Moscovian beds yield all the fusulinid biozones of the Urals (Russia) and display diversified microfauna with Profusulinella aff. simplex, Ovatella ex gr. ovata; Depratina timanica, Aljutovella (Tikhonovichella) rhombiformis, Hemifusulina spp., Eofusulina aff. tashlensis, Paraeofusulina trianguliformis, Moellerites cf. praecolaniae and Parabeedeina cf. pseudoelegans. The middle-late Bashkirian seems to be only partially represented, whereas the early Bashkirian is similarly relatively complete, with Varvariella ex gr. varvariensis, Plectostaffella cf. karsaklensis, P.? nauvalia, Semistaffella? sp. and common oolitic microfacies. The Serpukhovian and late Visean appear more developed than in other boreholes. They yield Praedonezella, Eosigmoilina and Endostaffella. As across the North Africa, no older Mississippian foraminifers are not known prior to the late Visean. The palaeogeography is discussed thanks to the regional new data; especially the concept of a Saharan province, or its replacement by multiple aborted rifts during the late Visean-Serpukhovian. From the Bashkirian to Early Permian, affinities with Croatia are frequent. Comparisons with other North African basins, northern Spain, Donets Basin, the Urals basins, Moscow Basin, Taurus and Alborz are also presented.     

Anisian foraminifers from allochthonous limestones of the Tanoura formation (Kurosegawa Terrane, West Kyushu, Japan)

Thirty-five species belonging to 21 genera of foraminifers are distinguished from allochthonous limestone blocks contained within the autochthonous mudstones and sandstones of the Carnian Tanoura Formation, Kurosegawa Terrane of West Kyushu (SW Japan). These blocks are considered to be Anisian in age, based on the occurrence of two foraminifers widely distributed in the Anisian of the Tethyan Realm, Pilammina densa and Meandrospira dinarica; they are associated with Involutinid-like forms, such as Triadodiscus and Aulotortus, and with other foraminifers. The allochthonous limestones are mostly composed of oolites, abundant bioclasts and detrital quartz grains. They are thought to have been redeposited during the Carnian on the shelf slope of the South Kitakami-Kurosegawa Old Land. Palaeogeographically, this terrane was part of the North Gondwana margin, then isolated eastwards before its Early Cretaceous amalgamation with South China. Three foraminiferal species, Triadodiscus eomesozoicus (Oberhauser), Triadodiscus? tanourensis, n. sp., and Triadodiscus? sp. are described from the Anisian allochthonous blocks.     

The Tournaisian (Early Carboniferous) of the Kahanag section (central Alborz; northern Iran); biostratigraphy with calcareous algae and foraminifers; palaeobiogeographic implications

The Tournaisian beds of the Kahanag section in central Alborz (northern Iran) are described. This Tournaisian is probably complete and continuous from MFZ1 to MFZ8 biozones; nevertheless, (1) the base is only lithostratigraphically characterized, (2) the biozones MFZ1 to MFZ5 cannot be differentiated, and (3) in topmost beds, Eoparastaffella simplex indicative of the basal Viséan have not yet found. This Tournaisian is subdivided into a local lower Tourmaisian (MFZ1-MFZ5) showing a poor assemblage of monolocular and bilocular foraminifers, and a local upper Tournaisian where the biozones MFZ 6 and 7 are precisely defined. In Kahanag, MFZ 6 is characterized by the FO of Eotextularia diversa; MFZ 7 is the range-zone of Darjella monilis; and the base of MFZ8 is marked by the appearance of Eoparastaffellina. The biozone MFZ 8 is particularly developed in Kahanag, and represents almost one third of the field-section; therefore, a local subdivision is proposed, especially in order to characterize an upper MFZ8 subbiozone. Additionally, some algae of the section are accurately described; especially a trio which might be characteristic of the latest Tournaisian in Iran, (1) the unilayered “Koninckopora” mentioned for the first time in Iran; (2) a new genus of dasycladaleans Kahanagella n. gen.; and (3) a new genus of palaeoberesellaceans, Oblikamaena n. gen. More classical Algospongia (incertae sedis algae) are briefly mentioned Issinella, Crassikamaena, Kamaena, Palaeoberesella, Exvotarisella, Pseudostacheoides, Sinustacheoides and Stacheoides. Regionally, the new genus Kahanagella might be an important palaeobiogeographic marker because it was also discovered in the Tabas Block, while it seems absent in the adjacent, well-known areas (Taurus, southern Urals, Kazakhstan). Perhaps, Kahanagella might permit to reconstruct the initial geography of the latest Tournaisian Iranian platforms. Oblikamaena elbursica n. gen. n. sp. is an endemic taxon for the moment but might become also palaeobiogeographically interesting. Finally, the whole foraminiferal and algal Tournaisian assemblage permits to propose a reconstruction of the initial palaeoposition of the Iranian terranes prior to the progressive assemby of the Cimmerian terranes.     

Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) calcareous microfossils from Cedro Peak (New Mexico,USA). Part 2: Smaller foraminifers and fusulinids

The Pennsylvanian stratigraphic section of the Manzanita Mountains (central New Mexico, USA) is restudied at Cedro Peak. This Pennsylvanian succession is divided into the Sandia Formation, Gray Mesa Fm, Atrasado Fm, and lower part of Bursum Fm. The sampled limestones of the Gray Mesa and Atrasado formations yielded three age-distinctive fossil assemblages: they are of (a) latest Atokan/early Desmoinesian, (b) late early Desmoinesian, and (c) middle Virgilian. The following new taxa of foraminifers are proposed: Endoteboidea n. superfam.; Spireitlinidae n. fam.; Millerellinae n. subfam.; Pseudonovella marshalli n. sp.; Pseudonovella ohioicus nom. nov.; Pseudoacutella n. gen.; Pseudoacutella hoarei nom. nov.; Plectofusulina manzanensis n. sp. Translated or emended names are: Staffelloidea, Ozawainelloidea, Ozawainellidae, and Profusulinellidae.     

Middle Triassic carbonate deposits and calcareous algae from the Sasca zone (Southern Carpathians,Romania)

Summary The Sasca zone situated in the innermost part of the Getic Domain from the South Carpathians comprises mainly Triassic deposits of Scythian-Anisian (?Ladinian) age that can be ascribed to four different members forming the Sasca Formation. Three of the members consist of carbonate deposits. Their study permitted a brief characterization of the main microfacies types, and especially in the Valea Susara Limestone Member the identification of a relatively rich association of foraminifers and calcareous algae. The assemblage withMeandrospira dinarica, Pilammina densa, Oligoporella pilosa andPoncetella hexaster identified in these limestones indicates a Middle Anisian age (Pelsonian-Lowermost Illyrian). Difficulties arise in differentiating between the forms belonging to theOligoporella-Physoporella group for which a taxonomic revision is necessary. The morphologic characteristics of the three varieties ofDiplopora subtilis allow a splitting into different species.Teutloporella peniculiformis Ott, 1963 is regarded as anomen nudum.     

Microfossil assemblage from the Late of Middle Carboniferous in Western Shaan-Gan-Ning Basin,Northwest China

In this paper, some results of the study on the sporepollen of the Yanghugou Formation in the western Shaan-Gan-Ning (Ordos) Basin of Northwest China axe reported. Plenty of well preserved microfossil, which 136 types belong to 62 microspore genera and one megaspore genus, including 2 new genera , 13 new species, I Acritarch (Chamosphaera pseudozonatus gen. et sp. nov.), from 8 bore-holes and outcrop have been discribed. In generally, the microfiora of the Yanghugou Formation is similar to the Taiyuan Formation (Upper Carboniferous). According to the spore-pollen assemblage of Yanghugou Formation may correlate with those in the Middle Carboniferous of Great Britain, Belgium the north of France, German and North America. Besides, the assemblage are similar to Middle Carboniferous of Nortth Shandong and Hengshanbu of Ningxia in the microfossil assemblage. The geological age of the beds is considered to Late of Middle Carboniferous.     

Dasycladalean green algae from the Upper Triassic of Mt. Rotonda (Verbicaro Unit, Calabria-Lucania Border, Southern Italy)

Summary A rich and diverse dasycladalean algae association is described from the Upper Triassic succession of Mt. Rotonda (Calabria-Lucania border, Southern Italy). This association consists of:Neoteutloporella rajkae n.sp.,Griphoporella bechst?dti n.sp.,Physoporella zamparelliae n.sp.,Spinaporella andalusica Flügel & Flügel-Kahler, 1984,S.? granadaensis Flügel & Flügel-Kahler, 1984,Chinianella? sp.,Gyroporella sp.,Griphoporella? sp. andPhysoporella aff.leptotheca. Neoteutloporella rajkae n.sp. is characterised by an undulated calcareous skeleton with short acrophore primary laterals bearing a tuft of 4–6 elongate, segmented, trichophore secondary laterals. This species allows to extend back to the Upper Triassic the stratigraphic range of the genusNeoteutloporella, previously known only from Upper Jurassic levels. Griphoporella bechst?dti n.sp. has a cylindrical calcareous skeleton and primary laterals only, consisting of a thin proximal part followed by a swollen portion that pinches out distally and finally opens outward with a cup-like swelling. Physoporella zamparelliae n.sp. is characterised by a calcareous skeleton made by partly welded thin individual sheaths enclosing the laterals. The laterals are piriferous, vertically compressed, roughly triangular both in vertical and in verticillar section. In some specimens they end with a spine-like thin apophysis. This species confirms that the typical Middle Triassic genusPhysoporella survived up into the Norian. The dasycladalean algal association of the Norian of Mt. Rotonda shows some similarities with the algal association found in the Upper Triassic of the Betic Cordillera whereas it is markedly different from the rich association occurring in the Upper Triassic of Sicily and of the Northern Calcareous Alps. This pattern is coupled with a different composition of the platform margin communities: microbial/serpulids bioconstructions in the Upper Triassic of the Calabria-Lucania border and of Alpujarridevs. Dachstein-type reefs in Sicily and the Northern Calcareous Alps. This indicates that the palaeoceanographic and palaeogeographic conditions controlled both the development of the different platform margin and of the different algal assemblages.     

Wall ultrastructure of an Ediacaran acritarch from the Officer Basin, Australia

Well-preserved organic-walled microfossils referred to as acritarchs occur abundantly in Ediacaran deposits in the Officer Basin in Australia. The assemblages are taxonomically diverse, change over short stratigraphical intervals and are largely facies independent across marine basins. Affinities of this informal group of fossils to modern biota are poorly recognized or unknown, with the exception of only a few taxa. Morphological studies by use of transmitted light microscopy, geochemical analyses and other lines of evidence, suggest that some Precambrian acritarchs are related to algae (including prasinophytes, chlorophytes, and perhaps also dinoflagellates). Limitations in magnification and resolution using transmitted light microscopy may be relevant when assessing relationships to modern taxa. Scanning electron microscopy reveals details of morphology, microstructure and wall surface microelements, whereas transmission electron microscopy provides high-resolution images of the cell wall ultrastructure. In the light of previous ultrastructural studies it can be concluded that the division of acritarchs into leiospheres (unornamented) and acanthomorphs (ornamented) is entirely artificial and has no phylogenetic meaning. Examination of Gyalosphaeridium pulchrum using transmission electron microscopy reveals a vesicle wall with four distinct layers. This multilayered wall ultrastructure is broadly shared by a range of morphologically diverse acritarchs as well as some extant microalgae. The chemically resistant biopolymers forming the comparatively thick cell, together with the overall morphology support the interpretation of the microfossil as being in the resting stage in the life cycle. The set of features, morphological and ultrastructural, suggests closer relationship to green algae than dinoflagellates.     

Sunosuchus (Archosauria, Crocodyliformes) from the Toutunhe Formation (Middle Jurassic) of the Southern Junggar Basin (Xinjiang, NW-China)

A new specimen of the widespread Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Asian gonipholidid crocodilian genus Sunosuchus is described on the basis of a partial skeleton from the Upper Toutunhe Formation (Middle Jurassic, ?Bathonian-Callovian) of Liuhonggou, SW of Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China. The specimen is represented by a partial mandible, teeth, vertebrae, limb and girdle bones and osteoderms. It can be distinguished from other nominal species of the genus by a unique combination of characters: slightly heterodontous dentition, strongly sculptured posteroventral part of the mandible, short fenestra mandibularis, convex dorsal surface of the retroarticular process, keeled cervical vertebral centra and ventral osteoderms with a distinctive sculpture of wide pits and narrow ridges. The heterodontous dentition is a potential autapomorphy of this form. The new specimen is closest in morphology to material described recently from the Callovian of Kirghisia as Sunosuchus sp. It represents the second Middle Jurassic record of the genus, the first crocodile from the Toutunhe Formation, the first substantial crocodile find from the Mesozoic of the Southern Junggar Basin, and the first Middle Jurassic record of Sunosuchus from China. This extends both the paleobiogeographical distribution of the genus in Asia and its stratigraphic distribution in China considerably.     

Plywood‐like shell microstructures in hyoliths from the middle Cambrian (Drumian) Gowers Formation,Georgina Basin,Australia

Hyoliths are a group of Palaeozoic fossils with calcareous shells whose affinities remain controversial. As their shells were originally aragonitic, their fossils are usually coarsely recrystallized, and few data on their microstructure are available. We report hyoliths from the middle Cambrian (Drumian, Floran) Gowers Formation of the eastern Georgina Basin, Queensland. These are preserved as phosphatic internal moulds, often with the inner layers of the shell also partly replaced by phosphate. Microstructural details preserved by this early diagenetic phosphatization show that these hyolith conchs were originally composed of fibrous crystallites, c. 0.5 μm wide, parallel to one another and to the inner surface of the shell. In several species, the fibres are arranged in a plywood‐like structure composed of multiple lamellae with a different fibre orientation in each lamella: often they are transversely oriented (relative to the long axis of the conch) in the inner part of the wall and longitudinally oriented in the outer part. Opercula also show a microstructure of parallel fibres. The lamello‐fibrillar microstructure we report from hyoliths is reminiscent of microstructures of many Cambrian molluscs; that this microstructure is found in both conchs and opercula suggests that these structures are serial homologues of one another, and in this respect they resemble brachiopod valves. As with many other biological plywoods, the hyolith shell probably records self‐organization in a liquid‐crystal‐like organic matrix. This provided a straightforward way to construct a material that could resist stresses from different directions, offering an effective defence against predators.     

Rusophycus carleyi (James, 1885), Trace Fossils from the Lower Ordovician of Southern Morocco,and the Trilobites that Made Them

Thin-bedded, pyrite-rich, fine sandstones and mudstones of the Floian-Dapingian Upper Fezouata Formation contain abundant trace fossils Rusophycus carleyi in close association with a species of the asaphid trilobite Asaphellus. The sizes and shapes of this trilobite and the traces match closely. Five specimens have even been found where an articulated specimen of Asaphellus appears to be directly located over a specimen of Rusophycus carleyi within a thin bed of sandstone, suggesting that the trilobite animal may have been trapped on top of a trace that it had just made. Such intimate associations between a putative tracemaker and a trace are rare in the fossil record and particularly rare for Trilobita. The number of coxal impressions that form part of R. carleyi, eleven, matches the number expected for an asaphid trilobite (one for each of eight thoracic segments and one for each of three post-oral cephalic appendages). Impressions of the hypostome, thoracic tip impressions, cephalic margin, and pygidial margin in a few of the traces also match those of this asaphid trilobite. R. carleyi has been found in Ordovician strata of other parts of the world in association with asaphid trilobites.     

A new species of watering pot shell (Bivalvia: Anomalodesmata: Clavagelloidea) from the Miocene of the Murray Basin,South Australia

Abstract: A new species of penicillid watering pot shell, Kendrickiana coquinacola sp. nov., is described from the middle Miocene (Balcombian) Bryant Creek Formation of the Murray Basin, South Australia. The new species differs from the extant K. veitchi in its smaller size, much shorter posterior tube, fewer tubules in the anterior watering pot structure, absence of the pedal slit, discontinuous dorsolateral bands of pitted muscle scars on the internal surface of the anterior bulb and habit of cementing itself to the shells in its surrounding environment. The fossil record of Kendrickiana is reviewed. The record from the Dry Creek Sands is discounted, while a record for the extant K. veitchi from the earliest Pleistocene of York Peninsula is added. K. coquinacola indicates the highly derived anatomy of the genus evolved over a 10‐Ma period from the late Oligocene through the early Miocene.     

Rugose corals and associated carbonate microfossils from the Brigantian (Mississippian) of Castelsec (Montagne Noire, southern France)

The disused quarry east of Castelsec offers a view of shallow-marine carbonates of the poorly known Uppermost Mississippian of the Montagne Noire. At Castelsec, sections are studied in two characteristic facies types (bioclastic wackestone and microbial dominated boundstone) of the Upper Mississippian. The succession is rich in rugose corals and carbonate microfossils. Six genera with seven species belonging to a rugose coral fauna consisting of at least eight genera with several species are described herein; Dibunophyllum castelsecensis sp. nov. is described as new. Twenty-seven carbonate microfossils of different groups have been identified. The Castelsec succession is Brigantian in age, based on the stratigraphic occurrence of rugose corals, foraminifers, and calcareous algae observed in both sections. The rugose coral fauna shows relationships with the well-known fauna of northwestern Europe and the Ouralian-Asian Province. Typical elements of northwestern Europe are missing at Castelsec and vice versa. This differentiation between north and south is interpreted as responses to different palaeolatitudes and tectonic settings.     

Carboniferous aulate corals from Azrou-Khenifra Basin (Morocco): Distribution and phylogenetic relationships

The Carboniferous outcrops from the Azrou-Khenifra Basin (central Morocco) have yielded solitary and fasciculate aulate corals. Although mostly rare, their presence has significance for extending the known stratigraphic range of two genera. Both Solenodendron and Semenoffia which were previously restricted to the Tournaisian-Viséan interval are now recognised to range up into the Serpukhovian. Moreover, Solenodendron is now last recorded in lower Bashkirian strata, having survived the end-Serpukhovian (mid-Carboniferous) faunal crisis. New phylogenetic relationships are proposed within this aulate group of corals for the western Palaeotethys, based on detailed examination of their morphology, microstructure and stratigraphic range. The distribution of solitary and fasciculate aulate corals in the Azrou-Khenifra Basin (Morocco) is comparable with that of the Béchar Basin (Algeria), and some species are commonly recorded in Europe. A new species, Aulokoninckophyllum potyi is described.     

Bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) from Middle Miocene karstic fissure fillings of Petersbuch near Eichstätt, Southern Franconian Alb (Bavaria)

The bats from the karstic fissure fill sites Petersbuch 6, 10, 18, 31, 35 and 48 include 14 species, four of which are new. All samples are numerically dominated by rhinolophids, especially by Rhinolophus delphinensis. The rich samples from Petersbuch 6-18 are striking in their high species diversity (seven species each). Myotis bavaricus nov. sp. is characterised by a series of plesiomorphous characters, while Myotis reductus nov. sp. is more derived. A special trait of Submyotodon petersbuchensis nov. gen. nov. sp. is the coexistence of nyctalodont and (sub-) myotodont molars in one dentary. Miniopterus rummeli nov. sp. is characterised by its large size, a high coronoid process and its widely spaced lower premolars. Composition and origin of the chiropteran faunas are discussed. They are interpreted as an accumulation of bats that perished in the cave or rock crevice and to a negligible extent as remains of owl pellets. The stratigraphic correlation of the faunas, based on rodents, is late Middle Miocene (MN 7/8). This study is based on several thousand specimens.     

First evidence of an ankylosaur (Dinosauria,Ornithischia) from the Jurassic Qigu Formation (Junggar Basin,NW China) and the early fossil record of Ankylosauria

The first evidence of an ankylosaur from the Late Jurassic Qigu Formation of the southern Junggar Basin (Xinjiang, northwestern China) is described, based on an isolated caudal vertebra that was discovered together with fragmentary remains of other dinosaurs, including stegosaurs, sauropods, and theropods. The caudal vertebra is characterized by the following features: (i) elliptical morphology of the centrum, being wider than high; (ii) short antero-posterior length of the centrum; (iii) pronounced transversely extending ventral groove; (iv) massive transverse process, that is longer than the centrum diameter; (v) transverse process meeting the centrum high at the dorsal half and at a relatively flat angle; (vi) transverse process making a broad contact with the neural arch without forming a proximo-dorsal projection; and (vii) notochordal prominence present in the centre of the anterior articular surface. The study specimen represents only the second record of an ankylosaur from the Jurassic of Asia — aside from the slightly older Tianchisaurus from the early Upper Jurassic Toutunhe Formation, equally from the Junggar Basin. It helps to fill a gap in our knowledge of the early evolution of these armoured dinosaurs. Additionally, this discovery highlights the potential of the southern Junggar Basin to yield a rich vertebrate fauna and thus to provide an important insight into Late Jurassic ecosystems of Central Asia.     

Rodents and insectivores from the late Miocene of Romerales (Fortuna Basin,Southern Spain)

Abstract

The Neogene Fortuna Basin (Murcia Region, SE Spain) is rich in microvertebrate sites. Its continental sections include localities extended from the middle Turolian (MN12) to the early Ruscinian (MN14). However, there are few works dealing with the taxonomy of these fossil assemblages. In this paper we provide a complete taxonomic study of the rodents and insectivores from three levels (ROM-2B, ROM-2C and ROM-3A) within the Romerales section. We infer a late Turolian age (late Messinian) for these levels, among which the richest and most diverse level is ROM-C, including at least 11 different taxa. In addition, the paleoecological analysis of these fossil assemblages suggests the dominance of open herbaceous meadows under temperate climate during the formation of these sites, with a slight decrease in temperature and humidity from ROM-2B to ROM-2C.