四川自贡晚侏罗世西蜀鳄一新种

记述了四川省自贡市汇东新区自贡市乳品厂发现的西蜀鳄一新种——周氏西蜀鳄(Hsisosuchus chowi sp.nov.)。新种区别于西蜀鳄已知种的特征是:鼻骨后部沿缝合线有一浅的纵凹,额骨的眶缘向上凸起成嵴,沿额骨缝合线也隆起成一微弱的纵嵴,上颞窝的内侧缘向上凸起呈明显的嵴,顶骨具一前中突,侧视颧骨腹缘呈明显的波曲状,眶后骨前侧角约90°,鳞骨后侧突特别拉长,向侧下后方伸展,使鳞骨侧缘明显向内侧弓曲,左右外枕骨的枕髁部分不相接,翼骨的腹中嵴源于翼骨主体部分,内鼻孔位置比较靠前。此外,齿骨外面和夹板骨腹面具有发达的沟和嵴状雕饰,夹板骨参与下颌联合的部分比较长,肩胛片异常扩展,乌喙骨远端宽于近端,肱骨头增厚并强烈向内侧扩展,三角肌嵴发达,桡侧腕骨具发达的尺骨突,尺侧腕骨远端宽于近端,6列荐前部腹部骨板和3列尾部腹部骨板,也可能是周氏西蜀鳄的衍生特征,但这些性状在大山铺西蜀鳄中情况不明,有待更多的材料来证实。杨钟健、周明镇(1953)在建立西蜀鳄属之初就已注意到西蜀鳄是一种特化的鳄类,认为西蜀鳄不仅将原始特征和进步特征混存于一身,而且还具有一些一般鳄类所没有的独特性质。以此为基础,他们建立了西蜀鳄科。目前西蜀鳄类动物发现并不多,仅有1属2种,即重庆西蜀鳄和大山铺西蜀鳄,而且材料不完整,特别是头后骨骼保存不理想。周氏西蜀鳄的发现不仅扩大了西蜀鳄类的分布范围,而且还增加了我们对这一特化鳄类的认识。     

宽头山东鳄(Shantungosuchus brachycephalus Young,1982)的再研究

根据对原标本的进一步修理,本文首先对宽头山东鳄（ShantungosuchusbrachycephalusYoung,1982）进行了重新记述,并对其特征作了修订。其主要特征为：头骨相对较宽;眼前孔小,上下分隔为二;轭骨前端不参与构成但接近眶前孔的后边缘;牙齿尖锐,第三枚上颌齿异常粗壮,比其它上颌齿至少大一倍;腭面诸骨表面光滑;基蝶骨腹面中央凹槽前窄后宽变化显著;侧欧氏管孔位于基蝶骨、基枕骨和外枕骨3者之间;下颌外孔大,齿骨后缘分为上、中、下三支;肩胛骨前外侧肩峰之上,发育一显著的嵴状突起。其次,把它与本属的其他两个种：莒县山东鳄（Shantungosuchuchuhsienensis）和杭锦山东鳄（Shantungosuchushangjinensis）做了比较。就目前的资料,还不能确立山东鳄属各种间的系统关系。     

贵州兴义中三叠世 Nothosaurus一新种

记述了贵州兴义法郎组竹竿坡段幻龙一新种———Nothosaurusyoungisp .nov .。新种以眶后弓窄 ,上颌骨和眶后骨在轭骨之后相连 ,外翼骨形成明显的腹向凸缘 ,下颌具清晰的冠状突 ,和夹板骨前端进入下颌缝合部等特征区别于幻龙的其他种。支序分析的结果表明N .youngi的原始性仅次于N .juvenilis。新种N .youngi具有Nothosaurus中的一些原始特征 ,短的下颌缝合部 ,短的上颌齿列和窄的眶后弓 ,新种在法郎组竹杆坡段的发现支持含化石地层为中三叠世拉丁期的结论。     

四川自贡大山铺西蜀鳄一新种

记述了西蜀鳄一新种──大山铺西蜀鳄（Ｈｓｉｓｏｓｕｃｈｕｓ ｄａｓｈａｎｐｕｅｎｓｉｓ）,新种保存了完好的吻端,填补了西蜀鳄在这方面的缺失。新种的内鼻孔位置靠前,上颌骨和腭骨构成其边缘;眶下孔存在但较小;产于自贡市大山铺下沙溪庙组。     

辽宁下白垩统九佛堂组伊克昭龙一新种

伊克昭龙 (Ikechosaurus)是一类长吻的离龙类 ,以前根据内蒙古的材料建立了孙氏种 (I.sunailinaeSigogneau Russell,1 981 )及高氏种 (I.gaoiL櫣ｅｔａｌ.,1 999)。根据蒙古的材料建立的TchoiriamagnusEfimov ,1 979也于 1 983年被原作者归入本属。本文记述了辽宁义县皮家沟九佛堂组新发现的一个近于完整保存的骨架 (中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所标本编号 :IVPPV 1 32 83) ,并建立一新种 :皮家沟伊克昭龙 (Ikechosauruspijiagouensissp .nov .)。新种以下列特征区别于伊克昭龙其他种 :轭骨前伸约至泪骨之半 ;眶间距小于眼眶短径 ;眶后骨与后额骨不愈合 ;髂骨片前突不发育 ,颈区不收缩 ;四肢中桡胫骨与肱股骨之比相对较小。另外其荐前椎数目与孙氏种相同 ,为 2 5枚 ,比鳄龙属 (Champsosaurus)少 1枚 ;坐骨明显比孙氏种短 ;桡肱骨长度之比为 0 .5 8,胫股骨长度之比为 0 .60 ,在所知新离龙类 (Neochoristodera)中属最小 ;前肢腕骨至少 7块 ,后肢跗骨至少 6块 ;指 /趾式均为 2 3 4 4 3。在正型标本中其第二远侧跗骨在左右脚中不对称。提出眶后骨与后额骨的愈合与分离以及轭骨眶后支发育程度不能作为Simoedosaridae和鳄龙科间的鉴别特征 ;股骨内转子与股骨头分离不该作为高氏种的鉴定特征 ;新离龙类?     

中国陆相上三叠统第一个初龙形类动物(英文)

初步研究了山西省永和县桑壁镇铜川组二段产出的两件初龙形类化石标本 (IVPPV1 2 3 78,V 1 2 3 79) ,在此基础上建立了一新属新种———桑壁永和鳄 (Yonghesuchussangbiensisgen .etsp .nov .)。它以下列共存的衍生特征区别于其他初龙形类 (archosauriforms) :1 )吻部前端尖削 ;2 )眶前窝前部具一凹陷 ;3 )眶前窝与外鼻孔间宽 ;4)眶后骨下降突的后 2 / 3宽且深凹 ;5 )基蝶骨腹面有两个凹陷 ;6 )齿骨后背突相当长 ;7)关节骨的反关节区有明显的背脊 ,有穿孔的翼状的内侧突 ,以及指向前内侧向和背向的十分显著的后内侧突。由于缺乏跗骨的形态信息 ,目前很难通过支序分析建立永和鳄的系统发育关系。但可以通过头骨形态来推测永和鳄在初龙形类中的系统位置。永和鳄有翼骨齿 ,这表明它不属于狭义的初龙类 (archosaurians)。其通过内颈动脉脑支的孔位于基蝶骨的前侧面而不是腹面 ,在这点上永和鳄比原鳄龙科 (Proterochampsidae)更进步 ,这表明与后者相比永和鳄和狭义的初龙类的关系可能更近。在中国早期的初龙形类中 ,达坂吐鲁番鳄 (Turfanosuchusdabanensis)与桑壁永和鳄最接近 ,但前者由于内颈动脉脑支的孔腹位而比后者更为原始。根据以上头骨特征以及枢后椎椎体之间间椎体的存在与否 ,推测派克鳄 (Euparkeri     

云南东部中三叠世始鳍龙类—新属种(英文)

根据一保存完整的骨骼(包括头骨、下颌和全部头后骨骼)建立了鳍龙类的一新属新种——利齿滇东龙(Diandongosaurus acutidentatus gen.et sp.nov.)。标本采自云南省罗平县中三叠世安尼期关岭组上段。新属种既具有肿肋龙类(包括Dactylosaurus,Anarosaurus,Serpianosaurus和Neusticosaurus)吻部两侧不收缩、眶前区域长于眶后区域、眼眶大于上颞孔等典型特征,同时又具有幻龙类(包括Simosaurus和nothosaurians)前颌和下颌前部犬齿型齿发育、上颌具1或2个犬齿型齿等典型特征。新种的额骨和顶骨均愈合,额骨两后外侧支的末端后延超过上颞孔前缘,轭骨和鳞骨相交将眶后骨排除于下颞孔之外,方轭骨发育,锁骨前外侧缘具一突起,3对荐肋以及最前部尾肋的外侧端均未见明显收缩。这些特征也多表现出肿肋龙类和幻龙类的混合特征。此外,新种还具有一些较为独特的特征,包括前额骨和后额骨沿眼眶背缘相交,第3至第8对尾肋的长度超过荐肋,后肢末端发育异常膨大的爪趾骨。系统关系分析表明,滇东龙既不是肿肋龙类也不是幻龙类;它可能与由乌蒙龙、幻龙类和传统的肿肋龙类所构成的分支亲缘关系最近,为始鳍龙类基干类群。     

贵州中三叠世早期幻龙属(Nothosaurus)一新种

作为三叠纪海生爬行动物的重要分子,幻龙属化石主要发现于欧洲、中东和中国西南地区的中三叠世海相地层,且主要集中分布于安尼期晚期和拉丁期晚期(Edinger,1921;Haas,1980;Rieppel,2000)。我国目前已报道的幻龙属化石有两种：杨氏幻龙(Li and Rieppel,2004)和幻龙属未定种(Rieppel,1998),它们均产于贵州省兴义地区的法郎组竹杆坡段,时代为中三叠世拉丁期。最近在贵州省盘县地区关岭组Ⅱ段地层中也发现了数量较多的幻龙骨骼化石,证明中三叠世早期东特提斯区同样生存着幻龙类。鉴于标本的骨骼特征与已知的幻龙属种相比存在一定的差异,因此本文建立一新种Nothosaurus rostellatus sp．nov．(小吻幻龙)。新种的个体在幻龙属种中为中等(头骨中线长210～320mm);吻部短而小,具4个前颌骨獠齿,紧随其后是第5个明显较小的前颌齿;一对上颌骨犬齿之前有6～9个小型上颌齿;眼窝较大,卵圆形,位置相对靠前;内鼻孔的后缘由腭骨构成,具内鼻槽;外翼骨形成腹向凸缘;下颌具冠状突;背椎神经棘较低,背肋肩部明显加厚。N．rostellatus与其他已知种的主要区别特征是吻部形态和比例。新种的吻部较小,长略大于宽,前端钝圆,基部明显收缩,其吻部长度(从吻端至外鼻孔前端的距离)仅占其头骨中线长度的1/6～1/7,而其他种一般占1/4～1/5,具有细长吻部的N．haasi甚至接近1/3。此外,新种吻端-上颞孔前缘距离与吻端-外鼻孔前缘距离的比值也明显高于其他种。N．rostellatus区别于其他幻龙种的另一主要特征是上颌骨牙齿的数目和排列。在已知的幻龙属种中,很少有一对上颌犬齿前的上颌齿数超过5个者。新种正型标本ⅣPPⅤ14294在一对上颌犬齿前具有6个小型锥状上颌齿,它们大小相等,指向腹方。副型标本ⅣPPⅤ14301在一对上颌犬齿前具有9个小型锥状上颌齿。在已知的Nothosaurus中,新种与N．youngi Li & Rieppel,2004和N．marchicus Koken,1893无论是个体大小还是头骨形态均比较接近,如具有相对短而宽的吻部和较短的上颌齿列、相似的鼻骨形态等,与其他种相差较大,因此这里仅对新种与此二种之间的异同做简要的介绍。从头骨的一些具体形态特征看,N．rostellatus的鼻骨后侧方与前额骨相连,阻隔了额骨和上颌骨,该特征与N．youngi相同而不同于N．marchicus,后者鼻骨受额骨与上颌骨的阻隔,不与前额骨相连。如果不考虑鳞骨的外侧分支的宽度,Ⅴ14294和Ⅴ14301与N．youngi的头骨的最宽处均位于轭骨的后端位置,且其宽度为吻部宽度的2．6～3．5倍(其中N．youngi为2．6倍,Ⅴ14294为3倍,Ⅴ14301为3．5倍),而N．marchicus的最宽处位于头骨后部鳞骨的分支处,其轭骨后缘处头骨宽度为吻部宽度的2～2．8倍(Rieppel and Wild,1996,fig．36,41)。此外,N．rostellatus外翼骨形成腹向突起和下颌具冠状突的特点也与N．youngi相同,N．marchicus不具有该特征。另一方面,N．rostellatus的枕部特征则与N．marchicus接近而不同于N．youngi。新种的枕部内凹,枕骨侧边的后耳骨等向后侧部延伸,下颌关节在头骨后部位于枕髁之后,该枕部特征与N．marchicus一致。N．youngi的下颌关节与枕髁基本位于一个平面内,因此枕部未形成明显的内凹。新种的眼眶与上颞孔之间的距离相对较宽,其中V 14294眼眶与上颞孔之间的距离与外鼻孔与眼眶之间的距离接近相等,而V 14301眼眶与上颞孔之间的距离大于外鼻孔与眼眶之间的距离。此特征也与N．marchicus相同而不同于N．youngi,前者眼眶与上颞孔之间的距离与外鼻孔与眼眶之间的距离相等,后者的眶后弓很窄,其眼眶与上颞孔之间的距离小于外鼻孔与眼眶之间的距离的1/2。N．rostellatus鼻骨的左右两前突分别伸至两外鼻孔的前缘内侧,位置与N．marchicus相同,而N．youngi鼻骨前突仅伸至外鼻孔内侧缘的中部。N．rostellatus前颌骨的背突向后伸至外鼻孔后缘之后,接近鼻骨的后缘,而N．youngi仅伸至外鼻孔后缘中间部位。除前文所述新种两个主要鉴定特征外,N．rostellatus又以具有内鼻槽,翼骨前伸至内鼻槽附近等特征与该已知二种相区别。此外,新种前颌骨具外侧支突起,其他种该特征多不明显,如N．jagisteus不存在前颌骨外侧支突起,其前颌骨在外鼻孔的前外侧缘沿前外侧方向与上颌骨相交(Rieppel,2001)。从地理分布和地层层位看,N．marchicus主要分布于欧洲中部的中三叠统安尼阶,而N．youngi则分布于我国贵州南部的中三叠统拉丁阶。本文描述的化石产于贵州南部关岭组Ⅱ段,其时代应相当于中三叠世晚安尼期。N．rostellatus与分布于欧洲的同时期的幻龙N．marchicus以及与在其后约7～8Ma相邻地区出现的M．youngi的亲缘关系的远近可能还需要更深入的研究来证实。     

Alloptox gobiensis(兔形目 ,鼠兔科 )头骨形态及系统位置

产于宁夏同心地区中中新世红柳沟组的戈壁跳兔 (Alloptoxgobiensis)头骨化石 ,是Al loptox属头骨化石的首次发现。其主要特征是 :个体较大。颅顶平缓 ,额骨有眶上嵴且两侧平行。颞嵴、上枕骨、项嵴和枕外嵴发育。眶裂后的翼蝶骨上排列有 6个孔。有外颈动脉孔 ,颈静脉孔为圆形小孔。下颌骨水平支唇侧上缘前倾 ,垂直支前缘有一深沟 ,冠状突位于垂直支前缘唇侧壁中部 ,呈薄片状。基于头骨性状的支序分析结果表明 ,Alloptox与非洲的Kenyalagomys亲缘关系最近 ,应归入亚科Sinolagomyinae。Alloptox和Kenyalagomys可能起源于亚洲的共同祖先 ,由Sinolagomys或与其相近的属种演化而来 ,在新近纪早期迁入非洲。     

新发现的长吻型离龙(双孔亚纲：离龙目)幼年个体——袖珍蒙山龙，兼论新离龙类的个体发育（英文）

离龙是一类生活在中侏罗世至中新世的半水生掠食性动物。白垩纪早期,部分离龙类演化为与现生鳄鱼形态类似的大型长吻爬行动物,称为新离龙类。报道了来自山东省下白垩统蒙阴组的一长吻型离龙新种——袖珍蒙山龙(Mengshanosaurus minimus),正型标本头骨全长仅35 mm,是迄今为止发现的最小新离龙类个体。根据未完全骨化的颅腔和额骨-顶骨间尚存未愈合的圆孔,推测蒙山龙正型标本为一幼年个体。系统发育分析显示,蒙山龙属于新离龙类,具有单个外鼻孔,单一鼻骨和下颞孔开放等新离龙类的共有衍征。在新离龙类内部,蒙山龙分类位置较为基干,为伊克昭龙属(Ikechosaurus)、车尔龙属(Tchoiria)、西莫多龙属(Simoedosaurus)和鳄龙属(Champsosaurus)组成的支系的姐妹群。蒙山龙区别于其他新离龙类的特征包括泪孔位于前额骨与泪骨之间,以及增大的腭面齿(宽度超过上颌齿的1/3)。蒙山龙具有长吻和紧密排列的尖利牙齿,推测离龙类幼体与现生鳄类幼体食性类似,以水生昆虫和无脊椎动物为食。现生鳄类在发育过程中,吻部的形态常发生改变,牙齿也会从尖细的形状转向圆钝;而蒙山龙的吻部和牙齿的形态与已知大体型的成体新离龙类没有明显区别,这说明相较于现生鳄类,新离龙类在发育过程中生态位的变化并不显著。     

纤细滇美龙(Dianmeisaurus gracilis Shang & Li,2015)新材料

根据一件产自云南罗平中三叠世关岭组Ⅱ段的新标本并结合产自相同地点和地层中的模式标本对纤细滇美龙(Dianmeisaurus gracilis Shang & Li,2015)进行了详细研究.原模式标本暴露其腹而,而新标本暴露其背面,两者互相补充提供了更完整、精确的纤细滇美龙解剖学信息.新材料揭示该种具有非常短小的吻部,眶前区的长度不仅短于眶后区长度,甚至短于眼眶的长度;外鼻孔小且位置靠前,即鼻孔前区的长度短于鼻孔后缘与眼眶前缘之间的距离;由两额骨构成的眼眶间隔非常狭窄,宽度小于顶骨平台宽度的1/3;额骨前后两端均具渐尖的突起;顶骨后部不收缩,顶骨平台后缘呈深V型.补充了新信息和包含更多属种(如Dawazisaurus)后的系统发育学分析支持了之前滇美龙和滇东龙互为姊妹群的结论,同时它们和马家山龙、滇肿龙、贵州龙和大洼子龙一起构成了一个仅由中国的属种组成的单系类群.与欧洲肿肋龙类群(Dactylosaurus,Anarosaurus,Serpianosaurus和Neusticosaurus)相比,这一单系类群与幻龙类有更近的亲缘关系.     

Chirocentrids as engrauloids: evidence from suspensorium,branchial arches,and infraorbital bones (Clupeomorpha,Teleostei)

The Chirocentridae is a family of highly specialized large predatory clupeomorphs composed of two species from coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. Peculiarities of the anatomy of these fishes have puzzled ichthyologists who attempted to resolve their phylogenetic relationships. Despite controversy, it is currently accepted that the Chirocentridae is a family of Clupeiformes, included with the Clupeidae in the superfamily Clupeoidea. New data support an alternative hypothesis. Seven previously unreported derived character states from the suspensorium, branchial arches, and infraorbitals strongly indicate a hitherto unsuspected sister group relationship between the Chirocentridae and Engrauloidea, which comprises approximately 140 species of the commercially important fishes known as anchovies. These are character states: (1) the anterior margin of metapterygoid located anterior to the quadrate; (2) the ventral limb of hyomandibula and quadrate not separated by the metapterygoid; (3) the posterodorsal margin of metapterygoid in line with the condyle of articulation of the hyomandibula with the opercle; (4) the presence of a laminar outgrowth of the anterior margin of the quadrate; (5) the endochondral portion of the quadrate in the shape of an isosceles triangle; (6) the presence and arrangement of autogenous tooth plates on ceratobranchials 1 to 3; and (7) posterior region of infraorbital 1 well developed and extending along the ventral margin of infraorbital 2. Three of those character states are further modified and hypothesized as synapomorphies of the Engrauloidea: (1′) a substantial portion of the metapterygoid situated anterodorsal to the quadrate, (2′) articulation between the ventral limb of the hyomandibula and the quadrate, and (7′) infraorbitals 1 and 3 articulating by means of a well‐developed laminar process of the posterior region of infraorbital 1. The separation of the dorsal, paired elements of the branchial arches of the Chirocentridae and representative Engrauloidea is apomorphic within the Clupeoidei, and constitutes circumstantial evidence for the sister group relationship between those clades. Microphagy within the Engrauloidea is secondary, homoplastic to the same condition present in other clades of the Clupeiformes. The decomposition of character complexes into discrete morphological characters and its use in phylogenetic inference is discussed. The sister group relationship between the Chirocentridae and Engrauloidea renders the Clupeoidea paraphyletic. A new classification of the Clupeoidei, with the inclusion of the Chirocentridae in the Engrauloidea, is proposed. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 156 , 363–383.     

A new species of Chrysobrycon (Characiformes,Characidae, Stevardiinae) from the Amazon River basin in Colombia,with a new diagnostic characteristic for the genus

Chrysobrycon mojicai sp. nov. is described from forest streams that are part of the Amazon River basin in Colombia. It is distinguished from all congeners by having most of the maxillary teeth with distal tips lateroventrally curved (v. teeth straight along their lengths) and a greater number of dentary teeth (20–27 v. 11–19, except in Chrysobrycon yoliae). The posterior margin of the ventral process of the quadrate does not reach the vertical through the posterior margin of the symplectic and these features differentiate C. mojicai from Chrysobrycon myersi and C. yoliae (v. posterior margin of ventral process of quadrate reaching vertical through posterior margin of symplectic). In species of Chrysobrycon, the frontals are extensively contacting each other along the midline, resulting in an absent frontal fontanel and a reduced parietal fontanel. This extensive contact between the frontals modifying the fontanels is a condition rarely found within the Stevardiinae and hence is proposed as an additional diagnostic characteristic for the genus. An updated identification key for all Chrysobrycon species is provided.     

Cranial and appendicular ontogeny of Bactrosaurus johnsoni,a hadrosauroid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of northern China

Abstract: The juvenile anatomy of various cranial and appendicular elements of the hadrosauroid dinosaur Bactrosaurus johnsoni is described in detail. Growth changes are documented from juvenile to adult stages for each skeletal element available. In the studied skull, ontogenetic trends consist of: development of features on the ventral surface of the frontal; reduction in the slope of the posteromedial process of the premaxilla; a posterior shift of the dorsal process of the maxilla; development of concavities on the medial surface of the prefrontal; increased robustness and development of the ventral flange of the jugal; decreased curvature of the long axis of the quadrate; increased ventral deflection of the dentary; and changes in the length/width proportions and depth of the anterior surface of the predentary. In the appendicular skeleton, the majority of ontogenetic variation from juvenile to adult occurs in the limb bones, including increased robustness of the deltopectoral crest of the humerus; relative shortening of the ulna; increased development of the fourth trochanter and mediolateral widening of the distal end of the femur; increased expansion of the cnemial crest of the tibia; and the increased prominence of articular protuberances and flanges of the metatarsals. A survey of the phylogenetically informative characters present in B. johnsoni indicates that several characters concerning the frontal, maxilla, jugal, quadrate, predentary, dentary, scapula, humerus and ilium are affected by ontogeny. Nevertheless, the majority of phylogenetic characters are not ontogenetically variable, suggesting that a substantial amount of the information provided by juvenile and subadult specimens for phylogenetic inference is reliable in basal hadrosauroids.     

云南文山大窗鱼(Macrothyraspis)属一新种

记述了产于云南文山古木早泥盆世坡松冲组华南鱼类大窗鱼一新种——长矛大窗鱼(Macrothyraspis longilanceus sp.nov.)。新种头甲呈头盔形,吻突与角均很发育,中背孔呈后缘前凹的桃形,头甲背面具一对蚕豆形的背窗,纹饰为细小的粒状瘤点,这些特征与属型种——长角大窗鱼(Macrothyraspis longicornis)相似。但新种吻突特别长,约为头甲中长的2 倍,眶孔背位,两个背窗之间脑腔和迷走腔区域相对较宽,两个侧向延伸的角向后倾斜,末端不前翘等,与属型种区别明显,应为该属的一新种。     

The craniofacial skeleton in anencephalic human fetuses. II. Calvarium.

A detailed study of the calvarium of twelve anencephalic and four normal human fetuses 26 to 40 weeks gestational age using gross dissection, alizarin red S staining, silver nitrate radiography and histology revealed dramatic alterations in the presence, form, location and relationship of the individual bones. In the larger dorsal cranial defects the interparietal portions of the occipital bone were relocated anteriorly to approximate the frontal bone. The occipital components were rotated anterolaterally and inferiorly with lack of fusion of the chondrocranium posterior to the foramen magnum. The squamae of the frontal bone were collapsed horizontally and reduced in size to lie peripheral to the anterior cranial fossa forming most of the orbital roofs. In anencephaly the bones derived from the chondrocranium were not as severely affected morphologically as those derived from the neurocranium. The sutures were narrow and smooth instead of wide and serrated as in the normally developing calvarium. In general the degree of maldevelopment was proportional to the extent of the dorsal cranial defect in anencephaly.     

Evoxymetopon moricheni,a new cutlassfish from the northern Red Sea (Teleostei: Trichiuridae)

Evoxymetopon moricheni n. sp. is described from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, on the basis of a single specimen. It is characterised within the genus by a convex upper head profile; the posterior confluence of the frontal ridges slightly elevated at the nape, resulting in the presence of a slight sagittal crest; eye 5.2 times in head length; the lower hind margin of opercle slightly pointed in its lower half; the pelvic fins reduced to a scale-like structure with two soft rays on the posterior process of the basipterygium, its origin below the eighth dorsal-fin element; the first anal spine single, oval, scale like, and originating a short distance behind the vent (opposite the 34th dorsal-fin soft ray), anterior anal-fin soft rays minute and embedded, barely penetrating the skin and not visible externally, while the posterior fin supporting the rays enlarged and visible externally; approximately 17 anal-fin rays externally visible; approximately 83 dorsal-fin elements, with first spine not elongate, shorter than second; 12 pectoral-fin rays (ii + 6 + iv), with shorter anterior (fourth ray shortest) and longer posterior rays extending above the lateral line; 10 upper and 13 lower gill rakers of the first gill arch; head and body silver white, with a blackish margin anteriorly on snout and head, continuing along the anterior half of the dorsal-fin base. The new finding represents a new record of the genus from the Red Sea.     

埃塞俄比亚塔纳湖鲤科鱼类体内亚美尼亚许氏绦虫Khawia armeniaca (Cholodkovsky, 1915) Shulman, 1958 (绦虫纲: 鲤蠢目) 的形态鉴定

在埃塞俄比亚境内塔纳湖中发现了1种寄生于鲤科鱼类: 间魮(Labeobarbus intermedius)和Labeobarbus tsanensis体内的许氏绦虫, 经形态学鉴定其为亚美尼亚许氏绦虫Khawia armeniaca (Cholodkovsky, 1915)(绦虫纲: 鲤蠢目)。该绦虫鉴别特征为头节呈半球状, 边缘光滑, 无皱褶; 睾丸分布区域从虫体中部至阴茎囊之前; 卵巢前卵黄腺分布于虫体中后部至阴茎囊前部区域, 少数排列在阴茎囊之后; 子宫起始于阴茎囊后方弯曲环绕直至卵巢后部区域, 有少许卵黄腺排列在子宫和卵巢的两侧。此外, K. armeniaca卵巢呈滤泡状或蝴蝶状, 雌雄生殖孔分离但彼此距离很近, 开口于体表并形成同一生殖腔, 且雄性生殖孔位于雌性生殖孔前方。卵巢后卵黄腺数目少于100个, 分布于虫体末端, 卵黄腺距离卵巢后翼较远, 部分样品内卵黄腺接近卵巢后翼。