Early Cretaceous calcareous algae from central Iran (Taft Formation, south of Aliabad, near Yazd)

A rich association of calcareous algae is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian–? Lower Aptian) deposits of the Taft Formation, located south of Aliabad (in the vicinity of Yazd, central Iran). The association mainly consists of dasycladaleans and bryopsidales (udoteaceans and gymnocodiaceans); additionally, rare “solenoporaceans” and cyanophyceans are present. Three new species are described: two are dasycladaleans (Pseudoactinoporella? iranica and Holosporella farsica) and one is an udoteacean (Boueina minima). Many of the described and illustrated algae are mentioned for the first time from Iran.     

Ostracods from the marginal coastal Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of the Central Tunisian Atlas (North Africa): Paleoenvironment,biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography

This work provides the first detailed taxonomic study of ostracod species from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) marginal coastal deposits of the Central Tunisian Atlas, the Kebar Formation, as well as biostratigraphic, paleoecological and paleobiogeographic implications. The ostracod fauna provides new insights into the depositional environment and biostratigraphic framework of the Kebar Formation, and is represented mainly by freshwater and brackish-water species among them, Perissocytheridea tunisiatlasica nov. sp., is newly described. The environmental setting of this formation comprises marginal-littoral conditions in its lower part, thus not exclusively non-marine/continental as assumed previously. The ostracod associations from the studied locality, Jebel Ksaïra, indicate a minimum age of Early Aptian as recently attributed to the lower member of the Kebar Formation based on charophytes (presence of Late Barremian to Early Aptian Globator maillardii var. biutricularis Vicente and Martín-Closas, 2012), whereas an Early Albian age had been previously assigned to the Jebel Kebar site. The relative sea-level fall documented in the lower member of the Kebar formation at Jebel Ksaïra might correspond to the 3rd order cycle major eustatic sea-level fall event starting at the base of the Aptian. Paleobiogeographically, the non-marine ostracod fauna newly discovered in the Kebar Formation shows some affinities to contemporaneous faunas of southern and western Europe, e.g. that of the uppermost Weald Clay Group of southern England (Cypridea fasciata subzone of Horne, 1995), West Africa, and possibly to eastern South America (Brazil). Hence, the studied ostracods further support the hypothesis of supraregional faunal exchange by passive ostracod dispersal during the Early Cretaceous – between Europe and Northern Africa on the one hand, and eastern South America/western Africa and North Africa on the other hand. This leads to the hypothesis that the Peri-Tethyan islands could have worked as effective bridges for non-marine ostracods to become widely dispersed passively by “island-hopping” of larger animals and thus, ultimately, facilitated intercontinental faunal exchanges between South America and Europe – potentially even Asia – via North Africa during the Early Cretaceous.     

Elosuchus,a new genus of crocodile from the Cretaceous of the North of Africa

‘Thoracosaurus’ cherifiensis Lavocat, 1955, a longirostrine from the late Lower Cretaceous of Morocco and Algeria, is attributed to Elosuchus, n. g., with another species, E. felixi n. sp., from In Abangarit (Niger), of the same age. Stolokrosuchus from the Lower Cretaceous of Niger is also referred to the new family Elosuchidae. Synapomorphies and grades are indicated for the families of ‘mesosuchian’ longirostrine crocodiles, but no synapomorphy has been found to unite the families, except perhaps for the Thalattosuchia.     

Evolution of the rudist bivalve Agriopleura Kühn (Radiolitidae,Hippuritida) from the Mediterranean region

The genus Agriopleura (Radiolitidae) is restricted to the Lower Cretaceous of the Mediterranean region, including the Middle East, and this rudist is apparently absent from the New World. Agriopleura underwent a size increase from late Hauterivian to mid‐late Barremian, matching Cope's rule, followed by a Lilliput phase in the early Aptian. The relative development of radial bands increased through time and represents a key evolutionary index. During its evolution, Agriopleura increased in species diversity and expanded geographically onto the European Mediterranean Tethyan margin from the late Hauterivian to Barremian, after which it disappeared from the region (pseudotermination). In the lower Aptian, after a Lazarus gap, the genus reappears in the southern Mediterranean Tethyan margin. Assuming that Archaeoradiolites is the direct descendant of Agriopleura, the disappearance of the genus in the mid‐Aptian was a pseudoextinction and this coincided with a major crisis of shallow carbonate settings and their associated biota. The definition of Agriopleura species is based on a set of qualitative and quantitative external and internal characters. Five species are recognized: three Barremian species, Agriopleura blumenbachi, the type species, A. marticensis and A. carinata; one lower Aptian species A. libanica; and a new species A. sequana restricted to the upper Hauterivian. Principal component analysis is used to test the distinctiveness of the species and the pattern of relationships of some of their key quantitative characters.     

The heteromorph ammonite genus Ammonitoceras Dumas, 1876 (Ancyloceratidae) in the lower Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Les Ferres Aptian Basin (southeastern France)

Ammonitoceras Dumas, 1876 is a genus of heteromorph ammonites characterized by the presence of a peculiar ontogenetic stage in its inner whorls: the Ammonitoceras stage. But in spite of its wide paleogeographic and biostratigraphic extension throughout the Aptian (Lower Cretaceous), this genus remains poorly known. In the present work we study specimens of Ammonitoceras from the lower Aptian Deshayesites multicostatus (Deshayesites deshayesi Zone) to Dufrenoyia furcata (Dufrenoyia furcata Zone) subzones of the Les Ferres Aptian Basin (southeastern France). The results are as follows: (1) representatives of Ammonitoceras from this area are regarded dimorphic with criocone macroconchs and ancylocone microconchs, (2) their ontogenetic sequence is described, (3) their intraspecific variability is significant and concerns the adult size and the duration of the ontogenetic stages, especially the Ammonitoceras stage, (4) two species are recognized: the earlier Ammonitoceras ucetiae Dumas, 1876, characterized by a brief Ammonitoceras stage on average, and the latter Ammonitoceras lahuseni (Sinzow, 1906), characterized by a longer Ammonitoceras stage on average. The sample of the Deshayesites grandis Subzone (Deshayesites deshayesi Zone) is composed of specimens too fragmentary to be identified at species level.     

Valdosaurus, a hypsilophodontid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Europe and Africa

Material of the hypsilophodontid dinosaur Valdosauruscanaliculatus (Ornithischia: Ornithopoda) is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian) of southern England and a new species is recognized from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) of Niger, West Africa. This occurrence of Valdosaurus in Europe and Africa provides evidence of a land connection between these continents across Tethys sometime in the early Cretaceous.     

Découverte de Foraminifères planctoniques paléocènes dans les brèches,précédemment tenues pour aptiennes et d'origine diapirique,des Pyrénées basco-béarnaises

After the dating, by means of planktonic Foraminifera, of post-metamorphic marine breccias, Upper Danian–Lower Selandian in age, associated to hemipelagites and unconformably overlying the Cretaceous tectogenic axis of the Pyrenees from Roussillon to Bigorre, was it possible to extend westwards the breccia-filled Palaeocene ‘trough’ as far as the ‘Zone des Chaı̂nons béarnais’? This later unit, which belonged to the North-Iberian palaeomargin during Lower Cretaceous, was previously considered by several authors as characterized by an important halokinesis generating, during Aptian/?Albian, collapses of the Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous carbonate cover above dissolved salt domes and spectacular accumulations of breccias. In fact, we have everywhere identified Palaeocene planktonic microfauna within the matrix of these breccias (and within the associated hemipelagites), particularly of the reference ‘diapiric’ breccias of Etchebar, Lauriolle, Layens and Bosmendiette/Beloscare. Deposited into intra- ‘trough’ sub-marine canyons, after karstification and erosion of intermediate mountains with a steep topography previously induced by Uppermost Cretaceous compressions, the herein studied Palaeocene marine breccias should not be hereafter regarded as linked to any Lower Cretaceous diapirism on the North-Iberian palaeomargin. To cite this article: B. Peybernès et al., C. R. Palevol 1 (2002) 3–10.     

Palynostratigraphical dating of the Lower Cretaceous Peñaferruz Formation,San Pedro de Antromero Beach (Asturias Region,northwestern Iberian Peninsula)

A palynological assemblage of five Lower Cretaceous stratigraphic levels corresponding to the Peñaferruz Formation in San Pedro de Antromero Beach, has been studied to determine the exact age of this formation. An age no older than the Aptian is suggested on the basis of the palynoflora, based on the presence of Trilobosporites hannonicus, Cicatricosisporites venustus, Cicatricosisporites berouensis, Ephedripites dudarensis, and Reticulisporites semireticulatus. This age assignment implies a new relationship between the Peñaferruz and Antromero formations, the Peñaferruz Formation being younger than previously thought. This possibly makes both formations contemporaneous, at least at the San Pedro de Antromero Beach section, suggesting a lateral change of facies between these deposits.     

The heteromorph ammonite genus Ancyloceras (Ancyloceratidae) in the Paris Basin (lower Aptian,Lower Cretaceous,NE France)

In the present work, we examine a sample of 54 specimens of the heteromorph ammonite genus Ancyloceras d’Orbigny, 1842 from the Argiles à Plicatules Formation (lower Aptian, Lower Cretaceous) of the eastern Paris Basin (NE France). The results are as follows: (1) the sample is regarded as monospecific and assigned to the well-named species Ancyloceras varians d’Orbigny, 1842; (2) its variability is continuous and concerns as well as adult size, coiling and shell ornamentation. Adult size varies by a factor of two from one individual to another. The angle between the proversum and the retroversum is variable. The ornamentation on the spiral and the proversum varies between robust morphotype with trituberculate strong ribs separated by few smooth intercalaries ribs and slender morphotype with feebly tuberculate ribs. There are no arguments in favor of sexual dimorphism in Ancyloceras varians.     

Cretaceous (Albian to Turonian) radiolarians from chert blocks of the Moni Mélange (Southern Cyprus)

Well-preserved Cretaceous (Albian–Turonian) radiolarians were extracted from radiolarian-bearing chert olistoliths of the Monagroulli Member within the Moni Mélange (Campanian-Maastrichtian, Southern Cyprus). Four assemblages were distinguished: Middle Albian–Lower Cenomanian (Thanarla spoletoensis Zone), Upper Albian–Lower Cenomanian (Thanarla spoletoensis Zone, Dorypyle? anisa Subzone), lowermost Turonian (base of Alievium superbum Zone) and Lower Turonian (Alievium superbum Zone). The radiolarian assemblages are diverse and have taxonomic composition similar to coeval assemblages of Italy and Spain. The sediments of the Monagroulli Member differ from coeval rocks of the Mamonia Complex (western Cyprus) by the more common presence of radiolarian cherts and may have been formed in the distal part of a continental margin with less input of clastic material. A new spicular radiolarian genus Cyprothamnus with 2 new species (C. multifurcatus and C. moniensis) is described from the Lower Turonian strata.     

Opisthobranch gastropods from the Lower Cretaceous of the Ulyanovsk Volga Region: 1. Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tornatellaea</Emphasis> Conrad

Five new species of the genus Tornatellaea from the Lower Cretaceous of the Volga Region near Ulyanovsk, T. kabanovi sp. nov. (Hauterivian), T. densistriata sp. nov., T. gracilis sp. nov., T. volgensis sp. nov. (Barremian), and T. sinzovi sp. nov. (Aptian), are described. The data on geographical and stratigraphical distribution of new taxa are provided.     

Early cretaceous gastropods of the Middle-Lower Volga river region from P.A. Gerasimov’s collection

Based on the studying of gastropods collected by P.A. Gerasimov from the Cretaceous beds of the Volga region, four new species are established: Avellana hauteriviensis sp. nov. from the Upper Hauterivian of the Ulyanovsk region, “Palaeorissoina” sokolovensis sp. nov., O. sinzowi sp. nov., and Nerineopsis turritum sp. nov. from Lower Aptian of the Saratov region. The Upper Hauterivian for the first time yielded representatives of the genera Pseudomelania s. l., Ampullina, and Sulcoactaeon. The specimens of Cirsocerithium subspinosum Deshayes, 1842, Ringinella obtusa (Nackij, 1916), and Crispotrochus humilis (Trautschold, 1865) found in the Lower Aptian of the Volga region are figured for the first time.     

Some rare helical Ammonoidea from the lower Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Paris Basin (NE France)

In the present paper, we describe and figure some rare lower Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) helical ammonoids from the Deshayesites deshayesi Zone of the Argiles à Plicatules Formation (Paris Basin, NE France). Those are the only helical ammonoids known in this zone so far. They were only occasionally evoked in literature and this is probably on the basis of the specimens here described that, according to us, the genus Toxoceratoides (Helicancylidae) was wrongly regarded as possessing an early helical spiral part. We demonstrate here that these specimens are not belonging to Toxoceratoides nor Helicancylidae: they are interpreted as ‘abnormally’ helical representatives of the genus Ancyloceras (Ancyloceratidae) or a new taxon of Ancyloceratidae.     

A New Small-Bodied Azhdarchoid Pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of England and Its Implications for Pterosaur Anatomy,Diversity and Phylogeny

Background

Pterosaurs have been known from the Cretaceous sediments of the Isle of Wight (southern England, United Kingdom) since 1870. We describe the three-dimensional pelvic girdle and associated vertebrae of a small near-adult pterodactyloid from the Atherfield Clay Formation (lower Aptian, Lower Cretaceous). Despite acknowledged variation in the pterosaur pelvis, previous studies have not adequately sampled or incorporated pelvic characters into phylogenetic analyses.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The new specimen represents the new taxon Vectidraco daisymorrisae gen. et sp. nov., diagnosed by the presence of a concavity posterodorsal to the acetabulum and the form of its postacetabular process on the ilium. Several characters suggest that Vectidraco belongs to Azhdarchoidea. We constructed a pelvis-only phylogenetic analysis to test whether the pterosaur pelvis carries a useful phylogenetic signal. Resolution in recovered trees was poor, but they approximately matched trees recovered from analyses of total evidence. We also added Vectidraco and our pelvic characters to an existing total-evidence matrix for pterosaurs. Both analyses recovered Vectidraco within Azhdarchoidea.

Conclusions/Significance

The Lower Cretaceous strata of western Europe have yielded members of several pterosaur lineages, but Aptian pterosaurs from western Europe are rare. With a pelvis length of 40 mm, the new animal would have had a total length of c. 350 mm, and a wingspan of c. 750 mm. Barremian and Aptian pterodactyloids from western Europe show that small-bodied azhdarchoids lived alongside ornithocheirids and istiodactylids. This assemblage is similar in terms of which lineages are represented to the coeval beds of Liaoning, China; however, the number of species and specimens present at Liaoning is much higher. While the general phylogenetic composition of western European and Chinese communities appear to have been approximately similar, the differences may be due to different palaeoenvironmental and depositional settings. The western Europe pterodactyloid record may therefore be artificially low in diversity due to preservational factors.     

Succession des peuplements d’échinides du Crétacé inférieur dans le Haut Atlas atlantique (Maroc) ; révision systématique et intérêt stratigraphique

The rich echinoid fauna from the Lower Cretaceous of the Agadir, Haha and Essaouira basins has been revised taxonomically, based on new and abundant collections. Forty-seven species have been identified, of which 20 are reported for the first time from this region and a further three represent new species left in open nomenclature. Their stratigraphic ranges have been determined accurately by reference to the regional ammonite zonation. However, it is also possible to use a local biostratigraphical scheme based on the echinoid succession, where ammonites are rare. The Toxasteridae, which are very abundant and underwent rapid evolution, are the most useful biostratigraphically. The genus Toxaster appears in the Lower Berriasian and continues until the Gargasian passing through the following succession: T. africanus, T. granosus, T. kiliani, T. lorioli, T. obtusus, T. exilis, T. retusus, T. maurus, T. peroni, T. collegnoi. The presence of Eoholaster, Macraster, Douvillaster, Palhemiaster, Heteraster and Pygopyrina is signaled for the first time in the Atlantic High Atlas region.     

New data on crinoid assemblages from the oldest sedimentary rocks of the Polish Outer Carpathians (Jurassic-Cretaceous)

Crinoids (Crinoidea) preserved in the so-called Cieszyn Beds (Tithonian-Hauterivian; southern Poland) are relatively numerous, especially in some levels, but not highly diversified. They are absent in the Lower Cieszyn Shale (Tithonian) and the Upper Cieszyn Shale (Valanginian-Hauterivian). The Lower Cieszyn Limestone (Tithonian) yielded crinoid remains classified as Isocrinus cf. amblyscalaris (Thurmann) and Isocrinida indet. In the Upper Cieszyn Limestone (Berriasian) crinoids are much more numerous and diversified. The following taxa are recorded: Isocrinus? annulatus (Roemer), Balanocrinus subteres (Münster), B. cf. smithi Hess and Gale, and Hemicrinus sp. The presence of specimens resembling Isocrinus amblyscalaris (Thurmann) in the Tithonian strata is surprising since the last occurrence of this taxon was reported from the Kimmeridgian. The Lower Cieszyn Limestone crinoidal assemblage is dominated by isocrinids (Isocrinida). This probably reflects the much shallower sedimentary environment of these sediments compared to that of the Upper Cieszyn Limestone, where excepting isocrinids, hemicrinids (Hemicrinidae, Cyrtocrinida) typical for deep marine environments were found. It is consistent with the analytical results from the foraminiferal assemblages, among which the benthic forms known from shelfal and paralic epicontinental environments first dominated, and then were supplanted by deep-sea taxa at the turn of the Jurassic and Cretaceous.     

A new iguanodontian dinosaur from the Khok Kruat Formation (Early Cretaceous,Aptian) of northeastern Thailand

A new taxon of ornithopod dinosaur is described as Siamodon nimngami nov. gen, nov. sep., on the basis of a well-preserved maxilla from the Khok Kruat Formation (Aptian) of northeastern Thailand. An isolated tooth and a braincase are referred to this taxon, and the status of other ornithopod specimens from Thailand and Laos is discussed. S. nimngami nov. gen, nov. sep. is considered as an advanced iguanodontian, apparently close to Probactrosaurus, from which it differs by various characters of the maxilla. Siamodon is an addition to the already long list of advanced iguanodontian taxa from the late Early Cretaceous of Asia. The diversity and abundance of these forms may suggest that advanced iguanodontians first appeared in Asia, before spreading to other parts of the world.     

An upper Kungurian/lower Guadalupian (Permian) brachiopod fauna from the South Qiangtang Block in Tibet and its palaeobiogeographical implications

A brachiopod fauna including 15 species belonging to 14 genera is described from a thin carbonate succession of the Lugu Formation at the Anmu section in the northern part of the South Qiangtang Block, which is about 15 km south to the Longmu Co-Shuanghu Suture. The brachiopod fauna is late Kungurian or early Guadalupian in age in terms of the presence of the brachiopod species Vediproductus punctatiformis, “Cryptospirifer” omeishanensis, and Paraplicatifera regularis. This is also generally consistent with the age indicated by the fusulines (e.g., Cancellina, Chusenella, Monodiexodina, Nankinella, Neofusulinella, Pseudofusulina, and Sphaerulina) from this formation at the nearby Mari and Duoma A (DMA) sections. Palaeobiogeographically, the brachiopod fauna exhibits a typical Cathaysian affinity and all the species are reported commonly from the equivalents in South China and Cimmerian blocks, which strongly suggest that the South Qiangtang Block had drifted to a position in the warm-water or temperate regime close to South China.     

Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the late Pleistocene of the “Caverne Marie-Jeanne” (Hastière-Lavaux,Namur, Belgium): Systematics,paleobiogeography, and paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions

Archeological sites usually provide important information about the past distribution of small vertebrate fauna, and by extension about past terrestrial environments and climate in which human activities took place. In this context, Belgium has an interesting location in northwestern Europe between the fully studied zooarcheological records of Germany and England. We present here the revision of the late Pleistocene (Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2) collection of the “Caverne Marie-Jeanne” (Hastière-Lavaux, Namur), studied by Jean-Claude Rage in the 1970s and the revision of the whole “indeterminate” small vertebrate materials from the “Caverne Marie-Jeanne” stored in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) Quaternary collections in search of more herpetofaunal remains. It is now by far the largest late Pleistocene collection at RBINS with more than 20,500 recognized bones of amphibians and reptiles and covering the last 60,000 years. The faunal list comprises two urodeles (Lissotriton gr. L. vulgaris and Salamandra salamandra), four anurans (Bufo gr. B. bufo-spinosus, Epidalea calamita, Rana temporaria and Rana cf. R. arvalis), three lizards (Lacerta cf. L. agilis, Zootoca vivipara and Anguis gr. A. fragilis), and three snakes (Natrix gr. N. natrix, Coronella austriaca, and Vipera berus). This study represents the first fossil record in Belgium for L. gr. L. vulgaris, R. arvalis, Z. vivipara, N. gr. N. natrix and C. austriaca. As a whole, this assemblage suggests a patchy humid landscape under colder and dryer climatic conditions in comparison with present ones. This study also underlines the necessity of a primary separation in larger taxonomical categories by the specialist itself.