New Middle Permian insects from Salagou Formation of the Lodève Basin in southern France (Insecta: Pterygota)

Summary

New insects are described from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) of Salagou Formation in the Lodève Basin (Languedoc region, France). Palaeopterans are represented by new odonatopterans viz. Huangiopterum lodevense n. gen., n. sp. and Huangiopterum species B, attributed to clade Panodonata (Huangiopteridae n. fam.), already recorded through the family Saxonagrionidae in the same formation, and a diaphanopterodean Martynovia cf. halli Beckemeyer 2004 (Martynoviidae) known from the Lower Permian of Oklahoma. Archaeorthopterans are supplemented by Bethouxia ariegensis n. gen., n. sp., Paralongzhua elongata n. gen., n. sp., Lodevolongzhua incompleta n. gen., n. sp., the caloneurodean Jarmiloptera mouralensis n. gen., n. sp., and a cnemidolestodean cf. Tococladus sp. (Tococladidae). Permophyllum rotundatum n. sp. (?Tettigoniidae) demonstrates the first presence of Orthoptera with wings probably mimicking Peltaspermales reproductive organs in Late Palaeozoic possibly analogous to the known crypsis of roachoid tegmina with pteridosperm pinnules. Frequent occurrence of hardly identifiable grylloblattid wing fragments support their significant role in term of abundance and diversity of the Permian faunas. New taxa based on wing venation pattern as Genera and species undetermined A, B (Liomopteridae), Permobaharellus salagousensis n. gen., n. sp. (family uncertain), Lodevophlebia reticulata n. gen., n. sp. (Sylvaphlebiidae), Oborella lodevensis n. sp. (Euryptilonidae), and Genus and species undetermined C, were described. Paoliida is represented by a paoliid gen. et sp. indet. and three anthracoptilids Strephocladus gandi n. sp., Strephocladus mouralensis n. sp., Lodevocladus subtilis n. gen., n. sp. The first record of miomopteran Palaeomantis sp. (Paleomanteidae) from Salagou Formation is presented. Acercarian insects are represented by the first record of Thripida and diverse new hemipterans, namely Euroscytina lutevanorum n. gen., n. sp. (Cicadomorpha: Scytinopteridae), Prosbole dio n. sp., Prosbole garrici n. sp., Pervestigia cf. veteris Becker-Migdisova 1961 (Prosbolidae), Archescytina species A (Paleorrhyncha: Archescytinidae) and Permopsyllidium lesclansis n. sp. (Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea: Protopsyllidiidae). Entomofauna from the Salagou Formation demonstrate highly diverse insect communities with some taxa linked to early and late Permian ones known from assemblages in Euramerica and Russia, such as Obora (Czech Republic), Wellington Formation (Kansas and Oklahoma, USA), and Tshekarda (Ural, Russia).     

Aethophyllum BRONGNIART 1828, Conifère (non Équisétale)du Grès à Voltzia (Buntsandstein supérieur) des Vosges (France): Note préliminaire

AethophyllumBRONGNIART 1828 is a plant genus from the Voltzia Sandstones (Upper Bunter) of the Vosges which has been classified first into the Monocotyledons and than into the Equisetales. A careful study of new material shows that it actually is a Gymnosperm and more exactly a Conifer. Male cones found separately have already been described under the name Masculostrobus acuminatusGRAUVOGEL-STAMM and GRAUVOGEL, 1973. This Triassic plant presents simultaneously affinities with some Cordaites (Poacordaites) and with some Podozamites (P. schenki-agardhianus group of Harris 1935 + Swedenborgia).     

New Middle Permian palaeopteran insects from Lodève Basin in southern France (Ephemeroptera, Diaphanopterodea, Megasecoptera)

Three new palaeopteran insects are described from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) of Salagou Formation in the Lodève Basin (South of France), viz. the diaphanopterodean Alexrasnitsyniidaefam. n., based on Alexrasnitsynia permianagen. etsp. n., the ParelmoidaePermelmoa magnificagen. etsp. n., and Lodevohymen lapeyrieigen. etsp. n. (in Megasecoptera or Diaphanopterodea, family undetermined). In addition the first record of mayflies attributed to family Syntonopteridae (Ephemeroptera) is reported. These new fossils clearly demonstrate that the present knowledge of the Permian insects remains very incomplete. They also confirm that the Lodève entomofauna was highly diverse providing links to other Permian localities and also rather unique, with several families still not recorded in other contemporaneous outcrops.     

New Pseudaelurus and Styriofelis remains (Carnivora: Felidae) from the Middle Miocene of Abocador de Can Mata (Vallès-Penedès Basin)

New remains of felid jaws and teeth are described from several localities of the local stratigraphic series of Abocador de Can Mata (ca. 11.9 to 11.6 Ma, Middle Miocene; Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, Spain). Three different taxa are identified: Styriofelis turnauensis, Pseudaelurus romieviensis and Pseudaelurus quadridentatus. The described remains of P. romieviensis enable extending considerably the chronological range of this species in the Iberian Peninsula, in agreement with its record in the rest of Europe. Moreover, it is shown for the first time that P. romieviensis may possess a p2. The presence of this tooth therefore does not constitue a valid diagnostic feature to distinguish P. romieviensis from P. quadridentatus.     

A traversodont cynodont from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Nanogomphodon wildi n. gen., n. sp. is based on a tiny lower postcanine tooth from the lower Lettenkeuper (Lower Keuper or Erfurt Formation; Ladinian) of Michelbach an der Bilz (Baden-Württemberg). It represents the first record of a traversodont cynodont from the Middle Triassic of Europe and exhibits a distinctive combination of dental features. Along with recent discoveries of other traversodont taxa from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America,Nanogomphodon indicates the existence of a distinct lineage of these cynodonts in the Northern Hemisphere.      

A new species of Plesioblattogryllus Huang, Nel et Petrulevičius (Grylloblattida: Plesioblattogryllidae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

A new species of grylloblattid insects, Plesioblattogryllus minor, sp. nov. (Gryllobattida: Plesioblattogryllidae), is described from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou locality (Inner Mongolia, China). The value of the diagnostic features of the families Plesioblattogryllidae and Blattogryllidae is briefly discussed.     

A New Specimen of Carroll’s Mystery Hupehsuchian from the Lower Triassic of China

A new specimen of an enigmatic hupehsuchian genus is reported. The genus was first recognized by Robert L. Carroll and Zhi-ming Dong in 1991, who refrained from naming it because of the poor quality of the only specimen known at the time. After more than two decades, we finally report a second specimen of this genus, which remained unprepared until recently. The new specimen preserves most of the skeleton except the skull, allowing us to erect a new genus and species, Eretmorhipis carrolldongi. The new species shares many characters with Parahupehsuchus longus, including the strange axial skeleton that forms a bony body tube. However, the body tube is short in the new species, being limited to the pectoral region. The vertebral count and limb morphology considerably differ between the new species and P. longus. The forelimb of E. carrolldongi is markedly larger than its hind limb as in Hupehsuchus nanchangensis but unlike in P. longus. The new species is unique among hupehsuchians in a list of features. It has manual and pedal digits that spread radially, forming manus and pes that are almost as wide as long. The third-layer elements of the dermal armor are unusually large, spanning four vertebral segments, yet there are substantial gaps among them. With the addition of the unique paddle, it is now clear that Hupehsuchia had diverse forelimb morphologies spanning from paddles to flippers, unlike ichthyopterygians that were taxonomically more diverse yet only had flippers.     

New remains of Dorcatherium crassum (Artiodactyla: Tragulidae) from the Early Miocene (MN4) of Els Casots (Subirats,Vallès-Penedès Basin)

New tragulid dental remains from the late Early Miocene (16.5–16.3 Ma, MN4) locality of Els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, Spain) are described. This sample fits well, both in size and occlusal morphology, with the material of Dorcatherium crassum from the type locality (Sansan, France; MN6). We therefore attribute the tragulid from Els Casots to this species, also in agreement with its known chronostratigraphic range throughout Europe (MN4–MN6) and the previous records of this species from other MN4 localities of the Vallès-Penedès Basin. The described remains – which include the postcanine lower deciduous and permanent dentition, as well as several upper cheek teeth – constitute the most complete sample of D. crassum from the Iberian Peninsula. The presence of this species at Els Casots is consistent with the lacustrine depositional environment inferred from sedimentological evidence and associated fauna, and further confirms the nearby presence of densely forested environments with a humid climate with low seasonality.     

New dental remains of Hispanopithecus laietanus (Primates: Hominidae) from Can Llobateres 1 and the taxonomy of Late Miocene hominoids from the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Here we report 12 teeth of the fossil great ape Hispanopithecus (Hominidae: Dryopithecinae: Hispanopithecini), recovered in 2011 from the locality of Can Llobateres 1 (MN9, early Vallesian, Late Miocene, ca. 9.7 Ma [millions of years ago]) in the Vallès-Penedès Basin (Catalonia, Spain). Besides an isolated dP³ from layer CLL1.1b in the eastern (classical) sector of the site, all of the remaining teeth come from facies CLL1.0 (roughly equivalent to CLL1.2 and CLL1.1b), located in the newly excavated western sector, and representing at least two different individuals. Based on facet congruence and degree of wear, all of the upper cheek teeth, a central incisor and a lateral incisor most likely correspond to a single young adult individual of unknown sex, whereas a very worn I² and a female C¹ represent one or two additional individual(s). Morphological and metrical comparisons allow us to attribute these remains to Hispanopithecus laietanus, which is the single hominoid species recognized at CLL1. The newly described teeth represent a significant addition to the hypodigm of this taxon, enabling us to more completely assess the degree of variation displayed by several teeth. In light of the new specimens, the previous tooth position assignment of several upper molars from Can Llobateres and Can Poncic is revised, and the criteria employed to distinguish Hispanopithecus crusafonti from H. laietanus are critically evaluated. On the basis of the available upper cheek teeth from these localities, a distinction at the species level between both samples is tentatively favored, mainly on the basis of P³, M¹ and M² proportions as well as I¹ lingual morphology and proportions. The results of the 2011 field season unambiguously confirm that hominoid-bearing fossiliferous layers from CLL1 are not exhausted. Additional excavations at this site are promising for the discovery of additional remains of H. laietanus in the near future.     

New Spiriferids (Brachiopoda) from the Middle–Late Permian of Northeastern Mongolian Boreal Basin

Paleontological Journal - Three new spiriferid species are established from the Mongolian key sections of the Middle Permian Tsagaan-Temete horizon and Late Permian Binder horizon, Uldza formation....     

Middle Pleistocene Human Remains from Tourville-la-Rivière (Normandy,France) and Their Archaeological Context

Despite numerous sites of great antiquity having been excavated since the end of the 19th century, Middle Pleistocene human fossils are still extremely rare in northwestern Europe. Apart from the two partial crania from Biache-Saint-Vaast in northern France, all known human fossils from this period have been found from ten sites in either Germany or England. Here we report the discovery of three long bones from the same left upper limb discovered at the open-air site of Tourville-la-Rivière in the Seine Valley of northern France. New U-series and combined US-ESR dating on animal teeth produced an age range for the site of 183 to 236 ka. In combination with paleoecological indicators, they indicate an age toward the end of MIS 7. The human remains from Tourville-la-Rivière are attributable to the Neandertal lineage based on morphological and metric analyses. An abnormal crest on the left humerus represents a deltoid muscle enthesis. Micro- and or macro-traumas connected to repetitive movements similar to those documented for professional throwing athletes could be origin of abnormality.     

Histology of the reproductive tissue of the clam Ruditapes decussatus from the gulf of Gabès (Tunisia)

Summary

The gametogenic cycle of the clam Ruditapes decussatus was investigated during one year. Samples were collected each month in two different sites located at the gulf of Gabès area. Gametogenic activity was characterized on the basis of histological analysis of the gonads. A classification and a scoring system were then proposed. According to our study, Ruditapes decussatus gametogenesis can be divided in four major steps: (1) a sexual rest (December- February), (2) starting of gametogenesis (February-March), (3) development (March-May), (4) ripe (from April onwards). This study revealed that the gonad of the clam Ruditapes decussatus was surrounded by muscular tissue which could represent the principal storage tissue. Two kinds of hermaphroditism appeared since maturity of gonads: simultaneous one showing gonadal tubules of both males and females in regionally distinct and separate zones and a “superposed” one showing a gonad consisting essentially of mature male gametes and few residual oocytes.     

New genus of leaf-mimicking katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Late Eocene–Early Oligocene of France and England

A new leaf-mimicking katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae), Archepseudophylla fossilis gen. et sp. nov. is described based on tegmina from the Early Oligocene of France. Lithymnetes laurenti Théobald, 1937 from the Late Eocene of France is transferred to Archepseudophylla comb. nov. The enigmatic ‘Poekilloptera’ melanospila Cockerell, 1921 from the Early Oligocene of the Isle of Wight (UK) is transferred to Archepseudophylla comb. nov. The present discoveries in the Palaeogene of the Isle of Wight, Céreste, and Marseilles Basins represent the first fossil records of Pseudophyllinae. In addition, these records support warm and humid forest conditions near the palaeolakes of the Isle of Wight, Camoins-les-Bains, and Céreste.     

Dinosaur footprints from the Early Jurassic of Le Mazel (Lozère,Southern France)

During the 20^th century, the first dinosaur tracks of the Causses Basin were identified at Saint-Laurent-de-Trèves, in the Parc National des Cévennes (southern France). A recent excavation reveals a new theropod tracksite in the Hettangian deposits from Le Mazel, 2 km from the historical tracksite at Saint-Laurent-de-Trèves. The tracks are here described combining a biometric approach and 3D imaging photogrammetry. The main track-bearing surface bears 64 in situ tridactyl footprints preserved as concave epireliefs. Two morphotypes were identified, a “Grallatorid” morphotype and a “Kayentapus” morphotype. Footprints belonging to the first morphotype are closely similar to Grallator lescurei, Grallator minusculus, and Grallator sauclierensis. This study shows the difficulty to distinguish quite similar tridactyl tracks from an ichnotaxonomic point of view and highlights the importance of detailed biometric comparisons. Tracks are preserved in a brown to yellowish dolomudstone showing abundant cryptalgal laminites and mud cracks. These deposits were accrued in shallow environments such as intertidal and supratidal zones of a tidal flat.     

Taxonomy of a platy coral association from the Late Cenomanian of the southern Corbières (Aude,France)

The Upper Cenomanian cover of the Palaeozoic Mouthoumet Massif (southern Corbières, Aude, France), on the southern flank of the Bézu anticline, shows accumulations of large platy corals. However, while being already presented in stratigraphic, palaeoecological and sedimentological contexts, these organisms have not been the subject of a palaeontological study. The coral fauna encompasses 16 species of the families Leptophylliidae, Microsolenidae, and Siderastraeidae and is here presented in detail.     

The nassariids from the Gulf of Gabès revisited (Neogastropoda,Nassariidae)

Since the latter half of the nineteenth century, marine biologists have recognized that many molluscs living in the Gulf of Gabès, on the southern coast of Tunisia, exhibit a number of morphological characters that set them apart from the ‘typical form or variety’ that occurs in the rest of their Mediterranean distribution area. In the family Nassariidae, local forms (varieties or subspecies) were recognized as early as 1882, but none of these is currently recognized as having taxonomical significance. We have revisited the species-level systematics of the family using an integrative approach, based on morphological, geographic and molecular evidence (COI and 28S). Besides Tritia gibbosula (not sampled by us), we delimitated seven species, three with a broad range: Tritia neritea (probably introduced), T. mutabilis (but with considerable genetic structure between localities), and T. corniculum; and four not previously recognized as valid, and which may be considered Gulf of Gabès endemics: T. lanceolata, T. tenuicosta, T. pallaryana sp. nov. and T. djerbaensis sp. nov. Also, Tritia elongata is recognized as a valid species in the T. corniculum complex, with a distribution outside the Gulf of Gabès. It is remarkable that all have paucispiral protoconchs indicating non-planktotrophic larval development.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:069F3B3B-66E8-4C07-A974-3023924426EB     

Dinosaur protofeathers: pushing back the origin of feathers into the Middle Triassic?

Reports of primordial feathers (protofeathers) in dinosaurs have received widespread interest. Recently, it was proposed that a novel protofeather in the theropod dinosaur Beipiaosaurus completes the transitional series in the evolution of the feather and provides the first evidence of filamentous feathers as display in nonavian theropods. A more far-reaching evolutionary ramification is the claim that these structures push the origin of monofilamentous integumentary structures into the Middle Triassic or earlier. I discuss problems with the analyses within the broader context of studies concerning the hypothesis of protofeathers, and show that affinity between the integumentary structures in Beipiaosaurus and feathers is improbable. The scientific methodology is questioned by its failure to make phenomena perceivable by objective means, by questionable rationalizations in critical issues, and by lack of consideration of exceptions to the postulated thesis. The notion that primordial feathers occurred in a clade more inclusive than the Coelurosauria and that it is supported by the presence of integumental structures in Psittacosaurus is analyzed and rejected.