The most basal anomodont therapsid and the primacy of Gondwana in the evolution of the anomodonts

A new specimen from the base of the Beaufort Group, Upper Permian of South Africa, represents a new therapsid (''mammal-like reptile'') which has been identified as the most basal (''primitive'') member of the Anomodontia. Anomocephalus africanus gen. et sp. nov. is based upon a partial skull that exhibits several characteristic anomodont synapomorphies including the presence of isodont marginal teeth and a dorsally bowed zygoma, but is distinguished from other anomodonts by the possession of peg-like marginal dentition with oblique wear facets on the tips of the teeth. Anomocephalus is excluded from a clade comprised of all other anomodonts as (i) the snout is relatively long, (ii) the vertically aligned zygomatic process of the squamosal is blade-like, and (iii) the squamosal does not contact the ventral tip of the postorbital. The basal position of Anomocephalus, together with its South African occurrence, strongly supports the postulate that a Gondwanan distribution was ancestral for anomodonts.     

Geographic distribution of hematologic elements in Central African countries: distribution of the ABO blood group system

1,559 people of various ethnical and geographical origin from the Central African Republic (CAR) have been tested for A, B, O group determination. Genic repartition is analysed, historic implications in human migrations are discussed.     

Cancrinella and Costatumulus (Brachiopoda) from the Permian of South Mongolia and South China: Their morphology,biostratigraphy and distribution

Two brachiopod genera, Cancrinella Fredericks and Costatumulus Waterhouse, are studied from the Permian of South Mongolia and South China. Many of the specimens previously described as Cancrinella are revised and assigned to Costatumulus. The new data presented in this paper indicate that these two genera are similar to each other, but are distinguishable by different features in relation to their morphology. Several species of both genera are described here, providing critical new information on the morphology and taxonomy of Cancrinella and Costatumulus. The reported biostratigraphical information reveals that species of Cancrinella are present from the Lower Carboniferous (Tournaisian) to Middle Permian (Capitanian), whereas species of Costatumulus are mostly restricted to the Lower Permian (Sakmarian) to Upper Permian (Changhsingian). An analysis of the palaeogeographical distribution of Cancrinella and Costatumulus reveals that Cancrinella was more commonly distributed in the Northern Transitional Zone and the Boreal Realm, in contrast to Costatumulus, which tended to be more common in the Southern Transitional Zone and Gondwanan Realm.     

Review of the stratigraphic distribution of Permian grylloblattida (Insecta), with descriptions of New Taxa

New taxa of grylloblattid insects (Grylloblattida) are described: Tshekardomina mongolica, sp. nov. (Tshekardominidae) from Bor-Tologoi locality (Severodvinian Stage of Mongolia), Permoshurabia mesenensis, gen. et sp. nov. (Geinitziidae) from Soyana fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Arkhangelsk oblast), Khosaridelia vyatica, sp. nov. (Permotermopsidae) from Karaungir II locality (Vyatkian Stage of Kazakhstan), Euremisca kazanica, sp. nov. (Euremiscidae) from Soyana fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Arkhangelsk oblast), Megakhosarina vyaznikensis, sp. nov. (Megakhosaridae) from Balymotikha locality (Vyatkian Stage of Vladimir oblast), and Parascalicia prokopensis, gen. et sp. nov. (Skaliciidae) from Prokop’evsk fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Kemerovo oblast). The genera Lodevopterum Béthoux, Nel, Lapeyrie et Gand, 2005 (Lodève fossil site, France), Elmopterum Béthoux et Beckemeyer, 2007, and Sigmophlebia Béthoux et Beckemeyer, 2007 (Elmo and Midco fossil sites, United States) are transferred from Grylloblattida incertae sedis to families Euremiscidae, Aliculidae, and Tshekardominidae, respectively. The stratigraphic distribution of Permian grylloblattid families is reviewed.     

Permian ammonoids of the Kolyma-Omolon Region: Kyrian association

This paper describes new taxa of the earliest Permian ammonoids of the Kolyma-Omolon Region: the genus Kolymoglaphyrites gen. nov. with the type species K. lazarevi sp. nov. and the species Uraloceras margaritae sp. nov., recognized as the Kyrian ammonoid association. Judging from the analysis of the main characters, the genus Kolymoglaphyrites is included in the mainly Carboniferous family Glaphyritidae, which expands the interval of the vertical distribution of this family to include the Sakmarian. Uraloceras margaritae is considered as the initial genus in the lineage of weakly ornamented species of Uraloceras. Apparently, this species evolved from Paragastrioceras sterlitamakense at the Asselian-Sakmarian boundary to become later ancestral for U. simense. Based on the phylogenetic position of U. margaritae the Kyrian ammonoid association is dated as Early Sakmarian.     

Permophricodothyris Pavlova, 1965 (Brachiopoda, Spiriferida) from the Permian of South China: its morphology, biostratigraphy and distribution

A study of both silicified and nonsilicified specimens of Permian reticularioid brachiopods from South China suggests thatPermophricodothyris, a genus previously rarely reported from China, is actually very common and abundant in the Middle and especially Upper Permian of South China. This study also clarifies, for the first time, that many of the reticularioid brachiopod species previously described asSquamularia in fact belong toPermophricodothyris. The new data presented in this paper also allows a critical evaluation ofPermophricodothyris in relation to its closest allies:Phricodothyris, Squamularia, Bullarina andNeophricodothyris. The revision reveals that a total of 18Permophricodothyris species are present in the Middle and Upper Permian of South China, with only one species,P. squamularioides, having survived the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Two species,P. grandis (Chao) andP. guangxiensis Han, Zhou & Wang, are redescribed here, providing critical new information on the morphology and taxonomy of these species.     

Effects of group size and personality on social foraging: the distribution of sheep across patches

Group cohesion in social animals foraging in patchy environmentsdepends on 2 opposite forces, intraspecific competition, andattraction. The decision to leave or stay in a group may varyaccording to the individual personality. We investigated therole of personality when feeding competition increases as aresult of increasing group size. Individuals referred as "bold"and "shy" were identified from an indoor exploration test accordingto their propensity to leave the group to explore a novel environment,using 12 novel objects placed at increasing distances from thegroup. Groups of 2, 4, 6, or 8 shy or bold sheep were testedin 45 x 5–m grass arenas, with one 5 x 5–m patchof preferred vegetation at each end. Sheep grazed on or closeto these patches, but the number grazing the patches seldomreached more than 4–5 individuals, suggesting that crowdingmight affect foraging at the highest densities. The smallestgroups grazed together on the same patch, but there was an increasinglikelihood of splitting into subgroups as group size increased,with equal-sized subgroups most commonly grazing the 2 patchessimultaneously. This effect was greatest in bold sheep, whichtended to split into subgroups at smaller group sizes than shysheep. This study provides new insight into the mechanisms bywhich group-living herbivores distribute themselves across patchyresources in a way that minimizes interference competition anddemonstrates the importance of individual variability for spatialorganization at the level of the group.     

Zechstein 2 carbonate platform subfacies and grain-type distribution (Upper Permian,Northwest Germany)

Summary The Upper Permian Zechstein 2 Carbonate (Stassfurt Carbonate, or Ca2) platform facies of Northwest Germany can be subdivided into twelve subfacies types using slabbed cores from fifteen representative wells. Thin section and scanning microscopic analysis further provide subfacies-specific characteristics, based on distribution, size, shape, and spatial arrangement of the grains contained in the different subfacies types. Thirteen grain types can be distinguished within the different subfacies types on the Ca2-platform: 1) one type of oncoid, 2) one type of grapestone, 3) three types of peloids, 4) four types of ooids and 5) four types of aggregate grains. Both presence and composition of grains are indicative of the different subfacies types. There is also a relation between grain composition and porosity of the Ca2-subfacies types. The size and quantity of ooids correlate positively with increasing porosity, whereas an increasing amount of algal structures (algal-lamination) correlates negatively with porosity. The Ca2-platform carbonates almost exclusively represent highstand systems tract and lowstand systems tract deposits. The presence or absence of type-3 aggregate grains within the grainy shoal and algal-laminated shoal subfacies allows the assignment of these subfacies to highstand (grains absent) or lowstand (grains present) systems tracts deposits. The Ca2-highstand deposits can be subdivided into four shallowing-upward parasequences (PS3 to PS7) bounded by parasequence boundaries (PSB3 to PSB6) and Zechstein sequence boundary ZSB4. In contrast to macroscopic core studies, microscopic studies to identify Ca2-subfacies types can utilize cutting material. This allows reconstruction of the subfacies distribution on the Ca2-platform, and delineation of potentially porous zones in uncored Ca2 intervals.     

Permian bryozoans of the NW-tethys

Summary Permian bryozoan faunas from the Lower Permian sequences of the Carnic Alps (UpperPseudoschwagerina Formation and Trogkofel Formation) and from some other Permian units of the NW-Tethys (Sicily, Tunisia) include cystoporid, trepostomid, fenestellid, rhabdomesid, and timanodictyid taxa. Fenestellids and cystoporids species dominate. The Lower Permian bryozoan fauna of the Carnic Alps displays close relations to faunas of Sakmarian-Artinskian age of the Russian Platform and Pamir as well as of the Lower Permian of Australia. Bryozoans from Permian sequences of Sicily and Tunisia display relations to the Permian faunas of Indonesia and Australia.     

Terrestrial tetrapods and the end Permian event: A comparison of analyses

Previous analyses of changes in diversity of Permo‐Triassic tetrapods are reviewed and compared. Biases inherent in such studies which distort the picture of diversity change are discussed. A new analysis of change in generic diversity of the tetrapods of the Karoo Basin, South Africa is presented. Various factors which could bias the results, namely, inconsistent taxonomy, insensitive stratigraphy, area of exposure per time interval, and differing intensity of collecting are addressed and corrections made for them. The results of the new analysis are compared to those of previous ones. In particular it is noted that, contrary to the results of other studies, large decreases in generic number are recorded not once, but twice in the Late Permian sediments, the second occurring in sediments dating from well before the close of that Period. It is concluded that stratigraphic sensitivity is the most important biasing factor in the present analysis and the implications of this for other diversity studies, and for explanations of diversity change, are emphasized.     

Tropical Fossil Caviomorph Rodents from the Southwestern Brazilian Amazonia in the Context of the South American Faunas: Systematics,Biochronology, and Paleobiogeography

The fossil-bearing stratigraphic sections of the Solimões Formation (southwestern Brazilian Amazonia) are exposed mainly along the Juruá, Purus, and Acre rivers, and in road cuts. These deposits have provided fossils of the four main lineages of Caviomorpha – Cavioidea, Erethizontoidea, Octodontoidea, and Chinchilloidea, contributing to the understanding on the evolution of tropical Neogene rodents. Herein, our knowledge about fossil rodents from this region is reviewed. New specimens are recorded, including taxa mentioned for this region for the first time, such as basal cavioids, Dolichotinae, Caviodon (Hydrochoeridae), and Drytomomys (Dinomyidae). Unfortunately, the deposits have no absolute ages, and based on palynological data and the biochronology of several taxa (mainly mammals), the encompassed fauna has been constrained to the late Miocene. However, some rodent lineages recorded here seem to be more related to older faunas, from the middle Miocene and Paleogene. Regarding the biogeographic and paleoenvironmental affinities, most of the Neogene rodents from the Acre region show more similarities to those from the Entre Rios, Argentina, and Urumaco, Venezuela, where wet environments were present during Neogene times. An increase in prospecting along southwestern Amazonian rivers looking for rodents (among other vertebrates) associated with methods to better constrain the ages of these faunal assemblages will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of the tropical rodents as well as the stratigraphy and age of that portion of the basin.