A new ichthyodectiform (Actinopterygii,Teleostei) from the Lower Cretaceous Marizal Formation,north‐east Brazil

Abstract: A new genus and species, Ogunichthys triangularis, from the Early Cretaceous Marizal Formation in the Tucano Basin, Bahia State, Brazil, can be assigned to the teleost order Ichthyodectiformes and to the suborder Ichthyodectoidei by the presence of ten synapomorphies of these clades. Ogunichthys gen. nov. cannot be placed into any of the currently recognized families within Ichthyodectoidei and differs from all other ichthyodectoid genera in the ratio between the depth of the dentary symphysis and the depth of the coronoid process, the relationships between the length of the coronoid process and the alveolar border of the dentary, and a supraoccipital crest with posterior border fringed. The new taxon occurs in Early Cretaceous (Aptian) strata of the Marizal Formation, which are related to periods during epicontinental seas extended from the Caribbean Tethys into the South American continent. Rather than representing a single continuous widespread seaway, these epicontinental seas reflect local tectonic events, sometimes including locally distinctive faunas.     

Troglobitic scorpions: a new genus and species from Brazil

A new genus and species of troglobitic buthid scorpion are described on the basis of a single specimen collected in Brazil. This is the first cavernicolous scorpion ever found in Brazil, and only the second to be found in South America. Some considerations on troglobitic scorpions are proposed.     

Tapirus balkanicus nov. sp., nouveau tapir (Perissodactyla, Mammalia) du Turolien de Bulgarie

A new species of Tapiridae, Tapirus balkanicus, is etablished for new material of the Bulgarian Upper Miocene. The comparison with other Neogene tapirids leads us to consider the upper jaw as more characteristic than the lower one for taxonomic determination and study of phyletic relations. A new subgenus, Meyeriscus, is created for Tapirus pannonicus, the most evolved European tapirid.

Résumé

Une nouvelle espèce de tapir est décrite, Tapirus balkanicus du Miocène supérieur de Bulgarie. La comparaison avec les espèces européennes du Miocène moyen (Tapirus teilen) au Villafranchien (Tapirus arvernensis) amènent à privilégier la denture supérieure sur l'inférieure pour la détermination et les rapports phylétiques éventuels entre les espèces. Pour l'espèce la plus évoluée de tous les Tapiridés européens, Tapirus pannonicus est proposé un nom de sous-genre particulier, Meyeriscus nov.     

A new mosasauroid (Squamata) from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian) of Morocco

Tethysaurus nopcsai gen. et sp. nov. is described on the basis of both cranial and postcranial material from the Late Cretaceous (Early Turonian) of the Goulmima region, southern Morocco. This new mosasauroid is mainly characterized by a parietal table ending posteriorly in two pointed pegs; jugal with a large ascending ramus; splenial with a large and notched dorsomedial process; surangular exposed medially ventral to the coronoid; large paracotylar and parazygosphenal foramina on vertebrae. A phylogenetic analysis shows that Tethysaurus is the sister-group of Mosasauridae. It fills the gap between the aigialosaurids (mainly Cenomanian) and the mosasaurids (known from the Middle-Late Turonian to the Latest Maastrichtian). To cite this article: N. Bardet et al., C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

A basal Pachyrhizodontid fish (Actinopterygii, Teleostei) from the Lower Cretaceous of the Tlayúa Quarry, Central Mexico

Michin csernai gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) limestones of the Tlayúa Quarry, Puebla State, Central Mexico, is assigned to the Teleost clade Pachyrhizodontoidei as it possesses the enlarged inner premaxillary tooth, which is a unique synapomorphy of this clade. Additionally, the occurrence of relatively primitive characters (e.g., united parietals, angular and articular completely fused, caudal fin with five uroneurals) suggests that Michin csernai represents the most basal representative of the pachyrhizodontids.     

A new species of Megalonychidae (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from the Quaternary of Poço Azul (Bahia, Brazil)

The new genus and species Ahytherium aureum (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Megalonychidae) from the Quaternary of Poço Azul (Bahia, Brazil) is described. It is the first Brazilian megalonychid known from reasonably complete and well-preserved remains. Purported Brazilian megalonychids described in the past, such as Ocnopus gracilis and Xenocnus cearesis, are noted as belonging to other sloth clades, and the acceptance by past paleontologists of the existence of ‘strange’ megalonychids in Brazil is shown to be erroneous. Ahytherium aureum, in fact, exhibits typical megalonychid morphology. It differs from other known members of Megalonychidae in several characters, including a markedly shortened, but high rostral region, with dorsally inflated frontals, wide zygomatic processes of the frontal, narrow, blade-like and anterolaterally oriented lacrimals, curved, slender and oval caniniforms, gracile humerus with less developed deltopectoral shelf, and relatively distal position of the greater trochanter of the femur. A second specimen from São Paolo state is tentatively assigned to the new genus and species.     

A new Early Miocene genus of the family Sciaenidae (Teleostei, Perciformes) from the eastern Paratethys

A new genus of sciaenid fish Caucasisciaena is erected to accommodate the Early Miocene eastern Paratethys species Perca ignota Smirnov, 1936, which, subsequently, was variously attributed to the modern genera, either Larimus or Otolithoides. The materials examined include 32 specimens from four Caucasian and Crimean localities of Sakaraulian age (Lower Burdigalian). The new genus is based on a unique combination of features, including: parasphenoid with a dorsal rounded bony flange; basisphenoid present; premaxilla with short ascending process forming obtuse angle with alveolar process and ascending/alveolar process ratio about 0.17; anterior premaxillary teeth enlarged; posttemporal with few robust spines along its posterior margin; presence of 25 vertebrae; presence of three tiny supraneurals; dorsal fin with 11 spines plus 22–24 soft rays; anal fin with two spines and 7–8 soft rays; second anal-fin spine long and massive; pectoral fin elongate; scales ctenoid on body and cycloid on head (except for one or two rows of ctenoid scales on the cheek). Paleoecological considerations suggest that Caucasisciaena probably was a predatory fish that inhabited the coastal waters of the eastern sector of the Paratethyan basin.     

A stegosaur vertebra (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Callovian (Middle Jurassic) of Sarthe, western France

A dinosaur vertebra found in the course of road works in the “Chevain Marls” (marine Callovian) of the Vermont outlier, near the village of Béthon (Sarthe, Pays-de-la-Loire, western France) is described and referred to a stegosaur (cf. Lexovisaurus). It is the first record of a dinosaur in the Middle Jurassic of that area. The specimen was probably derived from the floating carcass of an animal that had lived on the emerged areas of the Armorican Massif, near which the Chevain Marls were deposited. This fossil is an addition to the short list of stegosaur remains reported from France.     

Meles iberica n. sp., a new Eurasian badger (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae) from Fonelas P-1 (Plio-Pleistocene boundary, Guadix Basin, Granada, Spain)

This paper reports a new species of ancient badger – Meles iberica n. sp. – discovered at the Fonelas P-1 Plio-Pleistocene site (Cuenca de Guadix, Granada, Spain). The anatomical features of its fossils, which identify it as a new species of Meles, include: the great robustness and small size of the specimens found, orbits nearly closed by well-developed zygomatic processes of the frontal bone, very small and rounded infraorbital foramens that open above the fourth upper premolar metacone, upper carnassial teeth with a concave linguodistal outline, the reduction of the talon of the first upper molar, a very deep masseteric fossa, whose anterior margin reaches the mesial limit of the second lower molar, an extensive horizontal platform at the base of this fossa, and a very long and narrow angular apophysis. This species is the most ancient of the genus recorded for the Iberian Peninsula.     

Apterodon intermedius, sp. nov., a new European Creodont Mammal from MP22 of Espenhain (Germany)

A mandible fragment of a medium-sized creodont mammal representing a new species of Apterodon, A. intermedius has been discovered in a open cast mine near Leipzig (Germany), dated Late Ruppelian (MP22). For the first time an Apterodon species is well dated in Europe. The dental wear of molars is investigated under SEM. It looks like those described extant carnivores known as preferential flesh eaters. The new specimen together other mammal species questions possible migration ways from Africa to Europe, between the upper Eocene and lower Oligocene.     

The ‘Giant of Ksour’, a Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur from Algeria

Continental strata of Early and Middle Jurassic age are seldom-exposed, and little is known of the history of sauropod dinosaurs prior to the neosauropod radiation of the end of the Middle Jurassic. Here, we report, in the Middle Jurassic of the Occidental Saharan Atlas (Algerian High Atlas), the discovery of a skeleton, including cranial material, of a new cetiosaurid sauropod. Chebsaurus algeriensis n. g., n. sp. represents the most complete Algerian sauropod available to date, only few remains were found before. To cite this article: F. Mahammed et al., C. R. Palevol 4 (2005).     

Tunicothrix rostrata n. g., n. sp., a new urostylid ciliate (Ciliophora, Stichotrichia) from the Yellow Sea

The morphology and infraciliature of a new ciliate, Tunicothrix rostrata n. g., n. sp., isolated from the Yellow Sea, are investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation. Tunicothrix rostrata measures about 160 x 40 mum in vivo, and has a frontal beak-like protrusion, a conspicuous cortical alveolar layer, two right marginal rows, and usually three distinct midventral pairs. The discovery of T. rostrata enables us to reconsider the classification of Erniella wilberti, a curious ciliate with obscure midventral pairs. Both species are highly similar in overall appearance and nuclear and ciliary pattern. Thus, they are united in a new genus of the family Urostylidae, Tunicothrix, and E. wilberti is transferred to Tunicothrix: Tunicothrix wilbertiLin and Song, 2004 n. comb. By contrast, Erniella filiformis, type species of Erniella, has several ventral rows and does not belong to the urostylids. Tunicothrix rostrata is easily distinguished from T. wilberti by its beak-like anterior protrusion and by the distinctly elongated right marginal row 2, which curves anteriorly on the dorsal side of the cells. Tunicothrix is closely related to Parabirojimia, differing by the invariably two (vs. five-eight) right marginal rows and the conspicuous (vs. ordinary) alveolar layer, a unique feature in urostylid ciliates.     

A new species of Anthracotheriidae, Merycopotamus medioximus nov. sp. from the Late Miocene of the Potwar Plateau, Pakistan

New anthracotheriid remains, discovered by the H-GSP in well-dated localities from the Potwar plateau in the North of Pakistan, between 10.4 and 8.6 Ma, are described and attributed to Merycopotamus medioximus nov. sp. This new species displays an intermediate morphology between the older M. pusillus and the more recent M. dissimilis. These results permit to emend the Merycopotamus diagnosis. To cite this article: F. Lihoreau et al., C. R. Palevol 3 (2004).

Résumé

Une nouvelle espèce d'Anthracotheriidae, Merycopotamus medioximus nov. sp. du Miocène récent du plateau du Potwar, Pakistan. Des restes d'Anthracotheriidae, découverts par le H-GSP dans des localités bien datées du plateau du Potwar, au Nord du Pakistan, entre 10,4 et 8,6 Ma, sont décrits et attribués à Merycopotamus medioximus nov. sp. Cette nouvelle espèce possède une morphologie intermédiaire entre M. pusillus, espèce plus ancienne, et M. dissimilis, plus récente. Ces résultats permettent en outre d'émender la diagnose du genre Merycopotamus. Pour citer cet article : F. Lihoreau et al., C. R. Palevol 3 (2004).     

A new species of Lessingianthus (Asteraceae: Vernonieae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Lessingianthus ibitipocensis, a new species from the Southeastern Brazilian highlands, is described and illustrated.

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Resumen  Se describe e ilustra una especie nueva, Lessingianthus ibitipocensis, del sudeste de Brasil.

     

A new baurusuchid crocodyliform (Archosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia (Argentina)

A new baurusuchid, Wargosuchus australis gen. et sp. nov., coming from the Bajo de La Carpa Formation, Neuquén Province (Argentina), is described. This new taxon is based on a fragment of snout and a portion of the cranial roof. Wargosuchus differs from other crocodyliforms by possessing a deep median groove on the frontals, a contact between nasals and frontals extremely reduced, a large depression for the olfactory bulbs, three large foramina surrounding the large, smooth perinarial depression, and a hypertrophied, conical last premaxillary tooth followed by a large paracanine fossa. The finding of Wargosuchus in Patagonia (Argentina), a taxon with a strong resemblance to Brazilian baurusuchids, reinforces the hypothesis of a similar biota between both regions by the Late Cretaceous. Wargosuchus and Cynodontosuchus represent the only Argentinian mesoeucrocodylians to be included within Baurusuchidae. This finding extends the number of crocodyliforms from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, which, in turn, corresponds to the most taxonomically diverse one in Argentina.     

A new primitive hadrosauroid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia (P.R. China)

The right dentary of a new hadrosauroid dinosaur, Penelopognathus weishampeli, has been discovered in the Bayan Gobi Formation (Albian, Lower Cretaceous) of Inner Mongolia (P.R. China). This new taxon is characterised by its elongated, straight dental ramus, whose lateral side is pierced by about 20 irregularly distributed foramina. Its dentary teeth appear more primitive than those of Probactrosaurus, but more advanced than those of Altirhinus, both also from the Lower Cretaceous of the Gobi area. Non-hadrosaurid Hadrosauroidea were already well diversified in eastern Asia by Early Cretaceous time, suggesting an Asian origin for the hadrosauroid clade. To cite this article: P. Godefroit et al., C. R. Palevol 4 (2005).     

Leaf volatile compounds and the distribution of ant patrollingin an ant-plant protection mutualism: Preliminary results onLeonardoxa (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) andPetalomyrmex(Formicidae: Formicinae)

While observations suggest that plant chemicals could be important in maintaining the specificity and permitting the functioning of ant-plant symbioses, they have been little studied. We report here the strongest evidence yet for chemical signalling between ants and plants in a specific ant-plant protection symbiosis. In the mutualism between Leonardoxa africana subsp. africana and Petalomyrmex phylax, ants continuously patrol young leaves, which are vulnerable to attacks by phytophagous insects. We provide experimental evidence for chemical mediation of ant attraction to young leaves in this system. By a comparative analysis of the related non-myrmecophytic tree L. africana subsp. gracilicaulis, we identify likely candidates for attractant molecules, and suggest they may function not only as signals but also as resources. We also propose hypotheses on the evolutionary origin of these plant volatiles, and of the responses to them by mutualistic ants.     

A new locality of Late Cretaceous snakes, mammals and other vertebrates in Africa (western Libya)

s sp. nov. (Reptilia sp. nov. (Reptilia, Serpentes, Simoliopheidae) is described from the Upper Cretaceous ‘unnamed’ beds of the Mizdah Formation (Santonian-Campanian) at Draa Ubari in western Libya. The accompanying fauna consists of an undetermined mammal represented by a caudal vertebra, of hybodontoid, ganopristid and lamnoid sharks, as well as dipnoans, lepisosteids, pycnodonts, enchodontids, turtles, crocodiles and ?dinosaurs.

Résumé

Une nouvelle localité de serpents, mammifères et autres vertébrés du Crétacé supérieur en Afrique (Libye occidentale). s sp. nov. (Reptilia sp. nov. (Reptilia, Serpentes, Simoliopheidae) est décrit dans des grès de la formation Mizdah (Santonien-Campanien), à Draa Ubari en Libye occidentale. Les mêmes couches ont livré une vertèbre caudale de mammifère indéterminé, ainsi que des restes de requins hybodontoïdes, ganopristidés et lamnoïdes, de dipneustes, lépisostéïdes, pycnodontes, enchodontidés, tortues, crocodiles et? dinosaures.