A near-tetrapod from the Baltic Middle Devonian

The tetrapodomorph sarcopterygian Livoniana multidentata gen. et sp. nov. is described on the basis of lower jaw fragments from the Middle Devonian(late Givetian) of Latvia and Estonia. It possesses a suite of derived characters previously only known from tetrapods, which first appear in the late Devonian (late Frasnian), and a phylogenetic analysis places it on the internode between Panderichthys and the base of the Tetrapoda. The analysis also reveals that the 'Elpistostegalia' are paraphyletic to Tetrapoda, with Elpistostege closer to tetrapods than is Panderichthys. Owing to incompleteness of the material, there is almost no overlap between the data sets for Elpistostege Livoniana ; the analysis places the two genera in an unresolved trichotomy. In addition to the tetrapod features, Livoniana has a strikingly autapomorphic dentary dentition comprising multiple tooth rows. It thus provides evidence both for the unexpectedly early evolution of tetrapod characteristics and for morphological radiation around the fish-tetrapod transition.     

New triconodontids (Mammalia) from the Lower Cretaceous Shahai and Fuxin formations, northeastern China

The first triconodontids from Asia have been discovered from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian to Albian) Shahai and Fuxin formations in Liaoning Province, northeastern China: Meiconodon lii gen. and sp. nov. and M. setoguchii gen. and sp. nov. M. lii is characterized by molariform teeth with a developed cusp d, an m3 with taller cusp a, an m4 with three primary cusps of subequal height, the posteriorly decreasing transverse width of the m4, and a considerably reduced m5. M. setoguchii is slightly larger than M. lii, and characterized by a sharp labial cingulum on the m4, and a less developed cusp d on the molariform teeth than M. lii. The extensive interlocking system between molariforms, posteriorly recumbent primary molariform cusps, and their great degree of asymmetry in occlusal view with rounded labial faces and more angulate lingual faces in lateral view, indicate that Meiconodon belongs to the triconodontid subfamily Alticonodontinae. These new taxa are the first record of Triconodontidae from Asia, and of Alticonodontinae outside North America, suggesting the occurrence of mammalian faunal exchange between North America and Asia during or before the Aptian-Albian.     

The pattern of tooth plate formation in the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri Krefft

Tooth plate formation in the Queensland lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri, Krefft begins with simple groups of isolated cusps, three in each tooth plate. The cusps fuse in ridges radiating from a point situated posterolingually. During growth, cusps are added to the labial ends of the ridges, and more ridges are added posteriorly, giving a total of seven in each tooth plate. Each tooth grows in thickness by the addition of layers of material, in line with the new cusps, beneath the tooth plate. The tooth plate grows outwards and is resorbed from the inner angle at the same time. The crushing surface is formed by the growth of cusps between the ridges. Angles between the ridges become progressively smaller, and angles between more posterior ridges are consistently less than between more anterior ridges. Similar but less pronounced changes in angles between ridges occur in a fossil genus, Sagenodus inaequalis, examined for comparison.
Vomerine teeth grow in the same way, by fusion of isolated cusps and the addition of new cusps to one end (labial) of the tooth plate. Layers of material are also added beneath the tooth plate. The vomerine tooth plates are initially low-based with long cusps but develop into high-based low cusped incisiform tooth plates in fully grown adults.
The labial dentition of the lower jaw starts to develop like the vomerine teeth, but degenerates by stage (vi) of tooth development. The single medial tooth is resorbed even earlier.
The pattern of tooth plate formation described in this paper is consistent with illustrations published by Semon (1901) and Greil (1908, 1913) but the inferred developmental processes are different.
Implications of the results for the Zahnreihe hypothesis of Edmund and for the phylogeny of Dipnoi are discussed.     

云南曲靖张家营一肺鱼齿板

<正> 本文记述的肺鱼齿板是1979年在云南进行野外工作时采获的。标本产自云南曲靖张家营东山中泥盆统曲靖组。登记号V6257 经观察这一标本很可能属于双翼鱼科(Dipteridae),代表一新属、新种。特征一保存不完整的齿板,冠面呈扇形。具9条齿脊,彼此近于平行,脊上具有数目不等的齿突,表面具有琺琅质层。齿谷表面粗糙并缺失琺琅质层。靠近齿板外缘内侧,在齿板冠面上有一浅槽。描述一件保存不完整的左下齿板,仅前侧具脊的部分被保存下来,而后中光滑的台面部分则缺失。齿板中等大小,呈扇形。保存部分的最大长度21毫米,最大宽度16毫     

Homeomorphy in Lunostoma, a new Middle Devonian cryptostome bryozoan

A new genus and species of rhabdomesine cryptostome bryozoan, Lunostoma pulchra n. gen. n. sp., is described from the Lower Givetian (Middle Devonian) of the Eifel, Germany. It differs from all previously known rhabdomesines in having crescent-shaped structures (??scuta??) on the proximal sides of the apertures. These scuta resemble the lunaria that characterise cystoporate bryozoans, providing yet another example of homeomorphy in the Bryozoa. The function of scuta is unclear as, in contrast to lunaria, they do not project sufficiently from the apertures to constrain the everting lophophores.     

Aeolid nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) of the family Glaucidae from New Zealand waters

Two new species of aeolid, a new genus being created for one of them, are described along with another two species, one Phidiana militaris (Alder & Hancock) (= Learchis militaris ) a new record for New Zealand, the other, Glaucus atlanticus , found only once before. Jason mirabilis gen. et sp. nov. is distinguished by a ventral tongue-like process with a ridged chitinous covering which replaces the radula (still present but vestigial) and by the greatly subdivided rhinophoral lamellae. Babaina caprinsulensis sp. nov. differs from its Californian relative in having papillate rhinophores. The New Zealand specimens of Phidiana militaris differ slightly in colouration from those described for elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific.
The Glaucidae is enlarged to include the Babainidae, Facelinidae and Favorinidae, the main familial characteristics being the simple oral glands, sharp radular tooth and pugnacious behaviour. Possible evolutionary trends within the family based on the arrangement of the cerata and penial structure are traced out. The Babaininae, pleuroproctic with a notal ridge and irregular disposition of the cerata, is considered the most primitive subfamily and the Hervellinae, with cerata in single rows, the most advanced. The many facelinid genera previously recognized are reduced to two, Antionetta Schmekel and Phidiana Gray.     

The relationships of Uronemus: a carboniferous dipnoan with highly modified tooth plates

Previous accounts of the dentition of the Carboniferous dipnoan Uronemus have stressed the significance of the scattered small denticles. These, together with the marginal teeth and ridges, have been interpreted as primitive characters of the dipnoan dentition shared with three other genera: the Devonian Uranlophus and Griphognathus and the Carboniferous to Permian Conchopoma. Genera with tooth plates have been considered to be a monophyletic group in which tooth plates are a derived character; Uronemus has been excluded from this group in all previous investigations dealing with the significance of the dentition for determining relationships among dipnoans. The macromorphology of the dentition of Uronemus has been re-examined and correlated with the histology of all the dental tissues. Optical study of thin sections and scanning electron microscope study of the adjacent cut surfaces has shown that the hard, wear-resistant dentine of the teeth and ridges is petrodentine. The arrangement, growth, wear and histology of the dental tissues have been compared with those of denticulated and tooth-plated genera. The arrangement of new teeth relative to the tooth ridge, the pattern of wear along the ridge, and the type of dentine and its growth indicate that the dentition of Uronemus is best interpreted as a tooth plate with one long lingual tooth ridge and reduced lateral tooth rows. Therefore the marginal tooth ridges are not considered to be homologous with those of denticulate dipnoans such as Uranolophus. The presence of petrodentine, a tissue type only found in forms with tooth plates, is consistent with the view that the dentition is derived by modification of a radiate tooth plate. The denticles covering restricted regions of the palate and lower jaw are considered to have been a secondary acquisition. The suggestion that Conchopoma is a close relative of Uronemus is not accepted, and possible new relationships have been proposed. New data on Scaumenacia and Phaneropleuron, two other genera previously compared with Uronemus, are presented. Rhinodipterus, a form with elongate lingual ridges, is also discussed. Phaneropleuron is shown to have radiate tooth plates and not a marginal row of conical teeth as previously described. It is proposed that the tooth plate of Uronemus is derived from a dipterid type of plate. A discussion of some of the other factors involved in determining the relationships of the genus is given.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

A new species of Pomphorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Palaeacanthocephala) in freshwater fishes from central Chile

This study describes a new species of Pomphorhynchus collected from Percilia gillissi Girard, 1855 from the Za?artu canal, between the sister basins of the Itata and Laja rivers, in central Chile. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. is characterized by an asymmetrical, well-differentiated subspherical bulb and 12-14 longitudinal rows of 13-14 hooks; the third and the fourth hook in each row are stout. Among South American species, P. moyanoi n. sp. shows some similarities to the Chilean species P. yamagutii Schmidt & Hugghins, 1973, but it differs in having a longer neck, larger bulb, and different proboscis armature arrangement. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. differs from P. patagonicus Ortubay, Ubeda, Semenas & Kennedy 1991, in the bulb shape (protuberances), number of rows, fourth hook size and basal hook size. Pomphorhynchus moyanoi n. sp. also differs from P. sphaericus in the arrangement of hooks (number of rows and hooks per row), length and width of the proboscis, neck width, and symmetry of the bulb.     

A NEW BASAL PTEROSAUR GENUS FROM THE UPPER TRIASSIC OF THE NORTHERN CALCAREOUS ALPS OF SWITZERLAND

Abstract:  A lower jaw with multicusped teeth and a number of unique characteristics was discovered in an extensive exposure of the Upper Triassic Kössen Formation in the Northern Calcareous Alps. The ramus of the jaw is high and dominated by a row of large, oval foramina that lies parallel to the tooth row. In addition, the anterior portion of the dentary exhibits a large number of nutritive foramina and small pits, which might indicate an association with a soft tissue structure and/or the presence of a keratinous cover of that area during life. All elements of the jaw are thin-walled and hollow, possibly pneumatic. Two teeth are preserved within the dentary. One is tricuspid and the other bears four cuSPS. The teeth are noticeably small in comparison with the overall size of the ramus, being only one-third of the height of the ramus. The teeth show a strong similarity to those of the well-known basal pterosaur genus Eudimorphodon , whose jaw morphology, however, clearly differs from the specimen described in this study. The dentition and the pneumatic bone structure make an assignment to the Pterosauria plausible. Based on the great number of distinct morphological characters the specimen is described as Caviramus schesaplanensis gen. et sp. nov.     

Dental homologies in lamniform sharks (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii).

The dentitions of lamniform sharks are said to exhibit a unique heterodonty called the "lamnoid tooth pattern." The presence of an inflated hollow "dental bulla" on each jaw cartilage allows the recognition of homologous teeth across most modern macrophagous lamniforms based on topographic correspondence through the "similarity test." In most macrophagous lamniforms, three tooth rows are supported by the upper dental bulla: two rows of large anterior teeth followed by a row of small intermediate teeth. The lower tooth row occluding between the two rows of upper anterior teeth is the first lower anterior tooth row. Like the first and second lower anterior tooth rows, the third lower tooth row is supported by the dental bulla and may be called the first lower intermediate tooth row. The lower intermediate tooth row occludes between the first and second upper lateral tooth rows situated distal to the upper dental bulla, and the rest of the upper and lower tooth rows, all called lateral tooth rows, occlude alternately. Tooth symmetry cannot be used to identify their dental homology. The presence of dental bullae can be regarded as a synapomorphy of Lamniformes and this character is more definable than the "lamnoid tooth pattern." The formation of the tooth pattern appears to be related to the evolution of dental bullae. This study constitutes the first demonstration of supraspecific tooth-to-tooth dental homologies in nonmammalian vertebrates.     

A new species of Heterosentis Van Cleave, 1931 (Acanthocephala, Arhythmacanthidae), a parasite of pinguipedid fishes in the southwest Atlantic

A new species of arhythmacanthid acanthocephalan, Heterosentis martini n. sp., parasitic in the Argentinean sandperch Pseudopercis semifasciata (Cuvier) (Perciformes, Pinguipedidae) from the coasts of Argentina is described. Heterosentis martini n. sp. differs from all congeneric species by having 10 longitudinal rows of hooks in the proboscis, each with 7-8 hooks, consisting of 1 medium apical and 3 larger sub-apical hooks with root, and 3-4 smaller, basal, curved hooks with rudimentary roots and spines in both ventral and dorsal regions of the body. The most similar species, Heterosentis heteracanthus (Linstow, 1896) Van Cleave, 1931, and Heterosentis brasiliensis Vieira, Felizardo and Luque, 2009, also have 10 longitudinal rows of hooks, but H. heteracanthus differs from the new species by having only 3-5 (more frequently 4) hooks in each row, with only the anterior hook large and bearing a developed root. Heterosentis brasiliensis differs from the new species by possessing 2 sub-apical hooks in each row (instead of 3), similar body length but shorter proboscis, and trunk spines restricted to the ventral surface of body.     

Reduction of maxillary molars in Homo sapiens sapiens: a different perspective.

Crown and cusp areas, and buccolingual and mesiodistal diameters of maxillary molars of complete upper tooth rows (30 males, 30 females) were analysed in order to quantify changes in size and shape from the first to the third molar. Uni- and multivariate analyses revealed the mesial cusps, in particular the protocone (mesiolingual cusp), to be more stable than the other cusps. Although there is a gradient in size from the first to third molar, shape changes were found to be marked. Overall, the findings are in keeping with the field theory and the hypotheses of environmental constraints on later developing teeth. However, not all of the results could be entirely explained by these concepts. Functional aspects seem to account for the relative stability of the protocone and the buccolingual crown diameter. It appears that this functional complex is relatively stable despite the overall reduction of tooth size, which is probably secondary to processes occurring in the jaws and the cranium. This finding may have implications for studies on tooth reduction between populations of different time periods.     

四川自贡大山铺孙氏鳄属(Sunosuchus)一新种

记述了在四川自贡大山铺发现的孙氏鳄一新种———蜀南孙氏鳄 (Sunosuchusshunanensissp .nov .)。新种窄长的吻部 ,小的颅顶平台 ,额骨沿中线具一纵嵴 ,一对裂隙状的前腭孔位于眶下孔之前方 ,方骨腹面的嵴B特别发育等 ,与孙氏鳄的其他种很相似 ,但新种的吻部特别窄长 ,为吻后部长度的 3倍 ,上颌凹特别发育 ,颅顶平台短而宽 ,颞间部宽度大于眶间部宽度 ,泪骨在眼眶前缘处隆起成嵴 ,下颞孔小 ,呈裂隙状 ,鳞骨侧缘不增厚 ,也无附着上耳盖的沟嵴状构造 ,基枕骨侧缘和外枕骨内腹缘具一明显的隆嵴等 ,与孙氏鳄的其他种有明显区别     

江西崇义地区上泥盆统节甲类(Arthrodira)的新材料

我国泥盆系鱼化石非常丰富,尤其是下、中泥盆统。但是,上泥盆统鱼化石发现尚少,而且主要是胴甲类化石,节甲类化石则很少发现。潘江（１９６２）在对斯行健已记述的一植物化石 Ｃｈａｎｇｙａｎｏｐｈｙｔｏｎ ｈｏｐｅｉｅｎｓｉｓ Ｓｚｅ重新进行观察时认为,该化石应属于盾皮鱼类,并将其归人瓣甲类 Ｍａｃｒｏｐｔｅｔａｌｉｃｈｔｈｙｉｄａｅ（？）,化石仅包括前腹侧片和胸棘。 Ｄｅｎｉｓｏｎ（１９７８）根据潘江的文章和插图则认为, Ｃｈａｎｇｙａｎｏｐｈｙｔｏｎ ｈｕｐｅｉｅｎｓｉｓ属于原始节甲类或者瓣甲类。王念忠等…     

A new assemblage of freshwater sharks (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii) from the Upper Triassic of India

This study reports the first occurrence of a varied xenacanth assemblage from the Upper Triassic Tiki Formation of India, based on multiple well-preserved isolated teeth. Based on distinct tooth morphology, two species of the genus Mooreodontus are described: M. indicus and a new species, M. jaini. The new species is diagnosed based on a tricuspid crown containing two stout, slightly diverging lateral cusps pointing in the same direction, a high median cusp, crown-base angle almost at 90°, large, rounded, apical button with several foramina and multiple, 8–9 coarse vertical cristae on all the cusps. Dental anomaly in the form of a partial quadri-cuspidate xenacanthid tooth is present in the collection. Another group of xenacanthid teeth have bicuspid crowns with two upright, asymmetric cusps, where the mesial cusp is thicker than the distal one, and consistently lack a median cusp. Such distinct bicuspid tooth morphology is usually present in Palaeozoic forms and is reported for the first time from the Late Triassic. It is considered to belong to a new taxon, Tikiodontus asymmetricus nov. gen., nov. sp., of indeterminate family. Distinctive tooth histology also differentiates the two Indian genera Mooreodontus and Tikiodontus nov. gen. from other xenacanthid taxa. In addition, the Tiki assemblage has yielded multiple chondrichthyan dermal denticles, which may be subdivided into two morphotypes based on their robustness and presence/absence of linear ridges on the fused cusps. India holds a unique position in terms of its Late Triassic freshwater shark fauna, as it exhibits distinct Laurasian affinities. These freshwater sharks had restricted occurrences in other parts of the Gondwanan landmass.     

Dentition and tooth replacement pattern in Chalcides (Squamata; Scincidae)

This study was undertaken as a prerequisite to investigations on tooth differentiation in a squamate, the Canarian scincid Chalcides. Our main goal was to determine whether the pattern of tooth replacement, known to be regular in lizards, could be helpful to predict accurately any stage of tooth development. A growth series of 20 laboratory-reared specimens, aged from 0.5 month after birth to about 6 years, was used. The dentition (functional and replacement teeth) was studied from radiographs of jaw quadrants. The number of tooth positions, the tooth number in relation to age and to seasons, and the size of the replacement teeth were recorded. In Chalcides, a single row of pleurodont functional teeth lies at the labial margin of the dentary, premaxillary, and maxillary. Whatever the age of the specimens, 16 tooth positions were recorded, on average, in each quadrant, suggesting that positions are maintained throughout life. Replacement teeth were numerous whatever the age and season, while the number of functional teeth was subject to variation. Symmetry of tooth development was evaluated by comparing teeth two by two from the opposite side in the four jaw quadrants of several specimens. Although the relative size of some replacement teeth fitted perfectly, the symmetry criterion was not reliable to predict the developmental stage of the opposite tooth, whether the pair of teeth compared was left-right or upper-lower. The best fit was found when comparing the size of successive replacement teeth from the front to the back of the jaw. Every replacement tooth that is 40-80% of its definitive size is followed, in the next position on the arcade, by a tooth that is, on average, 20% less developed. Considering teeth in alternate positions (even and odd series), each replacement tooth was a little more developed than the previous, more anterior, one (0.5-20% when the teeth are from 10-40% of their final size). The latter pattern showed that tooth replacement occurred in alternate positions from back to front, forming more or less regular rows (i.e., "Zahnreihen"). In Chalcides, the developmental stage of a replacement tooth in a position p can be accurately predicted provided the developmental stage of the replacement tooth in position p-1 or, to a lesser degree, in position p-2 is known. This finding will be particularly helpful when starting our structural and ultrastructural studies of tooth differentiation in this lizard.     

The First Record of a Lungfish (Dipnoi,Sarcopterygii) in the Famennian Deposits (Upper Devonian) of the Tver Oblast

Paleontological Journal - A new dipnoan genus and species Anchidipterus dariae Krupina, gen. et sp. nov. (Dipteridae) is described based on a lower jaw specimen from the Famennian (Upper Devonian)...