Gradual evolution in the African hunting dog lineage Systematic implications

The hunting dog, Lycaon pictus, is one of the most representative species of the extant African fauna and one of the most efficient predators in the World. This species is actually a relict within Sub-Saharan Africa, but its lineage is well recorded in Eurasia during the Pliocene, and in Eurasia and Africa during the Early Pleistocene, while its record during the Middle Pleistocene is not well documented. Though postcranial skeletal remains dating from the Early Pleistocene show a tetradactyl forelimb, a characteristic feature of the extant lycaon, unique among canids, the upper and lower dentitions show gradual evolution from a primitive morphology in the Late Pliocene specimens to the highly specialized trenchant carnassials of the extant predatory species. We propose a new systematics for the lineage, grouping all the forms within the genus Lycaon. To cite this article: B. Martínez-Navarro, L. Rook, C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

Hyaenictitherium minimum, a new ictithere (Mammalia, Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from the Late Miocene of Toros-Menalla, Chad

A new species of Hyaenidae, Hyaenictitherium minimum, is described in the carnivore fauna of the Late Miocene layers of Toros-Menalla (Chad). Its size is similar to that of a jackal and it had probably a similar ecological niche. It is found in several fossil-bearing localities of this area. The genus Hyaenictitherium is known from the early Late Miocene in Eurasia from China to Spain; the Chadian material is, perhaps with some specimens from Sahabi and Lothagam, the earliest occurrence of the genus in Africa. It results certainly from Eurasian migration, which will have to be taken into account for the analysis of the bulk of the fauna. To cite this article: L. de Bonis et al., C. R. Palevol 4 (2005).     

Presence of Hemitragus aff. cedrensis (Mammalia, Bovidae) in the Iberian Peninsula: Biochronological and biogeographical implications of its discovery at Bolomor Cave (Valencia, Spain)

The discovery of new material in Late Pleistocene levels at Bolomor Cave (Valencia, Spain) raises some questions about the presence of the most ancient record of Hemitragus cedrensis in the peninsula, and its dispersal out of Provence. The morphology and dimensions of some lower teeth confirm the identification of H. aff. cedrensis. Moreover, it presents strong similarities, both morphological and metrical, with the specimens from Caune de l’Arago and bau de l’Aubesier (end of OIS 7 to OIS 5e) rather than with the population from the eponymous locality. The data suggest a dispersal event out of Provence towards the Iberian Peninsula during the Eemian. This dispersal was not stopped by natural barriers such as large rivers, or mountains. The results presented here confirm the biochronological interest of the genus Hemitragus for the Late Pleistocene in Mediterranean Europe.     

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.     

A new species of Deinsdorfia (Soricidae, Insectivora, Mammalia) from the Pliocene of Spain

A new species of Deinsdorfia is defined using new material coming from the karstic fissure infilling of Almenara-Casablanca 4 (Castelló, Spain), which shows important differences with the rest of the previously known species of the genus. The definition of a new species is supported by the characters found in extra material coming from the localities of Valdeganga, in the Albacete Province (Spain). The stratigraphical occurrence of this genus of pigmented-toothed shrews reinforces the idea of the Iberian Peninsula as a sink area during the Pliocene, where some Central-European soricids expanded their distribution. Most of those migrations or distributional expansions coincide with moments of climatic changes in the northern hemisphere.     

New evidence for the greater noctule bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in the Late Pleistocene of western Europe

This article reports a new record of the greater noctule Nyctalus lasiopterus (Schreber, 1780) in the Late Pleistocene of Europe. A fragment of a left mandible from this species was collected in Layer O (around 55 ka) from the Abric Romaní rock shelter, providing evidence of the presence of the greater noctule in north-eastern Spain during the latest Late Pleistocene. The relevance of this new record, which is geographically not reported up to now in the area, is discussed in terms of environmental changes.     

Molecular evidence for species level divergence in African Nile Crocodiles Crocodylus niloticus (Laurenti, 1786)

Relationships of the newly discovered dwarf crocodiles from Mauritania were inferred from mitochondrial 12S sequences. Specimens from 13 different Crocodylus niloticus populations (from East Africa, West Africa and Madagascar) were compared. Additional representatives of the genus Crocodylus (one from Africa and one from Australia), the African genus Osteolaemus and the South American alligatorid Paleosuchus palpebrosus (as outgroup) were included in the analysis. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses yielded relationships that were strikingly different from currently prevailing phylogenetic hypotheses. Both analyses consistently revealed two groups, one consisting of the monophyletic West- and Central African populations and the other of a paraphyletic group containing the East African and Madagascan populations. High genetic divergence between those groups indicates separation on the species level. Furthermore ‘C’ cataphractus is clearly shown not to be a member of the genus Crocodylus. The resulting nomenclatural changes are discussed. To cite this article: A. Schmitz et al., C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

New data on perittocrinids and hybocrinids (Crinoidea, Echinodermata) from the Middle Ordovician of the Baltic region

Age variation of radial plates of perittocrinids and aberrant cups of the hybocrinid genus Hoplocrinus from the Middle Ordovician of the St-Petersburg region are examined. Three patterns for the development of folds on the radial plates of perittocrinids are recognized. The differences between patterns are of species level. It is proposed here that the folded structures of perittocrinids (as well as the pore-structures of other pelmatozoans) were not only used for respiration, but also very likely for feeding. Tetracionocrinus transitor is a young individual of a species of the genus Perittocrinus or a paedomorphic species of this genus. The study of aberrant cups of Hoplocrinus suggests that its ancestor could have had biserial arms. Phylogenetic implications of this interpretation are discussed, and homologies within the phylum Echinodermata, reassessed. The three-armed genus Baerocrinus may be an aberrant form of a species of the genus Hoplocrinus.     

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.     

Mode of life of fan-hand-like Scoliocrinus according to functional form and syntopy with two other irregular crinoids from the Middle Devonian of the Rhenish Massif (Germany)

For a long time, the highly aberrant crinoid Scoliocrinus was known only from the Lower Givetian Eifel area (western Rhenish Massif) as a single oblique calyx with only two out of five radials having an arm facet. Several almost complete crowns of a new species in the Middle Givetian Finnentrop area (eastern Rhenish Massif) have two fan-like arms (in the A and E rays), and a horizontal large anal tube. The probable mode of life of Scoliocrinus is analysed by (a) functional morphology mainly of the arms, (b) criteria of minimised faecal recycling, (c) biostratinomic association with two new species of another aberrant, but four-armed new crinoid genus thus suggesting original syntopy with Scoliocrinus. It is concluded that the construction of Scoliocrinus is probably an adaptation to prevailing unidirectional (tidal?) currents in biostromal reef biotopes. This is supported by rather similar crinoid occurrences in a Lower Givetian biostromal reef-related region in the western Rhenish Massif, with the genotype of Scoliocrinus and a newly assigned third species of Scoliocrinus (arm and probable part of the calyx), as well as four-armed species. The new forms are described as Scoliocrinus ubaghsi nov. sp., Scoliocrinus gerolsteinensis nov. sp., Trapezocrinus scheeri nov. gen., nov. sp., and Trapezocrinus hilperti nov. gen., nov. sp.     

First African oryctocephalid trilobites from the Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary interval

Oryctocephalid trilobites from Lower Middle Cambrian strata of the eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco, are the first described Oryctocephalidae known from Africa. They represent the new genus and species Shergoldiella vincenti. However, a similar species was earlier described as Tonkinella sequei Liñán et Gozalo, 1999, from coeval lower Middle Cambrian strata of the Iberian Chains, northern Spain. This Iberian species is imperfectly preserved and assigned herein to Shergoldiella with reservations. If this assignment is correct, it would reinforce earlier suggested correlations between Morocco and Spain. Nevertheless, Shergoldiella suggests a morphocline from a typical oryctocephalid-type morphology towards the Tonkinella-type morphology. Close similarity with Ovatoryctocara ovata suggests a similar stratigraphic position in accordance with earlier suggested intercontinental correlations.     

First report of Gogia (Eocrinoidea, Echinodermata) from the Early-Middle Cambrian of Sonora (Mexico), with biostratigraphical and palaeoecological comments

The blastozoan echinoderm genus Gogia is reported for the first time in the Early and the Middle Cambrian of Mexico. Reports in different members of the section of San José de Gracia (Sonora State, northwestern Mexico) extend the palaeogeographical range of the genus to the South Laurentia, and the stratigraphic range of Gogia granulosa to the whole first half of middle Middle Cambrian. Isolated plates occur in rocks deposited in detrital inner platform and complete specimens, in carbonate outer platform, confirming their ability to live in diverse environments. Their presence in these different environments through the Early-Middle Cambrian on Laurentia agrees with the onshore-offshore expansion of echinoderms during Cambrian.     

Orycteropus (Tubulidentata, Mammalia) from Langebaanweg and Baard's Quarry, Early Pliocene of South Africa

Fossil teeth and bones of aardvarks are relatively common at Langebaanweg, an Early Pliocene site in western Cape Province, South Africa. The remains are compatible in size and most details of morphology to extant Orycteropus afer, and are the earliest fossils attributed to this species. Other Late Miocene to Early Pliocene localities in Africa have yielded smaller species of aardvarks, suggesting that the extant lineage evolved in southern Africa. Morphologically the genus Orycteropus has been remarkably conservative since at least the Early Miocene but it witnessed an overall increase in size through the Neogene. The species O. afer has been morphometrically stable since the Early Pliocene. These observations indicate that the evolutionary process in aardvarks is extremely bradytelic. To cite this article: M. Pickford, C. R. Palevol 4 (2005).     

Five new bogidiellid Amphipoda from Spain — the first freshwater records in the Iberian Peninsula

Five new species of the amphipod genus Bogidiella are described from fresh groundwaters in Spain. No freshwater Bogidiellidae were known previously from the Iberian peninsula.Groundwater crustaceans of Spain, 3.Groundwater crustaceans of Spain, 3.     

First report of a green toad (Bufo viridis sensu lato) in the Early Pleistocene of Spain: Palaeobiogeographical and palaeoecological implications

For the first time unequivocal fossil remains of a green toad (Bufo viridis s.l.) are described in the Iberian Peninsula. The fossils come from the Cueva Victoria site, a late Early Pleistocene (ca. 1.1–1.2 Ma) karstic filling in semi-arid southeastern Spain (Murcia region). By extension, other remains from two other Early Pleistocene Spanish localities, Barranco León D (ca. 1.3 Ma) and Almenara-Casablanca 3 (ca. 1.1 Ma), are cautiously attributed to the group B. viridis. The B. viridis group was previously reported with some uncertainty to the west of its current distribution area in Western Europe (Spain and France) in the Pliocene (Bufo cf. viridis) and less probably in the Early Miocene (Bufo aff. viridis). Since no osteological differences have been established between the recently described extant species of B. viridis s.l. (e.g. Bufo balearicus, Bufo siculus, Bufo boulengeri, B. viridis sensu stricto and Bufo variabilis) no precise palaeobiogeographical relationships can be drawn for the Spanish fossils. However, the occurrence of a third species of bufonid toad during the Pleistocene in the South of the Iberian Peninsula raises some interesting ecological questions in relation to the local disappearance of the green toad, which can be hypothetically linked to the intensification of the Pleistocene glacial/interglacial climate dynamic or to probable competition with another toad, Bufo calamita.     

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).     

New Late Cretaceous dinosaur findings from northwestern Transylvania (Romania)

In 1905, Nopcsa tentatively identified a fragmentary rib from the Jibou Formation at Someş Odorhei as belonging to an ornithopod dinosaur. Therefore, he concluded that the base of this formation is Late Cretaceous, but this hypothesis was subsequently ignored or rejected by other authors. New dinosaur bones discovered in this locality by new excavations are here interpreted as belonging to the euornithopod Zalmoxes shqiperorum Weishampel, Jianu, Csiki and Norman, 2003. The base of the Jibou Formation can therefore be regarded as Maastrichtian, correlative to the Sânpetru Formation and to the middle member of the Densuş Ciula Formation from the Haţeg Basin, as well as the base of the Şard Formation in the southwestern Basin of Transylvania, in the Alba Iulia area. The presence of Zalmoxes at Someş Odorhei also confirms the northeastern extension for the ‘Haţeg Island’ in Transylvania.     

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).