First middle Miocene sivaladapid primate from Thailand

Sivaladapids are a group of Asian adapiform primates that were previously documented from deposits dating to the middle Eocene through the late Miocene in Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and China. The group is notable for the persistence of three genera, Sivaladapis, Indraloris and Sinoadapis, into the late Miocene. In Thailand, sivaladapids were previously documented only from late Eocene deposits of the Krabi mine. Here, we describe the first Southeast Asian Miocene sivaladapid, Siamoadapis maemohensis gen. et sp. nov. from a 13.3 to 13.1 Ma lignite layer from the Mae Moh coal mine, Thailand. It differs from other Miocene sivaladapids by its distinctly smaller size and in features of the dentition. This discovery enhances the paleoecological diversity of the middle Miocene primate fauna of Thailand, which now includes sivaladapids, a loris, tarsiids, and hominoids. In this respect, the fossil primate community from the middle Miocene of Thailand is similar in its composition to roughly contemporaneous assemblages from southern China, India, and Pakistan. However, the Thai fossils represent a distinct genus, suggesting a different biogeographic province with distinctive paleoenvironments.     

New species of Hispanomys (Rodentia,Cricetodontinae) from the Upper Miocene of Batallones (Madrid,Spain)

Material of Hispanomys (Rodentia, Cricetodontinae) is described from various localities at Batallones (MN10) (Madrid, Spain). All of it belongs to a single species, which differs from the other known species of the genus and a new taxon, Hispanomys moralesi sp. nov. , is created for it. The samples from the various localities show differences interpreted as being the result of slight age disparities amongst the different sites. Although they were previously thought to be coeval, Batallones 10 is probably older than Batallones 1, which is possibly older than Batallones 3. Hispanomys moralesi sp. nov. is characterized by several morphological features such as the lack of cingula and mesolophs, the presence of well‐developed ectolophs, four‐ or five‐rooted M1, short or absent mesolophids, and reduced and simplified M3. Hispanomys moralesi sp. nov. is a relatively derived species, the evolutionary stage of which is comparable to those of other members of the genus from the Upper Vallesian. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160 , 725–747.     

New fossil Hyaenodonta (Mammalia,Placentalia) from the Ypresian and Lutetian of France and the evolution of the Proviverrinae in southern Europe

The proviverrines from the Ypresian (MP7–MP10) and Lutetian (MP11–MP14) are represented mainly by species recorded in the northern and central parts of Europe (Paris Basin, Belgian Basin, Germany, Switzerland). Here, we describe fossils from southern France: Saint‐Papoul (MP8 + 9; Aude) and Aigues‐Vives 2 (?MP13; Aude). One dentary with secant molars from Saint‐Papoul represents a new genus and species, Preregidens langebadrae. This taxon is possibly present in Avenay (France), the MP8 + 9 reference locality. One of the three dentaries discovered in Aigues‐Vives 2 belongs to the hypercarnivorous Oxyaenoides schlosseri, previously represented by only two isolated lower molars. This dentary appears to be the most derived of the proviverrines. This species is possibly present in Saint‐Martin‐de‐Londres (France), a locality that is considered to be close to the MP13 reference level. The two other dentaries from Aigues‐Vives 2 support the presence of Eurotherium theriodis and provide the first possible evidence of sexual dimorphism in a proviverrine species. A phylogenetic analysis of the proviverrines is performed to resolve the phylogenetic position of the three taxa. This identifies a close relationship between the new genus (Preregidens) and Oxyaenoides. The new fossils allow the age of Saint‐Papoul and Aigues‐Vives 2 to be refined: the first locality is considered to be close in age to Avenay (Ypresian; France), while the second one seems to be close to Egerkingen γ (Lutetian; Switzerland), which is considered to be possibly close in age to the MP13 reference level. Finally, the presence of O. schlosseri and E. theriodis in the southern part of France is compatible with the hypothesis that the mammals involved in the first intra‐Eocene turnover migrated northwards.     

A Serravallian (Middle Miocene) shark fauna from Southeastern Spain and its palaeoenvironment significance

Abstract

The study of a new Serravallian (Middle Miocene) locality from the Southeastern Spain has yielded a shark assemblage characterized by microremains of at least seven taxa (Deania calcea, ?Isistius triangulus, ?Squaliolus cf. S. schaubi, ?Paraetmopterus sp., Pristiophorus sp., Scyliorhinus sp. and a cf. Squaliformes indet) of three different orders (Squaliformes, Pristiophoriformes and Carcharhiniformes). In addition, associated macroremains have also been found, including teeth of ?Cosmopolitodus hastalis, Isurus sp., Hemipristis serra, Odontaspis sp., Carcharhinus spp. and ?Otodus (Megaselachus) megalodon. The assemblage contains taxa with disparate environmental preferences including not only neritic and epipelagic sharks but also an important number of meso and bathypelagic representatives. The migration of deep water taxa to shallower waters through submarine canyons/coastal upwelling is proposed as the most plausible cause for explaining the origin of such assemblage. Interestingly, the composition of the deep-water taxa here reported contrast with the chondrichthyans assemblages from the Pliocene and extant Mediterranean communities. This entails a complex biogeographic history, where the Messinian salinity crisis strongly affected the posterior evolution of the Mediterranean ecosystems but some other factors, such us the existence of anoxic events during the Quaternary, could have also played an important role.     

Large apeomyine rodents (Mammalia,Eomyidae) from the early Miocene of Echzell,Germany

The dental material described in this paper was collected from fossiliferous ash layers of the Vogelsberg volcanic complex at Echzell, Germany. It consists of 32 teeth of a new large Apeomys species, Apeomys oldrichi n. sp., and 19 teeth of Megapeomys lindsayi Fejfar, Rummel and Tomida. Both species are extremely rare faunal elements in the early Miocene of Europe. Apeomys oldrichi n. sp. is the largest known Apeomys species, and occurs in a number of MN 3 – 4 sites in southern Germany and Czech Republic. Megapeomys lindsayi, the largest Eurasian apeomyine, was described on the basis of a single lower premolar. Herein both lower and upper cheek teeth as well as the lower deciduous premolar are described for the first time. In comparison with related populations from other localities, the evolutionary stage of the two apeomyine species clearly indicates a middle Orleanian age (MN 4) for Echzell which concurs with previous studies.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1F9E49BE-C4B6-4597-A116-234E13D86BA9     

The genus Macroteleia Westwood in Middle Miocene amber from Peru (Hymenoptera,Platygastridae s.l., Scelioninae)

A new species of the scelionine genus Macroteleia Westwood (Platygastridae s.l., Scelioninae) is described and figured from a female beautifully preserved in Middle Miocene amber from Peru. Macroteleia yaguarum Perrichot & Engel, sp. n., shows a unique combination of characters otherwise seen independently within its congeners. It is most similar to the modern M. surfacei Brues, but differs from it by the non-foveolate notauli, the contiguous punctures of the vertex, and the continuous propodeum. The new species is the first New World fossil of the genus, suggesting a Cretaceous origin for the group and a relatively old age of the South American, tropical African, and Australian faunas, and a younger age of the modern Holarctic faunas.     

Gliridae (Rodentia,Mammalia) with a simple dental pattern: a new genus and new species from the European Early and Middle Miocene

A new genus of Gliridae, Simplomys gen. nov. is proposed. It contains glirids with a simplified dental pattern from the European Early and Middle Miocene. Simplomys gen. nov. includes several species originally described as Pseudodryomys such as Simplomys simplicidens, Simplomys robustus, Simplomys julii, and Simplomys aljaphi. In addition, a new species, Simplomys meulenorum sp. nov. , is proposed from the Spanish Miocene. The species of this genus share not only a very reduced and simplified dental morphology, but also unique dental proportions that clearly separate them from any other genera of Gliridae. Simplomys gen. nov. is recorded in most of the fossil faunas from the Early and Middle Miocene of the Iberian Peninsula, and shows the maximum diversity in this area during Mammal Neogene Zones MN 3 and MN 4. The genus has been also recorded in other European countries such as France, Germany, and Switzerland, conferring to this very characteristic taxon an important role for biochronological correlations within the European continent. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 157 , 622–652.     

New Late Miocene murids from China (Mammalia, Rodentia)

New murids of Late Miocene (medial Baodean Chinese Mammal Unit) age from Inner Mongolia, northern China, and from Yunnan Province, southern China, are described. Hansdebruijnia perpusilla nov. sp. represents the earliest known and morphologically most primitive species of the genus, which is known from the latest Miocene of Europe and western Asia. The new species suggests an eastern Palaearctic origin of Hansdebruijnia. “Progonomys” yunnanensisQIU and STORCH, 1990 from Lufeng, Yunnan Province, is referred to Linomys nov. gen. New samples from Leilao, Yuanmou County, Yunnan Province, are included in this species, although this population is somewhat more primitive than that from Lufeng. Leilaomys zhudingi nov. gen. and sp. from Leilao shows a unique combination of apomorphic and plesiomorphic characters, which suggest an early divergence from the murid stem. The new findings indicate that our knowledge of the early radiation of murids in southeast Asia is still in its infancy.     

A new species of crown‐antlered deer Stephanocemas (Artiodactyla,Cervidae) from the middle Miocene of Qaidam Basin,northern Tibetan Plateau,China, and a preliminary evaluation of its phylogeny

Stephanocemas Colbert, 1939 is one of the earliest groups of deer (Cervidae) that shows indications of shedding their antlers, and as such, occupies a special position in the transition from nondeciduous to deciduous antlers in the evolution of cervids. Despite this basal position in cervid phylogeny, however, it has a highly peculiar, palmate antler morphology that is easily recognized in the fossil records of the early to middle Miocene of Eurasia. A new species, Stephanocemas palmatus sp. nov. , is described based on three partial antlers ranging from juvenile to full adult individuals, recently collected from the late middle Miocene Lower Youshashan Formation in the Qaidam Basin of northern Tibetan Plateau. Another indeterminate species (Stephanocemas sp.) of much smaller size and primitive characteristics is described from more fragmentary materials in strata lower than the level of S. palmatus but still middle Miocene in age. To the extent that it was possible, we also attempted to place into modern stratigraphical context historical collections of Stephanocemas from Qinghai Province that were obtained during the Sino‐Swedish Expeditions in the 1930s. These materials were described by Birger Bohlin in 1937 but their stratigraphical context has been in question ever since. A species‐level phylogeny suggests that S. palmatus is the most derived among known species, with its large size, great expansion of the palm part of the antler, and horizontally radiating tines. We recognize a Paradicrocerus clade that includes P. flerovi Gabuniya, 1959, P. elegantulus (Roger, 1898), and P. brevistephanos (Baschanov & Nurumov, 1955); the latter two were traditionally regarded as belonging to Stephanocemas. As a result, the Paradicrocerus clade is largely European and western Asian, whereas the restricted Stephanocemas is now Asiatic in geographical distribution. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 156 , 680–695.     

The Miocene differentiation of old world Pecora (Mammalia)

Dental and horn core/antler morphology is discussed for some representative lower and middle Miocene pecorans in a review of the phylogeny and early zoogeography of the modern Old World families. Giraffes and bovids are more closely related than either is to deer. Andegameryx, Walangania and Teruelia are related to giraffoids plus bovoids together; Amphimoschus and Hispanomeryx are a probable sister group of bovoids; Propalaeoryx is the sister group of the giraffids plus climacoceratids. Procervulus and Lagomeryx may be closer to modern deer than are Stephanocemas and Dicrocerus but all are included in the Cervidae. The horn structure of Palaeomeryx has resemblances to giraffids, but its teeth and postcranial bones are more like cervids and it is placed in the Cervoidea. Pecorans seem to have evolved in Eurasia and there gave rise to deer. By the early Miocene some pecorans had entered Arabo‐Africa where they gave rise to giraffids and probably bovids. The relationships and zoogeography of the early bovids Eotragus, Homoiodorcas and Caprotragoides are likely to be important for later bovid history.     

Sciuridae (Rodentia,Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Venta del Moro (Cabriel Basin,Spain): biostratigraphical,phylogenetic and palaeoecological inferences

Abstract

Fossil squirrels are relatively abundant in Aragonian and Ramblian assemblages, but very scarce in the Late Turolian and Ruscinian of the Iberian Peninsula. Until now, the locality of Venta del Moro has yielded over 4500 micromammal dental remains, but just nine of them are sciurids. In this assemblage, we have identified the taxa Pliopetaurista pliocaenica, Heteroxerus cf. mariatheresae and Atlantoxerus cf. margaritae. This is the first co-occurrence of the genera Pliopetaurista, Heteroxerus and Atlantoxerus in the same locality, being also one of the oldest records of P. pliocaenica, the oldest record of a form that could be related to A. margaritae, and the youngest record of the genus Heteroxerus. In addition, we hypothesize about the phylogeny of Pliopetaurista in the light of recent discoveries. Finally, the presence of the genera Heteroxerus and Atlantoxerus suggests an open environment and relatively dry environmental conditions, while Pliopetaurista is purportedly a flying squirrel, dweller of forested habitats and wet climates. Based on this, we infer an open environment of grassland type, bordered by forested habitats, agreeing with the conditions supposed for Venta del Moro according to its macromammal and floral assemblages.     

Finding of Pleuroxus smirnovi sp. nov. from the Pamir Region Revealed Today's Imperfect State of Systematics and Biogeography of the Chydorinae (Cladocera: Chydoridae)

Pleuroxus smirnovi sp. nov. (Cladocera: Chydoridae) is found in a temporary freshwater body near Lake Zor‐Kul, the Pamirs (territory of Tajikistan). This large, brownish chydorine, with especially high body compressed laterally and supplied with a sharp dorsal keel, “untypical” of the genus Pleuroxus, at the same time, has the number of setae in filter plates of gnathobases II–V typical of this genus, namely 8‐8‐6‐4. My finding of P. smirnovi sp. nov. is a new evidence of an incomplete faunistic coverage and an imperfect state of today's systematics of the subfamily Chydorinae, because this new species has a set of characters apparently intermediate between the genera Pleuroxus Baird, 1843, Plurispina Frey, 1991 and Planicirculus Frey, 1991. Previously, large, compressed, and keeled chydorines were regarded as exclusively Australian, agreeing with ideas on a high endemism of the Australian cladoceran fauna. But after my finding of P. smirnovi sp. nov. we can speak only on “a predominantly Australian” distribution of such forms. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

New hyaenodonta (Mammalia) from the middle Eocene of Myanmar

The middle Eocene Pondaung Formation in Myanmar has yielded a rich mammalian fauna including several Primate taxa. Hyaenodonta are known by the genera Kyawdawia, Yarshea, Orienspterodon, and two other indeterminate taxa. We describe here new material of Kyawdawia, including some morphological details, a new species of the hypercarnivorous genus Propterodon and an indeterminate species, different from those described earlier in Myanmar, and characterized by a reduction of m3 and would belong to a third lineage with the same evolutionary trend as Galecyon and the Limnocyoninae. The hyainailourines (Orienspterodon) and hyaenodontines (Propterodon) are recorded for the first time in Southeast Asia and these subfamilies appeared in quasi the same time in Europe illustrating probably a profound change in the carnivorous fauna among Laurasia.     

First fossil occurrence of the jewel damselflies (Odonata: Chlorocyphidae): a new species from the Late Miocene of Styria,Austria

The first fossil representative of the jewel damselflies (Calopterygoidea: Chlorocyphidae), a family of large, prominent, and often brilliantly colored Old World tropical Zygoptera, is described and figured. Chlorocypha cordasevae n. sp. was recovered from the Late Miocene (Early Pannonian, Serravalian to Tortonian, c.11 Ma) locality of Paldau, in the Styrian Basin, Austria. The fossil seems to be related to the African genus Chlorocypha Fraser, and within a larger group of African genera also including Stenocypha Dijkstra, Africocypha Pinhey, and Platycypha Fraser, and collectively set apart from southern Asiatic genera. The discovery of a central European species of Chlorocypha as recently as the Late Miocene reveals a much wider range to the family than its generally disjunctive modern distribution, demonstrating a Neogene contraction to their range, likely in connection with climatic cooling, drying, and developing seasonality. Modern chlorocyphids live under warm, humid climates, and the presence of C. cordasevae in the Pannonian fauna of Paldau further corroborates such a subtropical paleoclimate for the locality at that time.     

Caprinae (Bovidae,Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from the Neogene of Mongolia

Gobiocerus mongolicus Sokolov, 1952, Turcocerus kekemaidengensis Ye Jie et al., 1999; and Hypsodontus sp. were recorded in Miocene deposits of the Valley of Lakes (MN4-MN8) and Oioceros atropatenes (Rodler et Weithofer, 1890) occurred in the Mio-Pliocene (MN11-MN20) of northwestern Mongolia. Gobiocerus, Turcocerus, and Hypsodontus represent the same evolutionary lineage. Thus, Caprinae existed in Central Asia in the Early Miocene. They diverged from the Bovidae at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. The presence of early bovids in this region suggests that this group could have appeared in Central Asia.     

New insights on Cricetodontini (Rodentia,Mammalia) from the Duero Basin,Spain

Abstract

The tribe Cricetodontini is a common cricetid group found in several European basins from the Miocene. Here we present a study of the fossils of this group found in the Duero Basin. We updated the biostratigraphical assignation of some of the localities in which several species of Cricetodontini have been found. Cricetodontini remains from eight localities from the central sector of the Duero Basin have been described, measured and assigned to a species. The presence in these localities of Hispanomys aguirrei, H. lavocati, H. nombrevillae and H. aragonensis has allowed correlating them to the biostratigraphic scale built for the Miocene in Calatayud-Daroca Basin, identifying biozones G3, H and I (MN7/8 – MN10, Late Aragonian – Early Vallesian, Middle – Late Miocene). Furthermore, this study constitutes the first citation of this species in this basin, except H. aguirrei, previously described in the Duero Basin. After this work, the biostratigraphical assignation of the studied sites is now well known. We evidenced the resemblance of Duero and Calatayud-Daroca basins.     

Taxonomic relationships between Pachycerus and Rhabdorrhynchus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae), with descriptions of two new species of Rhabdorrhynchus from the Arabian Peninsula

Taxonomic relationships between Rhabdorrhynchus and Pachycerus are discussed, and two new species of Rhabdorrhynchus are described: Rhabdorrhynchus sauditus (type locality: Saudi Arabia, As Shāqqah al Yamānīyah, 19°42'N, 40°48'E) and Rhabdorrhynchus emir (type locality: United Arab Emirates, Jebel Ali, 24°59'N, 55°43'E). Some hypotheses on the distribution of the new species in the Arabian Peninsula, based on a biogeographical analysis, are proposed.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 152 , 25–37.     

Revision of the fossil vole assemblage (Mammalia,Rodentia, Arvicolidae) from Pleistocene deposits at Kisláng,Hungary

Abstract: The species‐rich fossil vertebrate assemblage from Pleistocene sedimentary deposits at Kisláng, Hungary, was originally described as containing eight species of arvicolids, six of which were considered new. Re‐examination of the material in the collection of the Hungarian Geological Institute, consisting of most of the previously described material, including the six name‐bearing types and also further undescribed specimens, indicates that the taxa Kislangia rex, Mimomys cf. hassiacus, Mimomys coelodus, Mimomys pusillus, Mimomys tornensis, Pitymimomys sp., Borsodia newtoni, Lagurodon arankae and Allophaiomys deucalion are present. Most of these species are compatible with Early Pleistocene age close to the boundary between the Villányian and Biharian regional stages (MQR10, MQ1, c. 1.6–2.0 Ma). However, the specimen of Mimomys cf. hassiacus is of approximately mid‐Pliocene age (MN15 c. 3.6–4.0 Ma), and one of the Pitymimomys specimens is referable to P. stenokorys, described from the earliest Pleistocene (MNR2–MNR3, MN17 c. 2.3–2.4 Ma). The assemblage is therefore interpreted as derived from at least three different geological periods and because of reworking of material is considered unusable to characterize any particular stratigraphic level. These conclusions are placed in the context of historical and current biostratigraphies.     

Katian (Upper Ordovician) conodonts from Wales

Middle and upper Katian conodonts were previously known in the British Isles from relatively small collections obtained from a few localities. The present study is mainly based on 17 samples containing more than 17 000 conodont elements from an approximately 14‐m‐thick succession of the Sholeshook Limestone Formation in a road cut near Whitland, South Wales, that yielded a diverse fauna of more than 40 taxa. It is dominated by representatives of Amorphognathus, Aphelognathus/Plectodina and Eocarniodus along with several coniform taxa. Representatives of Decoriconus, Istorinus and Sagittodontina are reported from the Ordovician of UK for the first time. The fauna is a typical representative of the British Province of the Atlantic Realm and includes a mixture of taxa of North American, Baltoscandic and Mediterranean affinities along with pandemic species. Based on the presence of many elements of Amorphognathus ordovicicus and some morphologically advanced specimens of Amorphognathus superbus, the Sholeshook Limestone Formation is referred to the lower A. ordovicicus Zone. Most of the unit is also coeval with Zone 2 of the Cautleyan Stage in the British regional stage classification, and stage slice Ka3 of the middle Katian Stage in the global stratigraphical classification, an age assignment consistent with data from trilobites, graptolites and chitinozoans. The unusually large collection of M elements of Amorphognathus provides insight into the complex morphological variation in this element of some Katian species of this genus. The Sholeshook conodont fauna is similar to those of the Crûg and Birdshill limestones, but differs in several respects from the slightly older ones from the Caradocian type area in the Welsh Borderland. Although having some species in common, the Sholeshook conodont fauna clearly differs from coeval Baltoscandic faunas and is even more different in composition compared with equivalent North American Midcontinent faunas.