A new seabird (Aves, cf. Phaethontidae) from the Lower Eocene phosphates of Morocco

A proximal part of humerus from the basal Ypresian (lowermost Eocene) of the Ouled Abdoun Basin, Morocco, is described as a new genus and species tentatively assigned to the Phaethontidae (tropicbirds). This fossil possibly represents the oldest record of the Phaethontidae and markedly differs from Lithoptila, a contemporaneous Prophaethontidae from the same locality. This new taxon lived in a tropical climate and was probably an efficient flier with pelagic habits, like extant tropicbirds of the genus Phaethon.     

A strange new chelonioid turtle from the Latest Cretaceous Phosphates of Morocco

A new genus and species of huge marine turtle (superfamily Chelonioidea, epifamily Dermochelyoidae) is described from the Maastrichtian Phosphates of the Oulad Abdoun Basin of Morocco. A new type of feeding apparatus, adapted for a powerful crushing pattern, illustrates the noteworthy diversity of fossil vertebrates of the Maastrichtian-Ypresian Phosphates of Morocco. No other crushing cryptodire or bothremydid pleurodire has this morphology. During the Maastrichtian, the known crushing pattern of chelonioids was different, close to that of modern cheloniids, as illustrated in Morocco in the Maastrichtian Ganntour Basin and the Palaeogene Oulad Abdoun Basin. This new taxon exhibits unusual cranial characters (fusion of premaxillae associated with a backward and dorsal retraction of the naris, horizontal stretching of the dorsal meatus quadrati), that are shared only with another new turtle, known also from the same Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco.     

Osteopygis (Testudines: Cheloniidae) from the Lower Tertiary of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco

Osteopygis emarginatus Cope 1868 is described from the Lower Tertiary of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco, on the basis of skulls and lower jaws. Osteopygis is a cosmopolitan turtle that had a wide geographical distribution during the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene. Osteopygis emarginatus is a very conservative species which crossed the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary without major changes.     

Additions a la faune de sélaciens fossilesdu Maroc: 1: Sur la présence des genres Heptranchias,Alopias etOdontorhytis dans l'Yprésien des Ouled Abdoun

Recent researches in the phosphat-bearing basins ofMorocco have allowed to collect new selachian forms. In this paper, three Ypresian genera from Ouled Abdoun basin, new for Morocco, are described: Heptranchias howellii (Reed, 1946), Alopias denticulatus nov. sp. and Odontorhytis pappenheimiBöhm, 1926. The re-discovery of the genus Odontorhytis allows to state precisely its morphological dental features and to affirm that it is well a selachian and not a teleostean, as it was thought. The stratigraphic distribution of some species is stated precisely.     

Craniological differentiation between European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris), African wildcats (F. s. lybica) and Asian wildcats (F. s. ornata): implications for their evolution and conservation

Intraspecific diversification of the wildcat (Felis silvestris), including the European wildcat (F. s. silvestris), the Asian wildcat (F. s. ornata) and the African wildcat (F. s. lybica), was examined based on 39 cranial morphology variables. The samples of free‐ranging cats originated from Britain, Europe, Central Asia and southern Africa, consisting of both nominal wildcat specimens (referred to henceforth as ‘wildcats’) and nominal non‐wildcat specimens (‘non‐wildcats’) based on museum labels. The skull morphology of ‘wildcats’ from Britain and Europe is clearly different from that of ‘wildcats’ of Central Asia and southern Africa. The latter are characterized especially by their proportionately larger cheek teeth. On the basis of principal component, discriminant function and canonical variate analyses, the skull morphology of British ‘non‐wildcats’ is less distinct than is that of British ‘wildcats’ from the skull morphologies of ‘wildcats’ of Central Asia and southern Africa. On the other hand, the skull morphology of southern African ‘non‐wildcats’ is as distinct from those of ‘wildcats’ of Britain and Europe as is that of southern African ‘wildcats’. We suggest that the evolution of the modern wildcat probably consisted of at least three different distribution expansions punctuated by two differentiation events: the exodus from Europe during the late Pleistocene, coinciding with the emergence of the steppe wildcat lineage (phenotype of Asian–African wildcat), followed by its rapid range expansion in the Old World. The second differentiation event was the emergence of the domestic cat followed by its subsequent colonization of the entire world with human assistance. Considering the recent evolutionary history of, and morphological divergence in, the wildcat, preventing hybridization between the European wildcat and the domestic cat is a high conservation priority. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 83 , 47–63.     

Embryology of Hortonioideae and Monimioideae (Monimiaceae,Laurales): characteristics of the ‘lower’ monimioids

We investigated the embryology of the ‘lower’ monimioids, i.e. Monimioideae (Monimia, Palmeria and Peumus) and Hortonioideae (Hortonia), which are poorly described embryologically. Our results show that, contrary to what has been reported in the literature, ‘lower’ monimioids show very little variation in their embryological characters. Comparisons with Mollinedioideae (a large derived subfamily in Monimiaceae) and other families in Laurales show that the ‘lower’ monimioids are relatively consistent in sharing predominantly isobilateral tetrads of microspores and megaspores, a non‐specialized chalaza, and a mesotestal–endotestal seed coat (with tracheoidal cells of the meso‐ and endotesta). It is likely that, while the shared successive cytokinesis during meiosis of microspore mother cells supports the Monimiaceae–Hernandiaceae–Lauraceae clade obtained by molecular evidence, no synapomorphies exist to support a sister‐group relationship of Monimiaceae with Hernandiaceae or Lauraceae. Instead, the lack of hypostase in ovules and/or young seeds, the lack of endosperm in mature seeds and the amoeboid tapetum in the anther are likely synapomorphies of Hernandiaceae and Lauraceae. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 228–241.     

Revised systematics and biogeography of ‘Quediina’ of sub‐Saharan Africa: new phylogenetic insights into the rove beetle tribe Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Abstract Quediina, a mega‐diverse conventional subtribe of the rove beetle tribe Staphylinini, is remarkably species rich in the north and south temperate regions of the world. Tropical faunas of this group, and the fauna of the entire Afrotropical biogeographical region (= Ethiopian region, = sub‐Saharan Africa), in contrast, are remarkably poor. The taxonomic study of the quediine genera of Staphylinini from the Afrotropical region reveals misidentifications for many of them. Their phylogenetic study demonstrates polyphyly of Quediina and reveals a new evolutionary pattern for the entire tribe Staphylinini. In particular, the formerly quediine genera Euristus Fauvel, 1899 , Ioma Blackwelder, 1952, Natalignathus Solodovnikov, 2005 , all endemic in the Afrotropical region, belong to the non‐related ‘Staphylinina’, ‘Philonthina propria’ and ‘Tanygnathinina sensu novo’ lineages of Staphylinini, respectively. Contrary to earlier records, the genus Quedius Stephens, 1929 does not occur in Africa south of Sahara: Quedius angularis Cameron, 1948 and Quedius cinctipennis Cameron, 1951 are moved to the genus Philonthus Stephens, 1829. The same is established for the Asian genus Algon Sharp, 1874, formerly for a long time associated with Quediina: African species Algon robustus Wendeler, 1928 is moved to the genus Moeocerus Fauvel, 1899 (here in the ‘Philonthina propria’ lineage); and the misidentification of Algon africanus Bernhauer, 1915, a species that probably belongs to a new genus, is discussed. The phylogenetic affiliation of Afroquedius Solodovnikov, 2006 , a South African endemic, is still ambiguous. Overall, the formerly seen bipolar distribution pattern for the ‘Quediina’ is demonstrated to be an artefact, not a reality to explain. Historical biogeographical explanations are proposed for some of the Afrotropical endemics, partly as an attempt to apply biogeography as an external criterion for the evaluation of the new phylogenetic pattern revealed for Staphylinini. The monotypic genera Euristus and Ioma, as well as Heterothops megalops Cameron, 1959 , the only representative of this widespread genus in the Afrotropical region, are redescribed. Limits and synapomorphies of the genus Heterothops are discussed. The following new combinations and new names are proposed: Philonthus cinctipennis ( Cameron, 1951 ) comb.n. (preoccupied by Philonthus cinctipennis Fauvel, 1875), here replaced by Philonthus pseudoquedius Solodovnikov nom.n. ; Philonthus angularis ( Cameron, 1948 ) comb.n. ; Moeocerus robustus ( Wendeler, 1928 ) comb.n. [preoccupied by Moeocerus robustus (Gestro, 1881)], here replaced by Moeocerus wendeleri Solodovnikov nom.n. A lectotype is designated for Heterothops megalops Cameron, 1959 .     

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of African diploid barbs, ‘Barbus’, and allies in Africa and Asia (Teleostei: Cypriniformes)

African diploid barbs (‘Barbus’, Clypeobarbus, Barboides, etc.) are a group of small cyprinids with a body size less than 20 cm and widely distributed in drainages across Africa. These species constitute a significant component of African freshwater fish fauna. This study is the first to focus on the molecular systematics and biogeography of African diploid barbs ‘Barbus’ and its African and Asian allies using both mitochondrial and nuclear genes. We test for monophyly of groups, determine interspecific relationships and estimate the time of divergence of 52 species of ‘Barbus’ and allies using two mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. Resulting trees demonstrate that ‘Barbus’ and allies (Systomus, Barboides, Clypeobarbus and African tetraploid barbs) form a strongly supported clade; however, ‘Barbus’ is not resolved as monophyletic. Divergence time analyses identify the separation between Systomus and ‘Barbus’ plus African allies may have occurred around 26 MYA. In addition to the phylogenetic results, these findings highlight the need for more thorough taxonomic and systematic studies on ‘Barbus’ and allies using morphological and additional molecular data and greater taxon sampling, including the type species of the genus Enteromius, ‘Barbus’ potamogalis.     

Morphology, molecules, and character congruence in the phylogeny of South American geophagine cichlids (Perciformes, Labroidei)

Phylogenetic relationships among the Neotropical cichlid subfamily Geophaginae were examined using 136 morphological characters and a molecular dataset consisting of six mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Topologies produced by morphological and combined data under parsimony were contrasted, congruence among different partitions was analysed, and potential effects of character incongruence and patterns of geophagine evolution on phylogenetic resolution are discussed. Interaction of morphological and molecular characters in combined analysis produced better resolved and supported topologies than when either was analysed separately. Combined analyses recovered a strongly supported Geophaginae that was closely related to Cichlasomatinae. Within Geophaginae, two sister clades included all geophagine genera. Acarichthyini (Acarichthys+Guianacara) was sister to the ‘B clade’, which contained the ‘Geophagus clade’ (‘Geophagus’steindachneri+Geophagus sensu stricto, and both sister to Gymnogeophagus) as sister to the ‘Mikrogeophagus clade’ (Mikrogeophagus+‘Geophagus’brasiliensis), and in turn, the Geophagus and Mikrogeophagus clades were sister to the crenicarine clade (Crenicara+Dicrossus) and Biotodoma. The second geophagine clade included the ‘Satanoperca clade’ (Satanoperca+Apistogramma and Taeniacara) as sister to the ‘Crenicichla clade’ (Crenicichla+Biotoecus). Several lineages were supported by unique morphological synapomorphies: the Geophaginae + Cichlasomatinae (5 synapomorphies), Geophaginae (1), Crenicichla clade (3), crenicarine clade (1), the sister relationship of Apistogramma and Taeniacara (4) and of Geophagus sensu stricto and‘Geophagus’steindachneri (1), and the cichlasomine tribe Heroini (1). Incorporation of Crenicichla in Geophaginae reconciles formerly contradictory hypotheses based on morphological and molecular data, and makes the subfamily the most diverse and ecologically versatile clade of cichlids outside the African great lakes. Results of this study support the hypothesis that morphological differentiation of geophagine lineages occurred rapidly as part of an adaptive radiation.     

Cytotaxonomy of the Prosimulium (Diptera: Simuliidae) of Western Asia

Chromosomal analysis of more than 500 larval black flies from 19 sites in Armenia and Turkey revealed five taxa in the Prosimulium hirtipes group: Prosimulium frontatum Terteryan, Prosimulium rachiliense Djafarov cytoform ‘A,’ P. rachiliense Djafarov cytoform ‘B,’ Prosimulium tomosvaryi (Enderlein), and a new species of Prosimulium. To associate the names rufipes (Meigen) and tomosvaryi with cytological entities, larvae from the respective type localities in Germany were characterized chromosomally. Prosimulium frontatum is restricted to the Caucasus Mountains where studied populations have five unique inversions. It is most closely related to cytoforms ‘A’ and ‘B’ of P. rachiliense, the three taxa sharing one unique inversion. The two cytoforms of P. rachiliense are separated by about 1200 km, obscuring decisions about their reproductive isolation. The names rachiliense and possibly pronevitschae Rubtsov apply to cytoform ‘A’ in Armenia, whereas the name fulvipes (Edwards) might apply to cytoform ‘B’ in Turkey and to material formerly identified in Turkey as P. rufipes. Populations of P. tomosvaryi in Armenia are chromosomally distinct from previously studied populations in Europe and Morocco, although tied to European and Turkish populations by a shared X‐linked inversion. We conservatively view Armenian, European, and Turkish populations of P. tomosvaryi as a single, polymorphic species. A new species, chromosomally related to P. hirtipes (Fries) and P. tomosvaryi by two uniquely shared inversions, was discovered in Turkey. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

Phylogeography and genetic relationships of North African <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bufo mauritanicus</Emphasis> Schlegel, 1841 estimated from mitochondrial DNA sequences

Genetic variation within the North African toad Bufo mauritanicus was estimated by sequencing partial 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA mitochondrial regions from widespread populations in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Unlike many other wide ranging species from this area, B. mauritanicus demonstrated very low levels of intraspecific variation. The minimal intraspecific genetic variation may be due to a relatively recent, possibly post-glacial, expansion into its current range. Further phylogeographic studies of other North African species are needed to assess if this is a common biogeographical phenomenon. Phylogenetic analyses support immunological data that B. mauritanicus is part of a clade of predominantly sub-Saharan Bufo, recently assigned to a new genus Amietophrynus. Two different lineages within this clade, B. mauritanicus and the B. pardalis group, appear to have reverted from 20 chromosomes to the more typical 22 chromosomes found in most other Bufonids. However, the alternative hypothesis that the Bufo species with 20 chromosomes form a monophyletic lineage cannot be rejected.     

A SHORT-SNOUTED DYROSAURID (CROCODYLIFORMES, MESOEUCROCODYLIA) FROM THE PALAEOCENE OF MOROCCO

Abstract:  This paper describes a new genus and species of dyrosaurid, Chenanisuchus lateroculi gen. et sp. nov. (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Thanetien (Late Palaeocene) of the Oulad Abdoun Basin, Morocco. This new taxon has a particularly short snout, as well as widely separated and laterally facing orbits. In the holotype, the mandible exhibits a retroarticular process that is strongly depressed posterior to the glenoid fossa, bringing the ventral margin of the medial wing of the articular to the same level as the ventral margin of the retroarticular process. This feature is shared with Congosaurus bequaerti , Dyrosaurus and isolated dyrosaurid material from Mali and Niger, but is absent in the putative closely related crocodyliforms, such as pholidosaurids and Terminonaris , and could be a dyrosaurid character.     

On the early biogeographical history of the African placentals

The Paleocene Adrar Mgorn local fauna recently discovered in the Ouarzazate basin (Morocco) along with several significant Eocene North African faunas, has yielded the oldest known placental mammals of Africa. Contrary to those from the Eocene which are basically endemic, the Adrar Mgorn placentals display affinities with taxa from North‐Tethyan continents and indicate active faunal interchanges between Africa and Europe (and perhaps Asia) during the Cretaceous/Paleogene times. On biogeographical grounds, two dispersal events are suggested as a working hypothesis. The oldest one, exemplified by the presence of paleoryctid and adapisoriculid “insectivores”; in the Moroccan locality, possibly took place by the K/T boundary. The second dispersal event exemplified by the discovery of an omomyid primate and possible hyaenodontid creodonts may have been contemporaneous with the Paleocene/Eocene boundary during which a marine regression is also known.     

Thecate stem medusozoans (Cnidaria) from the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota

Cnidarians are phylogenetically located near the base of the ‘tree of animals’, and their early evolution had a profound impact on the rise of bilaterians. However, the early diversity and phylogeny of this ‘lowly’ metazoan clade has hitherto been enigmatic. Fortunately, cnidarian fossils from the early Cambrian could provide key insights into their evolutionary history. Here, based on a scrutiny of the purported hyolith Burithes yunnanensis Hou et al. from the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota in South China, we reveal that this species shows characters distinct from those typical of hyoliths, not least a funnel-shaped gastrovascular system with a single opening, a whorl of tentacles surrounding the mouth, and the lack of an operculum. These characters suggest a great deviation from the original definition of the genus Burithes, and a closer affinity with cnidarians. We therefore reassign the material to a new genus: Palaeoconotuba. Bayesian inference of phylogeny based on new anatomical traits identifies a new clade, including Palaeoconotuba and Cambrorhytium, as a stem group of sessile medusozoan cnidarians that are united by the synapomorphies of developing an organic conical theca and a funnel-like gastrovascular system. This study unveils a stem lineage of medusozoans that evolved a lifelong conical theca in the early Cambrian.     

Human evolution

The common ancestor of modern humans and the great apes is estimated to have lived between 5 and 8 Myrs ago, but the earliest evidence in the human, or hominid, fossil record is Ardipithecus ramidus, from a 4.5 Myr Ethiopian site. This genus was succeeded by Australopithecus, within which four species are presently recognised. All combine a relatively primitive postcranial skeleton, a dentition with expanded chewing teeth and a small brain. The most primitive species in our own genus, Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis, are little advanced over the australopithecines and with hindsight their inclusion in Homo may not be appropriate. The first species to share a substantial number of features with later Homo is Homo ergaster, or ‘early African Homo erectus’, which appears in the fossil record around 2.0 Myr. Outside Africa, fossil hominids appear as Homo erectus-like hominids, in mainland Asia and in Indonesia close to 2 Myr ago; the earliest good evidence of ‘archaic Homo’ in Europe is dated at between 600–700 Kyr before the present. Anatomically modern human, or Homo sapiens, fossils are seen first in the fossil record in Africa around 150 Kyr ago. Taken together with molecular evidence on the extent of DNA variation, this suggests that the transition from ‘archiac’ to ‘modern’ Homo may have taken place in Africa.     

Stick insect on unsafe ground: does a fossil from the early Eocene of France really link Mesozoic taxa with the extant crown group of Phasmatodea?

The recently described Gallophasma longipalpis from Earliest Eocene French amber is considered to be a key fossil taxon that phylogenetically links ‘Mesozoic Phasmatodea’ with extant stick and leaf insects. However, our re‐evaluation of the evidence provided for this placement reveals that Gallophasma does not possess any unambiguous synapomorphies with extant forms, e.g. neither with Euphasmatodea nor with the more inclusive Phasmatodea. The fusion of abdominal segment 1 with the metathoracic segment, a derived character state present in both Gallophasma and Euphasmatodea, shows fundamental structural differences, and cannot be homologized between both taxa. We argue that the presence of a well‐developed, externally visible ovipositor and four‐segmented cerci in Gallophasma can be interpreted only as plesiomorphic with regards to all extant Phasmatodea, or even to Phasmatodea plus its putative sister groups Embioptera or Orthoptera. Gallophasma does not belong to the stem lineage of recent Phasmatodea, and is referred to best as ‘lower Neoptera’ or Polyneoptera incertae sedis. Therefore, this fossil may be central to reconstructing the ground pattern of the aforementioned orthopteroid lineages, and to determining wing character polarity within Polyneoptera.     

Polyamines in yellow lupin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus luteus</Emphasis> L.) tolerance to soil drought

Polyamines (PAs) are related to many physiological processes, including soil drought stress. Two yellow lupin ‘Morocco 4’ (drought tolerant) and ‘Taper’ (drought sensitive) were exposed to soil drought for 2 weeks. The half of the examined plants were additionally sprayed with a solution of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor—dl-α-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA). Yellow lupin leaves showed a 19% increase and seeds a 54% decrease in the total PA contents. The seeds contained fourfold less PAs than the leaves under drought conditions. The highest amount of spermidine and lack of agmatine were found in the leaves, while in the seeds the highest content of spermine and the presence of agmatine was confirmed. The use of DFMA under drought conditions decreased the content of spermine in ‘Morocco 4’ and ‘Taper’ (41 and 19%, respectively) and spermidine in ‘Taper’ (by 13%), as well as reduced two out of three of the yield components. More tolerant ‘Morocco 4’, after DFMA treatment was characterized by a higher spermidine and spermine content and a smaller decrease in yield components compared to the less tolerant ‘Taper’. Simultaneously subjecting plants to soil drought and DFMA treatment caused in ‘Morocco 4’ a decline in the number of pods and seeds per plant and seeds dry weight per plant (64, 50 and 54%, respectively), while in ‘Taper’ a reduction of the number of pods per plant and seeds per pod (32 and 27%, respectively) was observed. These results confirm that PAs are involved in yellow lupin tolerance and may play a protective function under soil drought conditions.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation in Moroccan and Spanish honey bee populations

The mitochondrial DNAs of 192 Moroccan and 173 Spanish honey bee colonies were characterized by a rapid test involving the restriction by DraI of a PCR-fragment of the COI-COII region. In Morocco, we found eight haplotypes, all characteristic of the African (A) lineage, suggesting that most if not all the maternal lineages of the colonies repeatedly imported from Europe over the last 150 years have not contributed mitochondrial genomes to the local population. Using two new genetic distances analogous to the shared allele distance defined for nuclear genes, we showed that Morocco was most probably colonized by two sublineages, one from the north-east and the other one from the south of the country and that the contact zone between them extends along both sides of the Atlas range. In Spain, we found eight haplotypes characteristic of lineage A (six in common with Morocco) and four of lineage M (the West European lineage). The distribution of haplotypes of both lineages forms a gradient with c. 10% of lineage M in the south of Spain (Seville) and up to 100% in the north (San Sebastian). Three hypotheses are presented to explain the large differences of haplotype frequencies between Moroccan and lineage A Spanish colonies: a non-Moroccan origin of lineage A in Spain, an ancient Moroccan origin or a recent Moroccan origin with a rapid shift of haplotype frequencies due to a founder effect.