[dinosaur] Pareiasaur skull from China + Early Cretaceous frogs from Iberia + marsupial scapula + more

Ben Creisler
[email protected]

Some recent non-dino papers not yet mentioned:


Shitienfenia completus sp. nov.


Wang Junyou, Yi Jian & Liu Jun (2019)
The first complete pareiasaur skull from China.
Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 58(2): 216–221
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__113.31.19.23_Qikan_Article_Detail-3Fid-3D7002558706-26from-3DQikan-5FSearch-5FIndex&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=3ErLWfn_hIzhkv2rZItM1ero0xAmOKXLCvnhALkXbck&e= 
or
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__gswxb.cnjournals.cn_ch_reader_view-5Fabstract.aspx-3Ffile-5Fno-3D20190207-26flag-3D1&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=0-pzpMcCehtpckLDH3nm0dRoHTKI66zQRtxKuL1WOqc&e= 

(No free pdf link that I can find, though...)

Although seven pareiasaur species have been named from China, none of them
is represented by well-preserved cranial material. Here we briefly describe
a new material from Ordos Basin, it includes a nearly complete skull with
occluding mandibles. This specimen can be referred to Elginiidae by dermal
bosses of cranial bones that have a long and pointed horn, cheek
ornamentation in the form of prominent conical horns, supratemporal horn
projecting posterolaterally from corner of skull table, slender
parabasisphenoid with median, ventral groove, and enlarged tabulars
(supernumerary bones) that contact each other medially, thereby excluding
the postparietals from the caudal margin of the skull roof. It shares the
following features with Sanchuansaurus pygmaeus: a small boss on the
maxillary anterodorsal process posterior to the naris, maxillary teeth with
fan-shaped crown, 9~11 cusps; and differs from the latter by two exits for
the infraorbital canal on the lateral surface are closer and more ventrally
(close to the alveoli margin), crown nearly not overlapped, only 14 alveoli
(tooth sockets). It shares unique features on the mandible with
Huanghesaurus liulinensis for the ventral margin of the mandible nearly
straight, the angular with a boss towards the posterior end, dentary teeth
with ~17 cusps, the midline bulge ascends the medial face of the crown. The
previous cladistics analyses do not support a closely relationship of
Huanghesaurus with Elgiidae, but the new specimen supports a closely
relationship between Sanchuansaurus and Huanghesaurus, and both should be a
member of Elginiidae. The new specimen is referred to Shitienfenia as a new
species, S. completus. However, it is also possibly belonged to
Shitienfenia permica while Sanchuansaurus pygmaeus and Huanghesaurus
liulinensis are valid species. Recently, many skeletons have been collected
from the same locality, they will help to resolve the interrelationships of
Shitienfenia, Huanghesaurus, and Sanchuansaurus.

====

Masaya Iijima, Takehisa Tsubamoto, Khishigjav Tsogtbaatar, Tsogtbaatar
Chinzorig, and Soyol Baasankhuu (2019)
Discovery of a crocodyliform tooth from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo
Formation, Mongolia.
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica (in press)
doi:https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.4202_app.00633.2019&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=SaVvG4eLaHJ3EWrGhP5rvg5c1D3W7y0fVUSE6qTnabc&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__app.pan.pl_article_item_app006332019.html&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=lCU6TpSV0e023l4-MyJVgEFvn2vfnKJVOlAVGjyRQXs&e= 
Free pdf:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__app.pan.pl_archive_published_app64_app006332019.pdf&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=L_bQEtdvOOJh9g8psc_wQH_fi6YJQJ5c82WKts_uQpY&e= 

Although the distribution of Asian crocodyliforms was extended northwards
during the Paleocene–Eocene greenhouse world, the fossil record in northern
Asia becomes scarce towards the end of the Eocene. We here report the first
crocodyliform (an isolated tooth) from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo
Formation of southeastern Mongolia, the mammalian fauna of which defines
the Ergilian Asian Land Mammal Age. The conical non-recurved crown, the
near complete root with the central resorption facet, and its late Eocene
age suggest the crocodyliform affinity of the tooth. The current finding
represents one of the northernmost occurrences of crocodyliforms in the
upper Eocene of Asia (paleolatitude ca. 49°30’ N), and demonstrates that SE
Mongolia probably met thermal requirements of crocodyliforms during the
late Eocene.

====

Jamile M Bubadué, Carla D Hendges, Jorge J Cherem, Felipe O Cerezer, Tania
P Falconí, Maurício E Graipel, Nilton C Cáceres (2019)
Marsupial versus placental: assessing the evolutionary changes in the
scapula of didelphids and sigmodontines.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, blz134
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1093_biolinnean_blz134&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=mI-QMUwRRxKnSeDnibUZtviONUjAeHSR3LRwhY7TDlw&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__academic.oup.com_biolinnean_advance-2Darticle-2Dabstract_doi_10.1093_biolinnean_blz134_5585926&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=-C8EmqA3aaFTdhcXEmtGW7NIQBmoGf7IbZcnb1roXtY&e= 


It is not a new concept that marsupials and placentals are distant and
distinct clades among mammals. In South America, these animals coexist,
occupy similar niches and, in some cases, are similar in appearance. This
is especially true with respect to the locomotor categories of smaller
rodents belonging to the family Cricetidae or, more specifically, the
subfamily Sigmodontinae, compared with the marsupials of the Didelphidae
family. In this study, we have investigated both the similarities and the
differences between the two clades by examining locomotion-dependent
adaptation, a crucial survival mechanism that has affected the morphology
of both clades. We applied geometric morphometrics to quantify the shape of
the scapula, which is a very adaptable structure. We found similar
morphological adaptations between the clades, especially with respect to
adaptation to life in trees. Moreover, Didelphidae are influenced by
phylogenetic history to a greater extent than Sigmodontinae with regard to
variation of scapula shape and allometry. These differences can be
explained by the greater degree of body size variation that exists within
the Didelphidae. Didelphidae have an ancient evolutionary history in South
America compared with the Sigmodontinae, which have undergone a very
successful and rapid diversification more recently.


===


Raúl O. Gómez & Andres I. Lires (2019)
High ecomorphological diversity among Early Cretaceous frogs from a large
subtropical wetland of Iberia.
Comptes Rendus Palevol (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.crpv.2019.07.005&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=zcnJskWgAp9mBreKG2pmcKCEOj3_nmW0o4TsIJcrT6I&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.sciencedirect.com_science_article_abs_pii_S1631068319301320&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=4Uq-KucxAV61CWEFYbNIDEGG_FC5K59I50VZTBfpa2Y&e= 


Anurans are extremely diverse amphibians with a unique Bauplan, whose
origin, early ecomorphological diversification, and adaptive significance
remain elusive. Their early fossil record is improving at an accelerated
pace worldwide, but its contribution to these issues is still wanting. Here
we explore ecomorphological diversity among Early Cretaceous (Barremian)
frogs that inhabited a large subtropical wetland from Iberia by inferring
locomotor abilities with a phylogenetic flexible discriminant analysis on
data from limb proportions, which strongly correlate with locomotion. The
results show a remarkable diversity among these frogs when compared with
the extant diversity from this region and from tropical and subtropical
wetland assemblages worldwide, encompassing miniature to medium-size
jumpers and dedicated swimmers with more extreme proportions than extant
'archeobatrachians,' but also more generalized jumping and/or swimming
forms. This agrees with the inferred wetland paleoenvironment and the
hypothesis regarding early frogs as small poor jumpers or swimmers that
evolved their peculiar Bauplan in aquatic environments.

===


Joerg W. Schneider, Spencer G. Lucas, Frank Scholze, SebastianVoigt,
Lorenzo Marchetti, Hendrik Klein, Stanislav Opluštil, Ralf Werneburg,
Valeriy K. Golubev, James E. Barrick, Tamara Nemyrovska, Ausonio Ronchi,
Michael O. Day, Vladimir V. Silantiev, Ronny Rößler, Hafid Saber, Ulf
Linnemann, Veronika Zharinova & Shu-Zhong Shen (2019)
Late Paleozoic–early Mesozoic continental biostratigraphy — links to the
Standard Global Chronostratigraphic Scale.
Palaeoworld (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.palwor.2019.09.001&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=fxEdxmTVqdFv5xHwVRBy75Aoa8SHQ1F6-xQxBtSrLWU&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.sciencedirect.com_science_article_pii_S1871174X19300976-3Fdgcid-3Drss-5Fsd-5Fall&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=-rCdo4irBnm6TPhfHvUtshUpPskhe7ardFyFOpyOdUo&s=L0gOKkm-IP6aCtUAJ6IwDCgpLa5CjS3yqjryGUipGnY&e= 


Nonmarine biostratigraphic/biochronologic schemes have been created for all
or parts of the late Carboniferous–Middle Triassic using palynomorphs,
megafossil plants, conchostracans, blattoid insects, tetrapod footprints
and tetrapod body fossils, and these provide varied temporal resolution.
Cross correlation of the nonmarine biochronologies to the Standard Global
Chronostratigraphic Scale has been achieved in some parts of the late
Carboniferous–Middle Triassic in locations where nonmarine and marine
strata are intercalated, the nonmarine strata produce biochronologically
significant fossils and the marine strata yield fusulinids, conodonts
and/or ammonoids. Other cross correlations have been aided by
magnetostratigraphy, chemostratigraphy and a growing database of
radioisotopic ages. A synthetic nonmarine biochronology for the late
Carboniferous–Middle Triassic based on all available nonmarine index
fossils, integrated with the Standard Global Chronostratigraphic Scale, is
presented here. The focus is on the nonmarine biostratigraphy/biochronology
of blattoid insects, conchostracans, branchiosaurid amphibians, tetrapod
footprints and tetrapod body fossils within the biochronological framework
of land-vertebrate faunachrons. Correlation to the Standard Global
Chronostratigraphic Scale presented here is divided into seven time
intervals: Pennsylvanian, Carboniferous–Permian boundary, Cisuralian,
Guadalupian, Lopingian, Permian–Triassic boundary and Early to Middle
Triassic. The insects, conchostracans and branchiosaurs provide robust
nonmarine correlations in the Pennsylvanian–Cisuralian, and the footprints
and tetrapod body fossils provide robust correlations of varied precision
within the entire Pennsylvanian–Middle Triassic. Radioisotopic ages are
currently the strongest basis for cross correlation of the nonmarine
biostratigraphy/biochronology to the Standard Global Chronostratigraphic
Scale, particularly for the Pennsylvanian–Cisuralian. Chemostratigraphy and
magnetostratigraphy thus far provide only limited links of nomarine and
marine chronologies. Improvements in the nonmarine-marine correlations of
late Paleozoic–Triassic Pangea require better alpha taxonomy and
stratigraphic precision for the nonmarine fossil record integrated with
more reliable radioisotopic ages and more extensive chemostratigraphic and
magnetostratigraphic datasets.






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