[dinosaur] Elasmosaurid from France + Rionegrochelys crocodyliform bite + more

Ben Creisler
[email protected]

Some recent non-dino papers:


P. Vincent, A.-S. Grosjean, D. Bert, J.Ferreira, B. Suchéras-Marx, G. Suan,
G. Guinot, V. Perrier, K. Janneau, J.-M. Brazier, E. Sarroca, M.Guiomar &
J. E. Martin (2019)
Paleoenvironmental context and significance of a partial elasmosaurid
skeleton from the Albian of Haute-Provence, France.
Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.cretres.2019.104293&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=9IXLy1jovgucwJaCKFXRhxmeMVGbIYEvQB-DlMobjME&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.sciencedirect.com_science_article_pii_S0195667119302812&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=44wG6Tp2cddllEFiAZmKJpAo5qkpjcSAOtUN5GWQ6-U&e= 

Highlights

We report an Albian Konzentrat-Lagerstätte from the Pre-Alps in SE France.
Fossil remains consist of ammonites, chondrichthyans, ichthyosaurs and
plesiosaurs.
The most complete plesiosaur specimen from the Albian strata of France is
described.

Abstract

The Early–Late Cretaceous transition (late Albian–early Cenomanian; ∼100
Ma) witnessed marked environmental changes and a deep reorganization of the
marine fauna. The impact of these environmental and biotic changes on
Tethyan marine vertebrates is poorly understood, due to a fragmentary
fossil record. Here we report upper Albian marine vertebrate remains,
including a partially articulated plesiosaurian skeleton, from a
fossiliferous glauconite-rich bed in the Alpes de Haute-Provence, France.
The fossiliferous horizon produced a diversified invertebrate fauna
including ammonoids and belemnoids. The ammonite fauna is abundant and
diversified, indicating the Mortoniceras fallax ammonite Zone. The
calcareous nannofossil biomarkers date the bed to the NC10a Zone. The
fossiliferous bed consists of glauconitic marls enriched in planktic
foraminifera and occurs amongst a monotonous succession of alternating
marlstones and limestone beds. The vertebrate fauna consists of
chondrichthyans and marine reptiles. Chondrichthyans are represented by
five Lamniformes species (dominated by Sphenodus) and comprise predator
taxa probably living in open marine temperate waters. The site yielded a
large, partial post-cranial plesiosaurian skeleton with articulated
elements, belonging to an elasmosaurid and representing one of the most
complete Albian plesiosaurian specimens known from Europe. The abundance
and preservation of the collected fossil remains are best explained by
their concentration during a basin-scale episode of very low sedimentation
corresponding to a major episode of marine transgression, associated with a
lower oxygenation of bottom waters. These findings indicate that the newly
discovered fossiliferous bed holds promising clues about the evolutionary
history of major groups of marine vertebrates and ammonites near the
Early–Late Cretaceous transition.

=====

Silvina de Valais, Ignacio Díaz-Martínez, Paolo Citton, Ignacio Maniel &
Marcelo de la Fuente (2019)
A predation attempt in a Late Cretaceous pleurodire turtle from Patagonia.
Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.cretres.2019.104290&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=S4dwSwZAdJkSX469uHNSRuyq57FIIO87TQJZDLzX7NE&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.journals.uchicago.edu_doi_10.1086_351851&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=KP2WziKkrqJwXs8oQz96F6IX4aTuxYEgvFJ5NVXfkFk&e= 

Highlights

A failed predation against a Late Cretaceous pleurodire turtle is reported.
Distinct trace fossils on the plastron record the bite of the predator.
CT scan indicates bone regeneration and healing of the wound.

Abstract

In the present contribution, we report the evidence of a predation attempt
against a semi-aquatic pleurodire turtle who survived the attack. The
almost complete specimen of this adult turtle, the holotype of
Rionegrochelys caldieroi, was found in the Upper Cretaceous Plottier
Formation, El Anfiteatro area, Río Negro province, Patagonia. The shell
displays two distinct but synchronously produced trace fossils in the
anterior right portion of the plastron. One of the trace fossils is
semicircular and indicates where the bone has been broken during the
attack, as a consequence of a bite. The other one reflects the predator’s
teeth morphology, and suggests a crocodyliform as the best candidate.
Computed tomography analysis reveals regenerated tissue associated with
both trace fossils, indicating healing of the wound. No vital organ was
seriously injured during the attack, and the turtle survived, lacking a
fragment of the shell. Taking into account the evidence in the fossil
record, the unambiguous predator-prey relationship between crocodyliforms
and turtles is present from at least the Late Jurassic, and the
Rionegrochelys caldieroi holotype and their trace fossils is a new evidence
of this interaction.

=============

E. Catherine Strickson,  John R. Hutchinson,  David M. Wilkinson  & Peter
L. Falkingham (2019)
Can skeletal surface area predict in vivo foot surface area?
Journal of Anatomy (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1111_joa.13090&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=gU1eJYntbWfZKDArjBdNOkW7OfaFhb0i7j0u2bhMLkg&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_10.1111_joa.13090&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=D8aQTwrBkp1U3z7EgX9TyoAlbqqyM9Uwi3YOSgzelBw&e= 

The surface area of feet in contact with the ground is a key morphological
feature that influences animal locomotion. Underfoot pressures (and
consequently stresses experienced by the foot), as well as stability of an
animal during locomotion, depend on the size and shape of this area. Here
we tested whether the area of a skeletal foot could predict in vivo soft
tissue foot surface area. Computed tomography scans of 29 extant tetrapods
(covering mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians) were used to produce
models of both the soft tissues and the bones of their feet. Soft tissue
models were oriented to a horizontal plane, and their outlines projected
onto a surface to produce two‐dimensional silhouettes. Silhouettes of
skeletal models were generated either from bones in CT pose or with all
autopodial bones aligned to the horizontal plane. Areas of these
projections were calculated using alpha shapes (mathematical tight‐fitting
outline). Underfoot area of soft tissue was approximately 1.67 times that
of skeletal tissue area (~ 2 times for manus, ~ 1.6 times for pes, if
analysed separately). This relationship between skeletal foot area and soft
tissue area, while variable in some of our study taxa, could provide
information about the size of the organisms responsible for fossil
trackways, suggest what size of tracks might be expected from potential
trackmakers known only from skeletal remains, and aid in soft tissue
reconstruction of skeletal remains for biomechanical modelling.
====
Free pdf:

Mark Doeland, Aidan M. C. Couzens, Philip C. J. Donoghue and Martin Rücklin
(2019)
Tooth replacement in early sarcopterygians.
Royal Society Open Science 6: 191173
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1098_rsos.191173&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=Pn3rVxZgkNzXdA9yy38r_Cdt1dLg_ra0yQbi8sR4sHk&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__royalsocietypublishing.org_doi_10.1098_rsos.191173&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=7iPp-8Hr7JSDo4mBiK9rCrr9YWssre3C4b5Ly-WBWIc&e= 
Free pdf:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__royalsocietypublishing.org_doi_pdf_10.1098_rsos.191173&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=jW5VpO3FQoS54uQ2lc9f_Fjc2bSe_r7wQxfmPzzY-8Q&e= 

Teeth were an important innovation in vertebrate evolution but basic
aspects of early dental evolution remain poorly understood. Teeth differ
from other odontode organs, like scales, in their organized, sequential
pattern of replacement. However, tooth replacement patterns also vary
between the major groups of jawed vertebrates. Although tooth replacement
in stem-osteichthyans and extant species has been intensively studied it
has been difficult to resolve scenarios for the evolution of osteichthyan
tooth replacement because of a dearth of evidence from living and fossil
sarcopterygian fishes. Here we provide new anatomical data informing
patterns of tooth replacement in the Devonian sarcopterygian fishes
Onychodus, Eusthenopteron and Tiktaalik and the living coelacanth Latimeria
based on microfocus- and synchrotron radiation-based X-ray microtomography.
Early sarcopterygians generated replacement teeth on the jaw surface in a
pattern similar to stem-osteichthyans, with damaged teeth resorbed and
replacement teeth developed on the surface of the bone. However, resorption
grades and development of replacement teeth vary spatially and temporally
within the jaw. Particularly in Onychodus, where teeth were also shed
through anterior rotation and resorption of bone at the base of the
parasymphyseal tooth whorl, with new teeth added posteriorly. As tooth
whorls are also present in more stem-osteichthyans, and statodont tooth
whorls are present among acanthodians (putative stem-chondrichthyans),
rotational replacement of the anterior dentition may be a stem-osteichthyan
character. Our results suggest a more complex evolutionary history of tooth
replacement.

=====

Rohan Mansuit,  Gaël Clément,  Anthony Herrel,  Hugo Dutel,  Paul
Tafforeau, Mathieu D. Santin  & Marc Herbin (2019)
Development and growth of the pectoral girdle and fin skeleton in the
extant coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae.
Journal of Anatomy (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1111_joa.13115&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=I5SiaLiqX7KzLrhWdlXufq-P8YlO0Rc9En4yL_T1hBE&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__onlinelibrary.wiley.com_doi_abs_10.1111_joa.13115&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=HXcNakxOwrI-JeCk4o3rETtueTBWM5DnJo5S2k6ludU&e= 


The monobasal pectoral fins of living coelacanths and lungfishes are
homologous to the forelimbs of tetrapods and are thus critical to
investigate the origin thereof. However, it remains unclear whether the
similarity in the asymmetrical endoskeletal arrangement of the pectoral
fins of coelacanths reflects the evolution of the pectoral appendages in
sarcopterygians. Here, we describe for the first time the development of
the pectoral fin and shoulder girdle in the extant coelacanth Latimeria
chalumnae, based on the tomographic acquisition of a growth series. The
pectoral girdle and pectoral fin endoskeleton are formed early in
development with a radially outward growth of the endoskeletal elements.
The visualization of the pectoral girdle during development shows a
reorientation of the girdle between the fetus and pup 1 stages, creating a
contact between the scapulocoracoids and the clavicles in the ventro‐medial
region. Moreover, we observed a splitting of the pre‐ and post‐axial
cartilaginous plates in respectively pre‐axial radials and accessory
elements on one hand, and in post‐axial accessory elements on the other
hand. However, the mechanisms involved in the splitting of the
cartilaginous plates appear different from those involved in the formation
of radials in actinopterygians. Our results show a proportional reduction
of the proximal pre‐axial radial of the fin, rendering the external
morphology of the fin more lobe‐shaped, and a spatial reorganization of
elements resulting from the fragmentation of the two cartilaginous plates.
Latimeria development hence supports previous interpretations of the
asymmetrical pectoral fin skeleton as being plesiomorphic for coelacanths
and sarcopterygians.

===============

Omkar Verma & Ashu Khosla (2019)
Developments in the stratigraphy of the Deccan Volcanic Province,
peninsular India.
Comptes Rendus Geoscience (advance online publication)
doi: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__doi.org_10.1016_j.crte.2019.10.002&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=qXVInL39SR-BYXii949xdrZbsA8rBp5NFa44pX4PlaA&e= 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.sciencedirect.com_science_article_pii_S1631071319301002&d=DwIFaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=W7XjnItnHzJlrVZovkv1DKb4_yx6HJ4q0RrkQnc2huU&s=izzXXEtofhYa3ShtyV1p-T1fNnZr_H94XT2fa_y_Yf8&e= 


The Deccan Volcanic Province has been considered as one of the largest
magmatic regions, involving an aerial coverage of ca. 500,000 km2. It is
subdivided into four sub-provinces, and holds a unique position in global
tectonic models for understanding earth's geodynamics and the impact of
voluminous eruptions on the contemporary biosystem and climate system.
Published stratigraphic data suggest that volcanic eruption took place from
69 to 64 million years (Ma) ago when the Indian plate passed over the
Réunion hotspot. The main phase of volcanic activity consisting of about
80% of total basaltic lava, erupted rapidly, during a short span (<1 Ma) or
even less (two or three hundred thousand years), close to chron 29R,
straddling to the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary. Recent
high-precision age data show that the main volcanic phase is genetically
linked to the Chicxulub impact and plume-head of the hotspot, and largely
contributed to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. To assess the links of
the province to the K–Pg boundary, Chicxulub impact, Réunion plume, and
Late Cretaceous global climate crisis, it is crucial to have a current
state of knowledge of the understanding of its stratigraphy. A review of
published data shows a surge in the province research that has considerably
advanced the understanding of its stratigraphy. This province is
intercalated with numerous infra- and intertrappean sedimentary beds that
have yielded diverse biota, providing a reliable relative time control for
duration of the volcanic activity. This paper presents a review of the
stratigraphic developments of the province (lithostratigraphy,
chemostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and chronostratigraphy) from the
very beginning to the present, and discusses the role of the Réunion plume
in its formation.