A CHECK-LIST OF FOSSIL CHONDRICHTHYES FROM BRIELAS (LANGHIAN, PORTUGAL)

Located in a slope of the Costa de Caparica motorway, in the peninsula of Setúbal, West Portugal, the outcrop of Brielas stand out as one of the best Miocene sections of the Lower Tagus Basin to collect a great diversity of fossil Chondrichthyes, which are cartilaginous fishes also known as selachians. The first mention regarding this outcrop was made by Antunes and Jonet (1970), in a study focused on the characterization of Serravalian to Tortonian shark fossil forms of Lisbon. The sediments present in Brielas can be correlated with the geological units Vc, VIa and VIIa traditionally used for the Miocene of Lisbon (Cotter in Dollfus et al., 1903-1904). The samples studied were taken from the unit Vc, with approximately four meters thick and characterized by sandy-silt banks, intercalated with fossiliferous biocalcarenites. Through 87Sr/86Sr dating (H. Elderfield) of a Pectinid shell it was determined that the Vc unit has an age of approximately 14 ± 0,4Ma (Antunes et al., 1999), and integrates the depositional sequence S1 (Antunes et al., 2000). The planktonic foraminifera association found by Legoinha (2001) portrays the unit Vc as part of the biozone N9, correlative of the Langhian. The present study aims to contribute to the improvement of the knowledge about Brielas section and its rich marine selachian faun

Seláceos do Langhiano de Brielas, Bacia do Baixo Tejo, Portugal"

Apresentamos os resultados do estudo sobre o material fóssil proveniente de antigas colheitas realizadas na parte inferior da unidade geológica Vc, no afloramento de Brielas, localizado na Costa da Caparica (Península de Setúbal). Esta unidade geológica insere-se no Miocénico Médio da Bacia do Baixo Tejo, onde ocorrem foraminíferos planctónicos cuja associação é característica do Langhiano, biozona N9 (15,1 a 13,82 Ma). A datação 87Sr/86Sr de uma concha de pectinídeo permitiu aproximar a idade dos sedimentos a 14 ± 0,4 Ma (LEGOINHA, 2001; PAIS et al. 2012). Caracterizado por uma grande riqueza de espécimes de tubarões e batóides, referenciada pela primeira vez por ANTUNES & JONET (1970). Uma segunda menção, em micropaleontologia, por LEGOINHA (2001). De momento, este afloramento encontra-se inacessível devido às últimas obras na via rápida da Costa da Caparica. A classificação utilizada tem por base a classificação de Compagno, alterada por CAPPETTA (2012). O material analisado é composto por 329 dentes de tubarão e 150 de batóides, distribuídos por 31 espécies, 29 géneros e 18 famílias (Tabela I). Algumas espécies foram deixadas em nomenclatura aberta, devido à ausência de caracteres necessários a uma classificação mais aprofundada destes fósseis. Verifica-se a ausência de géneros planctónicos que contrasta com a presença marcada de géneros demersais e bentónicos no afloramento de Brielas. As formas encontradas são características de águas pouco profundas, quentes a temperadas (ANTUNES & JONET, 1970; BALBINO, 1995; SCHULTZ et al., 2010; CARLSEN & CUNY, 2014; FROESE & PAULY, 2016). Assim, os resultados deste estudo reforçam a caracterização paleoecológica de LEGOINHA (2001) em como o afloramento de Brielas, para a unidade geológica Vc se trata de um ambiente infralitoral de águas moderadamente quentes, de profundidade crescente em idades mais recentes, com transição para um ambiente circalitoral. A classificação apresentada nesta checklist permite aferir com uma maior precisão as associações de espécies presentes neste local durante o Langhiano, enriquecendo desta forma o conhecimento atual sobre seláceos no registo fóssil português.

Classe de Ciências

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The “Real Academia das Sciencias de Lisboa” and the adventure of Pierre Auguste Broussonet, a pioneer of Brazil's Ichthyology and of the scientific relationships between Portugal and France.

Pierre Auguste Broussonet appears to be the first researcher engaged in the study of the fishes from the Portuguese collections on Natural History, and especially the Royal Museum of Ajuda collections, including the utmost important one collected in Brazil by Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira. He also dealt with the collection of fishes from the Royal Academy of Sciences, the institution that supported him during his stay of approximately four months in Lisbon, where he arrived sometime in September or October 1794. An experienced Naturalist, especially on Ichthyology, he produced a pioneer work on an entirely unknown collection, that of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon. This collection had certainly been transferred from the Royal Natural History Museum at Ajuda. Our present status of knowledge is largely based on documents from the Bibliothèque Centrale of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris. The document on fishes from the Academy's Museum (Table 3) is evidence for the intervention of Broussonet. This document is therefore and by far the more important one as far as Broussonet's intervention is concerned. Broussonet is thus a remarkable pioneer of the scientific cooperation between Portugal and France

Crocodylomorph eggs and eggshells from the Lourinhã Fm. (Upper Jurassic), Portugal

We here present fossil crocodylomorpha eggshells from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation of Portugal, recovered from five sites: one nest from Cambelas and various fragments from Casal da Rola, Paimogo I, Paimogo II, and Peralta. The nest is composed of 13 eggs and is the only sample not found in association with dinosaur egg material. Our research reveals that on a micro- and ultrastructural analysis, all our samples present the typical characters consistent with crocodiloid eggshell morphotype, such as the shell unit shape, the organization of the eggshell layers, and the triangular blocky extinction observed with crossed nicols. We assign the material from the Lourinhã Formation to the oofamily Krokolithidae, making it the oldest crocodylomorph eggs known so far, as well as the best record for eggs of non-crocodylian crocodylomorphs. Furthermore, our study indicates that the basic structure of crocodilian eggshells has remained stable since at least the Late Jurassic

Two new ootaxa from the late Jurassic::The oldest record of crocodylomorph eggs, from the Lourinha Formation, Portugal

<div><p>The Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation is known for its abundant remains of dinosaurs, crocodylomorphs and other vertebrates. Among this record are nine localities that have produced either dinosaur embryos, eggs or eggshell fragments. Herein, we describe and identify the first crocodiloid morphotype eggs and eggshells from the Lourinhã Formation, from five occurrences. One clutch from Cambelas, composed of 13 eggs, eggshell fragments from Casal da Rola and Peralta, one crushed egg and eggshells from Paimogo North, and four crushed eggs as well as eggshell fragments from Paimogo South. We observed and confirmed diagnostic morphological characters for crocodiloid eggshells and which are consistent with a crocodylomorph affinity, such as the ellipsoidal shape, wedge-shaped shell units, triangular extinction under cross-polarized light, and tabular ultrastructure. This material is distinctive enough to propose two new ootaxa within the oofamily Krokolithidae, <i>Suchoolithus portucalensis</i>, oogen. and oosp. nov., for the material from Cambelas, the most complete clutch known for crocodiloid eggs, and <i>Krokolithes dinophilus</i>, oosp. nov., for the remaining material. These are the oldest crocodylomorph eggs known, extending the fossil record for this group to the Late Jurassic. Furthermore, except for the clutch from Cambelas, the material was found with theropod eggs and nests, in the other four occurrences, which seem to suggest some form of biological relationship, still unclear at this point.</p></div

Megalodon, mako shark and planktonic foraminifera from the continental shelf off Portugal and their age

Turbidite fragments collected by a fishing net off the central Portuguese coast (Peniche) present some fossils. The matrix is phosphatized and iron-rich with small quantities of manganese, zinc and copper. The occurrence of Megaselachus megalodon most probably excludes an age older than Middle Miocene. Its very advanced evolution stage is consistent with a Pliocene age. Based on planktonic foraminifera in depressions of cetacean skulls recovered in the same way, from the same area, the age of sharks and cetaceans is likely to range from latest Messinian to Early Pliocene. Condensed sedimentation is revealed by the co-occurrence of typical Late Pliocene and Quaternary foraminifera. Lack of benthic foraminifera suggests more or less deep environments, while a scallop, Mimachlamys varia, indicates nearby rocky substrate. The mako shark Isurus cf. oxyrhinchus is recorded in the area for the first time. The shark association represents a moderately warm environment as M. megalodon and Isurus are essentially temperate water dwellers, while no warm water form is known. Early Pliocene planktonic foraminifera point out to temperate to subtropical waters. Hence temperate to moderately warm conditions seem to have prevailed

Geometric Morphometrics as a complementary method in the study of Chondrichthyes dental morfologies

Chondrichthyes are known to have a great diversity of dental morphologies, both in fossil and recent organisms, primarily due to their diet, sexual dimorphism, and ontogeny. Usually found isolated, the teeth of cartilaginous fishes are the basis for the separation and cataloging process of chondrichthyan species. Throughout the development of palaeontological methods, the most commonly used in the classification of fossil teeth of these organisms is a qualitative one based on elaborate descriptions of the biological structures. Though they might change according to the researcher, these descriptions have allowed for a steady and coherent study of these beings. With the introduction of new technologies and mathematical processes, this strictly qualitative method is beginning to change. Over the past 20 years, several studies have aimed to update and improve the descriptions by complementing them with the information obtained through geometric morphometrics, which analyses and compares the shape and size of fossils. This quantitative method, that relies on spatial coordinates known as landmarks and semilandmarks, has allowed researchers to add greater depth to their studies and support qualitative classifications with statistical data. The present work aims to further the advances in this particular subject, by updating the classification of fossil teeth from several collections, utilizing both the qualitative and quantitative methods

Chondricthyes Fósseis de Brielas, Bacia do Baixo Tejo, Portugal

No lugar de Brielas, Península de Setúbal, Bacia do Baixo Tejo, afloram sedimentos correlacionáveis com a unidade Vc de Lisboa, definida por Cotter (in Dollfus et al., 1903-04), correspondentes ao Langhiano (aproximadamente 14 ± 0,4 Ma, pela datação 87Sr/86Sr da concha de um pectinídeo). Os sedimentos recolhidos anteriormente nesta unidade revelam uma elevada riqueza específica de Chondrichthyes em Brielas, com 2157 peças fósseis encontradas e em processo de classificação e actualização, das quais 1710 são de tubarões (incluindo 1370 fragmentos) e 456 de batóides. No material identificado (474 dentes fósseis), encontraram-se espécimes pertencentes às ordens: Hexanchiformes (1,0%), Squatiniformes (1,9%), Lamniformes (2,7%), Carcharhiniformes (62,9%), Rhinopristiformes (7,2%), Rajiformes (7,2%), Torpediniformes (0,2%) e Myliobatiformes (16,9%). Das 30 espécies identificadas destaca-se o dente de Mobula fragilis que pela sua morfologia característica raramente sobrevive ao processo de fossilização intacto

A proximidade de um parque paleontológico estimulando o conhecimento entre estudantes da educação básica brasileira

Este trabalho aborda o ensino de Paleontologia na Educação Básica Brasileira. O objetivo principal do estudo foi investigar se a proximidade da escola de um parque paleontológico - com todas as possibilidades educativas que daí possa advir - poderia resultar em maiores conhecimentos sobre paleontologia. A metodologia empregada caracteriza-se como uma pesquisa levantamento quantitativa e exploratória. Foram aplicados questionários sobre conhecimentos básicos e os resultados obtidos sugerem que a proximidade do parque influenciou nos conhecimentos paleontológicos dos estudantes. São discutidas e sugeridas formas de utilização do parque com um efetivo espaço não formal para o ensino e aprendizagem de conceitos paleontológicos