Gladiopycnodontidae, a new family of pycnodontiform fi shes from the Late Cretaceous of Lebanon, with the description of three genera

The osteology of Gladiopycnodus karami gen. et sp. nov., of Monocerichthys scheuchzeri gen. et sp. nov. and of Rostropycnodus gayeti gen. et sp. nov., three new fossil fishes from the marine Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Lebanon, is studied in detail. Some of their cranial characters and the presence of a postcoelomic bone clearly refer these fishes to the order Pycnodontiformes. However, they differ from all other described Pycnodontiformes by two important characters. Their snout is elongated as a rostrum, formed by the enlarged prefrontal and the toothless premaxilla, with this premaxilla sutured by its upper margin to the lower margin of the prefrontal. Their pectoral fin is replaced by a strong spine articulated with the cleithrum. These two apomorphies justify the erection of a new family, the Gladiopycnodontidae. The skull of Monocerichthys scheuchzeri sp. nov. does not differ greatly from a classical pycnodontiform skull and this species seems to be the more primitive member of this new family. Gladiopycnodus karami gen. et sp. nov. and Rostropycnodus gayeti gen. et sp. nov. are much more specialized. They share some apomorphies not present in Monocerichthys scheuchzeri gen. et sp. nov., i. e., an extremely long rostrum and an elongated first anal pterygiophore that sustains with the postcoelomic bone a strong and long anal spine. Gladiopycnodontidae fam. nov. and Coccodontidae share a series of apomorphies that justify the erection of a new superfamily, Coccodontoidea, grouping these two families

Osteology and relationships of Rhinopycnodus gabriellae gen. et sp. nov. (Pycnodontiformes) from the marine Late Cretaceous of Lebanon

The osteology of Rhinopycnodus gabriellae gen. and sp. nov., a pycnodontiform fish from the marine Cenomanian (Late Cretaceous) of Lebanon, is studied in detail. This new fossil genus belongs to the family Pycnodontidae, as shown by the presence of a posterior brush-like process on its parietal. Its long and broad premaxilla, bearing one short and very broad tooth is the principal autapomorphy of this fish. Within the phylogeny of Pycnodontidae, Rhinopycnodus occupies an intermediate position between Ocloedus and Tepexichthys

On the approximation of mean densities of random closed sets

Many real phenomena may be modelled as random closed sets in $\mathbb{R}^d$, of different Hausdorff dimensions. In many real applications, such as fiber processes and $n$-facets of random tessellations of dimension $n\leq d$ in spaces of dimension $d\geq1$, several problems are related to the estimation of such mean densities. In order to confront such problems in the general setting of spatially inhomogeneous processes, we suggest and analyze an approximation of mean densities for sufficiently regular random closed sets. We show how some known results in literature follow as particular cases. A series of examples throughout the paper are provided to illustrate various relevant situations.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.3150/09-BEJ186 the Bernoulli (http://isi.cbs.nl/bernoulli/) by the International Statistical Institute/Bernoulli Society (http://isi.cbs.nl/BS/bshome.htm

Ungueal Morphology and Pathology of the human mummy found in the Val Senales (Eastern Alps, Tyrol, Bronze Age).

El autor describe una lámina de uña perteneciente a un dedo de la, actualmente bien conocida, momia de Val Senales. La uña había quedado separada del resto en tiempos antiguos y fue recuperada en el curso de la excavación arqueológica llevada a cabo en el área en agosto de 1992. Esta lámina de uña (hallazgo nº 168/92), es de un enorme interés desde el punto de vista paleopatológico. Varias lesiones destructivas concentradas sobre parte de la región distal de la superficie dorsal de la uña parecen ser atribuibles, tanto por su tipología (onicorrexis y microsurcos) como por su topografía, a   microtraumas que tuvieron lugar en el transcurso de la vida del sujeto, como resultado de la utilización de la uña como instrumento. Además, la presencia de tres grupos de líneas de Beau-Reil nos ha   permitido determinar la gravedad, tiempo de ataques o arremetidas y duración de tres periodos de intensa tensión que el sujeto experimentó durante los últimos meses de su vida. El sujeto sufrió tres de dichos episodios, que tuvieron lugar cuatro, tres y dos meses antes de su muerte. El último episodio fue el más serio, y el trastorno sistemático que produjo duró al menos dos semanas

The fossil fish of Salento: a history of thei discovery and their study

EnThe main stages through which knowledge has been gained of the two main fossil fish faunas of Salento are initially outlined here. This includes the fossils contained in the Cretaceous limestone, and those extracted from the Miocene biomicrite known as ‘Lecce stone’. The in-depth analysis of the main historical sources has shown that the first information only related to the fossil fish of the Cretaceous era. This information dates from the end of the eighteenth century, and is the result of the activities of the Paduan Abbot Alberto Fortis, through whom the information also spread throughout Europe. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Abbot Giuseppe Maria Giovene clearly described both the Cretaceous fossils and those of the Miocene. Throughout the nineteenth century, the interest of researchers was concentrated exclusively on the fossils of the Miocene biomicrite. The main findings were due to the activities of Oronzo Gabriele Costa and his son Giuseppe,and this was followed by the activities of Giovanni Capellini. However, the systematic study of these fossils was then led by Francesco Bassani only at the beginning of the twentieth century. Some local enthusiasts, such as Ulderigo Botti, also had important roles in the collection of these fossils. Only at the beginning of the twentieth century did research on the fossil fish from the Cretaceous period resume, due to the work of both professionals,such as Geremia D’Erasmo, and amateurs, such as Cosimo De Giorgi and Francesco Capasso. In the 1970’s, there were extraordinary developments in the knowledge of the fossil fish from the Cretaceous through the excavations conducted on site by Lorenzo Sorbini and studies performed in the laboratory, especially by Louis Paul Taverne. Finally, as a result of the activities of the Salento Naturalist Group (Gruppo Naturalisti Salentini; formed in 1982), the surveillance of the quarrying on site was increased and became more effective,with the result that a large and important collection of fossil fish from both the Cretaceous and the Miocene has been built up at the Museum of the Environment of the University of Salento, under the direction of Genuario Belmonte.L’autore tratteggia le principali tappe attraverso le quali si è determinata la conoscenza delle due principali ittiofaune fossili del Salento: quella estratta dalle biomicriti mioceniche dette “Pietra leccese” e quella contenuta nei calcari cretacei. L’analisi approfondita delle principali fonti storiche ha permesso di dimostrare che le prime notizie riguardano esclusivamente i pesci fossili di epoca cretacea; esse risalgono alla fine del XVIII secolo e sono dovute all’attività dell’abate padovano Alberto Fortis, attraverso il quale le prime informazioni si diffusero anche in Europa. All’inizio dell’800 fu l’abate Giuseppe Maria Giovene a descrivere chiaramente sia i fossili cretacei che quelli miocenici. Durante tutto l’800 l’interesse dei ricercatori fu esclusivamente concentrato sui fossili delle biomicriti mioceniche e le principali scoperte furono dovute all’attività di Oronzo Gabriele Costa e di suo figlio Giuseppe,cui seguì l’attività di Giovanni Capellini; lo studio sistematico di questi fossili, tuttavia, fu poi condotto da Francesco Bassani solo all’inizio del ‘900. Alcuni appassionati locali, come Ulderigo Botti, ebbero ugualmente un ruolo importante nella raccolta di questi fossili. Solo con l’inizio del ‘900 furono riprese le attività di ricerca sui pesci fossili del Cretaceo, sia grazie all’attività di professionisti, come Geremia D’Erasmo, che di dilettanti, come Cosimo De Giorgi e Francesco Capasso. Negli anni ’70 del secolo scorso si ebbe uno straordinario sviluppo delle conoscenze sui pesci fossili cretacei grazie alle attività di scavo condotte sul posto da Lorenzo Sorbini ed a quelle di studio condotte in laboratorio specialmente da Louis Paul Taverne. Infine, a seguito dell’attività del “Gruppo Naturalisti Salentini” (costituitosi nel 1982),è aumentata e si è resa più efficace la sorveglianza sulle attività estrattive locali, con il risultato di costituire una ingente ed importante collezione di pesci fossili, tanto cretacei quanto miocenici, presso il Museo dell’Ambiente dell’Università del Salento, sotto la direzione di Genuario Belmonte

Pycnodonts were polyphyodont animals

EnHere, I demonstrate that pycnodonts were polyphyodont animals, through radiographic highlights of dental gems in various states of maturation that are present in both the prearticular and the vomer of at least some Cretaceous genera Neoproscinetes and Phacodus, and for the Eocene genus Pycnodus. I propose the hypothesis that polyphyodonts in pycnodonts involved a differentiated ontogenetic mechanism in young subjects compared to adult ones. In young fish, the growth of the dentition occurred through introdution of new teeth from behind. In adults, only worn teeth were replaced, regardless of their position. The cessation of the ameloblastic activity certainly marked the senescence of the pycnodonts, in which the exhaustion of the ameloblasts prevented dental replacement, making senile subjects edentulous, with bone atrophy and the consequent inability to feed, ultimately leading to the death of the fish.ItL'autore dimostra che i picnodonti erano animali polifiodonti, in quanto ha evidenziato, anche radiograficamente, la presenza di gemme dentarie in vari stati di maturazione presenti sia nei pre-articolari che nel vomere almeno nei generi cretacei Neoproscinetes e Phacodus e nel genere eocenico Pycnodus. L'autore propone, inoltre, l'ipotesi che la polifiodontia nei picnodonti implicasse un'ontogenesi differenziata nei soggetti giovani (in accrescimento) rispetto agli adulti. Nei giovani, la crescita della dentatura avveniva attraverso l'apposizione di nuovi denti da dietro. Negli adulti, invece, l'attività ameloblastica consentiva la sostituzione dei soli denti usurati. Verosimilmente, la cessazione dell'attività ameloblastica segnava l'inizio della senescenza nei picnodonti, nei quali l'esaurimento degli ameloblasti impediva la sostituzione dentale, portando i soggetti senili all'edentulia, con atrofia ossea e con conseguente incapacità di nutrirsi e, infine, morte

Anomoeodus (neopterygii, pycnodontiformes) in the Turonian marly limestone of the 'Azilé series', of the surroundings of Owendo, Gabon

EnThe author provides the first report of the presence of pycnodonts in the Turonian limestone of the "Azilé series", for the Owendo port region (Gabon). These were found in association with a rich malaco-fauna, echinoderms, bryozoans and plants that were characteristic of coastal marine environments with a rocky seabed. The findings on which this indication is based are predominantly the dental apparatus. These demonstrate the characteristic random disposition of the anterior teeth, which are, moreover, typically very small and semi-spherical, as seen exclusively for the genus Anomoeodus. Although the author does not consider there is a need to establish a new species, the materials described show some peculiar characteristics that together form a complex of anatomical characters that are here designated provisionally as 'species A'. These are: absence of diastemas in the pre-articular series (in contrast to the large diastemas of the vomerine series); a low number of pre-articular batteries (four); and a small number of elements in each prearticular battery. These pycnodonts of the port of Owendo, which lies almost on the equator, represent today the southernmost report of the genus Anomoeodus, which, however, still remains limited geographically to the northern hemisphere.ItL'autore segnala per la prima volta la presenza di picnodonti nei calcari turoniani della "Serie di Azilé", della regione del porto di Owendo, Gabon, in associazione con una ricca malaco-fauna, echinodermi, briozoi e vegetali, caratteristica di un ambiente marino costiero con fondo roccioso. I reperti sui quali è basata la segnalazione sono in prevalenza apparati dentari, che dimostrano la caratteristica disposizione casuale dei denti anteriori i quali, peraltro, risultano tipicamente minuti e semisferici, come accade esclusivamente nel genere Anomoeodus. Nonostante l'autore non ritenga di erigere una nuova specie, i materiali descritti mostrano alcune caratteristiche peculiari che, nel loro assieme, configurano un complesso di caratteri anatomici che l'autore designa provvisoriamente come "Specie A"; essi sono: assenza di diastemi nelle serie pre-articolari (in contrasto con ampi diastemi nelle serie vomerine), basso numero di batterie pre-articolari (quattro) ed esiguo numero di elementi in ciascuna batteria pre-articolare. Quella del porto di Owendo, quasi a ridosso dell'equatore, rappresenta ad oggi la più meridionale delle segnalazioni del genere Anomoeodus, il quale permane comunque geograficamente limitato all'emisfero boreale

Revision of ionoscopus petrarojae (ionoscopiformes, osteichthyes) from the albian of Pietraroja (Campania, southern Italy)

EnThe skeleton of Ionoscopus petrarojae, an ionoscopiform fish (Halecomorphi) from the marine Albian of Pietraroja (Campania, southern Italy), is studied in details. The fish exhibits all the anatomical features that characterize the family Ionoscopidae, a maxillary sensory canal, a dermosphenotic fused to the skull roof and bearing an innerorbital flange, a dermopterotic longer than the parietal, pitted infraorbitals, onospondylous vertebrae, fossae on the lateral faces of the vertebrae, more than 15 supraneurals and amioid-like scales. Ionoscopus petrarojae differs from the well known Ionoscopus cyprinoides by numerous osteological characters. The erection of a new genus for I. cyprinoides is suggested. Comparisons are done between I. petrarojae and the ionoscopid species Oshunia brevis and Quetzalichthys perrilliatae.Comments are given on the systematic position of I. petrarojae within Ionoscopidae. I. petrarojae is the plesiomorphic member of the family. It still has a large dermosphenotic that covers the autosphenitic, as in Ophiopsidae.“Ionoscopus” cyprinoides, O. brevis and Q. perrilliatae share a new derived character. The dermosphenotic is reduced. The autosphenotic is no more hidden and becomes a visible part of the skull roof

Dezignobatis italicus (Chondrichthyes, Batomorphii), gen. et sp. nov., dalle argille oligoceniche del torrente Chiavon (VI)

ItL'autore descrive un batoideo fossile di antica raccolta proveniente dalle micriti argillose affioranti nell'alveo del torrente Chiavon, presso Fara Vicentino, Vicenza, datate all'Oligocene medio. L'esemplare descritto rappresenta l'olotipo di un nuovo genere e di una nuova specie, Dezignobatis italicus, che appare caratterizzato da un inusuale mosaico di caratteri, fra i quali la seguente combinazione distintiva: (i) disco ovale la cui lunghezza è circa 1,47 volte la larghezza, (ii) minuta cartilagine rostrale, (iii) denti rajiformi, (iv) assenza di raggi direttamente articolati con il mesopterigio, (v) pinna pettorale con 138 raggi, (vi) pinna pelvica unilobulare, con 27 raggi, il cui margine posteriore supera all'indietro il margine caudale del disco, (vii) raggi di tutte le pinne filamentosi ed indivisi. La nuova specie conferma la presenza di batoidei all'interno dell'ittiofauna fossile del torrente Chiavon, peraltro già dimostrata da aculei frammentari descritti alla fine dell'800 da Achille De Zigno, che scoprì i primi pesci fossili in questo giacimento nel 1852. La presenza di batoidei bentonici dimostra che l'ambiente di sedimentazione era compatibile con quello marino vicino alla costa.EnThe author describes a fossil batoid from an ancient collection coming from the clayey micrites emerging along the banks of the Chiavon stream, near Fara Vicentino, Vicenza, dated to the Middle Oligocene. The specimen described represents the holotype of a new genus and a new species, Dezignobatis italicus, which appears to be characterized by an unusual mosaic of characters, including the following distinctive combination: (i) oval disc (whose length is about 1.47 times its width), (ii) minute rostral cartilage, (iii) rajiform teeth, (iv) absence of rays directly articulated with the mesopterygium, (v) pectoral fin with 138 rays, (vi) unilobular pelvic fin with 27 rays, whose posterior margin exceeds the margin backwards back of the disc, (vii) rays of all the fins filamentous and undivided. The new species confirms the presence of batoidea within the fossil ichthyofauna of the Chiavon stream, already demonstrated by fragmentary fossil stings described at the end of the 19th century by Achille De Zigno, that discovered the fossil fish in this locality in 1852. The presence of benthic batoids shows that the sedimentation environment was compatible with the marine one near the coast