Análisis microscópico y elemental FESEM y Phenom ProX-SEM-EDS de microestructuras parecidas a osteocitos y vasos sanguíneos obtenidas de vertebrados fósiles del Eoceno Messel Pit, Alemania

The Eocene (?48 Ma) Messel Pit in Germany is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptionally preserved fossils, including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Messel fossil vertebrates are typically characterized by their articulated state, and in some cases the skin, hair, feathers, scales and stomach contents are also preserved. Despite the exceptional macroscopic preservation of Messel fossil vertebrates, the microstructural aspect of these fossils has been poorly explored. In particular, soft tissue structures such as hair or feathers have not been chemically analyzed, nor have bone microstructures. I report here the preservation and recovery of osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures from the bone of Messel Pit specimens, including the turtles Allaeochelys crassesculpta and Neochelys franzeni , the crocodile Diplocynodon darwini , and the pangolin Eomanis krebsi . I used a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and a Phenom ProX desktop scanning electron microscope (LOT-QuantumDesign) equipped with a thermionic CeB6 source and a high sensitivity multi-mode backscatter electron (BSE) for microscopical and elemental characterization of these bone microstructures. Osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures are constituted by a thin layer (?50 nm thickness), external and internal mottled texture with slightly marked striations. Circular to linear marks are common on the external surface of the osteocyte-like microstructures and are interpreted as microbial troughs. Iron (Fe) is the most abundant element found in the osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures, but not in the bone matrix or collagen fibril-like microstructures. The occurrence of well-preserved soft-tissue elements (at least their physical form) establishes a promising background for future studies on preservation of biomolecules (proteins or DNA) in Messel Pit fossils

La primera tortuga sandownid sudamericana del Cretácico Inferior de Colombia

Sandownids are a group of Early Cretaceous-Paleocene turtles that for several decades have been only known by cranial and very fragmentary postcranial elements. Here I report and describe the most complete sandownid turtle known so far, including articulated skull, lower jaw and postcranial elements, fromthe Early Cretaceous (upper Barremian-lower Aptian, >120 Ma), Paja Formation, Villa de Leyva town, Colombia. The new Colombian sandownid is defined here as Leyvachelys cipadi new genus, new species and because of its almost identical skull morphology with a previously reported turtle fromthe Glen Rose Formation, Texas, USA, both are grouped in a single and officially (ICNZ rules) defined taxon. Phylogenetic analysis including L. cipadi supports once again the monophyly of Sandownidae, as belonging to the large and recently redefined Pan-Chelonioidea clade. The morphology of L. cipadi indicates that sandownids were not open marine turtles, but instead littoral to shallow marine durophagous dwellers. Leyvachelys cipadi not only constitutes the first record of sandowinds in South America, but also the earliest global record for the group

A Review of the Fossil Record of Turtles of the Clades Platychelyidae and Dortokidae

The fossil record of platychelyid turtles expands from the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) of Cuba to the Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) of Colombia. Platychelyids were adapted to freshwater to coastal environments. Current phylogenies confidently suggest that platychelyids are situated along the stem lineage of crown Pleurodira. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of six named “platychelyid” taxa, four are valid and two are nomina nuda. Dortokids are a poorly understood group of freshwater aquatic turtles that are restricted to the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) to Eocene (Lutetian) of Europe. The phylogenetic position of the group is still under debate, but there is some evidence that these turtles are positioned along the stem lineage of crown Pleurodira as well. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of four named dortokid taxa, two are valid, one is a nomen invalidum and one a nomen nudum

'Piel' excepcionalmente conservada en un pez colombiano del Cretácico Inferior

Studies of soft tissue, cells and original biomolecular constituents preserved in fossil vertebrates have increased greatly in recent years. Here we report preservation of ‘skin’ with chemical and molecular characterization from a three-dimensionally preserved caudal portion of an aspidorhynchid Cretaceous fish from the equatorial Barremian of Colombia, increasing the number of localities for which exceptional preservation is known. We applied several analytical techniques including SEM-EDS, FTIR and ToFSIMS to characterize the micromorphology and molecular and elemental composition of this fossil. Here, we show that the fossilized ‘skin’ exhibits similarities with those from extant fish, including the wrinkles after suffering compression stress and flexibility, as well as architectural and tissue aspects of the two main layers (epidermis and dermis). This similarity extends also to the molecular level, with the demonstrated preservation of potential residues of original proteins not consistent with a bacterial source. Our results show a potential preservation mechanism where scales may have acted as an external barrier and together with an internal phosphate layer resulting from the degradation of the dermis itself creating an encapsulated environment for the integument

El primer cráneo fósil de Chelus (Pleurodira: Chelidae; tortugas del género Matamata) del Mioceno temprano de Colombia

Here we describe the first fossil skull so far known for the turtle genus Chelus from the early Miocene (~ 16 m.y.), Castilletes Formation, Alta Guajira Peninsula, Cocinetas basin, Colombia. The skull is partially preserved, including most of the basicranium (pteygoid-bassioccipital bones) and the roof elements including the parietal, pterygoid and portions of the squamosal, supraoccipital and the most dorsal quadrate. The skull is preserved in three dimensions, without evidence of crushing, allowing the observation of the internal braincase morphology using microcomputer tomography. Comparisons with the skull of the only extant species for the genus Chelus fimbriata (Matamata turtle) allow us to conclude that for the last 16 million years the morphology of the skull for this genus has remained almost unvarying, with only a slightly higher compression of the most anterior braincase exhibited by the extant species. Due to its fragmentary condition, a more refined identification beyond the genus (Chelus sp.) is not possible; however, the overall skull design indicates that the fossil species could also have had the same ecological and dietary adaptations as its extant relative

The first Oligocene sea turtle (Pan-Cheloniidae) record of South America

The evolution and occurrence of fossil sea turtles at the Pacific margin of South America is poorly known and restricted to Neogene (Miocene/Pliocene) findings from the Pisco Formation, Peru. Here we report and describe the first record of Oligocene (late Oligocene, ~24 Ma) Pan-Cheloniidae sea turtle remains of South America. The fossil material corresponds to a single, isolated and well-preserved costal bone found at the Montañita/Olón locality, Santa Elena Province, Ecuador. Comparisons with other Oligocene and extant representatives allow us to confirm that belongs to a sea turtle characterized by: lack of lateral ossification, allowing the dorsal exposure of the distal end of ribs; dorsal surface of bone sculptured, changing from dense vermiculation at the vertebral scute region to anastomosing pattern of grooves at the most lateral portion of the costal. This fossil finding shows the high potential that the Ecuadorian Oligocene outcrops have in order to explore the evolution and paleobiogeography distribution of sea turtles by the time that the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans were connected via the Panama basin

Tortugas fósiles (Testudinoidea, Cryptodira) del Pleistoceno del yacimiento de brea de Talara, Perú

A description of Pleistocene fossil turtles discovered in the Talara Tar Seeps, Tablazos deposits of the northern coast of Peru is provided in this paper. The specimens are mostly fragmentary plates of carapaces and plastra of turtles belonging to two cryptodiran families of the superfamily Testudinoidea, identified to genus level based on measurements and comparisons with extant and fossil taxa and identification of mosaic diagnostic features. Turtles of the Geoemydidae family are the most abundant, with fossil remains attributed to Rhinoclemmys (indeterminate species). Less abundant fossil remains belong to the Testudinidae, with specimens attributed to the genus Chelonoidis (indeterminate species). These fossils show that the northern coast of Peru had ecosystems that supported abundant aquatic and terrestrial turtles (tortoises) during the Pleistocene in areas where they are completely absent today.El presente trabajo proporciona una descripción de las tortugas fósiles del Pleistoceno descubiertas en el yacimiento de brea de Talara, en la costa norte del Perú. La mayoría de los especímenes son fragmentos de placas del caparazón y del plastrón de tortugas pertenecientes a dos familias de criptodiras dentro de la superfamilia Testudinoidea. La familia Geoemydidae es la más abundante con restos fósiles atribuidos a Rhinoclemmys (especie indeterminada). Los restos fósiles menos abundantes pertenecen a Testudinidae, con especímenes atribuidos al género Chelonoidis (especie indeterminada). Estos fósiles muestran que la costa norte del Perú tenía ecosistemas que permitieron la abundancia de tortugas acuáticas y terrestres durante el Pleistoceno, en áreas donde hoy están completamente ausentes

Propuesta Técnico - Metodológica para la Organización de Eventos Deportivos en la Ciudad de Atuntaqui.

La ciudad de Atuntaqui presenta dificultades en la organización de los eventos deportivos, se ha procedido a realizar un diagnóstico que permitió darnos cuenta de la serie de problemas en la ejecución de estos eventos, se ha definido el problema como una inadecuada organización de los eventos deportivos. Hay un gran marco teórico que permitió establecer las relaciones del problema y buscar el sustento técnico para mejorar con un trato académico la posible solución. Esta investigación tiene su justificación e importancia por los cambios que produce en la forma de trabajo de la dirigencia deportiva que estableció una correcta ejecución de los eventos deportivos dentro de la ciudad de Atuntaqui. Este trabajo es social y de carácter comunitario, se lo efectuó con una investigación de campo, no experimental, descriptiva, que tiene su base legal en la Ley de Educación Física, Deportes y Recreación del Ecuador, con una política de trabajo al servicio de la comunidad. Estuvo solventada económicamente por el Gobierno Municipal de Antonio Ante y la Liga Deportiva Cantonal, los recursos que se utilizaron fueron: humanos un grupo directamente involucrado en el trabajo dirigencial del cantón y que se encargan del desarrollo deportivo, los materiales e infraestructura fueron los que tiene Liga Cantonal. La población y muestra estuvo dada en la ciudadanía de Atuntaqui, con especificidad en la dirigencia deportiva, directivos de instituciones deportivas, jurídicas, no jurídicas, educativas y de orden social. El instrumento que se utilizo fue una encuesta, preparada con un cuestionario a fin de recaudar la información, habiendo sido validada por un grupo de expertos, se tabularon y analizaron los resultados, llegándose a establecer las conclusiones. Luego de tener los resultados, se hizo la propuesta de la guía-metodológica de organización de eventos deportivos para la ciudad de Atuntaqui, que fue reproducido para entregar a los involucrados, a fin de que puedan aplicar en los eventos que ellos organizan

New findings of Pleistocene fossil turtles (Geoemydidae, Kinosternidae and Chelydridae) from Santa Elena Province, Ecuador

New Pleistocene fossilized turtle remains from five localities of western Ecuador (Santa Elena Province) are described here. All these shell (carapace and plastron) fossil remains come from the Tablazo Formation and belong to three different lineages of cryptodires ("hidden-necked" turtles). The most abundant remains belong to geoemydids, attributed here to the genus Rhinoclemmys (indeterminate species). Less abundant in occurrence are the kinosternidids, attributed to Kinosternon (indeterminate species), and the first fossil record of chelydrids, Chelydra (indeterminate species), in the entirety of Central and South America

Diseño, desarrollo e implementación de un sistema de gestión de depósitos bancarios para la adqusición de bienes inmuebles de la compañía de promoción y desarrollo humano y social COOPUEBLO

El presente proyecto describe la implementación de un sistema de gestión de depósitos bancarios para la Compañía de Promoción y Desarrollo Humano y Social Coopueblo, la cual fue creada con el objetivo de ayudar a personas de escasos recursos económicos a adquirir un bien inmueble, para ello la persona interesada deberá convertirse en socio de esta institución. El software fue creado con el fin de ayudar a las personas que trabajan en la empresa, a llevar un control adecuado de las cuentas de los clientes, para ello el software cuenta con distintos módulos de administración dependiendo del tipo de usuario. Para la realización de este proyecto, primero se obtuvo una recopilación de la información de la compañía, con a fin de analizar las necesidades de los empleados de esta institución, y así realizar el diseño del sistema. Posteriormente se fueron creando módulos de software funcionales, los mismos que luego de ser sometidos a pruebas, mostraron los resultados esperados tanto por los empleados de la compañía, así como por el equipo de desarrollo del sistema