Functional morphology of the forelimb of Early Miocene caviomorph rodents from Patagonia

Caviomorph rodents (New World Hystricognathi) are represented in the Santa Cruz Formation of Patagonia (Early Miocene, Santacrucian) by four superfamilies. From this unit, excellent cranial and associated postcranial remains of Neoreomys, Eocardia, Schistomys (Cavioidea), Perimys (Chinchilloidea) and Steiromys (Erethizontoidea) are known. To interpret their use of substrate, a comparative description of limb bones (scapula, humerus, radius and ulna) of the five genera was performed within a taxonomic and ecologically diverse sample of extant rodents. Using palaeobiological inferences based on the habits and functional morphology of members of the extant sample, hypotheses were generated for the use of substrate by the Santacrucian taxa. Neoreomys would have had a marked flexo-extension capacity of the humerus and a moderate flexion of the manus. This genus and Eocardia would have had a complete and stabilized forearm extension, with wide stride and moderate extension of the forearm for the latter. Schistomys presents features similar to Eocardia. Perimys would have had strong external rotation of the humerus, moderate flexion of the manus and moderate, complete and stabilized extension of the forearm. Steiromys would have had good pronation/supination capacity, strong internal rotation of the humerus and flexion of the forearm and manus. Neoreomys would have been ambulatory and an occasional runner. Eocardia and Schistomys would have been good runners. Perimys would have been a digger and Steiromys a climber. This morphological disparity reflects a high ecological diversity, compatible with differential use of space during the Santacrucian.Fil: Muñoz, Nahuel Antu. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Toledo, Néstor. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Candela, Adriana Magdalena. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Vizcaíno, Sergio Fabián. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

A New Omomyid Primate from the Earliest Eocene of Southern England: First Phase of Microchoerine Evolution

Hooker, J.J. 2012. A new omomyid primate from the earliest Eocene of southern England: First phase of microchoerin

Therian femora from the Late Cretaceous of Uzbekistan

Femora referable to metatherians and eutherians recovered from the Bissekty Formation, Dzharakuduk, Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan (90 Mya), are described. Fourteen isolated specimens were sorted based on size and morphology into groups that likely correspond to the species level or higher. Groups were then tentatively assigned to taxa known from teeth, petrosals, and/or other postcrania at these localities. One distal femur of a small arboreal metatherian, and several eutherian distal femora that probably represent zhelestids and/or zalambdalestids were identified. With the exception of one proximal femur that is similar in some aspects to the zalambdalestid Barunlestes, and a previously described multituberculate specimen, all other proximal femora from the Bissekty Formation exhibit a metatherian−like morphology. The dental record currently suggests the presence of twelve eutherian species and only one metatherian at Dzharakuduk, whereas the humeral and crurotarsal evidence supports the presence of at least two or four metatherian species, respectively. Given the sample size of the proximal femora, the morphological diversity present, and the overwhelming presence of eutherians at these localities, it is highly unlikely that the overwhelming majority of proximal femora actually represent metatherians. Therefore, this sample may suggest that the metatherian proximal femoral condition is primitive for Theria and that some eutherian taxa (probably including Zhelestidae, which are dentally most abundant at these localities) retain this condition