Late Cretaceous sauropod tooth morphotypes may provide supporting evidence for faunal connections between North Africa and Southern Europe

The Cretaceous Kem Kem beds of Morocco and equivalent beds in Algeria have produced a rich fossil assemblage, yielding, amongst others, isolated sauropod teeth, which can be used in species diversity studies. These Albian-Cenomanian ( approximately 113-93.9 Ma) strata rarely yield sauropod body fossils, therefore, isolated teeth can help to elucidate the faunal assemblages from North Africa, and their relations with those of contemporaneous beds and geographically close assemblages. Eighteen isolated sauropod teeth from three localities (Erfoud and Taouz, Morocco, and Algeria) are studied here, to assess whether the teeth can be ascribed to a specific clade, and whether different tooth morphotypes can be found in the samples. Two general morphotypes are found, based on enamel wrinkling and general tooth morphology. Morphotype I, with mainly rugose enamel wrinkling, pronounced carinae, lemon-shaped to (sub)cylindrical cross-section and mesiodistal tapering towards an apical tip, shows affinities to titanosauriforms and titanosaurs. Morphotype II, characterized by more smooth enamel, cylindrical cross-section, rectangular teeth with no apical tapering and both labial and lingual wear facets, shows similarities to rebbachisaurids. Moreover, similarities are found between these northwest African tooth morphotypes, and tooth morphotypes from titanosaurs and rebbachisaurids from both contemporaneous finds from north and central Africa, as well as from the latest Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian, 83.6 Ma-66.0 Ma) of the Ibero-Armorican Island. These results support previous hypotheses from earlier studies on faunal exchange and continental connections between North Africa and Southern Europe in the Cretaceous

Evolutionary History of Saber-Toothed Cats Based on Ancient Mitogenomics

Saber-toothed cats (Machairodontinae) are among the most widely recognized representatives of the now largely extinct Pleistocene megafauna. However, many aspects of their ecology, evolution, and extinction remain uncertain. Although ancient-DNA studies have led to huge advances in our knowledge of these aspects of many other megafauna species (e.g., mammoths and cave bears), relatively few ancient-DNA studies have focused on saber-toothed cats [1–3], and they have been restricted to short fragments of mitochondrial DNA. Here we investigate the evolutionary history of two lineages of saber-toothed cats (Smilodon and Homotherium) in relation to living carnivores and find that the Machairodontinae form a well-supported clade that is distinct from all living felids. We present partial mitochondrial genomes from one S. populator sample and three Homotherium sp. samples, including the only Late Pleistocene Homotherium sample from Eurasia [4]. We confirm the identification of the unique Late Pleistocene European fossil through ancient-DNA analyses, thus strengthening the evidence that Homotherium occurred in Europe over 200,000 years later than previously believed. This in turn forces a re-evaluation of its demography and extinction dynamics. Within the Machairodontinae, we find a deep divergence between Smilodon and Homotherium (∼18 million years) but limited diversity between the American and European Homotherium specimens. The genetic data support the hypothesis that all Late Pleistocene (or post-Villafrancian) Homotherium should be considered a single species, H. latidens, which was previously proposed based on morphological data [5, 6]. Paijmans et al. present ancient DNA from some of the most recognized extinct Pleistocene megafauna: the saber-toothed cats. The results elucidate the evolutionary history of these iconic carnivores and provide genetic evidence that saber-toothed cats existed in Europe over 200,000 years later than previously believed.This project received funding from the European Research Council (consolidator grant GeneFlow no. 310763 to M.H.), European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development, and demonstration (grant no. FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF-298820 to R.B.), and Lundbeck Foundation (grant no. R52-A5062 to M.L.Z.-M.)

Muridae (Mammalia, Rodentia) from the Zuurland boreholes near Rotterdam (the Netherlands)

En este trabajo se describen los Muridae de los sondeos de Zuurland. Se han identificado cuatro especies. El taxon más frecuente es Apodemus sylvaticus, presente en los niveles entre 42 y 93 m, se ha encontrado un espécimen de A. flavicollis en los niveles del Holoceno, 20-21 m. Aparecen representantes del género Micromys en los niveles 91-92 m (M. cf. M. praeminutus) y en los niveles 14-66 m (Micromys minutus). Se discuten las implicaciones bioestratigráficas y paleoecológicas. Se sugiere una diferenciación ecológica, y por tanto estratigráfica, en el intervalo entre los 42 y 66 m de profundidad, con Eburoniense o Waaliense temprano en la parte... (Ver más) superior y Tiglianense tardío en la parte inferior del intérvalo.The true mice (Muridae) from the Zuurland boreholes are described. Four species have been identified. The most common taxon is Apodemus sylvaticus, present in the 42-93 m levels, while one specimen of A. flavicollis was found in the Holocene 20-21 m levels. Representatives of the genus Micromys are found in the 91-92 m levels (M. cf. M. praeminutus) and the 14-66 m levels (Micromys minutus). The biostratigraphical and paleoecological implications of the finds are discussed. An ecological and thus stratigraphical differentiation is suggested within the interval of 42 to 66 m depth, with Eburonian or Early Waalian age in the upper part, and Late... (Ver más) Tiglian age in the lower part of this interval

Pliocene vertebrate locality of \uc7alta, Ankara, Turkey. 3. Insectivores

Volume: 20Start Page: 353End Page: 35

Le gisement de vertébrés pliocènes de Çalta, Ankara, Turquie. 3. Insectivores

La faune d\u27insectivores de Çalta (Ruscinien moyen, zone MN15) est constituée de quatre espèces. Il s\u27agit des soricidés Asoriculus gibberodon (Petényi, 1864), Mafia csarnotense Reumer, 1984, et d\u27une espèce indéterminée, ainsi que de l\u27érinacéidé Erinaceus sp. Bien que l\u27espèce principale soit une musaraigne aquatique, cette faune d\u27insectivores est extrèmement pauvre en espèces, indice d\u27un milieu aride avec des fleuves épars.The insectivore fauna from Çalta (middle Ruscinian MN15) consists of four taxa: the Soricidae Asoriculus gibberodon (Petényi, 1864), Mafia csarnotense Reumer, 1984; an indeterminate species; and the Erinaceidae Erinaceus sp. The fauna, with a water shrew as its most abundant member, is extremely poor in number of species, indicating a dry environment with occasional rivers.</p

Comment on the letter of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) dated April 21, 2020 regarding “Fossils from conflict zones and reproducibility of fossil-based scientific data”: the importance of private collections

International audienc

Call to restrict neonicotinoids

On 28 April 2018 the European Parliament voted for a complete and permanent ban on all outdoor uses of the three most commonly used neonicotinoid pesticides. With the partial exception of the state of Ontario, Canada, governments elsewhere have failed to take action. Below is a letter, signed by 232 scientists from around the world, urgently calling for global action by policy makers to address this issue