First occurrence of brachyopid temnospondyls in Southeast Asia and review of the Mesozoic amphibians from Thailand

The non-marine Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of Thailand, which consist of the Indochina block and the Sibumasu block, have yielded several terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate fossils, but only few amphibian remains have been reported. Here, we present an overview on the Thai amphibian palaeo-diversity based on the literature, re-examination of published material, new findings, and unpublished material. Thai amphibian fossil remains are assigned to Stereospondyli (Cyclotosauridae, Plagiosauridae, and Brachyopoidea) and Anura and were discovered from four formations, ranging from the Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous of Thailand. The occurrence of Brachyopidae in Thailand, which are related to Chinese forms, supports the previous hypothesis of physical connections between the Indochina blocks and the Sibumasu block during the Mesozoic era.</p

A New Eusuchian Crocodyliform with Novel Cranial Integument and Its Significance for the Origin and Evolution of Crocodylia

Crocodyliforms were one of the most successful groups of Mesozoic tetrapods, radiating into terrestrial, semiaquatic and marine environments, while occupying numerous trophic niches, including carnivorous, insectivorous, herbivorous, and piscivorous species. Among these taxa were the enigmatic, poorly represented flat-headed crocodyliforms from the late Cretaceous of northern Africa. Here we report a new, giant crocodyliform from the early Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Kem Kem Formation of Morocco. Represented by a partial braincase, the taxon has an extremely long, flat skull with large jaw and craniocervical muscles. The skull roof is ridged and ornamented with a broad, rough boss surrounded by significant vascular impressions, likely forming an integumentary structure unique among crocodyliforms. Size estimates using endocranial volume indicate the specimen was very large. The taxon possesses robust laterosphenoids with laterally oriented capitate processes and isolated epipterygoids, features allying it with derived eusuchians. Phylogenetic analysis finds the taxon to be a derived eusuchian and sister taxon to Aegyptosuchus, a poorly understood, early Late Cretaceous taxon from the Bahariya formation. This clade forms the sister clade of crown-group Crocodylia, making these taxa the earliest eusuchian crocodyliforms known from Africa. These results shift phylogenetic and biogeographical hypotheses on the origin of modern crocodylians towards the circum-Tethyean region and provide important new data on eusuchian morphology and evolution

Guelb el Ahmar (Bathonian, Anoual Syncline, eastern Morocco): First continental flora and fauna including mammals from the Middle Jurassic of Africa

We report the discovery in Mesozoic continental “red beds” of Anoual Syncline, Morocco, of the new Guelb el Ahmar (GEA) fossiliferous sites in the Bathonian Anoual Formation. They produced one of the richest continental biotic assemblages from the Jurassic of Gondwana, including plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. Both the sedimentological facies and the biotic assemblage indicate a lacustrine depositional environment. The flora is represented by tree trunks (three families), pollen (13 species, five major clades) and charophytes. It suggests local forests and humid (non-arid) conditions. The vertebrate fauna is dominated by microvertebrates recovered by screening–washing. It is rich and diverse, with at least 29 species of all major groups (osteichthyans, lissamphibians, chelonians, diapsids, mammals), except chondrichthyans. It includes the first mammals discovered in the Middle Jurassic of Arabo-Africa. The GEA sites yielded some of the earliest known representatives of osteoglossiform fishes, albanerpetontid and caudate amphibians, squamates (scincomorphans, anguimorphan), cladotherian mammals, and likely choristoderes. The choristoderes, if confirmed, are the first found in Gondwana, the albanerpetontid and caudatan amphibians are among the very few known in Gondwana, and the anguimorph lizard is the first known from the Mesozoic of Gondwana. Mammals (Amphitheriida, cf. Dryolestida) remain poorly known, but are the earliest cladotherians known in Gondwana. The GEA biotic assemblage is characterized by the presence of Pangean and Laurasian (especially European) taxa, and quasi absence of Gondwanan taxa. The paleobiogeographical analysis suggests either a major fossil bias in Gondwana during the Middle Jurassic, and an overall vicariant Pangean context for the GEA assemblage, or alternatively, noticeable Laurasian (European) affinities and North-South dispersals. The close resemblance between the Bathonian faunas of GEA and Britain is remarkable, even in a Pangean context. The similarity between the local Anoual Syncline Guelb el Ahmar and Ksar Metlili faunas raises questions on the ?Berriasian age of the latter

Preliminary report on the genetic structure of Glyphoglossus molossus (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Khorat Plateauı north-eastern Thailand

Nonsrirach, Thanade, Lauprasert, Komsorn (2019): Preliminary report on the genetic structure of Glyphoglossus molossus (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Khorat Plateauı north-eastern Thailand. Journal of Natural History 53 (13): 849-861, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.161894

A new primitive alligatorine from the Eocene of Thailand: relevance of Asiatic members to the radiation of the group

Figure 12. Topology obtained using a strict consensus with the matrix of Brochu (1999, 2004). Krabisuchus siamogallicus is highlighted in grey and is placed in the sister clade to the genus Alligator. Abbreviations in boxes indicate the geographical origin of taxa or clades: As, Asia; Eu, Europe; Na, North America.Published as part of Martin, Jeremy E. & Lauprasert, Komsorn, 2010, A new primitive alligatorine from the Eocene of Thailand: relevance of Asiatic members to the radiation of the group, pp. 608-628 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158 (3) on page 623, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00582.x, http://zenodo.org/record/472005

Krabisuchus Martin & Lauprasert 2010, GEN. NOV.

KRABISUCHUS GEN. NOV. Type species: Krabisuchus siamogallicus sp. nov. Etymology: The generic name is based on the locality, 'Krabi', in which the holotype was found and the Egyptian 'souchos' for crocodile. Diagnosis: As for the species, by monotypy.Published as part of Martin, Jeremy E. & Lauprasert, Komsorn, 2010, A new primitive alligatorine from the Eocene of Thailand: relevance of Asiatic members to the radiation of the group, pp. 608-628 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158 (3) on page 610, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00582.x, http://zenodo.org/record/472005

First occurrence of brachyopid temnospondyls in Southeast Asia and review of the Mesozoic amphibians from Thailand

The non-marine Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of Thailand,which consist of the Indochina block and the Sibumasu block, have yieldedseveral terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate fossils, but only few amphibianremains have been reported. Here, we present an overview on the Thaiamphibian palaeo-diversity based on the literature, re-examination ofpublished material, new findings, and unpublished material. Thai amphibianfossil remains are assigned to Stereospondyli (Cyclotosauridae,Plagiosauridae, and Brachyopoidea) and Anura and were discovered from fourformations, ranging from the Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous of Thailand.The occurrence of Brachyopidae in Thailand, which are related to Chineseforms, supports the previous hypothesis of physical connections between theIndochina blocks and the Sibumasu block during the Mesozoic era