The relationships of the Euparkeriidae and the rise of Archosauria

For the first time, a phylogenetic analysis including all putative euparkeriid taxa is conducted, using a large data matrix analysed with maximum parsimony and Bayesian analysis. Using parsimony, the putative euparkeriid Dorosuchus neoetus from Russia is the sister taxon to Archosauria+Phytosauria. Euparkeria capensis is placed one node further from the crown, and forms a euparkeriid clade with the Chinese taxa Halazhaisuchus qiaoensis and 'Turfanosuchus shageduensis' and the Polish taxon Osmolskina czatkowicensis. Using Bayesian methods, Osmolskina and Halazhaisuchus are sister taxa within Euparkeriidae, in turn sister to 'Turfanosuchus shageduensis' and then Euparkeria capensis. Dorosuchus is placed in a polytomy with Euparkeriidae and Archosauria+Phytosauria. Although conclusions remain tentative owing to low node support and incompleteness, a broad phylogenetic position close to the base of Archosauria is confirmed for all putative euparkeriids, and the ancestor of Archosauria+Phytosauria is optimized as similar to euparkeriids in its morphology. Ecomorphological characters and traits are optimized onto the maximum parsimony strict consensus phylogeny presented using squared change parsimony. This optimization indicates that the ancestral archosaur was probably similar in many respects to euparkeriids, being relatively small, terrestrial, carnivorous and showing relatively cursorial limbmorphology;this Bauplan may have underlain the exceptional radiaton and success of crown Archosauria

Rapid Initial Morphospace Expansion and Delayed Morphological Disparity Peak in the First 100 Million Years of the Archosauromorph Evolutionary Radiation

Adaptive radiations have played a major role in generating modern and deep-time biodiversity. The Triassic radiation of the Archosauromorpha was one of the most spectacular vertebrate radiations, giving rise to many highly ecomorphologically varied lineages—including the dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and stem-crocodylians—that dominated the larger-bodied land fauna for the following 150 Ma, and ultimately gave rise to today’s > 10,000 species of birds and crocodylians. This radiation provides an outstanding testbed for hypotheses relating to adaptive radiations more broadly. Recent studies have started to characterize the tempo and mode of the archosauromorph early adaptive radiation, indicating very high initial rates of evolution, non-competitive niche-filling processes, and previously unrecognized morphological disparity even among non-crown taxa. However, these analyses rested primarily either on discrete characters or on geometric morphometrics of the cranium only, or even failed to fully include phylogenetic information. Here we expand previous 2D geometric morphometric cranial datasets to include new taxa and reconstructions, and create an analogous dataset of the pelvis, thereby allowing comparison of anatomical regions and the transition from “sprawling” to “upright” posture to be examined. We estimated morphological disparity and evolutionary rates through time. All sampled clades showed a delayed disparity peak for sum of variances and average nearest neighbor distances in both the cranium and pelvis, with disparity likely not saturated by the end of the studied time span (Late Jurassic); this contrasts with smaller radiations, but lends weight to similar results for large, ecomorphologically-varied groups. We find lower variations in pelvic than cranial disparity among Triassic-Jurassic archosaurs, which may be related to greater morphofunctional constraints on the pelvis. Contrasting with some previous work, but also confirming some previous findings during adaptive radiations, we find relatively widespread evidence of correlation between sampled diversity and disparity, especially at the largest phylogenetic scales and using average displacement rather than sum of variances as disparity metric; this also demonstrates the importance of comparing disparity metrics, and the importance of phylogenetic scale. Stem and crown archosauromorphs show a morphological diversification of both the cranium and pelvis with higher initial rates (Permian–Middle Triassic and at the base of major clades) followed by lower rates once diversification into niches has occurred (Late Triassic–Jurassic), indicating an “early burst” pattern sensu lato. Our results provide a more detailed and comprehensive picture of the early archosauromorph radiation and have significant bearing on the understanding of deep-time adaptive radiations more broadly, indicating widespread patterns of delayed disparity peaks, initial correlation of diversity and disparity, and evolutionary early bursts.Fil: Foth, Christian. University of Fribourg; Alemania. Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Sookias, Roland B.. Université de Liège; Bélgica. University of Oxford; Reino Unido. Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Ezcurra, Martin Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Rise of Dinosaurs Reveals Major Body-Size Transitions Are Driven by Passive Processes of Trait Evolution

A major macroevolutionary question concerns how long-term patterns of body-size evolution are underpinned by smaller scale processes along lineages. One outstanding long-term transition is the replacement of basal therapsids (stem-group mammals) by archosauromorphs, including dinosaurs, as the dominant large-bodied terrestrial fauna during the Triassic (approx. 252–201 million years ago). This landmark event preceded more than 150 million years of archosauromorph dominance. We analyse a new body-size dataset of more than 400 therapsid and archosauromorph species spanning the Late Permian–Middle Jurassic. Maximum-likelihood analyses indicate that Cope's rule (an active within-lineage trend of body-size increase) is extremely rare, despite conspicuous patterns of body-size turnover, and contrary to proposals that Cope's rule is central to vertebrate evolution. Instead, passive processes predominate in taxonomically and ecomorphologically more inclusive clades, with stasis common in less inclusive clades. Body-size limits are clade-dependent, suggesting intrinsic, biological factors are more important than the external environment. This clade-dependence is exemplified by maximum size of Middle–early Late Triassic archosauromorph predators exceeding that of contemporary herbivores, breaking a widely-accepted ‘rule’ that herbivore maximum size greatly exceeds carnivore maximum size. Archosauromorph and dinosaur dominance occurred via opportunistic replacement of therapsids following extinction, but were facilitated by higher archosauromorph growth rates

Biology, not environment, drives major patterns in maximum tetrapod body size through time

Abiotic and biological factors have been hypothesized as controlling maximum body size of tetrapods and other animals through geological time. We analyse the effects of three abiotic factors—oxygen, temperature and land area—on maximum size of Permian–Jurassic archosauromorphs and therapsids, and Cenozoic mammals, using time series generalized least-squares regression models. We also examine maximum size growth curves for the Permian–Jurassic data by comparing fits of Gompertz and logistic models. When serial correlation is removed, we find no robust correlations, indicating that these environmental factors did not consistently control tetrapod maximum size. Gompertz models—i.e. exponentially decreasing rate of size increase at larger sizes—fit maximum size curves far better than logistic models. This suggests that biological limits such as reduced fecundity and niche space availability become increasingly limiting as larger sizes are reached. Environmental factors analysed may still have imposed an upper limit on tetrapod body size, but any environmentally imposed limit did not vary substantially during the intervals examined despite variation in these environmental factors

A Content Analysis Study of Food Magazine Photograph

How is the food looked at by the media today given that the concern about food is increasing these days? The purpose of this study is to clearly categorize and show food magazine photographs using the content analysis. It was found that the photographs of dishes were the most numerous in food magazines. The next most common photographs were those of the chefs who made these dishes.The photographs of cooking ingredients were also quite numerous. From the analysis of the photographs, it can be said that food magazines reflect the food culture in the modern society for example, eating out at restaurants by not only showcasing prepared dishes but also their creators and the cooking ingredients used.食に対する関心が高まっている今日、メディアの中で食はどのように取り上げられているのであろうか。本研究では、食雑誌における写真ではどのようなカテゴリーが取り上げられているかを、内容分析によって明らかにすることが目的である。その結果、料理がもっとも多く登場しているのは、食雑誌という性格から当然であろう。次に多いのは作り手であるシェフの写真である。さらに食材もかなり多く登場している。写真からの分析であるが、食雑誌は単にお店、料理だけではなく、作り手、食材など、現代社会における食文化への関心の広まりが反映されている

The monophyly of Euparkeriidae (Reptilia: Archosauriformes) and the origins of Archosauria: A revision of Dorosuchus neoetus from the Mid-Triassic of Russia

© The Palaeontological Association576 November 2014 10.1111/pala.12110 Original Article Original Articles © The Palaeontological Association. Euparkeria capensis is resolved as the sister taxon to Archosauria in many cladistic phylogenies and provides a key outgroup which may approximate the ancestral archosaur morphology. Several other taxa have been referred to the family Euparkeriidae, but the monophyly of this taxon remains doubtful and largely untested. To test this monophyly, the archosauriform and putative euparkeriid Dorosuchus neoetus from the Mid-Triassic of Russia is re-examined in the light of recent work on the evolution of stem archosaurs. Dorosuchus neoetus is found to possess a number of morphological features that place it close to Archosauria, including a sigmoidal femur with a clear attachment region for the m. caudifemoralis musculature, but no unambiguous archosaurian apomorphies. Dorosuchus neoetus is included for the first time in a numerical cladistic analysis and is recovered as the sole sister taxon to Archosauria + Phytosauria. A monophyletic Euparkeriidae including D. neoetus and E. capensis is slightly less parsimonious. In addition, a mandible and pterygoid that were previously referred to D. neoetus subsequent to the original description of the species are also included separately within the phylogenetic analysis and are recovered within Archosauria, possibly raising questions as to their correct taxonomic referral. However, this phylogenetic placement is based primarily on the absence of palatal teeth, but the presence or absence of palatal teeth exhibits considerable homoplasy within Archosauriformes. Based on other aspects of their morphology, we do not reject the referral of these elements to D. neoetus

Deep cultural ancestry and human development indicators across nation states

How historical connections, events and cultural proximity can influence human development is being increasingly recognized. One aspect of history that has only recently begun to be examined is deep cultural ancestry, i.e. the vertical relationships of descent between cultures, which can be represented by a phylogenetic tree of descent. Here, we test whether deep cultural ancestry predicts the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) for 44 Eurasian countries, using language ancestry as a proxy for cultural relatedness and controlling for three additional factors—geographical proximity, religion and former communism. While cultural ancestry alone predicts HDI and its subcomponents (income, health and education indices), when geographical proximity is included only income and health indices remain significant and the effect is small. When communism and religion variables are included, cultural ancestry is no longer a significant predictor; communism significantly negatively predicts HDI, income and health indices, and Muslim percentage of the population significantly negatively predicts education index, although the latter result may not be robust. These findings indicate that geographical proximity and recent cultural history—especially communism—are more important than deep cultural factors in current human development and suggest the efficacy of modern policy initiatives is not tightly constrained by cultural ancestry.</jats:p

Systematics of putative euparkeriids (Diapsida: Archosauriformes) from the Triassic of China

The South African species Euparkeria capensis is of great importance for understanding the early radiation of archosauromorphs (including archosaurs) following the Permo–Triassic mass extinction, as most phylogenetic analyses place it as the sister taxon to crown group Archosauria within the clade Archosauriformes. Although a number of species from Lower–Middle Triassic deposits worldwide have been referred to the putative clade Euparkeriidae, the monophyly of Euparkeriidae is controversial and has yet to be demonstrated by quantitative phylogenetic analysis. Three Chinese taxa have been recently suggested to be euparkeriids: Halazhaisuchus qiaoensis, ‘Turfanosuchus shageduensis’, and Wangisuchus tzeyii, all three of which were collected from the Middle Triassic Ermaying Formation of northern China. Here, we reassess the taxonomy and systematics of these taxa. We regard Wangisuchus tzeyii as a nomen dubium, because the holotype is undiagnostic and there is no convincing evidence that the previously referred additional specimens represent the same taxon as the holotype. We also regard ‘Turfanosuchus shageduensis’ as a nomen dubium as we are unable to identify any diagnostic features. We refer the holotype to Archosauriformes, and more tentatively to Euparkeriidae. Halazhaisuchus qiaoensis and the holotype of ‘Turfanosuchus shageduensis’ are resolved as sister taxa in a phylogenetic analysis, and are in turn the sister taxon to Euparkeria capensis, forming a monophyletic Euparkeriidae that is the sister to Archosauria+Phytosauria. This is the first quantitative phylogenetic analysis to recover a non-monospecific, monophyletic Euparkeriidae, but euparkeriid monophyly is only weakly supported and will require additional examination. Given their similar sizes, stratigraphic positions and phylogenetic placement, the holotype of ‘Turfanosuchus shageduensis’ may represent a second individual of Halazhaisuchus qiaoensis, but no apomorphies or unique character combination can be identified to unambiguously unite the two. Our results have important implications for understanding the species richness and palaeobiogeographical distribution of early archosauriforms

Unappreciated diversification of stem archosaurs during the Middle Triassic predated the dominance of dinosaurs

Archosauromorpha originated in the middle–late Permian, radiated during the Triassic, and gave rise to the crown group Archosauria, a highly successful clade of reptiles in terrestrial ecosystems over the last 250 million years. However, scientific attention has mainly focused on the diversification of archosaurs, while their stem lineage (i.e. non- archosaurian archosauromorphs) has often been overlooked in discussions of the evolutionary success of Archosauria. Here, we analyse the cranial disparity of late Permian to Early Jurassic archosauromorphs and make comparisons between non- archosaurian archosauromorphs and archosaurs (including Pseudosuchia and Ornithodira) on the basis of two-dimensional geometric morphometrics.Results: Our analysis recovers previously unappreciated high morphological disparity for non- archosaurian archosauromorphs, especially during the Middle Triassic, which abruptly declined during the early Late Triassic (Carnian). By contrast, cranial disparity of archosaurs increased from the Middle Triassic into the Late Triassic, declined during the end-Triassic extinction, but re-expanded towards the end of the Early Jurassic.Conclusions: Our study indicates that non-archosaurian archosauromorphs were highly diverse components of terrestrial ecosystems prior to the major radiation of archosaurs, including dinosaurs, while disparity patterns of the Ladinian and Carnian indicate a gradual faunal replacement of stem archosaurs by the crown group, including a short interval of partial overlap in morphospace during the Ladinian