Functional aspects of titanosaur osteoderms

Though titanosaur osteoderms are not common findings, these elements are recorded widely in Gondwana and part of Laurasia. This assembly known by the date offers few resources for studies on the ecology of this group of dinosaurs. Recently, some eggs bearing titanosaur embryos with preserved skin, from Patagonia, Argentina, may shed some light on the function and disposition pattern of these dermic bones. Some of the skin patches associated with the titanosaur embryos show two distinct patterns of tuberosities: a longitudinal row and rosettes, both composed of closely attached tuberosities. These tuberosities do not seem to be ossified, but this might be due to the ontogenetic stage of the titanosaurs. Here we propose that these tuberosities might have been ossified in later ontogenetic stages, and then turning into real osteoderms providing physical defence for the juvenile titanosaurs. Amongst the remains of large titanosaurs like _Mendozasaurus neguyelap_ some osteoderms were recovered, but it is contrasting small to the animal when compared to other dinosaurs. These bones would not provide real defensive advantage to an adult titanosaur as they are small and also have a very spongy internal structure. This apparent fragility also may be the reason that few titanosaur osteoderms have been preserved. In comparison, the tuberosity of a young titanosaur is much larger than an adult osteoderm and its body armor would be much more effective against small predators like notosuchian crocodyliforms and small theropods. And if the titanosaur osteoderms are originated from the embryo’s tuberosities, the disposition of these elements in an adult animal would be very distant to each other. The calcium reserve may be considered as functional for an adult titanosaur though

The locomotion pattern of Baurusuchus salgadoensis Carvalho, Nobre & Campos, 2005 and the distribution of Baurusuchidae in Gondwanaland

Baurusuchus salgadoensis Carvalho, Nobre & Campos, 2005 is a ziphodont mesoeucrocodylian closely related to the Sebecosuchia. Cranial features indicate that this species had terrestrial predatory habits. The postcranial skeleton of B. salgadoensis show distinctive characteristics when compared to extant Crocodylomorpha. The dorsal vertebrae are close articulated with short and craniocaudally expanded neural spines, specially the posterior ones. The sacral vertebrae are robust and have the lateral processes highly fused to the ilium. The anterior caudal vertebrae are robust as the sacral ones but their neural spines are more stout, anteriorlly expanded and higher. The close articulation of the dorsal vertebrae may indicate a less flexible dorsal spine, ideal to limb-driven methods of locomotion. The high and expanded neural spines of the posterior dorsal and sacral vertebrae are associated to muscle attachment from the osteoderms and the pelvic musculature, all used in the limb-driven locomotion. The appendicular bones of B. salgadoensis are long and stout. They show a straight aspect of their diaphysis and very well- developed epiphysis. The femur is long when compared to extant crocodilians, showing a straight aspect in lateral view and a slight sigmoid aspect in frontal view. There is a small axial torsion at its proximal end. The fourth trochanter is pronouced and posteriorlly oriented. The proximal end possess a mesial projection that articulates itself to the illium, similar to those of Protosuchia and thecodont archosaurs as the Rauisuchia. The illium of B. salgadoensis present a lateral and posteriorlly expanded postaccetabular crest, similar to those observed in Rauisuchia and Protosuchia, referred as overhanging ilium. This pattern of articulation is observed in the rauisuchian thecodonts and interpreted as a characteristic trait of those able erect-posture and limb-driven predators of Triassic environments. B. salgadoensis exoskeleton has only two dorsal osteoderm rows that run from the neck to the tip of the tail. Most of the osteoderms are wider than longer, with a round lateral portion that does not articulate to any flank osteoderm. The only morphological difference appears at the caudalmost portion of the tail, where the osteoderms are craniocaudally elongated. The medial portion has little variation along the scutes rows and may bear medial lamellar dorsoventral structures of articulation to the adjacent bony plate. The anterior articular facet is discreet and the osteoderms are not as imbricated as occur in other crocodyliforms and even may not be imbricated at all. The pelvic region osteoderms have the tallest keel of the row that runs from the anterior articular facet to posteriosmost portion of the osteoderm. B. salgadoensis has a light exoskeleton and then is less encumbranced by it. Therefore, becaming more agile. The imbrication of dorsal armor assists the limb-driven locomotion of many crocodyliform by reducing the flexibility of the dorsal spine during the high-walk (erect stance). Therefore the long and stout limb bones, overhanging crest of the illium and the light weighted armor, also allowed to B. salgadoensis to have the limb-driven locomotion without this pattern of osteoderms. These anatomical data may indicate how the Baurusuchidae had a wide distribution in Gondwanaland as they were able to move across large distances

Occurrence of Gastroliths in _Baurusuchus_ (Baurusuchidae, Mesoeucrocodylia) from Adamantina Formation, Bauru Basin

The fossil record of Baurusuchidae Mesoeucrocodylia in the General Salgado county and its surroundings is one of the best regarding preservation, completeness and articulation of skull and skeleton remains, including specimens that shown even the most delicate bone structures and cartilaginous tissues. 

One of them, UFRJ DG 288-R, has preserved its skull and about 80% of its skeleton. During the removal of the rock matrix, on what should be the specimen’s abdominal region, together with fragments of gastralia were observed some small well-polished weathered angulous to subrounded clasts, presumed to be gastroliths. 

These xenoliths occur in a restrict cluster, where at least four peeble-sized stones are visible in the surface of the specimen. The texture and fabrics of these rock fragments differs from the surrounding matrix, presenting darker purplish tones. In thin section, one of the fragments revealed isotropic texture, with opaque minerals in abundance, of euhedric to subhedric habits. The mineralogical composition presents mainly clay minerals as weathering products; biotite and chlorite are common, being the last the result of hidratation of the first. Although highly altered, the low quartz content, small-sized and well-formed crystals suggests maphic composition in volcanic context, possibly representing a basalt fragment. 

In extant Crocodyliformes, the occurrence of gastroliths is commonly associated with food processing in the stomach, diving ballast, hunger stress and/or supplementary mineral ingestion. 

As baurusuchids are characterized as medium to large size fully terrestrial predator/scavengers, based on skeletal data, the ballast function of gasthroliths is excluded in this case. As mentioned above, extant crocodyliforms such as _Caiman_ and _Crocodylus_ ingest stones when under stressful conditions of lack of food, water or when in high population density. Osteoderms are one of the primary sources for calcium and a reservoir for the homeostasis. The hunger stress can be observed in the osteoderms histological cuts as an abnormal concentration of osteoclasts at its inner region overwhelming the presence of osteoblasts and consuming the osteocytes. The preservation of osteoderms associated with gasthroliths may reveal if the stone ingestion in baurusuchids is a normal or driven by hunger behavior. 

The paleoenvironmental conditions dominating the Adamantina Formation during the Late Cretaceous are considered mainly arid, marked with strong seasonality, alternating long droughts and short rainy periods, associated with flashflood events. The stressful condition created during the dry season would cause famine and mass mortality, thus forcing animals to endure or escape. The baurusuchids underwent the dry seasons through behavorial responses of self burial and probably stone ingestion, although natural bahavior cannot be eliminated as a cause. 

Financial support provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, grant no 305780/2006–9), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Instituto Virtual de Paleontologia/ Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (IVP/FAPERJ, grant no E–26/152.541/2006).
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The first Caipirasuchus (Mesoeucrocodylia, Notosuchia) from the Late Cretaceous of Minas Gerais, Brazil: new insights on sphagesaurid anatomy and taxonomy

Field work conducted by the staff of the Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas Llewellyn Ivor Price of the Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro since 2009 at Campina Verde municipality (MG) have resulted in the discovery of a diverse vertebrate fauna from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Basin). The baurusuchid Campinasuchus dinizi was described in 2011 from Fazenda Três Antas site and after that, preliminary descriptions of a partial crocodyliform egg, abelisaurid teeth, and fish remains have been done. Recently, the fossil sample has been considerably increased including the discovery of several, partially articulated fish remains referred to Lepisosteiformes and an almost complete and articulated skeleton referred to a new species of Caipirasuchus (Notosuchia, Sphagesauridae), which is the main subject of this contribution. At present, this genus was restricted to the Adamantina Formation cropping out in São Paulo state, with the species Caipirasuchus montealtensis, Caipirasuchus paulistanus, and Caipirasuchus stenognathus. The new material represents the holotype of a new species, Caipirasuchus mineirus n. sp., diferenciated from the previously ones due to the following traits: last two maxillary teeth located posterior to anterior edge of infraorbital fenestra, elongated lateroventral maxillo-jugal suture—about ½ the anteroposterior maxillar length—and contact between posterior crest of quadrate and posterior end of squamosal forming an almost 90° flaring roof of the squamosal, among others. C. mineirus was found in the same outcrop than Campinasuchus but stratigraphically the former occurs in the lower portion of the section with no unambiguous data supporting the coexistance of both taxa

Management of the collection of the Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas L. I. Price of the Complexo Cultural e Científico de Peirópolis (UFTM), Uberaba, MG: current state and paleontological relevance

A coleção científica do Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas L. I. Price (CPPLIP, CCCP/UFTM) é composta por um grande acervo fossilífero, constituído principalmente por espécimes descobertos nos Municípios de Uberaba e Campina Verde, no Triângulo Mineiro. Até o presente momento, encontram-se tombados aproximadamente 1500 exemplares, sendo que centenas ainda serão incluídas no repositório. Destacam-se peixes, anuros, crocodiliformes, quelônios, dinossauros saurópodes e terópodes, aves, mamíferos, moluscos, e icnofósseis, dentre os quais estão seis holótipos, sendo cinco de vertebrados e um de icnofóssil. Em 2010, o CPPLIP e o Museu dos Dinossauros passaram a integrar a Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), que somados com as edificações da extinta Rede Nacional de Paleontologia, compõem o Complexo Cultural e Científico de Peirópolis (CCCP). Em 2012 iniciou-se um projeto de reestruturação total da coleção cientifica, visando melhorias nas condições de armazenamento do acervo paleontológico, como parte de projetos apoiados pela CAPES, FAPEMIG e MCTI/CNPq. A fase de acondicionamento do material tombado está finalizada e constitui uma relevante etapa para a preservação do patrimônio paleontológico brasileiro, que possui um amplo potencial científico, educativo e sociocultural.The scientific collection of Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas L. I. Price (CPPLIP, CCCP/UFTM) includes a large number of fossil specimens, mostly discovered at the municipalities of Uberaba and Campina Verde (Triângulo Mineiro). Currently, approximately 1500 specimens were cataloged and hundreds are still waiting to compose the repository. They represent fishes, anurans, crocodyliforms, turtles, sauropod and theropod dinosaurs, birds, mammals, mollusks, and fossil traces, including six holotype specimens, five of vertebrates and one of ichnofossil. In 2010, the CPPLIP and the Museu dos Dinossauros were aggregated to the Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM), which together with the defunct Rede Nacional de Paleontologia, comprise the Complexo Cultural e Cientifico de Peirópolis (CCCP). In 2012, the CCCP started a project of total restructuration of the paleontological collection in order to improve considerably its storage conditions, with financial support of the CAPES, FAPEMIG, and MCTI/CNPq. The curatorial phase of the cataloged specimens is finished and constitutes an important step for the valorization and preservation of paleontological heritage of Brazil, which has a huge scientific, educational and sociocultural potential.Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Teixeira, Vicente. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Ferraz, Mara. Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro; BrasilFil: Lourencini Cavellani, Camila. Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro; BrasilFil: Perez Winter, Cecilia Verena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Geografía "Romualdo Ardissone"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marinho, Thiago S.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Ribeiro, Luiz Carlos. Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro; Brasi

FAUNA IXODÍDEA DE ANIMAIS SILVESTRES DO ESTADO DO PARANÁ, BRASIL – DADOS PRELIMINARES

Os carrapatos são conhecidos por parasitar uma variedade de hospedeiros domésticos e silvestres, incluindo mamíferos, aves, répteis e anfíbios. Além disso, muitos animais silvestres participam do ciclo epidemiológico de doenças transmitidas por carrapatos. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desse estudo foi identificar as espécies de carrapatos parasitando animais silvestres atendidos no Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal do paraná, Curitiba, Brasil. Os carrapatos foram coletados de 28 animais silvestres: uma anta (Tapirus terrestres), um cervídeo (Mazama sp.), um javali (Sus scrofa), dois bugios (Alouatta guariba), duas capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), 9 ouriços-cacheiros (Sphiggurus villosus), quatro tamanduás-mirins (Tamandua tetradactyla), seis gambás (Didelphis spp.), um gato-mourisco (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) e um teiú (Tupinambis sp.). Ao todo, foram coletados 115 carrapatos (65 machos, 33 fêmeas e 17 ninfas): Amblyomma aureolatum (1M, 3F, 2N) em dois bugios, um gambá e um gato-mourisco; Amblyomma calcaratum (8M, 2F) em 4 tamanduás-mirins; Amblyomma dubitatum (6M, 1F, 7N) em duas capivaras e um gambá; Amblyomma fuscum (3F) em um teiú; Amblyomma longirostre (28M, 8F, 4N) e Amblyomma parkeri (4M, 3F, 3N) em nove ouriços-cacheiros; Amblyomma ovale (1F) em um javali; Amblyomma sculptum (6M, 7F) em uma anta e um javali; Haemaphysalis juxtakochi (1N) em um cervídeo e Ixodes loricatus (12M, 5F) em cinco gambás. Estudos são necessários para melhor avaliar o papel dessas espécies na epidemiologia das doenças transmitidas por carrapatos

Arboreal component, phytosociology structure and environmental relations in a remnant of cerrad?o, Curvelo - MG

Neste trabalho, objetivou-se verificar a exist?ncia de varia??es na composi??o e distribui??o das esp?cies arb?reas em virtude das caracter?sticas do solo, em um fragmento de cerrad?o distr?fico, no munic?pio de Curvelo-MG. Para a descri??o da comunidade arb?rea, foram instaladas dez parcelas permanentes de 1.000 m? (20 x 50 m) com dist?ncias fixas de 100 m entre cada parcela. Todos os indiv?duos arb?reos vivos com DAS (di?metro a 0,3 m do n?vel do solo) > 5,0 cm foram amostrados. Os indiv?duos de fuste bifurcado foram inclu?dos quando o valor dos DAS fundidos atendia ao crit?rio. Foram coletadas amostras de solo em duas profundidades (0-20 e 20-40 cm) e medida as dist?ncias das parcelas a um curso de ?gua. Para estudar a comunidade, foram gerados diagramas de ordena??o de parcelas, esp?cies e vari?veis ambientais por meio da an?lise de correspond?ncia can?nica (CCA). A riqueza amostrada foi de 92 esp?cies, 36 fam?lias e 74 g?neros, destacando Erythroxylum, Byrsonima, Myrcia e Qualea. Os estimadores de jackknife (primeira e segunda ordem) projetaram uma riqueza de 106,4 e 107,8 esp?cies. As esp?cies Magonia pubescens, Terminalia argentea, Annona crassiflora, Eugenia dysenterica e Xylopia aromatica apresentaram-se distribu?das sob gradiente em fun??o de vari?veis ambientais.Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecu?ria de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq)Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES)This work aimed to verify the existence of variations in composition and distribution of tree species due to soil characteristics in a fragment of dystrophic savanna in Curvelo-MG. On description in the compartment of the phanerophytes of this plant community, were installed ten permanent plots with 1.000 m? (20 x 50 m) with fixed distances of 100 m between each plot. All alive individuals that had diameter at soil height (DSH - diameter to 0.3 m from ground level) > 5.0 cm were sampled. The Individuals with multiple boles were sampled when the value of square root of the sum-square of DSH had been greater than criterion of the inventory. Were collected Soil samples at two depths (0-20 e 20-40 cm) and was measured the distances of plots of a watercourse. To study the community were generated ordination diagrams of plots, species and environmental variables by means of a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The richness sampled was 92 species, 36 families and 74 genera, Erythroxylum, Byrsonima, Myrcia and Qualea. Jackknife estimators (first and second order) designed a wealth of 106.4 and 107.8 species. The species Magonia pubescens, Terminalia argentea, Annona crassiflora, Eugenia dysenterica e Xylopia aromatica were distribuited underneath the environmental gradient

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016