Palaeoecology of Oligo-Miocene macropodoids determined from craniodental and calcaneal data

Analyses of craniodental and calcaneal material of extant macropodoids show that both dietary and locomotor types are statistically distinguishable. Application of the craniodental data to fossil macropodoids from the Oligo-Miocene of South Australia (Lake Eyre Basin) and Queensland (Riversleigh World Heritage Area) shows that these taxa were primarily omnivores or browsers. Specialized folivorous browsers were more prevalent in the Queensland deposits than in those of South Australia, suggesting more mesic conditions in the former. The calcaneal data showed that the Oligo-Miocene taxa clustered with extant generalized hoppers, in contrast to prior speculation that balbarids were quadrupedal rather than bipedal

Perameles nasuta Geoffroy 1804

<i>Perameles nasuta</i> Geoffroy, 1804 <p>Figs. 4–8</p> <p> <i>Perameles nasuta nasuta</i> Geoffroy, 1804</p> <p> <b>Holotype</b>. MNHP 327, Paris, mounted skin, type locality unknown (holotype not examined in this study).</p> <p> <b>Material examined</b>. From the Queensland Museum: QM J4816, J4902, J4903, J4904, J4905, J4906, J5065, J5856, J7149, J8953, J9843, J10056, J10057, J10058, J10730, J11091, J11210, J11235, J11236, J22868, JM410, JM651, JM790, JM5400, JM8757, JM9252, JM9757, JM10509, JM10719, JM11560, JM14370, JM14419, JM14584, JM15459, JM16435, JM19323, JM20175, JM20176, JM20177, JM20178, JM20248, JM20249, JM20250, JM20251, JM20252, JM20253, JM20254, JM20255, JM20256, JM20257,JM20258. From the Australian Museum: AM M4274, M6882, M8310, M8403, M14019, M21143, M24648, M25498.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis</b>. <i>Perameles nasuta</i> differs from <i>P. pallescens</i> in the following features: sagittal crest usually present in males; taller and wider posterolingual cusp and shelf on P3; StA smaller and does not ascend anterior flank of preparacrista on M1; StB taller than StC or fused with StC on M1; metaconule larger on M1–3, with postmetaconule crista ending further buccally; StA more buccally displaced on M3, resulting in more concave buccal margin of the tooth; StB present as medium to large sized conical cusp on M4; protocone larger on M4 with well-developed preprotocrista and postprotocrista; postparacrista usually connected to metacone on M4; a welldeveloped paracristid on m1; a larger talonid on m4.</p> <p> <i>P. na s u t a</i> differs from <i>P. gunnii</i> in the following features: fewer bars in its pelage on its rump; less welldeveloped orbital rim; no ridges on the parietal; smaller lambdoidal sesamoid; smaller bullae; no accessory palatal or palatine fenestrae; smaller incisive and maxillopalatine fenestrae; shallower antorbital fossa; I4–5 not premolarlike; obvious sexual dimorphism in canines; main cusp of P3 less conical, and less well-developed lingual shelf; postmetaconule crista ends more buccally on all molars; StD connected to metaconule by a distinct crest on M1 (except in specimens from MEQ); minute anterior cingulum present on M2; trigonid of m4 much wider.</p> <p> <i>P. na s u t a</i> differs from <i>P. bougainville</i> in the following features: larger in overall size; fewer bars in its pelage on its rump; no accessory palatal or palatine fenestrae; smaller maxillopalatine fenestrae; taller postglenoid process; shallower antorbital fossa; larger lingual cusp on P3 and better developed lingual shelf; postmetaconule crista ends more buccally on all molars; StD connected to metaconule by a distinct crest on M1 (except in specimens from MEQ); minute anterior cingulum present on M2.</p> <p> <i>P. na s u t a</i> differs from <i>P. sobbei</i> in the following features: StA on M3 more anterobuccally positioned; metaconule on M3 better developed.</p> <p> <i>P. nasuta</i> differs from <i>P. bowensis</i> in the following features: all dental dimensions larger; main cusp of P3 less conical and narrower; anterior cingulum on M2 much smaller; anterior cingulum on M3 much smaller (if present); metaconule better developed on M3.</p> <p> <i>P. nasuta</i> differs from <i>P. allinghamensis</i> in having more developed metaconule and posterior cingulum; a much smaller anterior cingulum (when present); and a buccally displaced StA.</p> <p> <b>Remarks</b>. Specimens from MEQ are unique amongst specimens of <i>Perameles nasuta nasuta</i> in having no connection between StD and the metastyle on M1. This feature is also seen in <i>P. gunnii.</i> This suggests that the MEQ population may be distinct and represent a separate subspecies, though it is not formally described as a separate taxon here, pending genetic analyses to support their separation.</p> <p> <b>Habitat</b>. Heath and forest habitats close to grassy/open feeding sites, in rainfall over 750 millimetres, and elevation below 1000 metres (Chambers & Dickman 2002; Van Dyck <i>et al.</i> 2013).</p> <p> <b>Distribution</b>. From the Mackay region, to the south of Victoria along the east Coast of Australia.</p>Published as part of <i>Travouillon, Kenny J., 2016, Investigating dental variation in Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804, with morphological evidence to raise P. nasuta pallescens Thomas, 1923 to species rank, pp. 351-392 in Zootaxa 4114 (4)</i> on pages 374-375, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4114.4.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/260588">http://zenodo.org/record/260588</a&gt

Perameles pallescens Thomas 1923, stat. nov.

<i>Perameles pallescens</i> Thomas, 1923 stat. nov. <p>Figs. 3, 5–8</p> <p> <i>Perameles nasuta pallescens</i> Thomas, 1923: 173</p> <p> <b>Holotype</b>. BMNH 22.12.18.40, preserved skin and skeleton of adult male from Vine Creek, Ravenshoe, Queensland, Australia.</p> <p> <b>Topotype</b>. QM JM18575, preserved skin and skeleton of adult male from Mt Father Clancy, Ravenshoe, Queensland, Australia.</p> <p> <b>Other material examined</b>. From the Museum of Natural History, London: BMNH 22.12.18.41. From the Australian Museum: AM M15841. From the Queensland Museum: QM J6350, J9421, J10816, J14308, JM6561, JM6683, JM11389, JM18575, JM20172, JM20173, JM20174, JM20239, JM20240, JM20241, JM20242, JM20243, JM20244, JM20245, JM20246, JM20247.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis</b>. <i>Perameles pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. nasuta</i> in having the following features: sagittal crest either very small or absent in males; smaller and narrower posterolingual cusp and shelf on P3; StA larger and bladed, ascending the anterior flank of preparacrista on M1; StB shorter than StC on M1; metaconule smaller on M1–3, with postmetaconule crista ending more lingually; StA more lingually positioned on M3, resulting in a less concave buccal margin of the tooth; StB either absent or present as small conical cusp on M4; protocone smaller on M4 with poorly developed preprotocrista and postprotocrista; postparacrista not connected to metacone on M4; a poorly developed paracristid on m1, not connected to the protoconid; a smaller talonid on m4.</p> <p> <i>P. pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. gunnii</i> in having the following features: fewer bars in its pelage on its rump; less well-developed orbital rim; no ridges on the parietal; smaller lambdoidal sesamoid; smaller bullae; no accessory palatal fenestrae; smaller incisive and maxillopalatine fenestrae; shallower antorbital fossa; I4–5 not premolar-like; obvious sexual dimorphism in canines; main cusp of P3 less conical, and less well-developed lingual shelf; metaconule less well-developed on M3; StA larger and bladed, ascending the anterior flank of preparacrista on M1; StD connected to metaconule by a distinct crest on M1; minute anterior cingulum present on M2; less welldeveloped StB and protocone on M4; a poorly developed paracristid on m1, not connected to the protoconid; trigonid of m4 much wider.</p> <p> <i>P. pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. bougainville</i> in the following features: larger in overall size; fewer bars in its pelage on its rump; no accessory palatal or palatine fenestrae; smaller maxillopalatine fenestrae; taller postglenoid process; shallower antorbital fossa; lingual cusp and lingual shelf on P3 slightly larger in size; StA larger and bladed, ascending the anterior flank of preparacrista on M1; StD connected to metaconule by a distinct crest on M1; minute anterior cingulum present on M2; a poorly developed paracristid on m1, not connected to the protoconid.</p> <p> <i>P. pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. sobbei</i> having a poorly developed paracristid on m1, not connected to the protoconid.</p> <p> <i>P. pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. bowensis</i> in the following features: all dental dimensions larger; main cusp of P3 less conical and narrower; anterior cingulum on M2 much smaller; anterior cingulum on M3 much smaller (if present); a poorly developed paracristid on m1, not connected to the protoconid.</p> <p> <i>P. pallescens</i> differs from <i>P. allinghamensis</i> in a much smaller anterior cingulum (when present); and a buccally displaced StA.</p> <p> <b>Remarks</b>. A new topotype is established here, to facilitate research and specimen identification in Australia (from a Queensland Museum specimen), considering that the holotype is located in the British Museum of Natural History in London, UK.</p> <p> <b>Habitat</b>. Rainforest, wet sclerophyll forests, woodlands, swamps and farmlands (Harrison 1962; Gordon <i>et al.</i> 1990; Williams & Marsh 1998; Bateman 2010; Kanowski <i>et al.</i> 2010a, b)</p> <p> <b>Distribution</b>. From the Townsville region to Cape York Peninsula, on the east coast of Queensland, Australia.</p>Published as part of <i>Travouillon, Kenny J., 2016, Investigating dental variation in Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804, with morphological evidence to raise P. nasuta pallescens Thomas, 1923 to species rank, pp. 351-392 in Zootaxa 4114 (4)</i> on pages 375-376, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4114.4.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/260588">http://zenodo.org/record/260588</a&gt

Investigating dental variation in Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804, with morphological evidence to raise P. nasuta pallescens Thomas, 1923 to species rank

Travouillon, Kenny J. (2016): Investigating dental variation in Perameles nasuta Geoffroy, 1804, with morphological evidence to raise P. nasuta pallescens Thomas, 1923 to species rank. Zootaxa 4114 (4): 351-392, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4114.4.

Extending dental mesowear analyses to Australian marsupials, with applications to six Plio-Pleistocene kangaroos from southeast Queensland

Mesowear analysis is a form of dental wear analysis used to infer the diets of herbivorous mammal species. It makes use of percentage indices of blunt, round and sharp cusp shape and high occlusal relief to classify the diet of species into one of three categories: browser, grazer or mixed feeder. Previously, this form of analysis has been limited to placental mammals, restricting the use of such analyses in Australia where the dominant herbivorous mammalian fauna consist of marsupials. In order to address this limitation, mesowear variables of extant marsupials were examined to determine whether their diets can accurately be predicted using mesowear analyses. Discriminant Function Analysis of mesowear variables and analysis of variance (ANOVA) of univariate mesowear scores for marsupial species demonstrate that mesowear analysis can be used to classify marsupial diets. A dataset of 24 typical marsupial species considered to be representative of the three dietary categories with respect to mesowear was generated and significantly increased cross-validated classification levels from 74.4% to 100% for the second molar. Mesowear analysis for marsupial species is most effective for the second molar with high predictive power also being evident for the first and third molars. When mesowear analysis was applied to six Plio-Pleistocene macropods (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from the Darling Downs region, southeast Queensland, all species were classified as mixed feeders with the exception of Protemnodon roechus which was classified as a grazer. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of mesowear analysis as a dietary proxy for herbivorous marsupial species

Total evidence analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of bandicoots and bilbies (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia): reassessment of two species and description of a new species

The phylogenetic relationships of bandicoots and bilbies have been somewhat problematic, with conflicting results between morphological work and molecular data. This conflict makes it difficult to assess the taxonomic status of species and subspecies within this order, and also prevents accurate evolutionary assessments. Here, we present a new total evidence analysis, combining the latest cranio-dental morphological matrix containing both modern and fossil taxa, with mo-lecular data from GenBank. Several subspecies were scored in the morphological dataset to match the molecular data available. Both parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed, giving similar topologies except for the position of four fossil taxa. Total evidence dating places the peramelemorphian crown origin close to the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, and the radiations of most modern genera beginning in the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. Our results show that some species and subspecies require taxonomic reassessment, and are revised here. We also describe a new, extinct species from the Nullarbor region. This suggests that the number of recently extinct peramelemorphian species is likely to further in-crease.</p

Chaeropus ecaudatus subsp. ecaudatus

&lt;i&gt;Chaeropus ecaudatus ecaudatus&lt;/i&gt; Ogilby, 1838 &lt;p&gt;Fig. 1&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Neotype&lt;/b&gt;. Australian Museum PA422, juvenile male skull and the associated partial skeleton (Fig. 1), collector and date of collection unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Type locality&lt;/b&gt;. The onlY localitY information entered bY SecretarY Palmer in the PA catalogue is &ldquo;MurraY River&rdquo;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks&lt;/b&gt;. The skull is clearlY that of a juvenile, with deciduous premolars still being in place and incompletelY erupted upper 4th molars. The skeleton also shows evidence of being that of a juvenile, with incomplete fusion of the epiphYses of the long bones of the limbs. This is most obvious in the humerus. The skeleton has 4 cervical vertebrae represented including the axis (C2) and C3 to C5. The atlas (C1) and C6 are missing. A total of 10 thoracic vertebrae are present, though it is difficult to be certain which one is missing as onlY the last 4 are still articulated. All 6 lumbar vertebrae are present, as well as the first sacral vertebra. Some of the caudal vertebrae are preserved with 6 chevrons and includes Ca01&ndash;Ca13, though onlY the anterior half of Ca13 is present. The right scapula, humerus and ulna are present, but onlY the left ulna is present. Two thoracic bones are present. The fused left and right tibia and fibula are present, as well as all bones of the left and right pes.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; Australian Museum PA422 was selected as the neotYpe because it is the onlY sexed specimen displaYing keY diagnostic dental criteria, some of which are onlY seen in unworn teeth. OnlY two specimens are complete enough to be considered for neotYpe selection, AM PA422 and NMV C2900. The latter is an unsexed adult with teeth that are too worn to reveal keY diagnostic characters. As a result, the juvenile dentition of the sexed AM PA422 is taxonomicallY more informative as a neotYpe than NMV C2900.AM PA422 has been fullY described in Travouillon &lt;i&gt;et al.&lt;/i&gt; (2019) and was the principal comparative specimen used in the species diagnosis of &lt;i&gt;Chaeropus yirratji&lt;/i&gt; Travouillon &lt;i&gt;et al.&lt;/i&gt; (2019).&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Travouillon, Kenny J., Parnaby, Harry &amp; Ingleby, Sandy, 2020, Neotype Designation for the Australian Pig-footed Bandicoot Chaeropus ecaudatus Ogilby, 1838, pp. 77-80 in Records of the Australian Museum 72 (3)&lt;/i&gt; on page 78, DOI: 10.3853/j.2201-4349.72.2020.1761, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4654403"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/4654403&lt;/a&gt

Finding rhe Minimum Sample Richness (MSR) for multivariate analyses: implications for palaeoecology

International audienceMany techniques have been developed to estimate species richness and beta diversity. Those techniques, dependent on sampling, require abundance or presence/absence data. Palaeontological data is by nature incomplete, and presence/absence data is often the only type of data that can be used to provide an estimate of ancient biodiversity. We used a simulation approach to investigate the behaviour of commonly used similarity indices, and the reliability of classifications derived from these indices, when working with incomplete data. We drew samples, of varying number and richness, from artificial species lists, which represented original life assemblages, and calculated error rates for classifications of the parent lists and samples. Using these results, we estimated the Minimum Sample Richness (MSR) needed to achieve 95% classification accuracy. Results were compared for classifications derived from several commonly used similarity indexes (Dice, Jaccard, Simpson and Raup-Crick). MSR was similar for the Dice, Jaccard and Simpson indices. MSR for the Raup-Crick index was often much lower, suggesting that it is preferable for classifying patchy data, however the performance of this index was less stable than the other three in the simulations, which required an even lower MSR. MSR can be found for all presence/absence data from the contour graphs and equations as long as the absolute species richness and the beta diversity can be estimated