Le lucertole (Lacertidae, Squamata) del Pliocene, Pleistocene e Olocene delle Baleari

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New systematic insights about plio-pleistocene moles from poland

The generic attribution of the Plio-Pleistocene Polish moles ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni has been questioned several times in the past. The fossil material belonging to ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni is re-evaluated here and a new diagnosis is provided on the basis of qualitative considerations. In addition, a Geometric Morphometric analysis of the humerus has been performed including both extant and extinct Neurotrichini and Urotrichini taxa for comparison. Our results proved the unique morphology of the Polish material suggesting a distinct taxonomic state. The morphological variations evidenced by the humeral shape analysis agree with the observed qualitative differences and support a new generic allocation. The new genus Rzebikia gen. nov. is proposed for all the material previoulsly ascribed to ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni

Males resemble females. re-evaluating sexual dimorphism in protoceratops andrewsi (neoceratopsia, protoceratopsidae)

BACKGROUND: Protoceratops andrewsi (Neoceratopsia, Protoceratopsidae) is a well-known dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Some previous workers hypothesized sexual dimorphism in the cranial shape of this taxon, using qualitative and quantitative observations. In particular, width and height of the frill as well as the development of a nasal horn have been hypothesized as potentially sexually dimorphic. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we reassess potential sexual dimorphism in skulls of Protoceratops andrewsi by applying two-dimensional geometric morphometrics to 29 skulls in lateral and dorsal views. Principal Component Analyses and nonparametric MANOVAs recover no clear separation between hypothetical "males" and "females" within the overall morphospace. Males and females thus possess similar overall cranial morphologies. No differences in size between "males" and "females" are recovered using nonparametric ANOVAs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Sexual dimorphism within Protoceratops andrewsi is not strongly supported by our results, as previously proposed by several authors. Anatomical traits such as height and width of the frill, and skull size thus may not be sexually dimorphic. Based on PCA for a data set focusing on the rostrum and associated ANOVA results, nasal horn height is the only feature with potential dimorphism. As a whole, most purported dimorphic variation is probably primarily the result of ontogenetic cranial shape changes as well as intraspecific cranial variation independent of sex

FOSSIL LAGOMORPHA (MAMMALIA) OF ITALY: SYSTEMATICS AND BIOCHRONOLOGY

Revisions performed in the last 15 years added remarkable novelties to the taxonomy and biochronology of Italian fossil lagomorphs. Several new taxa have been erected basing on new materials and on the revision of old materials. This paper aims to illustrate the state of the art of such researches. The lagomorph diversity in the Italian Neogene and Pleistocene is quite high, accounting 9 ochotonids, 14 leporids, and 3 stem lagomorphs. Among the lagomorph taxa recorded in Italy, quite a high number are insular or continental endemics. The oldest Italian lagomorphs are the insular endemic Paludotona aff. minor, P. etruria and P. minor from the early-middle Turolian of the Tusco-Sardinia palaeobioprovince, and Prolagus apricenicus and P. imperialis from the late Turolian of the Abruzzi-Apulia palaeobioprovince. In the Italian peninsula, lagomorphs are known since the late Turolian (early Messinian) [...

The endemic vole Microtus tTyrrhenicola) (Arvicolidae, Rodentia) from Monte Tuttavista (Sarclinia, Italy): new perspectives for phylogeny and biochronology

Microtus (Tyrrhenicola) henseli és un talpó fòssil endèmic que va viure a Còrsega i Sardenya des del Pleistocè Mitjà a l'Holocè. S'han reconegut diferents poblacions de Tyrrhenicola a través de cliferents graus evolutius que presenten una posició sistemàtica encara controvertida. S'han duit a terme algunes anàlisis de diverses poblacions de Tyrrhenicola provinents de les fissures recentment estucliades de Monte Tuttavista. Les poblacions estudiades mostren diferents distribucions de morfotípus que permeten reconèixer diferències als graus evolutius que faciliten la ubicació de les diferents poblacions a la seqüència fossilífera.Microtus (Tyrrhenicola) henseli is an endemic fossil vole widespread in Sardinia and Corsica during Middle Pleistocene and Holocene. Though different evolutionary degrees have been recognised between different populations of Tytrhenicola its systematic position is still controversial. Some analyses on several populations of Tyrrhenicola from the recently stuclied fissure fillings of Monte Tuttavista have been carried out, the stuclied populations show clifferent morphotype distributions that allowed recognising clifferences in evolutionary degrees helping the sequencing of the clifferent populations

New systematic insights about Plio-Pleistocene moles from Poland

The generic attribution of the Plio-Pleistocene Polish moles ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni has been questioned several times in the past. The fossil material belonging to ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni is re-evaluated here and a new diagnosis is provided on the basis of qualitative considerations. In addition, a Geometric Morphometric analysis of the humerus has been performed including both extant and extinct Neurotrichini and Urotrichini taxa for comparison. Our results proved the unique morphology of the Polish material suggesting a distinct taxonomic state. The morphological variations evidenced by the humeral shape analysis agree with the observed qualitative differences and support a new generic allocation. The new genus Rzebikia gen. nov. is proposed for all the material previoulsly ascribed to ?Neurotrichus polonicus and ?Neurotrichus skoczeni

REVIEW AND NEW DATA OF THE FOSSIL REMAINS FROM MONTE PEGLIA (LATE EARLY PLEISTOCENE, CENTRAL ITALY)

After more than sixty years since its discovery, the fossils from Monte Peglia (late early Biharian, Umbria) are reconsidered in their entirety. The small mammals of Monte Peglia upper and lower levels had been studied in the past, whereas the remains of large mammals of Monte Peglia lower level, stored in several Institutions of central Italy, are described here for the first time. The following taxa have been described: Hystrix refossa, Homotherium latidens, Panthera cf. P. gombaszoegensis, Felis cf. F. lunensis, Canis mosbachensis, Vulpes alopecoides, Meles meles, Pannonictis cf. P. nestii, Mustela palerminea, Ursus cf. U. etruscus; Macaca sylvanus florentinus, Equus altidens, Stephanorhinus cf. S. hundsheimensis, Sus sp., Capreolus sp., Axis eurygonos, Hemitragus cf. H. orientalis, Bison degiulii. Moreover, the list of small mammals of the lower level has been updated with the addition of three new small vertebrate taxa: Rana sp., Myotis sp. (large size), cf. Miniopterus sp. The study of the remains of large mammals of the lower layer indicate the survival of a number of taxa of latest Villafranchian age. If we accept the biochronological correlation of Monte Peglia with the Colle Curti local fauna, its age should be ~1.072 Ma. In this case, it is possible to pinpoint the accumulation of the lower level to the MIS 35/33, as the small mammals confirm the presence of a mixed environment with forested and open spaces and warm temperate climate. The accumulation of the upper level, characterized by taxa typical of open spaces and steppes and a cooler climate, probably occurred during MIS 34/32

THE SECTION OF TORRE PICCHIO (TERNI, UMBRIA, CENTRAL ITALY):A VILLAFRANCHIAN SITE RICH IN VERTEBRATES, MOLLUSCS,OSTRACODS AND PLANTS

Fluvial deposits of the S. Maria di Ciciliano Formation crop out near Montecastrilli (Terni), in the southwestern branch of the Tiberino Basin.  Many specimens of plants ("mummified" woods, fruits and seeds), freshwater molluscs, ostracods, vertebrate bones and coprolites were collected at Torre Picchio. This small outcrop contains a fairly rich record of fruits and seeds, among which about 50 species were identified; the most frequent invariably belong to submerged, floating and emergent aquatic herbs, possibly because these were buried not far from their place of growth, thus representing the ancient local vegetation.  The fruits and seeds of woody plants, including several exotic elements, were transported from neighbouring areas and indicate a paleoclimate similar to the present day, though slightly wetter.  Among molluscs, three distinct assemblages were found, indicating fluvial, swampy and lacustrine environment, respectively.  They contain taxa of biochronological interest, most of them typical of Early Pleistocene deposits (late Villafranchian), but making their first appearance in the Late Pliocene (Middle Villafranchian). One species, Margarifera (Pseudunio) auricularia, represents the oldest record everywhere, since it was known, so far, only from the Middle Pleistocene upwards.  As palaeoenvironmental indicators, the ostracods complete the information given by molluscs.  Vetrebrates are represented by large and small mammals, rare birds, reptiles, amphibians and some fishes.  A great number of coprolites was collected as well.  The mammal assemblage shows affinities with the Costa S. Giacomo and Olivola F. U. (Middle and Late Villafranchian, Late Pliocene). Mimomys medasensis, an Iberoccitane element, is signaled for the first time in Italy.  From the geological point of view, the S. Maria di Ciciliano Fm. is interfingering with the marine Chiani-Tevere Fm., which is mostly Santernian in age and lies unconformably on the Middle Pliocene cycle. Only in some areas representing a structural low, the continuous transition between the lower portion of this unit and Late Pliocene deposits may be observed before the heteropic episodes.  This fact suggests some inconsistencies between chronostratigraphy and biochronology in the examined area because some taxa indicate a latest Pliocene age.  A heterochrony in the extinction of some species of plants and animals is suggested as a possible solution to the problem.&nbsp

Reassessing the faunal assemblages of the late pleistocene stratified karst filling from avetrana (Apulia, Southern Italy): The BED 8, palaeoenvironment and biochronology

The late Quaternary vertebrate deposit of the stratified karst filling from Avetrana (Apulia, Italy) was the subject of an intensive excavation campaign in 2003, followed by numerous subsequent investigations and collections of fossil remains. In this work, the biochronological implications and the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the area in the Late Pleistocene are updat-ed and improved based on the more recent observations (2012-2013). In particular, the faunal assemblage found in the uppermost stratum (bed 8) of the fossiliferous deposit is analysed where the proportion of wolf remains increases sharply against the underly-ing layers. A synthesis and a recapitulation of the vertebrate assemblages recovered in the entire stratified karst filling are also given.New observations on the preservation of the bone remains and population analyses of representative mammal species (Canis lupus, Bos primigenius, Cervus elaphus, Dama dama and Sus scrofa) show that bed 8 displays features indicating its origination in sedimentary, climatic and environmental conditions quite different from those of underlying beds. Up to bed 7, the stratified karst filling and its faunal assemblages were generated by a succession of catastrophic mass mortality events in a very short time alter-nated with moments of quiet deposition, during the early Late Pleistocene (MIS 5e). Instead, bed 8 deposited over a longer timespan, probably to be placed between the beginning of last glacial period and early MIS 3, when a puddle of water or a pond was likely at the top of the residual cavity filling.Lithic artefacts recovered in bed 8 and in bed 6 only testifies the attendance of Neanderthal humans in the surrounding of Avetra-na