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Australopiths are a group of early human ancestors that lived approximately 4 to 2 million years ago and are considered a key transitional form between apes and humans. Studying australopiths can help to understand the evolutionary processes that led to the emergence of humans and gain insights into the unique adaptations and characteristics that set humans apart from other primates. A bibliometric-based review of publications on australopiths contained in the Scopus database was conducted, analyzing approximately 2000 of them. The main authors, institutions, and countries researching this subject were identified, as well as their future development. The connections between authors, countries, and research topics were also analyzed through the detection of communities. The more frequent keywords in this subject are hominid, animal, human, South Africa, and Australopithecus afarensis. Four main research clusters were identified in the field of australopiths: palaeobiology, cranial evolution, locomotion, and mandible evolution and morphometry. The most important countries in terms of collaboration networks are South Africa, the UK, France, and Germany. Research on australopiths is ongoing, and new research clusters are expected to emerge, such as those focused on pre-australopiths and the molecular evolution and taxonomy of australopiths. Overall, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the state of research on australopiths and offers insights into the current direction of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of Natural History collections, particularly paleontological collections, is usually structured around specimens. However, it might not be feasible when the collections are incorporated from sources where the whole cycle of specimen collection is unknown, making it hard to determine what fossils belong to a single specimen and if these specimens belong to a single fossil-assemblage, taxon or individual. The Sociedade de História Natural from Torres Vedras (Portugal) manages such collections using a management strategy approach based on the spatial location from where the fossils were found. To achieve this, we have implemented a methodology for field collection and developed a spatial database in PostgreSQL/PostGIS to manage the entire stages of paleontological collections management. On top of the database, a second layer of web services, Web GIS (Geographical Information System) applications, and desktop GIS, all based on QGIS, are also under development to facilitate access to data stored in the database to internal and external researchers and partners, as well public institutions. This effort is made in close collaboration with in-house actors and stakeholders and has yielded promising results. The development of this system provides four advantages: (i) it played an essential role in supporting the transfer of the collection to new storage facilities; (ii) it provides overviews of the distribution of the characteristics of the collections; (iii) it enhances institutional partnerships by providing consistent and reliable data and(iv) it supports the establishment and development of research lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several fossil beetles from the Late Pliocene (Piacenzian) of Willershausen (Lower Saxony, Germany) previously identified as Tenebrionidae and Staphylinidae are reviewed. One species, formerly determined as "Staphylinoidea" is identified as Euboeus mimonti Boieldieu, 1865 (Tenebrionidae: Helopini). This species is the oldest record of an extant species of darkling beetles, which occurs now in the Balkans and Anatolia. The discovery of Euboeus mimonti in the Late Pliocene of Germany indicates that the range of this species was much wider, and the climate in the Late Pliocene in the modern territory of Lower Saxony was much milder. One species formerly determined as "Alleculidae gen. sp." belongs to the subfamily Alleculinae (Tenebrionidae) and it is identified here as Pseudocistela aff. ceramboides. Two species, misidentified by a previous author as Tenebrionidae belong to Elateridae and Cerambycidae respectively. Generic and species composition, as well as the ratio of extinct and extant beetle taxa in the Willershausen Fossil Lagerstätte are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new genus and three new species of Archexyelinae (Xyelidae) are described from the Middle–Late Triassic Madygen Formation of Kyrgyzstan, including Xyelinus scherbachov sp. nov., Triassoxyela sharovi sp. nov., and Microxyela minuta gen. et sp. nov. Xyelidae is the most ancient hymenopteran family in fossil records and the only one known from the Triassic. Triassic xyelids are known from five localities throughout the whole Pangaea. The most diverse and abundant Triassic xyelid fauna comes from Madygen, with 16 genera and 34 species in the two subfamilies Archexyelinae and Madygellinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the oldest fossil record of Sulidae from New Zealand. Osteological features indicate that a humerus collected from the Hurupi Formation at Whatarangi Bluff (Wairarapa, North Island) belongs to a species more closely related to Morus (gannets) than to Papasula (Abbott's Booby) or Sula (other boobies). The length of the humerus exceeds the species averages of all extant gannet species, and its age pre-dates the estimated divergence of extant Morus serrator. The Whatarangi fossil most likely represents an unnamed stem gannet species, and reveals that gannets dispersed to New Zealand at least twice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the holotype and only known material of the purportedly extinct corvid species 'Corvus fangshannus' from the late Middle or Late Pleistocene locality 3 of the UNESCO Zhoukoudian 'Peking Man' site in Beijing, China, documents its identification instead as a member of the sedentary Northern Raven (Corvus corax) lineage. Shared features of the humerus including those consistent with species of Corvus (protruding ventral tubercle and rounded and not prominent bicipital crest) and a combination of features (including overall size and the presence of a concave ventral margin where the ventral supracondylar tubercle projects ventral to the diaphysis) help to support the allocation of this Pleistocene material to that particular species' lineage. Ravens do not occur historically within the Beijing Municipality, and this reidentified fossil is the first record from the area. When considered alongside a similar extralimital record based on a recently reported Middle Pleistocene raven skull from Liaoning Province, these fossils together may indicate that the Northern Raven's prehistoric geographic distribution in northeastern China encompassed a broader area south of its current distribution extending to ~ 40–41 degrees latitude. Changes to the raven's geographic distribution likely are linked to shifts between cooler and drier climates and warmer ones, along with their interactions with extinct non-analogous vertebrate communities of the Pleistocene. These ravens would have scavenged alongside hyenas, other large mammalian carnivores, and even early humans in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryopteridaceae are the basal family of Eupolypods I (Polypodiales) and include abundant extant species, but fossil occurrences are limited, particularly from a temporal perspective. Although DNA-based molecular studies indicate that the origin of Dryopteridaceae dates to the Early Cretaceous, no unambiguous fossil of the family has been reported from the Cretaceous period. Here, we report a new fern taxa based on well-preserved fertile specimen frond from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. Based on sporangia with interrupted, vertical annulae; monoletee spores; and the absence of indusia, the fertile fern fossil has been assigned to a new genus of Dryopteridaceae (Polypodiales). This represents the first fossil record of Dryopteridaceae from the Mesozoic and its mid-Cretaceous age is largely consistent with molecular-based estimates of divergence time. The fossil extends our understanding of polypod fern diversity in Mesozoic forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anthropocene has been observed as an opportunity to generate new legal imaginaries capable of revising incumbent assumptions of legal and political thought. What opportunities do such ambitions afford for communication between geological and legal thought? Responding to Birrell & Matthews attempt to 're-story a law for, rather than of, the Anthropocene,' I wish to describe some ways in which the Anthropocene Working Group, who are pursuing formalisation of the Anthropocene as an official geological unit, are involved in a similar exercise of re-storying geology. The Anthropocene theme is brought to bear as a geological reality through material practices of measurement and correlation, as well as through the invocation of previous judgements of the evaluative committees associated with the formalisation of new geological unit. This effort amounts to a redefinition of the practices of geological observation, i.e. what counts as geologically relevant and why. In keeping with the theme of an 'ethics of encounter', as encouraged by Birrell and Matthews, this article suggests that the AWG's effort provides a model with which the elaboration of 'laws for the Anthropocene' might correspond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatom complexes in the upper layer of bottom sediments in freshwater lakes Cheko and Zapovednoe located in the taiga zone of southern Evenkia in the Tungusskii State Reserve have been investigated for the first time. We have found and identified 156 diatom taxa in two lakes, and their ecological preferences are determined. Valves of Aneumastus tusculus (Ehrenberg) D.G.Mann & A.J.Stickle are identified in Lake Cheko; this diatom is officially described as a fossil. Similarities and differences in the diatom complexes in both lakes are revealed. They are characterized by the presence of species widespread in freshwater reservoirs of the taiga zone at the same latitude. Lake Cheko is distinguished by a smaller portion of planktonic species, which is probably related to the greater flow of this lake. The dependence of the species composition of diatoms on meteorological parameters (temperature and precipitation) is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition in Mysticeti (Cetacea) from capture of individual prey using teeth to bulk filtering batches of small prey using baleen ranks among the most dramatic evolutionary transformations in mammalian history. We review phylogenetic work on the homology of mysticete feeding structures from anatomical, ontogenetic, and genomic perspectives. Six characters with key functional significance for filter-feeding behavior are mapped to cladograms based on 11 morphological datasets to reconstruct evolutionary change across the teeth-to-baleen transition. This comparative summary within a common parsimony framework reveals extensive conflicts among independent systematic efforts but also broad support for the newly named clade Kinetomenta (Aetiocetidae + Chaeomysticeti). Complementary anatomical studies using CT scans and ontogenetic series hint at commonalities between the developmental programs for teeth and baleen, lending further support for a 'transitional chimaeric feeder' scenario that best explains current evidence on the transition to filter feeding. For some extant mysticetes, the ontogenetic sequence in fetal specimens recapitulates the inferred evolutionary transformation: from teeth, to teeth and baleen, to just baleen. Phylogenetic mapping of inactivating mutations reveals mutational decay of 'dental genes' related to enamel formation before the emergence of crown Mysticeti, while 'baleen genes' that were repurposed or newly derived during the evolutionary elaboration of baleen currently are poorly characterized. Review and meta-analysis of available data suggest that the teeth-to-baleen transition in Mysticeti is one of the best characterized macroevolutionary shifts due to the diversity of data from the genome, the fossil record, comparative anatomy, and ontogeny that directly bears on this remarkable evolutionary transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven known species of the Triassic family Subioblattidae Schneider, 1983 reveal a cosmopolitan paleogeographic range (Argentina, South Africa, China, France, Kazahstan and Kyrgyzstan). A monospecific assemblage of Subioblatta madygenica Papier and Nel, 2001 from the Middle–Late Triassic Madygen locality in Kyrgyzstan is described here. All specimens exhibit characters typical for Subioblattidae such as an elongated costal field, ribbon-like subcostal field, Sc with pectinate branches inclined apically, sigmoidal R with undulating branches, variable M, sigmoidal CuA with branches subperpendicular to wing margin and a long anal field with a unique diagonal groove. Highly preserved coloration on wings of several specimens is comparable to that of S. madygenica. The described material enhances our knowledge of Triassic cockroaches and affirms Madygen as one of the most important Mesozoic insect lagerstätte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of the impact of climatic changes on the composition of fish assemblages requires quantitative measures that can be compared across space and time. In this respect, the mean temperature of the catch (MTC) approach has been proven to be a very useful tool for monitoring the effect of climate change on fisheries catch. Lack of baseline data and deep-time analogues, however, prevent a more comprehensive evaluation. In this study, we explore the applicability of the mean temperature approach to fossil fish faunas by using otolith assemblage data from the eastern Mediterranean and the northern Adriatic coastal environments corresponding to the last 8000 years (Holocene) and the interval 2.58–1.80 Ma B. P. (Early Pleistocene). The calculated mean temperatures of the otolith assemblage (MTO) range from 13.5 to 17.3 °C. This case study shows that the MTO can successfully capture compositional shifts in marine fish faunas based on variations in their climatic affinity driven by regional climate differences. However, the index is sensitive to methodological choices and thus requires standardized sampling. Even though theoretical and methodological issues prevent direct comparisons between MTO and MTC values, the MTO offers a useful quantitative proxy for reconstructing spatial and temporal trends in the biogeographic affinity of fossil otolith assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We described ten nymph specimens of an insect, Mesophthirus engeli (incertae sedis), from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber, preserved together with partially damaged dinosaur feathers. Based on the ectoparasitic morphological characters of these tiny insect nymphs, we concluded that Mesophthirus engeli was the earliest known feather-feeding insect and that integument-feeding behaviors of insects appeared during or before the mid-Cretaceous along with the radiations of feathered dinosaurs including birds. Grimaldi and Vea raised some concerns about these feather-feeding insects and supposed that the nymphs of Mesophthirus engeli were crawlers of scale insects, i.e. nymphal stages of Coccoidea, coincidentally co-occurring with damaged feathers. Shcherbakov (2022, this issue) accepted and developed the argumentation of Grimaldi and Vea (2021). We would like to address their concerns here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we highlight our recent developments on the formic acid refining of lignocellulosic biomass and how it can be an innovative way to produce sustainable hydrogen and fuels. There is a worldwide high demand for green energy and green chemistry endeavors to drastically slow down climate change in accord with the COP 21. This review mainly focuses on the deconstruction of the lignocellulosic biomass, using formic acid-based mixtures, into its 3 main components and how they can be the new resources for hydrogen, fuels, and products in the 21st century. We are underlining the natural carbon capture in the form of atmospheric CO2 concentrated into lignocellulosic biomass wastes from the forest and agricultural land sites and the subsequent low energy organic extraction of cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses. We illustrate in this review that our dependence on fossil fuels will be greatly reduced, and that atmospheric CO2, sunlight and water will provide safe energy and products for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil record of chinchillid rodents (Hystricomorpha: Caviomorpha) begins in the early Miocene. However, nearly all remains have thus far been limited to the Lagostominae, which includes the extant plains viscacha (Lagostomus maximus). Here, we describe the first Neogene remains referable to Pan-Chinchillinae (otherwise including extant chinchillas and mountain viscachas, Chinchilla and Lagidium), and refer them to Miochinchilla gen. nov. Miochinchilla differs from extant chinchillines in having obliquely oriented upper molar laminae, sinuous lower molar laminae, a laminar distal lobe of M3, a medial neurovascular sulcus on the floor of the infraorbital foramen delineated by a low lateral crest, a larger and more robust coronoid process, and a complete entepicondylar foramen, thereby significantly adding to the group's recorded morphological diversity. At present, Miochinchilla is only known from the central Andes (southern tropics). The oldest known pan-chinchilline (and possibly chinchilline), Miochinchilla surirense gen. et sp. nov., is represented by many well-preserved remains from Chucal, northern Chile (late early Miocene). More limited material of Miochinchilla plurinacionalis sp. nov. derives from middle Miocene sites in south-central Bolivia (Nazareno and Quebrada Honda). Intralaminar transverse crests, structures not previously recognized in fossil chinchillids, occur in M. surirense but not M. plurinacionalis. M. plurinacionalis further differs from M. surirense in its more oblique laminae and mesiodistally narrower molars. Although Miochinchilla is exclusively closely related to extant chinchillines, its precise relationship to them remains unclear. We report intralaminar transverse crests in some specimens of the lagostomine Prolagostomus, which suggests the parallel origin of this dental feature in pan-chinchillines and lagostomines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the widespread occurrence of Paleodictyon in the geological record, in situ observations of this trace (herein termed ‘pattern’) in modern deep-sea sediments are still scarce, being confined to the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the South Atlantic, southwestern Pacific and the eastern equatorial Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone. Here, we report the discovery of Paleodictyon along the southern Central Indian Ridge and the Southeast Indian Ridge within the German license area for the exploration of marine massive sulfide deposits in the Indian Ocean. The patterns occur in sedimented areas, especially those closer to hydrothermal vents and sometimes in aggregation of up to forty, resulting in maximum densities of 9.7 patterns m−2. While many show the grid-like array of holes on the sediment surface that is typical of the modern examples of the genus, the pattern sometimes loses its regularity, in particular on thin veneers of patchy sediment overlying hard basalt substrate, a mode of occurrence reported here for the first time. Other examples appear to be in various stages of natural erosion, in some cases creating unusual linear features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cranes (Gruidae) have a poor early fossil record, and the oldest ascertained fossils hitherto referred to the family (either as crown or stem-representatives) date back to the early or middle Miocene. Other Gruoidea have an even scarcer fossil record. Psophiidae and Aramidae are virtually unknown as fossils, and other fossil representatives of the Gruoidea are difficult to place. Here, we describe a new fossil that sheds new light on the early history of stem Gruidae, a right coracoid in dorsal view preserved on slab in limestone laminites of the early Oligocene « Calcaires de Campagne-Calavon» (Alpes de Haute Provence, France). It is compared with extant and fossil morphologically related taxa, and appears to differ from all extant and fossil relatives in the Gruoidea. The new fossil represents, among the Gruoidea, a new genus and species, Palaeogeranos tourmenti, placed within the clade (Aramidae + Gruidae) that is referred to as epifamily Gruoidae. Within Gruoidae, placement is tentative and we give arguments leading to propose a possible position as a stem Gruidae, a hypothesis to be tested with further discoveries. In this hypothesis, aged around 30 million years, the new fossil suggests that the stem of the Gruidae would date back to at least the earliest Oligocene, which is still compatible with current molecular phylogenetic divergence dates estimations, given the confidence intervals. Palaeogeranos will potentially help refining future calibrations for molecular phylogenetic studies, at least concerning the earliest Gruoidae (Aramidae + Gruidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbon cycle model based environmental optimization method is proposed that minimizes the maximum and steady state atmospheric CO2 concentration. The proposed method is applied to a fossil to biomass energy transition problem. The optimization results indicate that a gradual change is more effective than immediate or delayed step changes, and that afforestation is essential in addition to reforestation. From these results, it is suggested that, in order to avoid a huge carbon debt, fossil fuels should be used as a complement until biomass resources are increased to an optimum level by afforestation. Furthermore, it is predicted that using biomass instead of fossils cannot fully recover the initial state, even if supported by intensive afforestation. The misleading concept of carbon neutrality of biomass is also clarified using the proposed model, which shows that biomass is not a preferable alternative to fossil fuels. Nonetheless, the proposed method is applicable to optimal energy utilization of fossil and biomass resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important character on several taxonomic levels for shark identification is the tooth morphology. Sharks show a variety of highly specialized dentitions reflecting adaptations to their feeding habits. Intraspecific variation of tooth morphology such as sexual or ontogenetic dimorphism is poorly known in many species, even though tooth morphology plays a decisive role in the characterization of the fossil record of sharks, which comprises mostly fossil teeth. Here we analyzed the dentition of 40 jaws of the Velvet Belly Lantern Shark Etmopterus spinax and identified ontogenetic and sexual dimorphic characters such as total number of teeth, number of upper teeth, cusplet numbers in upper jaw teeth and width of lower jaw teeth. Dimorphic characters may reduce intraspecific competition for food, as E. spinax segregates by sex and size and may allow for identifying the male sex. The lower jaw tooth height, a sexually non-dimorphic character, was used to re-calculate the total length of specimens, which represents the first such approach for a squaliform shark. Results derived from the extant E. spinax are subsequently applied to fossil Etmopterus sp. teeth (Miocene) to gain individual information such as sex or size, but also characterize the extinct population from the excavation site by a size distribution profile in comparison to data from extant populations. This approach indicates the presence of multiple ontogenetic stages in the extinct population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of interspecific and ontogenetic variation in otolith shape among clupeid fishes from Japan was investigated to create a key to identify otoliths of these species found in the stomach contents of piscivorous predators, fossiliferous beds, and archaeological sites. The interspecific comparison with 12 species (Clupea pallasii, Etrumeus micropus, Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus, Ilisha elongata, Konosirus punctatus, Nematalosa come, Nematalosa japonica, Sardinella aurita, Sardinella melanura, Sardinella zunasi, Sardinops melanostictus, and Spratelloides gracilis) revealed morphological variation in otolith shape, OL:OH and AL:RL ratios, rostrum, marginal structures, and features of the crista superior. Intraspecific changes were analyzed in two species (E. micropus and S. melanostictus), revealing ontogenetic changes in OL:OH ratio and consequently otolith shape as well as changes in marginal features. Overall, this study shows that the key morphological features can be used as diagnostic features for identification of clupeid otoliths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of source rocks is closely related to palaeoproductivity and preservation conditions. This study examined the developmental characteristics of fossils and typomorphic minerals in different strata in the Lower Congo Basin. This study utilized thin section examination, SEM (scanning electron microscope), cathodoluminescence and chemical element analysis. The results show that there are strata rich in fossils, phosphate and pyrite in the Madingo Formation. The palaeontological record reflects the level of palaeoproductivity. The appearance of phosphate minerals is closely related to upwelling, which can bring nutrients from the subsurface. Pyrite develops in anoxic water environment, so it can be used to identify palaeoredox conditions. The Madingo Formation is rich in organic matter, which results from its high palaeoproductivity and good preservation conditions. The microstructures of sedimentary rocks and typomorphic minerals are examined, and the sedimentary characteristics and preservation conditions of organic matter in shale are comprehensively discussed. This study provides suitable tools to determine the formation mechanism and the complex heterogeneous distribution of source rocks and has great significance for oil exploration in the Lower Congo Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle Miocene site of Gračanica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where limnic sediments of the former Lake Bugojno are exposed, yielded remains of a crab. The single specimen represents a freshwater brachyuran classified in the open nomenclature as Potamon sp. With an age of ~ 15 Ma, the Gračanica specimen is the oldest Potamon occurrence from southern Europe. An articulated female individual with preserved pereiopods suggests autochthonous or parautochthonous nature of the specimen. Presence of cuticular disks in the studied specimen confirms that these structures, previously identified in decayed crab specimens in actualistic taphonomic experiments, can be preserved in the fossil record. If found isolated, the disks may confirm the presence of decapods in studied assemblages and can be considered an additional tool for identification of otherwise rare freshwater crab fossils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first fossil leaf-mimicking katydids from the eastern Palaearctic are described and attributed to the genus Archepseudophylla under the names Archepseudophylla nanzhaoica sp. nov. and Archepseudophylla wenshanensis sp. nov., both from the Early to Middle Miocene strata in Wenshan, Yunnan, southwestern China, which is the core of the southwestern China karst region. This pseudophylline genus was previously known only from the Eocene–Oligocene of Europe, and is indicative of warm temperate to subtropical paleoclimatic conditions within the Yunnan region during this stage of the Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a detailed description of stromatolites formed simultaneously with caves’ bedrock, within karstic areas in Southeastern Brazil. We discuss the importance of such fossils for geoconservation and their legal preservation under the Brazilian law. Six caves are described with occurrences of Conophyton-type stromatolites. All those caves are located in the State of Minas Gerais, one of which in the Arcos-Pains-Doresópolis Karst (Bambuí Group) and the others in the Vazante-Paracatu-Unaí Karst (Vazante Group). In general, the stromatolite columns are not exquisitely preserved, yet conspicuously exposed in cross section and lateral view. The stromatolite caves are easily accessed, making them suitable for scientific and educational activities to both academic and non-specialized public. Yet, such activities should rely on the implementation of a management plan for monitoring potential damage due to anthropic interference. Given the rarity of caves with fossils embedded in their host rocks, these structures should be treated with the status of maximum importance for conservation, according to the Brazilian legislation, thereby ensuring their permanent protection, with the support of the public entities for environment and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban geotourism itineraries have increased in recent years, since a large number of people are living in major cities and the building stones of the historical and architectural monuments can be used for scientific dissemination. These routes also include information such as geology, palaeontology, architecture, history, tourism and environment. This work presents geoscientific information through a multidisciplinary approach, with emphasis on the fossil content in the building stones. The cultural spaces in the historical centre of Rio de Janeiro City studied are (1) Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, (2) Guitarra de Prata store, (3) Confeitaria Colombo, (4) Paço Imperial and (5) Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB). This choice was based mainly on the presence of fossiliferous stones, the historical and cultural importance of this heritage and the easy access to the public. The fossils were found in Lioz limestone [Rudistas (Radiolites and Caprinula) (Sites 1, 3, 4 and 5), Gastropods (Sogdianella, Turritella, Pchelinsevia and Neoptyxis) and the ichnogenus Thalassinoides (Site 4)], in the Rosso Ammonitico limestone [Ammonoid Hildoceras and a small undetermined gastropod (site 2)] and in the stromatolitic metalimestone (Site 3). Both Lioz limestone and Rosso Ammonitico are originated from Portugal and Italy, respectively, so the only Brazilian fossil content recorded here is the stromatolites in metalimestone used in CCBB. The dissemination of geodiversity, especially the fossil content, present in these spaces can promote the geoscientific education and the urban geotourism with paleontological approach, attracting a wide public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing the living environment of extinct vertebrates is often challenging due to the lack of proxies. We propose a new proxy to the living environment based on the combined oxygen and sulphur stable isotope analysis of vertebrate hydroxyapatite. We tested this isotopic proxy to 64 biogenic apatite (bones) samples that represent a wide spectrum of the extant vertebrate phylogenetic diversity including crocodiles, snakes, turtles, mammals, birds, lizards, fish and amphibians. We show that the combination of these two isotopic systems allows the living environment of all these vertebrates to be unambiguously distinguished between freshwater (aquatic vs semi-aquatic), seawater (aquatic vs semi-aquatic) and terrestrial. The main goal of this study is to provide a present-day isotopic reference frame and to discuss methodological issues that will serve to interpret future oxygen and sulphur isotope results obtained either from fossil or modern skeletal material. This new isotopic approach of combined oxygen and sulphur isotope analysis will be particularly useful to document major aquatic-terrestrial transitions in the fossil record but also to better constrain the living environment of some present-day species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first record of fruit bodies of a microscopic fungus on the leaf of an unidentified dicotyledonous plant in amber is reported. The fungus is represented by numerous superficial fruit bodies (up to 35 in total), presumably of an ascomycetous fungus, at various stages of development. Ascomata are small, single, scattered all over the surface of half a leaf, setose. Setae are numerous, stiff, brown to black, densely covering the entire surface of the ascomata. In external appearance, the fungus reminds representatives of several taxonomic groups of non-lichenized ascomycetes. However, combination of the observed morphological characters does not fit any extant genus of foliicolous ascomycetes. Most probably, this fungus belongs to the group of lichenized fungi. In our opinion, in taxonomic position it may be close to extant representatives of the family Porinaceae (Lecanoromycetes), but possesses a unique combination of morphological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a recent proliferation of bridges in coastal zones, little is known of the long-term impacts of bridge construction on phytoplankton abundance and community composition in nearshore waters. Here, we used high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis to quantify historical changes in phytoplankton using fossils from cores on either side of a 57-year-old bridge that reduced fetch by 76% and created a discrete enclosed inner embayment. We hypothesized that phytoplankton abundance should be greater in the inner bay after bridge construction due to reduced hydrological flow and increased nutrient influx associated with terrestrial development and more profound anoxia in the enclosed basin. As expected, primary producer abundance, especially cryptophytes, increased in the inner bay during the 1950-1960s, although the effect was transient despite continuous fourfold elevation in sediment organic matter content (%C, %N) after ca. 1960 in response to wastewater influx. The pulse in cryptophytes appeared to correspond to influx of humic-rich waters derived from locally exploited peatlands, whereas the phytoplankton community of the outer basin largely reflected historical variations in climate, with warmer April months associated with increased abundance of diatoms and cryptophytes. Overall, sediment stable isotope values in the inner basin varied in response to a complex combination of changes in wastewater treatment (δ15N), release of untreated fish plant effluents (δ15N), and connectivity with the open ocean (δ13C). Taken together, these findings suggest that the effects of bridge construction on coastal phytoplankton production and community composition operated through multiple pathways, rather than just via modifications of basin hydrology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus Kzylcader gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) with Sinaldocader rasnitsyni Golub et Popov, 2012 as a type species and four new species (K. ovatus sp. nov., K. angustatus sp. nov., K. shcherbakovi sp. nov., and K. strigosus sp. nov.) are described from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian) of Southwestern Kazakhstan (Kzyl-Dzhar locality). The description of K. rasnitsyni is updated. A key to the Kzylcader species is given. Sinaldocaderini trib. nov. is established in the subfamily Cantacaderinae for the genera Sinaldocader Popov, 1989 and Kzylcader gen. nov. Similarities of Kzylcader gen. nov. to Thaumastocoridae are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchrotron-based techniques offer a wealth of elemental, molecular, and structural insights in biological samples, but the application of these techniques to fossils is a relatively new development. Here we examine how synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence (SR µXRF) may be used to investigate the chemical composition of insects trapped in amber, while leaving the inclusions unaltered. Elemental distribution data could provide important information on tissue preservation in insect inclusions, as well as information on the processes involved in fossilization. By analyzing a series of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) that range from modern material, to Eocene Baltic amber, and Late Cretaceous North Carolina amber, we investigate how variable preservation influences the results obtained through SR µXRF analyses, as well as the various merits and pitfalls associated with the application of this technique to amber inclusions. This work serves as an introduction to the underlying principles, strengths, and limitations associated with applying SR µXRF in a palaeontological context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Exceptional fossils’ of dinosaurs preserving feathers have radically changed the way we view their paleobiology and the evolution of birds. Understanding how such soft tissues preserve is imperative to accurately interpreting the morphology of fossil feathers. Experimental taphonomy has been integral to such investigations. One such experiment used a printing press to mimic compaction, done subaerially and without sediment burial, and concluded that the leaking of bodily fluid could lead to the clumping of feathers by causing barbs to stick together such that they superficially resemble simpler, less derived, filamentous structures. Here we use a novel, custom-built experimental setup to more accurately mimic subaqueous burial and compaction under low-energy, fine-grain depositional environments applicable to the taphonomic settings most plumage-preserving ‘exceptional fossils’ are found in. We find that when submerged and subsequently buried and compacted, feathers do not clump together and they maintain their original arrangement. Submersion in fluid in and of itself does not lead to clumping of barbs; this would only occur upon pulling feathers out from water into air. Furthermore, sediment encases the feathers, fixing them in place during compaction. Thus, feather clumping that leads to erroneously plesiomorphic morphological interpretations may not be a taphonomic factor of concern when examining fossil feathers. Our current methodology is amenable to further improvements that will continue to more accurately mimic subaqueous burial and compaction, allowing for various hypothesis testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beetle family Coccinellidae is rarely recorded from fossils. Most of the records come from the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. A complete list of Coccinellidae records from Baltic amber is presented and discussed. Extensive literature research provided a surprising conclusion that not a single species of Coccinellidae has been formally described from Baltic amber till now. The first two species of ladybird beetles from Eocene Baltic amber are described and placed in the genus Serangium, namely S. twardowskii sp. nov. and S. gedanicum sp. nov. Their phylogenetic placement in the subfamily Microweiseinae is provided. A key to the fossil species of Serangium is given. Extant representatives of the genus are distributed mainly in tropical areas of Asia and Oceania, and are specialised predators of whiteflies. Current discovery shows that during the Middle Eocene, the genus Serangium was distributed wider in the Northern Hemisphere and the evolution of these ladybird beetles was probably influenced by the evolution of whiteflies which are also found in the Baltic amber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Eocene ambers provide plethora of animal and plant fossils including well-preserved angiosperm flowers from the Baltic amber. The Rovno amber from NW Ukraine resembles in many aspects the Baltic amber; however, only fossilized animals and some bryophytes have yet been studied from the Rovno amber. We provide the first detailed description of an angiosperm flower from Rovno amber. The flower is staminate with conspicuous hypanthium, double pentamerous perianth and whorled androecium of 24 stamens much longer than the petals. Sepals are sparsely pubescent and petals are densely hirsute outside. The fossil shares important features with extant members of Prunus subgen. Padus s. l. (incl. Laurocerasus, Pygeum and Maddenia), especially with its evergreen paleotropical species. It is described here as a new species Prunus hirsutipetala D.D.Sokoloff, Remizowa et Nuraliev. Our study provides the first convincing record of fossil flowers of Rosaceae from Eocene of Europe and the earliest fossil flower of Prunus outside North America. Our record of a plant resembling extant tropical species supports palaeoentomological evidences for warm winters in northwestern Ukraine during the late Eocene, as well as suggesting a more significant role of tropical insects in Rovno amber than inferred from Baltic amber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fossil record of ticks has been classically used to discern the probable vicariance events of these arthropods, and to date the split moments of the different lineages. Although new techniques based on molecular clock methods are already available, tick fossil record still stands as a valuable source of information if correctly interpreted. Here we report about a male specimen of Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) sp. found in Dominican amber of about 25 millions years, illustrating its main morphological features. We also discuss the findings in a recent paper, which may contain unreliable interpretations on some fossil ticks. We support previous data on the presence of Argasidae in Miocene Dominican amber, and provide comments on the presence of ticks in Burmese amber. We further elaborate on the spread of ticks in the light of the record and description of a new family found in Cretaceous amber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate precipitation and hydrothermal reaction are the two major processes that remove Mg from seawater. Mg isotopes are significantly (up to 5‰) fractionated during carbonate precipitation by preferential incorporation of Mg, while hydrothermal reactions are associated with negligible Mg isotope fractionation by preferential sequestration of Mg. Thus, the marine Mg cycle could be reflected by seawater Mg isotopic composition (δMg), which might be recorded in marine carbonate. However, carbonates are both texturally and compositionally heterogeneous, and it is unclear which carbonate component is the most reliable for reconstructing δMg. In this study, we measured Mg isotopic compositions of limestone samples collected from the early Carboniferous Huangjin Formation in South China. Based on petrographic studies, four carbonate components were recognized: micrite, marine cement, brachiopod shell, and mixture. The four components had distinct δMg: (1) micrite samples ranged from −2.86‰ to −2.97‰; (2) pure marine cements varied from −3.40‰ to −3.54‰, while impure cement samples containing small amount of Rugosa coral skeletons showed a wider range (−3.27‰ to −3.75‰); (3) values for the mixture component were −3.17‰ and −3.49‰; and (4) brachiopod shells ranged from −2.20‰ to −3.07‰, with the thickened hinge area enriched in Mg. Due to having multiple carbonate sources, neither the micrite nor the mixture component could be used to reconstruct δMg. In addition, the marine cement was homogenous in Mg isotopes, but lacking the fractionation by inorganic carbonate precipitation that is prerequisite for the accurate determination of δMg. Furthermore, brachiopod shells had heterogeneous C and Mg isotopes, suggesting a significant vital effect during growth. Overall, the heterogeneous δMg of the Huangjin limestone makes it difficult to reconstruct δMg using bulk carbonate/calcareous sediments. Finally, δMg was only slightly affected by the faunal composition of carbonate-secreting organisms, even though biogenic carbonate accounts for more than 90% of marine carbonate production in Phanerozoic oceans and there is a wide range (0.2‰-4.8‰) of fractionation during biogenic carbonate formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleodictyon is an important trace fossil characterised by a regular hexagonal structure and typical of ancient deep-ocean habitats as far back as the Ordovician. It is represented in modern deep-sea settings by Paleodictyon nodosum, known from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the South Atlantic, and off eastern Australia. Here we report the occurrence of P. nodosum in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), abyssal equatorial Pacific, an area characterised by polymetallic nodule fields. At the study site within the International Seabed Authority northeastern Area of Particular Environmental Interest (APEI-6), P. nodosum appeared as a compact, regular pattern of small circular openings on the seafloor, each pattern interpreted as reflecting the activity of an individual organism. The patterns had a mean size (maximum dimension) of 45 mm ± 16 mm SD (n = 841) and occurred at a density of 0.33 individuals m. Most (82%) were interrupted by nodules, but those that were not displayed both regular (59%) and irregular (41%) forms, the former having equal numbers of rows along the three axes (6 x 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 x 8). In both size and morphology, our Paleodictyon traces were more similar to the Australian examples than to those from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to define the attributes and practices of organized fossil groups (e.g., clubs, paleontological societies) as amateur paleontologists, as well as those of professional paleontologists, and explore the potential for these two groups to work collaboratively as a formalized community. Such an investigation is necessary to develop design principles for an online environment that supports this community and encourages communication and shared practice among individuals with different backgrounds in paleontology and who are geographically isolated. A national survey of fossil group representatives and professional paleontologists was used to address the research questions. The results provide a rich description of the attributes and activities of both groups and are discussed in terms of three design principles for supporting the two groups in a form of collaboration and fellowship via a coherent shared practice within an online learning community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper therefore looks closer into climate gas emission and the shift to non-fossil energy in Sweden. What types of organizations are behind the shift to non-fossil energy use, what are the relative effects on emissions, to what extent can these interactive dynamics be considered eco-innovations? Do these effects vary between public and private organizations, and if so, can they be related to specific institutions and policies? Methods include statistical survival analyses, in particular Cox regression. These analyses inform us why energy sources shift. Results indicate that wood fuel and solid waste increase as sources of energy while fossil oil has decreased between 2003 and 2010. This result is in line with industrial and environmental policies of the Swedish governments that present these facts as institutionally and policy-related 'green innovation'. However, our analysis contests such a conclusion and it is noticed that the shift to non-fossil sources of energy has not led to verifiable decreases in green-house gas emissions. Results instead suggest that 'green' innovation of non-fossil energy was mostly the effect of low-tech innovation in public organizations with no fundamental effect on CO emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hybosoridae is a cosmopolitan family of Scarabaeoidea that is most diverse in the tropics. Up to now, all published Mesozoic hybosorids were compression fossils, except for one from Lebanon amber which is incomplete. A new species, Hybosorus ocampoi Bai et Zhang sp. nov., of Hybosoridae (Scarabaeoidea) is described and illustrated based on one well-preserved Myanmar amber specimen. The phylogenetic position of H. ocampoi was analyzed by employing 117 morphological characters and 44 extant/extinct species. The documented features are discussed and analyzed with respect to the phylogenetic placement of the species which may have a strong impact on the evolution in Hybosoridae and greatly expand our knowledge on the early evolution of Scarabaeoidea. Our finding provides solid evidence to prove the very old origin of the genus Hybosorus which is the type genus of Hybosoridae. Furthermore, this finding not only supports the hypothesis of Mesozoic origin of most families in Scarabaeoidea but also supports some genera of Scarabaeoidea might have already appeared in the Mesozoic. The palaeobiogeography of Hybosoridae and its palaeoenvironmental implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty species of nautiloids and ammonoids were identified based on the material collected from peninsular Thailand. Ordovician nautiloids: a sactorthoceratid nautiloid ( Sactorthoceras banestanensis) from Changwat Satun, from the western part of the peninsula and a ruedemannoceratid nautiloid ( Mediganella magna), from Changwat Nakhon Si Thammarat from the eastern part of the peninsula. Devonian-Carboniferous ammonoid: Neoglyphioceras subcirculare from Changwat Satun. Triassic nautiloids: two orthoceratid nautiloids ( Michelinoceras sp. A and Tienoceras sp. A), and two syringonautilid nautiloids ( Syringoceras barrandei and Javavionautilus heterophyllus) from Changwat Phatthalung, in the eastern part of the Peninsular. Twenty-four species of ammonoids were collected from the same locality: one ophiceratid ( Ophiceras connectens), one flemingitid ( Xenodiscoides perplicatus), one meekoceratid ( Juvenites canadensis), two paranannitids ( Arianites musacchi and Epiceltites genfii), two ussurids ( Ussuria sp. A and Ussaria sp. indet.), one noritid ( Bosnites clathratus), one acrochordiceratid ( Paracrochordiceras sp. indet.), nine ceratitids ( Kellnerites bosnensis, Halilucites sp. A, Halilucites sp. B, Eutomoceras aff. laubei, E. dunni, Eutomoceras sp. A, E. sp. B, E. sp. C, E. sp. D), one hungaritid ( Hungarites sp. A), one aplococeratid ( Aplococeras parrus), one celtitid ( Indoceltites trigonalis), one nannolytoceratid ( Audaxlytoceras audax) and one protetragonitid ( Protetragonites sp. A). All these cephalopods are recorded for the first time in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horopeta umarere is a new genus and species of extinct baleen whales from the Kokoamu Greensand (early Chattian, Oligocene, in the range 25-27 Ma), Hakataramea Valley, New Zealand. The geological age makes Horopeta umarere one of the earliest named baleen whales. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Horopeta umarere may be the earliest crown Mysticeti (the sister taxon to Cetotheriidae), or the sister species to the crown Mysticeti; it is clearly not a species of Eomysticetidae. Estimated skull and body length of Horopeta umarere are 1.5-1.6 m and 6.5-7.5 m, respectively. Horopeta umarere shows some features that are linked to gulp feeding as seen in living humpback and rorquals: laterally bowed and robust mandible, D-shaped to teardrop-shaped mandible in cross-section, and posterolaterally deflected triangular coronoid process of the mandible. The sternum of Horopeta umarere is elongate, rod-shaped, and dorsoventrally stout with bilateral anterior and posterior rugose protrusions, indicating the presence of at least two pairs of ribs or costal cartilages. The structure of the skull and mandible are consistent with the use of gulp feeding, but the sternal morphology and rib attachments suggest an early evolutionary stage in gulp feeding employment, where more complex rib attachment may restrict the volume of water and food taken in one gulp compared to living humpback and rorquals. Thus, the morphology of Horopeta umarere has implications for the emergence of gulp feeding in baleen whale evolution as well as the emergence of the crown Mysticeti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In September 2014, the 9th International Symposium Cephalopods-Present and Past was held at the Universitz of Zurich in combination with the 5th International Coleoid Symposium. Here, give a short account of these two events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleontologists use multiple methods to reconstruct the anatomy and behavior of extinct animals, including direct observations from well-preserved fossils and inferences from the phylogeny of modern and extinct relatives. We illustrate these techniques by reference to the biblical definitions of kosher and non-kosher animals; that is, how can we apply these approaches to the hypothetical question of whether an extinct form would have been kosher. The biblical categories do not readily map to modern understandings of systematics, but are heavily based on life mode. When given, distinguishing characteristics, such as the presence of fins and scales in aquatic animals, can be readily seen directly in fossils. In other cases, such as cud chewing, they need to be inferred from the phylogenetic relationships of the fossil forms. Dinosaurs (other than birds), unfortunately, are not kosher. A kosher 'paleo diet' would be increasingly difficult further in the past. The use of biblical content as a way of introducing concepts from paleontology and evolutionary biology, such as crown groups and stem groups, should be of broad interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Uberaba region (Minas Gerais, Brazil) has become famous for its significant paleontological investigation, which has been conducted there since the mid 1940s. Several taxa, especially of vertebrates, unique in the paleobiological record, come from its fossiliferous outcrops, associated with Uberaba and Marília formations (Bauru Basin). Among these, the dinosaurs are especially important, as they are exceptionally well preserved and diversified, allowing the description of several species and consolidating Uberaba as the Land of Brazilian Dinosaurs. The establishment, in 1991, of the Paleontological Research Center Llewellyn Ivor Price and Dinosaur Museum, in the neighborhood of Peirópolis, allowed the establishment of research and educational actions to the preservation of the geological heritage that transformed the local conditions through geotourism. Besides the fossiliferous content, the diverse geosites also comprise the important moments of the geological history, making them extremely relevant places of the geological heritage, in accordance with what is expected from a geopark. In 2010, the Paleontological Research Center L.I. Price and the Dinosaur Museum became part of the Cultural and Scientific Complex of Peirópolis of the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro. The Geopark Uberaba-Land of Brazilian Dinosaurs was created in that same year, prompted by the Geopark Project of the Geological Service of Brazil. The integration of the geological heritage to the historical and cultural attributes of national significance allowed the building of a unique identity for this territory. Nowadays, in Uberaba, fossils are no longer limited to scientific knowledge; they symbolize the socioeconomic and environmental development tools, which are allowing the sustainable regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following recent advances in the morphological interpretations of the tegmen basal cell margins in the Paraneoptera, a standardized and homology-driven groundplan terminology for tegmina types, structures and vein patterns in Hemiptera Fulgoromorpha, including fossils, is proposed. Each term is listed with a morphological definition, compared and linked to the main systems of planthopper forewing description that have been reviewed. The importance of a standardized and homology-driven terminology is stressed to enhance the quality of data in taxonomic descriptions and to strengthen phylogenetic morphological analysis results. When the interpretation of the origin of vein branches is render difficult, a three-step strategy for pattern recognition of the vein is proposed based on two principles: (1) vein forks are more informative than topology of the vein branches: a search for homologous areas, the nodal cells in particular, must first guide the recognition rather the number of branches of a vein, and (2) minimum of ad hoc evolutionary events should be invoked in the understanding of a modified vein pattern. Examples of some conflicting interpretations of venation patterns in planthoppers are discussed within different families for both extant and extinct taxa. For the first time, the concept of brachypterism is defined in a non-relative way independently from other structures, and the new one of hyperpterism is proposed; a reporting system is proposed for each of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil cytoplasm is attracting increasing attention in the fossil record, and ultrastructures in plant cells are revealing new aspects of ancient life. Chloroplasts have been previously reported in fossil plants in the US, Canada, and Russia. Here, we report on fossil chloroplasts with internal ultrastructure in a fossil leaf of Nelumbo changchangensis from the Eocene of Hainan Island, South China. The chloroplasts in this fossil demonstrate great similarity to their counterparts in living relative as well as those in the previous reports. The well-preserved chloroplasts in plant fossils call for more attention to ultrastructures and the fossilizing mechanisms of cytoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]