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Table S1. Procrustes ANOVA test for the significance of the species, life stage effects and their interaction on shape differences; Table S2. Test for a common multivariate allometric trajectory. (PDF 17 kb)

 Supplementary methods and results. (DOCX 316 kb)

The geometric morphometric (GM) analysis of complex anatomical structures is an ever more powerful tool to study biological variability, adaptation and evolution. Here, we propose a new method (combinland), developed in R, meant to combine the morphological information contained in different landmark coordinate sets into a single dataset, under a GM context. combinland builds a common ordination space taking into account the entire shape information encoded in the starting configurations. We applied combinland to a Primate case study including 133 skulls belonging to 14 species. On each specimen, we simulated photo acquisitions converting the 3D landmark sets into six 2D configurations along standard anatomical views. The application of combinland shows statistically negligible differences in the ordination space compared to that of the original 3D objects, in contrast to a previous method meant to address the same issue. Hence, we argue combinland allows to correctly retrieve 3D-quality statistical information from 2D landmark configurations. This makes combinland a viable alternative when the extraction of 3D models is not possible, recommended, or too expensive, and to make full use of disparate sources (and views) of morphological information regarding the same specimens. The code and examples for the application of combinland are available in the Arothron R package. © 2018 Associazione Teriologica Italiana.

We characterized motion attributes arising from LV spatio-temporal analysis of motion distributions in myocardial infarction. Time-varying 3D finite element shape models were obtained in 300 Controls and 300 patients with myocardial infarction. Inter-individual left ventricular shape differences were eliminated using parallel transport to the grand mean of all cases. The first three principal component (PC) scores were used to characterize trajectory attributes. Scores were tested with ANOVA/MANOVA using patient disease status (Infarcts vs. Controls) as a factor. Infarcted patients had significantly different magnitude, orientation and shape of left ventricular trajectories in comparison to Controls. Significant differences were found for the angle between PC scores 1 and 2 in the endocardium, and PC scores 1 and 3 in the epicardium. The largest differences were found in the magnitude of endocardial motion. Endocardial PC scores in shape space showed the highest classification power using support vector machine, with higher total accuracy in comparison to previous methods. Shape space performed better than size-and-shape space for both epicardial and endocardial features. In conclusion, LV spatio-temporal motion attributes accurately characterize the presence of infarction. This approach is easily generalizable to different pathologies, enabling more precise study of the pathophysiological consequences of a wide spectrum of cardiac diseases.

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.

The study of more than 100 skeletal remains of Hispanochampsa muelleri Kälin, 1936, from the Oligocene of El Talladell (Lleida Province, Catalonia, Spain), has been decisive in revealing misinterpretations about its anatomy and phylogenetic position. Hispanochampsa muelleri is shown to be a member of the clade Diplocynodontinae, and is here considered a junior synonym of Diplocynodon. This analysis provides strong evidence for this monophyletic grouping, which is made up of the species Baryphracta deponiae, Diplocynodon darwini, Diplocynodon muelleri, D. tormis, D. ratelii, and D. hantoniensis. All of these species bear ventral osteoderms with paired ossifications, and a deep posterior tip of the iliac blade, which are synapomorphies of Diplocynodontinae. However, the interrelationships of the Diplocynodontinae remain unresolved. D. muelleri shares with D. hantoniensis, D. tormis, and D. ratelii the presence of an enlarged jugal foramen, and the particular dentary occlusion in line with the maxillary tooth row. It is highly likely that the two Spanish species, Diplocynodon muelleri and Diplocynodon tormis, were close relatives.

Among non-marine Paleogene vertebrates of Italy, freshwater fishes, amphibians and birds are very rare. Also reptiles and mammals are few and they lack from Paleocene strata. Eocene reptiles have been collected in some localities of Veneto. Aquatic snakes have been described from Monte Bolca whilst in sediments of freshwater origin of the same sequence, at Purga di Bolca, relatively well .preserved turtles and crocodiles have been found. A beautiful skull of crocodile has been discovered in late Middle Eocene coastal sediments of Monte Duello (Veneto), together with scanty remains of a bird and abundant remains of marine organisms. Oligocene reptiles (turtles and crocodiles) have been collected at Monteviale (Veneto) and in some others sites of Veneto and Liguria. Eocene mammals have been described only from the Sulcis area (Sardinia). Two perissodactyls (the first of late Early Eocene and the second of early Middle Eocene age) and a marsupial (of early Middle Eocene age) have been collected. All the species indicate close affinities with taxa of western Europe. Affinities with central Europe and Balkan area faunas are testified by the oldest (Early Oligocene) and richest Oligocene mammalian assemblage, collected at Monteviale (Veneto). A small faunula from Agnana (Calabria), of late Early Oligocene age, immigrated into this area from Western Europe through Corsica-Sardinia. Typical western European mammalian faunas have been collected from some localities in Liguria and Piedmont. The most important fossiliferous sites in this area are Cadibona (Liguria) and Bagnasco (Piedmont) where slightly different faunas of early Late Oligocene age have been collected. In the same area isolated mammal remains of latest Oligocene age have been found.

International audience; The locality of Pietraroia (Lower Albian, southern Apennines, Italy) has provided two fully articulated crocodylomorphs, exposed in ventral and in dorsal aspect, which are described here as representing a new species of a new genus, Pietraroiasuchus ormezzanoi gen. nov, sp. nov. The new taxon is found to be the sister taxon of Pachycheilosuchus trinquei from the Albian of the Glen Rose Formation, Texas. Pietraroiasuchus ormezzanoi resolves the phylogenetic position of the controversial P. trinquei, and is crucial in enabling an extensive understanding of the family Hylaeochampsidae. Phylogenetic analysis places Hylaeochampsa vectiana as a sister group of Iharkutosuchus makadii plus Pachycheilosuchus and Pietraroiasuchus. The phylogenetic result reveals the presence of an evolutionary mosaicism within non-crocodylian eusuchians. Mosaic features in Pietraroiasuchus are denoted by the combination of primitive character states, such as the position of the choana with its anterior margin formed by an inverted V-shaped palatine processeses, and the presumed presence of a tiny antorbital fossa, in conjunction with derived states involving the slight vertebral procoelia, the presence of tetraserial segmented dermal armour with an accessory lateral row, and isolated nuchal osteoderms. The disjoint occurrence between Pachycheilosuchus and Pietraroiasuchus species suggests that Pietraroia was a refuge island inhabited by endemic forms.

HYLAEOCHAMPSIDAE ANDREWS, 1913 Definition A node-based clade stemming from the most recent common ancestor of Hylaeochampsa vectiana Andrews, 1913, Iharkutosuchus makadii Ösi et al., 2007, Pachycheilosuchus trinquei Rogers, 2003, and Pietraroiasuchus ormezzanoi. Revised diagnosis of hylaeochampsidae: Small eusuchians with brevirostral skull and thickned cranial and postcranial bones. Premaxillary (unknown in Hylaeochampsa and in Pachycheilosuchus) and anterior maxillary alveolar series of subequal size, maxilla posteriorly extends in a process devoid of teeth, minimal sculpturing of maxillary surface, reduced number of maxillary teeth, prefrontal longer than lachrymal (differing in Pietraroiasuchus, whereby the prefrontal and lachrymal are the same size, and unknown in P. trinquei); extremely narrow suborbital fenestra (unambiguous synapomorphy for the clade); choana anteriorly set in pterygoid (unknown in P. trinquei), pterygoid flanges relatively short and not reaching laterally the level of the quadrate medial condyle (unknown in P. trinquei), extremely robust ectopterygoid with expanded jugal and maxilla sutures, protuberance in the ventral surface of the quadrate with prominent muscle scars (unambiguous synapomorphy for the clade); vertical ridge at the occipital surface (unambiguous synapomorphy for the clade, unknown in P. trinquei), reduced anteroposterior extension of the quadrate articular process that does not (but may almost) reach the level of the occipital condyle (unambiguous synapomorphy for the clade, unknown in P. trinquei), anterodorsal margin of surangular elevated and extended (unknown in Hylaeochampsa)., Published as part of Buscalioni, Angela D., Piras, Paolo, Vullo, Romain, Signore, Marco & Barbera, Carmela, 2011, Early eusuchia crocodylomorpha from the vertebrate-rich Plattenkalk of Pietraroia (Lower Albian, southern Apennines, Italy), pp. 644-645 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163 (5) on pages 644-645, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00718.x, http://zenodo.org/record/5441720, {"references":["Andrews CW. 1913. On the skull and part of the skeleton a crocodile from the Middle Purbeck of Swanage, with the description of a new species (Pholidosaurus laevis) and a note on the skull of Hylaeochampsa. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 8: 485 - 494.","Osi A, Clark J, Weishampel DB. 2007. First report on a new basal eusuchian crocodyliform with multicusped teeth from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) of Hungary. Neues Jarhbuch fur Geologie und Palaontologie-Abhandlungen 243: 169 - 177.","Rogers JVI. 2003. Pachycheilosuchus trinquei, a new procoelous crocodyliform from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Glen Rose Formation of Texas. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23: 128 - 145."]}

Seventeen extant populations of Microtus (Terricola) savii have been investigated for correlations of first lower molar shape to climatic variables by means of geometric morphometrics, and controlling for phylogenetic inheritance. Comparative methods revealed that climatic variables and phylogeography provide a very similar contribution to variation in first lower molars morphology, whereas tooth size does not appear to be affected by climatic conditions. Climate-related changes have been recognized in the anteroconid portion of the tooth. This indicates that molar tooth variation is strongly influenced by climatic conditions, although in a complex way. Calabrian populations, often ascribed to Microtus (Terricola) brachycercus, form a distinct cluster, in agreement with the most recent genetic analyses.

International audience

The application of a new method for the analysis of the large mammal Plio-Quaternary communities of mainland Italy is presented. This method, named ‘‘bootstrapped cluster analysis’’, avoids, by mean of successive, ever more inclusive cluster analyses, the subjectivity in positioning boundaries of paleocommunities subdivisions. The results of this procedure indicate a good correspondence with previous qualitative analyses, albeit with some differences. Nevertheless, some local assemblages (e.g. Slivia) are grouped in significantly different positions than previously. The principal cause of these differences (as for unbalanced carnivores/herbivores ratio) is taphonomic bias. The bootstrapped cluster analysis approach is not affected by single species positioning as biochronological markers, grouping local assemblages upon their entire record with a statistical treatment. Moreover in this way any single paleocommunity is recognizable as an ecological/evolutionary unit.