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The Bat landscape of northwestern Oman is one of intermittent archaeological remains and varied ecological conditions. The site has been a center for human activity since the Neolithic, most famously attested by the Early Bronze Age tombs, towers, and settlement of the UNESCO World Heritage zone. This paper presents recent research conducted by the Bat Archaeological Project in reconstructing the site’s third millennium BC cultural landscape and the human-environment interactions that led to its creation and long-term occupation. Three of Bat’s Early Bronze Age environs: the Settlement Slope, al-Khutm, and Rakhat al-Madrh are discussed in view of their ecological, geomorphological, and archaeological contexts. New archaeobotanical and 14C results are presented. These discoveries suggest Bat’s ancient inhabitants sought out and utilized diverse environments in order to establish cultural and ecological resilience within a localized area. Ultimately, we propose an expansion to the traditional oasis model of settlement and agricultural development in southeast Arabia, arguing for a systems-based approach that incorporates roles played by environs beyond the oasis.

This paper attempts to set out a preliminary narrative of changing water exploitation and settlement in Southeast Arabia from the Umm an-Nar period to the Iron Age, with a particular focus on the 4.2ka event. It argues for long-term cultural and adaptive trends that are only now becoming apparent and are relevant to understanding local adaptation strategies to climatic events such as the 4.2ka event. In setting out this narrative, we also aim to show the value of Southeast Arabian data to regional discussions relating to human adaptation to climate change. We argue that lower ground water availability related to aquifer structures would have been a problem for Bronze Age (Umm an-Nar) communities, in particular those living in Central Oman around the Hajar Mountains and would have affected settlement viability in certain climatic conditions, leading to decline in the number and size of settlements after c. 2000BC. We suggest that late Umm an-Nar (2200–2000BC) settlement and agricultural activity over-extended in this area, a development paralleled in Harappan and Mesopotamian communities. These changes would have affected already ancient traditions, for example in relation to the communal ritual monuments. By contrast, for the Northern Emirates karstic aquifers were a crucial factor supporting settlement continuity after the 4.2ka event, in particular in the western coastal areas of Ras al-Khaimah and the area around Dibba on the east coast. It is argued that the distribution of these aquifers is key to understanding the cultural and economic changes associated with the ensuing Wadi Suq period (2000–1600BC). Other processes strengthened the pattern, such as changing interregional exchange patterns and associated overland and maritime routes. By the Iron Age (starting c 1300 BC), it appears that rainfall patterns changed again and settlement density in Central Oman began once again to exceed that of the Northern Emirates. We suggest that this is at least partly linked to the resilience of local communities in dealing with another climate event (3.2ka event) that potentially necessitated the management of climatic patterns that may have included periods of higher and lower rainfall including irregular flooding. Whilst some of the ideas set out here are still quite speculative, they are set out in the belief that further understanding of these changing patterns is crucial for our understanding of long-term adaptation to climate change in this region.

Intra-crystalline protein degradation (IcPD) analysis was undertaken on 80 fossil tooth enamel samples from four taxonomic groups (rhinocerotid, suid, equid, bovid) excavated from two archaeological cave sites in Zambia (Twin Rivers and Mumbwa Caves). Seventy-two (90%) of these fossils showed evidence of closed-system behaviour. The fossils’ relative extent of protein degradation between the sites was consistent with their known ages, with samples from Twin Rivers (Mid-Pleistocene) showing higher levels of degradation than Mumbwa Caves (late Mid-Pleistocene to late Holocene). At Twin Rivers, a potential trend between IcPD and excavation depth was observed, concordant with the working hypothesis of periodic deposition of sediments as slurry flows into a phreatic passage. However, greater depositional and taphonomic complexity was indicated by relatively wide ranges of IcPD values within individual excavation levels. These results are interpreted partly as the consequence of the excavation methods used, alongside reworking within the deposits, which had not previously been recognised. Whilst lack of stratigraphic control limited the investigation of taxonomic effect, one notable difference in the protein breakdown pattern of peptide chain hydrolysis was observed between rhinocerotid in comparison to the other studied taxa. We therefore recommend taxon-specific enamel amino acid geochronologies (AAGs) are developed in future. Whilst lack of comparator datasets meant it was not possible to create a calibrated, enamel AAG for the South-Central African region from these sites, Twin Rivers provides a case study illustrating the complexity of cave formation processes and the importance of direct dating for interpreting archaeological and palaeontological sequences.

CSVP 2024 Abstract Volume

Toda obra de paleoarte representa seres, objetos de estudios paleobiológicos, enmarcados en un espacio y un tiempo, que son observados por nosotros, que también estamos acotados espaciotemporalmente. Se valoran las razones de la importancia histórica del paleoarte, estimando que su arraigo es resultado de la triple interacción entre la esfera científica, artística y social. Al explorar el papel que juegan los contextos sociales y la cultura popular en el paleoarte, se consideran cinco etapas: (1) las ilustraciones científicas, (2) las narrativas vinculadas al inicio de la paleontología como disciplina, (3) la irrupción de los museos didácticos, (4) el paleoarte y la independencia de los paleoartistas y (5) la implicancia popular y de las redes sociales. Los paradigmas que subyacen en estas etapas ponen de relieve cómo las emociones, la enseñanza, la pedagogía y las exigencias de la cultura popular están presentes, en mayor o menor medida, en las estéticas paleoartísticas. Finalmente, para entender lo que comunica el paleoarte, se utilizan los ejes de la espacialidad para captar los distintos niveles de información que transmiten sus producciones.

The Indo-West Pacific is home to a diverse array of modern fish species, and the study of their fossils can provide valuable insights into the origins and evolution of this biodiversity. This report presents rare remains of five individuals of acropomatiform fish, including a semi-articulated skeleton, recovered from the Upper Kueichulin Formation (Lower Pliocene) in northern Taiwan. The fossils are preserved in the form of nodules discovered at the locality known for abundant marine crustaceans and echinoderms. These specimens can be assigned to the family Stereolepididae, based on morphology of the opercle with the presence of two spines, a preopercle characterized by serrations on the posterior margin and denticulations on the ventral margin, and a distinctive skull architecture. Differences in skull morphology distinguish these specimens from other species within the genus and thus are described as Stereolepis arcanum n. sp. Significantly, the species represents the oldest known record of the family globally and stands as the second known fossil representative. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of the palaeobiodiversity of fish fauna in the Indo-West Pacific during the Neogene, but also highlights the importance of further research efforts in this area.

Atlantoceratodus iheringi (Ameghino 1898) from Argentine territory is restudied based on its known tooth plates and newly discovered material, which includes previously unknown skull roof bones and vomerine tooth plates. The latter represent the first records of such elements from the Mesozoic era in South America. The comparative morphological analysis reveals its distinctiveness from other dipnoans, and offers valuable data for future systematic and phylogenetic research. The pterygopalatine tooth plates display narrow-based first denticulations and lack anterior wear facets, with the inner angle positioned at the level of the second denticulation. Similarly, the prearticular tooth plates feature straight mediolingual edges, and a wide-based first denticulation without sinuosities at the tip. Histological sections are performed and analyzed in detail for the first time. A. iheringi presents in this aspect distinctive features such as: large-lumen denteons tending to cluster together, circumdenteonal dentine arranged in a double band (an inner birefringent and an outer monorefringent), and a disordered interdenteonal dentine, with birefringence surrounding denteons and areas with monorefringence. A. iheringi exhibits histological structure closer to Mesozoic and Cenozoic dipnoans than Paleozoic, especially resembling the disposition observed in the Upper Cretaceous Patagonian species Metaceratodus baibianorum. The wide distribution of features designated as diagnostic for Atlantoceratodus is discussed.

The ostracod assemblages from the Upper Permian and Permian-Triassic transitional strata of the Masore section in the External Dinarides (Slovenia) were studied. Altogether 13 genera and 20 species of the orders Palaeocopida, Platycopida and Podocopida are identified and illustrated. All recovered ostracods belong to shallow marine taxa. The older fauna from the uppermost Permian and the younger fauna from the Permian-Triassic boundary strata are distinguished. The obtained fauna from the Permian Bellerophon Formation corresponds to the “benthonic ostracod Eifelian Mega-assemblage” occupying the shelf sea floors. This study presents the first report of ostracod faunas from the uppermost Permian and Permian-Triassic boundary interval of Slovenia. The recovered ostracod fauna display a distinct faunal change and yield important paleobiogeographic implications as it reveals similarity with stratigraphical equivalent faunas from some other neighboring localities in the western Paleotethys, such as Bulla in Italy, Komirić in Serbia, and the Bükk Mountains in Hungary.

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo la utilización de los fitolitos como proxy para realizar la reconstrucción paleoambiental de la sección media del valle de Santa María (Tucumán - Argentina) durante el Holoceno superior. Además, considerar esto en el contexto paleoambiental regional y global. Para ello, se tomaron muestras de sedimento extraídas en perfiles ubicados en diferentes localidades: Molle Yaco, Yasyamayo y El Pichao. Las asociaciones fitolíticas encontradas muestran la existencia de secciones y subsecciones en las que se divide cada uno de los perfiles. Estas reflejan la presencia de condiciones húmedas y frías desde momentos previos a la era cristiana hasta aproximadamente 1.000 AP cuando las mismas se tornan áridas y cálidas, contemporáneamente a la Anomalía Cálida Medieval, para luego retomar los episodios templados y fríos correlacionables a la Pequeña Edad del Hielo. Las condiciones ambientales actuales están representadas por asociaciones fitolíticas que describen una vegetación árida y semiárida.

Bothremydidae was one of the most diverse and widespread group of side-necked turtles (pleurodirans) during the Cretaceous and part of the Paleogene. In South America, the Paleogene record of bothremydids is restricted to Puentemys mushaisaensis from the middle–late Paleocene Cerrejón Formation of Colombia, Inaechelys pernambucensis from the Paleocene of Brazil, and Motelomama olssoni from the early Eocene of Perú. Here, we describe two shells of P. mushaisaensis and several other isolated bones conferred to this taxon from the upper Paleocene and lower Eocene Arcillolitas de Socha Formation found in the Socha Region, Boyacá Department of Colombia. U-Pb dating of detrital zircon from two levels from this formation indicates maximum depositional ages of 56.83±0.04 Ma and 57.2±0.5 Ma for the areniscas guía interval of the formation. The new occurrence of P. mushaisaensis in the Socha region, at least 500 km south from Cerrejón, indicates a wider biogeographical distribution of northern South America Paleocene herpetofauna, possibly helped by low topography and ecosystems connectivity via a faunistic corridor.

CMN 8917 is a small, partial skull of a duck-billed dinosaur from the upper Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation in what is now Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. It represents one of the few nestling-sized juvenile hadrosaurines known to date. Support for this phylogenetic placement includes a narial vestibule not enclosed within the premaxillary dorsal and lateral processes, the presence of an anterodorsal maxillary process, and a maxillary dorsal process that is longer anteroposteriorly than dorsoventrally. The skull also possesses tooth traits traditionally associated with lambeosaurines, such as secondary ridges on some maxillary and dentary tooth crowns, and denticulation on some maxillary tooth crowns. The occurrence of these features in a juvenile hadrosaurine suggests that they were modified during ontogeny, calling into question their taxonomic utility for identifying juvenile specimens. The dentary teeth of CMN 8917 are similar to those of many adult hadrosaurids in that they possess a concave occlusal surface with steeper lingual and shallower buccal wear zones. This differs from the occlusal surface morphology present in some other juvenile hadrosaurids, which suggests interspecific differences in dental battery development—possibly reflective of dietary differences—occurred during early ontogeny in some taxa.

Kaijutitan maui is a basal titanosaur from the Sierra Barrosa Formation (Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous), Neuquén Basin, Patagonia Argentina. The Neuquén Basin in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, holds the most important record of Cretaceous dinosaurs from South America. This work constitutes the first case of taphonomic and histological study of a dinosaur from the Rincón de los Sauces area. Kaijutitan is represented by cranial and postcranial materials of an adult individual of huge body size, preserved in clay sediments related to a floodplain environment. Bones were found disarticulated but associated, largely respecting their relative anatomical position. histological and diagenetic features of bones were analyzed in order to interpret the alteration degree of bone microstructure. Biostratinomic processes inferred are subaerial biodegradation, disarticulation, preburial weathering (cracking and flacking), and abrasion. Fossil-diagenetic processes comprise compaction, deformation, permineralization, and fracturing. Permineralization stages included infilling of bone cavities and fractures with sediments, iron oxides, calcite, or an iron oxide-calcite association during the burial history. Some characteristics suggest that the Kaijutitan specimen suffered weathering for a certain period of time before final burial and that biological activity in the carcass acted as a dispersal agent for the bones within the paleontological site.

This study focuses on the early Paleogene deposits of the southernmost Golfo San Jorge Basin (central Patagonia, Argentina), cropping out at the Laguna Manantiales site. Based on palynological and sedimentological features, a new continental stratigraphic unit, informally named as Laguna Manantiales Strata, is here defined. The sporomorphs recorded evidence of the presence of subtropical forests. The syncolporate pollen grains comparable to those of the modern taxon Senna pendula, are mentioned for the first time in Argentina. Based on the record of Malvacipollis diversus, Bombacacidites isoreticulatus, Cricotriporites guianensis and the similarity in the pollen grains composition, the identified palynological assemblage can be correlated to the Patagonian palynofloras from the late Paleocene–early Eocene Ligorio Márquez Formation and the early Eocene Laguna del Hunco site. Thus, the proposed age for the Laguna Manantiales Strata can be constrained between the late Paleocene and the early Eocene. The records of Huanilipollis cabrerae, H. crisci, and Mutisiapollis sp. in Laguna Manantiales Strata, confirm the early development for Mutisioideae for the early Paleogene in Patagonia. The pronounced climatic warming during the late Paleocene and the early Eocene influenced the diversification of Asteraceae in Patagonia.

Libro de Resúmenes de las IV Jornadas de Paleontología de la Cuenca Neuquina, que tuvo lugar en Malargüe (Mendoza, Argentina) del 27 al 30 de Septiembre del 2023.

The Panchet Formation of northeastern India preserves an Induan (earliest Triassic) vertebrate assemblage with only one valid archosauromorph species, the proterosuchid Samsarasuchus pamelae. Two other archosauromorph species have been named for this unit: “Ankistrodon indicus” and “Teratosaurus(?) bengalensis”. “Ankistrodon indicus”, based on a fragment of maxilla with two partial teeth, is indistinguishable from other proterosuchid species and is considered a nomen dubium. “Teratosaurus(?) bengalensis” is represented by an isolated, almost complete tooth that was distinguished from “Ankistrodon indicus” in the presence of mesial denticles. “Teratosaurus(?) bengalensis” is also indistinguishable from other valid proterosuchid species and considered likely a nomen dubium. However, it remains unresolved if “Teratosaurus(?) bengalensis” represents a second Panchet archosauromorph species different from Samsarasuchus pamelae and “Ankistrodon indicus” because the presence of mesial denticles cannot be determined in these species due to their incompleteness. Here we describe two new Panchet Proterosuchidae specimens collected from the same locality as the holotypes of the three above-mentioned species. These new specimens are maxillary fragments and one of them has almost complete teeth with mesial denticles on the apical portion of the crowns, as in “Teratosaurus(?) bengalensis.” The rest of their morphology is congruent with that of Samsarasuchus pamelae and “Ankistrodon indicus.” As a result, the specimens reported here expand our anatomical knowledge of the Panchet archosauriform assemblage and indicate that there is no current evidence for the presence of more than one valid archosauromorph species in the Panchet Formation.

The Upper Cretaceous fossil vertebrate fauna of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Santonian), derived from several different locations in the Neuquén Basin, is relatively abundant and diverse, comprising mainly small to medium-sized reptiles, birds and fishes. The Cerro Overo – La Invernada locality (CO – LI), in the north of the basin, records a similar faunal component for that age, but stands out for its relatively greater abundance and diversity of titanosaur sauropods. The study of the materials presented here allows us to establish the presence of specimens of sauropods other than Overosaurus, the only titanosaur recorded so far in the area, the coexistence of small–medium sized forms with larger forms, which in turn represent some forms with more basal characteristics and others with more derived features. The abundance of the record of sauropods in CO – LI shows both morphological and evolutionary variations, so the discovery of more complete specimens will allow paleofaunistic, paleobiological, and paleoecological studies to be carried out. This will provide a better understanding of the role of titanosaurian sauropods in Late Cretaceous ecosystems.

Long fragments of isocrinid stalks belonging to the stalked crinoid genus Isselicrinus (Isocrinida, Isselicrininae) were found at Cambrigar, near Ferrara di Monte Baldo (Verona province, northeastern Italy) in the strata called “Harpactocarcinus punctulatus and Pentacrinus diaboli horizon”, traditionally ascribed to the lower Eocene (Ypresian). Morphometric analysis of this material allowed us to identify two distinct species filtering their food at different levels of the water column. The first species, characterized by a mostly pentagonal stalk section, is ascribable to Isselicrinus diaboli (Bayan), a taxon frequently cited from the lower Eocene of northeastern Italy but until now poorly known. The other species has a marked star-shaped stalk section presenting a combination of pedomorphic characters and is ascribed to the new taxon Isselicrinus baldoensis n. sp. A detailed analysis of numerous columnals and pluricolumnals of Isselicrinus diaboli from the type-locality of San Pancrazio near Mossano (Berici Hills, Vicenza province, northeastern Italy) allowed us to propose a revised and more complete diagnosis of this taxon. The particular burial conditions and the ecology of these two species are discussed as well as a reappraisal of the age of the “Harpactocarcinus punctulatus and Pentacrinus diaboli horizon”. Based on new calcareous nannofossil data, and confirmed by the larger foraminiferal assemblages, the isocrinids from Cambrigar are firmly assigned to the Lutetian (middle Eocene). Calcareous nannofossils identified in the matrix of historical hand specimens from the classical locality of San Pancrazio indicate a similar age.

The study of the Lower-Middle Pleistocene decapod crustacean fauna from Montalbano Jonico succession allowed 12 taxa to be recognized. The studied samples include some fossil species already known from the Pleistocene record of Italy, as Ebalia nux A. Milne-Edwards, 1883, Monodaeus bortolottii Delle Cave, 1988, Liocarcinus depurator (Linnaeus, 1758), Goneplax rhomboides (Linnaeus, 1758), and Chlinocephalus demissifrons Ristori, 1886. These species are reported for the first time from Basilicata, except for E. nux, whereas Carcinoplax jonica n. sp. and Neogoneplax bradanica n. sp. are introduced as new species. Moreover, one poorly preserved specimen is assigned to Ebalia sp.; one dubitative specimen to ?Carcinus sp.; one specimen to Bathycalliax sp. (Axiidea de Saint Laurent, 1979); one to an indeterminate galatheid; and two poorly preserved large-sized specimens are tentatively referred to Carcinoplax sp. (Goneplacidae, MacLeay, 1838). Finally, several indeterminate specimens of cirolanid (Isopoda) are reported, as well. The studied decapod community from Basilicata allows us to expand our knowledge of Pleistocene fossil crabs and their distribution around the Mediterranean Sea basin in the Lower-Middle Pleistocene.

Modern cetaceans are considered the best anatomical and ecological analogue for many Mesozoic secondary aquatic reptiles. Such similarities extend also after the death of these phylogenetically distant amniotes, when the sinking and decomposition of large carcasses in marine environments (deadfalls) follow common biostratinomic processes. Most taphonomic studies on Mesozoic deadfalls have been limited to shallow-water settings, often neglecting deeper waters. Here we provide a detailed taphonomic survey of ichthyosaurs, pliosaurs and metriorhynchoids from the pelagic Middle-Upper Jurassic Rosso Ammonitico Veronese (RAV) of northeastern Italy. Our taphonomic revision of the RAV tetrapod record highlights a common poor state of preservation of the bones, often associated with abundant macrofossils, consistent with a prolonged exposure of carcasses on a well-oxygenated seafloor. For the first time we confirm the role of nautiloids as active mobile scavengers by means of tens of beak elements found closely associated with, or even piercing, the bones. Hexanchiform shark teeth are also found associated with the carcasses, supporting a distinctive deep-water mobile scavenging community. Echinoids, sponges and other bioeroders are identified as representative of the enrichment-opportunist stage, and a high concentration of belemnites is believed to be indicative of mass-spawning deaths in the surroundings of the carcasses. Abundant crinoids are recognized as part of the reef stage by colonization of the eroded bones. While some of our data deviate from previous Mesozoic reptile-falls from shallow-waters, they are consistent with findings at Recent whale-falls in bathyal zones, and overall represent a precious window into the complex ecology of Jurassic open seas.

Libro de resúmenes del 7mo Simposio el Mioceno-Pleistoceno del Centro y Norte de Argentina, que tuvo lugar en la Universidad Nacional de La Rioja (La Rioja, Argentina) del 24 al 27 de octubre del 2023.

The fossils of the India Muerta Formation (Neogene, Tucumán Province, Northwestern Argentina) include several vertebrate groups, mainly metatherian, xenarthran, and notoungulate mammals. Nevertheless, these remains have been scarcely mentioned in the literature, being mostly noted in faunistic lists, without a focus on taxonomic or morphological aspects. Additionally, most of the biostratigraphic or paleobiogeographic considerations, which are based merely on lithostratigraphic inferences, have suggested a correlation mainly with the Andalhuala (Late Miocene–Pliocene) and the Corral Quemado (Pliocene) formations, both units corresponding to the Santa María sedimentary basin of the Calchaquí valleys of Northwestern Argentina. Here, we present a study of a notoungulate assemblage recently recovered from levels of the India Muerta Formation, clarifying the geological context and correlating fossil levels with western outcrops. Our study identifies remains grouped systematically as two toxodontids, one mesotheriid, and four hegetotheriids, some of which represent the first records for the unit and/or the region. The sedimentological analysis suggests that this fauna developed in a paleoenvironment corresponding to a complex of braided to meandering fluvial systems. Based on these new data, the fossiliferous levels of the India Muerta Formation reinforce a Late Miocene (Tortonian) age. Consequently, our chronological proposal leads to a closer correlation between the India Muerta Formation and the Las Arcas and Chiquimil formations, which immediately underlie the Andalhuala Formation in western valleys. These inferences agree with previous radioisotopic analyses and, hence, the evidence yielded by the presence of these newly documented notoungulates stands as our most reliable basis for stratigraphic correlation.

This study presents the analysis of Upper Triassic sediments from five locations in North Dobrogea (Romania) and the Black Sea. Microfacies analyses on thin sections from the Frecăţei log reveal a shallowing trend and likely an increase in energy upward into the section. The oldest part of the log is characterised by deposition of mudstones transitioning to wackestones, with an increase of bivalves. Similar wackestones are observed in the Izvoarele and Rândunica logs, i.e. microfacies with abundant bivalves, some foraminifera and echinoderms. The offshore boreholes 816 and 817 Lebăda Vest (core CM 9 and CM 31) seem to have been deposited in a basinal or distal marine shelf environment indicated by the presence of mudstones with rare bioclasts. In contrast, sample CM 10 from borehole 816 LV is a micritised grainstone suggesting a deposition in a shallower, higher energy environment. Scanning electron microscope observations reveal a moderate diagenetic alteration in all studied samples, mainly due to dissolution. Two calcareous nannofossil species: Prinsiosphaera triassica triassica and Eoconusphaera zlambachensis were commonly observed in sample F of the Frecăţei log, allowing for assignment of the sediments to the Rhaetian age. Two coccoliths were also observed in sample F of Frecăţei log and sample CM 9 of the borehole 816 LV indicating the presence of coccolithophorids within the study region. This discovery constitutes the first confirmed record of well-preserved, determinable Upper Triassic calcareous nannofossils in the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean.

This contribution presents a detailed methodology for reconstructing the anterior and posterior autopodia (manus and pes elements) of the sauropod dinosaur Neuquensaurus australis. The study utilizes various techniques, including digital three-dimensional (3D) scanning, reconstruction, retrodeformation, scaling, texturing, rendering, 3D printing, and mounting, to create accurate representations of the fossil elements. Two different scanning devices were employed to capture high-resolution 3D models of the fossil elements. The scanned data was processed to align and fuse the points, resulting in detailed 3D models. Related taxa such as Argyrosaurus superbus and 3D modeling techniques were used to reconstruct missing elements. Scaling calculations were performed based on comparative analysis with other titanosaurs to estimate the size of the missing elements. Retrodeformation was applied to correct taphonomic distortion and restore the original shape of the fossil elements. Texturing and rendering techniques were also employed to enhance the visual quality of the 3D models. The 3D models were subsequently 3D printed using white polylactic acid (PLA) filament. Creating physical replicas is useful for further studies, educational purposes, and public outreach. We highlight the advantages of 3D printing in paleontology, such as cost-effectiveness and accessibility, as it creates accurate replicas without compromising the original fossils. Overall, the presented methodologies demonstrate the potential of 3D technologies in paleontological research. The combination of scanning, reconstruction, retrodeformation, scaling, texturing, rendering, and 3D printing provides a comprehensive approach to accurately reconstructing and visualizing fossil elements. These techniques contribute to a better understanding of extinct vertebrates and their biomechanics.

Abstract A strongly endemic Upper Pennsylvanian (Kasimovian) rugose coral association consisting of small, mostly non-dissepimented, simple structured and poorly diversified species is studied from the lower member of the Aheimer Formation (Western side of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt). The unit is composed of grey, silty mudstone intercalated with thin, ferruginous, silty dolostone–limestone and calcareous siltstone beds. Ten taxa from four families were identified. Four species of the Antiphyllinae are new; Actinophrentis crassithecata n. sp., Lytvolasma aheimerensis n. sp., L. paraaucta n. sp. and Monophyllum galalaensis n. sp. Besides, Rotiphyllum exile de Groot, 1963 and Bothrophyllum okense Kossovaya, 2001 were identified; four taxa remain in open nomenclature (Lytvolasma cf. canadense, Zaphrentites cf. parallela, Zaphrentites sp. and Ufimia sp.). Rejuvenation, encrustation and bioerosion phenomena are rare. Attachment structures during mature stages are not evident; attachment scars in the apical parts are also rare. Growth patterns and embedding in the muddy deposits indicates that the corals lived as mudstickers in soft substrate. Recrystallization, dolomitization and ferrugination of open pore spaces inside the corals are the most common diagenetic features. The corals from the lower Aheimer Formation represent a typical cyathaxonid fauna that was adapted to high clastic input and turbid waters in a restricted, sheltered, episodically storm-swept inner ramp environment in an embayment of the southern shelf of the Palaeotethys. A time-averaged ramp model shows a regressive development from a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic open inner ramp setting during the Moscovian to the restricted inner ramp of the lower Aheimer Formation (Kasimovian) and following peritidal to fluvial environments of the Gzhelian. General and local palaeoclimatic considerations indicate cooling. Besides relations to northern Spain that root Egypt in the western Palaeotethys, connections existed via the Donets Basin (and the southern Urals) to the Cordilleran–Arctic–Uralian realm which is a cool water province during the Lower and Middle Permian. The Egyptian fauna appears to be a precursor of the anti-tropical cyathaxonid fauna of the latter time slice and also of the Lower Permian cool-water faunas of the east Cimmerian peri-Gondwana terranes. ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:708F049E-F27B-4DDA-B052-22B56D883CAE

Anatomically preserved lycophytes of the Lycopodiales and Selaginellales have been discovered among a diverse assemblage of plants and fungi in carbonate marine concretions at the Apple Bay locality along the shore of Holbert Inlet near the northern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Lycopodialean stems are plectostelic and actinostelic, branch dichotomously, and are similar to both Lycopodicaulis oellgaardii and Lycoxylon spp. The Selaginella specimens represent the first anatomically preserved Selaginellales with excellent internal cellular preservation in the fossil record, and are described as Selaginella quatsinoense Rothwell et Stockey sp. nov. Stems have three and five exarch, monarch stelar segments, each of which is surrounded by an aerenchymatous endodermis with trabeculae. The leaf base is indented on the adaxial surface, suggesting the position of a ligule. These fossils document that species with diagnostic internal anatomy of modern Lycopodiales and Selaginellales evolved no later than the Valanginian of the early Cretaceous.

The Silves Group of the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal represents the initial infill of the continental rifting basins that formed during the breakup of northern Pangaea regions. Evaporites, especially halite, mark the transition from continental to marine settings and the beginning of the deposition in passive margin basins. This work presents the results of the palynostratigraphic and palynofacies analysis of two partial sections from the Pereiros Formation at the top of the Silves Group. The two sections are composed of sandstones, mudstones and dolostones interpreted as deposited in fluvial and lacustrine settings without apparent marine influence. The palynological content is diverse and wellpreserved, dating both sections to the early Hettangian (Lower Jurassic), indicated by the presence of spores Ischyosporites variegatus, Kraeuselisporites reissingeri, Porcellispora longdonensis and the pollen grains Perinopollenites elatoides and Pinuspollenites minimus. The palynological content of one of the sections (Lamas I) is noticeable by microforaminifera linings, suggesting evidence for a hitherto marine incursion at this age in the Silves Group stratigraphy. The beds that yielded the microforaminifera linings are interpreted as having been deposited in an estuarine-type setting, created by the first and short-lived marine transgressive event in the Lusitanian Basin during the early Hettangian.

A temporary outcrop in southern Lower Saxony permitted the sedimentological, geochemical and palaeontological investigation of a 40.8 m thick Toarcian section, from the top of the Amaltheenton Formation, through the Posidonienschiefer and Jurensismergel Formations, to lower parts of the Opalinuston Formation. Bed by bed collected ammonites and belemnites, bivalve associations, as well as data from neighbouring sections indicate a largely complete sequence of ammonite zones and subzones for the Lower Toarcian. A prominent stratigraphic gap at the Posidonienschiefer/Jurensismergel Formation boundary probably comprises the Semipolitum Subzone as well as the Variabilis and Thouarsense Zones. Above a condensed Dispansum Zone follows the higher Upper Toarcian with a presumably largely complete sequence of zones and subzones, although direct evidence for this is only sporadic. However, a thin condensed bed with stromatolite crusts is recognisable at the boundary Pseudoradiosa to Mactra/Aalensis Subzone. The Toarcian/Aalenian boundary can only be drawn on basis of belemnite finds at another thin condensed bed. Only a few metres above, the Opalinum Zone is evident by ammonite findings. Based on discontinuities, lithofacies, biofacies and correlations with neighbouring sections, a subdivision into alloformations, which largely correspond to formations, is applied. Based on that, a sequence stratigraphic interpretation with respect to third order transgression-regression cycles (T-R sequences) can be inferred: Above the regressive upper parts alloformation 1 (Amaltheenton Formation) with a maximum regression surface (mrs) near its top, the T-R sequence of the alloformation 2 (Posidonienschiefer Formation) is developed, with a maximum flooding surface (mfs) at the transition Falciferum/Commune Subzone and the regressive phase within the later Bifrons Zone. For the Commune Subzone, belemnite alignment indicates a seawater bottom current from SSE. The following maximum regression surface (mrs) lies near the Bifrons/Variabilis Zone boundary. The next sequence is not preserved at the studied location, but is preserved further East as well as further West, represented by the transgressive Dörnten Member (Variabilis and Thouarsense Zone). However, the regressive phase (Fallaciosum Subzone) is also missing there, indicated by a prominent sequence boundary with erosional relief at the base of the Dispansum Zone. The following alloformation 3 (Jurensismergel Formation and lowermost parts Opalinuston Formation) represents another T-R sequence with a maximum transgressive surface (base Mactra/Aalensis subzone) and a slightly thicker regressive Aalensis Subzone. The following maximum regression surface represents the boundary to alloformation 4 (major parts of Opalinuston Formation), followed again by a short transgressive phase (Pseudolotharingicum Subzone), condensation horizon and a longer regressive phase (Opalinum Zone). These sequence stratigraphic interpretations are largely consistent with previous investigations in Northern and Southern Germany. Minor deviations in the timely position of maximum flooding and regression surfaces likely reflect effects of a higher subsidence at variable sedimentation rate in the North German Basin. With respect to the, at the site of investigation, incompletely exposed Opalinuston Formation, further studies on complete drill core sections are required.

Abstract The correct interpretation of fossils and their reliable taxonomic placements are fundamental for understanding the evolutionary history of biodiversity. Amber inclusions often preserve more morphological information than compression fossils, but are often partially hidden or distorted, which can impede taxonomic identification. Here, we studied four new fossil species of Darwin wasps from Baltic and Dominican amber, using micro computed tomography (micro-CT) scans and 3D reconstructions to accurately interpret and increase the availability of morphological information. We then infer their taxonomic placement in a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis by combining morphological and molecular data of extant and fossil Darwin wasps and evaluate the impact and usefulness of the additional information from micro-CT scanning. The results show that although we gained significant morphological information from micro-CT scanning, especially concerning measurements and hidden dorsal and ventral structures, this did not impact subfamily-level placement for any of the four fossils. However, micro-CT scanning improved the precision of fossil placements at the genus level, which might be key in future dating and diversification analyses. Finally, we describe the four new fossil species as Rhyssa gulliveri sp. nov. in Rhyssinae, Triclistus levii sp. nov. in Metopiinae, Firkantus freddykruegeri gen. et. sp. nov. in Pimplinae and Magnocula sarcophaga gen. et sp. nov. in Phygadeuontinae. The first two species are the first known representatives of the subfamilies Rhyssinae and Metopiinae in amber.

Abstract The fossil collections made by early explorers in South America have been fundamental to reveal the past diversity of extinct mammals and unravel their evolutionary history. One important early explorer in South America was the Swiss-Argentine palaeontologist Kaspar Jacob Roth, known as Santiago Roth (1850, Herisau, Switzerland-1924, Buenos Aires, Argentina), who made significant collections of fossil mammals that are housed in museums in Europe and Argentina. The important collections of Roth in Switzerland include iconic Pleistocene megafauna from the Pampean Region (Argentina). The palaeontological significance of the Pampean Region relies on its abundant record of fossil vertebrates that documents diversity dynamics and paleoenvironmental change in southern South America, serving as the basis for the South American biostratigraphical scale of the late Neogene and Quaternary. The South American native ungulates (SANUs) were hoofed placental mammals that radiated in South America. The clades Notoungulata and Litopterna include, among others, the last representatives of SANUs megafauna in the continent. We revise and describe for the first time the SANUs specimens from the Pampean Region of the Roth collections in Switzerland. The collections include two species of notoungulates (Toxodon cf. T. platensis and Mesotherium cristatum) and one litoptern species (Macrauchenia patachonica). The occurrences are restricted to the early and middle Pleistocene (pre-Lujanian Stages/Ages). Although the SANUs diversity in the Roth collections is low in comparison with other groups (e.g., xenarthrans), some of the specimens are very complete, including skulls and postcranial remains. The completeness of the Ma. patachonica material allows an update and reinterpretation of some of the details of the dentition and the postcranial skeleton of this iconic species. In addition to its historical importance, the SANU specimens from the Roth collections provide important information to study the paleobiology and evolution of South American megafauna and evaluate hypotheses about their extinction in the continent.

Abstract The “human fossil” from Baradero, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, is a collection of skeleton parts first recovered by the paleontologist Santiago Roth and further studied by the anthropologist Rudolf Martin. By the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century it was considered one of the oldest human skeletons from South America's southern cone. Here, we present the results of an interdisciplinary approach to study and contextualize the ancient individual remains. We discuss the context of the finding by first compiling the available evidence associated with the historical information and any previous scientific publications on this individual. Then, we conducted an osteobiographical assessment, by which we evaluated the sex, age, and overall preservation of the skeleton based on morphological features. To obtain a 3D virtual reconstruction of the skull, we performed high resolution CT-scans on selected skull fragments and the mandible. This was followed by the extraction of bone tissue and tooth samples for radiocarbon and genetic analyses, which brought only limited results due to poor preservation and possible contamination. We estimate that the individual from Baradero is a middle-aged adult male. We conclude that the revision of foundational collections with current methodological tools brings new insights and clarifies long held assumptions on the significance of samples that were recovered when archaeology was not yet professionalized.

Abstract Relatively complete ontogenetic series are comparatively rare in the vertebrate fossil record. This can create biases in our understanding of morphology and evolution, since immaturity can represent a source of unrecognized intraspecific variation in both skeletal anatomy and ecology. In the extinct marine reptile clade Ichthyopterygia, ontogenetic series were widely studied only in some Jurassic genera, while the ontogeny of the oldest and most basal members of the clade is very poorly understood. Here, we investigate cranial ontogeny in Mixosaurus cornalianus, from the Middle Triassic Besano Formation of the Swiss and Italian Alps. This small-bodied taxon is represented by a wealth of material from multiple size classes, including fetal material. This allows us to assess ontogenetic changes in cranial morphology, and identify stages in the ontogenetic trajectory where divergence with more derived ichthyosaurs has occurred. Early ontogenetic stages of Mixosaurus show developmental patterns that are reminiscent of the presumed ancestral (early diverging sauropsid) condition. This is prominently visible in the late fetal stage in both the basioccipital, which shows morphology akin to basal tubera, and in the postorbital, which has a triradiate head. The ontogenetic trajectory of at least some of the cranial elements of Mixosaurus is therefore likely still very akin to the ancestral condition, even though the adult cranium diverges from the standard diapsid morphology.

Prolacerta broomi is one of the most important of fossil reptiles. First considered as one of the earliest members of squamates, this basal archosauromorph has been used as a model for diapsid morphological evolution ever since its discovery, playing a pivotal role in hypotheses on the origin of diapsid reptiles. The holotype of Prolacerta broomi (UCMZ 2003.41R) is known from a mostly complete skull, but the original description is limited to the superficial features of the skull roof and palate. Since then, many other specimens of Prolacerta broomi have been recovered that potentially account for this limited access to anatomical information, but it remains unclear whether these aspects correspond well to the known material of the holotype. Here, the skull morphology of the holotype of Prolacerta broomi is revisited through the use of µCT scans. The identifications of some cranial elements have been corrected, such as the left prefrontal and lacrimal, and several new elements are revealed, including the epi- and ectopterygoids, prearticular, coronoid, and braincase bones. The orbitonasal region is described in detail and significantly shows a contribution of the lacrimal to the dorsal alveolar canal. Finally, the addition of the holotype as an independent OTU in recently published analyses indicate conflicts with the current knowledge on Prolacerta broomi phylogenetic affinity and taxonomy. First, it points to potential taxonomic inconsistency since the holotype does not form a monophyletic group with other Prolacerta broomi OTUs in any of the analyses and, second, it suggests a more basal position for the holotype than that recovered in some studies, more basal than rhynchosaurs and close to the origin of Crocopoda. Together, these findings indicate areas of future research interest in the study of early evolving archosauromorphs.

Ornithosuchids are a Late Triassic pseudosuchian archosaur group, consisting of four species (three from South America, and one from Scotland). All of them have triangular skulls with a protruding premaxilla, large nostrils, an extensive diastema in their narrow snout, a short jaw that does not reach the anterior end of the skull, and serrated posteriorly curved teeth. For this clade, carnivorous and scavenger habits have been previously proposed. Within the Ornithosuchidae, Riojasuchus tenuisceps (from Argentina) has the most morphologically extreme characteristics. Based on CT scans of the preserved skulls we generated a 3D model, and over this, we estimated the volumes of the adductors and abductor muscles and the force exerted by each. From these data we built the finite element model and measured the bite force (1.8–2.3 kN). Lateral, tractive, and torsional forces were applied to the end of the snout to evaluate the structural response of the skull during feeding. The results show that R. tenuisceps could resist tractive and torsional stresses better than lateral stress. Additionally, we analysed the peculiar morphological characteristics of the skull and their functional implications. We observed that the upper and lower dental rows were laterally separated from each other, preventing the generation of a cutting line during occlusion, and therefore, R. tenuisceps would have fed on small-sized prey that it could swallow whole. The curved premaxilla and the short mandible would not allow it to bite with the tip of the snout (ruling out the scavenging hypothesis), but were instead more adequate to capturing prey suspended in a fluid. This set of results allows us to propose that R. tenuisceps could have had a zoophagous diet and a wading habit, being able to feed on fish, amphibians, or any small animals that they could catch from the shoreline.

The artiopodans, consisting of trilobites and their relatives, were a major euarthropod group in the Paleozoic. Since the first discovery of Naraoia from the Chengjiang fauna, a significant number of artiopodans have been subsequently found in China. Here we describe three new artiopodan species from the lower Cambrian Chengjiang fauna (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3) at Malong, Yunnan, China. Zhugeia acuticaudata gen. et sp. nov. is defined by a semielliptical cephalon with long genal spines, nine overlapping thoracic tergites, and a pygidium with an elongated needle-like median spine. Its cephalic shield covers multiple anterior thoracic tergites. Tonglaiia bispinosa gen. et sp. nov. is defined by a suboval cephalon, seven thoracic tergites, and a micropygous pygidium with a pair of parallel posteriormost spines. Sidneyia malongensis sp. nov., a new occurrence of Sidneyia from South China, is defined by a crescent-shaped cephalon, eight imbricated tergites, and an abdomen consisting of two cylindrical segments and a tail fluke. The evolutionary affinities of these new taxa are reconstructed and discussed in a phylogenetic context. Phylogenetic analyses resolve Z. acuticaudata among the xandarellids and T. bispinosa gen. et sp. nov. as a trilobitomorph with an uncertain placement, The discovery of three new species improves the biodiversity of artiopodans from the Cambrian and the Chengjiang fauna.

Well-preserved fossil assemblages provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of biota and their environments. Here, we report on Rupelian (early Oligocene) siliceous nanoeukaryotes from diatomites in the Carpathian Mountains, southeastern Poland. These sediments yielded novel forms of parmaleans and parmalean-like fossils. Their cell wall structure differs from that of described genera. Instead of the generically specific separate dorsal plate and set of girdle plates, some of our taxa contain one upended, hollow, subspherical, perforated cup. To accommodate these differences, we propose a new division Parmaphyta, a new family Parmoligocenaceae, a new genus Parmoligocena and a new species Parmoligocena janusii. Other remains are reminiscent of the extant genus Pentalamina and for this we propose a new genus and species, Pentalaminamorpha radiata. The taxonomic affinity is less certain for other nannofossils found, as they are only somewhat similar to parmaleans, and so we only tentatively associate them with this group. All these fossils occur together with a diverse assemblage of diatoms (mostly from Leptocylindrales, Rhizosoleniales, Coscinodiscales, Cymatosirales, and Hemiaulales), silicoflagellates (mostly species from the genus Corbisema) and archaeomonads. Together they suggest the palaeoenvironmental context for the parmaleans, a neritic marine environment, thus similar to where silicified parmaleans can be found today.

The Amazonian region covers a significant part of the South American continent and harbors outstanding biodiversity. However, much of its history is still unknown. This situation has begun to change with paleontological field efforts over the last decades, which have been proving that fossils can be common in this region. Despite their great current species richness and abundance in the area today, marsupials have a sparse fossil record, restricted to a few specimens from handful Cenozoic Amazonian localities. Here we present new records of fossil marsupial teeth from the Solimões Formation (lower Eocene–Pliocene), on the Juruá and Envira riverbanks (Acre, Northwestern Brazil). The localities investigated yield at least four distinct didelphid didelphimorphians at PRE 06 (Ponto Rio Envira: Marmosini ?Marmosa sp., Didelphis cf. D. solimoensis, Thylamys? colombianus, plus unidentified didelphids), and two paucituberculatans from the Juruá River localities (Ponto Rio Juruá: the palaeothentid Palaeothentinae indet. at PRJ 25 and PRJ 33’, and Abderitidae indet. from PRJ 33). In agreement with the associated mammalian faunas, most of the didelphids, except for Thylamys? colombianus from PRE 06, indicate a (?early) Late Miocene age for this locality. Conversely, the abderitid specimens found in situ at PRJ 33 would match a Middle Miocene age. The palaeothentids found at PRJ 25 and PRJ 33’ localities cannot be considered for biostratigraphic inferences, since they were found outside a stratigraphic context. Nevertheless, these paucituberculatans considerably add to our knowledge, as they are the first ever recorded in Brazilian Amazonia.

The evolutionary history of the beaked whales (Ziphiidae), odontocetes nowadays adapted to deep diving, is well known thanks to a significant fossil record mainly from the deep ocean floors. A partial cranium of a ziphiid recovered from Plio-Pleistocene deep sea deposits (about 1000 m) off the port of Pisagua, northern Chile, during fishing activity is here described and referred to the new species Ihlengesi changoensis. Ihlengesi changoensis differs from the type species Ihlengesi saldanhae, from the sea floor off South Africa, by having a more elongated premaxillary sac fossa and consequently a more anteriorly located premaxillary foramen; dorsal margin of each premaxillary crest sloping markedly ventrolaterally and generating an acute dorsal profile of the vertex in anterior view; less anterolateral extension of the right nasal forming part of the premaxillary crest; lateral margins of the nasals not anteriorly diverging but weakly convex; nasofrontal suture anteriorly pointed. The phylogeny supports a sister-taxon relationship between I. changoensis and I. saldanhae, both members of the crown ziphiids Hyperoodontinae. Ihlengesi changoensis shares with I. saldanhae and other fossil ziphiids a small body size (estimated length 3.5 m) supporting the hypothesis that in the past small beaked whales (

The Owadów-Brzezinki palaeontological site is known for its very well-preserved fossils of Late Jurassic vertebrates, such as numerous fossil fish teeth and occasional dental bones. Some of these represent well-studied taxa, including the most common large predatory fish, with notable examples of caturoids (such as Strobilodus sp.) and pachycormids (Orthocormus teyleri). The current study presents the microstructure and histological features of the teeth of the selected specimens of the above taxa. They are determined through examinations of tooth cross-sections under thin microscopic observations and by the usage of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The above inspections, combined with aspects of external tooth morphology, allowed us to determine the palaeoecology of the aforementioned taxa of large predatory fish. It is concluded that examined Caturoidea displayed a rather homogenous dentition belonging to the intermediate cut/slash guild, characterized by an internal orthodentin histology with prominent incremental Andresen growth lines of differing form, indicating living in a highly variable, unstable environment. The teeth of pachycormid specimen (O. teyleri) can be characterized as having denteon-based orthodentin histology, with a rapid rate of tooth eruption and a heterodont, elongated specialist dentition of the piercing guild. The observed structural differences in the teeth suggest a different niche distribution between the taxa studied. They help to explain how these predatory ray-finned fishes may have coexisted both in the local environment of the Owadów-Brzezinki and in the wider, more global context of Late Jurassic shallow marine environments. In addition, the tooth samples are characterised by pronounced surface bioerosion with traces of Mycellites ossifragus durophagous fungal activity, indicating an intense bioerosion caused by these microorganisms after the death of the fish.

A new asterolepidoid antiarch, Sherbonaspis talimaae sp. nov., is described based on the disarticulated skeletal elements from several boreholes in Belarus, from the Lepel Beds of the Vitebsk Formation, which has been assigned to an Early Devonian, late Emsian age. New information is provided on the structure of the paranuchal plate previously unknown in Sherbonaspis. Data on the remains of the other fossil vertebrates, and the characteristics of the fossil-bearing rocks are provided. These data add information on the taxonomic composition of the late Emsian–early Eifelian fish fauna from the western part of the East European Platform. The new cladistic analysis of the Euantiarcha provides results more reliable in comparison with the analysis of all antiarchs together, and supports traditional subdivision of the group into Bothriolepidoidei and Asterolepidoidei. However, further analysis demonstrates unresolved polytomy close to the base of the Asterolepidoidei, and supports the hypothesis that the family Pterichthyodidae is polyphyletic. Until the phylogenetic relationships of Asterolepidoidei are more clearly resolved, Sherbonaspis is attributed to Pterichthyodidae. Comparison of the sections of the Lepel Beds of Belarus with the age-equivalent deposits in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia supports a late Emsian or possibly early Eifelian age for the Lepel Beds.

The vast majority of cephalopods of the order Tarphyceratida are known from regions that were located at mid- or low palaeolatitudes during the Ordovician (mainly Baltica, Laurentia, and Chinese palaeoblocks). Only a handful of tarphyceratid specimens are known from high palaeolatitude regions of peri-Gondwana and Gondwana. Here, we describe the two best-preserved trocholitid cephalopods known to date from the Ordovician of the Prague Basin. The first is from the late Darriwilian/early Sandbian Dobrotivá Formation and is assigned to Trocholites fugax, a species previously recorded from roughly coeval strata of Iberia, France, and Bohemia. The specimen thus strengthens previous hypotheses regarding the interchange of non-benthic faunas between Baltica and different regions of peri-Gondwana during the Middle/ Late Ordovician boundary interval. The second specimen, assigned to a new species of Trocholites chaloupkai sp. nov., is from the late Sandbian–early Katian Zahořany Formation and thus represents one of the stratigraphically youngest Trocholites in the Ordovician of peri-Gondwana. Internal structures of the shell of the holotype of the new species were studied using micro-CT tomography. This revealed that T. chaloupkai sp. nov. closely resembles the stratigraphically older (Darriwilian) species Trocholites depressus from Estonia.

High-spired Murchisonia-like slit-band gastropods are an important component of late Paleozoic gastropod faunas. Twenty-seven genera of such gastropods have been reported from the Permian, most of which representing the caenogastropod family Goniasmatidae. Only four genera, Trypanocochlea, Wannerispira, Laschmaspira, and Altadema crossed the Permian/Triassic boundary. Based on the study of newly collected specimens and material from natural history collections, we studied the surviving genera as well as the Triassic recovery of this group. Two new species (Laschmaspira lirata sp. nov. and Altadema hausmannae sp. nov.) and one new subfamily (Cheilotomoninae) are introduced. Murchisonia-like caenogastropods, chiefly Goniasmatidae, were diverse and abundant until the Permian, barely survived the end-Permian extinction, regained a certain generic diversity within the Triassic with the evolution of several new genera but failed by far to regain their Permian generic diversity. This once successful and diverse group shares a similar fate (surviving the end-Permian extinction, a reduced Triassic diversity and extinction during Late Triassic crises) as conodonts, orthoceratids, conulariids, and others. This diversity pattern does not qualify for the “Dead Clade Walking” phenomenon, i.e., the extinction shortly after a major mass extinction event (survival without recovery) because they have survived for ca. 30 Ma (at least until the Norian) and even produced a number of new genera. The exact time of their extinction is unknown but there are no safe Rhaetian occurrences. Their extinction is part of a long-term selective trend against the character “shell-slit”.

Abstract Although patchy, the fossil record of coleoids bears a wealth of information on their soft part anatomy. Here, we describe remains of the axial nerve cord from both decabrachian (Acanthoteuthis, Belemnotheutis, Chondroteuthis) and octobrachian (Plesioteuthis, Proteroctopus, Vampyronassa) coleoids from the Jurassic. We discuss some hypotheses reflecting on possible evolutionary drivers behind the neuroanatomical differentiation of the coleoid arm crown. We also propose some hypotheses on potential links between habitat depth, mode of life and the evolution of the Coleoidea.

Abstract In comparison to other cephalopods such as ammonites and belemnites, nautilid shells are relatively rare fossils in Jurassic marine deposits and knowledge of their taxonomy is therefore still patchy. We describe herein a new species of Cenoceras, C. rumelangense, from the early Bajocian Humphriesianum Zone of Luxembourg and Southwest Germany. In Luxembourg, the type material occurs in the ‘Marnes sableuses d’Audun-le-Tiche’ unit, which yields other large-sized cephalopods, such as the largest known belemnite genus, Megateuthis. The new species reaches a remarkable size, with diameters up to 610 mm. Thus, it is amongst the largest known post-Triassic nautilids worldwide, together with Paracenoceras giganteum and Paracenoceras ingens from the Upper Jurassic. Additionally, we discuss some aspects of the taphonomy of these large shells deposited in a shallow marine setting. ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:376E5DF8-653D-429C-8AD6-835D325D2912

Abstract Convergent evolution is a common phenomenon, independently leading to similar morphologies in different evolutionary lineages. Often similar functional demands drive convergent evolution. One example is the independent evolution of grasping structures in different lineages of Euarthropoda, though the exact morphology of these grasping structures varies significantly. In this study, we investigated grasping apparatuses with two movable counteracting structures as well as some related structures, exemplified by the stylets (compound structures of mouthparts) of aphidlion-like larvae (part of Neuroptera or lacewings) and the cerci of immature earwigs (Dermaptera). For the stylets of aphidlion-like larvae, studies have pointed to a significant loss in morphological diversity in the last 100 million years. We used quantitative morphology to evaluate if a similar process has also occurred in the cerci of earwigs. The cerci of extant immature earwigs exhibit two distinct types of morphologies in the modern fauna: elongated cerci divided into several ringlets with a feeler-type function, and pincer-like stout cerci. In some fossil immature earwigs, however, the cerci are generally elongated but undivided and roughly occupy the morphospace between those of the two modern cerci types; hence this fossil cerci morphology appears to have been lost. To some extent, a comparable loss is also found in certain lacewing larvae. Outgroup comparisons suggest that the morphologies no longer present today are in fact not ancestral, but instead specialised, hence their loss is possibly resulting from disruptive evolution in earwigs as well as lacewings. We discuss the possible functions of these specialised grasping structures.

Abstract Understanding the diversity of deep-sea fish fauna based on otoliths in the tropical and subtropical West Pacific has been limited, creating a significant knowledge gap regarding regional and temporal variations in deep-sea fish fauna. To address this gap, we collected a total of 122 bulk sediment samples from the Lower Pliocene Gutingkeng Formation in southwestern Taiwan to reconstruct the otolith-based fish fauna. Using planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy, we determined the age of the samples to be 5.6 to 3.1 Ma. A total of 8314 otoliths were assigned to 64 different taxa from 33 families, including the discovery of one new genus, Gutingichthys gen. nov., and three new species: Benthosema duanformis sp. nov., Benthosema parafibulatum sp. nov., and Gutingichthys changi sp. nov. Comparisons with other regional otolith-based assemblages highlighted the exceptional diversity of our collection, making it the most diverse fossil fish fauna reported from Taiwan to date. Otolith diversity analysis revealed very few taxa were dominant in the assemblage, particularly the mesopelagic Myctophidae, with a wide variety of minor taxa. The co-occurrence of shallow-water elements suggests episodic storm events as a potential source. The predominance of deep-sea and oceanic fishes indicated an outer-shelf to upper slope environment, resembling the modern outer-shelf and upper slope fish fauna in the region. Our findings suggest an early establishment and persistent presence of the mesopelagic fish community since the Early Pliocene. Further investigations of the Upper Miocene and Pleistocene sections of the Gutingkeng Formation would provide valuable insights into the evolution of deep-sea fish fauna in the area. ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7A336FC7-0D9A-4D17-B212-0B51427945DD.

Abstract Santiago Roth was a Swiss fossil finder, naturalist, and paleontologist that emigrated to Argentina in 1866. His work largely influenced the discipline in the country at the end of the twentieth century, particularly the stratigraphy of the Pampean region. Some of his collections of Pampean fossils were sold to museums and private collectors in Europe and were accompanied by elaborated catalogues. Fossils in the Roth’s catalogues N° 2 and 3 are housed today in the Natural History Museum of Denmark, fossils from catalogues N° 4 to 6, were sold to Swiss museums, with Catalogue N° 5 currently housed at the Department of Paleontology, Universität Zürich. Here, we provide a general framework on the stratigraphy from the Roth’s Pampean fossil sites, summarize the history of the Pampean fossils in Europe originally collected by Roth, and provide historical and curatorial details of the Roth’s collection at the Department of Paleontology, Universität Zürich.

Abstract Concretions are an interesting mode of preservation that can occasionally yield fossils with soft tissues. To properly interpret these fossils, an understanding of their fossilization is required. Probabilistic models are useful tools to identify variations between different Konservat-Lagerstätten that are separated spatially and temporally. However, the application of probabilistic modeling has been limited to Early Paleozoic Konservat-Lagerstätten preserved in shales. In this paper, the patterns of preservation of three concretionary Konservat-Lagerstätten—the Carboniferous Mazon Creek (USA) and Montceau-les-Mines (France), and the Silurian Herefordshire Lagerstätte (UK)—are analyzed using a statistical approach. It is demonstrated that the degree of biotic involvement, i.e., the degree to which a carcass dictates its own preservation, is connected to internal organ conditional probabilities—the probabilities of finding an internal organ associated with another structure such as biomineralized, sclerotized, cuticularized, or cellular body walls. In concretions that are externally forced with little biological mediation (e.g., Herefordshire), all internal organ conditional probabilities are uniform. As biological mediation in concretion formation becomes more pronounced, heterogeneities in conditional probabilities are introduced (e.g., Montceau-les-Mines and Mazon Creek). The three concretionary sites were also compared with previously investigated Konservat-Lagerstätten preserving fossils in shales to demonstrate how the developed probability framework aids in understanding the broad-scale functioning of preservation in Konservat-Lagerstätten.

Abstract Coelacanths form today an impoverished clade of sarcopterygian fishes, which were somewhat more diverse during their evolutionary history, especially in the Triassic. Since the first description of the coelacanth Ticinepomis peyeri from the Besano Formation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Monte San Giorgio (Canton Ticino, Switzerland), the diversity of coelacanths in the Middle Triassic of this area of the western Paleo-Tethys has been enriched with discoveries of other fossil materials. At Monte San Giorgio, two specimens of Heptanema paradoxum and several specimens of the unusual coelacanth Rieppelia heinzfurreri, have been reported from the Meride Limestone and the Besano Formation, respectively. Another unusual coelacanth, Foreyia maxkuhni, and two specimens referred to Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri have been described from the isochronous and paleogeographical close Prosanto Formation at the Ducanfurgga and Strel sites (near Davos, Canton Graubünden). In the framework of the revision of the coelacanth material from the Besano Formation kept in the collection of the Paläontologisches Institut und Museum der Universität Zürich (Switzerland), we reviewed the genus Ticinepomis on the basis of the holotype and four new referred specimens. Several morphological traits that were little and/or not understood in T. peyeri are here clarified. We re-evaluate the taxonomic attribution of the material of Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri from the Prosanto Formation. Morphological characters are different enough from the type species, T. peyeri, to erect a new species, Ticinepomis ducanensis sp. nov., which is shown to be also present in the Besano Formation of Monte San Giorgio, where it is represented by fragmentary bone elements. The recognition of a new coelacanth species indicates that the diversity of this slow-evolving lineage was particularly high in this part of the Western Tethys during the Middle Triassic, especially between 242 and 240 million years ago.

Abstract Roth’s explorations, the resulting collections many now allocated in La Plata, Zurich, Geneva and Copenhagen, and his significant contributions in geological—especially stratigraphic—and paleontological topics, are a paradigmatic case for the global history of paleontology and for the Swiss migration history in Latin America. His work included the discovery of a diverse megafauna from the Pampean region, of sites and strata in Patagonia of paleontological significance, and the recognition of a group of endemic ungulate mammals, Notoungulata. Roth’s discovery of a human skeleton associated with a glyptodont carapace is one of the first reports of the coexistence of humans with the extinct fauna of the South American Quaternary. Roth became a renowned scholar at the Museo de La Plata, which was a leading scientific institution in the nation-making of Argentina, particularly in the expansion of the Patagonian frontier. He also kept strong ties with his native Switzerland, where late in his adult life he obtained some formal training and tried to attract other Swiss nationals to work in natural sciences in Argentina. His biography sheds light about the circumstances of his scientific collection and career in the interstices between amateur and professional science, modernity and imperialism at the turn of the twentieth century.