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Two specimens of Campinasuchus dinizi (CPPLIP 1319 and CPPLIP 1360) belonging to Baurusuchidae (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group of Minas Gerais state (Brazil) were scanned in a Toshiba Aquilion 64 CT machine. Based on these data, it was possible to identify and reconstruct the paranasal sinuses, the nasal cavity proper, the nasopharyngeal duct, the encephalon, the paratympanic sinuses, and the semicircular canals of the inner ear. The paranasal sinuses present similar morphology to those of other mesoeucrocodylians, especially eusuchians. The nasal cavity proper occupies the entire rostral region, with an expansion in the olfactory region. The expansion in the nasal cavity is present in other notosuchians and theropod dinosaurs (e.g., Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905), but less developed in aquatic crocodilians, which may indicate an olfactory acuity related to terrestrial habits. The encephalon is similar in shape to that of other mesoeucrocodylians. The rostral semicircular canal is smaller than the caudal one, differing from most mesoeucrocodylians. The paratympanic sinuses are more developed in C. dinizi than in eusuchians, being more similar to Tyrannosaurus rex. Campinasuchus dinizi presents few variations in the internal structures of the skull in relation to taxa with different ecological niches, probably indicating that ecological factors do not strongly influence the morphology of these structures.

Notosuchians are the most diverse group and are frequently found in rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group of southeastern Brazil. These crocodyliforms occupied several different terrestrial ecological niches, ranging from small to large bodied forms, including hypercarnivore to strictly herbivore animals. Most of this diversity comes from the Adamantina and Serra da Galga formations, where baurusuchids, peirosaurids and the so called “advanced notosuchians” are common occurrences. In this context, the Serra da Galga Formation (formerly Serra da Galga Member of the Marilia Formation), that crops out at the Uberaba region, stands out as one of the most prolific Upper Cretaceous units in Brazil. The Uberaba Formation is another unit present in this area, underlying the Serra da Galga Formation, but to date, its crocodyliform diversity is virtually unknown. Here we describe the first notosuchians remains from the Uberaba Formation, and the first new taxon from this unit, Eptalofosuchus viridi gen. et sp. nov., based on a partial dentary with some teeth of an “advanced notosuchian”. The other remains include isolated teeth of a large baurusuchid and a possible longirostrine peirosaurid, suggesting that the Uberaba Formation shared a similar notosuchian fauna with that present in the Adamantina and Sao Jose do Rio Preto formations.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-29T08:34:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Here we present, for the first time, the use of finite element analysis to evaluate bites of two possible predators, a baurusuchid crocodyliform and an abelisaurid theropod into titanosaur osteoderms, in order to test if these structures could act as defensive tools. Our results showed that bites caused much less stress on osteoderms that did not went through internal resorption and were composed mainly by solid bone. Our data strengths the hypothesis that titanosaur osteoderms could have provided more functions than just mineral storage. Laboratório de Paleontologia de Ribeirão Preto Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900 Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas “Llwelyn Ivor Price” Universidade Federal Do Triângulo Mineiro, Estanislau Collenghi 194, Peirópolis Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Monção, 226 Instituto de Ciências Exatas Naturais e Educação Universidade Federal Do Triângulo Mineiro Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Doutor Randolfo Borges Júnior CONICET-Sección Paleontología de Vertebrados Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470 Departamento de Biologia e Zootecnia Faculdade de Engenharia de Ilha Solteira Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Monção, 226 FAPESP: 2018/21094-7 FAPESP: 2020/07997-4

Formal education is an important element of geoconservation actions since it can be a valuable tool to produce meaningful learning. The aim of this study is to present the development of a school project called “The Guardians of Dinosaurs”, which was addressed as a geoconservation instrument of paleontological heritage in the city of Uberaba (Minas Gerais, Brazil). For that study, sixth-grade students in elementary school participated in many different interdisciplinary activities. These actions were associated to the curricular components of geography, science and Portuguese language contents, each of these areas, exploring their specificities and in an articulated way with the others, departing from local reality context to promote problem-based learning. Skills and competences developed by means of the practices used in this project contributed to strengthen the feeling of belonging to a local community, as well as to develop skill and competence appreciation, which are decisive to the UNESCO recognition of the project Geopark Uberaba: Terra de Gigantes.

We describe a globally rare example of a tetrapod burrow from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group (Bauru Basin) from Peirópolis, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The sedimentary succession containing the burrow includes a rich vertebrate assemblage comprising fish, podocnemid turtles, mesoeucrocodylians, saurischian dinosaurs, among others. The burrow is composed of an oblique tunnel (~30°), oval in cross-section, with a horizontal and sub-oval terminal chamber; it is 1.3 m long from the midpoint of its inferred entrance to the midpoint of the bottom of the chamber. It occurs in the upper portion of a sandstone succession, interpreted as a braided channel deposit, and the burrow-fill comprises medium-grained sandstone with mudstone intraclasts derived from fluvial floodplain facies. it is overlain by other fluvial channel deposits. Analyses suggest that the burrow was dug after the filling of the braided channel and during the pedogenesis of its exposed upper surface. Based on burrow morphology and size, the most plausible producer of this burrow is a notosuchian mesoeucrocodylian, such as small to mid-sized notosuchians (e.g., sphagesaurids). The Bauru Group has an extensive fossil record of notosuchians with disparate morphologies, and it is noteworthy that the small-sized notosuchian Labidiosuchus amicum comes from the same unit as the burrow. Moreover, arid to semi-arid conditions have been inferred for fossil-bearing rocks of this unit, and as such the data here presented add to our palaeoecological knowledge of Cretaceous mesoeucrocodylians in Gondwana. Moreover, it constitutes a new Cretaceous record of a tetrapod burrow during a period when such ichnofossils are globally rare. Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Basilici, Giorgio. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentina Fil: Fiorelli, Lucas Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentina Fil: Klock, Carolina. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil Fil: Karfunkel, Joachim. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil Fil: Diniz, Ariela Costa. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil Fil: Soares, Marcus V. T.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Marconato, André. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil Fil: da Silva, João Ismael. Fundação Cultural de Uberaba; Brasil. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Ribeiro, Luiz Carlos B.. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Marinho, Thiago S.. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil

We document an osteomyelitis in a posterior caudal vertebra of a Aeolosaurini titanosaur dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Sao Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. Gross examination of the caudal vertebra revealed the presence of new bone formation with a woven bone surface texture, a characteristic feature of non-specific infection. This lesion was likely associated with inflammation of the M. caudofemoralis longus and it may have compromised the mobility of the animal. Although infections have been described in several extinct taxa, this is only the third case diagnosed in a sauropod dinosaur and the first in Brazil.

The Bauru Basin of SE Brazil is a large (ca. 370,000 km2) Upper Cretaceous intracratonic feature, important for its fossil remains and of particular value as a source of regional palaeoclimatic information. Historically, lithostratigraphic reconstructions have been performed mainly for successions of the central and southern parts of the basin, resulting in a lithostratigraphic scheme that is not applicable to the northernmost regions. In particular, the northeastern deposits of the Marília Formation (Serra da Galga and Ponte Alta members) reveal lithological, stratigraphic, and palaeontological differences from southeastern and northwestern counterparts (Echaporã Member). Nevertheless, these deposits are considered as a single lithostratigraphic formation in the literature. To address this problem, this study demonstrates how the northeastern deposits of the Marília Formation do not show affinity to the rest of the unit. A more suitable lithostratigraphic model is proposed for the northeastern succession as a distinct and independent unit. Lithofacies and palaeopedological analysis, combined with lithostratigraphic mapping of the northeastern deposits, reveal 11 distinct lithofacies and three pedotypes over an area of ~450 km2. Sedimentary facies and pedotypes were assigned to six interbedded architectural elements: (a) type 1 channel fill, (b) type 2 channel fill, (c) type 3 channel fill, (d) interchannels, (e) palaeosols, and (f) calcrete beds. The succession is interpreted as a distributive fluvial system with overall direction of flow to the NNW, and which developed under the influence of a semiarid climate regime. This contrasts with deposits of the southeastern and northwestern Marília Formation, previously suggested to be of fine-grained aeolian affinity with interbedded poorly channelised deposits assigned to an aeolian sand sheet environment. By revising the existing lithostratigraphic scheme for the northeastern deposits, and contrasting them with laterally equivalent strata, this work demonstrates how the previously named Serra da Galga and Ponte Alta members reveal a unique set of lithological, architectural, and genetic signatures that permits to separate them from the Marília Formation. Finally, a new lithostratigraphic classification for the unit is proposed: the Serra da Galga Formation, whose deposition relates to an ancient distributive fluvial system. Fil: Soares, Marcus Vinícius Theodoro. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Basilici, Giorgio. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentina Fil: da Silva Marinho, Thiago. Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Marconato, André. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil Fil: Mountney, Nigel Philip. University Of Leeds.; Reino Unido Fil: Colombera, Luca. University Of Leeds.; Reino Unido Fil: Mesquita, Áquila Ferreira. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Vasques, Julia Tucker. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Junior, Francisco Romero Abrantes. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Ribeiro, Luiz Carlos Borges. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil

Notosuchia is a highly diverse group of crocodyliforms that peaked during the Cretaceous period. Their taxonomic abundance and morphological disparity in the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group (Bauru Basin, Brazil) is remarkable, with over 20 species reported. The stable carbon and oxygen isotope composition of notosuchian bioapatite from two sites (i.e., the Ponto 1 do Price and Fazenda Tres Antas) in west Minas Gerais State was analyzed to evaluate differences in feeding habits among the taxa found in both localities. Possible environmental stressors are examined, in parallel to sedimentological, paleopedological, and paleontological studies, which indicate a semi-arid to arid climate for the Bauru Group. Multiple tissues of notosuchian crocodyliforms were included in our study, as well as a testudines carapace fragment, lepisosteiform fish teeth and scales, and host rocks. The mineral textures, X-ray diffraction and stable isotope data support preservation of tooth enamel and scale ganoin bioapatite. The δ13C results point to different feeding habits between two terrestrial, carnivore notosuchians, namely a terrestrial source diet for Uberabasuchus terrificus and an aquatic source diet for Campinasuchus dinizi. The δ18Ow for the crocodyliform data was calculated and compared to other Upper Cretaceous sites. Values support dry conditions during the formation of the bioapatite for the Fazenda Tres Antas site and point to the Hateg Basin in Romania, yet likely younger, as a good paleoclimatic analogue.

Studies of distributive fluvial systems and their preserved successions envisage the distribution and orientation of architectural elements to be primarily controlled by channels radiating outward from fan apices, in many cases along an elongate basin margin. Conceptual models for such systems account for the downstream dynamics of the fluvial network, but with limited consideration of temporal geomorphic variations, resulting vertical organisation of architectural elements, or of the interplay of factors controlling system dynamics. To understand the external and internal architecture of distributive fluvial systems, and the factors that influence their sequential facies organisation, a sedimentary succession of the proximal portion of an Upper Cretaceous, semiarid, distributive fluvial system, located at the north-eastern margin of the Bauru Basin (Southeast Brazil), has been analysed in detail. Three fining- and thinning-upward fluvial sequences are identified, forming an interval separated at the top and the bottom by two palaeosol profiles. Each sequence is formed of channel and floodplain deposits. Two types of channel deposits are identified. One is composed of stacked sets of small-scale dune deposits, suggesting perennial and steady fluvial regime, associated with more humid climate periods. The other is composed of large-scale sets indicative of flattened dunes associated with unsteady and fast-changing fluvial flow, formed in quasi-supercritical flow regime conditions, associated with drier climate periods. The vertical alternation of these two types of channel deposits records the accumulation of a fluvial succession that responded to high-frequency, climate-induced cyclic change in boundary conditions. Two palaeosol profiles, at the top and at the bottom of the succession, indicate temporary interruptions and cessation of the fluvial sedimentation, likely related to avulsion of the fluvial belt. Thus, the studied succession reveals high-frequency climate-induced allogenic sedimentary cycles that occur within a long-period autogenic geomorphologic-induced sedimentary cycle. This work suggests that the internal architecture of the channel deposits can be used as a climate proxy, and that climate and geomorphology act jointly as notable factors to control the vertical organisation of distributive fluvial systems.

A new record of noasaurid theropod (Dinosauria, Abelisauria) is here described and compared, including the description of its microstructure. It consists of an almost complete femur of small size (132 mm of preserved length) discovered in 2014 in a new locality at Campina Verde Municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The new locality is named Fazenda Seis Irmãos-Grotas and has also provided thousands of ostracods, few fish remains, and a partial skeleton of an indeterminate baurusuchid mesoeucrocodylian. The bearing-fossil sedimentary sequence is referred to the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Bauru Basin). The femur here presented represents the second putative occurrence of an unusual small-sized noasaurid abelisaur for the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group. Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Marinho, Thiago S.. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Brissón Egli, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentina Fil: Hechenleitner, Esteban Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentina Fil: Iori, Fabiano V.. Museu de Paleontologia Pedro Candolo; Brasil Fil: Veiga, Fábio H.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Basilici, Giorgio. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentina Fil: Soares, Marcus V. T.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Marconato, André. Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto; Brasil Fil: Ribeiro, Luiz C.B.. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil

Although the type material of Morrinhosuchus luziae (Crocodyliformes, Notosuchia) permitted the diagnosis of a new genus and species, its fragmentary nature prevented a detailed analysis of its cranial anatomy. In this study, we analyzed two new specimens of Morrinhosuchus luziae recovered from the Adamantina Formation (Upper Cretaceous) from Cândido Rodrigues and Monte Alto cities (state of Sao Paulo, Brazil), in the southeastern portion of the Bauru Basin. One specimen, MPMA 12-0050/07, consists of nearly complete skull and mandible which reveals new data and characters of its cranial morphology. Another, less complete specimen, MPMA 04-0019/15, consists of a rostrum with a partially preserved dentition that include a cingulate tooth crown. The analysis of Morrinhosuchus luziae's anatomy reinforces its phylogenetic position among the advanced notosuchian, allowing the inference of paleoautoecological proposals, and expanding the taxonomic knowledge of the elusive South American notosuchian.

The Late Cretaceous Marilia Formation (Bauru Group, Bauru Basin) is a geological unit that occurs on Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul states, Brazil. This formation consists predominantly of paleosols developed in a semiarid/arid environment and recent reappraisal of its formerly known members reduced its lithological composition and geographical distribution. Hence, the Marilia Formation has a very sparse vertebrate fossil record without named species so far. In this contribution we describe a new abelisaurid theropod (Dinosauria) from this unit, namely Kurupi itaata gen. et sp. nov., discovery in the Municipality of Monte Alto, western Sao Paulo State. The holotype MPMA 27-0001/02 consists of three caudal vertebrae and the partial pelvic girdle. Kurupi itaata gen. et sp. nov. shares with other South American abelisaurids fused ischia and caudal vertebrae with long and laterodorsally oriented transverse processes, with fan-shaped distal ends. Autapomorphies of the new theropod include the variation of ∼15° of the inclination of the transverse process between the first (C1) and seventh (C7) caudal vertebra; C1 with anterolaterally projected triangular process placed below the proximodistal mid-portion of the transverse process, and a notch at the anterodistal portion of the transverse process, between a shelf-like process and the anterodistal corner of the transverse process; and anterior caudal vertebrae (present in C1 and C7, inferred in the others) with a cuneiform process, anterodorsally projected, located on the dorsal surface of the transverse process. Phylogenetic analysis recovered Kurupi itaata gen. et sp. nov. among abelisaurid theropods, but was nested in an unresolved massive polytomy of the entire clade. Taphonomic traits on the studied specimens corroborate previous proposals for the paleoenvironmental context of the Marilia Formation. Kurupi itaata gen. et sp. nov. was about 5 m long, with a rigid tail, and cursorial locomotion as indicated by its a muscles attachment and bones anatomy. This new taxon contributes to the knowledge of the Maastrichtian continental fauna of Brazil and increases the diversity of medium-sized abelisaurids in western Gondwana.

We describe a juvenile specimen of a titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur consisting of two dorsal and three caudal vertebral centra, an ilium fragment, and an ischium unearthed in 1991 from Site Km 153.5 at BR-050 highway in the Serra da Galga region, municipality of Uberaba, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The outcrop at the site is assigned to the Serra da Galga Member of the Marilia Formation (Bauru Basin: Bauru Group; Upper Cretaceous: Maastrichtian). Although the material is very incomplete, features such as strongly procoelous caudal centra suggest an affinity with the titanosaurian clade Lithostrotia. The extensive vertebral pneumaticity with deep pleurocoels and well-developed camerae supports the hypothesis that, in titanosaurs, the air sac system was already present and fully developed even at early ontogenetic stages.

The Baurusuchidae is one of the most representative families of Crocodyliformes from the Upper Cretaceous of Brazil. Amongst the ten recognized species of the family in the world, eight are recovered from Bauru Basin outcrops. Despite its relative diversity and abundance, information on postcranial elements of species of the family is scarce in the literature. Campinasuchus dinizi is a baurusuchid found in the neocretaceous redstones of the Adamantina Formation of Bauru Basin (SE Brazil). The postcranial skeleton of the species is described based on five specimens, with the following bone elements identified: proatlas, intercentrum of the atlas; pedicles of the atlas; odontoid process; axis; three postaxial cervical vertebrae; nine dorsal vertebrae; eight caudal vertebrae; seven ribs and gastralia fragments; eleven chevrons; twelve osteoderms; pectoral and pelvic girdle; humerus; radius; ulna; manus ; femur; tibia; fibula; and pes . Campinasuchus dinizi has the smallest and most delicate postcranial skeleton when compared with examined Baurusuchidae, with an inferred body mass of approximately 28 kg. Some elements of the postcranial skeleton of C. dinizi are also comparatively more robust ( e.g. neural spines higher and more developed; vertebral body thicker; pelvic girdle more proeminent; limbs more elongated) than in some notosuchians, such as Mariliasuchus amarali and Notosuchus terrestris , and extant crocodyliforms such as Caiman latirostris and Melanosuchus niger . The mostly straight limbs of C. dinizi indicate a terrestrial habit, and suggests a semi-upright to upright posture during locomotion. The first descriptions of postcranial bones of a young specimen of C. dinizi and osteoderms of Pissarrachampsinae as well as comments about the distinct anatomy of some of those elements are also presented.

Uberabatitan ribeiroi is a Late Cretaceous titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from southeastern Brazil. Here we provide a detailed revision of all its available specimens, including new elements from the type-locality. One new autopomorphy is added to diagnosis of the taxon: astragalus with a well-developed anteroposterior crest that mediodistally delimits the tibial articulation. Linear regressions were conducted in an attempt to circumscribe specimens within the type-series, revealing that it is composed of several individuals, with inferred total body lengths varying from 7 to 26 meters. Phylogenetic analyses including U. ribeiroi show that the Brazilian taxon corresponds to a non-saltasaurid lithostrotian titanosaur.

The stratigraphic record of distributive fluvial systems is commonly characterised by frequent and complex interstratification of palaeosols among channel and overbank deposits. However, current models focus primarily on sedimentation and pay only limited attention to palaeopedogenesis, thereby failing to incorporate important palaeoenvironmental and stratigraphic information. This study proposes a pedosedimentary model for distributive fluvial systems that depicts and accounts for two palaeopedogenetic trends: one downdip, in relation to distality from the fan apex, and one along-strike, in relation to distance from active channel belts. Palaeosols are reported in detail from an Upper Cretaceous succession of the Bauru Basin, southeastern Brazil, through the application of macro-, micromorphological and geochemical studies, combined with facies and architectural-element analyses of sediments. In the downdip palaeopedogenetic trend, the proximal zone of the depositional system is characterised by a dominance of well-drained Inceptisols that develop on amalgamated channel fills; in the medial zone, Inceptisols occur interlayered with overbank deposits containing Entisols and poorly drained Vertisols. The distal zone preserves more mature and poorly drained Inceptisols developed on deposits of overbank and sporadic distal channel fills. These pedotypes show an increase in maturity and hydromorphism, moving away from the apex to the fan toe. This is likely linked to (i) the progressive approach of the topographic surface to the water table, and (ii) the average increase in distance to an active channel belt in distal locations. The along-strike palaeopedogenetic trend culminates in poorly developed palaeosols in floodplain regions that correspond to topographic depressions located between channel belts and which were subject to recurrent floods. Because palaeopedogenesis in the floodplain region is penecontemporaneous to sedimentation, pedotypes show an increase in maturity, bioinduced calcification and hydromorphism with distance from the active channels; they pass laterally from Entisols and Inceptisols near active channels, to Vertisols away from active channels. Conversely, following avulsion, abandoned channel belts remain as topographically elevated alluvial ridges located at some distance from the newly active channels and positioned above the water table and this leads to the development of better drained and better developed Inceptisols relative to pedotypes of the floodplain region. Overall, both palaeopedogenetic trends demonstrate the overriding controls of topography, sedimentation rate and parent material on pedogenesis, with only minor climatic influence. This work offers a novel pedosedimentary model for distributive fluvial systems and highlights the palaeoenvironmental significance of palaeosol trends, providing new constraints for the recognition of distributive fluvial systems in the rock record.

Caipirasuchus is a sphagesaurid crocodyliform genus known from Upper Cretaceous rocks (Turonian–Santonian) of the Bauru Basin, Brazil. Although their earlier descriptions were restricted to skull and mandible morphology, three species have been identified. In the present study, the skeletons of three specimens were analyzed from the collection of Prof. Antonio Celso de Arruda Campos Paleontology Museum: Caipirasuchus montealtensis (MPMA 68-0003/12), Caipirasuchus paulistanus (MPMA 67-0001/00) and Caipirasuchus sp. (MPMA 07-0011/00). These specimens are three individuals of a very similar size and have the same postcranial morphology. Analysis of the Caipirasuchus skeletons indicate the species were approximately 1.10 m in length and had slender-long bodies and hind limbs twice as long as the forelimbs. Regarding the general postcranial morphology of Caipirasuchus results indicate that these were agile animals and used speed as a defense mechanism against predators.

Pseudo–coprolites are inorganic structures often confused with fossil faeces. The absence of some diagnostic features, such as inclusions, coprofabrics, grain adhesion, and defined shape, suffices to disregard these structures as coprolites. Herein we revise the so–called “coprolites” from the Serra da Galga Member of the Marilia Formation (Maastrichtian of Bauru Group, Parana Basin), at “Ponto 1 do Price” locality near the town of Peiropolis (Uberaba municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil) and conclude that they are, in fact, pseudo–coprolites related to calcretes. These data also agree with the geological setting of “Ponto 1 do Price”, composed mainly of coarse sandstones and conglomerates, in which these pseudo–coprolites were found. In addition, some of these specimens exhibit superficial traces, here described as a new boring ichnospecies, Asthenopodichnium fallax isp. nov., produced by invertebrates in Late Cretaceous fresh–water settings of Brazil.

The theropod record from the Cretaceous of northeastern Brazil is rare and consists mostly of isolated and incomplete remains, with only four species described. Here we describe, identify and evaluate the diversity of theropod materials from the Albian–Cenomanian Acu Formation, Potiguar Basin. The material consists of seven isolated theropod vertebrae and a tooth. We identify the material as belonging to four theropod groups: Spinosauroidea, Carcharodontosauria, Megaraptora, and Maniraptora. One of the significant results is the occurrence of Megaraptora in the Potiguar Basin; based on the general morphology, some of the bones we describe are very similar to those of Aerosteon and Megaraptor. Another unexpected result is the identification and presence of a maniraptoran caudal vertebrae; these dinosaurs are very rare in Brazil, with few fossils previously described. Furthermore, we identify other groups that have already been found in coeval basins of the Northeast region of Brazil and Africa, including Carcharodontosauria and Spinosauroidea. The presence of these theropod groups in the Acu Formation reveals a dinosaur richness in the Potiguar Basin similar to coeval basins in Northern Africa and increases the known diversity of dinosaurs that once thrived in northern South America.

There is a necessity to systematically sample taxa to enlighten our knowledge on the presence of histological correlates of avian-like air sacs among dinosaurs. This work expands the studies on the occurrence of pneumosteum in sauropods to the Brazilian lithostrotian titanosaur Uberabatitan ribeiroi. This confirms previous hypotheses on the insertion of an air sacs system on titanosaurian vertebrae based on external observation and CT-scans. We also highlight that diagenesis can obliterate traces of pneumosteal bone. Caution is required to have a good understanding of the diagenetic history of the studied specimens. This could avoid false negatives, especially when sampling pneumatic histological traces in stem taxa. Additionally, we describe a new workflow for manipulating CT-scan data using open-source software. The goal is to make this technology more accessible to research groups with limited funding and potentialize the achievement of more paleontological data.

Bone bioerosions provide an important taphonomic record on fossils from continental deposits dating back to the late Paleozoic. The morphological diversity of bone bioerosions is especially high in vertebrate remains from the Late Cretaceous. Here we describe four morphotypes of bioeroson preserved on titanosaur dinosaur bones collected from the Maastrichtian Marília Formation of Brazil. These traces differ from previously described ichnotaxa, and include branching furrows and surface removal resembling insect bioerosions, channels with semicircular cross-sections consistent with either root etchings or insects, and bite traces left by vertebrates. Taphonomic sequencing shows that time-averaging was an important aspect in the genesis of the Marília Formation taphocoenosis and demonstrates that traces left on bones are significant tools for reconstructing Late Cretaceous ecosystems. Fil: Paes Neto, Voltaire Dutra. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Francischini, Heitor. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Marinho, Thiago Da Silva. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Ribeiro, Luiz Carlos Borges. Universidade Federal Do Triangulo Mineiro; Brasil Fil: Soares, Marina Bento. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Schultz, Cesar Leandro. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil

Isolated left prefrontal, left squamosal and atlas of titanosaur dinosaurs are described and compared. They come from the Late Cretaceous Serra da Galga Member of the Marilia Formation at the Serra do Veadinho region, Peiropolis (Uberaba County, Minas Gerais State, Brazil). Due to the sparse cranial elements of titanosaurs already known from Brazil, these specimens are noticeable to be presented. In addition, the atlas vertebra is described for the first time for Brazilian titanosaurs. The morphology of the cranial bones closely resembles lithostratian titanosaurs, such as Rapetosaurus, rather than basal titanosaurs. The atlas is similar to that of other titanosaurs, suggesting that the anatomy of this element seems to be more conservative than other vertebral elements, in which vertebral laminae play an important rule in titanosaur taxonomy.

The South American sauropod dinosaurs fossil record is one of the world's most relevant for their abundance (51 taxa) and biogeographical implications. Their historical biogeography was influenced by the continental fragmentation of Gondwana. The scenery of biogeographic and stratigraphic distributions can provide new insight into the causes of the evolution of the sauropods in South America. One of the most important events of the sauropods evolution is the progressive replacement of Diplodocimorpha by the Titanosauriformes during the early Late Cretaceous. The fluctuation of the sea levels is frequently related to the diversity of sauropods, but it is necessary to take into account the geological context in each continent. During the Maastrichthian, a global sea level drop has been described; in contrast, in South America there was a significant rise in sea level (named 'Atlantic transgression') which is confirmed by sedimentary sequences and the fossil record of marine vertebrates. This process occurred during the Maastrichtian, when the hadrosaurs arrived from North America. The titanosaurs were amazingly diverse during the Late Cretaceous, both in size and morphology, but they declined prior to their final extinction in the Cretaceous/Paleocene boundary (65.5Yrs). Fil: de Jesus Faria, Caio Cesar. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil Fil: Gonzalez Riga, Bernardo Javier. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: dos Anjos Candeiro, Carlos Roberto. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil Fil: da Silva Marinho, Thiago. Universidade Federal do Triangulo Mineiro. Instituto de Ciencias Exatas, Naturais e Educaçao; Brasil. Centro de Pesquisas Paleontologicas; Brasil Fil: Ortiz David, Leonardo Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina Fil: Medeiros Simbras, Felipe. Petroleo Brasileiro S. A.; Brasil Fil: Barboza Castanho, Roberto. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil Fil: Pereira Muniz, Fellipe. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil Fil: Gomes da Costa Pereira, Paulo Victor Luiz. Universidade Federal de Uberlandia; Brasil

Calcretes são acumulações secundárias de carbonato de cálcio continentais formadas próximo à superfície como resultado de processos pedogenéticos e diagenéticos, produzindo grande variedade de morfologias e texturas. Na Formação Marília (Cretáceo Superior da Bacia Bauru) na região de Uberaba (MG), os calcretes têm sido estudados por seu significado paleoclimático e paleoambiental. Contudo, sua origem e relações entre processos de sedimentação, pedogênese e eodiagênese carecem de estudos detalhados. Em campo, foram distintas quatro morfologias de calcretes no Membro Ponte Alta (nodular, brechoso, venular e maciço) e três no Membro Serra da Galga (nodular, laminar e hardpan). Os calcretes do Membro Ponte Alta são formados por processos palustres e/ou diagenéticos freáticos, marcados pela presença de micrita com feições de exposição subaérea, ostracodes, biválvios e carófitas, e por intensa cimentação espática e neomorfismo. No Membro Serra da Galga, calcretes nodulares e laminares são caracterizados por associação de microfeições pedogênicas e biogênicas, tais como tramas cristalíticas, rizotúbulos, Microcodium e esferulitos, embora cimentação por calcita espática diagenética ocorra pontualmente. Os calcretes tipo hardpan ocorrem no topo de perfis de paleossolos e possuem origem poligenética, com sobreposição de feições palustres e diagenéticas. Na Formação Marília, a formação de calcretes está relacionada à emergência ou ao rebaixamento de águas subterrâneas sobressaturadas em carbonato de cálcio em sedimentos ou perfis de solo. A predominância de feições diagenéticas freáticas e palustres no Membro Ponte Alta sugere condições climáticas semiáridas com períodos de maior pluviosidade e/ou aumento das taxas de subsidência durante sua deposição.

Upper Cretaceous vertebrate accumulations from the Adamantina Formation are known due to their high taxonomic diversity. On the other hand, taphonomic analyses still are rare, limiting the understanding of processes related to the biostratinomic and fossildiagenetic histories of this lithostratigraphic unit. In 2005, fossils were collected from an outcrop located at Jales municipality, state of Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil. From this outcrop, a well-preserved Baurusuchus was recovered, which displays a peculiar set of taphonomic signatures. This paper identifies and interprets taphonomic features of a specimen of Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes, Baurusuchidae; UFRJ DG 418-R) from the Adamantina Formation (Upper Cretaceous of the Bauru Basin), in Jales municipality, state of Sao Paulo. Brief taphonomic comparisons with other specimens previously studied (crocodiles and dinosaurs) and a lithofaciological analysis of the outcrop were undertaken in order to enhance the knowledge of the stratigraphy and paleoenvironment and improve the time resolution for the Adamantina Formation in the region of Jales. Furthermore, paleoecological data were interpreted based on the taphonomic analysis. The fossil is composed of an articulated segment of vertebral column, ribs, part of the pelvic girdle and gastralia. There is no hydraulic equivalence between both the specimen of Baurusuchus and the size of quartz grain predominant in the fossiliferous layer, suggesting death in situ or short transport as a “water carcass”. Teeth marks identified on the pubes were assigned to a small/juvenile baurusuchid crocodyliform or a theropod dinosaur. The repositioning of some elements (ribs and dorsal osteoderms) is suggestive of mummification. Desiccation marks were observed and attributed to the stage 1 of weathering. These features suggest subaerial exposure of the carcass prior to burial, however, probably after the mummification. On the other hand, the subaerial exposure was short, because the individual was not fully disarticulated. Furthermore, the degrees of articulation and preservation of the specimen nullify the hypothesis of reworking. Lithofaciological and taphonomic analyses suggest a well-drained floodplain as the burial environment and an arid or semi-arid climate in the region of Jales outcrop. In addition, the taphonomic signatures seem to indicate a time resolution about 10 0 –10 4 years for the layer where the crocodyliforms were collected, but it seems to have, within this time limit, temporal-mixing among terrestrial crocodiles and dinosaurs collected from the same layer, suggesting time-averaging in this outcrop.

Tooth marks on sandstone in an area of the Cerrado Biome are reported, indicating geophagy. The tooth marks were found on reddish sandstones cropping out in a pasture environment with typical components of the Cerrado Biome, in the Municipality of Campina Verde, Triângulo Mineiro region (west Minas Gerais State, Brazil). Studies have shown that the soil of the Cerrado is acid, with a low concentration of nutrients and minerals (also present in the plants living on this environment), which usually produce an alimentary deficiency in herbivorous animals. Therefore, these tooth marks indicate geophagy, in order to extract extra minerals from these sandstone levels, which have a high concentration of calcium carbonate and iron. The tooth marks consist of two parallel concave grooves and a medial prominent crest which results from the action of the incisors of mammals. Although the identification of the gnawing species for these sets of tooth marks are estimates at best, after wide comparisons we tentatively s...

Baurusuchids are among the most common and diverse crocodyliform fossils from the Late Cretaceous Bauru Basin of Brazil. This inland continental basin was the habitat of a rich crocodyliform fauna containing five mesoeucrocodylian families, of which the Baurusuchidae represents highly specialized predatory crocodyliforms of terrestrial habits as indicated by their dental, cranial, and postcranial features. The large size they achieved, together with likely predatory adaptations, would suggest they competed and occupied theropod ecological niches in the Bauru Basin. Here we describe Gondwanasuchus scabrosus gen. et sp. nov., a medium-sized baurusuchid with a strongly laterally compressed skull, bearing unique dentition with deep apicobasal sulci and probably well-developed binocular vision. The cranial and dental features in Gondwanasuchus suggest that this active predator would have fed on small vertebrates and took the role of small theropods in terrestrial guild. Gondwanasuchus is the most distinctive baurusuchid known to date and enriches the knowledge on these important Gondwanan terrestrial predatory crocodyliforms.

The Alcântara Formation (Early Cenomanian, Sao Luis Basin) that crops out on the northern shoreline of Maranhao State, northeastern Brazil, presents a unique record of northern South American vertebrates that is similar to North African Albian–Cenomanian records. In this paper, nine theropod teeth are described. Some of these show a long, distally curved profile, laterally compressed, with a textured distal surface and a basal cross section from elliptical to subcircular. The mesial carina is deflected lingually, the distal one is deflected labially and both are gently serrated. This set of dental features is peculiar to and typical of the Malagasy genus Masiakasaurus from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). The Alcântara Formation material is here referred to a noasaurid related to Masiakasaurus knopfleri in spite of the spatial and temporal distance between them. This referral is based on the similarity of the Brazilian material with the easily distinguishable dental features of the Malagasy species. This new record should be taken into account in interpretations of the historical biogeography of noasaurids in Gondwana.

The present study investigated entire or partially lithified nests of solitary wasps found in caves in the Brazilian states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goias, Mato Grosso, Ceara and Bahia. The width and depth of the individual cells, as well as the length, width and height of each nest were measured, and the morphology analyzed. The volumes of the nests from Altinopolis (Sao Paulo State) were calculated, and the total number of cells was counted. Four different morphological patterns were found for the nests. Many of the nests show evidences of reoccupation by other wasps, even when preservation was already in progress, being both contemporary and older reoccupation patterns observed. Important processes of preservation observed were encrustation and lithification of the original nest material, with the pattern of alteration apparently depending on the location of the nest while exposed to percolating mineral-containing waters. Permineralization was, however, also observed in some of the cells.

article i nfo A high diversity of terrestrial crocodyliform species has been found in the continental Cretaceous deposits of Gondwana. They are widespread in the sedimentary basins of Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Morocco, Cameroon, Niger, Malawi, Madagascar and Pakistan, from alluvial, fluvial and lacustrine deposits. A peculiar aspect of these terrestrial crocodyliforms is that only some of them are cosmopolitan. They comprise distinct groups as the basal Notosuchia, baurusuchids, sphagesaurids and Sebecian peirosaurids. There is a distribution pattern of the terrestrial Crocodyliformes faunas throughout the Cretaceous. The oldest are composed of the small and probably omnivorous Notosuchia and Araripesuchus, found in Early Cretaceous deposits. In the Late Cretaceous this fauna was enriched by the medium-sized to large-size baurusuchids, sphagesaurids, peirosaurids and larger Araripesuchus which present specializations as active terrestrial predators. The distribution analysis of the terrestrial Crocodyliformes from Early and Late Cretaceous palaeogeographic and palaeoclimatic maps indicates that temperature was the principal influence on their Gondwanan distribution. Although expressed seasonality, aridity is a limiting factor for the distribution of extant crocodilians. The Cretaceous basal Notosuchia, baurusuchids, sphagesaurids, Araripesuchus, Sebecian peirosaurids, are found in arid climatic belts during Early and Late Cretaceous. To live in a hot and arid climate they have presumably developed ecological strategies that allowed such habits. The aridity or seasonal warm and cyclic dry and wet climate periods plays a role, that have not yet been analyzed, that may explain the domain of bizarre Crocodyliformes in Gondwana during the Cretaceous. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Titanosauria is a clade of sauropod dinosaurs that includes some of the largest terrestrial animals ever recorded. An outstanding feature of some species of this group is the presence of osteoderms, which are bony deposits on the skin that form scales, plates or other structures. Only six osteoderms have been identified from Brazil. Herein, we describe the first titanosaurian osteoderm from the Potiguar Basin (Early–Late Cretaceous) and discuss Brazilian titanosaur osteoderm diversity, their taxonomy and the functional implications. The specimen (UFRJ-DG 549-R) is bilaterally symmetrical and is assigned to the ellipsoid morphotype. The most interesting feature is the large cavities separated by thin trabeculae. This pattern, according to recent interpretations, suggests that titanosaur osteoderms functioned as a source of calcium. However, the function(s) of titanosaur osteoderms remain(s) open to debate. Compared with the other reported osteoderms from Brazil, the Potiguar osteoderm shows more similarities with an osteoderm of Ibira (Bauru Group, Turonian–Santonian) than with material collected from the Sao Luis Basin (Albian–Cenomanian) despite their greater geographical and temporal proximity. The Potiguar and Ibira osteoderms are of the ellipsoid morphotype, with no cingulum and several pits on the external surface. More findings are necessary to clarify whether the Potiguar material represents a different armored titanosaurian species in northeastern Brazil.

Sphagesaurus montealtensis is a sphagesaurid whose original description was based on a comparison with Sphagesaurus huenei, the only species of the clade described to that date. Better preparation of the holotype and the discovery of a new specimen have allowed the review of some characteristics and the identification of several synapomorphies of S. montealtensis with the genus Caipirasuchus: presence of antorbital fenestra; external nares bordered only by the premaxillae; premaxilla with four teeth and one diastema (between the 3rd-4th teeth); one diastema between the 4th premaxillary tooth and the 1" maxillary tooth; dentary with ten teeth and two diastemata (between the 4th-5th and 5th-6th teeth); nasal with a groove parallel to the suture with the frontal bone; nasal long, with an acute anterior margin touching anterolaterally the premaxilla, jugal is a straight bar in the lateral view; frontal is longer than wide; a dorsoventrally expanded and vertically oriented quadrate with a groove separating the medial and lateral condyles; the frontal has a discrete sagittal crest; dentary with six posterior sphagesauriform teeth and four anterior conical teeth, the first three are the smallest of the series and the fourth is slightly laterally compressed. The referral of S. montealtensis to the genus Caipirasuchus, as Caipirasuchus montealtensis comb. nov. is proposed here, based on the new taxonomic observations and the results of a phylogenetic analysis.

Osteoderms are dermal bony plates situated over the epiderm and covered by queratin layer. Until now are recognized at the Paleontological Site of Peirópolis three distinct crocodylomorph species, the Peirosauridae Peirosaurus termini Price, 1955 and Uberabasuchus terrificus Carvalho; Ribeiro & Ávilla, 2004 and the Trematochampsidae Itasuchus jesuinoi Price, 1955. The peirosaurids have nostrils frontally positioned within the skull and are regarded as terrestrial crocodylomorphs. The trematochampsids differently from the peirosaurids have the nostrils positioned at the dorsal portion of the skull, similar to the extant crocodiles with aquatic habits. The osteoderms morphological analysis of P. tormini, U. terrificus and I. jesuinoi corroborate, with the cranial evidences, for the terrestrial or aquatic lifestyle of these animals.

In this contribution is given a preliminary up-to-date annotated list of all fossil vertebrates from the Turonian–Santonian Adamantina Formation, Bauru Group where it occurs in the Prata paleontological district which is located 45 km to the west of Prata in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The Adamantina Formation is a reddish sandstone in the Triângulo Mineiro region. These fluviolacustrine sediments were deposited in a semiarid environment. Three fossil vertebrate sites occur in the Prata paleontological district. The diversity of vertebrates in the Adamantina Formation is modest, and its components comprise a mixture of typical austral Gondwana taxa (such as abelisaurids, Aeolosaurus ) and boreal Gondwana taxa (such as Carcharodontosauridae). The absence of Laurasian taxa in the upper part of the Bauru Group is noteworthy. Excepting some turtles, crocodylians, and one titanosaurid, most of the specimens discovered in this Group are based on fragmentary and isolated remains, which make it difficult to correctly identify the fossils. For this reason, many of the taxa have only been identified in a preliminary manner. Despite this drawback, the dinosaurs are typical Gondwana forms with no evidence of Laurasian affinities. This is concordant with the idea that the Laurasian dinosaurs entered South America at the end of the Late Cretaceous; i.e. after the Turonian–Santonian, the age of the Adamantina Formation.

Titanosaur remains are common findings at the paleontological site of Peiropolis in Uberaba. Among those remains, two osteoderms referred to titanosaur sauropods were reported. Both dermal bones share many features, such as the coarse texture, parallel ventral grooves, lack of the cingulum and presence of a ventral ridge (crest). Armored titanosaurs had wide distribution in the Upper Cretaceous, and have been reported from Argentina, Brazil, France, Madagascar, Malawi, Romania and Spain. In the present work we describe and compare the Brazilian titanosaur osteoderms found thus far.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) was a subject of intense research in the late 1970s and early 1980s in response to a historical jump in oil prices from the 1973 oil embargo. The principal author for this paper first met Prof. Paulling as a participant in a National Research Council (NRC) Panel to review OTEC Technology around 1982. Prof. Pauling had authored a frequency domain program to analyze the coupled response of a platform and OTEC pipe. The author was involved in model tests to validate the program. The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DoE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had sponsored this work, along with the development of other numerical methods. Shortly after the NRC completed its review, oil prices fell and interest in renewable energy, including OTEC, evaporated. Fast forward to the 2000s, the price of oil skyrocketed again, and OTEC research saw a rebirth. Lockheed Martin and others have been working on new OTEC designs over the course of the last several years. As was the case thirty-five years ago, the cold water pipe remains a key technical challenge. A commercial scale OTEC plant requires a pipe diameter of about 10-meter (m) and a length of 1,000m to pump about half the average discharge of the Colorado River from the deep ocean to the surface and through heat exchangers. Because of the large effective mass of the CWP and entrained water, the dynamic response of the OTEC CWP and the platform can only be considered as a coupled system. This conclusion is not new, but is worth repeating and doubly important to consider when the supporting platform is a semi-submersible as opposed to a large water plane ship shaped vessel. A new generation of software is available to analyze the cold water pipe-platform responses, including the important effect of the fluid flow inside the pipe and the local effects at the connection of the pipe to the platform. The DoE and Lockheed Martin recently sponsored a 1:50 scale wave basin model test of a commercial OTEC platform with an elastically scaled model of a 10m pipe. The purpose of the test was to validate the use of current software for the large CWP diameters in the designs of a pilot or commercial systems in the near future. This paper will briefly review past work on the OTEC cold-water pipe and present the current state of the art in numerical modeling and the results of the model tests recently completed. It will include recommendations for further experimental and numerical work to be prepared for the future design of OTEC systems.

The fossil record of Baurusuchidae Mesoeucrocodylia in the General Salgado county and its surroundings is one of the best regarding preservation, completeness and articulation of skull and skeleton remains, including specimens that shown even the most delicate bone structures and cartilaginous tissues. One of them, UFRJ DG 288-R, has preserved its skull and about 80% of its skeleton. During the removal of the rock matrix, on what should be the specimen’s abdominal region, together with fragments of gastralia were observed some small well-polished weathered angulous to subrounded clasts, presumed to be gastroliths. These xenoliths occur in a restrict cluster, where at least four peeble-sized stones are visible in the surface of the specimen. The texture and fabrics of these rock fragments differs from the surrounding matrix, presenting darker purplish tones. In thin section, one of the fragments revealed isotropic texture, with opaque minerals in abundance, of euhedric to subhedric habits. The mineralogical composition presents mainly clay minerals as weathering products; biotite and chlorite are common, being the last the result of hidratation of the first. Although highly altered, the low quartz content, small-sized and well-formed crystals suggests maphic composition in volcanic context, possibly representing a basalt fragment. In extant Crocodyliformes, the occurrence of gastroliths is commonly associated with food processing in the stomach, diving ballast, hunger stress and/or supplementary mineral ingestion. As baurusuchids are characterized as medium to large size fully terrestrial predator/scavengers, based on skeletal data, the ballast function of gasthroliths is excluded in this case. As mentioned above, extant crocodyliforms such as Caiman and Crocodylus ingest stones when under stressful conditions of lack of food, water or when in high population density. Osteoderms are one of the primary sources for calcium and a reservoir for the homeostasis. The hunger stress can be observed in the osteoderms histological cuts as an abnormal concentration of osteoclasts at its inner region overwhelming the presence of osteoblasts and consuming the osteocytes. The preservation of osteoderms associated with gasthroliths may reveal if the stone ingestion in baurusuchids is a normal or driven by hunger behavior. The paleoenvironmental conditions dominating the Adamantina Formation during the Late Cretaceous are considered mainly arid, marked with strong seasonality, alternating long droughts and short rainy periods, associated with flashflood events. The stressful condition created during the dry season would cause famine and mass mortality, thus forcing animals to endure or escape. The baurusuchids underwent the dry seasons through behavorial responses of self burial and probably stone ingestion, although natural bahavior cannot be eliminated as a cause. Financial support provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, grant no 305780/2006–9), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Instituto Virtual de Paleontologia/ Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (IVP/FAPERJ, grant no E–26/152.541/2006).

Baurusuchus salgadoensis Carvalho, Nobre & Campos, 2005 is a ziphodont mesoeucrocodylian closely related to the Sebecosuchia. Cranial features indicate that this species had terrestrial predatory habits. The postcranial skeleton of B. salgadoensis show distinctive characteristics when compared to extant Crocodylomorpha. The dorsal vertebrae are close articulated with short and craniocaudally expanded neural spines, specially the posterior ones. The sacral vertebrae are robust and have the lateral processes highly fused to the ilium. The anterior caudal vertebrae are robust as the sacral ones but their neural spines are more stout, anteriorlly expanded and higher. The close articulation of the dorsal vertebrae may indicate a less flexible dorsal spine, ideal to limb-driven methods of locomotion. The high and expanded neural spines of the posterior dorsal and sacral vertebrae are associated to muscle attachment from the osteoderms and the pelvic musculature, all used in the limb-driven locomotion. The appendicular bones of B. salgadoensis are long and stout. They show a straight aspect of their diaphysis and very well- developed epiphysis. The femur is long when compared to extant crocodilians, showing a straight aspect in lateral view and a slight sigmoid aspect in frontal view. There is a small axial torsion at its proximal end. The fourth trochanter is pronouced and posteriorlly oriented. The proximal end possess a mesial projection that articulates itself to the illium, similar to those of Protosuchia and thecodont archosaurs as the Rauisuchia. The illium of B. salgadoensis present a lateral and posteriorlly expanded postaccetabular crest, similar to those observed in Rauisuchia and Protosuchia, referred as overhanging ilium. This pattern of articulation is observed in the rauisuchian thecodonts and interpreted as a characteristic trait of those able erect-posture and limb-driven predators of Triassic environments. B. salgadoensis exoskeleton has only two dorsal osteoderm rows that run from the neck to the tip of the tail. Most of the osteoderms are wider than longer, with a round lateral portion that does not articulate to any flank osteoderm. The only morphological difference appears at the caudalmost portion of the tail, where the osteoderms are craniocaudally elongated. The medial portion has little variation along the scutes rows and may bear medial lamellar dorsoventral structures of articulation to the adjacent bony plate. The anterior articular facet is discreet and the osteoderms are not as imbricated as occur in other crocodyliforms and even may not be imbricated at all. The pelvic region osteoderms have the tallest keel of the row that runs from the anterior articular facet to posteriosmost portion of the osteoderm. B. salgadoensis has a light exoskeleton and then is less encumbranced by it. Therefore, becaming more agile. The imbrication of dorsal armor assists the limb-driven locomotion of many crocodyliform by reducing the flexibility of the dorsal spine during the high-walk (erect stance). Therefore the long and stout limb bones, overhanging crest of the illium and the light weighted armor, also allowed to B. salgadoensis to have the limb-driven locomotion without this pattern of osteoderms. These anatomical data may indicate how the Baurusuchidae had a wide distribution in Gondwanaland as they were able to move across large distances.

The Bauru Basin (Bauru and Caiuá basins) dinosaur fauna is diverse and typical from the Gondwana, specially composed by Titanosauria and Abslisauridae. The dinosaurs are mainly found in rocks of the Adamantina and Marília formations (Bauru Group). Those specimes are represented by fragmentary remains deposited in a fluvialacustrine environment. The Bauru Group dinosaurs are similar to those found in Argentina. This composition suggests the there was assemblage no during the Late Cretaceous in these regions. That fauna of dinosaurs share similiarities to India and Madagascar specimens, reflecting a common Gondwanan origin.

Sphagesaurus montealtensis is a sphagesaurid whose original description was based on a comparison with Sphagesaurus huenei , the only species of the clade described to that date. Better preparation of the holotype and the discovery of a new specimen have allowed the review of some characteristics and the identification of several synapomorphies of S. montealtensis with the genus Caipirasuchus : presence of antorbital fenestra; external nares bordered only by the premaxillae; premaxilla with four teeth and one diastema (between the 3 rd –4 th teeth); one diastema between the 4 th premaxillary tooth and the 1 st maxillary tooth; dentary with ten teeth and two diastemata (between the 4 th –5 th and 5 th – 6 th teeth); nasal with a groove parallel to the suture with the frontal bone; nasal long, with an acute anterior margin touching anterolaterally the premaxilla, jugal is a straight bar in the lateral view; frontal is longer than wide; a dorsoventrally expanded and vertically oriented quadrate with a groove separating the medial and lateral condyles; the frontal has a discrete sagittal crest; dentary with six posterior sphagesauriform teeth and four anterior conical teeth, the first three are the smallest of the series and the fourth is slightly laterally compressed. The referral of S. montealtensis to the genus Caipirasuchus , as Caipirasuchus montealtensis comb. nov. is proposed here, based on the new taxonomic observations and the results of a phylogenetic analysis.