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Sunday, June 23rd, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||||||||
| 7:04a | [Paleontology • 2024] Oldest southern Sauropterygian reveals early Marine Reptile Globalization
Summary Sauropterygians were the stratigraphically longest-ranging clade of Mesozoic marine reptiles with a global fossil record spanning ∼180 million years1. However, their early evolution has only been known from what is now the Northern Hemisphere, extending across the northern and trans-equatorial western margins of the Tethys paleo-ocean after the late-Early Triassic (late Olenekian, ∼248.8 million years [Ma] ago), and via possible trans-Arctic migration to the Eastern Panthalassa super-ocean prior to the earliest Middle Triassic (Olenekian–earliest Anisian, ∼247 Ma). Here, we describe the geologically oldest sea-going reptile from the Southern Hemisphere — a nothosaur (basal sauropterygian) from the Middle Triassic (Anisian, after ∼246 Ma) of New Zealand. Time-scaled ancestral range estimations thus reveal an unexpected circum-Gondwanan high-paleolatitude (>60° S7) dispersal from a northern Tethyan origination center. This coincides with the adaptive diversification of sauropterygians after the end-Permian mass extinction8 and suggests that rapid globalization accompanied their initial radiation in the earliest Mesozoic.
Benjamin P. Kear, Aubrey J. Roberts, George Young, Marianna Terezow, Daniel J. Mantle, Isaias Santos Barros and Jørn H. Hurum. 2024. Oldest southern Sauropterygian reveals early Marine Reptile Globalization. Current Biology. 34(12); R562-R563. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.035 | ||||||||||
| 7:44a | [Botany • 2024] Impatiens karenensis (Balsaminaceae) • A New tiny flowered Species from Myanmar
Abstract Impatiens karenensis (I. sect. Semeiocardium) from Kayin State, Myanmar is described and illustrated here. It is most similar to I. micromeris, but differs in having lower petals with outer margins strongly undulate in the lower half (vs. lower petals entire), apex of upper petals acute to obtuse (vs. apex rounded), short stout spur, ± as long as the depth of lower sepal, ca. 2.5 mm long (vs. long attenuate spur, twice as long as the depth of lower sepal, ca. 5 mm long). Its conservation status is also assessed as Critically Endangered. Key words: Critically endangered, endemic, Kayin State, limestone species, Southeast Asia
Impatiens karenensis Chit Soe Paing & Ruchis., sp. nov. Diagnosis: Impatiens karenensis resembles I. micromeris, but differs in having lower petals with outer margins strongly undulate in the lower-half (vs. lower petals entire), apex of upper petals acute to obtuse (vs. rounded), short stout spur, ± as long as the depth of lower sepal, ca. 2.5 mm long (vs. long attenuate spur, twice as long as the depth of lower sepal, ca. 5 mm long). Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the former name of the state of its type locality “Karen”. Chit Soe Paing, Piyakaset Suksathan and Saroj Ruchisansakun. 2024. Impatiens karenensis (Balsaminaceae), A New tiny flowered Species from Myanmar. PhytoKeys. 243: 113-119. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.243.123303  | ||||||||||
| 8:33a | [Botany • 2024] Lappula effusa (Boraginaceae) • A New Species from Xinjiang, China
Abstract Lappula effusa D.H.Liu & W.J.Li, a new species of Boraginaceae from Xinjiang, China, is described and illustrated in this study. The new species is morphologically similar to Lappula himalayensis and L. tadshikorum. However, it can be distinguished from the compared species by several characteristics, such as: stem single, erect, frequently branched at middle and above, densely spreading hispid, hairs discoid at base; corolla white or blue; fruit compressed, heteromorphic nutlets with two rows of marginal glochids, nutlets acute ovoid, disc narrowly ovate-triangular. The diagnosis of the new species is supported with comprehensive investigation including photographs, detailed description, notes on etymology, distribution and habitat, conservation status, as well as comparisons with morphologically similar species. Key words: Boraginaceae, China, Lappula, new taxon, taxonomy
Lappula effusa D.H.Liu & W.J.Li, sp. nov. Diagnosis: The new species is morphologically similar to Lappula himalayensis and L. tadshikorum, but differs from the L. himalayensis primarily in the following characteristics: stem single (vs. stems 4–6, cespitose), erect (vs. ascending or erect), frequently branched at middle and above (vs. branched above), densely spreading hispid, hairs discoid at base (vs. densely appressed pubescent); corolla white or blue (vs. blue); fruit compressed (vs. ... Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the appearance of new species, stems frequently branched at middle and above and nearly horizontal spreading. Vernacular name: Simplified Chinese: 展枝鹤虱 (Chinese pinyin: zhǎn zhī hè shī).  Dan-Hui Liu, Yi-Xin Zhou, Shu-Jing Shang, Jia-Ju Wu and Wen-Jun Li. 2024. Lappula effusa (Boraginaceae), A New Species from Xinjiang, China. PhytoKeys. 243: 105-112. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.243.123468 | ||||||||||
| 8:40a | [Paleontology • 2024] Parvosuchus aurelioi • A New small-sized predatory pseudosuchian Archosaur (Pseudosuchia: Gracilisuchidae) from the Middle-Late Triassic of Southern Brazil
Abstract Before the rise of dinosaurs and pterosaurs, pseudosuchians—reptiles from the crocodilian lineage—dominated the Triassic land ecosystems. This lineage diversified into several less inclusive clades, resulting in a wide ecomorphological diversity during the Middle and Late Triassic. Some giant pseudosuchians occupied the top of the trophic webs, while others developed extensive bony armor as a defense mechanism, which later evolved as a convergence in the avemetatarsalian lineage. On the other hand, there were groups like the Gracilisuchidae, which was composed of carnivorous forms with lightweight build and less than 1 m in length. The fossil record of gracilisuchids is geographically restricted to China and Argentina, with one ambiguous record from Brazil. In the present study, the first unambiguous gracilisuchid from Brazil is described. Parvosuchus aurelioi gen. et sp. nov. comes from the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Santa Maria Formation, which is associated with the Ladinian-Carnian boundary. Composed of a complete cranium, vertebrae, pelvic girdle and hindlimbs, the new species nests with Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum and Maehary bonapartei in a phylogenetic analysis. Its discovery fills a taxonomic gap in Brazilian pseudosuchian fauna and reveals the smallest known member of this clade from the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone, highlighting the diversity of pseudosuchians during the moment that preceded the dawn of dinosaurs.   
Systematic paleontology Archosauria Cope, 1869 Pseudosuchia Zittel, 1887–1890 Gracilisuchidae Butler et al., 2014 Parvosuchus aurelioi gen. et sp. nov. Holotype: CAPPA/UFSM 0412, a partial skeleton, including a skull with lower jaws, 11 dorsal vertebrae, two sacral vertebrae, a complete pelvic girdle, both femora (lacking the distal portion), partial left tibia, partial left fibula, and left calcaneum. Etymology: The genus name combines the Latin word “parvus” (= small) and the Greek word “suchus” (= crocodile). The specific epithet honors Pedro Lucas Porcela Aurélio for his passion for paleontology and prospecting, as well as for having discovered the fossil material described here.
 Rodrigo T. Müller. 2024. A New small-sized predatory pseudosuchian Archosaur from the Middle-Late Triassic of Southern Brazil. Scientific Reports. 14, 12706. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63313-3 | ||||||||||
| 6:34p | [Paleontology • 2024] Entothyreos synnaustrus • Deep Origin of Articulation Strategies in Panarthropods: Evidence from A New luolishaniid Lobopodian (Panarthropoda) from the Tulip Beds, Burgess Shale
Abstract The evolution of articulated sclerites via soft membranes, termed arthrodization, is arguably one of the most critical innovations in animals. Defining the megaphylum Arthropoda, the arthrodization of appendages, or arthropodization, likely predated that of the body, the combination of both being diagnostic of true arthropods (Euarthropoda) – all of these innovations occurring during the Cambrian explosion. Here, thanks to dozens of exceptionally preserved fossils from the Cambrian Wuliuan Stage Burgess Shale (Tulip Beds locality on Mount Stephen, British Columbia, Canada), we show that a distinct but comparable system of imbricated sclerotic elements evolved in the paraphyletic sister group of arthropods, the lobopodians. Entothyreos synnaustrus gen. et sp. nov. has characteristic body plan features of the Collinsovermidae (order Luolishaniida), including anterior limbs for suspension-feeding and stout anchoring posterior limbs. Uniquely, however, E. synnaustrus also displays segmental sclerotic sheets along the trunk, covered in a thin layer of integument, as well as overlapping sclerotized annuli on posterior-most limbs. While the latter elements likely served a protective function, the dorsolateral trunk sheets, which also carry spines, may have facilitated body erection and suspension-feeding. Other luolishaniids possess separate ring-like structures connecting the base of metameric spines which are covered by the apical layer of the lobopodian integument. E. synnaustrus and related taxa illustrate, therefore, an arguably parallel evolution of arthropod-like morphoanatomical features early during the rise of panarthropods. This finding broadens our perspectives on the uniqueness of major synapomorphies and the importance of including canalization in macroevolutionary narratives. Keywords: Cambrian, Burgess Shale, Panarthropoda, lobopodian, arthrodization, convergence     Entothyreos synnaustrus gen. et sp. nov.  Cédric Aria and Jean-Bernard Caron. 2024. Deep Origin of Articulation Strategies in Panarthropods: Evidence from A New luolishaniid Lobopodian (Panarthropoda) from the Tulip Beds, Burgess Shale. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 22(1); 2356090. DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2356090 | ||||||||||
| 6:59p | [Ichthyology • 2024] Cobitis feroniae • A New Spined Loach (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae) from southern Latium, Italy
Abstract Cobitis feroniae, new species, is described from central Italy. It is distinguished from C. zanandreai, its putatively closest relative, by having several, small, black dots below Z4; minute, black spot at the upper caudal peduncle, and the pigmentation in Z2 separated from pigmentation in Z1 anterior to the dorsal-fin origin. It is further distinguished from C. zanandreai by having 13 diagnostic nucleotide substitutions in the mtDNA COI barcode region, and a K2P nearest–neighbour distance of 2.9%. Pisces, Freshwater fish, taxonomy, Cytochrome oxidase I, Europe  Cobitis feroniae Riccardo Novaga, Davide Bellucci, Matthias F. Geiger, Jörg Freyhof. 2024. Cobitis feroniae, A New Spined Loach from southern Latium, Italy (Teleostei: Cobitidae). Zootaxa. 458(3); 385-402. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5458.3.4 |
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