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Saturday, March 15th, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 2:03a | [Paleontology • 2025] The Re-description of Liaoningotitan sinensis Zhou et al., 2018
Abstract Liaoningotitan sinensis is one of three sauropod species found in the Jehol Biota. Liaoningotitan sinensis is from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China. The discovery of Liaoningotitan sinensis was an important breakthrough for researching the diversity of giant herbivorous animals in the Jehol Biota. However, the research and analysis of Liaoningotitan sinensis are not yet complete. This study presents a comprehensive research and analysis of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype. First, the skull, vertebrae, pelvic girdle, and appendicular elements of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype were carefully reexamined, leading to the discovery of mosaic evolution occurring in the skull and the identification of one new autapomorphy of humerus of Liaoningotitan sinensis: the attachment point of coracobrachialis muscle on the anterior surface of the proximal end of the humerus is flat. Second, the characteristics of the Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype and other well-preserved sauropod dinosaurs were used to reconstruct the skull of Liaoningotitan sinensis. Next, Euhelopus zdanskyi was used to reconstruct the body type of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype, the result indicating that Liaoningotitan sinensis was approximately 10 m in length. Finally, TNT software was utilized to analyze the phylogenetic position of Liaoningotitan sinensis, with the result indicating that Liaoningotitan sinensis can be classified into the Euhelopodidae.
Conclusion: The Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype is a partial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, a formation famous for Jehol Biota. It displays some characteristics that suggest Liaoningotitan sinensis is a valid species that can be distinguished from other Titanosauriformes dinosaurs. This analysis classifies Liaoningotitan sinensis into Euhelopodidae, indicating that members of Euhelopodidae family inhabited this biota, which increases the known diversity of sauropod dinosaurs in the Jehol Biota. The research on the skull of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype indicated that mosaic evolution is present in the Liaoningotitan, and it is in the transitional phase from early-diverging Titanosauriformes to late-diverging Titanosauriformes. The body type reconstruction of Liaoningotitan, which is referred to Euhelopus zdanskyi, shows that the Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype is more than 10 m long. Therefore, it is a medium-sized sauropod dinosaur. However, the unfused sacral vertebrae indicated the holotype is an immature specimen. In the end, we concluded the skull type of the Titanosauriformes. We got four types, indicating that the evolution of the Titanosauriformes may be more complex than we considered in the past. Bingqing Shan. 2025. The Re-description of Liaoningotitan sinensis Zhou et al., 2018. PeerJ. 13:e19154. DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19154  | ||||||
| 2:34a | [Ichthyology • 2025] Ariosoma tamilicum • A New eel Species (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the Indian Waters
Abstract The identity of Ariosoma dolichopterum in Indian waters has revised. Ariosoma dolichopterum from India is an undescribed species and described herein as Ariosoma tamilicum sp. nov. based on morphology and molecular studies. Ariosoma tamilicum is morphologically closely related to Ariosoma emmae from the Taiwan waters but exhibits 13.4% genetic divergence in mitochondrial CO1 gene sequences. The formal description for the new species is provided and discussed. Pisces, Congridae, molecular analysis, new species, taxonomy  Paramasivam KODEESWARAN, Smrutirekha ACHARYA, Anil MOHAPATRA and T. T. AJITH KUMAR. 2025. Ariosoma tamilicum (Anguilliformes: Congridae): A New eel Species from the Indian waters. Zootaxa. 5604(1); 69-76. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.1.7 [2025-03-12] | ||||||
| 2:37a | [Crustacea • 2025] Paraclimenes frigo • A New Species of Paraclimenes (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from New Zealand Waters
Abstract A new species of the palaemonid genus Paraclimenes is described from relatively deep water in New Zealand. The new species can easily be distinguished from the only other two known species in the genus by the non-spatulate chela of the first pereiopod, the size of the uropods and the produced distal telson margin. Crustacea, New species, New Zealand, Palaemonidae  Paraclimenes frigo sp. nov. Sammy De GRAVE and Jeff FORMAN. 2025. A New Species of Paraclimenes from New Zealand Waters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae). Zootaxa. 5590(1); 124-132. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5590.1.7 [2025-02-20] | ||||||
| 3:35a | [PaleoMammalogy • 2025] Mesozoic Mammaliaforms illuminate the Origins of Pelage Coloration
Abstract Pelage coloration, which serves numerous functions, is crucial to the evolution of behavior, physiology, and habitat preferences of mammals. However, little is known about the coloration of Mesozoic mammaliaforms that coevolved with dinosaurs. In this study, we used a dataset of melanosome (melanin-containing organelle) morphology and quantitatively measured hair colors from 116 extant mammals to reliably reconstruct the coloration of six Mesozoic mammaliaforms, including a previously undescribed euharamiyidan. Unlike the highly diverse melanosomes discovered in feathered dinosaurs, hairs in six mammaliaforms of different lineages and diverse ecomorphotypes showed uniform melanosome geometry, corresponding to dark-brown coloration consistent with crypsis and nocturnality. Our results suggest that the melanosome variation and color expansion seen in extant mammals may have occurred during their rapid radiation and diversification after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction.     Ruoshuang Li, Liliana D’Alba, Gerben Debruyn, Jessica L. Dobson, Chang-Fu Zhou, ..., and Matthew D. Shawkey. 2025. Mesozoic Mammaliaforms illuminate the Origins of Pelage Coloration. Science. 387(6739); 1193-1198. DOI: doi.org/10.1126/science.ads9734 https://www.cugb.edu.cn/jdxw/47835.jhtml Editor’s summary: In the past decade or so, the identification of melanosomes in some dinosaur feathers and skin has led to the suggestion that many bore bright and complex coloration. Less work has been done to explore the coloration of early mammals. Li et al. looked at melanosome patterns in multiple species of Mesozoic mammals and compared these with those seen in more than 100 species of extant mammals. There was little color variation, and the animals were entirely dark in color. The authors argue that this was likely due to the animals’ nocturnal nature, and that brighter and more varied colors in mammals may have arisen after the extinction of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period. —Sacha Vignieri   | ||||||
| 10:06a | [Botany • 2025] Petrocodon zhonglii (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from South China
Abstract Petrocodon zhonglii, a new species of Gesneriaceae from the Danxia landform in Jiangxi, South China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to P. coriaceifolius and P. hancei, but differs from the latter two by its ventricose corolla tube and stipitate capsule. The new species can further be distinguished from P. coriaceifolius by its longer pedicel, and from P. hancei by its sparsely strigillose leaf blade with entire to slightly serrate margins and two conspicuous stigma lobes. In addition, the new species exhibits obvious phylogenetic distance, different phenology and ecological niche to its morphologically similar species. According to current information, the conservation status of the new species should be assessed as Data Deficient (DD) based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Keyword: Flora of Danxia landform, Jiangxi, morphology, Petrocodon coriaceifolius, Petrocodon hancei, taxonomy
 Petrocodon zhonglii X.Z. Shi, J.X. Fu & Li H. Yang, sp.
nov. 钟离石山苣苔 Diagnosis: Petrocodon zhonglii differs from P.
coriaceifolius and P. hancei by its ventricose corolla tube
and stipitate capsule. In addition, it can be easily
distinguished from P. coriaceifolius by its longer pedicel
(12–25 mm vs. 3–5 mm), and from P. hancei by its
sparsely strigillose leaf blade with entire to slightly
serrate margin (vs. densely strigillose, obviously
denticulate margin) and two conspicuous stigma lobes (vs.
compressed and inconspicuous).  Xi-Zuo Shi, Jia-Xin Fu, Bo Pan, Ming Kang and Li-Hua Yang. 2025. Petrocodon zhonglii (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from South China. Taiwania. 70(2); 193-199. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.193 https://taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/2060 | ||||||
| 11:00a | [Botany • 2025] Alpinia spongioides (Zingiberaceae: Alpinieae) • A New Species from Dinagat Islands, Philippines
Abstract Alpinia spongioides Naive, Ruales, Beltran & Rozano, is described here as a new species from Dinagat Islands, Philippines. The species belongs to Alpinia sect. Alpinia subsect. Presleia by having small flowers and quadrilobed labellum. It resembles Alpinia foxworthyi but differs by its puberulent ligule with ciliate margin, longer petiole, calyx, filament, as well as an ecristate anther. This paper provides a detailed description, colour plates, and information on its phenology, habitat and distribution, as well as a provisional conservation status assessment. The discovery of this species through recent botanical surveys in eastern Mindanao brings the total number of known Alpinia subsect. Presleia species in the Philippines to 15. Keywords: Alpinia zerumbet clade, biodiversity, Caraga Region, subsect. Presleia, Southeastern Philippines   Jeco Jed J. Ruales, Darlo Novo M. Beltran, Ralph R. J. E. Rozano, Jess H. Jumawan and Mark Arcebal K. Naive. 2025. Alpinia spongioides (Zingiberaceae), A New Species from Dinagat Islands, Philippines. Nordic Journal of Botany. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/njb.04642  | ||||||
| 3:32p | [Paleontology • 2025] Darwinopterus camposi • A New Species of Darwinopterus (Pterosauria: Wukongopteridae) from western Liaoning provides some new information on the Ontogeny of this clade
Abstract The Wukongopteridae is an important pterosaur clade from the Yanliao Biota, combining features of basal and derived pterosaurs. So far, the Wukongopteridae consists of five species divided into three genera: Wukongopterus lii, Darwinopterus modularis, Darwinopterus linglongtaensis, Darwinopterus robustodens, and Kunpengopterus sinensis. Here we report a new species, Darwinopterus camposi sp. nov., based on an almost complete skeleton (IVPP V 17957). The new species is referred to Darwinopterus due to the presence of an elongated posterior region of the skull and the bony premaxillary crest that starts about the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra. It differs from all other wukongopterids by having the dorsal margin of the premaxillary crest straight, without an extensive dorsal projection and presenting a smooth lateral surface. Furthermore, D. camposi sp. nov. has eighteen and fourteen teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaws, respectively, and the fourth phalanx of the wing finger shorter than the first. IVPP V 17957 shows some fused postcranial bones, like the extensor tendon process to the first wing finger phalanx, but also has unfused premaxilla and frontal, which provides further information about wukongopterid ontogeny. Key words: Pterosauria; Wukongopteridae; ontogeny; Yanliao Biota; Middle-Late Jurassic; China   SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY Pterosauria Kaup 1834 Wukongopteridae Wang, Kellner, Jiang and Meng 2009 Darwinopterus Lü, Unwin, Jin, Liu and Ji 2010 Darwinopterus camposi sp. nov. Holotype: Almost complete skeleton lacking the distal end of the tail and hindlimbs, housed at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Beijing, under the number IVPP V 17957 (Figs. 1-Fig. 4). Etymology: In honor to Dr. Diogenes de Almeida Campos, an important geologist and vertebrate paleontologist who has contributed to pterosaur research and the cooperation between Brazilian and Chinese paleontologists.  Cheng, X.; Jiang, S.; Bantim, R. A. M.; Sayão, J. M.; Saraiva, A. Á. F.; Meng, X.; Kellner, A. W. A.; Wang, X. 2025. A New Species of Darwinopterus (Wukongopteridae, Pterosauria) from western Liaoning provides some new information on the Ontogeny of this clade. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. 97 (Suppl. 1). e20240707. DOI: doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520240707 |
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