A new species of thescelosaur dinosaur found to have lived in underground burrows

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Thescelosaurinae A group of small to medium-sized herbivorous dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous. The newly discovered Thescelosaurinae species Fona Herzogae It shows evidence that these dinosaurs spent at least some of their time in underground burrows.

Fona HerzogaeImage courtesy of Jorge Gonzalez.

Fona Herzogae It lived in what is now Utah about 99 million years ago (Cretaceous Period).

At the time, the region was a vast floodplain ecosystem between a huge inland sea to the east and active volcanoes and mountains to the west. It was a warm, wet, muddy environment with numerous rivers and streams.

Since 2013, paleontologists from North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences have excavated this fossil, as well as other specimens of the same species, in the Mussenchutchit Formation of the Cedar Mountain Formation.

The state of preservation of these fossils and some of the features they have suggest that they may have been burrowing.

Fona Herzogae It was a small, herbivorous dinosaur about the size of a large dog and with a simple body shape.

Although they lack the flashy ornamentation of their more well-adorned relatives, such as horned, armored, or crowned dinosaurs, Fona Herzogae it was boring.

Fona Herzogae It shares several anatomical features with animals known for digging and burrowing, including large biceps, strong muscle attachments in the hips and legs, fused bones along the pelvis (probably helping with stability while digging), and hind limbs that are proportionally larger than the forelimbs, but that's not the only evidence that this animal spent time underground.

“The fossil record is biased towards large animals, mainly because in floodplain environments like Mussentucht, small bones at the surface are often scattered, rotted, or scavenged before being buried and fossilized,” says Habib Abrahami, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University and digital engineer for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' new “Dueling Dinosaurs” program.

“but Fona Herzogae In many cases, the bones are found in very good condition and complete, with many of them preserved in their original death position, with their chest down and their forelimbs spread.”

“If they had already been in an underground burrow before they died, it would have been more likely to have been preserved in this way.”

Dr. Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, director of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and corresponding author of the study, agrees.

“Fona Herzogae “We've found a much larger number of skeletons of small animals with weak bones in this area than we would have expected,” Dr Zanno said.

“The most likely explanation for why so many specimens have been found and why they were recovered in small bundles is that they lived underground, at least part of the time.”

“Essentially, Fona Herzogae They have done a tremendous job for us by putting the whole area underground.”

Although researchers have yet to identify the underground burrow, Fona Herzogaethe tunnels and chambers of its closest relatives, OryctodromeusIt was discovered in Idaho and Montana. These discoveries Fona Herzogae They also used burrows.

Fona Herzogae It is also a distant relative of Willo, another famous North Carolina fossil. Thescelosaurus neglectus This specimen, now in a museum, is thought to have been adapted to a semi-cryptic lifestyle, that is, partially underground.

“Thescelosaurus neglectus At the end of this lineage was Fona Herzogae “It's an ancestor from about 35 million years ago,” Avrahami says.

The researchers Fona Herzogae It is key to improving our understanding of Cretaceous ecosystems.

“Fona Herzogae “It gives us insight into the three-dimensional space that animals can occupy by moving underground,” Avrahami said.

“This discovery adds to the richness of the fossil record and expands the known diversity of small herbivores, a vital yet poorly understood component of Cretaceous ecosystems.”

“People tend to have a myopic view of dinosaurs that hasn't kept pace with scientific advances,” Dr Zanno said.

“We now know that dinosaur diversity ranged from small arboreal gliding animals and nocturnal hunters to sloth-like herbivores and, of course, animals that hid underground.”

of work Appear Anatomy record.

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Habib M. Avrahami othersA new, semi-excavated thescelosaurine dinosaur from the Cenomanian Mussenchutit Formation of the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah. Anatomy recordPublished online July 9, 2024; doi: 10.1002/ar.25505

This article is a version of a press release provided by North Carolina State University.

Source: www.sci.news

Stegosaurus: Uncovering a new species

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Chinese paleontologists have discovered fossil fragments of a new genus and species of stegosaur dinosaur. Bayinosaurus baojiensis.

Reconstructing your life Gigantespinosaurus (Lower foreground), a newly discovered sister species of Stegosaurus Bayinosaurus baojiensisand other dinosaurs discovered in the ShaxiMiao Formation. Image by A. Belov / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Bayinosaurus baojiensis It roamed the Earth during the Middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago.

This dinosaur species is StegosaursA group of herbivorous armoured dinosaurs that lived in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

Stegosaurus reached a maximum length of about 9 metres (30 feet). It had a small head with peg-like teeth, vertical bone plates and spines on its back and tail, and hoof-like toes on all four limbs.

“Stegosaurus is a minor but iconic lineage of ornithischian dinosaurs, but its early evolution remains poorly understood due to a poor fossil record,” said Dr Li Ning from China University of Geosciences and his colleagues.

“These dinosaurs are characterized by having two parasagittal rows of enlarged dermal armor plates and/or spines that extend from the neck to the tip of the tail, and have been found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.”

“The earliest stegosaurs date to the Middle Jurassic and were distributed worldwide by the Late Jurassic, after which diversity declined during the Early Cretaceous.”

“Middle Jurassic stegosaurs are rarely recorded, with only five species. Loricatosaurus From the UK, Isabelisaura From Argentina, Adorati Krit From Morocco and Huayangosaurus and Bashanosaurus From China.”

Partial skeleton of Bayinosaurus baojiensis The fossil, consisting of a partial skull, one cervical vertebra, seven dorsal vertebrae, and one caudal vertebra, Wangjiashan Formation.

“The study area is located in the northwestern part of the Baojishan Basin, Pingchuan District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, China,” the paleontologists said.

“The Baojishan Basin is located at the eastern end of the Qilian Mountains.”

According to the team's systematic analysis, Bayinosaurus baojiensis is an early diverging stegosaur, Isabelisaura, Alcovasaurus, Junjunosaurus and Gigantespinosaurus.

“Bayinosaurus baojiensis “This dinosaur possesses several protoplasmic features and represents a morphological transition between early ostracods and the early-diverging stegosaurs,” the researchers say.

“The increased diversity of Middle Jurassic stegosaurs and their early divergence position suggest that stegosaurs likely diverged from their sister taxon, the ankylosaurs, in the early Middle Jurassic (or possibly much earlier).”

of study Published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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L. Nin others2024. A new species of stegosaur (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) discovered from the Middle Jurassic of Gansu Province, China. Scientific Reports 14, 15241; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66280-x

Source: www.sci.news

Over 100 Shark Species at Risk of Drastic Population Declines by 2100

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Ocean warming threatens to reduce golden tiger shark populations

Shutterstock/Podlonaya Elena

The world's egg-laying shark populations could be hit hard by the end of the century as increasing ocean warming and acidification destroys embryos, potentially affecting more than 100 shark species.

This discovery was made possible by the discovery of the giant sandbar shark (Termitesis found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. About 40 percent of sharks reproduce by laying tough, skinned egg capsules that contain the embryos. These shark embryos are highly sensitive to changes in ocean conditions, such as temperature and pH levels. The ocean absorbs excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, causing it to warm up and become more acidic.

Noémie Coulon Researchers at the French National Museum of Natural History exposed catshark eggs to a variety of ocean conditions, including monthly temperature changes, in a lab tank. Coulomb and his colleagues chose the catshark because it is one of the most abundant shark species in Europe.

In the first test, A “middle-of-the-road” climate scenario A 2.7°C increase in temperature above pre-industrial levels by 2100, with a corresponding decrease in pH of 0.2, is projected. A second scenario (in which the world continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels) projects a 4.4°C increase in temperature and a 0.4 decrease in pH by the end of the century. The third is a historical baseline, which recreates water temperature and pH in shark habitats from 1995 to 2014.

A tiny spotted catshark embryo inside an egg

Noémie Coulon

The researchers then simulated conditions as the embryos developed over the next four months, and found dramatic differences in the embryos' hatching success rates depending on the experimental conditions: In the baseline and moderate scenarios, about 82% of the eggs hatched. But in the warmest scenario, only five of the 45 embryos survived, a loss of almost 90%.

“We were really shocked by the death rate,” Coulon said. “It will probably cause a population collapse.”

“Even a relatively short period of warmth, such as a particularly warm August, was enough to cause the hatching to fail. Based on these results, Coulon predicts other egg-laying sharks, including endangered or vulnerable species like the nurse hound, will be similarly devastated.”

But their extinction is not doomed, says Coulon: “If we make an effort to limit global warming to around 2°C, this species may be able to survive.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A recently identified bird species found in the Lesser Sunda Islands

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of scientists from the Swedish Museum of Natural History has described a new species of nightjar that lives in the tropical forests of Timor Island and Wetar in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago.

Male Caprimargus ritae in Wetar, October 13, 2014. Image courtesy of James Eaton.

Nightjar It is a medium-sized, nocturnal, enterophagous bird belonging to the family. Caprimulgidae And the order Black-tailed Gulls.

These birds are found all over the world, except Antarctica and certain island groups such as the Seychelles.

Nightjars have long wings, short legs and a very short beak and usually catch flying insects at night. During the day they sleep on the ground or usually perched upright on a branch.

“Nightjars are one of the most difficult birds to study because of their discreet nocturnal behaviour and inconspicuous plumage,” said lead author Dr George Sangster and his colleagues.

In their study, the authors: Caprimargus maculus Complex.

This species complex is found from Pakistan to Australia and consists of six morphologically similar species with distinct calls.

“Field surveys on Timor Island and on Wetar Island in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago have revealed a seventh species in the complex, which we call a new species,” the researchers said.

“This species has Caprimargus maculus, Caprimargus selebensis and Caprimargus manilensis However, this species differs from these and all other species in this complex in at least 13 vocal traits.”

Named Caprimargus ritae Like the Timor nightjar or the Timor nightjar, this new species is not found in any other part of its range. Caprimargus maculus Complex.

This bird is a forest specialist and has been recorded in a wide range of tropical forests, from tall evergreen forests to dry deciduous forests, mainly at altitudes below 1,000 metres, with one record from 1,500 metres above sea level.

“Caprimargus ritae “This is the fourth bird species known to be endemic to both Timor and Wetar islands,” the scientists said.

“Other species include the Timorese giant pigeon (Ducula cineracea), Wetal ground pigeon (Pumps Sana Gallicorumba Howety) and Rainbow lorikeet (Saudareos Iris)

“Six species found on Timor and Wetar are only found on Atauro, Roti and Semau islands. Caprimargus ritae This is also true for several other bird species.”

“Wetar is closer to Timor (51km) than Alor (76km). The exclave of Atauro island is just 23km from Timor and 21km from Wetar.”

” Cyt b The Timor and Wetar sequence shows the colonization of Timor to Wetar, or vice versa probably quite recently.”

of study Published in the journal Ibis.

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Ben F. King others A new species of nightjar (Capri Margos) from Timor and Wetar, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and Wallacea. Ibis Published online June 24, 2024, doi: 10.1111/ibi.13340

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists discover unknown species of armadillo

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

of Cricket Armadillo (Dasypus novemucinctus) There are actually four different species, including a previously undescribed endemic species. Guiana ShieldAccording to a new study.

Guiana Navajo Armadillo (Dasypus guianensisImage courtesy of Quentin Martinez, https://quentinmartinez.fr.

Armadillos are New World placental mammals. CingulataAlong with anteaters and sloths, they form part of a superclade that dates back 100 million years ago. Xenomorphs.

The cricket armadillo The most widely distributed xenarthropod species Across the Americas.

Recent studies suggest that it consists of four distinct lineages whose taxonomic status is unclear.

“It has been widely believed that the cricket armadillo ranges from northern Argentina to southern Illinois, but in recent years some scientists have presented evidence that it is in fact a complex of several different species,” said Dr. Frédéric Delschuk, research director at the CNRS.

“By studying the DNA of armadillos across their range, we were able to perform a very detailed genomic analysis and become convinced that there are in fact four different species of armadillos.”

“Under the new classification, armadillos found in the United States should be called Mexican long-legged armadillos,” added Dr Anderson Feijo, a researcher at the Field Museum.

“In addition, a new species of Guiana Navajo armadillo (Dasypus guianensis) is the first armadillo described in the past 30 years.

In this study, the researchers analyzed the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Dasypus Armadillos were sampled throughout their range.

A combination of genetic data and physical characteristics led them to conclude that cricket armadillos are actually four genetically distinct species.

Thus, some subspecies within this species have come to be recognized as species in their own right.

The armadillo found in Mexico and the United States was formerly a subspecies of Mexican wolfnow just Mexican wolf: Mexican long-legged armadillo.

Subspecies Window StratusThe species that inhabits the central part of its range is now a distinct species, and its original name was Novemucinctas Currently limited to South America.

Meanwhile, the data showed that another branch of the armadillo phylogenetic tree did not belong to any of these three existing groups.

The area of northeastern South America known as the Guiana Shield is home to the newest armadillo species. Dasypus guianensis.

The new armadillo is slightly larger than the other three species, has a hairless shell, a robust domed skull and additional bones in its spine.

Overall, however, to the untrained eye, these four species appear very similar.

“It's nearly impossible to tell in the field,” Dr Delsac said.

a paper The findings were published in the journal. Systematic biology.

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Mathilde Barthes othersExon capture museomics deciphers a cricket armadillo species complex and identifies a new species endemic to the Guiana Shield. Systematic biologyPublished online June 22, 2024, doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syae027

Source: www.sci.news

A recently found bird species in Brazil

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to a multi-trait systematic study led by the Federal University of Pará, ornithologists Silver-cheeked anteater (Sacesphoroides cristatus) It actually represents not one but two species.

An illustration Sacesphoroides niedegidonaeImage courtesy of Eduardo Brettas.

A newly discovered species, the northern stingray (Sacesphoroides niedegidonae)teeth, CaatingaA natural area located in the interior of northeastern Brazil.

“Caatinga is the largest seasonally dry tropical forest in the Neotropics, located in northeastern Brazil, and is characterized by a predominantly deciduous forest and extreme seasonality of rainfall,” Dr. Pablo Cerqueira Emilio Goeldi from the Paraense Museum of the Federal University of Pará and his colleagues.

“Historically, this area has been treated as a biologically impoverished region, but recent studies have uncovered new diversification patterns and several new species of frogs, mammals, insects and fish.”

“The region's topography has played an important role in its biogeographical history, with altitudes ranging from sea level in the north to an average of 400-700 metres in the central states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, to over 1,000 metres on the slopes of the Sierra de Espinhaço mountain range.”

Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is the second known species in the genus. SacesphoroidesThis also includes Sacesphoroides cristatus.

“Until recently, Sacesphoroides cristatus Classified into the genus SacesphorusHowever, new genetic and morphological data have revealed that the genus is non-monophyletic, prompting its transfer to a separate genus. Sacesphoroides” the researchers said.

In this study, a total of 1,079 Sacesphoroides cristatus Sample size (818 males, 261 females).

To investigate song variation, the researchers analyzed a total of 115 different audio recordings.

They also sequenced 58 tissue samples from across the country. Sacesphoroides cristatus The range is wide, with 39 of them belonging to the left bank of the San Francisco River and 19 on the right bank.

Of the 1,079 individuals analysed (skins and photographs), no diagnostic plumage differences could be identified among males, but two main plumage patterns were diagnosed in females, mainly across the river.

“Men Sacesphoroides niedegidonae The feathers are similar Sacesphoroides cristatus“The males are males, but the females have different colouring on the top of their heads, backs and tails than the males,” the scientists said.

“Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is generally lighter in color (amber) rather than chestnut brown. Sacesphoroides cristatus. “

The back is olive brown Sacesphoroides niedegidonae,on the other hand, Sacesphoroides cristatus It's cinnamon brown.”

“The overall color of the tail is Sacesphoroides niedegidonae Darker than Sacesphoroides cristatusThe most noticeable difference is the black and white stripes. Sacesphoroides cristatus It has a modest dull brown and reddish stripes, and no white stripes at all.”

“Sing out loud Sacesphoroides niedegidonae The general pattern is: Sacesphoroides cristatus“However, the shape of the first note is noticeably different,” they added.

“The new species is almost exclusively restricted to the left/north bank of the São Francisco River, with one population occurring on the right bank in the “Raço da Catarina” region of Bahia.”

“This population, discovered on the right/south bank of the San Francisco River, may have 'migrated' across the river due to changes in paleotopography, as detailed in the Discussion section below.”

Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It is a common species throughout most of its range and occurs in a variety of habitats in the Caatinga, including secondary growth vegetation.

“The range of the outbreak is estimated to be 630,000 km.²not approaching the threshold Vulnerable Status according to IUCN range criteria (<20,000 km2)²),” the authors state.

“Although population data is not available, the mature population is estimated at more than 10,000 individuals, and the species Least Concern. “

“But a new approach using niche modelling for future climate scenarios shows Sacesphoroides cristatus (include Sacesphoroides niedegidonae(same as treated prior to this study).

“When we apply the IUCN criteria to these estimated future range sizes, the threatened category is Near Threatened And more Vulnerable It depends on future global change scenarios.”

Discovery Sacesphoroides niedegidonae It has been reported paper In the journal Zoological scriptor.

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Pablo Cerqueira othersA new ant shrike (Aves: Shrikeidae) endemic to Caatinga and the role of climate variability and drainage change in shaping the potential diversity of a Neotropical seasonally dry forest. Zoological scriptorpublished online June 17, 2024. Source: 10.1111/zsc.12672

Source: www.sci.news

The newly discovered ceratopsian species had unique curved, blade-like horns on the underside of its frill.

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have identified a new genus and species of centrosaurine dinosaur from fossils discovered in the Judith River Formation in the Kennedy Coulee region of Montana, USA. Lociceratops rangiformisThe new species emerged at least 12 million years earlier than its better-known relatives. Triceratops It was the largest ceratopsid of its time.

Reconstruction Lociceratops rangiformis Be amazed by a crocodile in the 78-million-year-old swamps of northern Montana. Image by Andrej Achutin/Museum of Evolution, Maribo, Denmark.

Lociceratops rangiformis It lived in what is now Montana during the Cretaceous period, about 78 million years ago.

This species was about 6.7 metres (22 feet) long and weighed five tons, making it the largest dinosaur in the group called ceratopsians. Centrosaurinae It has never been found in North America before.

“In the dinosaur ecosystem of the ancient island continent Laramidia, ceratopsians were geographically widespread, morphologically diverse and possessed a great deal of variation in cranial ornamentation, including horns and a morphologically diverse parietal scaly frill,” said Professor Mark Loewen of the University of Utah and his colleagues.

“Two distinct lineages within the Ceratopsidae family diverged by at least 83 million years ago.”

“These are the chasmosaurinae, which have long snouts and long frills, and the centrosaurines, which have rounded snouts and relatively short frills.”

“Centrosaurinae represent an ecologically important and diverse lineage of ceratopsians that reached a peak in diversity during the Campanian, 83 to 70 million years ago.”

“Historically known from abundant fossil finds in Alberta, Canada, and Montana, USA, discoveries over the past two decades have rapidly expanded our understanding of this group, particularly its geographic and morphological range, and have also provided new insights into the ontogeny of centrosaurines.”

“Centrosaurinae were locally abundant in some areas of southern Alberta and northern Montana, but were previously rare or poorly known in other parts of Laramidia.”

Fossil skull Lociceratops rangiformisImage courtesy of the Evolution Museum, Maribo, Denmark.

Paleontologists have discovered the skeleton of a mature individual. Lociceratops rangiformis Quarrying at Loki Quarry in 2019 Judith River Formation.

“The Loki quarry, which yielded the new specimen, is located on private land in the Kennedy Coulee Badlands, north of the town of Rudyard in Hill County, northern Montana, USA,” the researchers said.

Lociceratops rangiformis It has the largest frill horns of any ceratopsid ever, and lacks the nasal horns characteristic of its genus.

“This new dinosaur pushes the boundaries of outlandishness in ceratopsian head ornaments, boasting the largest frill horns ever seen on a ceratopsian,” said paleontologist Joseph Sertich of Colorado State University.

“These skull ornaments provide another window into the diversity of horned dinosaurs and demonstrate that evolutionary selection for flashy displays contributed to the dazzling richness of Cretaceous ecosystems.”

“We think dinosaur horns were similar to the displays performed by birds, who used them for mate selection and species recognition.”

Lociceratops rangiformis It coexisted with three other centrosaurine dinosaurs (Wendiceratops pinhornensis, Albertaceratops nesmoiand Medusaceratops Loki) and Chasmosaurinae (Judiceratops tigris).

“The combination of five species is an unprecedented diversity and resembles the range of horned ungulates found on the plains of East Africa today,” Dr Sertich said.

“Unlike the wide-ranging large wild mammals, such as elk, that currently roam the American West, these ancient animals were geographically restricted.”

“discovery Lociceratops rangiformis “It provides evidence that these species evolved rapidly within a small area, a process sometimes seen in birds.”

“at that time Triceratops By the time ceratopsians emerged 12 million years later, regional differences had homogenized to just two species found across Canada and Mexico, probably as a response to a more homogenous climate.”

“This study shows that dinosaur diversity has been underestimated and presents the most complete ceratopsid family tree to date.”

“Lociceratops rangiformis “This study helps us understand that we're only just scratching the surface when it comes to the diversity and relationships of the ceratopsian family tree,” Prof Loewen said.

of study Published online in the journal Peer J.

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M.A. Rowen others. 2024. Lociceratops rangiformis A new genus and species (Ceratopsia: Centrosaurinae) from the Campanian Judith River Formation of Montana reveals the rapid regional dispersal and extreme endemism of centrosaurinae dinosaurs. Peer J 12: e17224; doi: 10.7717/peerj.17224

Source: www.sci.news

Newly Identified Species: Fossil of Small Ape Discovered in Europe

Posted on June 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Two teeth from the newly identified ancient ape Buronius manfredschmidi, viewed from multiple angles

Böhme et al., 2024, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0

A small, herbivorous ape may have lived in Western Europe 11.6 million years ago. Smaller and lighter than any great ape known to date, the newly discovered 10-kilogram (22-pound) primate was probably a skilled climber that ate leaves, researchers say. Madeline Boehme At the University of Tübingen, Germany.

“This is a fairly small primate,” she says, “but it's different from all the known fossils and certainly different from all the modern great apes we've known so far.”

About 15 million years ago, during the Miocene, hominoids (great apes) became rare in Africa and more abundant in Europe. Hominoids sometimes shared habitats with other primates, including apes and pliopithecoids, extinct relatives of Old World monkeys, but hominoids do not appear to have coexisted with each other in Europe.

In 2019, Boehme and his colleagues reported the discovery of 37 bones at the Hammerschmiede site in Bavaria that appear to belong to an early, bipedal ape dating back 11.6 million years ago, which they named “hominoid.” Danubius Guggenmosi.

During the excavation, Boehme was surprised to find two small ape-like teeth and a kneecap in the same sedimentary layer. Danubius fossil.

“We kept saying, 'What is this?'” she says of these tiny fossils, “and we concluded that this is clearly something new.”

The fossils are too old for DNA analysis, Boehme said, so the researchers took detailed measurements of the juvenile's 7-millimeter-long molar and 16-millimeter-wide kneecap, as well as a fragment of a premolar that they believe to belong to a young adult. They also calculated the thickness of the enamel and took microscopic CT scans of the teeth.

The gorilla-like thin enamel suggests they probably ate soft foods like leaves, Boehme said, and the shape, thickness and ligament attachment sites of the kneecap are similar to those of arboreal primates, suggesting the apes were good climbers.

Researchers look at new ape Bronius ManfredschmidyThe fossil, named after the medieval name of the nearby Hammerschmiede site, was discovered by dentist Manfred Schmidt, who has been collecting fossils at the site since the 1970s.

Lack of competition for resources Bronius and Danubius Apes can coexist, says Boehme – Danubius They are thought to have eaten tough foods such as nuts and meat, and the team can't rule out the possibility that great apes, which could have been up to three times as heavy, may have preyed on smaller species, she added.

But these three fossils alone may not be enough to reach such a “big” conclusion, the researchers say. Sergio Almesia It is on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. “Small fossil elements may date to infancy. Danubius “The teeth definitely look like baby teeth. [baby teeth]. “

He also thinks the kneecap may represent the same species as the tooth: “It has been suggested that it belongs to a juvenile individual, but its size overlaps with the lower range of adult orangutans.” [which are much larger apes]” says Almesija.

Clement Zanolly A researcher from the University of Bordeaux in France also has doubts: “I'm not sure whether the teeth, especially the molars, belong to a hominoid or to another primate superfamily, a pliopithecoid.”

Boehme and his colleagues say their comparison rules out the possibility that the tooth is a milk tooth or a pliopithecoid tooth.

In any case, the fact that the two primate species shared the same habitat and possibly even interacted with each other is a “fantastic discovery,” Zanolli said, “and it reinforces the idea that Europe at that time was a luxurious and comfortable place for primates to evolve.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New metallic blue ant species found in India by entomologists

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The entomologist described a new species of ant. Parapara Tretina He is from Inguk village in the East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.

Paraparatretina NeelaHolotype worker: (A) Head viewed from the front, (B) Body viewed from the back, (C) Body viewed from the side. Images courtesy of Sahanashree other., doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1203.114168.

Parapara Tretina A genus of small ants, generally 1-2 mm in length, belonging to the subfamily. Formicidae.

They are typically found in the Afrotropical, Australasia, Indomalaya, Oceania and Palaearctic biogeographical regions.

They live in a variety of tropical environments, from rainforests to forest clearings, and can be found in a wide range of habitats, from leaf litter on the ground to high up in the tree canopy.

Currently, the genus contains 38 valid species and four valid subspecies.

Fourteen species are known from the Indomalaya biogeographic region. Parapara Tretina Acetate It was previously the only species known from the Indian subcontinent.

Specimen of a new worker ant species Parapara Tretina The specimens were collected from a secondary forest at an altitude of 803 metres (2,635 feet) in Ing village, East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India.

“One evening, while I was exploring a tree hole about three metres high on a steep cattle track in the remote village of Inku, I saw something glow in the twilight,” he said. Dr. Dharma Rajan Priyadarsanan Ashoka Foundation for Ecological and Environmental Research and colleagues.

“In the dim light, two insects were sucked into the aspirator, which, to my surprise, I later discovered were ants.”

“Arunachal Pradesh, located in the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot, Cyan Valley “There is a world of unparalleled diversity, much of which remains to be explored,” they said.

“But this richness, both culturally and ecologically, faces unprecedented threats.”

“Large infrastructure projects such as dams, highways and military installations, along with climate change, are rapidly transforming the valley.”

“The impacts extend beyond the valley itself, as these mountains not only sustain their own diverse ecosystems but also play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of millions of people living downstream.”

Named Paraparatretina NeelaThe newly discovered species is a tiny ant measuring less than 2mm in length.

The body is primarily metallic blue, except for the antennae, mandibles, and legs.

The head is subtriangular, with large eyes and triangular mouthparts (mandible) bearing five teeth.

This species has a distinctive metallic blue colour that distinguishes it from other species in the genus.

“With the exception of marine sponges, blue colouration in animals is a relatively rare phenomenon,” the researchers said.

“But there are also some blue species among vertebrates, such as fish, frogs and birds, and invertebrates, such as spiders.”

“Blue is a common color in many insects, especially hymenoptera. Apidae, Chrysanthemum family and Ichneumonidaeit is very rare Formicidae. “

“Blue colors in insects are typically produced by the arrangement of biological photonic nanostructures rather than pigments, and have evolved independently in different groups.”

“This vibrant feature raises an intriguing question: Could it serve a purpose in communication, camouflage, or other ecological interactions? A closer look at the evolution of this conspicuous color and its relationship to elevation and biology could provide clues.” Paraparatretina Neela It points to exciting avenues for research.”

Discovery Paraparatretina Neela It has been reported paper In the journal Zookie.

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R. Sahanashree other2024. Amazing new species Parapara Tretina Donisthorpe (1947) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Formicinae), from the Eastern Himalayas of India. Zookie 1203: 159-172; doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1203.114168

Source: www.sci.news

The genome of a new fern species from New Caledonia is the largest among all organisms

Posted on June 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tumecipteris oblancorata is a rare fern species known as the wolf lark, found in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It has recently broken the world record with its genome size of 160.45 billion base pairs (Gbp), challenging current understanding and paving the way for further exploration of genome gigantism.

Tumecipteris oblancorata. Image courtesy of Pol Fernández.

Tomesypteris is a small and relatively understudied genus consisting of 15 species, mostly found in Oceania and some Pacific islands.

Scientists have previously estimated the genome sizes of two Tomesypteris species – Tumecipteris tannensis and Tomesypteris obliqua – with large genomes of 73.19 Gbp and 147.29 Gbp, respectively.

In 2023, Dr. Jaume Pellicer and his colleagues from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, traveled to New Caledonia to analyze the genome size of Tumecipteris oblancorata.

The analysis revealed a record-breaking genome size of 160.45 Gbp for Tumecipteris oblancorata, also known as Tumecipteris truncata, surpassing the genome size of the Japanese flower plant species Paris Japonica (148.89 Gbp). For comparison, the human genome contains approximately 3.1 Gbp across 23 chromosomes.

Tomesypteris is a unique fern genus whose ancestors date back around 350 million years, characterized by primarily being epiphytes with a distribution limited to Oceania and a few Pacific islands.

Dr. Ilia Reich of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, expressed surprise at the world record held by the inconspicuous Tumecipteris oblancorata, highlighting the diversity of plants at the DNA level and their importance in Earth’s biodiversity.

The team’s findings were published in the journal iScience.

Genome size diversity in eukaryotes: (A) Current distribution of genome sizes in the major lineages of plants, animals, and fungi. (B) Top 10 largest genome sizes recorded in eukaryotes. Image courtesy of Pol Fernández et al., doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109889.

This remarkable discovery raises questions about the biological limits and complexities of plant genomes, inspiring further exploration into the mysteries of genome gigantism.

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Pol Fernandez othersThe 160 Gbp fork fern genome breaks eukaryotic size record. iSciencePublished online May 31, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109889

Source: www.sci.news

New species of Ceratosaurus unearthed by paleontologists

Posted on May 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Cinderella Longipes It is the first ceratopsian species known from the Early Cretaceous of Asia, extending the geological range of the dinosaur group Ceratopsia on the continent by 40 million years.

Cinderella Longipesreference specimen (b) and holotype (cj). Image courtesy of Averyanov. others., doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0537.

The newly discovered dinosaur species lived in what is now Siberia between 121 and 113 million years ago (the Early Cretaceous period).

Named Cinderella LongipesThe ancient creature is estimated to have been 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) long.

it is Noasauridaean extinct family and group of small carnivorous dinosaurs. Ceratopsians.

“Ceratopsians were the first major lineage of theropod dinosaurs to achieve taxonomic diversity and a wide geographic distribution,” said Dr. Alexander Averyanov from the Institute of Zoology and his colleagues.

“They were probably distributed worldwide during the Late Jurassic, but were pushed out of the northern continents by other theropod groups and underwent a secondary radiation in the Cretaceous on Gondwana, where they became the dominant predators and survived until the end of the Cretaceous.”

“AbelisauroideaThe most diverse ceratosaurid clade, the Acanthosaurus genus, is known from the Cretaceous of Europe, where it is probably represented by secondary dispersals, but in Asia no ceratosaurids are known from the Late Jurassic onwards.

Fragmentary skeleton Cinderella Longipes Fossils including cervical vertebrae, pectoral girdle, humerus, and hind limbs were excavated at the Shestakovo 1 locality in the Ilek Formation of Western Siberia.

“Cinderella Longipes Share unique hind leg proportions Elaphrosaurus and Limusaurus“This suggests improved running ability,” the paleontologists said.

“These species show ostrich-like foot specializations, with a large third metatarsal and a greatly reduced second metatarsal.”

“In contrast, all other fast-running non-avian theropod dinosaurs have arc metatarsals, with the third metatarsal being greatly reduced proximally.”

According to the authors: Cinderella Longipes This is about 40 million years younger than the youngest recorded Asian ceratosaur to date.

“Cinderella Longipes It was part of a rare vertebrate group dominated by advanced ceratopsian dinosaurs. Psittacosaurus sibiricus“However, it also includes groups of tetrapods long extinct elsewhere, such as stem salamanders, protosuchian and chartegosuchian crocodylomorphs, tritylodontian synapsids, and docodontian mammalomorphs,” the researchers said.

Team work Published in a journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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Alexander O. Averyanov others2024. Asia's last ceratopsid: a new noasaurid dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Siberian Great Refuge. Proc. R. Soc. B 291 (2023): 20240537; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0537

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists discover a previously unknown species of fake scorpion trapped in 50-million-year-old amber

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have reported fossils of a new genus and species of pseudoscorpion from the Eocene Cambay amber of western India.

Geogaranya variensis. Image credit: Agnihotri other, doi: 10.26879/1276.

pseudo scorpion It is the earliest order of arthropods to colonize Earth’s land during the early Devonian period.

This diverse order accounts for more than 3% of all known arachnid species.

“Pseudoscorpions are an ancient lineage of terrestrial arachnids that are morphologically similar to real scorpions, but lack the tail and stinger,” said Dr. Priya Agnihotri of DST’s Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleosciences and colleagues.

“Certain families have unique venom devices in the serrated digits of their palps, which evolved independently of the venom devices of scorpions and spiders.”

“Recent research also supports the inclusion of pseudoscorpions as a sister group to scorpions.”

“Due to their delicate bodies and small size, these fossils are mainly found in amber deposits around the world rather than in sediments,” they added.

“Forty-nine pseudoscorpion species have been recorded from Eocene Baltic amber and Rovno amber.”

Newly discovered pseudoscorpion species belongs to the small scorpion family Goridae.

named Geogaranya variensis showing strong similarities with extant genera. Geogalypus From Sri Lanka, India, and New Guinea.

“The Geogarypidae family is one of a group of bark-dwelling and leaf litter-dwelling species similar to the Geogarypidae family. Gallipidae It has a distinctive subtriangular carapace and eyes located near the leading edge,” the paleontologist said.

“This family includes more than 70 species with habitats suitable for tropical and subtropical regions, some of which have been reported from temperate biomes.”

“Geogarypidae are more common in Baltic and Rovno amber, and there are some records from Cretaceous Burmese amber.”

“Unlike the sparse record of fossils, their modern-day counterparts have been recorded in all major biogeographic regions, including Europe, Central Asia, North America, and North Africa.”

Amber from Cambay from 50 million years ago. Geogaranya variensis It was discovered in the open-pit Valia lignite mine, part of the Cambay Shale Formation, in the Cambay Basin of Gujarat, India.

“The Cambay Shale Formation overlies the Deccan Trap, and below it is the Paleocene to lower Eocene Vagadkol Formation,” the researchers said.

According to the team: Geogaranya variensis It is one of the smallest known adult pseudoscorpion fossils in amber from the Cambay Basin.

This discovery further strengthens the biodiversity of bark-dwelling arthropods identified in Eocene amber from western India.

“The discovery of the smallest known adult pseudoscorpion in Cambay Basin amber aligns it with fossil taxa recorded in Baltic Sea amber and Bitterfeld amber that survived the early Eocene. “This provides insight into similar bark-dwelling arthropod taxa,” the scientists concluded.

“Scanning electron microscopy studies revealed diagnostic features in the fossils, such as abnormally enlarged palps. This strengthened Foresy’s idea that species from non-arboreal habitats could be mistakenly This suggests that it may have been carried in amber and had a connection to a flying host.”

discovery of Geogaranya variensis is reported in paper in diary Old Trogia Electronica.

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priya agnihotri other. 2024. A new genus and species of fossil pseudoscorpion (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) discovered in Eocene amber from western India. Old Trogia Electronica 27 (2):a26; doi: 10.26879/1276

Source: www.sci.news

Two new species of pachycephalosaurids discovered by paleontologists

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of two new small pachycephalosaurs. Formation of dinosaur park Alberta and another province Hell Creek Formation of Montana.

Sphaerotorus Buchholzee A small species that fights beneath large pachycephalosaurs in the Hell Creek Formation of Montana, USA. Image credit: ABelov2014 / CC BY-SA 3.0 Certificate.

One of the new species of dinosaur named. Sphaerotorus rionsii lived in what is now Canada 75 million years ago.

the other one is, Sphaerotorus triregnum lived in the United States about 67 million years ago.

Both species belong to Sphaerosolos a genus of small dinosaurs of the subfamily Pachycephalosauridae within the family Pachycephalosauridae.

“Despite being poorly represented in the fossil record, including a thickened frontoparietal dome and hypothetical head-butting behavior, pachycephalosaurids are some of the most iconic dinosaurs,” lead authors Philip and Patricia・Dr. Carrie Woodruff, a paleontologist at the Frost Museum, said: Science and the Museum of the Rockies and its friends.

“While the true function of their unusual cranial domes remains debated, considerable research has focused on their ontogeny and diversity.”

“This study is complicated by the unusual fossil record, which consists mostly of unsegmented skull remains, and associated skeletons are extremely rare.”

“This pattern may be the result of small body size and taphonomic bias against delicate skeletal preservation and recovery, as well as the robust and diagnostic nature of the bones that make up the cranial dome.”

Holotype of left flat bone Sphaerotorus triregnum. Scale bar represents 1 cm. Image credit: Woodruff other., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1535.

Sphaerotorus rionsii and Sphaerotorus triregnum Each is represented by an isolated squamous epithelium the skull found in most reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

The holotype of Sphaerotorus rionsii “It was collected north of the Red Deer River in the northeastern part of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada,” the researchers said.

The holotype of Sphaerotorus triregnum It was collected from the lower half of the Hell Creek Formation, approximately 45 km southwest of the town of Jordan, Garfield County, Montana, USA. ”

“The specimens were collected from the same channel complex and within 500 meters of the location of the dromaeosaur holotype.” Acheloraptor temeltyorum”

“These two new specimens are about the same size as the squamosal. Sphaerotorus Buchholzee and has several overlapping forms. Sphaerosolos Genus. ”

These new species fill a morphological gap in the pachycephalosaur fossil record and show that multisegment forms were more diverse than previously realized.

“Description of two new species of small pachycephalosaurs of the same genus Sphaerosolos “This provides further insight into the evolution of North American pachycephalosaurs,” the scientists said.

“Aspects of the phylogeny of pachycephalosaurs remain unresolved and disputed, in part due to the incomplete nature of their remains, and this analysis focuses on two small North American pachycephalosaur phylogenies. This is the first time we have identified evolutionary potential in different lineages.”

Holotype of right flat bone Sphaerotorus rionsii. Scale bar represents 1 cm. Image credit: Woodruff other., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1535.

“Sphaerotorus rionsii and Sphaerotorus triregnum Please provide the following evidence:

(i) Small-bodied dinosaur species have not yet been discovered in well-sampled geological formations.

(ii) pachycephalosaur diversity in the Dinosaur Park and Hell Creek formations is richer than previously thought, and pachycephalosaur diversity in North America is likely to continue to increase;

(iii) Species with ornaments consisting of multisegment rows are indeed more numerous and diverse throughout the Pachycephalosauridae than previously known.

(iv) North American pachycephalosaurs appear to have remained relatively diverse throughout the Maastrichtian period, which is consistent with dinosaurs throughout the latest Cretaceous period of North America up to the end-Cretaceous extinction event. Implications for understanding the dynamics of evolution and diversity. ”

of findings appear in the diary paleontology papers.

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D. Cary Woodruff other. 2023. His two new species of small pachycephalosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of North America (Dinosauria, Aminocephala) suggest hidden diversity in well-sampled strata. Masu. Paleontology Papers 9 (6): e1535; doi: 10.1002/spp2.1535

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered Stegosaurus species had distinctive skin armor

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of stegosaur from the Middle Jurassic period has been identified from fossilized posterior skulls discovered in the Middle Atlas Mountains, south of Fez, Morocco.

Artist’s impression Tireosaurus atlasix. Image credit: Sci.News.

Tireosaurus atlasix lived in North Africa during the middle Jurassic period, about 165 million years ago.

This species is closely related to Dakentrulus members of the clade Dacenturinae within the Tyreophoran dinosaur family Stegosauridae.

Dr. Mostafa Oukas of Casablanca’s Universidad Hassan II and his colleagues said, “Thireophora is a diverse clade of herbivorous ornithischians consisting of stegosaurs, sclerosaurs, and basal types.”

“Thyleophorans have an extensive fossil record spanning from the Early Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous and are best known from well-preserved specimens from Laurasia.”

“In contrast, fossil remains are poorly known in Gondwana, and most of them are partial,” the researchers added.

“In Africa, thyreophorans may have been present since the Early Middle Jurassic.”

“Stegosaur body fossils have been recorded from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco, the Late Jurassic of Tanzania, and the Early Cretaceous of South Africa.”

“African ankylosaurs are represented by Spicomerus afar from Morocco during the Middle Jurassic period.”

divided partial skeleton Tireosaurus atlasix found in gray marl. El Mars III formation is located in the northern part of the Bourafa region near Bourmane, in the Atlas region of central Morocco.

“In 2021, during a geological mapping mission south of Bourmane, we discovered a new site rich in dinosaur remains in the El Mars III Formation,” the paleontologists said.

“This site, named Bourafa North, is located north of the Bourafa quarry.”

“This material was collected during several consecutive field trips and consists of the posterior skull of a stegosaur, including dorsal vertebrae and ribs, limb bones, and skin armor.”

According to the team: Tireosaurus atlasix had a strange asymmetrical skin armor, unique among stegosaurs.

“Dermal armor is Tireosaurus atlasix “It is composed of up to 4 cm (1.6 in) thick bone oval to subrectangular shaped osteoderms,” the researchers said.

“The asymmetrical texture of the sides, with one side roughly decorated with small holes and strands of fibers and the other with a distinct cross-hatch pattern, is unlike anything previously observed in other stegosaurs and sclerosaurs. It’s clearly different.”

“The bone histology of these osteoderms is reminiscent of the histology of stegosaur tail spines.”

“These osteoderms are interpreted to have been placed in a lying position on the animal’s body, rather than in an upright position.”

Tireosaurus atlasix was estimated to be over 6 meters (19.7 feet) long.

“The axial features indicate that this specimen belongs to a medium- to large-sized stegosaur,” the scientists said.

“The holotype corresponds to an adult individual that has not yet reached its maximum body size.”

discovery of Tireosaurus atlasix is important in understanding the evolutionary history of stegosaurs and other thyreophora dinosaurs.

“Recent discoveries are adraticrit and Tireosaurus atlasix “We provide insight into the early evolution of stegosaurs during the Middle Jurassic of Africa,” the authors concluded.

of findings appear in the diary Gondwana research.

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Omar Zafati other. 2024. A new stegosaur dinosaur (Ornithischian: Thyreophora) with prominent cutaneous armor that lived during the Middle Jurassic period of North Africa. Gondwana research 131: 344-362; doi: 10.1016/j.gr.2024.03.009

Source: www.sci.news

Study finds that competition between species was a significant factor in the growth and fall of human populations

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Traditionally, climate has been thought to be the cause of the emergence and extinction of human species. However, interspecific competition is known to play an important role in most vertebrates. A new study shows for the first time that competition has been the basis of speciation (the rate at which new species emerge) over five million years of human evolution.It also means that our speciation patterns homo The pedigree was different from most others.

a homo heidelbergensis, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. Image credit: SINC / Jose Antonio Peñas.

“We have ignored how competition between species has shaped our own evolutionary tree,” says Dr Laura van Holstein, an anthropologist at the University of Cambridge.

“The effects of climate on the human species are only part of the story.”

“In other vertebrates, species form to fill ecological niches. Darwin's finches, for example, have evolved large beaks for cracking nuts, while others have evolved large beaks for eating certain insects. Some have evolved small beaks to accommodate them. Once their respective resource niches are filled, competition ensues, no new finches emerge, and extinction takes over.”

Dr Van Holstein and Professor Robert Foley from the University of Cambridge used Bayesian modeling and phylogenetic analysis to show that, like other vertebrates, most species of humans formed when competition for resources and space was low. It was shown that

“The pattern seen in many early humans is similar to all other mammals,” van Holstein says.

“The speciation rate increases, then levels off, at which point the extinction rate begins to increase. This suggests that competition between species was a major evolutionary factor.”

However, when the authors analyzed our group, homothe findings were “bizarre.”

for homo The pattern of evolution of the lineage leading to modern humans suggests that interspecific competition actually led to the emergence of even newer species, a complete departure from trends seen in almost all other vertebrates. It's a reversal.

“The more types there are, the more homo The more there are, the higher the rate of speciation,” Dr. van Holstein said.

“So once those niches were filled, something caused more species to emerge. This is almost unprecedented in evolutionary science.”

The closest comparison she found was a species of beetle that lives on the island. On islands, confined ecosystems can produce unusual evolutionary trends.

“The evolutionary patterns we see across species are homo “The direct link to modern humans is more closely related to island beetles than to other primates or other mammals,” Dr van Holstein said.

www.sci.news

Paleontologists Discover New Species of Massive Triassic Ichthyosaur

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Ichthyotitan severnensis It lived in the Triassic seas around 202 million years ago and may have grown over 25 meters (82 feet) long.

Ichthyotitan severnensis. Image credit: Gabriel Uguet.

Ichthyosaurs are dolphin-like marine reptiles known from hundreds of fossils from the time of the dinosaurs.

These creatures ranged in size from less than a meter to over 20 meters (65 feet) in length.

All animals gave birth to live young in the sea, and some had giant eyes and so-called warm-blooded physiology, and some were fast swimmers and deep divers.

“Ichthyosaurs first evolved during the early Triassic period, about 250 million years ago,” said Dr Dean Lomax and colleagues from the Universities of Bristol and Manchester.

“Within a few million years, some ichthyosaurs evolved to reach lengths of 15 meters or more, and by the late Triassic period (about 200 million years ago), the largest fish, including the newly described ichthyosaurs. The dragon has evolved. Ichthyotitan severnensis“

“But this reign didn’t necessarily last long. Some species of ichthyosaurs continued to roam the oceans for millions of years, but these ‘giant ichthyosaurs’ It is thought to have become extinct during the Tatami-Jurassic extinction event. And this unique group of marine reptiles never reached such a world again. Huge size.”

two fragmentary jaw bones Ichthyotitan severnensis Collected from the uppermost layer of the Triassic period Westbury Mudstone Formation Located in Somerset, England.

Based on the length of the fossil, the new species could have been a whopping 25 meters long, or twice as long as a city bus.

“In 2018, my team studied and described a giant jawbone, and we were hopeful that one day another jawbone would be revealed,” Dr. Lomax said.

“The new specimen is more complete and better preserved, showing that there are two large bones (called quadrilateral bones) with unique shapes and structures.”

“It’s quite amazing to think that gigantic ichthyosaurs, the size of blue whales, were swimming in the seas around Britain during the Triassic period.”

“These jaw bones provide intriguing evidence that perhaps someday the complete skull or skeleton of these giants may be discovered. You never know.”

discovery of Ichthyotitan severnensis is explained in paper in diary PLoS ONE.

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DR Lomax other. 2024. The last giant: new evidence of a giant Late Triassic (Rhaetian) ichthyosaur from Britain. PLoS ONE 19 (4): e0300289; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300289

Source: www.sci.news

Purple Bacteria: The New Dominant Species in Various Environments

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

With more than 5,500 exoplanets detected, the search for life is entering a new era. Astrobiologists from Cornell University and the University of Minnesota have used life on Earth as a guide to look beyond the lush landscape and expand our ability to detect signs of surface life on other worlds. A new study characterizes the reflectance spectra of purple sulfur and non-sulfur bacteria from different environments.

Coelho to extend the baseline for finding life in the universe other. They measured the reflectance of purple bacteria growing in different anoxic and aerobic environments. Image credit: Sci.News.

From houseplants and gardens to fields and forests, green is the color most associated with life on Earth’s surface. On Earth, conditions were favorable for the evolution of organisms that carried out photosynthesis, using the green pigment chlorophyll a to produce oxygen.

But an Earth-like planet orbiting another star could look completely different, receiving little or no visible light or oxygen and instead relying on photosynthesis, like some environments on Earth. may be covered in bacteria that use invisible infrared light to promote

Many such bacteria on Earth contain purple pigments instead of green, and in a world where they are predominantly purple, they could produce unique “light fingerprints” that can be detected by next generation ground and space telescopes. will be generated.

Ligia Fonseca Coelho, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute, said, “Purple bacteria are able to thrive under a wide range of conditions, making them one of the leading candidates for life that has the potential to dominate many different worlds.” “We have become one,” he said.

“We are building a database of signs of life so that telescopes can detect life even if they don’t look exactly like what we encounter around us every day,” said Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute. We need to make sure we don’t miss out,” he added. at Cornell University.

For this study, the authors collected samples of more than 20 types of purple sulfur and non-sulfur bacteria that can be found in a variety of environments, from shallow waters, beaches, and wetlands to deep-sea hydrothermal vents. collected and grown.

Bacteria, collectively known as purple bacteria, actually have a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, brown, and red, due to pigments related to the pigments that make tomatoes red and carrots orange.

They use a simpler photosynthetic system that utilizes a form of chlorophyll that absorbs infrared light and produces no oxygen, and they thrive in low-energy red or infrared light.

They were likely widespread on early Earth before the advent of plant-type photosynthesis, and may be particularly suited to planets orbiting cool red dwarfs, the most common type in the galaxy. there is.

“They are already thriving in certain areas here,” Dr. Coelho said.

“Imagine if they weren’t competing with green plants, algae, and bacteria. The red sun might give them the most favorable conditions for photosynthesis.”

After measuring the purple bacteria’s biological pigments and optical fingerprints, the researchers created a model of an Earth-like planet with varying conditions and cloud cover.

“In a variety of simulated environments, both wet and dry purple bacteria produced a dark-colored biosignature,” Dr. Coelho said.

“If purple bacteria thrive on the surface of frozen Earth, ocean worlds, snowball Earths, or modern Earth orbiting cooler stars, we have the tools to search for them. can do.”

team’s work will appear in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Ligia Fonseca Coelho other. 2024. Purple is the new green. Spectrum of biological pigments and a purple world similar to the Earth. MNRAS 530 (2): 1363-1368; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae601

Source: www.sci.news

The discovery of three new fossil kangaroo species in Australia and New Guinea

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Three new species belong to the extinct genus Kangaroo Protemnodon was a common member of Cenozoic communities in Australia and New Guinea until extinction in the late Pleistocene.

Artist's impressions of newly described fossil species Protemnodon Viator and their relatives protemnodon anak, compared in scale with modern red kangaroos and eastern gray kangaroos. Image credit: T. Klarenbeek, Flinders University.

Protemnodon Kangaroos lived in Australia and New Guinea from about 5 million to 40,000 years ago.

The first species is Protemnodon Described in 1874 by British paleontologist Owen, he followed the common approach of the time, focusing primarily on fossilized teeth. He observed slight differences in teeth between specimens and described the teeth of six species. Protemnodon.

Protemnodon They looked similar to giant kangaroos, but were generally stockier and more muscular.

Some species weighed around 50 kg, while others were much larger than modern kangaroos.

However, one new species was named as part of the research – Protemnodon Viator – was much larger and weighed up to 170 kg. This is about twice the size of the largest male red kangaroo.

Protemnodon Viator They were well adapted to the arid habitats of central Australia and lived in areas similar to today's red kangaroos.

This species was a kangaroo with long limbs and could jump fairly quickly and efficiently.

The remaining two new species are Protemnodon Mamukura and Protemnodon dorsonae.

“Previously, some or all Protemnodon Dr Isaac Kerr, a paleontologist at Flinders University, says:

“However, our research suggests that this is true for only three or four species of animals. ProtemnodonIt could have animated things like quokkas and potoroos. Sometimes it would jump on four legs, sometimes on two legs. ”

“The newly described Protemnodon Mamukura Probably one of these. A large but thick-boned and strong kangaroo, it probably moved quite slowly and inefficiently. Perhaps it only rarely jumped when it was startled. ”

“The best fossils of this type come from Green Waterhole Cave in south-eastern South Australia, on the land of the Boadick people.”

“It is unusual for a single genus of kangaroos to live in such diverse environments. Protemnodon They are now known to inhabit a wide range of habitats, from the arid regions of central Australia to the rain-rich, forested mountains of Tasmania and New Guinea. ”

Protemnodon dorsonae Compared to the other two species, there are fewer known fossils and more mysteries. It was probably a medium speed hopper, something like a swamp wallaby.

“By about 40,000 years ago, all Protemnodon “It is now extinct in mainland Australia, but may survive for a little longer in New Guinea and Tasmania,” the authors said.

“This extinction occurred despite differences in size, adaptation, habitat, and geographic range.”

“For reasons that are not yet clear, the same thing did not occur in many similar relatives, such as wallaroos and giant kangaroos.” I might be able to answer that.”

“It's great that we now have some clarity on the identity of the animal species.” Protemnodon' said Professor Gavin Prideaux from Flinders University.

“Fossils of this genus are widespread and regularly discovered, but in many cases there is no way to be sure which species you are looking at.”

“This study may help researchers approach their studies with more confidence.” Protemnodon”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper Published in today's magazine Megataxa.

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Isaac AR Carr other. 2024. Systematics and paleontology of the late Cenozoic genus Kangaroo Protemnodon (Marsupialia, Megapoda). Megataxa 11(1); doi: 10.11646/megataxa.11.1.1

Source: www.sci.news

New species of Elasmosaurus found by paleontologists

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of elasmosaurid, a type of plesiosaur with a very long and slender neck, has been identified from fossilized remains found near the site. marambio basea permanent year-round Argentine Antarctic base on Marambio Island.

rebuilding the life of Marambionectes molinai. Image credit: O'Gorman other., doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302.

Elasmosaurs are members of Elasmosauridaea family of plesiosaurs that flourished during the Cretaceous period, approximately 145 million to 66 million years ago.

These creatures were perfectly adapted to aquatic life and had a unique body shape consisting of a streamlined body, paddle-like limbs, and an extremely long neck with up to 75 vertebrae.

The new species is Marambionectes molinai lived in the Cretaceous seas about 67 million years ago.

The fossil was recovered from the upper layer. López de Bertodano's formation February 2018, James Ross Islands, Antarctic Peninsula.

“The collected remains were Marambionectes molinai This includes parts of the torso and tail, limbs, neck and skull, as well as gastroliths called gastroliths, which were probably used for the mechanical digestion of food,'' CONICET paleontologists said. said. Jose O'Gorman and his colleagues.

“They were rescued in the first operation, but it was an intense and tiring experience punctuated by several days of snowstorms. The research team was isolated in a shelter, waiting for better weather to complete the work. Ta.”

material of Marambionectes molinai. Image credit: O'Gorman other., doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302.

Phylogenetic analysis is restored Marambionectes molinai within a clade Weddelonexia As a sister group of sub-families Arisnectinae.

In this sense, the authors suggest that some of the skeletal features of Alysnectinians may have been acquired through a process that began in the non-Alysnectinian elasmosaurids, prior to the emergence of this clade. are doing.

“Although not perfect, the overall state of preservation of the specimen is exceptional, even for skull material,” the paleontologists said.

“We confirm that it is not only a new species, but also has special characteristics that allow us to identify it as a form of transition between two groups that lived in the southern hemisphere. It has shed light on the evolutionary processes and relationships between the genera and other genera found in Chile, New Zealand, and West Antarctica. ”

discovery of Marambionectes molinai is reported in paper inside Journal of Systematic Paleontology.

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Jose P. O'Gorman other. 2024. New elasmosaurids (plesiosaurs: Sauropterygia) from the López de Bertodano Formation: new data on the evolution of alisnectin morphology. Journal of Systematic Paleontology 22(1); doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of a previously unknown Jurassic Shuotheriid species illuminates early mammalian evolution

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In a new study, a team of paleontologists examined the structure of teeth. Feredkodon Chowi aims to better understand the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary paths of a new species of Xuozalaid mammal that lived in what is now China during the Jurassic period.

rebuilding the life of Feredkodon Chowi (right) and Dianoconodon Yonggi (left). Image credit: Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich, a researcher at Monash University and Museums Victoria, said: “Our study challenges current theory and provides a new perspective on the evolutionary history of mammals.”

“By describing the complex tooth shapes and occlusal patterns, we provide important insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trajectory of the family Xenodiaceae, which was largely unknown until its recent discovery in China. ”

Shoeteraid a mammal-like animal from the Jurassic period, has baffled scientists because of its unique dental features.

These creatures have so-called pseudoclaws (basin-like structures) located in front of the triangular teeth of the mandibular molars, and the claws seen in modern therian mammals are similar to the triangular teeth of the lower molars. It is different from the claw-like pattern located at the back.

“This unique tooth pattern hinders our understanding of schootelid relationships and the first steps in the evolution of mammalian species,” Professor Vickersrich said.

Professor Vickers Rich and her colleagues examined the pseudotribosphene tooth of a new Jurassic schiotelid. Feredkodon Chowi represented by two skeletal specimens.

They were able to more completely dissect the tooth structure using a variety of analyses, and the results suggested that the tooth structure of schootherids is very similar to that of docodontans. Ta.

This study suggests that there are no true trigonids present in the basal teeth of Xuozalidae, indicating that they are more closely related to Docodontans than previously thought.

This reassessment of tooth structure not only resolves outstanding interpretations but also triggers a reconsideration of evolutionary connections within mammals.

“In 1982, a single small Jurassic mandible with four teeth was placed at a single point in the mammal family tree,” said Dr Thomas Rich, also from Monash University and Museums Victoria.

“We now have two virtually complete specimens analyzed in different ways, all of which place them in very different positions on the mammal family tree.”

“Additional specimens and different methods suggest different interpretations. Science often works like this.”

Based on new data, the Xuozidae appears to belong to a separate clade, the Docodontiformes, separate from the Auscutolibospheniformes, and are therefore grouped as follows: docodontance.

This finding highlights the importance of pseudotribosphenic characters in elucidating the initial diversification of mammals.

“This study highlights the presence of a huge variety of tooth morphologies in early mammals, demonstrating unique ecomorphological adaptations throughout the evolutionary development of mammals,” Professor Vickersrich said. Ta.

of findings Published in today's diary Nature.

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F. Mao other. The Jurassic family Xenotheliidae represents the earliest dental diversification of mammals. Nature, published online on April 3, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07258-7

Source: www.sci.news

Newly discovered species of mimic spider uncovered in Copal, Colombia

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Myrmarachne colombiana This is the first species of ant-mimicking spider discovered in Colombian copal.

Myrmarachne colombiana. Image credit: George Poinar Jr. / Oregon State University.

“Ants are particularly well-suited for spiders to pretend to be ants,” said George Poyner Jr., a professor at Oregon State University. “Many animals find them unpalatable or dangerous to eat.” said.

“Ants are aggressive to protect themselves. They have strong bites and stinging venom, and can call on dozens of nestmates as allies.”

“Spiders, on the other hand, have no chemical defenses and are solitary, making them vulnerable to predators that want to avoid them, such as larger spiders, bees, and birds. So if spiders could become like ants, There is a high possibility that it will not be used.”

Myrmarachne colombiana It was discovered in a type of fossilized resin known as copal.

“Copal is a less mature form of fossilized resin than amber, which is typically more than 25 million years old. Still, copal can be up to 3 million years old.” Professor Poyner said.

“However, we were unable to determine the age of the resin in this case.”

“The resin blocks I was working with came from Medellin, Colombia, and were too small to perform aging tests without risking harming the spiders inside.”

According to the study, there are currently no records of living ant-mimicking spiders living in Colombia.

“For spiders, this magical transformation into ants is difficult to achieve. Ants have six legs and two long antennae, whereas spiders have eight legs, but only one antennae. “No,” Professor Poyner said.

“To get around these anatomical differences, spiders typically arrange their two front legs in a way that approximates the appearance of antennae.”

“But the number of legs and the presence or absence of antennae are not the only features that distinguish ants from spiders.”

“In spiders, the abdomen and cephalothorax are closely attached, whereas in ants these body parts are separated by narrow areas called petioles.”

“And there are many other small-scale structures that need to be modified to bring spiders closer to ants.” We say it starts with mutation, adaptation, and natural selection.”

“But I think spider reasoning and intelligence are also involved, because spiders often model the subsequent body changes of certain ants in the same environment.”

“In the early days, it was said that all insect behavior was the result of instinct, but this is no longer the case.”

“Some spider groups have developed the ability to look and behave like different types of ants, he added. Spiders that try to blend in with other insects, such as flies, beetles and wasps. There are some too.”

“Most of the mimic spiders belong to the few families that hunt, such as Jumping spiders and Jumping spiders. The Colombian copal specimen looks like a jumping spider.”

“Mimetic spiders also belong to the families Coringidae (Arachnidae), Tomisidae (Flower spiders), and Zodariidae (Arachidae or Arachnidae).”

of study It was published in the magazine historical biology.

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George Poyner. Myrmarachne colombiana sp. n. (Araneidae: Salticidae), a new species of ant-like spider that lives on copal from Colombia, South America. historical biology, published online March 7, 2024. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2320190

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered titanosaurus species found in Uruguay

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new genus and species of titanosaur dinosaur, based on fossilized remains discovered in Uruguay’s Paysandu department.

Uderartitan Celeste. Image credit: Soto other., doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105894.

The newly described dinosaur species roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous Period, more than 85 million years ago.

Named Uderartitan Celeste, the body length of the ancient giant was 15 to 16 meters (49 to 52 feet).

This species belongs to a superfamily of dinosaurs called titanosaurs. Saltasaurinae.

“Titanosaurs represent the most successful and diverse group of sauropods, with more than 80 species described since the beginning of this century.” Dr. Matias Soto from the Uruguay Institute of Geosciences and its colleagues.

“They were the most abundant large herbivores of the Gondwana supercontinent during the Late Cretaceous, in sharp contrast to the ornithischian-dominated contemporaneous fauna of Laurasia.”

“This clade appears to have originated in South America, where it shows its greatest diversity, with records ranging from Belian-Varangian to Maastrichtian (145 million years ago to 72 million years ago). Masu.”

Fossilized materials of Uderartitan Celeste (60 vertebrae, bone fragments, and associated eggshells) were discovered within the deposit in 2006. Layers of Guichon near Quebracho, Paysandu Department, Uruguay.

“Titanosaur fossils have been known in Uruguay since the early 20th century, when four species were identified based on fragmentary fossils,” the paleontologists said.

“Such references are questionable, but given the strong central protrusion of the tail, there is no doubt that they were titanosaurs.”

“These discoveries were relevant because they allowed us to confirm the presence of Upper Cretaceous rocks in Uruguay, but given recent discoveries in South America, for example, Ninja Titan Zapatai, Tapuasaurus macedoi. Without additional data, older epochs within the Cretaceous cannot be excluded.”

According to the team: Uderartitan Celeste shows unique combinations and possibilities of character autotapomorphy.

This discovery indicates that at least two titanosaur lineages existed in Uruguay during the Late Cretaceous. Saltasauidea and Saltasauidea. Aerosaurini.

“Uderartitan Celeste represents the second sauropod taxon recognized in Uruguay, after the recently reported one. Aeolosaurus vertebrae from Asensio’s formation” said the researchers.

“Phylogenetic relationships between saltasaurids saltasaurids or non-saltasaurids saltasauridae prove the presence of saltasauroids in the Guichon Formation.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary Cretaceous research.

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Matias Soto other. Phylogenetic relationships of new species of titanosaurs (order Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Uruguay. Cretaceous research, published online March 26, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105894

Source: www.sci.news

The Amazon’s Biggest Freshwater Dolphin Species Now Extinct

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Artistic restoration of Pebanista Yacuruna in the murky waters of the Peruvian Amazon

Jaime Blanc

The Amazon basin was once home to freshwater dolphins that grew up to 3.5 meters long, making them the largest river dolphin known to science.

Researchers say they made this surprising discovery during a 2018 expedition to Peru Aldo Benitez Palomino at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. When the research team saw the animal's fossilized skull sticking out of the river bank, they immediately knew it was a dolphin. Closer analysis confirms that this giant skull is unlike anything previously discovered.

Researchers named this new species Pebanista Yacluna. The name pays homage to the mythical aquatic people, Yacuruna, who are believed to live in underwater cities in the Amazon basin.

The 16 million-year-old fossils were unearthed in an area that was once covered by a “very large lake, almost like a small ocean in the middle of a jungle,” Benitez Palomino said. He says, based on the small eye sockets and large teeth of ancient dolphins. P. Yacluna It was probably a predator with poor eyesight. They relied heavily on echolocation to find fish. “We realized that it was really living in muddy water because its eyes started to get smaller,” Benitez-Palomino said.

Because the fossil was found in the Amazon basin, researchers expected the fossil's closest living relative to be the modern Amazon river dolphin.Instead, they found P. Yacluna It was more closely related to the river dolphin of South Asia. Like them, this ancient species also has a raised crest on its skull that enhances its echolocation abilities.

P. Yacluna Benitez-Palomino said it may have been driven to extinction amid broader ecological changes. “About 11 to 12 million years ago, this huge wetland system began to drain, making way for what is now the Amazon. At that moment, many species became extinct, which is why this giant dolphin Maybe it was fate.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

The interlocking teeth of Morocco’s new mosasaurus species were sharp as daggers.

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have described a bizarre new species of mosasaurid, based on a skull and parts collected from a phosphate mine southeast of Casablanca, Morocco.

Kinjaria Akta. Image credit: Andrei Atutin.

Kinjaria Akta It was part of a highly diverse predatory fauna that lived in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco 66 million years ago, just before the dinosaurs went extinct.

The ancient beast was about 7-8 meters (23-26 feet) long and had powerful jaws and long dagger-like teeth.

belongs to Mosasauridaea family of giant marine lizards with specialized flipper-like limbs and tails.

Dr Nick Longrich, a palaeontologist at the University of Bath, said: 'Some mosasaurs had teeth for piercing their prey, while others had teeth for cutting, tearing or crushing their prey. There were,” he said.

“Now we Kinjaria AktaIt has huge dagger-like teeth on its short face. ”

“This is one of the most diverse marine animals seen at any time in history, and it existed just before marine reptiles and dinosaurs went extinct.”

The only known specimen is Kinjaria Akta was recovered from Sidi Shenan Phosphatein the Ourad Abdoun Basin, Kouriga Department, Morocco.

“Morocco's phosphates are deposited in shallow, warm continental oceans in upwelling systems,” said Professor Nathalie Bardet, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

“These zones are caused by deep, cool, nutrient-rich water flows rising toward the surface, providing food for large numbers of marine life and, in turn, many predators. Masu.”

“This is probably one explanation for this extraordinary paleobiodiversity observed in Morocco at the end of the Cretaceous.”

“Morocco's phosphates immerse us in the Upper Cretaceous ocean, in the latest geological period of the age of dinosaurs,” says Professor Nour Eddin Jalil, also from the National Museum of Natural History. .

“No other deposit from this period has yielded so many fossils and species.”

“After “Sea Giant,'' Thalassotitan“sawtooth” mosasaurus Xenoden“Startooth” Mosasaurus, Stelladen and many other things now Kinjaria Akta, a new mosasaur with dagger-like teeth. ”

“The elongation of the posterior part of the skull, which houses the jaw musculature, suggests formidable biting forces.”

discovery of Kinjaria Akta is explained in paper in a diary Cretaceous research.

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Nicholas R. Longrich other. A strange new species of Plioplatecarpine mosasaurid from the Maastrichtian region of Morocco. Cretaceous research, published online March 1, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105870

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered spinosaur dinosaur species confirmed in Spain

Posted on March 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New genus and species of spinosaurid dinosaur named Riojavenatrix lacustris It was discovered by paleontologist Eric Isasmendi of the University of the Basque Country.

Artist's reconstruction of spinosaurids Baryonyx. Image credit: Andrey Atubin / CC BY 4.0 Certificate.

Spinosauridae (Spinosauridae) is a family of large theropod dinosaurs known from the mid-Cretaceous period.

These dinosaurs were characterized by long skulls with crocodile teeth and converging conical teeth, and sturdy limbs with huge thumb claws.

They grow to huge sizes and at least one species is Spinosaurus aegyptiushas grown as much or larger than tyrannosaurus rex.

In many species of spinosaurids, the spinal neural spines were significantly elongated, forming a sail on the dinosaur's back.

Spinosaurs are thought to be piscivorous (fish eaters) based on their sharp teeth and skull and jaw features.

Their fossils have been recovered all over the world, including Africa, Europe, South America, and Asia.

The newly identified spinosauridae lived in what is now Spain during the Early Cretaceous period, about 120 million years ago.

with scientific name Riojavenatrix lacustristhis species reached 7–8 meters (23–26 ft) in length and weighed 1.5 tons.

“Riojavenatrix lacustris is one of the newest species of Iberian and European spinosaurids,” Isasmendi and co-authors said.

“It holds a triangular pubic boot. Megalosauridae, and the medial condyle of the femur, marking a transitional stage between the anteroposteriorly directed long axis of non-spinosaurian theropods and the posteromedially directed long axis of spinosaurids. ”

Skeletal reconstruction Riojavenatrix lacustris. Image credit: Scott Hartman.

Fossilized bones are Riojavenatrix lacustris Collected from the Enciso Group, Cameros Basin, La Rioja, Spain.

“with” Riojavenatrix lacustris“Currently, five spinosaurids have been described from the Early Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula,” the paleontologists said.

“Other Iberian spinosaurs are camarillasaurus From Aragon, Valibona Benatrix and prearthritis from Valencia, and iberospinasse It's from Portugal. ”

“Fossil remains prove that large and diverse populations of these carnivorous dinosaurs lived on the Iberian Peninsula.”

“The numerous discoveries within this iconic group raise several new questions about the ecology of these animals,” said Dr. Elena Cuesta, a paleontologist at the Egidio Ferrio Museum of Paleontology and Ludwig Maximilian University. Stated.

“How did these species coexist with each other?”

“These questions prompt us to revisit future, more detailed studies of spinosaurids, which are sure to yield important results.”

of findings It was published in the magazine Zoological journal of the Linnean Society.

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Eric Isasmendi other. Increasing record of European theropods: new basal spinosaurs from the Enciso Group of the Cameros Basin (La Rioja, Spain). Evolutionary implications and paleontological diversity. Zoological journal of the Linnean Society, published online on February 19, 2024. doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad193

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of a new species of plesiosaur in Germany

Posted on March 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of plesiosaur that lived near the beginning of the Epoch Epoch. Early to mid-Jurassic sales It was identified from two elaborate three-dimensionally preserved skeletons discovered in Bavaria, Germany.

rebuilding the life of Franconiasaurus brevispinus. Image credit: Joschua Knüppe.

Franconiasaurus brevispinus It lived in the early Jurassic seas about 175 million years ago.

The ancient reptile was a member of plesiosaurinaea group of plesiosaurs known from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

“Plesiosaurs are Mesozoic reptiles perfectly adapted to aquatic life.” sven sachs From the Bielefeld Nature Museum and colleagues.

“Throughout an evolutionary history of more than 140 million years, plesiosaurs have dispersed throughout the world, acquired substantial diversity, occupied a variety of ecological niches, and experienced multiple faunal shifts. did.”

“Of these, the Early/Middle Jurassic transition event (175 to 171 million years ago) has received increased interest recently, as it apparently had a profound impact on all three major lineages of plesiosaurs. I am. Romareosauridae, Pliosauridae and plesiosaurinae. ”

“This event clearly had a significant impact on several clades of marine tetrapods, including the 'fish-like' ichthyosaurs, which are relatives of marine crocodiles.Taratoskian), as well as all three major lineages of plesiosaurs. ”

“The predatory plesiosaur clade Romareosauridae, which was dominant in the Early Jurassic seas, began to disappear and reached its final demise around 161.5 million years ago (late Middle Jurassic), while the pliosaurids and chief… The dragon family has become more diverse.”

“Pliosaurs established a successful clade of large predators that controlled the upper layers of marine ecosystems from 171 million years ago to 90 million years ago, making them one of the largest aquatic predators to ever live. It consisted of a predatory quadrupedal animal that was over 10 meters long.

“Plesiosaurs were then derived from the rich assemblages of microclades common in the European euoceanic waters of Toarchia to the cryptocliids, which represented the globally dominant plesiosaur component of the Middle and Late Jurassic. Switched to fauna. Leptocraidian and elasmosaurids Close to the transition period from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous. ”

Diagnostic skeletal elements of type specimens Franconiasaurus brevispinus.Image credit: Sax other., doi: 10.3389/feart.2024.1341470.

two fossilized skeletons Franconiasaurus brevispinus It was discovered in a now abandoned clay pit in a part of the eurensis melgel layerlocated in Mistelgau, Bavaria, Germany.

“Franconiasaurus brevispinus has been established on the basis of two exquisite three-dimensionally preserved specimens,” said the paleontologist.

“The holotype contains a nearly complete skeleton, but a large portion of the skull is missing.”

“The specimen mentioned represents a larger individual and consists of vertebrae, ribs, and some girdle and limb elements.”

Franconiasaurus brevispinus shows a mixture of characters that combines features that are almost uniformly distributed in early plesiosaurs with features that are typically observed in later members of the clade.

“Through systematic analysis, we can reliably Franconiasaurus brevispinus as a sister taxon of Cryptocridiabridging the evolutionary gap between early plesiosaurs such as plesiosaurus“They are representative forms of later-divergent clades such as cryptocliids, leptochleidians, elasmosaurids, and microclades,” the researchers concluded.

their paper Published in an online journal Frontiers of Earth Science.

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sven sachs other. 2024. Elaborate skeleton of new transitional plesiosaur fills a gap in plesiosaur evolutionary history. front.earth science 12; doi: 10.3389/feart.2024.1341470

Source: www.sci.news

Peruvian researchers discover new species of miniature deer

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Pudera Carlae is the first deer species to be discovered in the 21st century and the first from the New World in over 60 years. Learn more about it here.

Pudera Carlae. Image credit: Sernanp.

The newly described deer species, Pudera Carlae, belongs to the Neotropical deer family, Odokoileini.

“Some questions regarding the phylogeny and taxonomy of Odocoileini, a group of 18 recognized extant species currently assigned to seven genera, remain unclear,” said Dr. Guillermo Delaire of the University of South Australia and his colleague.

“The few available phylogenetic analyzes indicate that some genera are not monophyletic and that species richness within groups is underestimated.”

“One genus that has both problems is the stocky, short-legged dwarf deer, Pudu”

“It has two species, the Northern Pudu (Pudu Mephisto File) from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, and the Southern Pudu (Pudupuda) from southern Chile and neighboring Argentina.”

In a new study, the authors found that the Pudu Mephisto File species are actually two different species.

“One is distributed north of the Huancabamba depression from the northernmost part of Peru to the north (Ecuador and Colombia), while the other is endemic in Peru south of the Huancabamba depression and does not have a name yet, so we propose naming it Pudera Carlae”

“This is the first extant deer species described in the 21st century and the first discovered in the New World in over 60 years.”

The researchers also found that the Pudupuda type species of Pudu are not related to the two northern Pudu species.

“We revalidate the genus Pudera and assign the latter two species to it.”

The team’s paper was published in the mammal journal this month.

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Javier Barrio et al. Extant deer species first described in the 21st century and their reexamination Pudera (Artiodactyla). mammal journal, published online March 1, 2024. Doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyae012

Source: www.sci.news

Australia reveals the discovery of two new native rat species

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

genus mouse pseudosyndrome It is one of the few terrestrial placental mammals to have established itself in Australia without human intervention.

The delicate rat of the Pilbara (Pseudomys pyruvalensis). Image credit: Ian Boole.

of Native little mouse (Pseudomys delicaturus)The mouse, also known as the delicate mouse, was previously thought to be a single species that spread across a vast country, from the Pilbara in Western Australia, across parts of the Northern Territory, through Queensland to the New South Wales border. It was getting worse.

“We now know that there are actually three different species.” Dr. Emily Roycroftresearcher. Australian National University.

“Thanks to new genetic technology, we now identify not one but three species of these delicate mice.”

“Identifying undescribed species and giving them official names will go a long way in ensuring they are properly managed.”

“Although it may be difficult for amateurs to tell the species apart, this discovery is important for the future of this small mouse.”

“The two new species did not receive conservation or research attention because we did not know they were there.”

“For example, we don't know whether population declines were not detected as a result of all three species being assessed as a single unit.”

“This delicate rat was not a priority for conservation, but that's because the distribution of the rat was thought to be three times larger than it actually is. That would allow for a reassessment.”

“Sensitive mice differ from the mice you encounter in your home or backyard in several important ways.”

“Mus musculus, black rats and brown rats are non-native species that have been introduced to Australia since European colonization.”

“Evolutionarily and ecologically, they are very different from native rodents. They compete with our native species for resources.”

“Delicate mice are part of a group of native rodents that have evolved in Australia over the past five million years. They are an important part of Australia's natural environment and ecosystem.”

“The delicate mouse is Australia's smallest rodent. Weighing only 6 grams, it's really small.”

Researchers also discovered that the delicate mice were able to adapt well to their environment, whether it was an arid desert or a forest.

“These three species will now be referred to by common names that reflect their habitat: Western or Pilbara delicate mouse, Eastern delicate mouse and Northern delicate mouse,” they said. Stated.

The team's paper is journal molecular ecology.

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emily roycroft other. 2024. Rapid speciation of the Australian delicate mouse. molecular ecologyin press

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of a New Anaconda Species in the Orinoco Basin

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

An international team of herpetologists led by scientists from the University of New Mexico Highlands and the University of Queensland has described a mysterious new species of anaconda living deep in the Amazon.

Eunectes Acaima.Image credit: Rivas other., doi: 10.3390/d16020127.

anaconda (genus Eunectes) is a group of aquatic snakes endemic to the east of the Andes Mountains of South America.

These large-bodied snakes live in lowland rivers and wetlands. They have typical adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle, such as their nostrils and eyes located on the dorsal side of their heads, and exhibiting dorsal coloration and markings that blend well with aquatic plants.

Prior to this study, four species were recognized in this genus. Eunectes murinus represents the sister lineage of a group consisting of Eunectes veniensis, Eunectes deschaouenseiand Eunectes Noteus.

The largest of these species is Eunectes murinusor the blue anaconda, lives in most tropical regions of the continent, including the Amazon, Essequibo, and Orinoco river basins and several smaller watersheds.

The other three species are smaller Eunectes murinus distributed within or adjacent to the distribution of Eunectes murinus.

recently described species Eunectes veniensisor venian anaconda, is restricted to the Beni region of Bolivia.

Eunectes deschaouensei, or black-spotted anaconda, is distributed in the northeastern part of the continent. They range from the Amazon River Delta in Brazil to French Guiana and possibly Suriname.

Eunectes Noteusor yellow anaconda, is distributed in the south. Eunectes murinus Includes the Pantanal, Chaco, and other highly seasonal regions of tropical and subtropical South America, including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay.

“Our team received an unusual invitation from the Huaorani people to explore the area and collect samples from an anaconda population, rumored to be the largest extant species,” the University of Queensland said. Professor Brian Fryco-lead author of the study.

“Indigenous hunters took us on a 10-day expedition into the jungle to search for snakes they consider sacred.”

“As we paddled our canoes down the river system, we were lucky enough to spot a few anacondas lurking in the shallows, waiting for prey.”

“The size of these magnificent creatures was incredible. The female anaconda we encountered was a whopping 6.3 meters (20.7 feet) long.”

“The Huaorani have reported other anacondas in the region measuring over 7.5 meters (24.6 feet) and weighing about 500 kilograms.”

named Eunectes Acaimaor northern green anaconda, a new species occurs in the Orinoco Basin.

“Eunectes Acaima branched from Eunectes murinus They are almost 10 million years old and genetically 5.5% different,” Professor Fry said.

“This is very important. To put it into perspective, there is only about a 2% difference between humans and chimpanzees. This discovery is the highlight of my career.”

“The Amazon continues to face alarming ecological threats,” he added.

“Deforestation in the Amazon basin due to agricultural expansion has resulted in an estimated loss of 20-31% of habitat and could affect up to 40% of the forest by 2050.”

“Another growing problem is habitat degradation due to land fragmentation caused by heavy metal pollution associated with runoff from industrialized agriculture and oil extraction activities.”

“Forest fires, drought and climate change are also notable threats.”

“These rare anacondas and the other species that share this remote ecosystem face significant challenges.”

“Our next research project will focus on heavy metal pollution in the Amazon,” Professor Fry said.

“It's not just these giant snakes that are facing environmental threats, but almost every creature in this region.”

“While the discovery of a new species of anaconda is exciting, it is important to emphasize the urgent need to further study these endangered species and ecosystems.”

“Particularly urgent is investigating how petrochemicals from oil spills are affecting the fertility and reproductive biology of rare snakes and other keystone species in the Amazon.”

discovery of Eunectes Acaima is explained in paper in diary Diversity.

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Jesus A. Rivas other. 2024. Untangling the anaconda: Unraveling a new species of green and rethinking yellow. Diversity 16(2):127; doi: 10.3390/d16020127

Source: www.sci.news

New Species of Stegosaurus discovered by Paleontologists

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

in new paper Published in the magazine on January 31, 2024 historical biologypaleontologists announced the discovery of a previously undocumented species of dinosaur related to the famous dinosaur. stegosaurus.

Hypothetical reconstruction of Enbokuryu Artimus. Image credit: Ddinodan / Sci.News.

stegosaurus A group of armored, plant-eating dinosaurs that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

These dinosaurs were four-legged and reached a maximum length of about 9 meters (30 feet).

They had small heads, stake-like teeth, vertical bony plates and spines on their backs and tails, and hoof-like toes on all four limbs.

Dr. Lei Jia of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues said, “Stegosaurs are a minor but iconic group of ornithischian dinosaurs.''

“They range from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, but are rare and poorly represented in the Cretaceous.”

“Until our study began, there were only four valid taxa from the Cretaceous. Palantdon, Verhosaurus homheni, Verhosaurus ordoseensis and Mongolostegus exspectabilis”

Fossilized bones are Enbokuryu Artimus. Image credit: Jia other., doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308214.

A new species from the Cretaceous period, Enbokuryu Artimuslived in what is now China from 113 million years ago to 100 million years ago.

The fossilized remains of this sword dragon were collected from the Zuoyun Formation in Zuoyun County, Shanxi Province, China.

“Enbokuryu Artimus “This is one of the most recent records of a stegosaur taxon in the world,” the paleontologists said.

“Compared to other sword dragons, Enbokuryu Artimus The dorsal vertebrae and iliosacral block have several unique features. ”

“The dorsal vertebrae have higher neural arches, smaller neural canals, and fewer fused vertebrae/sacral and fenestra/sacral ribs in the iliosacral block.”

“As a result of phylogenetic analysis, Enbokuryu Artimus It is recovered as a sister taxon of the clade containing. Stegosaurus Stenops and Vuelhosaurus homheni” they added.

“However, it differs from these two taxa in several anatomical features, including the dorsal sacral ribs, sacral ribs, caudal vertebrae, and ilium.”

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Ray Jia other. A new species of sword dragon from the Late Early Cretaceous period of Zuoyun City, Shanxi Province, China. historical biology, published online on January 31, 2024. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2308214

Source: www.sci.news

China discovers new species of titanosaurus

Posted on February 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Chinese paleontologists have discovered fossil fragments of a new genus and species of titanosaurus, a sauropod dinosaur that walked the Earth during the Cretaceous period.

rebuilding the life of Jancitan ganjouensis. Image credit: UnexpectedDinoLesson / Sci.News.

Muttjac titanum ganjoensis They lived in what is now China from 72 million years ago to 66 million years ago (late Cretaceous period).

The partial skeleton of this dinosaur was discovered in the Nanxiong Formation near Tankou Town, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China.

The specimen consists of seven cervical and anterior dorsal vertebrae, and several cervical and dorsal ribs.

Muttjac titanum ganjoensis belongs to the sauropod dinosaur group titanosauridae.

“Muttjac titanum ganjoensis It is unique among Asian titanosaurids in that it has a deeply bifurcated dorsal neck and anterodorsal neural spines, and a dorsoventrally compressed dorsal neck and anterodorsal center. Lead author Jin Yu Mo of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Natural History Museum and colleagues state in the paper. .

Muttjac titanum ganjoensis represents the second sauropod species. Nanyu Formation.

“The Late Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation is represented by an extensive succession of red mudstones, sandstones, and conglomerates,” the paleontologists wrote.

“Recent years have produced a wide variety of vertebrates, including theropods, ornithopods, crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and mammals, as well as vast numbers of dinosaur eggs.”

“There is only one species of sauropod, Ganansaurus sinensisrecorded in this area.

Team analysis points Muttjac titanum ganjoensis Within a group of deeply nested titanosaurs Rogoncosauria.

“Muttjac titanum ganjoensis Display features that indicate branch locations later than Ganansaurus sinensismore specifically, Muttjac titanum ganjoensis It was recovered as Rogoncosaurus, but Ganansaurus sinensis as titanosaurs outside of a late-branching clade containing Diamantina Sauria and lithostorozia” the researchers wrote.

“As a result, Muttjac titanum ganjoensis There are no duplicate elements with Ganansaurus sinensiswe are confident. Muttjac titanum ganjoensis is a different species from Ganansaurus sinensis”

The discovery of Muttjac titanum ganjoensis “This indicates the presence of both early-divergent and late-divergent titanosauroid sauropods in the Late Cretaceous Ganzhou dinosaur fauna,” the researchers added.

“This discovery also increases the diversity of titanosaurs from the Late Cretaceous of Asia.”

of the team paper It was published in the magazine historical biology.

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Mo Jin Yoo other. A new species of titanosaur sauropod excavated from the Late Cretaceous period in Jiangxi Province, southern China. historical biology, published online on September 23, 2024. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2023.2259413

Source: www.sci.news

Small duck-billed dinosaur species found in Morocco for the first time

Posted on February 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of dwarf lambeosaurid hadrosauridae have been discovered in Moroccan rocks dating back to the late Cretaceous period, approximately 68 million years ago.

Late Maastrichtian dinosaurs from Morocco's latest Cretaceous phosphates.Image credit: Longrich other., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-53447-9.

“Dalatypus dinosaurs, or hadrosaurs, were highly successful herbivores that caused large-scale radioactivity in the Late Cretaceous,” said paleontologists from the University of Bath. Nicholas Longrich and his colleagues.

“Hadrosaurids evolved in North America during the Turonian period (94 to 90 million years ago) and then dispersed to Asia and Europe.”

“The presence of hadrosaurids in Africa is puzzling because Africa had been isolated from Laurasia by the deep ocean since the Middle Jurassic, whereas hadrosaurids evolved in the Late Cretaceous.”

“The solution to this contradiction seems to be that the platypus either swam to Africa or crossed there on a raft.”

The newly described hadrosaurid species lived in Africa during the late Maastrichtian period of the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago.

named Mincaria Batathis dinosaur was relatively small, measuring about 3.5 meters (11.5 ft) in length.

This species comes from the phosphate mines of Sidi Chennan, Morocco, the same locality where the hadrosaur family Lambeosaurus was produced. Ajnavia Odysseusand based on a partial skull.

belongs to Areni Saulinia clade of lambeosaurid hadrosaurids endemic to Europe and North Africa.

“Mincaria Bata is distinguished from Ajnavia Odysseus “This is due to the shape of the maxilla, which has a more ventrally located zygomatic surface, a curved external ridge, a more sinusoidal tooth row, and an array of neurovascular foramina,” the paleontologists said.

“But the new species is very similar. Ajnavia Odysseus Other arenisaurines also have their small size and many anatomical features. ”

skull elements Mincaria Bata. Scale bar – 5 cm.Image credit: Longrich other., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-53447-9.

Researchers also unearthed the fossilized remains of two other hadrosaurids at the Sidi Daoui and Mura Larak sites.

“The humerus and femur belong to a larger hadrosaurid, measuring 6 meters (20 feet) long, suggesting that at least three species coexisted,” the researchers said.

Research team's analysis suggests a group of hadrosaurs lambeosauridae It first diversified in Asia and later dispersed to North America.

Dispersal from Asia to Europe was followed by dispersal to North Africa. Multiple dispersals from Europe to Africa appear to be more parsimonious than a single dispersal, but are not impossible, especially considering its unique morphology. Ajnavia Odysseus and Mincaria Bata.

“Hadrosaurid diversity in Europe and Africa suggests a dispersal radiation, with lambeosaurs taking advantage of low ornithischian diversity to diversify,” the scientists said. Stated.

“However, African lambeosaurs are smaller than their North American and Asian counterparts, probably due to competition with titanosaurs.”

“The lack of known hadrosaurids from eastern Africa suggests that Moroccan hadrosaurids are part of a distinct island fauna and may represent an island radiation.”

of findings appear in the diary scientific report.

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NR Long Rich other. 2024. A new small duck-billed dinosaur (hadrosauridae: Lambeosauridae) discovered from Morocco and the diversity of dinosaurs from the late Maastrichtian in North Africa. science officer 14, 3665; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-53447-9

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers find five previously unknown species of eyelash pit vipers in South America

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists have identified five mysterious species of the genus Viper Botrykiss They live in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador.

Botrykis Rahimi. Image credit: Lucas Bustamante.

The eyelash viper is distinguished by a unique feature: a set of huge spine-like scales above the eyes.

These eyelashes give the snake a frightening and ferocious appearance, but the true purpose of this feature is still unknown.

However, what is certain is that certain populations exhibit longer and more stylized eyelashes compared to others.

The changes in the condition of the eyelashes led researchers to hypothesize that an undiscovered species existed.

Eyelash vipers are also famous for another characteristic: they are multicolored. The same patch of rainforest may contain individuals of the turquoise morph, moss morph, or gold morph. They all belong to the same species, even though they have completely different attire.

Alejandro Arteaga, a researcher with the Carmai Foundation and Tropical Helping SA, said: “No two individuals have the same color, even if they belong to the same litter (giving birth to live offspring).”

“Some species have a ‘Christmas’ form, a ghost form, and even a purple form, and different varieties can coexist and even breed with each other.”

“The reasons behind these incredible color changes are still unclear, but it is likely that the pit vipers are able to occupy a wide range of ambush perches, from mossy branches to bright yellow heliconias. is.”

Distribution of palm beetles botry extract schlegeli Species complex including 5 new species.Image credit: Arteaga other., doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527.

The newly identified species of eyelash viper is Botry extract lasix morum, Botrychus crebai, botry extract kwargi, Botrykis Rahimiand botry extract fusaini.

The first three species are endemic to the eastern Columbia Mountains and live in cloud forests and coffee plantations.

Botrykis Rahimi It stands out because it occurs in the remote and pristine Chocó rainforest on the border of Colombia and Ecuador.

botry extract fusaini It lives in the forests of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

“The venom of some (perhaps all) of the new viper species is much less lethal and hemorrhagic than the venom of typical vipers. Central American eyelash viper (botry extract schlegeli)” said Tropical Helping SA and Savia Foundation researcher Lucas Bustamante, who was bitten on the finger. Botrykis Rahimi When the photo was taken during a research expedition in 2013.

“There was intermittent localized pain, dizziness and swelling, but after three doses of antivenom within two hours of the sting, it quickly resolved and no scarring remained.”

“One of the key conclusions of the study is that four species in the group face high risk of extinction,” the researchers said.

“Their geographic range is very limited, and 50% to 80% of their habitat has already been destroyed.”

“Therefore, rapid response measures are urgently needed to save remaining habitat.”

of study It was published in the magazine evolutionary systematics.

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A. Arteaga other. 2024. Systematic revision of Eyelash Palm-Pitviper botry extract schlegeli (Serpentes, Viperidae), 5 new species descriptions and 3 revalidations. evolutionary systematics 8 (1): 15-64; doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527

Source: www.sci.news

Confirmation of Two Newly Discovered Carboniferous Ctenacan Shark Species in the United States

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

An intensive search for ancient marine vertebrates in Mammoth Cave National Park's paleontological resource inventory has yielded a wealth of new fossil data. To date, paleontologists have identified marine vertebrate fossils from four major formations within the park, two of which are the first of marine vertebrate fossils to occur in those formations. It's a record. The Mammoth Cave ruins have yielded more than 70 species of ancient fish, approximately 90% of which are cartilaginous fish (sharks and related species), including two new species: I am. Troglocladodus trimbley and Grikmanius Care Forum.

Reconstruction of a new Ctenacan shark discovered in Mammoth Cave National Park and northern Alabama: Grikmanius Care Forum Two people can be seen swimming in the foreground. Troglocladodus trimbley swimming above. Image credit: Benji Paynose.

Mammoth Cave National ParkLocated in central Kentucky, it is home to the longest cave system in the world.

To date, more than 685 km (426 miles) of corridors within 214 km have been mapped.² It forms a park. In addition, within the boundaries of the park there are more than 500 small caves.

These cave passages date back 340 to 325 million years and were formed by dissolution by underground rivers, streams, and other drainage channels that cut through a series of limestones covered with durable sandstone. I did.

These passages opened up unique views of these limestones. Limestone is a time capsule containing a wealth of information about the ancient marine environment at the time of its deposition.

From these layers, invertebrate fossils such as horned corals, fan-like bryozoans, brachiopods, gastropods, shelled cephalopods, and a variety of echinoderms are found throughout the various strata that form the cave. It has been.

“Every new discovery at Mammoth Cave is made possible because of collaboration,” said Superintendent Barclay Trimble.

“Our parks team is proud to collaborate and collaborate with the National Park Service Paleontology Program and now the University of Alabama Department of Geological Sciences to make this latest announcement possible.”

Restoration of the St. Louis Shallow Marine Environment and its Fauna Genevieve Formation, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Image credit: Julius Csotony.

The two new species are stenacanto shark, Troglocladodus trimbley and Grikmanius Care Forumlikely hunting in an ancient coastal habitat that covered Kentucky and Alabama more than 325 million years ago.

This region was once an ancient sea route connecting what is now eastern North America, Europe, and North Africa, but it later disappeared with the formation of the supercontinent Pangea.

Troglocladodus trimbley It was identified from adult and juvenile teeth found in St. Louis and St. Louis. Genevieve Formation and Bangor Formation of Mammoth Cave.

The ancient shark is estimated to have reached about 3 to 3.7 meters (10 to 12 feet) in length, about the same size as the oceanic white shark.

Grikmanius Care Forum It was mainly identified from teeth in St. Louis, St. Louis.Genebabe and Haney Formations in Mammoth Cave, Hartselle and Bangor Formations in Alabama, but a partial set of jaws and gills from a young specimen Grikmanius Care Forum It was also discovered in Mammoth Cave.

The body length of this species was 3-3.7 meters. The shape of its jaws suggests that it had a short head with a powerful bite to hunt small sharks, bony fish, and right-cone-shaped creatures like squid.

“This discovery pushes the origin of the Ktenacanto shark back more than 50 million years earlier than expected,” the paleontologists said.

of study It was published in the magazine park management forum.

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JM Hodnet other. 2024. Sharks in the Dark: Paleontological inventory reveals multiple contiguous populations of Mississippian cartilaginous fishes (chondrichthyes) in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. park management forum 40(1); doi: 10.5070/P540162921

Source: www.sci.news

Argentina Unearths New Species of Titanosaurus from Cretaceous Era

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A genus and species of sauropod, a titanosaur mimicking rebachisaurid, measuring over 15 meters (50 feet) in length, has been unearthed in Patagonia, Argentina.

rebuilding the life of Inawentu Osratus. Image credit: Gabriel Rio.

The newly discovered dinosaur roamed the Earth during the late Cretaceous period, about 86 million years ago.

dubbing Inawentu Osratusthe animals were of the following types: titanosaurusa diverse group of long-necked sauropods that lived from the Late Jurassic period (163.5 million to 145 million years ago) to the end of the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago).

They are known for their large body size, long necks, and wide stance, and include species ranging from the largest known land vertebrates to “dwarfs” as large as elephants. Some species had osteoderm (armor plate).

“During the late Mesozoic Era, sauropod dinosaurs constituted the main herbivores in all terrestrial ecosystems of polar Gondwana,” said paleontologist Leonardo Filippi of Argentina's Municipal Museum of Urquiza and his colleagues.

“Quadrupedal locomotion and a gravitational posture, a proportionately small cranio-body ratio, and a common bow plan consisting of a series of elongated necks and tails made sauropods capable of large size, locomotion, defense, physiology, and feeding. They have evolved a variety of notable adaptations related to food and behavior.”

“They represented, in terms of diversity and abundance, the major medium- to large-sized herbivore component of the fauna in most of these southern landmass.”

partially completed specimen Inawentu Osratus It was recovered from fluvial deposits at the La Invernada archaeological site, part of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation in the Neuquen Basin of Patagonia, Argentina.

“The recovered human bones were found interlocked within a horizon of massive reddish solidified mudstone covered by a thin layer of sand (30 cm thick) associated with flood deposits of the river bank. ' explained the researchers.

Inawentu Osratus It shows remarkable convergent properties of the skull anatomy. rebatisauridae sauropodaccording to the author.

“Inawentu Osratus “It belongs to the square-jawed titanosaur clade and was restricted to the final stages of the Late Cretaceous of South America,” the researchers said.

“The discovery of new materials and different datasets providing new morphological information allows us to provide better support in future phylogenies confirming the existence of this square-jawed titanosaur clade. Become.”

“Inawentu Osratus And perhaps other members of this clade have obvious nutritional adaptations seen in preceding rebatisaurid sauropods, such as broad snouts and relatively short necks. ”

“In this connection, a series of shortened cervix Inawentu Osratus This may be consistent with low browsing feed behavior. ”

“This could have paleoecological implications, such as a zoological alternation in the Gondwanan ecosystem since the Turonian period or a low-browsing diet in two distinct lineages of sauropod dinosaurs.”

team's findings It was published in the magazine Cretaceous research.

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Leonardo S. Filippi other. 2024. Rebachysaurid-mimic titanosaurs and evidence of faunal disturbance events in southwestern Gondwana during the Late Cretaceous. Cretaceous research 154: 105754; doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105754

Source: www.sci.news

Unique Crown Shapes of Early Carboniferous Tree Species

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Sanphodiacaulis densifolia is an extinct tree species that existed in what is now New Brunswick, Canada, between 359 and 347 million years ago (Carboniferous period). The structure consisted of an unbranched 16 cm diameter trunk and compound leaves arranged in a 13 cm spiral and compressed to a vertical trunk length of 14 cm. The compound leaves in the upper 0.75 m of the trunk were over 1.75 m long, with preserved alternating secondary collaterals starting 0.5 m from the trunk. In the lower region of the trunk there were only persistent leaf bases. Sanphodiacaulis densifolia shows that the early Carboniferous vegetation was more complex than expected, indicating that this was an experimental, perhaps transitional, period of diverse growth structures.

Sanphodiacaulis densifolia. Image credit: Tim Stonecipher.

Trees first appeared during the Middle Devonian period (393 to 383 million years ago), but modern woody plants did not appear until about 10 million years later.

Evidence for dendritic structures (tree-like structures) is primarily based on mud moldings, sand moldings, or calcified stumps, or extensive root structures in fossilized soils.

Under unique preservation conditions, these early trees fossilized with roots and crown structures attached to their trunks.

“The method is Sanphodiacaulis densifolia “It has very long leaves around its slender trunk, and it's amazing how many leaves there are on such a short trunk,” said Dr. Robert Gastaldo, a paleontologist at Colby College. he said.

“The morphology of these 350-million-year-old trees looks like ferns or palms, even though palms arose 300 million years ago.”

“However, the functional leaves of ferns and palm trees are clustered at the top and are relatively few in number.”

“in contrast, Sanphodiacaulis densifolia More than 250 leaves have been preserved around the trunk, with each partially preserved leaf extending 1.75 meters from the trunk. ”

“We estimate that each leaf grew at least another meter before it finished.”

“This means that ‘bottlebrush’ had a dense canopy of leaves that were not woody and spread for at least 5.5 meters around a trunk that was only 16 cm in diameter. Amazing to say the least. .”

Sanphodiacaulis densifolia It has compound leaves arranged in a spiral.Image credit: Gastaldo other., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.011.

Dr. Gastaldo and his colleagues examined five fossil specimens. Sanphodiacaulis densifolia.

The fossil was excavated from the Sanford Quarry, part of the Albert Formation in New Brunswick, Canada.

“These fossils were preserved when an earthquake destroyed trees and other vegetation along the edge of a rift lake,” Gastaldo said.

“The first fossil wood was unearthed from a quarry about seven years ago, but it contained only one partial sample.”

“It took several years to find four other specimens of the same plant in close spatial proximity.”

“One of the specimens reveals how the leaves separate from the top of the tree, which makes this tree quite unique.”

“This is one of the few preserved trunks with crown leaves still attached in a fossil record spanning more than 400 million years.”

Actual and reconstructed heights and biostratigraphic ranges of Pennsylvanian trees from the Middle Devonian. Image credit: Gastaldo et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.011.

Sanphodiacaulis densifolia It probably relied on its unusual growth form to maximize the amount of light it could capture and reduce competition with other plants above ground.

This discovery provides important insights into the evolution of plants and arboreal growth, that is, plants that grow to the height of a tree, or at least 4.5 m, at maturity.

They also remind us that throughout the history of life on Earth, there have been trees that look like nothing we've ever seen before.

“We all have a mental concept of what a tree looks like, depending on where we live on the planet, and we all have a vision of something familiar,” Dr. Gastaldo said. Ta.

“The fossils we report are unique and represent some of the strangest growth forms in the history of life.”

“This is an evolutionary experiment during a period of forest plant biodiversity, and it appears to be a short-lived form.”

“The history of life on land consists of plants and animals that are different from those that live today,” he added.

“The evolutionary mechanisms that operated in the distant past allowed organisms to survive for long periods of time, but their shape, morphology, growth structure, and life history followed different trajectories and strategies.”

“Rare and unusual fossils like the New Brunswick tree are just a few examples of failed experiments that have colonized our planet.”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine current biology.

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Robert A. Gastaldo other. A mysterious fossil plant with a three-dimensional tree-like growth structure from the earliest Carboniferous period in New Brunswick, Canada. current biology, published online on February 2, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.011

Source: www.sci.news

New species of pterosaur identified by Skye fossil discovery

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of pterosaur has been identified from fossils found at the site. Kilmalag Formation Originally from the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Reconstructed by artists Theoptera evansae. Image credit: Mark Witton / Natural History Museum, London.

Professor Paul Barrett of London's Natural History Museum and colleagues said: “The oldest known pterosaur fossils date from the late Triassic period, but the group persisted until extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period.''

“Pterosaurs are known on every continent and experienced two major peaks in species richness during the Early-Middle Cretaceous and the Late Cretaceous.”

“However, that distribution is highly influenced by the 'Lagerstetten effect' and other forms of sampling bias.”

“Most of our knowledge about the evolutionary history of pterosaurs is based on material from a small number of archaeological sites with limited spatiotemporal extent.”

The newly discovered species lived in what is now Scotland between 168 and 166 million years ago (during the mid-Jurassic period).

named Theoptera evansaeIt was the first pterosaur named in Scotland and the most complete pterosaur discovered in Britain since its discovery by Mary Anning. Dimorphodon Macronix Early 1800s.

The remains of this flying reptile consist of a three-dimensionally preserved partial skeleton, including the shoulders, wings, legs, and part of the spine.

Many of the bones remain fully embedded in the rock and can only be studied using CT scans.

Theoptera evansae, almost as found (top) and with CT reconstruction using the elements (bottom). Image credit: Martin-Silverstone other.

“Theoptera evansae is part of the pterosaur clade Dalwinoptera'' said the paleontologists.

“The discovery shows that this clade is much more diverse than previously thought and persisted for more than 25 million years, from the Late Late Jurassic to the Late Jurassic.”

The discovery also shows that all of the major Jurassic pterosaurs evolved earlier than previously thought, well before the end of the Early Jurassic.

“Theoptera evansae “This helps narrow down the timing of some key events in the evolution of flying reptiles,” said Professor Barrett.

“Most of its relatives are from China, so its appearance in Britain during the mid-Jurassic period was a complete surprise.”

“This shows that the advanced group of flying reptiles to which it belongs appeared earlier than we thought and quickly acquired a near-global distribution.”

“During that period, Theoptera evansae This period is one of the most important in the evolution of pterosaurs, and it is also the period with the lowest number of specimens, demonstrating its importance,” said Dr Liz Martin-Silverstone, a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol. said.

“We found more bones embedded in the rock, some of which were essential to identifying the type of pterosaur.” Theoptera evansae This was an even better discovery than originally thought. ”

“This brings us one step closer to understanding when and where more advanced pterosaurs evolved.”

of the team paper will be published in Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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elizabeth martin silverstone other. 2024. A new pterosaur and the diversification of early flying reptiles from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontologyin press.

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered kangaroo lizard species found in India

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A research team led by scientists from Calicut University has described a new species of agamid lizard discovered in the Indian state of Kerala.

Agastya Gama Edge, an uncollected female from the reference locality habitat of Kuramab, Idukki District, Kerala, India. Image credit: Sandeep Das.

The newly confirmed species belong to the following: Agastya Gama, a previously monotypic genus of diurnal, terrestrial, insectivorous lizards of the family Agamiidae.

This genus includes Indian Kangaroo Lizard (Agastya Gama Bed Dormitory) Originally from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“Terrestrial agamids, which inhabit the forests of southern India and Sri Lanka, are currently classified into two separate genera. Agastya Gama and Otocryptis It is based on genetic and morphological grounds,” said Calicut University researcher Sandeep Das and colleagues.

“Genus Otocryptis It originally included two species. Otocryptis Bed Dormitory From the southern Western Ghats of India, Otocryptis wigmannii It comes from the humid region of Sri Lanka. ”

“After a long gap, additional species Otocryptis nigristigma Illustrated from the dry forests of Sri Lanka. ”

“In 2018, scientists showed that the Sri Lankan kangaroo skink is paraphyletic with the Western Ghats kangaroo skink.”

“This prompted them to establish a monotypic genus.” Agastya Gama to accommodate Indians. Otocryptis Bed Dormitory however, no molecular data are available. Otocryptis nigristigma”

Agastya Gama Edge Lifetime: (A) An unrecovered adult male from Kuramab, Idukki District, Kerala, India. (B) Females not collected from the same locality. Image credit: Sandeep Das.

named Agastya Gama EdgeThe new species is a small agamid lizard with a body length of 3 to 4.3 centimeters.

“Agastya Gama Edge It is the second species of the genus Agastya Gama” said the researchers.

“On the surface, they are similar. Agastya Gama Bed Dormitory They vary in overall shape, size, and color, but can be distinguished by the combination of letters. ”

Agastya Gama Edge It is currently known only from evergreen forests in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. All records of this species are between 636 and 835 m above sea level.

“We encountered more individuals from March to May,” the scientists said.

“Disturbed habitats such as roadside vegetation and plantation areas had lower numbers compared to undisturbed vegetation types.”

“During the breeding season from March to May, males had creamy spots on their throats. Young individuals were observed in June and July.”

“Discovery of the second species Agastya Gama “The reptile diversity of the Western Ghats is increasing,” they added.

“Agastya Gama Bed Dormitory Its range is home to a variety of habitat types, including myristica wetlands, hilltop tropical evergreen forests in the south, tropical evergreen forests on the west coast, tropical semi-evergreen forests on the west coast, and secondary moist mixed deciduous forests in the south. I am. Agastya Gama Edge So far it has been recorded only from tropical semi-evergreen and evergreen forests. ”

“Our study shows that the two species are geographically separated by about 80 km in a straight line.”

discovery of Agastya Gama Edge is explained in paper It was published in the magazine vertebrate zoology.

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S. Das other. 2024. Discovery of a new species of kangaroo lizard (Squamatora: Agamiidae: Agastya Gama) from the southern Western Ghats of India. vertebrate zoology 74: 151-168; doi: 10.3897/vz.74.e113084

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of four new species of deep-sea octopus in the Pacific Ocean

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Marine biologist at Schmidt Ocean Institute R/V Falco Two expeditions in 2023 exploring seamounts off Costa Rica's Pacific coast discovered at least four new species of deep-sea octopus.

A newly hatched octopus swims away from its egg near a small rocky outcrop informally known as El Dorado Hill. Image credit: Schmidt Ocean Institute.

“The impact is that R/V Falco Research to understand Costa Rica's deep Pacific Ocean will continue into the future and hopefully generate awareness that will lead to policies that protect the country's deep sea,” said Dr. Jorge Cortés, a researcher at the University of Costa Rica.

“We hope this expedition will inspire new generations. Further international cooperation is needed to increase knowledge about our deep-sea heritage.”

During the first expedition in June 2023, Dr. Cortes and colleagues discovered two octopus farms associated with thermal springs.

Six months later, they returned to the nursery and confirmed that they appear to be active year-round.

They also observed several other new species of octopus away from the hot springs.

One of the new species belongs to the genus Octopus Muusocops The octopus is named after the small rocky outcrop, informally known as El Dorado Hills, where it was first discovered.

This is a different species, closely related to, but a different deep-sea octopus farm, found in California's Davidson Seamount in 2018.

Of the four new species in Costa Rica, only the dorado octopus was observed spawning in hot springs.

This discovery is Muusocops This genus evolved to raise its eggs in warm springs on the ocean floor.

“After hard work, our team has discovered a new hydrothermal spring off the coast of Costa Rica, which has become a nursery for deep-sea octopuses and a unique biodiversity site,” said Dr. Beth Orcutt, a researcher at the Bigelow Institute of Marine Science. We confirmed that this is the habitat.”

“It was less than 10 years ago that low-temperature hydrothermal eruptions were detected in ancient volcanoes located far from mid-ocean ridges.”

“These locations are very difficult to find because you can't detect any trace of it in the water column.”

Researchers also discovered a thriving deep-sea skating nursery on the top of another seamount in Costa Rican waters, which they named Skatepark.

They also discovered three hydrothermal springs within the region, located 10 to 30 nautical miles from each other.

These springs all differ from each other in the temperature and chemistry of their fluids, indicating that unique reaction processes drive their formation.

“The Schmidt Ocean Institute supports the global scientific community wherever it is located. Falcor ” said Dr. Jyothika Virmani, Executive Director. Schmidt Ocean Institute.

“Dr. Cortés and Dr. Orcutt have assembled a team that truly embodies international collaboration that empowers Costa Rica's domestic scientists and enriches local knowledge and understanding of the ocean.”

“We look forward to operating off the coasts of Peru and Chile in 2024 and welcoming scientists from South America.”

Source: www.sci.news

New Species of Tabby Cat Discovered by Scientists

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In 2013, Oncilla (Hyōmon)a species of small spotted cat native to the Americas; the northern tabby cat (Hyōmon) and southern tabby cat (Hyōmon). A new study led by the University of Maranhão has shown that Oncilla is actually three different species.

Cloudy tabby cat (leopardus pardinoides). Image credit: Johannes Pfleiderer.

The oncilla is a wild cat about the size of a domestic cat that lives in the mountains and rainforests of Costa Rica, Brazil, and Argentina.

These creatures, also known as tabby cats, Margaise (Hyōmon) and Ocelot (Hyōmon)but they are small, with slender builds and narrow muzzles.

They weigh only 1.5 kg, but usually do not exceed 3 kg, with males being slightly larger than females. The body length is 35-60cm and the height is about 25cm.

Oncilla has a yellowish-ochre background fur with a pattern of mainly open rosettes.

They eat small mammals, lizards, birds, eggs, invertebrates, and sometimes even tree frogs.

They typically live between 10 and 14 years in the wild, but have been known to live up to 23 years in captivity.

They are threatened by habitat loss from cattle ranching, agriculture, and the local pet trade.

Tadeu de Oliveira, a researcher at the University of Maranhão, and his colleagues say: “The tabby cat species group is the progenitor of an ancient classification system and one of the most intriguing, mysterious and fascinating groups of cats. “It is,” he said.

“Due to the limited knowledge available, the tabby cat has long been subject to several preconceptions regarding its range and associated habitats, both before and after species divergence. These include: and its presence in the Pantanal.”

“As it stands, the tabby cat species complex currently consists of two species. Hyōmon and Hyōmonthe former is further divided into three subspecies. Leopardus tigrinus oncilla, Leopardus tigrinus pardinoidesand leopardus tigrinus tigrinus” they added.

“Hyōmon and Hyōmon Both are currently defined as globally endangered species. ”

“They live in some of the most endangered ecoregions and biodiversity hotspots in the Americas, including the Cerrado, the tropical Andes, the Atlantic Forest, and the Talamanca Mountains.”

“As an exception, leopardus tigrinus tigrinus, there are no published conservation priority areas for entities within the complex. ”

“Given the endangered status of these species and the high rates of habitat loss within their respective ranges, it is unlikely that viable populations of these species will exist. It is essential to identify areas with high levels.”

Typical examples of tabby cat species complexes: (a) Savannah tabby cat (Hyōmon); (b) Cloudy tabby cat (leopardus pardinoides); (c) Atlantic Forest tabby cat (Hyōmon). Image credit: Ricardo Ribeiro / Johannes Pfleiderer / de Oliveira other., doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-52379-8.

In their study, the authors sought to determine the actual distribution range of tabby cat species and subspecies, compare their characteristics, and assess similarities and differences between them.

Ultimately, they aimed to characterize tabby cats and determine the actual number of the species.

“Our results revealed the existence of a cryptic species, the Claudi tabby cat (leopardus pardinoides), which includes both Leopardus tigrinus oncilla and Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides,” they said.

According to the team: leopardus pardinoides It is a long-tailed cat with short rounded ears and weighs 2.27 kg.

This new species has a strikingly margay-looking head with a rich reddish/oranged/gray-yellow background color and is adorned with irregularly shaped medium to large 'cloudy' rosettes. , with dense, soft fur, strongly marked and often coalesced.

The characteristic is LEopardus pardinoides There is only one pair of breasts/nipples.

This species is found in the extinct cloud forests of southern Central America and the Andes, usually above 1,500 meters above sea level, especially between 2,000 and 3,000 meters, in subtropical/temperate climates with mild temperatures and very abundant precipitation. You can see it. Usually located in areas where ocelot numbers are low or non-existent.

“leopardus pardinoides “Distributed along 11 mountain ecoregions,” the researchers said.

“In Central America, it is restricted to the Tilaran Mountains, Central Volcanic Mountains, and Talamanca Mountains (Talamancan Mountains Forest ecoregion) in Costa Rica and Panama and the eastern montane forests of Panama.”

“The lowland rainforests and wetlands of the Atrato River basin of the Choco Darien ecoregion are the main barrier between the populations of the brown tabby cat in eastern Panama and the Andes, while in the north the species is restricted to the Isthmian Atlantic rainforest. limited by.”

“In South America, its range extends from the Andean forests of Venezuela through the eastern, central, and western mountain ranges of Colombia to Ecuador, through Peru, Bolivia, and the Yungas Forest ecoregion of the southern Andes, and ends in northwestern Argentina.”

“The core area of its distribution is in Colombia, but it also extends to Ecuador.”

of the team result appear in the diary scientific report.

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TG de Oliveira other. 2024. Ecological modeling, biogeography and phenotypic analysis establish a transdimensional niche for the tabby cat, revealing a new species. science officer 14, 2395; doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-52379-8

Source: www.sci.news

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