A new pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Santana Formation (Cretaceous) of Brazil

A partial skull comprising fused maxilla/premaxilla and palate of a ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin in NE Brazil is named as the new genus and species Unwindia trigonus gen. et sp. nov. on account of its long slender rostrum, isodonty with raised dental alveoli and dentition of seven tooth pairs restricted to the portion of the rostrum anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra. Unwindia is assigned to the Ctenochasmatoidea, and is probably basal within the clade.     

Mongolocypris kohi sp. nov.: A new Early Cretaceous non-marine ostracod species from the Jinju Formation,South Korea

A new non-marine ostracod Mongolocypris kohi sp. nov. is described from the upper Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation of the Gyeongsang Basin, South Korea. This new species was described as Cypridea (Pseudocypridina) spp. by previous authors, but the typical rostrum shape, inconspicuous alveolar notch, the lack of alveolar ridge and the elongate limen are features that this species has in common with the genus Mongolocypris Szczechura, 1978. M. kohi sp. nov. is characterized by a reduced rostrum, the presence of a faint alveolar furrow and a slightly curved limen. This new species is considered an ‘early form’ of the genus Mongolocypris by its reduced rostrum and the faint alveolar furrow.     

A golden age for ectoparasitoids of Embiodea: Cretaceous Sclerogibbidae (Hymenoptera,Chrysidoidea) from Kachin (Myanmar), Charentes (France) and Choshi (Japan) ambers

Sclerogibbid wasps are obligate parasitoids of webspinners (Embiodea). Both groups have a particularly scarce geological record and are known since the Cretaceous: there are only four species of webspinners known from Burmese amber, and only two sclerogibbids were described from Barremian Lebanese and Cenomanian Burmese ambers. Here we report transferred genus from Aptian Choshi (Japan) amber and new sclerogibbids from Cenomanian Burmese and Charentese (France) ambers. The taxa described from Burmese amber are: Burmasclerogibba aptera gen. et sp. nov., Cretosclerogibba gen. nov. (with C. antennalis sp. nov., C. contractocollis sp. nov., C. neli sp. nov. and C. rasnitsyni sp. nov.) and Edrossia vetusta gen. et sp. nov. The first European fossil sclerogibbid Gallosclerogibba alnensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Charentese amber. The holotype of Chosia yamadai Fujiyama, from Choshi amber, is re-described; it appears to be the oldest Laurasian sclerogibbid. The significant abundance and variety of Burmese sclerogibbid wasps (60% of fossil species known worldwide), as proxy of their hosts, were probably caused by the protection granted to them by the silk webs and possibly by the limited predation from ornithuromorph birds or crown-group ants. While all three extant sclerogibbid genera have apterous females, genera with winged females (Cretosclerogibba and Edrossia) dominated in Burmese amber. Small silk galleries from hosts may have favored the preservation of wings in females of Cretaceous sclerogibbids. Most new species described in the present paper, in addition to C. yamadai, are characterized by a very slender neck and a very long frontal process concealing the antennal toruli. These characters disappeared in extant species. We suggest that this loss was caused by a change in the fauna of predators, penalizing species with long neck and rostrum.     

A new species of fossil Procercopidae (Hemiptera,Cicadomorpha) from the Lower Cretaceous of Northeastern China

New fossil genus with a new species, Stellularis longirostris Chen, Yao and Ren, gen. et sp. nov., from the family Procercopidae, are described. New specimens were collected from the Lower Cretaceous non-marine sedimentary strata from the Yixian Formations of northeast China. The exceptionally well-preserved materials reveal fine details of the body structure and morphology including rostrum, legs, abdomen, anteclypeus and ovipositor. The genera Luanpingia Hong, 1983 and Cathaycixius Ren, Lu, and Guo, 1995 are discussed.     

A new species of Gladiopycnodus (Coccodontoidea,Pycnodontomorpha) from the Cretaceous of Lebanon provides new insights about the morphological diversification of pycnodont fishes through time

The Coccondontoidea is a distinctive superfamily of pycnodont fishes characterized by a series of derived characters, including thick and well-ossified cranial bones supporting horns and spines and a hypertrophied pectoral girdle sutured to the skull forming a sort of cephalo-torax. A new distinctive coccodontoid species, Gladiopycnodus byrnei n. sp., is described from the Cenomanian locality of Hjoûla, Lebanon. This new species exhibits a unique combination of features that clearly support its inclusion within the coccodontoid family Gladiopycnodontidae, including an extremely elongate snout forming a sword-shaped rostrum, thick dermal bones ornamented with rounded tubercles, large supracleithrum and cleithrum extensively sutured to the skull, and irregularly imbricated scales covering the entire body. The new taxon differs from type species G. karami by having different meristic counts and body proportions, dermal bones strongly ornamentated, skull roof with partially fused bones, scales ornamented with small tubercles, and rounded scales covering the caudal peduncle absent. The presence of pectoral fins in our exquisitely well-preserved specimen allowed us to redefine the morphology of the genus Gladiopycnodus, also modifying the diagnosis of the family. In order to interpret the patterns of morphospace occupation and quantify the morphological diversification of pycnodonts through time, the geometric morphometric approach was used. The morphospace analysis revealed that a significant increase in morphological disparity of pycnodonts during the Late Cretaceous was related, at least in part, to the appearance of the representatives of the superfamily Coccodontoidea. The rapid evolutionary radiation of these well-armored pycnodonts was interpreted as an adaptive solution in response to the large predatory-prey escalation in the context of the Mesozoic Marine Revolution.     

Xinghaiornis lini (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning: An Example of Evolutionary Mosaic in Early Birds

We describe a new species of Early Cretaceous bird from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province. Xinghaiornis lini gen. et sp. nov. is relatively large and characterized by a long, toothless rostrum and an elevated pedal digit I. The design of the skull and feet suggests that this bird was likely a mud-prober. This discovery provides strong support indicating that this avian trophic specialization originated at least 125 million years ago.     

First skeletal remains of the giant sawfish Onchosaurus (Neoselachii,Sclerorhynchiformes) from the Upper Cretaceous of northeastern Italy

Sclerorhynchiform sawfishes are a diverse and extinct clade of elasmobranchs that is restricted to the Cretaceous. Most taxa are known only by isolated rostral spines, whereas skeletal remains are rare and have been reported from a small number of Upper Cretaceous localities. Here, we describe skeletal remains of the giant sclerorhynchiform Onchosaurus pharao for the first time, which provides new morphological information. The single specimen comes from middle-basal upper Turonian strata of the Lessini Mountains in northeastern Italy and represents the first record of this genus from Italy. The specimen consists of unidentifiable cranial remains, several diagnostic rostral spines, the rostrum with fragments of tessellated calcified cartilage, and 87 disarticulated vertebrae. The rostrum preserves the characteristic sensory system of sclerorhynchiforms. It is devoid of any lateral sockets indicating that rostral spines were attached laterally to its surface. This pattern is identical to most sclerorhynchiforms and extant pristiophoriformes implying also similar replacement patterns as in most other sclerorhynchiforms with the exception for Schizorhiza. Additionally, the bases of two longitudinally arranged rows of ventral rostral spines are identifiable concurring with patterns seen in Sclerorhynchus. The axial skeleton is partly preserved. Re-arranging the disarticulated vertebrae according to their life position in combination with measures of the size and thickness of preserved vertebral centra, and the ratio rostrum length/body size depending on the number of vertebral centra indicate that the specimen was ca. 450 cm long. Growth rings in the vertebral centra show that the specimen was about four years old and thus probably not yet fully sexual mature when it died. This age assumption corresponds well with the calculated size when compared with complete skeletons of extinct sclerorhynchiforms and extant pristiforms. The size of the specimen and its occurrence in hemipelagic rocks corroborates previous assumptions that this sclerorhynchiform was a large and pelagic sawfish.     

A new species of Tupuxuara (Thalassodromidae,Azhdarchoidea) from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation of Brazil,with a note on the nomenclature of Thalassodromidae

A new species of the sail-crested pterosaur Tupuxuara is described from the Santana Formation of Brazil, Tupuxuara deliradamus sp. nov. The holotype, a partial skull, and a larger, partial skull referred to the same taxon differs from Tupuxuara leonardii by having a nasoantorbital fenestra with an acutely-angled posterior border with a long, straight posterodorsal margin, a reclined cranium, and an orbit situated entirely in the ventral half of the nasoantorbitral fenestra. Unfortunately, neither specimen is comparable with the fragmentary rostrum representing Tupuxuara longicristatus. In addition, resolution of a recent nomenclatural problem over the correct name for the clade containing Tupuxuara and its sister taxon, Thalassodromeus, is provided. Both genera are used by different authors as the nomenclatural basis for the group, but “Tupuxuaridae” has never been explicitly erected as a new taxon, and therefore fails to meet ICZN criteria that new taxa are only valid if authors clearly indicate their intention to establish new names. By contrast, “Thalassodrominae” was explicitly erected as a name for the Thalassodromeus + Tupuxuara clade, thereby fulfilling all ICZN requirements for naming of a new taxon and making Thalassodromeus stand as the type genus for this group.     

A new genus and species of aphids,Tanyaulus caudisetula gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Burmitaphidae) in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber

A new genus and species of aphids, Tanyaulus caudisetula gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Burmitaphidae), is described from mid- Cretaceous Myanmar amber. Autapomorphies for the new genus are stub-like hind wings, 7-segmented antenna, long rostrum equal to body length, 4 veins departing from the main vein, cubital veins distinctly separated, with a very short, curved basal proximal cubitus, one-branched M vein with distal fork arched at the base, distinct claval folds at wing bases and caudal protuberance with extended setae. The new fossil adds to our knowledge of the morphological diversity of Mesozoic Aphidoidea.     

New pterosaurian remains from the Late Cretaceous (Santonian) of Hungary (Iharkút, Csehbánya Formation)

The Late Cretaceous (Santonian) continental vertebrate locality of Iharkút, western Hungary has provided numerous azhdarchid pterosaur remains including the recently described, Bakonydraco galaczi. Since the first report of these fossils, additional remains have been discovered that improve considerably our knowledge of some aspects of the anatomy of azhdarchid pterosaurs. New cranial material described here indicates an edentulous, non-crested premaxillary rostrum in Bakonydraco similar to that of Quetzalcoatlus and reveals that this rostrum was considerably thinner and more lightly built than the relatively massive, pointed mandibular symphysis. In addition, the contact surface of the upper and lower jaws of Bakonydraco at least in the symphyseal region was more similar to Tapejara wellnhoferi than to other azdarchids: the contact is irregular and the premaxilla does not fit closely the rostral part of the mandible. Among the postcranial material the atlas-axis complex possessing lateral pneumatic foramina is of great importance because it further supports the notion of interspecific variability of vertebral pneumaticity among pterosaurs.     

Adamantinasuchus navae: A new Gondwanan Crocodylomorpha (Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil

A new Late Cretaceous Mesoeucrocodylian from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Basin), São Paulo State, Brazil is described. The main features of this new species are the short, high oreinirostral rostrum, the large laterally positioned orbital notches and external nares in the anteriormost portion of the rostrum. The mandible is robust and concave-shaped in relation to the skull. The dentition is highly specialized, with two prominent incisiform teeth, a hypertrophied caniniform, and seven molariform teeth. The molariform teeth are ornamented with denticles in their lingual surface and are smooth on their labial surface. The molariforms are elliptical in cross-section, presenting the largest axis in the labial-lingual direction. Such dental characteristics are unique among the terrestrial crocodylomorphs of the Gondwana.     

Adamantinasuchus navae: A new Gondwanan Crocodylomorpha (Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil

A new Late Cretaceous Mesoeucrocodylian from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Basin), São Paulo State, Brazil is described. The main features of this new species are the short, high oreinirostral rostrum, the large laterally positioned orbital notches and external nares in the anteriormost portion of the rostrum. The mandible is robust and concave-shaped in relation to the skull. The dentition is highly specialized, with two prominent incisiform teeth, a hypertrophied caniniform, and seven molariform teeth. The molariform teeth are ornamented with denticles in their lingual surface and are smooth on their labial surface. The molariforms are elliptical in cross-section, presenting the largest axis in the labial-lingual direction. Such dental characteristics are unique among the terrestrial crocodylomorphs of the Gondwana.     

A New Oviraptorid Dinosaur (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) from the Late Cretaceous of Jiangxi Province, Southern China

A new oviraptorid dinosaur Jiangxisaurus ganzhouensis gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a partial skeleton from the Upper Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. The new taxon differs from other oviraptorids in the weakly downturned rostrum of the lower jaw, much-elongated mandible with a height-to-length ratio being about 20% and the length ratio of radius to humerus of about 0.70. This species not only adds a new member to oviraptorid dinosaurs, but also provides more information about oviraptorid paleogeographical distribution in southern China.     

Thoracican cirripedes (Crustacea) from the Hauterivian (Lower Cretaceous) of Hannover,northern Germany

Diverse thoracican cirripedes from the Hauterivian of the Hannover district of northern Germany are described, including seven species, belonging to five genera. Of these, a new genus belonging to the Scalpellidae, Jaegerscalpellum, includes one Hauterivian species, J. elegans sp. nov., an Aptian species, J. comptum (Withers, 1910) and an Albian species, J. politum (Darwin, 1851) are also referred to it. A new Cretiscalpellum, C. mutterlosei sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian, and C. matrioni sp. nov. is described from the Middle Albian of France. The oldest record of the Unilatera Gale, 2018, Pedupycnolepas pulcher sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian; this displays typical shell structure of the group, retained by living Verrucidae. Finally, four species of Zeugmatolepadidae, subfamily Martillepadinae, are recorded from the Hauterivian, including Martillepas hausmanni (Koch and Dunker, 1836), M. decoratus sp. nov., M. auriculum sp. nov. and Etcheslaepas borealis (Collins, 1990). The Hauterivian fauna from Hannover shows affinities both with Late Jurassic and later Cretaceous (Aptian-Cenomanian) forms, and includes the earliest scalpellids, unilateran (Pedupycnolepas) and Cretiscalpellum species known. It constrains the age of the Cretaceous cirripede evolutionary radiation to the earliest Cretaceous.     

First record of Sinoxytelus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from the Urey locality of Transbaikalia,Russia, with discussion on its systematic position

A new rove beetle species, Sinoxytelus transbaicalicus sp. nov., is described and figured from the Urey locality (Urey beds, Early Cretaceous?), Transbaikalia, Russia. Sinoxytelus is the dominant genus in the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of northeastern China, but this is the first report from the territory of Russia. The new species can be easily separated from the rest of its congeners by the presence of a relatively large head, transverse pronotum, and slightly tapered abdomen. In addition, the systematic position of Sinoxytelus in the extant subfamily Oxytelinae is discussed. Sinoxytelus is transferred from the tribe Oxytelini to the more basal tribe Coprophilini.     

New fossil mesosciophilids (Diptera: Nematocera) from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of western Liaoning,China

A new genus with two new species, Orentalphila gravia gen. et sp. nov. and O. caloa sp. nov., and three new species in two known genera, Sinosciophila angustia sp. nov., Sinosciophila seboa sp. nov. and Similsciophila undulata sp. nov., are described from the Lower Cretaceous of Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou, Beipiao City, western Liaoning, China. These new taxa, representing the first records of mesosciophilids from this locality, provide morphological information and diversity for Mesosciophilidae in the Early Cretaceous. An updated key to known genera of Mesosciophilidae is provided. In addition, according the generic diagnosis revised by Zhang, 2007, Mesoplecia antiqua Hao and Ren, 2009 should be transferred to Mesosciophila Rohdendorf, 1946.     

Lamniform sharks from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Venezuela

Sampling of Cenomanian fossil-rich horizons within the La Luna Formation of two localities in the Zulia and Trujillo states (northern Venezuela) yielded numerous shark teeth belonging to various species within the order Lamniformes (Mackerel sharks). Twelve lamniform species were identified including three new species (Squalicorax lalunaensis sp. nov., Squalicorax moodyi sp. nov., Acutalamna karsteni gen. et sp. nov.) and the genus Microcarcharias gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate with the peculiar morphology of the small-sized odontaspidid M. saskatchewanensis. Other taxa reported here include Cretoxyrhina mantelli, Cretolamna sp., cf. Nanocorax sp. and five Squalicorax species left in open nomenclature. This is the first report of chondrichthyans from the mid-Cretaceous of Venezuela and one of the few records of this group from the Cenomanian of South America. The composition of these assemblages suggests some degree of endemism in the La Luna Sea but also possible connexions with the Western Interior Seaway. One of the most striking features of these assemblages is the high anacoracid diversity (eight species) despite the corresponding outer shelf/upper slope palaeoenvironments of the La Luna Formation. The high diversity of these opportunistic predators is probably related to the high diversity of medium to large marine vertebrates that provided food resources.     

Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) crinoids of the Hidas Valley (Mecsek Mountains, S Hungary) and their biogeographic significance

The Bathonian crinoid fauna that occurs in red nodular limestone and argillaceous limestones from the Hidas Valley, Mecsek Mts (southern Hungary) consists of three isocrinid and six cyrtocrinid species. Isocrinids are represented by Balanocrinus inornatus (d’Orbigny), B. berchteni Hess and Pugin and Balanocrinus sp. Cyrtocrinids are represented by Phyllocrinus stellaris Zar?czny, P. birkenmajeri G?uchowski, P. malbosianus d’Orbigny, Apsidocrinus sp., Lonchocrinus sp., and the new species Psalidocrinus hidasinus sp. nov. This last species is the earliest occurrence of the genus Psalidocrinus previously known from the Early Tithonian to Valanginian. This is the first crinoid fauna described from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of Hungary. The co-occurrence of isocrinids and cyrtocrinids indicates an environment subject to weak currents. The stratigraphical and geographical distribution of the identified cyrtocrinid genera and species suggests a Tethyan origin and subsequent migration to the northern Tethyan shelf.