Aturoidea (Nautilida) from the Upper Cretaceous Sada limestone in Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan

The first specimen of Aturoidea to be recorded in East Asia has been found in the Upper Cretaceous Sada limestone in Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. The specimen is one of the few representatives from the Upper Cretaceous, along with species known from Libya, Angola, and India. The specimen is very similar to A. mathewsonni from the Paleocene deposits in California. However, we describe the specimen as A. cf. mathewsonni, as it slightly differs from A. mathewsonni in the shape of the lateral lobe of the suture. The finding reveals that Aturoidea had already lived in waters around East Asia in the Late Cretaceous.     

A New Chinese Anurognathid Pterosaur and the Evolution of Pterosaurian Tail Lengths

A new anurognathid pterosaur specimen from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of Qinglong, northern Hebie Province is described. The new specimen is referred to Dendrorhynchoides, based on the general morphology of the skeleton, but it represents a new species, named here as Dendrorhynchoides mutoudengensis sp. nov.. It is characterized by the presence of short, robust and straight teeth, and bearing wing metacarpal approximately 40% of the length of humerus. The new specimen provides further osteological information for anurognathid pterosaurs, especially the presence of a relatively elongate tail.     

Comment on “First Record of Hindeodus–Isarcicella Population in Lower Triassic of Slovenia” by Tea Kolar-Jurkov?ek and Bogdan Jurkov?ek in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 252: 72–81

Some conodonts described by Tea Kolar-Jurkovsek and Bogdan Jurkovsek (2007) from the Permian-Triassic boundary section in the ?iri area of western Slovenia are revised in this paper. One specimen that they assigned to Hindeodus parvus is tentatively regarded as Hindeodus cf. scalaris Wu 2005. Two specimens that they assigned to Isarcicella sp. A is changed to Hindeodus parvus. One specimen that they described as Isarcicella lobata Perri and Farabegoli is changed to Hindeodus crenatus Wu (2006). One specimen that they assigned to Isarcicella turgida (Kozur, Mostler and Rahimi-Yazd) is changed to Hindeodus cf. parvus. Since these revisions, the three conodont zones that they defined have been correspondingly revised. Their first zone may belong to Hindeodus parvus zone, but it is not certain. Their second zone is changed to the Hindeodus parvus zone, and their third one remains as is.     

Homotherium serum and Cervalces from the Great Lakes Region,USA: geochronology,morphology and ancient DNA

A scimitar‐toothed cat (Homotherium serum) and stag moose (Cervalces sp.) are described from Tyson Spring Cave, Fillmore County, Minnesota. These specimens represent the first records of both species in the state, and the first record for H. serum in the Great Lakes region. Although the Cervalces specimen remains undated, it shares features with pre‐Wisconsin specimens from the eastern Great Plains. The H. serum individual dates to c. 26.9 ka, when the Wisconsin ice margin was less than 60 km away. Genetic analyses support the identity of the Homotherium specimen as conspecific with Homotherium serum found in older Beringian deposits, as well as both the early divergence of tribes Homotherini and Smilodontini within Machairodontinae and the early divergence of this Machairodontinae from the lineage that produced extant cats.     

The first crocodyliform from the Chubut Group (Chubut Province, Argentina) and its phylogenetic position within basal Mesoeucrocodylia

A new crocodyliform specimen is presented here found in the Cerro Castaño Member of the Cerro Barcino Formation (Chubut Group). The material consists of cranial and postcranial remains that represent a new taxon that has strong affinities with Peirosauridae, but also shares derived features present in Araripesuchus. The phylogenetic relationships of this new taxon were tested through a cladistic analysis depicting it as a member of the Peirosauridae. The inclusion of Barcinosuchus within this clade of basal mesoeucrocodylians is supported by the presence of hypapophyses up to the third or fourth dorsal vertebrae, anterolateral facing edge on postorbital, quadrate dorsal surface divided in two planes by a ridge; mandibular symphysis tapering anterirorly in ventral view, lateral surface of dentary convex anterior to mandibular fenestra, distal body of quadrate well developed, anteroposteriorly thin and lateromedially broad. The new specimen broadens the temporal and geographical distribution of Peirosauridae during the Cretaceous of Gondwana, representing the southern-most and the most ancient record of the group in Patagonia. The new material also provides insights on the postcranial anatomy of peirosaurids, a group that has been so far studied almost exclusively from cranial material.     

The paleogeographic significance of Aquilapollenites occurrence in Pakistan

The occurrence of the genus Aquilapollenites in Upper Cretaceous and Neogene sediments of northwestern Pakistan is reported here. Aquilapollenites amplus, Aquilapollenites reductus, and Aquilapollenites sp. occur in the Maastrichtian palynomorph assemblage from an outcrop sample of the Mir Ali section, northern Waziristan. Aquilapollenites medeis in the Neogene Murgha Faqir Zai Formation of the Pishin Basin, Balochistan, is considered a reworked Cretaceous specimen. The Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Asian plate on the Tethys margin are considered to be the source of Aquilapollenites spp. in these samples.     

Exceptional fidelity of preservation in a reworked fossil,Chalk drift,South London,England

Reworking of fossils commonly leads to loss of morphological detail and inferior preservation; the main contributions of such specimens to geology are in sedimentology, regional geology and neoichnology. A reworked specimen of the Late Cretaceous (chalk) sponge boring Entobia cretacea Portlock is unusually well preserved. This specimen is from superficial deposits and is well enough preserved that delicate apertural and intercameral canals are apparent. Two factors are recognized as important in maintaining the fine features of this trace fossil: preservation in flint and, presumably, minimal fluvial transport. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Revision of the Carboniferous cystoporate bryozoan Fistulipora incrustans (Phillips, 1836), with remarks on the type species of Fistulipora M'Coy, 1849

The type species of the Palaeozoic cystoporate bryozoan genus Fistulipora M'Coy, 1849 is redescribed. Fistulipora minor M'Coy, 1849 is the type species, and was the first species described under the genus Fistulipora. Quantitative assessment of type and figured specimens of Calamopora incrustans Phillips, 1836 and F. minor has shown them to fall within the range of morphological variation exhibited by abundant comparative material collected at several horizons and they are referable to one morphologically variable taxon. F. minor is the junior subjective synonym of C. incrustans and the form can be quoted as F. minor M'Coy, 1849 = C. incrustans Phillips, 1836 with a valid name of F. incrustans (Phillips, 1836). However, this does not alter the name of the type species, which is F. minor M'Coy, 1849. The type specimen of Berenicea megastoma M'Coy, 1844 has also been examined, and this form is also conspecific with F. minor M'Coy, 1849 = C. incrustans Phillips, 1836. Examination of the type specimen of F. major M'Coy (1849) has shown it to be referable to the tabulate coral genus Chaetetes. A lectotype and paralectotypes are designated for F. minor and the status of the type specimens of F. incrustans is clarified.     

The effect of specimen diameter size on uniaxial compressive strength,P-wave velocity and the correlation between them

Estimation of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) by P-wave velocity (V_P) is of great interest to geotechnical engineers in various design projects. The specimen diameter size is one of the main factors that influence rock parameters such as UCS and V_P. In this study, the diameter size of specimens that effect UCS and V_P is investigated. Moreover, the correlation between UCS and V_P are examined via empirical analysis. For this purpose, 15 travertine samples were collected and core specimens with a diameters size of 38, 44, 54, 64 and 74 mm were prepared. Then, uniaxial compressive strength and P-wave velocity tests were conducted according to the procedure suggested by ISRM (1981). It is concluded that the diameter size of the specimen has a significant effect on UCS and V_P. Moreover, it was found that the best correlation between relevant parameters obtained for the specimen diameter of 38 mm.     

A New Specimen of Shansisuchus shansisuchus Young, 1964 (Diapsida: Archosauriformes) from the Triassic of Shanxi, China

Shansisuchus shansisuchus Young,1964 was restudied on the basis of a new specimen.Some anatomical features that were either briefly or not described at all in the original study were detailed.The new specimen not only provides further information on the skull anatomy and the vertebral column but also expands the range of the geographical distribution of the taxon.With new information,the diagnosis of S.shansisuchus was emended and its phylogenetic relationships were further analyzed.S.shansisuchus differs from other archosauriforms primarily in the presence of a large subnarial fenestra anterior to the antorbital fenestra,tongue-in-groove articulations between the ascending process of the premaxilla and nasal and between the premaxilla and maxilla,a tall and posterodorsally directed ascending process of the maxilla,a knee-shaped process of the postorbital projecting into the orbit,a broad descending process of squamosal distally well forked and a large,deeply bow-shaped intercentrum tightly anchoring/capping the sharp ventral edges of two neighboring centra together in cervical and at least first eight dorsal vertebrae.With additional information derived from the new specimen,the phylogenetic relationships of S.shansisuchus were reanalyzed;it is closely related to Erythrosuchus-Vjushkovia clade.     

Effects of boundary conditions and partial drainage on cyclic simple shear test results—a numerical study

Owing to imperfect boundary conditions in laboratory soil tests and the possibility of water diffusion inside the soil specimen in undrained tests, the assumption of uniform stress/strain over the sample is not valid. This study presents a qualitative assessment of the effects of non‐uniformities in stresses and strains, as well as effects of water diffusion within the soil sample on the global results of undrained cyclic simple shear tests. The possible implications of those phenomena on the results of liquefaction strength assessment are also discussed. A state‐of‐the‐art finite element code for transient analysis of multi‐phase systems is used to compare results of the so‐called ‘element tests’ (numerical constitutive experiments assuming uniform stress/strain/pore pressure distribution throughout the sample) with results of actual simulations of undrained cyclic simple shear tests using a finite element mesh and realistic boundary conditions. The finite element simulations are performed under various conditions, covering the entire range of practical situations: (1) perfectly drained soil specimen with constant volume, (2) perfectly undrained specimen, and (3) undrained test with possibility of water diffusion within the sample. The results presented here are restricted to strain‐driven tests performed for a loose uniform fine sand with relative density D_r=40%. Effects of system compliance in undrained laboratory simple shear tests are not investigated here. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Drained deformation characteristics of granular soil under pure principal stress axis rotation: impact of sample preparation

The distinct initial fabrics of sand may give rise to dramatically different responses to the applied loading, as evidenced by numerous laboratory tests reported in the literature. In this study, both dry deposition (DD) and moist tamping (MT) methods were employed to prepare sand specimens to generate different initial fabrics. Drained tests were conducted on these specimens under pure principal stress axis rotation while keeping the principal stress components constant. The factors that may influence the deformation characteristics of sand, such as deviatoric stress q, coefficient of intermediate principal stress b, and mean principal stress p, were also taken into consideration in the tests. Test results show that the developments of three normal strain components with number of cycles are very different between DD and MT specimens, which is also closely related to the factors of q, b, and p. It is seen that DD specimen tends to generate larger contractive volumetric strains than MT specimen, which is more significant when q and b increase or p decreases. The shear stiffness of DD specimen is greater than that of MT specimen. The shear modulus ratio, G_j/G₁, increases with the increase of q and b or the decrease of p, which is more prominent in DD specimen than in MT specimen. It is also shown that DD specimen appears to exhibit stronger non-coaxiality than MT specimen, in which such difference of non-coaxiality tends to decrease with the increase in number of cycles.

     

A New Basal Sauropod Dinosaur from the Lufeng Basin,Yunnan Province, Southwestern China

<正>A new dinosaur Chuxiongosaurus lufengensis gen.et sp.nov.is erected based on a nearly complete skull.The taxon is characterized by the lacrimal perpendicular to the ventral margin of the upper jaw,which is similar to that of Thecodontosaurus;a depression present on the dorsal profile of the snout behind the naris;the rostral profile of the maxilla slopes continuously towards the rostral tip;and the presence of 25 dentary teeth.It also displays prosauropod characters such as a relatively long skull,the slope of the maxillary rostral profile,and teeth that do not have basically constricted crowns.The new specimen is more basal than Anchisaurus and represents the first basal sauropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of China.     

A New Theropod Dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Lufeng,Yunnan, China

A new theropod dinosaur, Shidaisaurus jinae gen. et sp. nov., has been described on the basis of an incomplete skeleton. The specimen was found near the base of the Upper Lufeng Formation (early Middle Jurassic) in Yunnan, China. It is the first theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Yunnan. Shidaisaurus jinae is distinguishable from other Jurassic theropods by certain features from the braincase, axis, and pelvic girdle. The absence of any pleurocoels in the axis or in any anterior dorsal vertebrae suggests that the new Lufeng theropod is relatively primitive and more plesiomorphic than most of the Middle to Late Jurassic theropods from China. Most Chinese taxa of Jurassic theropod dinosaurs have not been well described; a further detailed study will be necessary for us to determine their phylogenetic relationships with Shidaisaurus jinae.     

A saltasaurine titanosaur (Sauropoda: Titanosauriformes) from the Angostura Colorada Formation (upper Campanian,Cretaceous) of northwestern Patagonia,Argentina

Saltasaurine titanosaurs are characterized by their relatively small size compared to other sauropods, extreme postcranial pneumaticity, and dermal armour covering the body. This group has been reported in the Upper Cretaceous of the Lecho, Allen, and Anacleto formations of Argentina. We describe here a new saltasaurine specimen (MACN-Pv RN 233) from the Campanian of the Angostura Colorada Formation (Río Negro Province) that is represented by eight caudal vertebrae and six osteoderms. This specimen is described in detail and its phylogenetic relationships with the other three known saltasaurines, as well as its implications to the knowledge of caudal vertebra and osteoderm anatomy, are discussed. Our results place MACN-Pv RN 233 more closely related to Saltasaurus loricatus and Rocasaurus muniozi than to Neuquensaurus australis. MACN-Pv RN 233 possesses a combination of features that differ from other saltasaurines, but because of the fragmentary nature of the specimen we decided for the sake of taxonomic stability to not erect a new taxon. This specimen shows the first unambiguous evidence of chevron pneumatisation for a sauropodomorph, implying a broader osteological invasion of the diverticula from the abdominal air sac than previously thought for this group of dinosaurs. MACN-Pv RN 233 preserves two osteoderm morphotypes, one similar to those reported for Neuquensaurus australis and Saltasaurus loricatus. This new specimen expands the distribution of the group to a new geological unit and increases the dinosaur diversity known for the Angostura Colorada Formation.     

Saddle-shaped reticulate <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nummulites</Emphasis> from Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area,SW Kutch,India

Saddle-shaped reticulate Nummulites from the Early Oligocene rocks of Khari area, SW Kutch, India is reported here for the first time. Unusual shape of this Nummulites is due to the curved nature of the coiling plane, indicating space constrained postembryonic test growth. With regular development of chambers, septa and septal filaments, the saddle-shaped Nummulites constitutes the third morphotype of N. cf. fichteli Michelotti form A. Other morphotypes of the species reported earlier include inflated lenticular and conical tests. Multiple morphotypes of N. cf. fichteli form A indicates varied test growth in response to substrate conditions. Morphological variability exhibited by N. cf. fichteli form A from Kutch and some Early Oligocene reticulate Nummulites from the Far East are comparable. This faunal suite is morphologically distinct from the contemporary reticulate Nummulites of the European localities.     

New mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) in Cretaceous ambers from Lebanon,Spain, and Myanmar

Diverse new material of mantises found in the Cretaceous amber-bearing deposits from Lebanon (Barremian), Spain (Albian), and Myanmar (Albian–Cenomanian) are described and figured. The Lebanese and Spanish forms are nymphs; while the one from Myanmar is an adult specimen. The Lebanese nymph corresponds to a new specimen of Burmantis lebanensis Grimaldi, 2003 while the adult Burmese (Myanmar) specimen belongs to the new species Burmantis zherikhini. The Spanish specimen represents a new genus and species and is established as Aragonimantis aenigma, but is considered family incertae sedis. The Spanish specimen is the first record of Mesozoic mantises from western-European amber deposits. A revised phylogenetic hypothesis for Cretaceous mantises is proposed.     

New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic of eastern Switzerland, and comments on the taxic diversity of actinistans

New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic Prosanto Formation of the Ducan and Landwasser area near Davos in eastern Switzerland, Canton Graubünden, is described. A sub-complete individual is visible in ventral view, and shows details of its branchial apparatus. In particular, it possesses relatively large teeth on the ceratobranchials, and possible ossified hypobranchials. Few diagnostic characters are observable, and most of them are visible on the mandibles preserved in lateral view. This specimen shares characters with Ticinepomis peyeri, a smaller form from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio, whose holotype is re-described in part here. A second specimen, a fragmentary caudal skeleton shows the typical supplementary lobe of coelacanths, and meristic characters indicating probable close affinities with T. peyeri. We refer this material to Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri. Because the new specimen is larger than the holotype, we refute the possible juvenile status of the small specimen from Monte San Giorgio. The new material of Ticinepomis from Canton Graubünden shows anatomical features not preserved on the holotype and allows the addition of new characters to a previously published data matrix of actinistians. A phylogenetic analysis is performed, which supports that Ticinepomis is nested among the Latimeriidae. The diversity of post-Palaeozoic coelacanths is assessed. The taxic diversity of observed occurrences shows a peak in the Early Triassic and a peak in the Late Jurassic, as detected in previous studies. When ghost lineages are included in the computation, the Late Jurassic peak is smoothened. By comparing the taxic diversity curves with the curve of average ghost lineage duration, we conclude that the Early Triassic peak of diversity was probably caused by a biological radiation, whereas the Late Jurassic peak of observed diversity is probably the result of a Lagerstätten effect.     

A new hangingfly (Insecta,Mecoptera, Bittacidae) from the Purbeck Limestone Group (Lower Cretaceous) of southern England and a review of Cretaceous Bittacidae

Rapid radiation of the Bittacidae during the Jurassic resulted in high diversity within this family of Mecoptera. More than 40 species within 23 genera have been described from this period. However, around the end of the Jurassic the abundance and diversity of Bittacidae decreased and only seven species in five genera are known to date from the Cretaceous. A new specimen from the basal Cretaceous of England, Tytthobittacus jarzembowski sp. nov., described here, represents the eighth species and the second fossil representative of this family from the European Cretaceous. This hangingfly belongs to an extant and relictual genus previously known only from Australia. The paper also includes a review of all known Cretaceous bittacids and a re-examination of European species Antiquanabittacus nanus Petrulevičius and Jarzembowski, 2004.     

Sympatry of two ankylosaurs (Hungarosaurus and cf. Struthiosaurus) in the Santonian of Hungary

A complete and well-preserved right ankylosaurian humerus from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Csehbánya Formation of Iharkút, western Hungary is described here. Based on its osteological features and 21.5 cm adult length, the new specimen is markedly different from the slender humerus of Hungarosaurus, the previously known ankylosaur from the locality, and more similar to that of Struthiosaurus. Thus, the new Hungarian specimen is tentatively assigned here to cf. Struthiosaurus thereby dating back the first occurrence of this genus to the Santonian. The new fossil demonstrates the sympatric co-existence of two different nodosaurid ankylosaurs (a smaller, robust form with 2–2.5 m total body length and a larger, cursorial form with 4–4.5 m body length) in the Iharkút fauna. This also suggests that the pattern of the European ankylosaur diversity was more complex than previously thought.