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The first sawfly from the Oligocene of Céreste (Southern France (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)
(2024)
Luberotenthredo cerestensis gen. et sp. nov. is the first record of the sawfly family Tenthredinidae from the Oligocene of Céreste (Southern France). This taxon is described and illustrated based on a well-preserved specimen. This genus resembles the extant genus Perineura (subfamily Tenthredininae, tribe Perineurini) with which it shares forewing venation similarities and numerous morphological characters. This new taxon is the first fossil representative of the tribe Perineurini and can be used as a calibration point for future investigation of the diversification of the family Tenthredinidae.
Palaeosphryon menatensis gen. et sp. nov., first unambiguous representative of the longhorn beetle subfamily Prioninae from the Paleocene of Menat (France), is described and illustrated. The new fossil is placed into the tribe Prionini, showing some similarities with some species of the extant genera Osphryon (Papua New Guinea) and Titanus (Brazil, Colombia, Guianas, Ecuador, Peru), viz. in general body shape, antennomere 3 as long as first and second together but shorter than the length of fourth plus fifth, elongate elytra, and small spines on the lateral margin of the pronotum disposed in a relatively similar way as in Osphryon. Nevertheless, the exact affinities of the new fossil within the Prionini remain uncertain because of the lack of a recent phylogenetic analysis in which it could be integrated. This fossil beetle is exceptional for its very large size, with a body 70 mm long. Some other large longhorn beetles have been found in the same outcrop, and are awaiting description. The positions of the previously described Cerambycidae from Menat are also discussed. This exceptional fauna of Cerambycidae is in accordance with the current palaeoenvironmental reconstruction for the Menat Konservat-Lagerstätte, as a small maar lake surrounded by a warm and humid, probably evergreen forest.
The ammonoids of the family Maenioceratidae from Givetian sedimentary rocks of the Anti-Atlas (Morocco) are investigated. The study is based on new collections stored in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. The genera Maenioceras Schindewolf, 1933 and Afromaenioceras Göddertz, 1987 are revised; the genus Trimaenioceras is newly described. The species Maenioceras afroterebratum sp. nov., Maenioceras mzerrebense sp. nov., Maenioceras oufranense sp. nov., Maenioceras beckeri sp. nov., Afromaenioceras sulcatostriatum (Bensaïd, 1974), Afromaenioceras hiemale sp. nov., Afromaenioceras bensaidi sp. nov., Afromaenioceras brumale sp. nov., Afromaenioceras crassum (Bensaïd, 1974), Trimaenioceras klugi gen. et sp. nov., Trimaenioceras eculeus gen. et sp. nov., Trimaenioceras fuscina gen. et sp. nov. and Trimaenioceras paucum gen. et sp. nov. are described in detail.
Neanderthal diet has been on the spotlight of paleoanthropological research for many years. The majority of studies that tried to reconstruct the diet of Neanderthals were based on the analysis of zooarchaeological remains, stable isotopes, dental calculus and dental microwear patterns. In the past few years, there have been a few studies that linked dental macrowear patterns of Neanderthals and modern humans to diet and cultural habits. However, they mostly focused on maxillary molars. Although mandibular molars have been widely used in microwear dietary research, little is known about their usage at the macroscopic scale to detect information about human subsistence strategies. In this study, we compare the macrowear patterns of Neanderthal (NEA), fossil Homo sapiens (FHS), modern hunter-gatherers (MHG), pastoralists, early farmers and Australian Aborigines from Yuendumu mandibular molars in order to assess their utility in collecting any possible information about dietary and cultural habits among diverse human groups. We use the occlusal fingerprint analysis method, a quantitative digital approach that has been successfully employed to reconstruct the diet of living non-human primates and past human populations. Our results show macrowear pattern differences between meat-eater MHG and EF groups. Moreover, while we did not find eco-geographical differences in the macrowear patterns of the fossil sample, we found statistically significant differences between NEA and FHS inhabiting steppe/coniferous forest. This latter result could be associated with the use of distinct technological complexes in these two species, which ultimately could have allowed modern humans to exploit natural resources in a different way compared to NEA.
Oligoptilomera luberonensis gen. et sp. nov., first fossil representative of the gerrid subfamily Ptilomerinae, is described and figured from the Oligocene of Murs (Vaucluse, Southern France). Extant Ptilomerinae live in streams in warm climates, of the Indo-Malaysian, eastern Palaearctic, and Papouan regions. The discovery of this Oligocene French Ptilomerinae is in accordance with the putative age of the subfamily, at least older than the Eocene, and with the Indo-Malaysian affinities previously recorded for some other insects from the Oligocene of France. The two insect assemblages of Murs and Céreste are compared and the differences discussed. Although of similar ages, that from Murs was possibly corresponding to a more shallow water paleolake than that of Céreste.
This work provides the first revision and illustration of the type material of the ammonite species Parahoplites abichi Anthula [Type species of Protacanthoplites Tovbina] and Parahoplites aschiltaensis Anthula [Type species of Acanthohoplites Sinzow] from the upper Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) of Dagestan, Russia. The close affinities and synonymy between these two species are confirmed, and Acanthohoplites aschiltaensis is here retained as the senior valid name by its long quoting history and its historical use as a zonal index of the upper Aptian. The genus Protacanthoplites should be thus synonymised with Acanthohoplites by priority in the date of publication. Comparison with, and distinction from, closely allied Acanthohoplitidae is provided.
Here, we report on 33 molluscan species from Miocene ’Calcari a Lucina’ hydrocarbon-seep deposits in northern Italy. Three new species are described: the chilodontaid gastropod Putzeysia diversii sp. nov., the lucinid bivalve Miltha (sensu lato) romaniae sp. nov., and Sisonia ultimoi sp. nov., a heterodont bivalve of uncertain taxonomic affinity. Fourteen species are described in open nomenclature. The common but enigmatic gastropod species Phasianema taurocrassa is here suggested to belong to the seguenzioid genus Cataegis. Most gastropod species are inhabitants of the deep-sea floor in general, and are not restricted (obligate) to sites of hydrocarbon-seepage. The gastropod Putzeysia diversii sp. nov. and the bivalve Sisonia ultimoi sp. nov. are the geologically oldest members of their genera known to date. While the genus Putzeysia is geographically restricted to the NE Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, Sisonia ultimoi sp. nov. represents another link of the Miocene Mediterranean seep fauna to that of the central Indo-West Pacific Ocean.
The genus Plateosaurus is one of the most challenging aspects of early-diverging sauropodomorph taxonomy, with a total of 29 names and a century of revisions. As a result, nomina dubia have been treated as synonyms of Plateosaurus trossingensis, adding to the confusion about the extent of morphological variability. Here, we provide a thorough revision of the taxonomy proposed by von Huene as well as the subsequent taxonomic interpretations of Plateosaurus through a complete inventory of the specimens stored in the Palaeontological Collection of Tübingen. We reassess the status of the specimens in the collection and propose that the sauropodomorph-bearing layers are not necessarily monospecific. Most of the original fieldwork documentation has been lost, but we use the taxonomy established by von Huene as a historical reference point to reconstruct what was known at the time. This revised taxonomy of Plateosaurus narrows the genus to three species: Pl. trossingensis, Pl. longiceps, and Pl. gracilis (as a metataxon), and restricts the genera Gresslyosaurus and Pachysaurus to large and robust individuals, as pragmatic decisions aimed to test their affinities to other Late Triassic sauropodomorphs. Future studies should consider not only morphological variability, but also stratigraphy, palaeogeography, and environmental data when delineating species within and outside the Plateosaurus plexus.
Lacewing larvae in the Cretaceous were more diverse in appearance than they are today, best documented by numerous fossils preserved in amber. One morphotype of an unusual larva from about 100 Ma old Kachin amber (Myanmar) was formally recognised as a distinct group called Ankyloleon. The original description erected a single formal species, Ankyloleon caudatus. Yet, it was indicated that among the five original specimens, more species were represented. We here report five new specimens. Among these is the so far largest as well as the so far smallest specimen. Based on this expanded material we can estimate certain aspects of the ontogenetic sequence and are able to recognise a second discrete species, Ankyloleon caroluspetrus sp. nov. We discuss aspects of the biology of Ankyloleon based on newly observed details such as serrations on the mandibles. Long and slender mouthparts, legs and body together with a weakly expressed outer trunk segmentation provide indications for a lifestyle hunting for prey in more confined spaces. Still many aspects of the biology of these larvae must remain unclear due to a lack of a well comparable modern counterpart, emphasising how different the fauna of the Cretaceous was.
Thylacocephalans are enigmatic euarthropods, known at least from the Silurian to the Cretaceous. Despite remaining uncertainties concerning their anatomy, key features can be recognised such as a shield enveloping most of the body, hypertrophied compound eyes, three pairs of raptorial appendages and a posterior trunk consisting of eight up to 22 segments bearing appendages and eight pairs of gills. Well-known for its euarthropod diversity, the La Voulte-sur-Rhône Lagerstätte (Callovian, Middle Jurassic, France) has provided many remains of four thylacocephalan species so far: Dollocaris ingens, Kilianicaris lerichei, Paraostenia voultensis and Clausocaris ribeti. In this paper, we study the type material as well as undescribed material. The re-description of La Voulte thylacocephalans reveals an unexpected diversity, with the description of two new species, Austriocaris secretanae sp. nov. and Paraclausocaris harpa gen. et sp. nov., and of specimens of Mayrocaris, a taxon originally described from Solnhofen Lagerstätten. We also reassign Clausocaris ribeti to Ostenocaris. The reappraisal of La Voulte thylacocephalans also provides important insight into the palaeobiology of Thylacocephala. New key anatomical features are described, such as an oval structure or a putative statocyst, which indicate a nektonic or nektobenthic lifestyle. Finally, we document a juvenile stage for Paraostenia voultensis.