RIVISTA ITALIANA DI PALEONTOLOGIA E STRATIGRAFIA
The Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia is a free of charge OPEN ACCESS peer reviewed journal. RIPS publishes original contributions on all aspects of palaeontology and stratigraphy; all papers are written in English and are reviewed by international experts. The Journal is currently indexed and abstracted by AGI, ISI, Current Contents, Georef, Geological Abstract and SciSearch. RIPS is included in the Unimi Journals project (riviste.unimi.it) and it is hosted on OJS platform. OPEN ACCESS POLICY: RIPS is published under a Creative Commons Attribution - Share alike 4.0 International License. Preprint and postprint version of the articles can be archived anywhere with the same license. Web of Science Journal Citation Reports 2024: Journal Impact Factor 2024= 1.9, 5-Year Impact Factor= 1.7 Scopus CiteScore 2024= 3.1 Editors-in-chief Lucia Angiolini, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Fabrizio Berra, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Editorial Office Cristina Lombardo, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Section Editors David M. Alba, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain Francesca Bosellini, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy Giorgio Carnevale, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy Silvia Gardin, CNRS, France Annette Götz, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany Joachim Haug, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany Luca Martire, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy Matteo Montagna, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", Italy Giovanni Muttoni, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Maria Rose Petrizzo, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Silvio Renesto, Università dell'Insubria, Italy Lorenzo Rook, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy Daniele Scarponi, Università di Bologna, Italy Flavia Strani, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain Yichun Zhang, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, China Print subscriptions to Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia are handled by the publisher Ledizioni The Innovative LediPublishing company and subscriptions are managed by Libreria Ledi International Bookseller Email: riviste@internationalbookseller.com RIPS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RIPS15/
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FOSSIL SNAKEFLY PUPAE FROM ABOUT 100 MILLION YEARS OLD AMBER REVEAL AN UNUSUAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE ANTENNAE
A key aspect of the holometabolan evolutionary success is their metamorphosis. It allows larvae and adults to exploit quite different resources and reduce competition between the two. The often strongly differing morphology of larvae and adults is mediated by the specific intermediate stage, the pupa. Fossil pupae provide valuable information for the reconstruction of the evolutionary history of this so important developmental stage. However, pupae are relatively rarely found in the fossil record, and they seem even less often depicted in the literature. Here, we report two new fossil pupae preserved in about 100 million years old Kachin amber, Myanmar. These represent the first fossil pupae of the group of snakeflies, Raphidioptera. The two specimens resemble modern snakefly pupae in overall morphology and especially in the morphology of the ovipositor. However, they also differ in certain aspects, indicating differences in developmental timing. One specimen is particularly notable for its long, curled antennae. Extant snakeflies have rather short antennae in all life stages. Yet, in the Cretaceous few species have long antennae as adults, and also some larvae are known with rather long antennae. The other pupa has shorter antennae and is preserved in the same amber specimen as another snakefly, a larva with rather long antennae. The new snakefly pupa with its extraordinarily long antennae underpins the exceptional evolutionary radiations in the Cretaceous.
Copyright (c) 2025 JOACHIM T. HAUG, FLORIAN BRAIG, PATRICK MÜLLER, CAROLIN HAUG https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A NEW SPECIMEN OF MACROPLACUS RAETICUS SCHUBERT-KLEMPNAUER, 1975 (SAUROPTERYGIA, PLACODONTIA) FROM THE UPPER TRIASSIC OF ITALY, WITH REMARKS ON PLACODONT PHYLOGENY
A new placodont specimen—an incomplete, three-dimensionally preserved skull encased in a carbonate matrix—is described here. Although discovered in slope debris, strong evidence suggests that the fossil most likely originated from the Rhaetian (Upper Triassic) Zu Limestone. Anatomical study—including X-ray computed tomography (CT)—comparison with other placodont species, and phylogenetic analysis support attribution of the new specimen to the cyamodontoid placodont Macroplacus raeticus Schubert-Klempnauer, 1975. Until now, this species was known solely from its holotype: a skull from the Rhaetian of the Bavarian Alps, which we have re-examined and, in part, reinterpreted. The new specimen shows the closest morphological affinity to the Macroplacus holotype among all known placodonts; the significant size difference between the two is explained as representing different ontogenetic stages of the same taxon. Our species-level phylogenetic analysis of Placodontia supports a sister-taxon relationship between the new specimen and Macroplacus. The analysis builds upon previous studies, incorporating revised descriptions and updated character coding for a substantial number of skull traits, the addition of new characters and taxa, and overall improvements to the phylogenetic dataset for current and future analyses. Macroplacus raeticus remains the only placodont species known exclusively from the Rhaetian. Along with the morphologically similar Psephoderma alpinum—from the Norian and Rhaetian—it represents the latest occurrence of placodonts in the Upper Triassic, strengthening the case for a close evolutionary relationship between these two taxa.
Copyright (c) 2025 STEFANIA NOSOTTI, FEDERICO CONFORTINI, SIMONE MAGANUCO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
HEAD UP ITS POSTERIOR LOBE, A REPLY TO AGNOLÍN AND CHIMENTO (2025)
Recently, Agnolín and Chimento (2025) erected a new species of land tortoise, called Chelonoidis pucara Agnolín & Chimento, 2025, from the Pleistocene of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, based on the holotype MLS 227, identified as “the anterior half of the plastron of an adult male individual”. Based on this identification, the authors recognize peculiar and unique characters, including the absence of a gular pocket and epiplastral lip, the presence of horn-like projections, and the presence of a large entoplastron with a midline suture, allowing the identification of a new species of Chelonoidis. Careful examination of the figures and drawings of Agnolín and Chimento (2025, figs. 2A-C, fig. 3A) reveals a misidentification of the specimen: what is identified as the anterior half of the plastron is actually the posterior half — the images need to be rotated 180 degrees. If done, then the morphology becomes clear. Seen properly, the characters observed in the holotype of Chelonoidis pucara are not enough to distinguish a new species of tortoise or Chelonoidis, therefore Chelonoidis pucara is considered invalid and more specifically, a nomen dubium.
Copyright (c) 2025 EVANGELOS VLACHOS, MARCELO S. DE LA FUENTE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE DEEP-SEA HATCHETFISH ARGYROPELECUS (STERNOPTYCHIDAE) IN THE EOCENE OF IRAN: DESCRIPTION AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF TWO NEW SPECIES FROM THE PABDEH FORMATION
Two new deep-sea hatchetfish species, †Argyropelecus iranicus n. sp. and †Argyropelecus zagrosensis n. sp., are described in detail herein based on fossil material from the Eocene (Bartonian) deposits of the Pabdeh Formation, Zagros Basin, Iran. A detailed investigation of the skeletal morphology of these new species was made possible through elemental distribution maps obtained using micro-XRF imaging technique of the fossil material. These new species are the oldest known representatives of the genus Argyropelecus. A phylogenetic analysis that includes all the extant species of the genus Argyropelecus suggests that †Argyropelecus iranicus n. sp. and †Argyropelecus zagrosensis n. sp. pertain to the ‘A. lychnus species complex’ and the ‘A. affinis species complex’, respectively. The morphospace analysis confirmed the presence of two distinct morphotypes within the genus Argyropelecus. Potential correlations between morphospace occupation and the ecological setting and lifestyle of this bizarre group of deep-sea fishes are also discussed. The presence of two species of the genus Argyropelecus in the Eocene Pabdeh Formation extends the temporal and biogeographical range of these deep-sea fishes, providing additional information for our understanding of the evolutionary and biogeographical history of the deep-sea hatchetfishes.
Copyright (c) 2025 LORENZO RIDOLFI, ALI BAHRAMI, MEHDI YAZDI, ANE ELISE SCHRØDER, GIUSEPPE MARRAMÀ, GIORGIO CARNEVALE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEW PERMIAN ECHINODERMS FROM NORTHEASTERN OMAN HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH TETHYAN ECHINODERM FAUNAS FROM WEST TIMOR, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AND RUSSIA
Permian blastoids and crinoids are described from the Batain region in northeastern Oman. New collections are from the Qarari Unit and are dated as late Kungurian to early Roadian. Six blastoid species assigned to three genera, 15 species-level crinoids assigned to 14 genera (some with question), and several crinoid taxa left in open nomenclature are described. New taxa include Angioblastus qararii sp. nov.; A. omanensis sp. nov.; Deltoblastus sevastopuloi sp. nov.; Disgregacrinus aridus gen. nov., sp. nov.; Eoindocrinus ageri sp. nov.; E. spinosus sp. nov.; Jaramahcrinus warlichi gen. nov., sp. nov.; Proindocrinus riesae sp. nov.; Qararicrinus batainensis gen. nov., sp. nov.; Roemerocrinus? aridus sp. nov., and Synbathocrinus shackletoni sp. nov. Also, Platycrinites omanensis Webster & Sevastopulo, 2007 is reassigned to Pleurocrinus, and Calycocrinus conicus is recognized as a species. At the genus level, the Oman echinoderms are associated with Permian faunas in Australia, Russia, and West Timor; however, at the species level, the fauna is largely endemic to Oman. The occurrence of Timoroblastus is the first verifiable report of this genus outside of Timor.
Copyright (c) 2025 GARY D. WEBSTER, WILLIAM I. AUSICH, JOHNNY A. WATERS, ALAN P. HEWARD https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
TWO WEST AFRICAN MOLLUSCAN SPECIES (GASTROPODA, ACTEONIDAE) FROM MIS 5.5 IN THE TARANTO AREA (SOUTHERN ITALY)
Two gastropods of the family Acteonidae, Acteon senegalensis (Petit de la Saussaye, 1851) and Acteon maltzani Dautzenberg, 1910, are reported for the first time from shallow-water deposits of the Last Interglacial (MIS 5.5) cropping out in the Taranto area (Southern Italy). Both species inhabit the coast of West Africa, and their presence in the MIS 5.5 deposits is attributable to the northward flow of tropical species, referred to in the literature as Senegalese Guests. The two species exhibit non-planktotrophic larval development, confirming that species without a long planktonic life stage can spread effectively in response to climate change.
Copyright (c) 2025 RAFAEL LA PERNA, VINCENZO DE SANTIS, MASSIMO CALDARA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
UNRAVELLING ORNITHOPOD DIVERSITY IN THE LATE JURASSIC COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS OF EASTERN IBERIA (SPAIN)
Ornithopod osteological fossils from the Upper Jurassic of Europe are relatively scarce and often fragmentary compared to those of other dinosaurian groups. Recent discoveries, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, have increased our understanding of the diversity of these dinosaurs, although much remains poorly understood. This study reports new ornithopod fossils from several sites in the provinces of Valencia and Teruel (Spain). Geologically, all the sites are located within the South Iberian Basin in the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (upper Kimmeridgian–Tithonian). These fossils represent almost half of the ornithopod discoveries in the region. Their systematic study reveals, for the first time, the presence of dryosaurids and small-sized ankylopollexians, while further confirming the presence of large-sized ankylopollexians. These findings significantly increase the known diversity of ornithopods in the Upper Jurassic of eastern Iberia. Notably, small-sized ankylopollexians may have been among the potential trackmakers of the enigmatic small quadrupedal ornithopod tracks reported from this region. The coexistence of at least three distinct iguanodontian taxa suggests niche partitioning and a high level of ecological complexity within the herbivorous dinosaurian communities of the coastal ecosystems in eastern Iberia during the Late Jurassic, a pattern likely widespread across the Iberian landmass during this epoch.
Copyright (c) 2025 SERGIO SÁNCHEZ-FENOLLOSA, FRANCISCO J. VERDÚ, MAITE SUÑER, ALBERTO COBOS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE DEEPWATER BONY FISH FAUNA FROM THE LATE BADENIAN (SERRAVALLIAN) OF WALBERSDORF, AUSTRIA - RECONSTRUCTED WITH OTOLITHS
Otolith associations have been extensively described from the Badenian (Langhian to early Serravallian) of the Central Paratethys. During the late Badenian (early Serravallian), the basin was strongly segmented, and the faunal composition of its biota differed remarkably from one area to another. Here I describe otoliths from a historical collection from the late Badenian of Walbersdorf (Austria) that represents the only known deepwater fish fauna of the Central Paratethys of the time. It is species-rich (66 species) and unique in its composition characterized by a high percentage of mesopelagic and bathydemersal fishes (10 and 15 species respectively). The otolith assemblage offers new insights into how the fish fauna reacted to the ecological crisis of the middle Badenian salinity event (early Serravallian). It was also the last time in geological history that the Central Paratethys was connected to the Mediterranean through the Slovenian Gate. Faunal composition, environmental adaptation, and biostratigraphic implications are discussed in the context of the fish evolution in the Paratethys and other European basins. In addition, 11 new species are described (in order of description): Palaspius extremus n. gen. n. sp. (Leuciscidae), Gymnoscopelus septentrionalis n. sp. and Krefftichthys walbersdorfensis n. sp. (both Myctophidae), Physiculus pinnatus n. sp. (Moridae), Lophiodes pitassyae n. sp. (Lophiidae), Cataetyx lacrimatus n. sp. (Bythitidae), Sargocentron viennensis n. sp. (Holocentridae), Globogobius praeglobosus n. sp. (Gobiidae), Cubiceps huimanni n. sp. (Nomeidae), Prionotus friedmani n. sp. (Triglidae), and Malacanthus bratishkoi n. sp. (Malacanthidae).
Copyright (c) 2025 WERNER SCHWARZHANS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
EARLY TRIASSIC ORIGIN OF COCCOLITHOGENESIS
Calcareous nannofossil investigations were conducted on Lower and Middle Triassic marine successions from South China. Coccoliths, nannoliths and calcispheres are relatively frequent and moderately preserved, showing an increase in diversity from the Smithian (Olenekian) to the Ladinian. The oldest nannofossils, dated to the Smithian, include Eoconusphaera hallstattensis and very simple coccoliths attributed to a sp. A morphogroup. Nannoliths of Prinsiosphaera triassica and Carnicalyxia, along with rare specimens of Tetralithus pseudotrifidus and Crucirhabdus cf. C. minutus are present in the Spathian-Pelsonian (Olenekian-Anisian) and Longobardian (Ladinian) samples, respectively. A total of 10 new morphotypes are also described. The Smithian coccoliths documented here significantly narrow the temporal gap between molecular clock estimates for the origin of calcifying coccolithophores and their first fossil record. Our data represent the oldest known nannofossils and push back the onset of coccolithophore calcification by approximately 40 million years, shortly after the end-Permian mass extinction. The Olenekian primitive, simple and tiny coccoliths from South China suggest that early coccolithophores emerged in a coastal environment of the eastern Tethys Ocean. The onset of calcification in Calcihaptophycidae may have been facilitated by suppressed atmospheric CO2 levels, coupled with increased nutrient availability following the emplacement of the Siberian Traps. The emergence of this new phytoplanktonic group correlates with the earliest recovery of benthic calcifiers, potentially shaping post-extinction marine biodiversity and influencing the evolution of the ocean toward modern conditions.
Copyright (c) 2025 CINZIA BOTTINI, ELISABETTA ERBA, DA-YONG JIANG, RYOSUKE MOTANI, ANDREA TINTORI, GIULIA FAUCHER https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
TUFANBEYLİ: NEW LOWER PLIOCENE MAMMAL-YIELDING LOCALITY AND FIRST RECORD OF “MAMMUT” BORSONI FROM TURKEY
At the crossroads between Africa, Asia, and Europe, Turkey occupies a prominent position regarding terrestrial mammal interchanges. In stark contrast with a wealth of Late Miocene fossil record, the Early Pliocene interval was virtually undocumented for large mammals in Turkey so far, which made it impossible to characterise their biogeographical affinities in the concerned time interval. In this study, we present the first record of the mammutid proboscidean “Mammut” borsoni in Turkey, found in association with the rhinocerotid Pliorhinus megarhinus, in Lower Pliocene lignite beams at the Tufanbeyli Thermal Power Plant Lignite Operation site, Adana. “Mammut” borsoni spans the Pliocene–Early Pleistocene interval in Eurasia while Pliorhinus megarhinus is a conspicuous element of uppermost Miocene-Pliocene faunas in Western Eurasia and Turkey. This megamammal assemblage represents an important advance in our knowledge of the large mammal faunas of the Early Pliocene of Asia Minor, further attesting to close biogeographic affinities between Anatolia and other circum-Mediterranean regions just after the end-Miocene salinity crisis.
Copyright (c) 2025 EBRU ALBAYRAK, PIERRE-OLIVIER ANTOINE, ERDEM ÇÖREKÇİOĞLU https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE YPRESIAN FISHES OF THE SOLTERI LAGERSTÄTTE (TRENTO, NORTHERN ITALY): A GLIMPSE INTO THE EARLY EOCENE TETHYAN MESOPELAGIC ASSEMBLAGES
A Ypresian fish-bearing site was discovered in the late 1970s at Solteri (Trento, northern Italy), but its ichthyofauna, dominated by pelagic bony fishes, remained almost completely neglected for decades despite its potential interest. In fact, it represents the nearly coeval pelagic equivalent of the Lagerstätten of Bolca (Verona province, northeastern Italy), worldwide known for their extremely abundant and diversified, reef-associated fish fauna. The Solteri ichthyofauna, represented by almost 300 specimens, comprises what appears to be a mesopelagic assemblage including stomiiforms (Gonostomatidae and Phosichthyidae), myctophiforms (Myctophidae) and certain percomorphs (Gempylidae and Centrolophidae), most of them represented by new, so far undescribed taxa, of which the following are established herein: Ammutichthys loricatus n. gen. et sp., Eogorgon bizzarinii n. gen. et sp., Eomyctophum mainardii n. sp., Erebusia tenebrae n. gen. et sp. Krampusichthys tridentinus n. gen. et sp., Laurinichthys boschelei n. gen. et sp., Scopeloides bellator n. sp., Scopeloides violator n. sp., Solterichthys macrognathus n. gen. et sp., and Wudelenia diabolica n. gen. et sp. Solteri is of extreme relevance not only because it represents one of the most ancient Cenozoic deep-water Lagerstätten known, but it also allows us to define the structure of the western Tethyan pelagic fish communities during the demise of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO), the interval of the Cenozoic with the warmest long-term global average temperature and highest CO2 levels (Filippi et al. 2024).
Copyright (c) 2025 PIETRO CALZONI, LUCA GIUSBERTI, GIORGIO CARNEVALE https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
EARLY PLIOCENE LAGOMORPHS FROM TOLLO DE CHICLANA-1B (GUADIX BASIN, SPAIN): NEW PERSPECTIVES ON THE EVOLUTION AND THE PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY OF LATE NEOGENE WESTERN EUROPEAN LAGOMORPHA
The continental record of the Guadix Basin (southern Spain) documents a fundamental time-window for the evolution of leporids and prolagids. Here we provide the first attempt of a taxonomic revision of the lagomorphs of the Guadix Basin (Prolagus aff. michauxi, Trischizolagus aff. crusafonti, and Oryctolagus cf. laynensis), evidencing that, at least in southern Spain, the accepted taxonomic model should be reconsidered in light of a possible partly endemic evolutionary history of lagomorphs during the latest Miocene and Pliocene. Actually, our data highlight that there was a limited interchange between southern Iberian lagomorphs and those of the rest of western Europe at least since the late Turolian (MN13). Dispersals were instead active, in the early part of the MN13, from southern Iberia to northern Africa, a new territory where prolagids and leporids underwent local radiation and evolution.
Copyright (c) 2025 STANISLAV ČERMÁK , CHIARA ANGELONE, ELVIRA MARTÍN-SUÁREZ, ANTONIO GARCÍA-ALIX, RAEF MINWER-BARAKAT https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
LATE BERRIASIAN–EARLY VALANGINIAN EVOLUTION AND DROWNING OF THE GETIC CARBONATE PLATFORM (SE SERBIA)
The Early Cretaceous was a time of significant development of carbonate platforms on the margins of the Tethys Ocean, including the Getic Carbonate Platform, in the northern peri-Tethys realm, cropping out in the Southern Carpathians (Romania) and Carpatho-Balkanides (Serbia and Bulgaria). This study focusses on the upper Berriasian–lower Valanginian carbonate succession of SE Serbia (Dimitrovgrad) and provides noteworthy insights for the understanding of the Getic Carbonate Platform evolution. On the basis of facies stacking pattern and occurrence of prominent horizons, three vertically superimposed sedimentary units are distinguished in the ~230 m thick succession: unit I consists of shallow subtidal, low-energy environments favouring the development of patch reefs with Bacinella-Lithocodium, rudists, corals, siliceous and calcareous sponges, including stromatoporoids; unit II is indicative of restricted subtidal to intertidal-supratidal facies and platform-top subaerial exposure, testified by karst collapse breccias, syn-sedimentary dolomitization and by negative shifts of carbon and oxygen isotopes; unit III represents the platform drowning stage with abundance of crinoids, chert, detrital quartz and glaucony grains. Platform drowning is marked by a change in carbonate production from photozoan, light-dependent skeletal biota such as corals, to light-independent, filter feeders heterozoan carbonates with crinoids and bryozoans. Syn-sedimentary tectonics appears to be responsible for uplift and subaerial exposure, subsequent rapid deepening and platform demise, possibly associated with increased nutrients during transgression. The Berriasian–Valanginian carbonate strata of Dimitrovgrad show similar evolution to other contemporaneous carbonate systems of western Tethys, highlighting the effects of regional tectonics and global controlling factors on carbonate deposition in the earliest Cretaceous.
Copyright (c) 2025 JELENA STEFANOVIĆ, GIOVANNA DELLA PORTA, IOAN I. BUCUR, DEJAN RADIVOJEVIĆ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
TETRAPOD REMAINS FROM THE LADINIAN (MIDDLE TRIASSIC) SCELTRICH BEDS OF MONTE SAN GIORGIO UNESCO SITE
The Sceltrich beds at the base of the upper Meride Limestone (Ladinian) above the Cassina beds, yielded a rich and diversified fish fauna comprising several specimens of the predatory fish Saurichthys and sarcopterygians. Reptile findings instead are scarce and limited to few disarticulated teeth and bones, however, their description can give an, albeit limited, insight about the reptile fauna of the Sceltrich beds which was never documented before, testifiying the presence of large to mid-sized eusauropterygians and of the terrestrial tanystropheid Macrocnemus. The results indicate that the composition of the tetrapod fauna of the Sceltrich beds is similar to that of the upper levels of the Cassina beds. The taphonomic conditions that led to preservation as isolated remains could be due to a combination of different factors most probably involving a disarticulation and loss of elements during a floating phase. However it cannot be excluded that at least in some cases a residence phase of the carcass occurred for enough time to allow decomposition of soft parts, leading to disarticulation and removal of isolated elements by currents.
Copyright (c) 2025 SILVIO RENESTO, FABIO MAGNANI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A GIANT AMONG GIANTS: A NEW LAND TORTOISE FROM THE PLEISTOCENE OF THE ARGENTINE PAMPAS
Gigantism in terrestrial tortoises occurred frequently and convergently in different lineages of Testudinidae. Despite the fact that giant forms were geographically and stratigraphically widespread in South America, Pleistocene members are still very poorly known, most of them represented by fragmentary and unassociated materials. The aim of the present contribution is to describe Chelonoidis pucara n. sp., a new species coming from Upper Pleistocene beds of northern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The new species is known by the anterior half of a plastron having a unique combination of apomorphic and plesiomorphic features. It is very large-sized (estimated carapace length about 1.7-1.8 meters), rendering it as the largest testudinid from South America, and placing it among the “supergigantic” tortoise phenotype. Like other supergigantic tortoises (which were up to now exclusively known in the Old World), the new species shows enlarged epiplastral projections, probably related to competition with other males. The ecological role of these “supergigantic” tortoises is also briefly discussed.
Copyright (c) 2025 FEDERICO L. AGNOLÍN, NICOLÁS R. CHIMENTO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
CORMOHIPPARION SOFULARENSIS N. SP., A NEW HIPPARION SPECIES OF FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF SOFULAR (TÜRKİYE, EARLY TUROLIAN)
In this contribution, we study the hipparion remains from the Early Turolian locality of Sofular, Türkiye. We identify the presence of a new species, Cormohipparion sofularensis, with three other taxa which we refer to Hippotherium brachypus, Hipparion dietrichi and Cremohipparion moldavicum. We compare these taxa with other Late Miocene hipparions from Iran, Türkiye, Greece, Moldova, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Algeria and Libya, by morphologic and morphometric comparisons of crania, mandibles, maxillary and mandibular dentitions, third metacarpals and third metatarsals to further evaluate the morphological and systematic comparisons. Recently, the Sofular locality is dated radioisotopically to 8.422±0.34 Ma, correlative with early MN11 (Early Turolian) faunas in our comparisons. The Sofular hipparions record the early evolutionary radiation of hipparion lineages in the Subparatethyan Province. Our analyses further reveal that Sofular Cormohipparion sofularensis is the youngest member of the genus Cormohipparion reported from Eurasia and Africa and is found to be derived in skull morphology compared to the Late Vallesian Cormohipparion cappadocium from Yeniyaylacık, Türkiye.
Copyright (c) 2025 ÖZGE KAHYA PARILDAR, OKŞAN BAŞOĞLU, OMAR CIRILLI, ÖMER DAĞ, FERHAT KAYA, PINAR GÖZLÜK KIRMIZIOĞLU, CESUR PEHLEVAN, EMRAH ŞİMŞEK, RAYMOND L. BERNOR https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
“LOCALITY 84”, A NEW CRETACEOUS KONSERVAT-LAGERSTÄTTE IN THE JULIAN PREALPS (NE ITALY)
“Locality 84” is a new Konservat-Lagerstätte from the Friuli Carbonate Platform (NE Italy) preserving articulated fish skeletons and plant fossils. The fossil assemblage was collected in a carbonate olistolith of one of the megabeds characterising the upper Palaeocene-lower Eocene Grivò Flysch Formation in the Julian Prealps. Fish remains are dominant, but plant fossils form one third of the assemblage. The Late Cretaceous age of the “locality 84” olistolith is supported by the presence of the conifer Frenelopsis along with a plant fossil assemblage dominated by angiosperm leaves, by the rarity of acanthomorph teleosts represented by primitive forms and by the presence of pycnodontine pycnodontiforms. Further evidence (e.g., the affinity of some angiosperm leaves) suggests a Campanian-Maastrichtian age. The fossil assemblage differs from other similar fossil assemblages from the Cretaceous of the Friuli Carbonate Platform due to the extreme rarity of both shelled and non-shelled invertebrates, rarity of conifer shoots, a dominance of pycnodontiforms and basal non-acanthomorph teleosts (elopiforms, gonorhynchiforms, pachyrhizodontoids and putative albuliforms) in the ichthyofauna, with few acanthomorphs, no clupeomorphs, and no needlefish-like aulopiforms and chondrichthyans. The environment of deposition of the sediments containing the fossils may be a tidal flat or a restricted water body in the inner part of the Friuli Carbonate Platform but with a connection to the open sea.
Copyright (c) 2025 FABIO M. DALLA VECCHIA, JACOPO AMALFITANO, EVELYN KUSTATSCHER, LUCA SIMONETTO https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
ORDOVICIAN (DARRIWILIAN–KATIAN) BRACHIOPODS FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN MARGIN OF AVALONIA (CONDROZ INLIER, BELGIUM)
A low-diversity, relatively well-preserved brachiopod fauna is documented in detail for the first time from the Sandbian–Katian (Upper Ordovician) siliciclastic rocks of the Oxhe Inlier (Belgium), i.e. a small Caledonian inlier included in the Condroz Inlier, whereas some preliminary data are also presented for the Darriwilian–Sandbian (Middle–Upper Ordovician) brachiopods of the central part of the Condroz Inlier (Huy and Vitrival-Bruyère formations), Belgium. The brachiopods from the Oxhe Inlier (Oxhe Formation) were collected from several localities in the Oxhe Inlier where they are associated with trilobites, ostracods, molluscs, echinoderms and machaeridians. The Oxhe Formation yielded one lingulate, one craniate, two strophomenates and three rhynchonellates, while the Huy Formation yielded two lingulates to which are added one strophomenate and two rhynchonellates from the Vitrival-Bruyère Formation (Sart-Bernard Member). These taxa are assigned with variable degrees of confidence to existing taxa or described under open nomenclature. An age range of Darriwilian to Katian is confirmed. Multivariate numerical analyses (Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling together with Network Analysis) indicate close comparison with other Avalonian faunas. Moreover, the combination of taxa suggests habitats in deeper-water environments around the Avalonian continent.
Copyright (c) 2025 YVES CANDELA, DAVID A.T. HARPER, BERNARD MOTTEQUIN https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
EARLY PLIOCENE BARB (TELEOSTEI, CYPRINIDAE, BARBINAE) FROM THE CAMP DELS NINOTS SITE (SPAIN)
The Pliocene site of Camp dels Ninots (Caldes de Malavella, NE Spain) is considered a Konservat-Lagerstätte due to the remarkable preservation of its macro and microvertebrate record, along with floral remains such as leaf imprints and seeds. Its lacustrine deposits, dated from the early Pliocene, have provided a number of semi-articulated and isolated remains of middle to large sized cyprinid fish, apparently belonging to subfamily Barbinae. These specimens allow recognize number of skeletal characters, including specific morphology of the pharyngeal dentition and denticulation at the posterior side of the last unbranched dorsal fin ray. The latter character is well discernable in smaller individuals, while in the larger specimens the denticulation is lost. These features, together with general osteological characterization, allow to classify the specimens under consideration to the species Luciobarbus graellsii (Steindachner, 1866), or closely related form morphologically non discernable from the latter. Fish of the Luciobarbus graellsii species is typical native barb inhabitant of North-Eastern Iberian Peninsula and Camp dels Ninots documents its first and earliest fossil record. Inferences for the Pliocene palaeogeography of the region as well as the palaeoecology of the species is discussed. This new fossil record enlarges the known climatic requirements of the species (as it manage to survive from the warmest period of the Pliocene to the coldest period of the Pleistocene) and documents their early abilities to disperse in peculiar aquatic environment (i.e., maars). Brief overview of the fossil record barbs from Central, Western and Southern Europe is provided.
Copyright (c) 2025 TOMÁŠ PŘIKRYL, HUGUES-ALEXANDRE BLAIN, ORIOL OMS, PABLO RODRÍGUEZ-SALGADO, ELENA MORENO RIBAS, JORDI AGUSTÍ, GERARD CAMPENY, BRUNO BRUNO GÓMEZ DE SOLER https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
TOOTH MORPHOTYPES SHED LIGHT ON THE PALEOBIODIVERSITY OF MIDDLE TRIASSIC TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATE ECOSYSTEMS FROM NE IBERIAN PENINSULA (SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE)
The Early to Middle Triassic is a key time interval in tetrapod evolution. After the end-Permian biotic crisis, harsh environmental conditions due to global warming and aridity persisted during the Early Triassic. This led to an impoverished biodiversity, especially in equatorial Pangea, until the Middle Triassic, when vertebrate ecosystems re-flourished. The terrestrial European record is characterized by tetrapod communities dominated by temnospondyls and archosauromorphs, followed by a limited presence of lepidosauromorphs, procolophonomorphs and therapsids. Ongoing paleontological sampling at the Anisian Buntsandstein facies of northeastern Iberian Peninsula (southwestern Europe) provides new insights on the vertebrate biodiversity at equatorial paleolatitudes. The Montseny area (Catalan Coastal Ranges) has delivered moderately abundant cranial and postcranial remains in the last decades. Among the known record, dental, mandibular and skull remains are particularly relevant because they provide information on the dietary habits of the concerned taxa. In the present work, eight tooth morphotypes have been identified: two correspond to a capitosaur temnospondyl, one to an archosauromorph, one to an indeterminate diapsid and four to a procolophonid, the latter material referred to a single new taxon, Kapes signus sp. nov. These finds help to fill a gap in the lower Middle Triassic vertebrate biodiversity and distribution in present-day southwestern Europe. Based on dentognathic remains, the oldest Middle Triassic terrestrial tetrapod ecosystems from northeastern Iberia were dominated by capitosaur temnospondyls, followed by much less abundant archosauromorphs, procolophonids and indeterminate diapsids. This contrast with the ichnotaxonomical composition of the study area, denoting paleoenvironmental and/or taphonomic biases in the dental and osteological record.
Copyright (c) 2025 MARC RICCETTO, EUDALD MUJAL, ARNAU BOLET, CHABIER DE JAIME-SOGUERO, SOLEDAD DE ESTEBAN-TRIVIGNO, JOSEP FORTUNY https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION OF LONG-LEGGED VELVET MITE LARVAE IN DEEP TIME
Parasitengona, an ingroup of Trombidiformes, is characterised by a complex life cycle, in which the larval stage is parasitic on animals. Larvae of erythraeoideans or long-legged velvet mites, one ingroup of Parasitengona, parasitise euarthropodan hosts and have extremely long legs that confer them the ability to walk fast. Representatives of Parasitengona in general, and Erythraeoidea in particular, are relatively abundant in the fossil record. Nonetheless, their studies have remained scarce, since, like in most mites, the characters needed for taxonomical identification are hidden within the amber piece. Here, we report 41 new erythraeoidean larvae from the Cretaceous Kachin amber and three specimens from Eocene Baltic amber. We also compare the shape of their habitus between extant and fossil specimens by applying elliptical Fourier analysis (EFA) to their redrawn outlines. According to the shape analysis, there is a certain level of overlap in the morphospace between extant and fossil specimens, but the difference in morphology was statistically significant, pointing to a separation between the two. This is supported by the fact that some morphological characteristics of fossil specimens are not present in extant representatives. Fossil erythraeoideans occupy the area of the morphospace with more elongated legs, which could be related to variations in the availability of their hosts or changes in microhabitat occupied by the mites, although bias in the fossil record cannot be ignored. Although preliminary, our findings demonstrate that quantitative morphological analysis can be applied to specimens of mites not preserved in the best of conditions that may not be of interest for taxonomic studies.
Copyright (c) 2025 SOFÍA I. ARCE, FLORIAN BRAIG, SIMON J. LINHART, JÉHAN LE CADRE, OLYMPIA SALVAMOSER, PATRICK MÜLLER, CAROLIN HAUG, JOACHIM T. HAUG https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
A NEW SPECIES OF THE DEVONIAN ACTINOPTERYGIAN FISH MOYTHOMASIA FROM BELARUS
A new species of early actinopterygian fishes, Moythomasia lebedevi sp. nov., is described based on numerous isolated scales occurring in Middle Devonian (Givetian, Polotskian Regional Stage) marine deposits (Goryn, Stolin and Moroch Beds) of Belarus. These scales characterize different ontogenetic stages (adult and subadult) of the fish. Few additional scales from Upper Devonian (Famennian) marine deposits of Russia (Perm Krai) are attributed to Moythomasia cf. lebedevi sp. nov. based on the ornamentation, scale shape, and the type of scale-to-scale articulation. The new data add to our knowledge on the taxonomic composition of the Givetian and Famennian ichthyofaunas of the East European platform.
Copyright (c) 2025 DMITRY PLAX, ALEKSANDR BAKAEV, SERGEY NAUGOLNYKH https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
GENESIS OF THE UPPER PLEISTOCENE GRAVEL FROM THE ABESINIJA PIT SE FROM ZAGREB (CROATIA)
Polymictic gravels exploited in the vicinity of Rugvica, SE from Zagreb, comprise clasts of various lithology, colour, shape, and size. Pebbles are composed of sedimentary, volcanic and, sporadically, metamorphic rocks. During the field work we recognized fossils in the abundant carbonate pebbles. Most of the carbonate clasts are rounded, discoidal in shape, varying in colour from white to dark grey, almost black. Pebbles were measured by a calliper and petrographic thin sections were prepared from fossiliferous pebbles. Numerical analyses pointed to some minor differences in their shape and size, but micropaleontological analyses revealed clasts of Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene age. Most of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic clasts originate from the two local mountain areas (Medvednica Mt. and Samobor Hills), with part of the Jurassic-Cretaceous pebbles possibly derived from SW Slovenia. Irregularly shaped and sometimes poorly rounded clasts of the Paleogene/Neogene ages seem to be abruptly transported to short distances by torrents or streams. The most enigmatic were the clasts of Carboniferous-Permian age. The nearest Palaeozoic outcrops occur upstream in Central Slovenia, but some fossils point to the even longer transport route, from the Karavanks in the upper flow of the Sava River. Gravels are overlain by fine-grained lake sediments and peat coal. Peat comprises significant amount of pine pollen, pointing to the warming period within the Late Pleistocene, which was additionally confirmed by the radiocarbon dating.
Copyright (c) 2024 JASENKA SREMAC, JOSIPA VELIĆ, MARIJA BOŠNJAK, IVO VELIĆ, KORALJKA BAKRAČ, ANA ŠIMIČEVIĆ, TOMISLAV MALVIĆ, DANIEL FOTOVIĆ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE FIRST CENOZOIC OCTOPOD: A LOWER EOCENE RECORD FROM BOLCA, NORTHEASTERN ITALY
To date, soft-tissue remains of extinct incirrate octopods have been described exclusively from Upper Cretaceous deposits. Here, three specimens of an incirrate octopodid with well-preserved soft tissue imprints are described for the first time from Paleogene strata. This material originates from the upper Ypresian (lower Eocene) fish-bearing levels of the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte in the Pesciara of Bolca in north-eastern Italy. Previously, these specimens had tentatively been interpreted as teuthids. Based on a detailed study of their anatomical structure, a new genus and species of octopodid, Bolcaoctopus pesciaraensis, belonging to the extant family Octopodidae, are here erected. Bolcaoctopus gen. nov. may be distinguished from the Late Cretaceous genus Styletoctopus by the presence of long and thin arms and an elongated body shape with a narrowed apical end and covered by longitudinal wrinkles. Although finds of fossil octopuses in the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte remain extremely rare, it is worth noting that Cenozoic marine vertebrate localities constitute an important potential source of additional finds of coleoid cephalopods, the study of which may shed light on a poorly understood period in the evolutionary history of these molluscs.
Copyright (c) 2024 ALEKSANDR MIRONENKO , LUCA GIUSBERTI, GIOVANNI SERAFINI, ROBERTO ZORZIN , ALEXANDRE F. BANNIKOV https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
EXCEPTIONAL AND STRIKING 3D TRACK-DETACHED UNDERTRACK SPECIMENS FROM THE UPPER JURASSIC OF ASTURIAS (N SPAIN)
Vertebrate palaeoichnology often aims at the identification of the trackmaker by associating diagnostic features from the known taxa’s skeletal anatomy with its inferred footprint morphology, but deep penetrative tracks and/or deep, detached undertracks (DDU) are providing conflicting morphological/extra-morphological information, bringing into question the initially assumed close anatomical correlation. Penetrative footprints produced in fluvial-dominated deltaic facies from Upper Jurassic Lastres Formation are very frequent in the coastal cliffs of Asturias (N Spain). Some of them consist of non-avian theropod track casts associated with “ornithopod-like” detached undertracks. Some criteria are suggested to distinguish the latter when such an association does not exist. Moreover, we describe an exceptional theropod footprint preserved as a sandstone cast along with its respective deep detached sandstone undertrack (DDSU). The specimen records the foot movement through the sediment, entailing striking morphologic changes in outline along four different levels of depth. The uppermost level 1 shows an apparent stegosaur hind track morphology; level 2 resembles an avian-theropod print; level 3 represents the true non-avian theropod pedal morphology of the trackmaker; the lowermost level 4 corresponds to the deep detached sandstone undertrack (DDSU), which could be interpreted as either a track of a graviportal theropod or an ornithopod-like footprint. In light of this new evidence, it becomes clear that vertebrate ichnotaxonomy should not be based solely on the supposed trackmaker identification. Furthermore, biogeographic and evolutionary studies linked to this core information should be considered unsupported, along with many ichnotaxonomical assignations based on taphonomic processes, such as the case exemplified herein, the Iguanodontipus ichnogenus.
Copyright (c) 2025 LAURA PIÑUELA, JOSÉ CARLOS GARCÍA-RAMOS, KAREN MORENO, GIUSEPPE LEONARDI, OSCAR EUGENIO FINSTERBUSCH-LAGOS https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
BENTHIC ECOSYSTEM VARIATIONS ALONG THE MIDDLE EOCENE PROVENÇAL DROWNING RAMP
High-resolution lithology, fossil content, ichnofabrics, and spectral gamma-ray emissions are studied in the Capo Mortola section in the Liguria region (NW Italy), correlating it with other sections in the same area during the middle Eocene (Bartonian). The succession unconformably overlies Upper Cretaceous open-marine deposits and records a deepening trend on a carbonate ramp during the middle Eocene. Six different microfacies have been recognized along the section, recording the variation in fossil content, especially in the larger benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and the lithology, which indicate a deepening trend in the succession. The variation in Th/U ratios allows for differentiation of oxidizing, normal, and reducing conditions throughout the succession. The increase in the concentration of Th and K suggests periods of increased terrigenous material, which was supplied by a fluvial system close to the studied section. In turn, the Th/K ratio shows an alternation between smectite and kaolinite, which are respectively associated with warm-humid and seasonal humid/dry climates. The upper part of the section shows the incipient drowning of the ramp and differs from nearby studied sections in biotic components, lithology, and depth of the basin related to the specific paleogeographic settings of each portion of the ramp. We were able to identify sectors more prone to seafloor instabilities due to their proximity to the shoreline and the deltaic influence, whereas others were located considerably deeper or farther out with respect to the input of deltaic sediments.
Copyright (c) 2025 VICTOR MANUEL GIRALDO-GÓMEZ, ANTONINO BRIGUGLIO, ANDREA BAUCON, CESARE ANDREA PAPAZZONI, JOHANNES PIGNATTI, ANTONELLA GANDOLFI, MICHELE PIAZZA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
THE MIDDLE EOCENE BONY FISH FAUNA OF CALIFORNIA, USA, RECONSTRUCTED BY MEANS OF OTOLITHS
Large and diverse Eocene otolith assemblages have been described from the US Gulf and Atlantic coastal plains, various basins in Europe, and New Zealand. Here we described a highly diverse otolith association from the middle Eocene (Lutetian and Bartonian) strata of southern California, San Diego County, which was retrieved from the heritage of John E. Fitch (1918-1982) in the archives of the Ichthyology Department of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, Califronia. The collection represents the first Eocene otolith assemblage described from the Northeastern Pacific and stems from two localities: the Ardath Shale at Black’s Beach in the Torrey Pines Park just south of Black’s Canyon Road and north of the Salk Fault on the Pacific shore face, and the MissionValley Formation from the west-facing graded hill just east of the Miramar Water Treatment Plant near the southern shore of Miramar Reservoir. The Ardath Shale was deposited on the deep shelf and continental slope while the Mission Valley Formation represent an inland, nearshore environment during times of the maximum transgression. A total of more than15,000 otoliths were found representing 96 species of which 53 are described as new and 12 remain in open nomenclature. The fauna of the Ardath Shale is distinctly richer containing 88 species while the one from the Miramar Reservoir site yielded 38 species. The low diversity at the Miramar Reservoir site is thought to be related to the shallow-water environment in which it was deposited whereas the high diversity at Black’s Beach reflects a mixture of shelf and bathyal fishes. In addition, 24 new otolith-based genera are established, four of which are in the category “incertae sedis”. Furthermore, five new species are described from a comparative otolith collection from the US Gulf Coast Eocene and one new species from a comparative collection from the Lutetian of Balegem in Belgium. The Eocene otolith-based fish fauna from California is assessed for its paleoecological, paleobiogeographic and evolutionary significance. Particular emphasis is directed towards the elucidation of the evolution of the early Ophidiiformes, which during the early Paleogene were predominantly adapted to warm, clastic shallow-water environments and there were competing in abundance and diversity with other percomorphs (e.g., perciforms s.l.). A warm Eocene paleobioprovince is proposed for the Californian fish fauna which is not related to today’s endemic Northwest Pacific fish fauna along the regime of the cold-water California Current.
Copyright (c) 2024 WERNER W. SCHWARZHANS, GARY L. STRINGER, GARY T. TAKEUCHI https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
MIRAGAIA TAIL BIOMECHANICS AND DEFENCES. EVALUATION OF THE TAIL MOBILITY AND RESISTANCE TO LOADINGS AND COLLISIONS.
Thyreophora is a taxon of dinosaurs composed of Stegosauria and Ankylosauria, whose members have been known to utilise their tails as powerful defensive weapons. Remains of these dinosaurs are scarce; the Portuguese taxon, Miragaia longicollum, known from three individuals, provides precious pieces of information on the anatomy of these rare animals. This study estimates the stress resistance of a stegosaurian tail and uses Multi-Body Dynamics Analysis (MBDA) to properly simulate the movements of the tail of M. longicollum. The results show that the tail of M. longicollum can achieve high speeds and generate significant pressures, akin to those observed in other tyreophoran dinosaurs. Such high speeds would potentially generate powerful strikes and would inflict injuries on predators. However, the caudal spines of M. longicollum, despite being larger than those of Stegosaurus stenops, have worse stress-bearing performances than those of S. stenops, due to their different morphology. Investigating the complex biomechanics governing the tail of a dinosaur, such as M. longicollum, can have significant implications across various disciplines. Investigating biomechanics in extinct species offers valuable insights into comparative anatomy and physiology, facilitating connections between ancient and contemporary life forms. Palaeontologists and evolutionary biologists might use this information to better comprehend the dinosaur movement, which would advance our understanding of ancient ecosystems and have an impact on how we interpret the behaviour of contemporary animals. The knowledge obtained from such study might provide useful biomimicry lessons for robotics engineers, serving as inspiration for the creation of more adaptable and agile robotic systems.
Copyright (c) 2024 FRANCESCO LATEGANO, SIMONE CONTI, FRANCESCA LOZAR https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
HERPETOFAUNAL REMAINS (ANURA, CROCODYLIA, TESTUDINES, SQUAMATA) FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF THE CREVILLENTE AREA (SE SPAIN): PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHICAL AND PALAEOECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
In the present work we describe the palaeoherpetofaunal remains from the Crevillente 2 (MN11) and Crevillente 15 (MN12) sites (Crevillente, Alicante, Spain), which is a key area for understanding the faunal turnovers during the Late Miocene. Crevillente 2 has yielded a diverse assemblage composed of anurans (Pelophylax sp.), crocodylians (Crocodylia indet.), lizards (cf. Scinciformata indet. 1 and 2, cf. Timon sp., Lacertidae indet. 1 and 2, Ophisaurus s.l. sp., and Pseudopus sp.) and ophidians (Colubridae indet. 1 and 2, Neonatrix sp., and Viperidae indet. Oriental morphotype). The probable presence of Timon is discussed; if confirmed, it would be the oldest occurrence of the genus. The faunal composition is consistent with that from other coeval Iberian sites. The assemblage includes European autochthonous taxa (Lacertidae and Ophisaurus s.l. sp.) and taxa that likely arrived from Asia or North America during the Oligocene-Miocene transition or the Early Miocene, such as Pseudopus, Oriental vipers and, probably, Neonatrix. The studied assemblage in Crevillente 15 is limited to turtles (Paleotestudo sp. and Testudines indet.) and crocodylians (Crocodylia indet.). At both localities, the surrounding landscape must have been dominated by open habitats with patches of forest/shrubland formations close to water bodies. The application of the Herpetological Ecophysiological Groups method to Crevillente 2 indicates that the mean annual rainfall must have been higher than currently recorded in the area. the Herpetological Ecophysiological Groups method to Crevillente 2 indicates that the mean annual rainfall must have been higher than that currently recorded in the area. Our results indicate that the Iberian palaeoherpetofauna of those chronologies were few barely affected by the Vallesian Crisis.
Copyright (c) 2025 RAFAEL MARQUINA-BLASCO, DAVID MORALES-FLORES , ÁNGEL D. BARTOLOMÉ-BOMBÍN, PLINIO MONTOYA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
AEGEAN AMMONOIDS FROM THE ANISIAN (MIDDLE TRIASSIC) GSSP CANDIDATE SECTION DEŞLI CAIRA (NORTHERN DOBROGEA, ROMANIA)
Deşli Caira in northern Dobrogea (Romania) is one of the key localities for the definition of the GSSP of the base of the Anisian stage. Eugen Grădinaru studied the Hallstatt limestones-facies of the Agighiol Limestone in this section for over 30 years, amassing a huge collection of ammonoids, and he also involved several specialists in the study of specific fossil groups. These ammonoids, which are the historical group for Triassic marine chronostratigraphy, have never been described until now. We present here the results of our ongoing study of the Grădinaru collection, including a new bed-by-bed sampling of the section and description of some Aegean taxa. The ammonoids consisting of 959 mostly juvenile specimens are not reelaborated, but are often preserved as hollow phragmocones filled by sediment or by sediment and cement. The ammonoid record of the section is dominated by leiostracan ammonoids, as is usual for the Ammonitico Rosso facies of the Agighiol Limestone. The Olenekian/Anisian Ammonoid Faunal Turnover (O/A AFT), the most significant turnover in the history of Triassic Ammonoidea, occurs within a 1.1 m-thick interval. We provide descriptions of Aegean ammonoids, i.e., Stenopopanoceras, Paracrochordiceras, Aegeiceras, Leiophyllites, as well as of Gradinaruites aegeicus n. gen. n. sp, Robinsonites simionescui n. sp. and Acrochordiceras sp. The ammonoid range chart, integrated with magnetostratigraphy and conodont chronostratigraphy, provides a new calibration of the GMPTS, and emphasizes the nearly coincident position of the O/A AFT with the base of magnetochron MT3. We present the correlation of the Deşli Caira section with the Chios, Kçira and Wantou sections, based on ammonoids and integrated stratigraphy and an overview of ammonoid faunal comparison with the most important O/A successions. Deşli Caira provides the best record of the O/A AFT with rich Aegean ammonoid faunas, allowing for the best calibration of the magnetochrons MT1-MT3. Therefore, we propose the combination of the O/A AFT with the base of MT3 as a powerful solution for the definition of the GSSP of the Anisian.
Copyright (c) 2024 MARCO BALINI, ALEXANDRA LĂCĂTUŞ, EUGEN GRĂDINARU, IULIANA LAZĂR https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0