-
A new species of Archaeoryctes from the Middle Paleocene of China and the phylogenetic diversification of Didymoconidae
-
Didymoconidae are an enigmatic group of Asian endemic insectivorous mammals. We describe the new didymoconid species Archaeoryctes wangi sp. nov. from the Upper Member of the Wanghudun Formation (Middle Paleocene). This new species from the Qianshan Basin (Anhui Province, China) forms an interesting geographical intermediate between A. notialis from South China and A. borealis and A. euryalis from the Mongolian Plateau. To better understand the origin and evolutionary diversification of Didymoconidae, we performed a cladistic and stratocladistic study of the Didymoconidae and various outgroups. This study of dental material did not resolve the higher level affinities of Didymoconidae, but confirms the validity of the family and its distinctiveness from the morphologically similar Sarcodontidae. Moreover, our results corroborate the current didymoconid classification with the distinction of three subfamilies: “Ardynictinae”, Kennatheriinae and Didymoconinae; “Ardynictinae” are a paraphyletic stemgroup for the two other subfamilies. Our results suggest three distinct didymoconid radiations: (1) primitive ardynictines appeared in South China from the start of the Nongshanian; their evolution continues on the Mongolian Plateau with (2) the radiation of more evolved ardynictines and kennatheriines at the start of the Middle Eocene Arshantan and (3) the origin of didymoconines at the start of the Late Eocene Ergilian.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications
-
A new species of Bothriembryon (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Bothriembryontidae) from southeasternmost Western Australia
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2016
-
A New Species of Elpidium (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Bromeliad and Non-bromeliad Phytotelmata in the Northeast of Argentina
-
A new species of the ostracod genus Elpidium (Timiriaseviinae), a group almost exclusively known from Neotropical bromeliad phytotelmata, is here described and illustrated from the northeast of Argentina. Elpidium chacoense n. sp. represents the first record of the genus in this country and brings the total of described Elpidium species to 19. In view of the recently increased knowledge on the distribution of the species in this Neotropical genus, we discuss potential drivers of speciation that might have led to the high (endemic) diversity of the group: allopatry in bromeliad islands, sexual selection and putative co-evolution between ostracod and bromeliad species. We also point out the biogeographical relevance of the present records, which are amongst the most southern of the genus. Finally, also the fact that species of Elpidium can now also be found in non-bromeliad phytotelmata is of relevance.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2024
-
A new species of Groenlandaspis Heintz, 1932 (Placodermi, Arthrodira) from the Famennian (Late Devonian) of Belgium
-
A new species of the phlyctaeniid arthrodire genus Groenlandaspis from the upper Famennian of Belgium is described. The remains of Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. consist of dissociated thoracic armor elements, but the specimen designed to be the holotype displays the median dorsal, anterior and posterior dorsolateral plates in connection. Though incomplete, the new species is characterized by an equilateral triangle-shaped median dorsal plate, a protruding posterodorsal apron of the posterior dorsolateral plate behind the overlap area for the median dorsal plate, and an overall lack of ornamentation. Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. constitutes the second occurrence of a Groenlandaspis species in continental Europe after the description of Groenlandaspis thorezi from upper Famennian quarries of Belgium. Another probable new species of Groenlandaspis is also described, though of unknown locality and horizon; it can however be deduced from the upper Famennian of Belgium without more precision. Together with some unpublished material of groenlandaspidids from the Famennian tetrapod-bearing locality of Strud, this material highlights the richness of the Groenlandaspididae diversity in Belgium. The discovery of Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. in Belgium reinforces the Famennian global distribution of this widespread genus during this period. Also, since those organisms have possibly been considered as non;marine indicators, this material is another argument pleading for close relationships between Euramerica and Gondwana around the Frasnian-Famennian boundary.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications
-
A new species of Metopocetus (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Cetotheriidae) from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2016
-
A new species of Parachute Gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: genus Ptychozoon) from Kaeng Krachan National Park, western Thailand
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications
-
A new species of rorqual whale (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Balaenopteridae) from the Late Miocene of the Southern North Sea Basin and the role of the North Atlantic in the paleobiogeography of Archaebalaenoptera
-
Background The rich fossil record of rorqual and humpback whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Balaenopteridae) is mainly characterized by monotypic genera since genera including more than one species are extremely rare. The discovery of new species belonging to known genera would be of great importance in order to better understand ancestor-descendant relationships and paleobiogeographic patterns in this diverse group. Recent discoveries in the southern North Sea Basin yielded a number of reasonably well preserved fossil balaenopterids from the Late Miocene; this sample includes a balaenopterid skull from Liessel, The Netherlands, which shares key characters with Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati from the Pliocene of Mediterranean. This skull is permanently held by Oertijdmuseum, Boxtel, The Netherlands, with the number MAB002286 and is investigated here. Methods A detailed comparative anatomical analysis of the skull MAB002286 is performed in order to understand its relationships. The age of the skull is determined by dinocyst analysis of the associated sediment. A paleobiogeographic analysis is performed to understand paleobiogeographic patterns within the balaenopterid clade the new skull belongs to. Results Our work resulted in the description of Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis new species. The geological age of the holotype skull is between 8.1 and 7.5 Ma. The phylogenetic relationships of this species reveals that it is monophyletic with Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati from the Italian Pliocene. Moreover, in combination with a more basal species of Archaebalaenoptera from the late Miocene of Peru, our paleobiogeographic analysis suggests that the North Atlantic ocean played a major role as a center of origin of a number of balaenopterid clades including Protororqualus, Archaebalaenoptera and more advanced balaenopterid taxa. From a North Atlantic center of origin, two dispersal events are inferred that led to the origins of Archaebalaenoptera species in the South Pacific and Mediterranean. The distribution of Archaebalaenoptera was antitropical in the late Miocene. The role played by the Mediterranean salinity crisis is also investigated and discussed.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2020
-
A new species of Sarmydus Pascoe, 1867 (Cerambycidae: Prioninae: Anacolini) from Ncobar Island, India
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2019
-
A new species of the cicada genus Semia Matsumura, 1917 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from Vietnam, with a key to the species of the genus
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications
-
A new species of the fossil beaked whale Beneziphius (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) from the ocean floor off Galicia and biostratigraphic reassessment for the age of the type species
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2017
