Category Archives: Paleontology

#365papers for May 14, 2017

Martinelli, Eltink, Da-Rosa, and Langer, 2017, A new cynodont from the Santa Maria Formation, south Brazil, improves late Triassic probainognathian diversity: Papers in Palaeontology, 1-23

What’s it about?

This paper is a description of a new species of non-mammalian synapsid from Brazil. Non-mammalian synapsids are vertebrates that are on the lineage toward mammals (and far removed from other reptiles), but lack the specific characteristics of the ear and jaw that distinguish mammals from all other vertebrates. This particular new species is based on a left lower jaw with most of its teeth.Continue reading “A New Cynodont and the Evolutionary Path to Mammals – #365papers – 2017 – 134”

#365papers for May 11, 2017

Arbour and Evans, 2017, A new ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Judith River Formation of Montana, USA, based on an exceptional skeleton with soft tissue preservation: Royal Society Open Science, v. 4, 161086.

What’s it about?

Here is a new species of armored dinosaur named after the demon Zuul the Gatekeeper of Gozer from the 1984 movie Ghostbusters. This fossil includes magnificent preservation of skin and dermal skeleton of the head and back and also of the tail club.Continue reading “There is No Ankylosaur. There is Only Zuul – #365papers – 2017 – 131”

#365 papers for May 9, 2017

Berger, Hawks, Dirks, Elliott, and Roberts, 2017, Homo naledi and Pleistocene hominin evolution in subequatorial Africa: eLife 2017;6:e24234

What’s it about?

H. naledi is a small member of the genus Homo recently discovered and described from the Rising Star Cave in Africa. Here, the fossils are dated and found to be much younger than expected showing that several species of the genus Homo were living at the same time.Continue reading “The Diversification of Homo and the importance of H. naledi – #363papers – 2017 – 129”

#365papers for May 8, 2017

Rabinovich and Lister 2016 The earliest elephants out of Africa: Taxonomy and taphonomy of proboscidean remains from Bethelehem: Quaternary International.

What’s it about?

Ancient relatives of elephants have been studied from a quarry near Bethlehem since the 1930’s. The preservation is poor, however. This paper reports on new specimens described using new methods (including CT scans) to better understand the identity and relationships of the fossils found.Continue reading “Reconstructing Crumbly Elephants – #365papers – 2017 – 128”

#365papers for May 7, 2017

Xu, Currie, Pittman, Xing, Meng, Lu, Hu, and Yu, 2017, Mosaic evolution in an asymmetrically feathered troodontid dinosaur with transitional features: Nature Communications, doi:10.1038/ncomms14972

What’s it about?

This paper is a description of a new species of dinosaur, Jianianhualong tengi, from the famous Jehol Group of China. This new species shows a mixture of traits, some that are characteristic of non-flying dinosaurs and others characteristic of flying dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx. This includes asymmetrical feathers, stiff feathers that are thicker on one side of the central vein than on the other, which are a necessary adaptation for flight.Continue reading “A New Feathered Troodontid Dinosaur with Asymmetrical Feathers – #365papers – 2017 – 127”

#365papers for May 6, 2017

Tschopp and Mateus, 2017, Osteology of Galeamopus pabsti sp. nov. (Sauropoda: Diplodocidae), with implications for the neurocentral closure timing, and the cervico-dorsal transition in diplodocids: PeerJ, doi:10.7717/peerj.3179

What’s it about?

Most of this paper is a description of a new species of dinosaur, Galeamopus pabsti. This individual is quite well preserved and allowd the authors to examine two important aspects of diplodocid growth and development: the fusion of certain parts of the vertebrae (‘neurocentral closure’) previously associated with adulthood, and the transition from neck vertebrate to back vertebrae (which bear ribs).Continue reading “How Necks Become Backs in Diplodocid Dinosaurs – #365papers – 2017 – 126”

#365papers for May 3, 2017

Aria and Caron, 2017, Burgess Shale fossils illustrate the origin of the mandibulate body plan: Nature, doi:10.1038/nature22080

What’s it about?

The authors describe a fossil from the Burgess Shale that is likely a primitive member of the ‘mandibulate’ arthropods, those exoskeleton-bearing organisms that possess mouth structures called mandibles. Using this new description, they are able to better understand the relationship between mandibulates and other important arthropod groups.Continue reading “Whence Come Mandibulate Arthropods? – #365papers – 2017 – 123”

#365papers for May 2, 2017

Bengtson, Rasmussen, Ivarsson, Muhling, Broman, Marone, Stampanoni, and Beckker, 2017, Fungus-like mycelial fossil in 2.4-billion-year-old vesicular basalt: Nature Ecology & Evolution, v. 1, 0141.

What’s it about?

Basalt is a common resulting rock from volcanic eruptions. Bubbles (technically called vesicles) are common in basalt, and simple organisms often move into these openings once the rock has cooled sufficiently.  Here, the authors show what appears to be fungal filaments in vesicles formed 2.4 billion years ago. Continue reading “2.4-billion-year-old Fossils of Fungus – #365papers – 2017 – 122”

#365papers for May 1, 2017

Li, Deng, Hua, Ki, and Zhang, 2017, Assessment of dental ontogeny in late Miocene hipparionines from the Lamagou fauna of Fugu, Shaanxi Province, China: PLoSONE v. 12, e0175460.

What’s it about?

Hipparionines are a branch of fossil horses that include the genus Hipparion. Horse molars have complex ridges, basins, and swirly walls of enamel. The relationships, sizes, and shapes of these structures are used to distinguish among the various species of horses. The authors here examine the teeth of two ‘different’ species of Hipparion, using observation of complete specimens at various stages of wear, looking at whole jaws in cross-section using spiral computed tomography (CT), and by selecting several teeth to literally slice up to examine the changes in tooth enamel shapes over the height of the tooth.Continue reading “Distinct Species of Horses, and Illusions from Tooth Wear – #365papers – 2017 – 121”