Fossil marsupial predators of South America (Marsupialia,Borhyaenoidea): bite mechanics and palaeobiological implications

Borhyaenoids were marsupial predators that inhabited South America during the Cenozoic. They were very significant because no other mammals rivaled them as terrestrial hunters of large prey. Here we estimate the bite force of three species of borhyaenoids by two different methods to infer predatory behaviour in extinct taxa. One of the methods uses mainly the skull and only some simple measurements of the mandible; the other uses several measurements within the dentary. The results show that bite forces are very high in comparison to predators of the order Carnivora, a feature manifest by several other living and extinct marsupial predators. Differences in size, bite mechanics and special adaptations among the borhyaenoids suggest a very wide range of predatory behaviours that rival those represented in the extant families of the Order Carnivora.     

Paracordyline aureonemoralis (Lomandraceae): an Eocene monocotyledon from South Australia

A monocotyledonous leaf macrofossil taxon from Golden Grove in Adelaide, South Australia is recognised as being close to several extant Australasian species of Cordyline, especially those in the C. stricta (Sims) Endl. / C. fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. complex. The fossil is assigned to the form genus Paracordyline, known previously from the Oligocene Kerguélen Islands. However, as the Golden Grove taxon differs markedly from the Kerguélen species, it is considered to be a new species, P. aureonemoralis Conran & Christophel.     

Functional-adaptive features and palaeobiologic implications of the postcranial skeleton of the late Miocene sabretooth borhyaenoid Thylacosmilus atrox (Metatheria)

A functional-adaptive study of the postcranium of two late Miocene sabretooth borhyaenoid specimens (Mammalia, Metatheria) is presented. Thylacosmilus atrox developed a longer neck than in non-sabretooth borhyaenoids and was capable of strong flexion of the head. The lower back is well-stabilized and more rigid than in the other borhyaenoids. The forelimb appears well-suited for manipulating and capturing prey, with a probably well-developed deltoid and pectoral musculature. Compared with other Miocene borhyaenoids, the hip joint of Thylacosmilus is modified to allow greater postural flexibility (e.g. possibility of erect stances). The low greater femoral trochanter, the short and sigmoid tibia, and the semiplantigrade hind foot of Thylacosmilus precluded fast running. Thylacosmilus killed by stabbing, a peculiar mechanism that evolved in parallel in many other sabretooth taxa. This technique has significant functional-adaptive consequences on the postcranial skeleton, superimposed on the generalized morphological pattern reflected in its non-sabertooth relatives. The superficial similarities observed between Thylacosmilus and Smilodon overshadow real differences (at the level of joint patterns and muscular groups involved in particular movements), a condition that suggests the development in the marsupial form of a morphological type unique to the thylacosmilid lineage within Borhyaenoidea.     

A new giant python from the Pliocene Bluff Downs Local Fauna of northeastern Queensland

Liasis dubudingala n. sp., described on the basis of isolated vertebrae from the Early Pliocene Bluff Downs Local Fauna, is the largest snake known from Australia. Dependance of vertebral proportions on intracolumnar position indicates that the fossil taxon can be excluded from the Morelia/Python clade. High neural spines suggest possible affinity with Liasis olivacea, whereas a posterior dentary fragment with small teeth is unlike L. olivacea and more similar to Liasis mackloti or species of Bothrochilus and Leiopython. As these extant species have all recently been treated as members of Liasis, the new species is assigned to that genus.     

Archaeocyaths from Yorke Peninsula,South Australia and archaeocyathan Early Cambrian zonation

Zhuravlev, A. Yu., & Gravestock, D. I., 1994:03:28. Archaeayaths from Yorke Peninsula, South Australia and archaeocyathan Early Cambrian zonation. Alcheringa 18, 1–54. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two assemblages of archaeocyaths are documented from Lower Cambrian outcrops and drillholes on Yorke Peninsula. South Australia. The older assemblage (11 species) occurs in the uppermost Kulpara Formation and conformably overlying basal Parara Limestone, and is equivalent to Lower Faunal Assemblage II in the Flinders Ranges. The younger assemblage (28 species plus Acanthhcyathus and Rodiocyathus) occurs in the Koolywurtie Member near the top of the Parara Limestone. Equivalent taxa are widespread in the Flinders Ranges, western New South Wales and Antarctica. Archaeocyathan distribution is now sufficiently well known to propose three assemblage zones and two informal assemblages for regional correlation. No new taxa have been added, but Erugatocyathus scutatus (Hill) and Pycnoidocyathus latiloculatus (Hill), hitherto known only from Antarctica, are found in the upper assemblage on Yorke Peninsula. Irregular archaeocyathan systematics are discussed, the ontogeny of Archaeopharetra irregularis (Tylor) clarified, and Kruseicnema Debrenne. Gravestock & Zhuravlev, represented by K. gracilis (Gordon), is fully described.     

Miocene wood from the LaTrobe Valley coal measures,Victoria, Australia

An initial study of a collection of fossil conifer wood is reported from the late early Miocene Yallourn Clays, an interseam unit intergrading into the base of the early to middle Miocene Yallourn seam of the LaTrobe Valley, Victoria in southeastern Australia. The fossil wood shares characteristics with the modem genera Dacrycarpus and Dacrydium. On the basis of contiguous, uniseriate tracheid pitting and 1–2 podocarpoid cross field pits, it is placed in the form genus Podocarpoxylon, and the new species P. latrobensis. The wood is compared with extant Podocarpaceae and other Australian fossil woods. Its ring anatomy is consistent with low temperature or rainfall seasonality in the early Miocene.     

Systematic status of the Miocene darter ‘Liptornis’ hesternus Ameghino, 1895 (Aves,Suliformes, Anhingidae) from Patagonia,Argentina

Diederle, J.M., 1.8.2015. Systematic status of the Miocene darter ‘Liptornis’ hesternus Ameghino, 1895 (Aves, Suliformes, Anhingidae) from Patagonia, Argentina. Alcheringa 39, 589–594. ISSN 0311-5518.

Liptornis hesternus was established by Ameghino in the late 1800s on the basis of a cervical vertebra (NHMUK-A599) from the Santa Cruz Formation (Santacrucian, South American Land Mammal Age, early Miocene, Burdigalian Stage) of Patagonia, Argentina. Although taxonomic attributions were controversial, the specimen is now confidently assigned to Anhingidae. Recently, however, L. hesternus was designated a nomen dubium because of its uninformative diagnostic characters and apparent loss of the holotype. Nevertheless, NHMUK-A599 has been relocated and is redescribed here prompting referral to Anhinga. A combination of traits are shared with the extant Anhinga anhinga and A. melanogaster, and the material is dimensionally compatible with A. anhinga. The estimated body size of NHMUK-A599 would have been larger than A. minuta but less than A. grandis, A. subvolans, A. fraileyi and A. walterbolesi. Finally, Anhinga hesterna is considered valid and represents the stratigraphically oldest occurrence of the genus in South America and the southernmost yet recorded.

Juan M. Diederle [juandiederle@cicyttp.org.ar], Laboratorio de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción (CICYTTP-CONICET), Materi y España, E3105BWA Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina.     

Pleistocene frogs from the Darling Downs,southeastern Queensland,and their palaeoenvironmental significance

Systematic collecting from fluvial late Pleistocene deposits from the Darling Downs, southeast Queensland, Australia, has led to the recovery of the first fossil frogs from the region, ail from the Myobatrachidae, a family of ground dwelling and burrowing frogs. The most common species recovered, Limnodynastes tasmaniensis, is extant on the Darling Downs. The fossil taxa include species whose extant populations inhabit arid zones(Limnodynastes sp. cf. L. spenceri), montane forests (Kyarranus spp.), and open woodlands (Neobatrachus sudelli), and indicate the existence of a mosaic of habitats during the Pleistocene. The absence of the Hylidae (tree frogs), a family common throughout the Darling Downs today, may be explained by a taphonomic bias that favours non-arboreal forms. Alternatively, hylids may have been rare or absent on the Darling Downs during the Pleistocene.     

Poljanka strigosa,a new species of Protopsyllidiidae (Hemiptera,Sternorrhyncha) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Yang, G., Yao, Y.Z. & Ren, D., iFirst. Poljanka strigosa, a new species of Protopsyllidiidae (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha) from the Middle Jurassic of China. Alcheringa, 1–6. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new fossil species, Poljanka strigosa sp. nov., of the extinct family Protopsyllidiidae is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China. The new species is characterized by wings bearing long, stiff setae that are evident as stained impressions in the fine sedimentary rock. Comparison between Protopsyllidiidae and extant psylloids suggests that Protopsyllidiidae is probably closely related to extant psylloids.     

Tertiary Nothofagus macrofossils from Cethana,Tasmania

Two new Tertiary species of Nothofagus from the Early Eocene-Oligocene deposit at Cethana represent the first reports of fossil species which are not closely related to the extant Australian species N. moorei and N. cunninghamii. N. cethanica sp. nov. is most closely related to the extant New Zealand species N. fusca and N. truncata and gives further evidence of the relatively slow evolution within this genus. The other specimen is indistinguishable from extant adult N. gunnii leaves, and has been assigned to that species. This fossil shows that the deciduous habit was probably already present in N. gunnii by the Oligocene, and this may have helped N. gunnii to survive the Late Tertiary/Quaternary glaciations. Juvenile N. gunnii foliage gives some insight into the possible origins of this species, which may have been from the same ancestral stock as N. fusca, N. truncata, and N. cethanica.     

Taxonomic status of the Eocene penguins Orthopteryx gigas Wiman, 1905 and Ichtyopteryx gracilis Wiman, 1905 from Antarctica

Traditionally, the systematics of the Seymour Island fossil penguins has been based on Wiman's groups defined by the robustness and size of isolated postcranial bones. However, current evaluations of fossil penguins necessitate that new species be established when the specimens include at least a tarsometatarsus or in some cases a humerus. Accordingly, neither of the two species reviewed herein (Orthopteryx gigas and Ichtyopteryx gracilis) are represented by remains sufficiently complete to validate a new taxon. Orthopteryx gigas is based on an isolated synsacrum lacking diagnostic characters. Ichtyopteryx gracilis is based on a tarsometatarsus but with insufficient preservational quality to justify discrimination of the species. For these reasons both Orthopteryx gigas and Ichtyopteryx gracilis should be considered nomen dubia.     

Microflora of the middle Proterozoic Balbirini Dolomite (McArthur Group) of Australia

New genera of the Spiriferidae are described from the Permian sequences of the Carnarvon, Canning and Bonaparte Gulf Basins of Western and northwestern Australia. New taxa described are Latispirifer gen. nov. with type species Latispirifer callytharrensis sp. nov. and Latispirifer amplissimus sp. nov.; Costatispirifer gen. nov. with type species Costatispirifer gracilis sp. nov.; Cratispirifer gen. nov. with type species Cratispirifer nuraensis sp. nov. and Crassispirifer gen. nov. with type species Spirifer rostalinus Hosking (1931) and Crassispirifer pinguis sp. nov. The holotype and only extant specimen of Spirifer kimberleyensis Foord (1890) is re-examined and is assigned to Crassispirifer gen. nov. with a query.     

The sponge genus Brachiaster (Pachastrellidae,Demospongiae) and its first known fossil representative,from the late Eocene of southwestern Australia

Pisera, A. & Bitner, M.A., December, 2007. The sponge genus Brachiaster (Pachastrellidae, Demospongiae) and its first known fossil representative, from the late Eocene of southwestern Australia. Alcheringa 31, 365‐373. ISSN 0311-5518.

The pachastrellid genus Brachiaster Wilson (Pachastrellidae, Demospongiae, Porifera) has had until now no known fossil representatives. Here we describe its first known fossil representative from the late Eocene of southwestern Western Australia, assigned to Brachiaster claudelevii sp. nov. Brachiaster claudelevii has well-developed axial canals in the mesotriders, which points to it being intermediate in character between the typical tetraxial desmas of lithistids, and tetraxial spicules of non-lithistid demosponges. This further supports the position of Brachiaster among the Pachastrellidae. The geographic and bathymetric distribution of the extant and newly described fossil representatives of Brachiaster indicates that the Eocene sponge described here is important in understanding the evolution of Indo-West Pacific sponges because it points to a long evolutionary history and complex biogeographic distribution of this lineage of pachastrellid sponges.

Andrzej Pisera [apis@twarda.pan.pl], Maria Aleksandra Bitner [bitner@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00‐818 Warszawa, Poland; received 24.3.2006; revised 14.6.2006.     

Omma daxishanense sp. nov., a fossil representative of an extant Australian endemic genus recorded from the Late Jurassic of China (Coleoptera: Ommatidae)

Cai, C. & Huang, D., September 2016. Omma daxishanense sp. nov., a fossil representative of an extant Australian endemic genus recorded from the Late Jurassic of China (Coleoptera: Ommatidae). Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Omma Newman is an extant ommatid genus currently endemic to Australia. A new Omma species, O. daxishanense sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on a compression fossil from the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation at Daxishan, a fossil locality well known for yielding mammals, feathered dinosaurs and diverse pterosaurs. Omma daxishanense is very similar morphologically to the extant O. sagitta, but differs from the latter by its broader body and prominent temples. The new discovery documents the first valid Omma species from the Mesozoic of China and highlights the antiquity and palaeodiversity of the extant Australian endemic genus.

Chenyang Cai [cycai@nigpas.ac.cn], Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Palaeogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Diying Huang [dyhuang@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China.     

Late Triassic megaspores from the Amery Group,Prince Charles Mountains,East Antarctica

Cantrill, D. J., & Drinnan, A. N., 1994:03:28. Late Triassic megaspores from the Amery Group, Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica. Alcheringa 18, 71–78. ISSN 0311-5518.

Megaspores referable to the genera Cabochonicus Batten & Ferguson 1987 and Minerisporites Potonié 1956 are a common component of the palaeoflora recovered from the Jetty Member within the Flagstone Bench Formation of the Amery Group. The known ranges of these two genera, in conjunction with the macrofloral remains, suggest a Late Triassic age. Two new species, Cabochonicus sinuosus and Minerisporites triangulatus, are described. Scanning electron microscopic examination of the spores indicates that standard palynological treatment of megaspores can result in sculptural degradation, possibly leading to incorrect generic assignment.     

Nothofagus macrofossils from the Tertiary of Tasmania

Leaves assignable to Nothofagus from two fossil deposits in Tasmania represent the first macrofossils of this genus from the Tertiary in southeastern Australia. One fossil species, N. johnstonii, is closely related to the extant Australian species N. cunninghamii while the other fossil species, N. tasmanica, has very close affinites with the extant Australian species N. moorei. All four of these species are closely interrelated. The pollen type produced by the fossil species is unknown, since all three types are present in the microfloras. However, both N. cunninghamii and N. moorei produce N. menziesii-type pollen. The macrofossils confirm the conclusion from pollen studies that evolution in Nothofagus has occurred very slowly.     

Lagostomus maximus (Desmarest) (Rodentia,Chinchillidae), the extant plains vizcacha in the Late Pleistocene of Uruguay

Ubilla, M. & Rinderknecht, A., April 2016. Lagostomus maximus (Desmarest) (Rodentia, Chinchillidae), the extant plains vizcacha in the Late Pleistocene of Uruguay. Alcheringa 40, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518

The extant plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus, is described from the Late Pleistocene (Dolores Formation) of Uruguay based on an almost complete articulated skeleton. It is compared with the nominally extinct Pleistocene species of the genus. An AMS ¹⁴C taxon-age is determined for L. maximus at 11 879 ± 95 years BP (cal. BP 13 898–13 941). Lagostomus maximus is absent from modern mammal communities in Uruguay, and no Holocene evidence is available. Because L. maximus exhibits remarkable sexual and ontogenetic dimorphism, we examined a range of juvenile, sub-adult and adult male and female specimens. It is not possible to differentiate the articulated Pleistocene fossil from sub-adult specimens of L. maximus based on this sample. Moreover, the skull characteristics, including a broad vertical ramus of the zygomatic arch, semi-circular temporal crest and short robust sagittal crest, most closely resemble extant female individuals. Molar size is non-predictive for ontogenetic stage or body mass because it reaches stability during early adulthood. Other fragmentary skull remains are herein assigned to L. sp. cf. L. maximus. Lagostomus cavifrons from the Pleistocene of Argentina is considered synonymous with L. maximus. Its character states concur with the range of intraspecific variability and it has been established on a young adult or adult male individual. Likewise, the other Argentinean Pleistocene species based on incomplete mandibles, L. angustidens, L. striatus, L. heterogenidens, L. egenus, L. minimus and L. debilis, concur with ontogenetic morphs and are here assigned to Lagostomus sp. The ecological preferences of extant L. maximus infer open arid or semi-arid landscapes for the latest Pleistocene of southern Uruguay. This hypothesis is reinforced by the coeval presence of Microcavia, Galea and small camelids in the same strata. The Last Glacial Maximum likely promoted this environmental setting. Latest Pleistocene or early Holocene climatic change might have facilitated local extinctions and/or range shifts among this mammal fauna.

Martín Ubilla [martinubilla@gmail.com], Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la Republica, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay; Andrés Rinderknecht [apaleorinder@yahoo.com], Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Paleontología, 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay.     

Conodonts and tabulate corals from the Upper Ordovician Angullong Formation of central New South Wales,Australia

Zhen, Y.Y., Wang, G.X. &; Percival, I.G., August 2016. Conodonts and tabulate corals from the Upper Ordovician Angullong Formation of central New South Wales, Australia. Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

The Angullong Formation is the youngest Ordovician unit exposed in the Cliefden Caves area of central New South Wales. Its maximum age is constrained by a Styracograptus uncinatus graptolite Biozone fauna at the very top of the underlying Malongulli Formation, but the few fossils previously reported from higher in the Angullong Formation are either long-ranging or poorly known. From allochthonous limestone clasts in the middle part of the formation, we document a conodont fauna comprising Aphelognathus grandis, A. solidum, Aphelognathus sp., Aphelognathus? sp., Belodina confluens, Drepanoistodus suberectus, Panderodus gracilis, Panderodus sp., Phragmodus undatus, Pseudobelodina inclinata and Pseudobelodina? sp. aff. P. obtusa, which supports correlation with the Aphelognathus grandis Biozone (late Katian) of the North American Midcontinent succession. The species concepts of Aphelognathus and Pseudobelodina are reviewed in detail. Associated corals are exclusively tabulates, dominated by agetolitids, including Agetolites angullongensis sp. nov., Heliolites orientalis, Hemiagetolites breviseptatus, Hemiagetolites sp. cf. H. spinimarginatus, Navoites sp. cf. N. circumflexa, Plasmoporella bacilliforma, P. marginata, Quepora sp. cf. Q. calamus and Sarcinula sp. Affinities of the coral fauna from the Angullong Formation are closer to faunas from northern NSW and northern Queensland than to the locally recognized Fauna III of late Eastonian age in central NSW. We propose a subdivision of Fauna III to account for this difference, with the late Katian Fauna IIIB characterized by the incoming of agetolitid corals. The currently known distribution of representatives of this group with adequate age constraints suggests that agetolitids possibly originated in North China, subsequently migrating to Tarim, South China and adjacent peri-Gondwanan terranes while also spreading eastward to northern Gondwana, where they progressively moved through eastern Australia to reach the central NSW region by the early Bolindian.

Yong Yi Zhen* (yong-yi.zhen@industry.nsw.gov.au) and Ian G. Percival (ian.percival@industry.nsw.gov.au), Geological Survey of New South Wales, W.B. Clarke Geoscience Centre, 947–953 Londonderry Road, Londonderry, NSW 2753, Australia; Guangxu Wang (gxwang@nigpas.ac.cn), State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, 39 East Beijing Road Nanjing 210008 PR China.     

Tertiary megafossil flora of Maslin Bay,South Australia: a preliminary report

The Maslin Bay flora of South Australia is of lower Middle Eocene age and contains diverse, well preserved angiosperm assemblages. It has yielded 2700 specimens belonging to approximately 200 leaf taxa.

Physiognomic analysis (sensu Webb, 1959; Wolfe 1970) indicates greatest similarity to extant Simple Mesophyll Vine Forest and Complex Notophyll Vine Forest found currently in Queensland.

Preliminary taxonomic studies have confirmed the presence of taxa closely resembling Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae), Agathis (Araucariaceae), Fatsia (Araliaceae) and Banksia (Proteaceae). Microfloral analysis of the deposit confirms the presence of the latter three families, but suggests far greater occurrence of Proteaceae than the number of leaf specimens of this family indicates. Nothofagus pollen is the dominant type, although leaves of this genus are absent from collections. Based on sedimentation, physiognomy and systematic studies of leaves and fungi (Lange, 1969) it is concluded that the Maslin Bay region supported tropical to subtropical rain forest during the lower Middle Eocene.