Proterosuchid archosaur remains from the Early Triassic Bulgo Sandstone of Long Reef,New South Wales

Two associated anterior dorsal vertebrae of a primitive archosaur are described from the Early Triassic (Dienerian–Spathian) Bulgo Sandstone at Long Reef, New South Wales, Australia. Character states including anteroposteriorly elongate centra, dorsal neural spines with height greater than length, the possible presence of intercentra, double-headed rib articulations and well-developed apical tables on the neural spines suggest affinity with proterosuchid archosauriforms and permit some comparisons with previously described Australian taxa. The Bulgo Sandstone vertebrae represent the first record of archosaurian body fossils from the Sydney Basin and are one of only a handful of occurrences thus far documented from the Triassic of Australia.     

First evidence of a Late Cretaceous sea turtle from Australia

The isolated scapula of a chelonioid sea turtle is described from the Upper Cretaceous (upper Maastrichtian) Miria Formation of the Giralia Ranges in Western Australia. Character states including the wide angle of divergence between the scapular processes (possibly reaching 140°), projection of the glenoid on a constricted scapular neck, and highly vascular glenoid articular surfaces suggest affinity with dermochelyoids—the most diverse and geographically widespread clade of Mesozoic chelonioids. The Miria Formation chelonioid scapula constitutes the first definitive record of a Late Cretaceous sea turtle from Australia and is one of the few occurrences thus far documented from Upper Cretaceous–Paleogene deposits in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Remains of a Late Cretaceous pterosaur from the Molecap Greensand of Western Australia

Pterosaur remains are very rare in Australasia and especially in Upper Cretaceous strata. Thus, the discovery of a jaw fragment from the Cenomanian–Coniacian Molecap Greensand near Gingin in Western Australia represents an important new stratigraphical occurrence for the region. Although the teeth are not preserved, the presence of labio-lingually compressed alveoli that are anterolaterally oriented, variable in shape/size (inferring heterodonty) and very widely spaced is reminiscent of ornithocheirids—a geographically cosmopolitan clade of predominantly Early Cretaceous pterodactyloids. If correct, this identification could extend the known range of Ornithocheiridae through to the Late Cretaceous in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Macropodoid endocranial casts from the early Miocene of Riversleigh,northwestern Queensland

Two macropodoid endocranial casts from the early Miocene of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland are described. The larger is associated with a fragmentary cranium and is attributable to the balbarine kangaroo Balbaroo. The smaller more complete specimen was found as an isolated endocast and cannot be confidently identified beyond superfamily level. The external neurocranial morphology of both specimens closely resembles that of plesiomorphic macropodoids and indicates a basal ‘macropodid-grade’ level of complexity. Development of the visual region of the neocortex suggests that crepuscular-nocturnal habits might have been present in early Miocene kangaroos.     

POLICY, CONFLICT, AND THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION

Books reviewed in this article:
Vernon M. Briggs, Jr. Immigration Policy and the American Labor Force .
Vernon M. Briggs, Jr. and Martha Tienda, eds. Immigration: Issues and Policies .
Elizabeth Hull. Without Justice for All: The Constitutional Rights of Aliens .
Milton Morris. Immigration: The Beleaguered Bureaucracy .     

Layers of religious and political iconoclasm under the Islamic State: symbolic sectarianism and pre-monotheistic iconoclasm

This article examines the heritage destruction undertaken by the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. To date, their iconoclasm has been mostly characterised either as acts of wanton barbarism devoid of religious or political justification, or as a cynical performance designed as a mass media spectacle. Drawing on a systematic analysis of two key IS propaganda outlets – their on-line magazine, Dabiq, and the various slick films released by Al-Hayat – this article argues that the heritage destruction perpetrated by the IS are not only situated within a carefully articulated theological framework and key to the creation of a new and ideologically pure ‘Islamic State’, but that they are also constituted by several complex layers of religious and political iconoclasm. To demonstrate, this article documents the iconoclasm undertaken by the IS along two key axes: Symbolic Sectarianism (Shia and Sufi mosques and shrines); and Pre-Monotheistic Iconoclasm (ancient polytheistic sites). Attacks on key sites within these categories, such as the Sayyida Zaynab shrine in Damascus or the Mosul Museum, not only adhere to their religious and political framework but also serve broader geo-political agendas and are attacked as proxy targets for their physical and ideological opponents.     

Early Cretaceous polar biotas of Victoria,southeastern Australia—an overview of research to date

Poropat, S.F., Martin, S.K., Tosolini, A.-M.P., Wagstaff, B.E, Bean, L.B., Kear, B.P., Vickers-Rich, P. &; Rich, T.H., May 2018. Early Cretaceous polar biotas of Victoria, southeastern Australia—an overview of research to date. Alcheringa 42, 158–230. ISSN 0311-5518.

Although Cretaceous fossils (coal excluded) from Victoria, Australia, were first reported in the 1850s, it was not until the 1950s that detailed studies of these fossils were undertaken. Numerous fossil localities have been identified in Victoria since the 1960s, including the Koonwarra Fossil Bed (Strzelecki Group) near Leongatha, the Dinosaur Cove and Eric the Red West sites (Otway Group) at Cape Otway, and the Flat Rocks site (Strzelecki Group) near Cape Paterson. Systematic exploration over the past five decades has resulted in the collection of thousands of fossils representing various plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. Some of the best-preserved and most diverse Hauterivian–Barremian floral assemblages in Australia derive from outcrops of the lower Strzelecki Group in the Gippsland Basin. The slightly younger Koonwarra Fossil Bed (Aptian) is a Konservat-Lagerstätte that also preserves abundant plants, including one of the oldest known flowers. In addition, insects, crustaceans (including the only syncaridans known from Australia between the Triassic and the present), arachnids (including Australia’s only known opilione), the stratigraphically youngest xiphosurans from Australia, bryozoans, unionoid molluscs and a rich assemblage of actinopterygian fish are known from the Koonwarra Fossil Bed. The oldest known—and only Mesozoic—fossil feathers from the Australian continent constitute the only evidence for tetrapods at Koonwarra. By contrast, the Barremian–Aptian-aged deposits at the Flat Rocks site, and the Aptian–Albian-aged strata at the Dinosaur Cove and Eric the Red West sites, are all dominated by tetrapod fossils, with actinopterygians and dipnoans relatively rare. Small ornithopod (=basal neornithischian) dinosaurs are numerically common, known from four partial skeletons and a multitude of isolated bones. Aquatic meiolaniform turtles constitute another prominent faunal element, represented by numerous isolated bones and articulated carapaces and plastrons. More than 50 specimens—mostly lower jaws—evince a high diversity of mammals, including monotremes, a multituberculate and several enigmatic ausktribosphenids. Relatively minor components of these fossil assemblages are diverse theropods (including birds), rare ankylosaurs and ceratopsians, pterosaurs, non-marine plesiosaurs and a lepidosaur. In the older strata of the upper Strzelecki Group, temnospondyl amphibians—the youngest known worldwide—are a conspicuous component of the fauna, whereas crocodylomorphs appear to be present only in up-sequence deposits of the Otway Group. Invertebrates are uncommon, although decapod crustaceans and unionoid bivalves have been described. Collectively, the Early Cretaceous biota of Victoria provides insights into a unique Mesozoic high-latitude palaeoenvironment and elucidates both palaeoclimatic and palaeobiogeographic changes throughout more than 25 million years of geological time.

Stephen F. Poropat*? [sporopat@swin.edu.au; stephenfporopat@gmail.com], Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, John St, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia; Sarah K. Martin*? [sarah.martin@dmirs.wa.gov.au; martin.sarahk@gmail.com] Geological Survey of Western Australia, 100 Plain St, East Perth, Western Australia 6004, Australia; Anne-Marie P. Tosolini [a.tosolini@unimelb.edu.au] and Barbara E. Wagstaff [wagstaff@unimelb.edu.au] School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Lynne B. Bean [lynne.bean@anu.edu.au] Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2001, Australia; Benjamin P. Kear [benjamin.kear@em.uu.se] Museum of Evolution, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 16, Uppsala SE-752 36, Sweden; Patricia Vickers-Rich§ [prich@swin.edu.au; pat.rich@monash.edu] Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, John St, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia; Thomas H. Rich [trich@museum.vic.gov.au] Museum Victoria, PO Box 666, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia. *These authors contributed equally to this work. ?Also affiliated with: Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, Lot 1 Dinosaur Drive, PO Box 408, Winton, Queensland 4735, Australia. ?Also affiliated with: Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia 6101, Australia. §Also affiliated with: School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.