Elasmosaurs (Sauropterygia,Plesiosauria) from the La Colonia Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian), Argentina

O’Gorman, J.P., Salgado, L., Varela, J., & Parras, A., 2013. Elasmosaurs (Sauropterygia, Plesiosauria) from the La Colonia Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian), Argentina. Alcheringa 37, 257–265. ISSN 0311-5518.

Elasmosaur postcranial remains from the La Colonia Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian), Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina, are described. The new material has small dimensions and caudal vertebrae with parapophyses strongly projected laterally—characters shared with some Elasmosauridae indet. from the coeval Allen Formation, Río Negro Province, Argentina. These features reinforce the similarities between the plesiosaur faunas to the north and south of the Somún Curá Plateau. The small size of these elasmosaurs may be palaeoecologically related to the marginal marine depositional environment of the sedimentary host rocks.

José P. O’Gorman [joseogorman@fcnym.unlp.edu.ar], División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina and [CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas)]; Leonardo Salgado [salgadoleito@yahoo.com.ar], Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Isidro Lobo y Belgrano, 8332 General Roca, Argentina and [CONICET]; Julio Varela [julioadrianvarela@hotmail.com], and Ana Parras [aparras@exactas.unlpam.edu.ar], INCITAP (CONICET-UNLPam), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Uruguay 151, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina. Received 27.7.2012; revised 19.10.2012; accepted 27.10.2012.     

Looking for problems: A systems approach to hominin palaeocommunities from Plio‐Pleistocene Africa

This paper evaluates the potential contribution(s) of faunal analysis to hominin palaeoecology at regional and continental scales, through an explicit investigation of the values, methods and conceptual frameworks of palaeoanthropology and their compatibility with real data structures. It employs a problem‐framing method developed in policy‐relevant science to establish a suitable research design for ‘large scale’ faunal analysis, before testing the method in a pilot study of 48 faunal assemblages from the African Plio‐Pleistocene. Hitherto, taphonomic bias has discouraged attempts to study faunal assemblages on large spatiotemporal scales, and most scientists have restricted their work to the smaller (site or local) scale and/or a subset of the total fauna. Furthermore, palaeoanthropological studies of fauna tend to address pre‐determined questions through analysis of statistical outputs (patterns), rather than investigating the limitations and potential of the data through exploratory work. This paper, despite identifying a number of inherent constraints on palaeocommunity analysis at the large scale—including a clear tendency towards the segregation of faunal assemblages along taphonomic and geographic lines—successfully defines palaeocommunities and identifies systematic variation in their distribution in several regional datasets and at the continental scale. It suggests that the potential viability of faunal analyses for a given project could be made empirically testable, and further work on the lines defined here might provide insight into the impacts of taphonomy and ecology at the large scale. Although there are conceptual and methodological problems associated with large‐scale faunal analyses, this paper suggests that they could provide some insight into hominin environments, evolutionary ecology and biogeography as part of a holistic, multi‐scale approach to our lineages' history. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research and Monitoring on Conservation State and Preservation Conditions in Unsaturated Archaeological Deposits of a Medieval Farm Mound in Troms and a Late Stone Age Midden in Finnmark,Northern Norway

This paper presents archaeological observations and results of palaeoecological and geo-chemical analyses of archaeological deposits from two rural sites in northernmost Norway. These are combined with climate data and the first period of continuous monitoring of soil temperature, moisture, and redox potential in sections. This data constitutes the basic research material for evaluations of conservation state and preservation conditions. The data has been collected in collaboration with the partners of a cross-disciplinary project: ‘Archaeological Deposits in a Changing Climate. In situ Preservation of Farm Mounds in Northern Norway’ funded by the Norwegian Council for Research (http://www.niku.no/en/archaeology/environmental_monitoring/archaeological_deposits_in_a_changing_climate_in_situ_preservation_of_farm_mounds/). This is an important Norwegian research initiative on monitoring of rural archaeological deposits, and the results have consequences for heritage management of a large number of sites from all periods. Palaeoecological analyses and redox measurements have revealed ongoing decay that might not otherwise have been detected. Decay studies indicate that both site types may be at risk with the predicted climate change. Some mitigating acts are suggested.     

Miocene molluscs and barnacles from Mont Rond,Kerguelen Islands

A sedimentary deposit discovered at Kerguelen Islands in 1988 is interbedded in the Cape MacLear cliffs, near Mont Rond (Ronarc'h Peninsula). The age of this oceanic deposit is considered to be lower to middle Miocene as indicated by isotopic dating of both the underlying and overlying basalts. This deposit yields a fauna essentially consisting of molluscs (bivalves, gastropods) and crustaceans (cirripedes). This fauna exhibits some similarities to Miocene to Recent austral faunas (New Zealand, Argentina) as a result of the establishment of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. However, it has no species in common with the extant Kerguelen fauna. The Mont Rond fossil assemblage is best compared with either of two types of extant communities developed on a bare sandy sea floor where infaunal species are dominant, but most likely to an opportunistic one in depths from approximately 10 to 80 m.     

Humeral morphology of the early Eocene mekosuchine crocodylian Kambara from the Tingamarra Local Fauna southeastern Queensland,Australia

Stein, M., Salisbury, S.W., Hand, S.J., Archer, M. & Godthelp, H., December 2012. Humeral morphology of the early Eocene mekosuchine crocodylian Kambara from the Tingamarra Local Fauna southeastern Queensland, Australia. Alcheringa 36, 473–486. ISSN 0311-5518.

Mekosuchines (Crocodylia; Crocodyloidea) were a clade of crocodylians endemic to Australia and the South Pacific that underwent radiation during the Cenozoic. Numerous questions about mekosuchine palaeoecology remain unanswered. Tantalizing among these is the possibility that some mekosuchines were primarily terrestrial. To date, studies of mekosuchines have focused mainly on the cranium. However, the morphological signal for terrestriality is more likely to be found in the postcranial skeleton. Here, we present a comparative morphological study of fossil humeri referable to Kambara from the early Eocene Tingamara Local Fauna, Murgon, southeastern Queensland. The humeri of Kambara do not show the torsion between the proximal and distal extremity seen in extant crocodylians, illustrated here with Crocodylus porosus and Crocodylus johnstoni. They also differ in the structure of the medial and lateral condyles of the distal extremity. When the effects of these features on musculature and articulation are considered, it appears that the forelimb of Kambara could have facilitated a greater force at the glenohumeral joint and possibly swung the lower forelimb faster with a greater arc of motion than Australia's extant crocodylians. This is conducive to an improved capacity for both terrestrial locomotion and paraxial swimming. Although the former case suggests that Kambara may not have been as closely tied to water as extant crocodylians, it is unusual given the typically broad rostra of the cranium. Among crocodylians this is a common characteristic of semi-aquatic ambush predators. This study shows the utility of the postcranial skeleton in interpreting crocodylian palaeoecology.

Michael Stein [michael.stein@student.unsw.edu.au] (corresponding author), Suzanne J. Hand [s.hand@unsw.edu.au], Michael Archer [m.archer@unsw.edu.au] and Henk Godthelp [h.godthelp@unsw.edu.au], School of Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; and Steven W. Salisbury [s.salisbury@uq.edu.au], School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, 4072, Australia. Received 13.1.2012, revised 24.2.2012, accepted 28.2.2012.     

The White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Ancient Peruvian Ceremonial Centre of Huaca Pucllana

New data regarding the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) at the archaeological complex Huaca Pucllana (200–700 ad ) are presented on the basis of the recent discovery of teeth in ritual offering features. Previous information of this species from fossil, archaeological and modern records is reviewed. The use of the white sharks as an El Niño indicator is rejected. Past and present white shark distribution in the South East Pacific is reviewed, and the extermination of pinniped colonies as a factor in the poor modern record is discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Late Pleistocene coral fauna from Evans Head,N.S.W.

An assemblage of hermatypic scleractinian corals occurring landwards of the Pleistocene sandy Inner Barrier system has been referred to the last interglacial period. It comprises at least 20 species, many of which are in growth position, and is accompanied by a substantial association of molluscans. The richness of the assemblage is indicative of good access of oceanic waters at the time of its formation, so the deposit predates barrier emplacement. The coral occurrences are compared with present-day southern ranges of the scleractinian species (all extant), and the implications for climatic and sea-level conditions in the last interglacial are discussed. A sea-level stand of 4–6 m above that at present obtaining (in accord with Marshall & Thom, 1976) and a climatic shift towards a cooler regime equivalent to a minimum of 2° of latitude are concluded.     

A possible hydroid from the Lower and Middle Ordovician of Bohemia

A new genus Webbyites from the Lower and Middle Ordovician of Bohemia is described. Its planar, feather-like benthic colonies (or their parts) display possible hydrozoan affinites. Webbyites is interpreted as an inhabitant of the littoral and sublittoral environment, with high energy, oscillating to current zones.     

The Ogygoptyngidae,a new family of owls from the Paleocene of North America

When Ogygoptynx wetmorei was reported by Rich & Bohaska (1976), it appeared to represent a unique and new avian group. Detailed comparisons of this Early Paleocene form from Colorado (USA) have clearly demonstrated that it is distinct from North American protostrigids and all European Palaeogene owls and that it is intermediate between the modern typical owls (Strigidae) and barn owls (Tytonidae). A new monotypic family of owls, the Ogygoptyngidae, is proposed to include this form.