Dinosaur bonebed amber from an original swamp forest soil
AbstractDinosaur bonebeds with amber content, yet scarce, offer a superior wealth and quality of data on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. However, the preserved palaeodiversity and/or taphonomic characteristics of these exceptional localities had hitherto limited their palaeobiological potential. Here we describe the amber from the Lower Cretaceous dinosaur bonebed of Ariño (Teruel, Spain) using a multidisciplinary approach. Amber is found in both a root layer with amber strictly in situ and a litter layer namely composed of aerial pieces unusually rich in bioinclusions, encompassing 11 insect orders, arachnids, and a few plant and vertebrate remains, including a feather. Additional palaeont…
Early Cretaceous termites in amber from northern Spain (Isoptera)
Abstract Two virtually complete termites in Lower Cretaceous amber from the Penacerrada I outcrop, Spain, are described and figured, representing the most well-preserved Isoptera yet discovered from the Albian stage. The material is described as Ithytermes montoyai gen. et sp. nov., and is similar in many details to the slightly younger Krishnatermes yoddha Engel, Barden, and Grimaldi from northern Myanmar amber. Given the presence of distinct soldiers in this grade of Cretaceous termites, it is likely that I. montoyai also exhibited such a tripartite caste system. In addition to the type material of I. montoyai, two fragmentary termites are recorded for the first time in Albian amber from …
Comment on the letter of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) dated April 21, 2020 regarding “Fossils from conflict zones and reproducibility of fossil-based scientific data”: Myanmar amber
Motivation for this comment Recently, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) has sent around a letter, dated 21st April, 2020 to more than 300 palaeontological journals, signed by the President, Vice President and a former President of the society (Rayfield et al. 2020). The signatories of this letter request significant changes to the common practices in palaeontology. With our present, multi-authored comment, we aim to argue why these suggestions will not lead to improvement of both practice and ethics of palaeontological research but, conversely, hamper its further development. Although we disagree with most contents of the SVP letter, we appreciate this initiative to discuss scien…