Search results for "Postcrania"

Late Miocene remains from Venta del Moro (Iberian Peninsula) provide further insights on the dispersal of crocodiles across the late Miocene Tethys

2020

The dispersal of Crocodylus from Africa to Europe during the Miocene is not well understood. A small collection of cranial fragments and postcranial elements from the latest Miocene (6.2 Ma) site of Venta del Moro (Valencia, Spain) have previously been referred to Crocodylus cf. C. checchiai Maccagno, 1947 without accompanying descriptions. Here we describe and figure for the first time the crocodylian remains from Venta del Moro, which represent at least two individuals. Our comparisons indicate that this material clearly does not belong to Diplocynodon or Tomistoma - the only two other crocodylians described so far for the European late Miocene. The material is only tentatively referred t…

Observations on the postcranial anatomy of Hoplitomeryx (Mammalia, Ruminantia, Hoplitomerycidae) from the Miocene of the Apulia Platform (Italy)

2016

The untypical ruminants of the Apulia Platform (central and southeastern Italy), originally accommodated in the genus Hoplitomeryx, have been recently revised. The Scontrone (Abruzzo, central Italy) representatives were included in a new genus, Scontromeryx, with the addition of a new species, Scontromeryx mazzai. In contrast, the Gargano ones were left in Hoplitomeryx, but also in this case with the addition of three new species, Hoplitomeryx devosi, H. macpheei, and H. kriegsmani, described on postcranial remains and based on body mass calculations and using a size class scoring technique. The results of the present study show that Scontromeryx is invalid, that S. mazzai is imperfectly de…

The discrepancy between morphological and microanatomical patterns of anamniotic stegocephalian postcrania from the Early Permian Briar Creek Bonebed…

2015

Abstract The histological framework of thirteen Early Permian tetrapod long bones from a single locality, the Briar Creek Bonebed in Archer County, Texas, USA, is described from a series of transverse sections through the midshafts. The bones were morphologically categorized and belong to one of three taxa: Eryops, Archeria, and Diadectes. However, five histotypes are recognized. The first category includes the juvenile bone. The second histotype is characterized by the presence of radial vascular canals. The third histotype is characterized by the numerous longitudinal canals arranged in regular rows. In the fourth histotype, there is strong remodeling in the deep part of the cortex, creat…

New Neandertal remains from Cova Negra (Valencia, Spain).

2005

New Neandertal fossils from the Mousterian site of Cova Negra in the Valencia region of Spain are described, and a comprehensive study of the entire human fossil sample is provided. The new specimens significantly augment the sample of human remains from this site and make Cova Negra one of the richest human paleontological sites on the Iberian Peninsula. The new specimens include cranial and postcranial elements from immature individuals and provide an opportunity to study the ontogenetic appearance of adult Neandertal characteristics in this Pleistocene population. Children younger than 10 years of age constitute four of the seven minimum number of individuals in the sample, and this rela…

Guenon Radiation is Enriched by a New Species that Demonstrates an Evolutionary Complexity with Which we are yet to Become Familiar

2012

th September described this discovery to the scientific community (1). As is becoming increasingly frequent these days, given the high number of scientific articles, the media news reached us faster than the scientific information. The area known as TL2, a few hundred km as the crow flies south- west from the city of Kisangani, famous for its manufacturing, and important port on the Zaire river, is still uncontaminated and houses several important endemisms. This new species, studied in the area since 2007, on the basis of first sightings by the inhabitants of the zone and local hunters, has been named Cercopithecus lomamiensis. C.lomamiensis (CLO) is a tree-dweller and has been described i…

Fossil remains of Macaca sylvanus florentina (Cocchi, 1872) (Primates, Cercopithecidae) from the Early Pleistocene of Quibas (Murcia, Spain)

2011

The macaque material from the Early Pleistocene site of Quibas (Albanilla, Murcia, Spain), including dentognathic remains, isolated teeth and some postcranial bone fragments, is described. Both metrically and morphologically, this sample must be attributed to Macaca sylvanus (the Barbary macaque). This species is currently distributed through North Africa and Gibraltar, but was much more widely distributed during the Plio-Pleistocene, being represented by several European fossil subspecies. Metrical comparisons of dental size and proportions between extant M. s. sylvanus and fossil Macaca sylvanus florentina from the type locality and other Italian sites are undertaken, in order to classify…

1994

Giraffid remains from several Neogene localities from the Temel Basin (Spain) are stu­ died. The material belongs to the following sites: Masia de la Roma and Masia del Barbo (Vallesian); Masada del Valle 2 (Turolian); La Gloria 4 and La Calera (Alfambrian). Fos­ sils recently obtained are described, with special emphasis on the Pliocene taxa that were previously unrecorded in this basin. The presence of Decennatheriumpachecoi in the Va­ llesian and Birgerbohlinia schaubi in the Turolian is specified here. In order to make a dis­ tinction between both species two characteristics can be pointed out among the rest: the postcranial skeleton of Decennatherium is more slender than the one of Bir…

Ein neues captorhinomorphes reptil aus dem thüringischen rotliegend (Unter-Perm; Ost-Deutschland)

1991

Thuringothyris mahlendorffae n.gen. n.sp. is described on the basis of the skull roof, palate, stapes and much of the postcranial skeleton from the Upper Rotliegend (Tambach-Schichten) of the Thuringian Forest in eastern Germany. The new taxon shows both protorothyridid and some captorhinid features. The interrelationships of the »Protorothyrididae«, primitive Captorhinidae, and earliest Diapsida are reviewd. The tetrapod material is used to reassess the biostratigraphic position of the fossil-bearing horizon.

Degree of terrestrial activity of the elusive sun-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus solatus) in Gabon: Comparative study of behavior and postcranial morph…

2015

We carried out a multidisciplinary study linking behavioral and morphological data from a little-known guenon species, Cercopithecus solatus, endemic to Gabon. Over a period of 9 months, we documented the pattern of stratum use associated with postural and locomotor behavior by direct observation (650 hrs) of a semi-free-ranging breeding colony. We also conducted a morphometric analysis of the humerus and limb proportions of 90 adult specimens from 16 guenon species, including C. solatus. Field observations indicated that C. solatus monkeys spent a third of their time on the ground, similar to semi-terrestrial guenon species. We detected two patterns of stratum use: at ground level, and in …

The giant hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris: Modelling the bone-cracking behavior of an extinct carnivore

2011

Abstract The giant hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris was the largest bone-cracking carnivore that ever existed. With the mass of a lioness, it had massive limbs with shortened distal bones and a heavy, powerfully built mandible with robust, well-developed premolars. All these features reflect its adaptation for dismembering ungulate carcasses, transporting large pieces of them without dragging to the denning site and fracturing bones. This paper estimates the relative contribution of hunting and scavenging to the diet of this extinct hyena, using a combined biomechanical and taphonomic approach. Analysis of the bone-cracking behavior of P. brevirostris was based on the abundance of skeletal e…