[Herpetology • 2017] A Phylogeny of Open-habitat Lizards (Squamata: Lacertidae: Ophisops) Supports the Antiquity of Indian Grassy Biomes

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DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12999 

Abstract

Aim: India is dominated by tropical grassy biomes (TGBs), traditionally considered seres or degraded forest, with low diversity relative to the restricted, ancestral wet zone. It is unclear if Indian grasslands and other open habitats are anthropogenically derived or native, old-growth habitats; without a clear timescale of grassland evolution. One way to understand grassland evolution is to study the diversification in taxa restricted to open habitats. We use a dated phylogeny of Ophisops to address questions related to the origin, diversification and inter-relationships of Indian and Saharo-Arabian Ophisops, and ultimately the origin of Indian grasslands and open habitats.

Location: The Indian subcontinent; the Saharo-Arabian Realm.

Methods: We generated up to 2736 base pairs of aligned sequence data (one mitochondrial, two nuclear genes) for Indian lacertids and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. We use a fossil-calibrated timetree, diversification analyses and ancestral area reconstructions to test the hypotheses of origin and relationships with Saharo-Arabian Ophisops.

Results: Ophisops is strongly supported as monophyletic, with a basal split into a large-bodied (LBC) and small-bodied clade (SBC). The Saharo-Arabian species are nested within the Indian species in the LBC. Species diversity in Indian Ophisops is grossly underestimated, with 26–47 candidate species. Ophisops began diversifying in the late Oligocene with significant rate shifts in the late Miocene-Pliocene and Pleistocene within the SBC.

Main conclusions: Our results are consistent with an ancient origin of grassland taxa and TGBs in India. Ophisops is a dramatic example of overlooked cryptic diversity outside forests, with ~30 species where five were known. Ophisops dispersed into India from the Saharo-Arabian Realm in the Oligocene with a back dispersal in the Middle Miocene, a novel biogeographical pattern. Diversification in the SBC of Ophisops increased 8-fold during the global C4 grassland expansion. Indian TGBs are old-growth ecosystems that need urgent conservation attention.

Habitats of Ophisops leschenaultii species complex, Tumkur District, Karnataka. 

  

Ishan Agarwal and Uma Ramakrishnan. 2017. A Phylogeny of Open-habitat Lizards (Squamata: Lacertidae: Ophisops) Supports the Antiquity of Indian Grassy Biomes.  Journal of Biogeography. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12999

How lizards revealed the millennia-old evolution story of India’s grasslands

scroll.in/magazine/836758/how-lizards-revealed-the-ancient-evolution-story-of-indias-grasslands via @scroll_in

  

  

[Mammalogy • 2017] Neoromicia stanleyi • A New Species of Neoromicia (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from southern Africa: A name for “N. cf. melckorum”

 Neoromicia stanleyi 

 Goodman, Kearney, Michèle, Ratsimbazafy & Hassanin, 2017 

 DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4236.2.10 

Abstract

The taxonomy of sub-Saharan small insectivore bats of the family Vespertilionidae is unresolved and currently five named species of the genus Neoromicia are recognized from southern Africa, with N. melckorum considered a synonym of N. capensis. Since several years, the name “N. cf. melckorum” has been used in the literature to designate an apparently undescribed and moderately large bodied vespertilionid bat known from different localities in southern and southeastern Africa. Using new data from molecular genetics, bacular morphology, and cranio-dental characters, we conclude that N. melckorum sensu stricto is indeed nested within N. capensis and obtain the needed evidence to formally describe “N. cf. melckorum”, named herein as Neoromicia stanleyi sp. nov. On the basis of molecular and bacular evidence, N. stanleyi is found in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, and using a combination of other characters is presumed to occur in northern South Africa and Malawi. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses based on 12S rRNA sequences indicate that it belongs to a clade containing four species of Neoromicia (N. capensis, N. malagasyensis, N. matroka, and N. robertsi) and Laephotis. Neoromicia stanleyi shows at least 3.2% nucleotide divergence from its closest relatives. It is larger in cranial characters than other members of the capensis group occurring in the southern portion of Africa, and a number of bacular characters distinguish N. stanleyi from N. capensis.

Keywords: Mammalia, taxonomy, morphology, molecular genetics, Neoromicia, new species, southern Africa

 Steven M. Goodman, Teresa Kearney, Malalatiana Michèle, Ratsimbazafy and Alexandre Hassanin. 2017. Description of A New Species of Neoromicia (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from southern Africa: A name for “N. cf. melckorum”.
Zootaxa. 4236(2); 351–374. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4236.2.10

[Mammalogy • 2016] Petrosaltator gen. nov., A New Genus Replacement for the North African Sengi Elephantulus rozeti (Macroscelidea; Macroscelididae)

FIGURE 3. Images of the three genera of the tribe Macroscelidini.
A. Basking North African sengi (Petrosaltator rozeti). Adult male near Salas village, Jhilet Mountains, Marrakesh, Morocco on 18 July 2005, specimen number CAS MAM 27982. Photo G. Rathbun.
B. The four-toed sengi (Petrodromus tetradactylus), Mareja Community Reserve, Pemba, northern Mozambique, 17 June 2011, specimen number CAS MAM 29347, Photo G. Rathbun.
C. The Namib round-eared sengi (Macroscelides flavicaudatus), south of the Micberg formation, Kunene Region, Khorixas District, 7 May 2010, specimen number CAS MAM 29700, photo J.P. Dumbacher.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4136.3.8

Abstract

In 2003, a molecular phylogeny was published that examined the role of the Sahara Desert as a vicariant event in the evolution of sengis (also known as elephant-shrews.) The phylogeny included a single sample from the North African sengi, Elephantulus rozeti (Duvernoy, 1833), which was found to be more closely related to the sengi genus Petrodromus Peters, 1846 than to other Elephantulus. Here we independently test the monophyly of Elephantulus using an additional specimen of E. rozeti and similar phylogenetic analyses, and discuss additional morphological and behavioral data that support the phylogeny. We propose a revised taxonomy that reflects the current paraphyly of Elephantulus and the sister relationship of E. rozeti and Petrodromus, including a new genus name for the North African sengi, Petrosaltator rozeti gen. nov., nov. comb. We additionally define two tribes within the subfamily Macroscelidinae, the Macroscelidini (including Macroscelides, Petrodromus, and Petrosaltator), and the Elephantulini (including all other members of Elephantulus).

Keywords: Mammalia, Sengi, Elephant-shrew, Petrosaltator, North African Sengi

Basking North African sengi Petrosaltator rozeti. Adult male near Salas village, Jhilet Mountains, Marrakesh, Morocco on 18 July 2005, specimen number CAS MAM 27982.

Photo G. Rathbun.   DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4136.3.8

Petrosaltator Rathbun and Dumbacher, new genus

Type species: Petrosaltator rozeti (Duvernoy, 1833)

Holotype. The type specimen is located at Musée Zoologique de la ville de Strasbourg, France; specimen number MZSMAM03685.

Geographic distribution. Petrosaltator has a unique range, and is currently the only species of the family Macroscelididae that occurs north of the Sahara Desert. It is known from the Maghreb Region of northern Africa, in Mediterranean, sub-desert, and montane zones from near sea level to 2725m elevation (Fig. 1) (Corbet & Hanks 1968; Cuzin & Séguignes 1990).

Diagnosis and description. The genus Petrosaltator is monotypic (P. rozeti) (Corbet & Hanks 1968; Duvernoy 1833; Perrin & Rathbun 2013). Features that distinguish the genus from all other Macroscelidinae are rare (see below), thus explaining why it was included in Elephantulus by earlier workers. Genetic data are among the most useful diagnostic characters, and have been used here and elsewhere to identify P. rozeti and clearly align it with Petrodromus and Macroscelides (Douady et al. 2003; Kuntner et al. 2011; Smit et al. 2011).

...........

Etymology. The roots of Petrosaltator (masculine gender) are Greek (petro) and Latin (saltator), together meaning “rockdancer”. This genus name reflects the habitats occupied by this species, which are dominated by rocks and boulders (Séguignes 1988). Petrosaltator also alludes to the phylogenetic relationship with Petrodromus (meaning rockrunner with Greek roots), although oddly Petrodromus tetradactylus is not specifically a petrophile (Jennings & Rathbun 2001). We suggest that the common name of Petrosaltator rozeti continue to be the North African Sengi or Elephant-shrew

The taxonomic hierarchy for the subfamily Macroscelidinae follows:

Class: Mammalia Linneus, 1758

 Supercohort: Afrotheria Stanhope et al., 1998

 Order: Macroscelidea Butler, 1956

 Family: Macroscelididae Bonaparte, 1838

 Subfamily: Macroscelidinae Bonaparte, 1838

 Tribe: Macroscelidini, new tribe

 Genus: Macroscelides A. Smith 1829

 Genus: Petrodromus Peters 1846

 Genus: Petrosaltator, new genus

 Tribe: Elephantulini, new tribe

 Genus: Elephantulus Thomas & Schwann 1906

Macroscelidini, New Tribe

Type genus: Macroscelides A. Smith 1829

Description: The tribe is defined primarily by the genera included—Macroscelides, Petrodromus, and Petrosaltator. Synapomorphies recovered from genetic analyses include portions of vWF, IRBP, and mtDNA 12s–16s ribosomal RNA loci, which are all consistent with the monophyly of the tribe. Morphological synapomorphies for the group are not easy to discern, although these may include a penis with two lateral lobes and a narrowing end (Woodall 1995b) and the presence of a fully ossified stapediofacial tube (Benoit et al. 2013). Analyses of basal skull morphometrics also appear to support the monophyly of Macroscelidini (Scalici & Panchetti 2011).

Elephantulini, New Tribe

Type Genus: Elephantulus Thomas and Schwann, 1906, by monotypy

Description: The tribe provisionally includes only members of the genus Elephantulus (not including Petrosaltator rozeti) and is supported primarily by genetic synapomorphies. All members have three pairs of mammae, hallux present, auditory bullae not grossly inflated (Corbet & Hanks 1968), and penis morphology in which the urethra does not extend beyond the lateral lobes (Woodall 1995b). Not all members of the genus Elephantulus have been included in phylogenetic studies, so we include all members provisionally. 

In addition to the placement of P. rozeti with Petrodromus and Macroscelides into the tribe Macroscelidini, our genetic data suggest a possible phylogenetic split within Petrodromus tetradactylus, with one population in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania (CASMAM28170 and CASMAM28171) and another occurring from at least southeastern Tanzania (Douady et al. 2003) to KwaZulu Natal in South Africa (GenBank numbers EU136156, EU136145, and EU136138), at the southern end of the current distribution of the genus (Rathbun 2015). Divergence within Petrodromus tetradactylus suggests that more research is needed to understand subspecies diversity in this monotypic genus. 

With our renaming of Petrosaltator, the subfamily Macroscelidinae now contains four genera (Elephantulus, Macroscelides, Petrosaltator, and Petrodromus). The number of extant species in the order, however, remains the same at 19 (Dumbacher et al. 2014). The diversity of extant taxa within the order continues to slowly increase with a better understanding of the underlying phylogenetics. Although this trend may continue as we learn more, extant species diversity in the order Macroscelidea remains remarkably low compared to other non-Afrotherian mammalian radiations in Africa (Kingdon et al. 2013; Rathbun 2009).

John P. Dumbacher, Elizabeth J. Carlen and Galen B. Rathbun. 2016. Petrosaltator gen. nov., A New Genus Replacement for the North African Sengi Elephantulus rozeti (Macroscelidea; Macroscelididae). Zootaxa. 4136(3); DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4136.3.8

[Paleontology • 2016] Morphofunctional Analysis of the Quadrate of Spinosauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and the Presence of Spinosaurus and a Second Spinosaurine Taxon in the Cenomanian of North Africa

two species of Spinosaurinae, and ascribed to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and ?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis from the Cenomanian of North Africa

Illustration: S. Krasovskiy atrox1.deviantart.com DOI:  10.1371/journal.pone.0144695

Abstract

Six quadrate bones, of which two almost certainly come from the Kem Kem beds (Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous) of south-eastern Morocco, are determined to be from juvenile and adult individuals of Spinosaurinae based on phylogenetic, geometric morphometric, and phylogenetic morphometric analyses. Their morphology indicates two morphotypes evidencing the presence of two spinosaurine taxa ascribed to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and ?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis in the Cenomanian of North Africa, casting doubt on the accuracy of some recent skeletal reconstructions which may be based on elements from several distinct species. Morphofunctional analysis of the mandibular articulation of the quadrate has shown that the jaw mechanics was peculiar in Spinosauridae. In mature spinosaurids, the posterior parts of the two mandibular rami displaced laterally when the jaw was depressed due to a lateromedially oriented intercondylar sulcus of the quadrate. Such lateral movement of the mandibular ramus was possible due to a movable mandibular symphysis in spinosaurids, allowing the pharynx to be widened. Similar jaw mechanics also occur in some pterosaurs and living pelecanids which are both adapted to capture and swallow large prey items. Spinosauridae, which were engaged, at least partially, in a piscivorous lifestyle, were able to consume large fish and may have occasionally fed on other prey such as pterosaurs and juvenile dinosaurs.

Systematic Paleontology

Dinosauria Owen, 1842 

Saurischia Seeley, 1887 

Theropoda Marsh, 1881 

Tetanurae Gauthier, 1986 

Megalosauroidea (Fitzinger, 1843) Walker 1964 

Spinosauridae Stromer, 1915 

Spinosaurinae (Stromer, 1915) Sereno et al., 1998 

Description: The six isolated quadrates from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco clearly belong to two morphotypes (Figs 2–4) based on the size and outline of the quadrate foramen, shape of the mandibular articulation, and outline, surface, and orientation of the quadratojugal contacts. Measurements taken on each quadrate (Fig 5A–5D) are provided in Table 1.

Spinosaurus Stromer, 1915 

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Stromer, 1915 

?Sigilmassasaurus Russel, 1996 

?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis Russel, 1996 

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and ?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis

by S. Krasovskiy atrox1.deviantart.com

Conclusion

The description and identification of six isolated quadrates, among which two most probably come from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco, provide additional information on the Cenomanian dinosaur fauna of North Africa. Based on cladistic, geometric morphometric, and phylogenetic morphometric analyses, two morphotypes have been successfully identified as belonging to two species of Spinosaurinae, and ascribed to Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and ?Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis. This study provides the first convincing evidence of two spinosaurine taxa in the Cenomanian of North Africa based on cranial material, casting doubt on the recent reconstruction of a quadrupedal Spinosaurus which may be based on individuals belonging to two different species of Spinosaurinae.

Ontogenetic changes occurring in the spinosaurid quadrates include the suture of the quadrate and quadratojugal, delimitation of the mandibular condyles and squamosal capitulum, and development of a ventral projection of the dorsal quadratojugal contact and a second quadrate ridge ventral to the quadrate head. Based on the quadrate proportions and estimated skull length of Baryonyx and Spinosaurus, quadrates of mature individuals from Morocco belong to animals with a skull length of no more than 120 cm. This suggests that very large forms of Spinosaurus may have been rare in the Kem Kem assemblages.

Morphofunctional analysis of the spinosaurid quadrates has revealed peculiar jaw mechanics in these specialized theropods. An helicoidal and strongly lateromedially oriented joint of the jaw articulation allowed the lateral displacement of the mandibular ramus when the lower jaw was depressed. This lateral movement of the ramus was possible due to a movable mandibular symphysis as the dentaries were joined by connective tissues, and allowed the pharynx to be widened. A similar jaw articulation was convergently present in pterosaurs and particularly pelecanids which also have a mandibular symphysis restricted to the anterior extremity of the mandible. Spinosauridae, which are considered to be semi-aquatic and partially piscivorous animals, were able to swallow large prey such as fish in the same way as pelecanids.

  

Fig 15. Jaw mechanics in the spinosaurid Spinosaurus.
A–D, Mandibular articulation; and F, G, skull in A, C, F–G, lateral; and B, D, anterior views; when A–B, F, the mouth is closed; and C–D, G, fully open, illustrating the lateral movement (in red) of the mandibular ramus for a 45° rotation of the lower jaw (courtesy of Jaime A. Headden); E, skeletal reconstruction of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus by Ibrahim et al. [22]) in swimming position in lateral view with a human (1.8 m) as a scale (modified from Ibrahim et al. [22]). This model is based on spinosaurid cranial and postcranial remains (colored in red) from the Albian-Cenomanian of Northern Africa which possibly belong to two spinosaurine taxa (see also Evers et al. [27]); H, reconstruction of a semi-aquatic Spinosaurus in fishing position (i.e., jaws wide open) in anterolateral view (courtesy of Jason Poole).

Abbreviations: an, angular; ar, articular; d, dentary; ecc, ectocondyle; enc, entocondyle; j, jugal; m, maxilla; n, nasal; p, parietal; pm, premaxilla; po, postorbital; pt, pterygoid; ptf, pterygoid flange; q, quadrate; qf, quadrate foramen; qj, quadratojugal; retp, retroarticular process of the articular; sa, surangular; sq, squamosal.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144695

Christophe Hendrickx , Octávio Mateus and Eric Buffetaut. 2016. Morphofunctional Analysis of the Quadrate of Spinosauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and the Presence of Spinosaurus and a Second Spinosaurine Taxon in the Cenomanian of North Africa.
 PLoS ONE. 11(1): e0144695.  DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144695

[PaleoEcology / Paleontology • 2014] Integrating Palaeoecology and Morphology in Theropod Diversity Estimation: A Case from the Aptian-Albian of Tunisia

Highlights

• Theropod diversity in the mid-Cretaceous of northern Africa is discussed.

• Detailed morphological, phylogenetic, and stratigraphic data are combined.

• Saharan theropod include Spinosauridae, Abelisauroidea, and Carcharodontosauridae.

• Environment-related partitioning of specific group of taxa are discussed.

Abstract

Current knowledge of theropod dinosaurs of northern Africa and their diversity during the Early Cretaceous is deceptively fragmentary and commonly associated with inadequate stratigraphic and palaeoecological data. Thereby, confused taxonomic affinities of theropod remains, represented primarily by isolated teeth and fragmentary skeletal remains, resulted in speculations on the number of genera and their stratigraphic, geographic and ecological distribution. In this study, we introduce a discussion on the theropod diversity in the Aptian–Albian of southern Tunisia based on a multidisciplinary approach that combines detailed sedimentological analyses with canonical morphological and phylogenetic analyses. This study indicates the presence of three theropod clades, Spinosauridae, Abelisauroidea, and Carcharodontosauridae. Relevant for the identification of isolated specimens from the Saharan regions, carcharodontosaurids are not represented in the Aptian-Albian teeth record and thus relatively less abundant than spinosaurids and abelisauroids. Five ziphodont tooth morphotypes are referred to ontogenetic and/or positional differences among a single abelisauroid taxon. The other three teeth morphotypes most likely represent two distinct spinosaurid taxa. Finally, the calibrated stratigraphic distribution of discussed elements indicates a clear ecological partition between theropod taxa. In particular, abelisauroids and carcharodontosaurids are commonly found in inland, fluvial deposits together with titanosauriform and rebbachisaurid sauropods, and rare crocodilians. Conversely, spinosaurids are limited to estuarine to coastal deposits dominated by a rich and diverse crocodilian fauna along with actinopterygians and sarcopterygians, including large-sized coelacanthiforms.

Keywords: Aptian-Albian; Morphology; Palaeoecology; theropod diversity; Tunisia

Fanti F., Cau A., Martinelli A., Contessi M. 2014. Integrating Palaeoecology and Morphology in Theropod Diversity Estimation: A Case from the Aptian-Albian of Tunisia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.05.033

Dinosauri, la convivenza pacifica (Dinosaurs, peaceful coexistence)

nationalgeographic.it/scienza/2014/06/08/foto/dinosauri_tunisia_teropodi-2174414 via @NatGeoItalia
http://theropoda.blogspot.com/2014/06/i-theropodi-dal-cretacico-inferiore.html

[Mammalogy • 2014] Miniopterus maghrebensis | Maghrebian Bent-wing Bat • A new species of the Miniopterus schreibersii species complex (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae) from the Maghreb Region, North Africa

Maghrebian Bent-wing Bat Miniopterus maghrebensis Puechmaille, Allegrini, Benda, Bilgin, Ibañez & Juste 2014

Abstract

We used an integrative approach combining cranio-dental characters, mitochondrial and nuclear data and acoustic data to show the presence in the genus Miniopterus of a cryptic species from the Maghreb region. This species was previously recognised as Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817). Miniopterus maghrebensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from M. schreibersii sensu stricto on the basis of cranial characters and from mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite evidence. Although slight external morphological and acoustic differences were noted between the two species, these criteria alone did not allow reliable species identification from live animals. Based on the specimens identified morphologically and/or genetically, the distribution range of M. maghrebensis sp. nov. extends from northern Morocco to south of the High Atlas Mountains and northern Tunisia. The new cryptic species is found in sympatry with M. schreibersii s.str. near coastal regions of North Africa.

Keywords: Bats, cryptic species, echolocation, Mammalia, Morocco

FIGURE 2. Photographs of Miniopterus maghrebensis sp. nov. individuals from the type locality Kef Azigza Cave, showing the typical appearance of the species. Note that a) was photographed with day light and a flash while b) was photographed during night time with a flash, hence the apparent pelage colour differences (photographs by Jaroslav Červený & Antonín Reiter respectively).
FIGURE 10. Hypothetical distribution maps of Miniopterus maghrebensis sp. nov. and M. schreibersii s.str. (Kuhl, 1817). Sites with confirmed species identifications are: 1: Kef Azigza Cave (or Tazzouguert Cave); 2: Oued El Ammar, Sebt-es-Âït-Serhrouchèn; 3: Oued Tessaoud, Talknout; 4: Talmat; 5: Win-Timdouine & Oued Emi Oggoug; 6: Zaghouan mine; 7: Ichkeul National Park; 8: Iberia.

Etymology. The name maghrebensis refers to the region (the Maghreb; the region of northern Africa located between the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sahara) where the new species was discovered. The proposed vernacular names are Maghrebian Bent-wing Bat (English), Minioptère du Maghreb (French)

Puechmaille, Sebastien J., Benjamin Allegrini, Petr Benda, Kanat Gürün, Jan Šrámek, Carlos Ibañez, Javier Juste & Rasit Bilgin. 2014. A new species of the Miniopterus schreibersii species complex (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae) from the Maghreb Region, North Africa. Zootaxa. 3794(1): 108–124.

http://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.3794.1.4

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/zt03794p124.pdf

[Paleontology • 1998] Cristatusaurus lapparenti • New data on spinosaurid dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of the Sahara

Cristatusaurus lapparenti Taquet and Russell, 1998

 Taquet, P. and Russell, D.A. (1998). "New data on spinosaurid dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous of the Sahara". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences à Paris, Sciences de la Terre et des Planètes 327: 347-353