[Paleontology • 2025] Obelignathus septimanicus • Exploring the Diversity and Disparity of rhabdodontomorph Ornithopods from the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago

  

Obelignathus septimanicus  Buffetaut & Le Loeuff, 1991

in Czepiński et Madzia, 2025. 

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98083-z  

 facebook.com/LukaszCzepinski 

  x.com/DanielMadzia

 Artwork by Edyta Felcyn-Kowalska

Abstract

The origin and early diversification of ornithopods, a major clade of ornithischian dinosaurs, remain poorly understood, with conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses regarding rootward neornithischian relationships. Some topological stability is inferred near the basal divergence of Iguanodontia, though the ingroup relationships remain unclear. For instance, Rhabdodontidae, a clade of Late Cretaceous European ornithopods ‘traditionally’ considered to include eight to nine species, presents significant taxonomic challenges. We explore the diversity and disparity of European Rhabdodon-lineage iguanodontians. We assembled a novel dataset comprising morphological and morphometric data obtained from rhabdodontomorph dentaries, which are abundant, well-preserved in the majority of the taxa, and distinctive. Special attention is given to Rhabdodon septimanicus, a poorly known taxon from the upper Campanian to lower Maastrichtian of southern France, established based on a particularly robust dentary bone that has been subjected to conflicting taxonomic interpretations. Our restudy of the specimen, combined with a multivariate and phylogenetic assessment, shows that this taxon is a clear morphological outlier among European rhabdodontomorphs, providing a basis for its assignment to a new genus, Obelignathus. Although further large-scale studies, especially detailed osteological descriptions, are needed to clarify the taxonomic significance of certain European rhabdodontomorphs, our results indicate that the group exhibits greater diversity than currently recognized, with several sympatric taxa co-occurring, at least in southern France and possibly also in Romania.

Obelignathus septimanicus gen. et comb. nov. holotype, MDE D30 from the ‘Grès à Reptiles’ Formation of Montouliers, southern France.
Photographs and photogrammetric models of the right dentary in dorsal (A), anterior (B), medial (C), and lateral (D) views.

Life restoration of Obelignathus septimanicus gen. et comb. nov. in the Late Cretaceous environment recorded in the ‘Grès à Reptiles’ Formation, with a pair of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs in the background.

 Artwork by Edyta Felcyn-Kowalska (CC BY 4.0).

 

Łukasz Czepiński and Daniel Madzia. 2025. Exploring the Diversity and Disparity of rhabdodontomorph Ornithopods from the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago. Scientific Reports. 15: 15209. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98083-z [30 April 2025]

  facebook.com/LukaszCzepinski/posts/10238804784762400

  x.com/DanielMadzia/status/1917550382626267474

  

[Paleontology • 2022] A Pathological Ulna of Amurosaurus riabinini (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia

 Amurosaurus riabinini  Bolotsky & Kurzanov, 1991

in Bertozzo, Bolotsky, Bolotsky, Poberezhskiy, ... et Murphy, 2022.

DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2022.2034805 

  twitter.com/Paleofolk

Illustration: Andrey Atuchin

 

ABSTRACT

Bone fractures are the most common type of injuries preserved in the dinosaur fossil record. Poor healing of deep lesions could lead to infection and misalignment of the fracture parts, causing the animals to limp and jeopardising their survival. A wide variety of fossilised fractures have been identified in dinosaur remains, and the type of bone response can provide information about their resilience and ability to survive even major traumatic events. Here we describe a pathological ulna of the lambeosaurine dinosaur Amurosaurus riabinini, from the Udurchukan Formation (Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous) of Blagoveshchensk (Amur Region, Russia). Its distal region is hypertrophied and swollen, and the distal articular surface is engulfed within a large overgrowth of newly formed bone. CT-scanning identifies an oblique fracture resulting from an impact, implying that the swollen portion corresponds to callus formation. The bone was still healing prior to the moment of death, although the misalignment of the fracture parts appears to have resulted in a malunion of the two fragments. During locomotion, the wrist would have suffered from a continuous weight-bearing pressure that placed stress upon the fracture site and probably caused the animal to limp and perhaps walk on three limbs.

KEYWORDS: Fracture, dinosaurs, Maastrichtian, lambeosaurinae, physical impairment, palaeopathology

 

Filippo Bertozzo, Ivan Bolotsky, Yuri L. Bolotsky, Alexey Poberezhskiy, Alastair Ruffell, Pascal Godefroit and Eileen Murphy. 2022. A Pathological Ulna of Amurosaurus riabinini from the Upper Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia. Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2022.2034805 

  twitter.com/Paleofolk/status/1494951972176375814

[Mammalogy • 2019] Evidence of Late Survival of Schomburgk's Deer Rucervus schomburgki in Central Laos

 Rucervus schomburgki  (Blyth, 1863)

in Schroering & Galbreath, 2019

 DOI: 10.17087/jbnhs/2019/v116/142873

 news.northwestern.edu 

A 1991 photograph of a Schomburgk's deer's antlers

A rare deer species that lived in central Thailand might have come back from the dead — without the help from sci-fi-like genetic engineering.

Schomburgk’s deer (Rucervus schomburgki) was added to the extinction list in 1938. But new evidence, gleaned from antlers obtained in late 1990 or early 1991, shows that it survived for at least an additional half century and might still be around today.

The research was published last week (Aug. 30 [DOI: 10.17087/jbnhs/2019/v116/142873]) in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Gary Galbreath, professor of biological sciences at Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, was involved in the work.

After the wild population died out from overhunting in 1932, the last known Schomburgk’s deer died in captivity six years later. Or so we thought. A trucker in Laos found a set of antlers, seemingly in fresh condition, in the early 1990s. He then gave the antlers to a shop in the northern Laos province of Phongsali. 

In February 1991, United Nations agronomist Laurent Chazée photographed the antlers. Galbreath and his collaborator G.B. Schroering recently analyzed the antlers’ physical condition in those photos. Based on the widely spreading, basket-shaped, hyper-branched structure of the antlers, the team determined the antlers belonged to a Schomburgk’s deer. (Other Asian deer’s antlers do not have the same signature basket shape.)

Galbreath also confirmed that the antlers were fresh when photographed in 1991. The antlers — spotted with dark red to reddish-brown dried blood — had been excised from the deer’s head. The color of the blood and condition of the exposed bone marrow offered clues into the antlers’ age.

“The relative antiquity of the antler specimens can be assessed by the materials, such as dried marrow, still adhering to them,” said Galbreath, an expert in Asian wildlife. “Even the blood was still reddish; it would become black with increased age. In the tropics, the antlers would not continue to look this way even within a matter of months.”

Before they were listed as “extinct,” the deer were well documented in Thailand. Galbreath believes a small population probably also lived in a remote area in central Laos, where they just might still be living today. 

G. B. Schroering and Gary J. Galbreath. 2019. Evidence of Late Survival of Schomburgk's Deer Rucervus schomburgki in Central Laos. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society (JBNHS). 116. DOI: 10.17087/jbnhs/2019/v116/142873

 news.northwestern.edu/stories/2019/09/evidence-suggests-rare-deer-lived-50-years-beyond-extinction

Evidence suggests rare deer lived 50 years beyond 'extinction' phys.org/news/2019-09-evidence-rare-deer-years-extinction.html via @physorg_com

Giles, F.H. 1937. The riddle of Cervus schomburgki. J. Siam Soc. Nat. Hist. Suppl. 11 (1): 1-34 + 4 pls.

 siamese-heritage.org/nhbsspdf/vol011-020/NHBSS_011_1b_Giles_TheRiddleOfCervus.pdf

[Ornithology • 1991] Amazonian Parrotlet | Nannopsittaca dachilleae • a new species of parrotlet (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae: Arinae) from eastern Peru

Two adult Amazonian  Parrotlets (Nannopsittaca dachilleae O'Neill, Munn & Franke), a new species of parrotlet from eastern Peru, pictured along the upper Rio Shesha. 

From a mixed media painting by John P  O'Neill.  

Abstract

We describe a new species of parrotlet, Nannopsittaca dachilleae,  known from several localities in southeastern  Peru and northwestern Bolivia. Its characters  place it in the genus Nannopsittaca, which was formerly considered to be monotypic and restricted to the Pantepui region of northern South America. The two species probably form a superspecies.  

O'Neill JP, Munn CA, Franke I. 1991. Nannopsittaca dachilleae: a new species of parrotlet from eastern Peru. the Auk 108: 225-229.

http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v108n02/p0225-p0229.pdf

[Crustacea • 1991] Rediscovery of Asthenognathus gallardoi Serène & Soh, 1976, from Pakistan (northern Arabian Sea) with description of the male

Fig. 1. Asthenognathus  gallardoi Serene  &  Soh.  A, animal  in  dorsal view;  B,  carapace;  C, third maxilliped;  D,  cheliped;  E,  chela, in  lateral view;  F,  male abdomen;  G, first  male gonopod;  G', G"',  tip of  same. 

A  few years back (1986) when  Dr.  R.  B.  Manning visited  Pakistan, one  of us (NG)  accompanied him  on  field trips,  collecting with  the help of  a yabby pump,  which  was  available  at  that  time.  Several specimens of Asthenognathus gallardoi were obtained  from deep burrows.  This species is  of  small  size  and  in all probability nocturnal  in  habit. 

The only  description of  the species is  that by Serene  & Soh (1976), based  on an ovigerous female  collected  from  the Andaman  Sea. According to  Serene  & Soh  a  female  in  the  collection  of  the  Institute  of Oceanography at Nhatrang, collected  ten years earlier by Dr.  Gallardo  from Nhatrang  Bay,  Vietnam, also belongs to  this species. As  such  the present  specimens afford  the  first  subsequent record  of  the species and  also  extend  its  known range  considerably. Further, the males  collected  from  Pakistan  are  the  first  known  males  of  the species. 

The  berried  female  was kept in  a glass  aquarium  where  the  larvae  hatched the  next day but  could  not  survive  due  to  unfavourable  conditions. 

Ghani, N. and Tirmizi, N. M. 1991. Rediscovery of Asthenognathus gallardoi Serène & Soh, 1976, from Pakistan (northern Arabian Sea) with description of the male. Crustaceana. 61: 100–102.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/20104678

[Ornithology • 2008] Phylogeny of Laniarius: molecular data reveal L. liberatus synonymous with L. erlangeri and "plumage coloration" as unreliable morphological characters for defining species and species groups

Somali Boubou, Laniarius erlangeri 

– includes the "Bulo Burti Boubou" ("Laniarius liberatus")

Abstract

Laniarius is one of the larger genera within the avian bush-shrike radiation, the family Malaconotidae. Fairly homogenous by size and shape but highly variable by colours, these have been classified mainly on basis of plumage colours. In the present study, which is the first taxon-dense analysis of the genus Laniarius based on molecular sequence data (nuclear BRM15 intron-15, and mitochondrial ND2 and ATPase6 genes), we investigate interrelationships between 16 species and 34 subspecies of Laniarius. Altogether 2094 bp were aligned and subjected to maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses. Results strongly support the monophyly of Laniarius, and place it close to Chlorophoneus, but without outlining a precise sister-group. In a generally well-resolved phylogeny of Laniarius, L. leucorhynchus and L. atrococcineus constitute deep branches and the remaining species form five clades which are not concordant with previously defined superspecies. The black and white boubous belong to two different clades. L. aethiopicus appears polyphyletic and our results support the resurrection of Laniarius major, Laniarius erlangeri and Laniarius sublacteus. We also find that L. liberatus, described in 1991 based on the only known live individual, is identified as an unusual colour morph from L. erlangeri. The black boubous are not monophyletic; L. funebris and L. leucorhynchus appear as isolated species whereas L. poensis and L. fuelleborni are sister-taxa. We recovered the polyphyly of crimson boubous and new hypotheses on their relationships have been generated. Overall, the variation in pigments and patterns does not follow phylogenetic lineages. The plumage coloration could be thoroughly subject to modification and it could not reflect exactly colour plumages of the parents. From then on, the plumage coloration appears as an unreliable morphological character for defining species and species groups.

Keywords: Laniarius; Malaconotidae; Phylogeny; BRM15 intron-15; ND2; ATPase6; Maximum-likelihood; Bayesian inferences; Superspecies; Carotenoid; Eumelanin; Morphological character

Nguembock, B., Fjeldså J., Couloux A., Pasquet, E. 2008. Phylogeny of Laniarius: molecular data reveal L. liberatus synonymous with L. erlangeri and "plumage coloration" as unreliable morphological characters for defining species and species groups. Mol. Phyl. Evol. 48(2): 396-407. 

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2008.04.014

Goodbye Bulo Burti boubou (sort of) http://on.natgeo.com/Np6AHW

-----------------------------
A new species of shrike (Laniidae: Laniarius) from Somalia, verified by DNA sequence data from the only known individual

Abstract
A new species of bush-shrike is described on the basis of the only known individual. The bird was captured in a disturbed Acacia thicket near the town of Bulo Burti by the Shabeelle River in central Somalia. Believed to represent a species near extinction, the bird was kept alive, studied in captivity and then released. The type material comprises moulted feathers, blood samples and DNA extracted from feather quills. For comparison, DNA from other bush-shrikes was obtained from old museum skins and three live birds. Comparisons of base sequences from the cyt-b gene of mitochondrial DNA support the judgement that the bird represents a full species and is not a colour morph or hybrid of examined taxa. This procedure confirms that, in situations where collecting is not desirable, tissue from live individuals can be used to define taxa, and for comparisons with DNA from museum specimens of other taxa.

Smith, E. F. G., Arctander, P., Fjelds, J. & Amir, O. G. 1991. A new species of shrike (Laniidae: Laniarius) from Somalia, verified by DNA sequence data from the only known individual. Ibis. 133, 227-235. DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1991.tb04564.x

[Herpetology • 1991] Brookesia valerieae • Field observations on some dwarf chameleons (Brookesia spp.) from rainforest areas of Madagascar, with the description of a new species

Six species of Brookesia dwarf chameleons were recorded during two rainforest expeditions in Madagascar. One of these is described as a new species Brookesia valerieae based on the arrangement of the nine pairs of dorso-lateral spines, the lack of a pelvic shield, and dorsal chevron markings. Observations were made on the defence and roosting behaviours shown by these six species. Aspects concerning the evolution and conservation in Madagascar are discussed for this poorly studied group of endemic Malagasy reptiles.



Brookesia valerieae sp. nov.
Holotype- Adult female, BM(NH) 1988.8, Manongarivo Special Reserve, north-west Madagascar, 14" 4' S, 48" 17' E, 350 m altitude, caught on the forest floor at midday by N. Quansah, collected by C. J. Raxworthy, 17.2.88.
The holotype is shown in Plates V and VI. It has been deposited at the British Museum (Natural History).


Etymology: This species of chameleon has been named for Valerie M. Raxworthy in recognition of her support towards this work in Madagascar.

Raxworthy, C. J. 1991. Field observations on some dwarf chameleons (Brookesia spp.) from rainforest areas of Madagascar, with the description of a new species. J. Zool., London 224: 11-25.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1991.tb04785.x/abstract

[Herpetology • 1991] กิ้งก่าภูวัว | Mantheyus (Ptyctolaemus) phuwaunensis (Manthey and Nabhitabhata, 1991) • The agamid lizard from Thailand and Laos represents a new genus

Mantheyus (Ptyctolaemus) phuwaunensis

(Manthey and Nabhitabhata, 1991)

New material of Ptyctohaemus phuwuanensis is described. This rock-dwelling agarnid from Thailand and Laos differs from all other draconines including Ptyctolaemus gularis (the type species of the genus) by having femoral pores, and from all other agamids by having the combination of femoral pores and haired skin sense organs. The taxon is described here as a new genus.

Key Words: Agamidae, Draconinae, Ptyctolaemus, Thailand, Laos, femoral pores, new genus


Etymology: The genus Mantheyus is named after Ulrich Manthey for his contributions to Southeast Asian herpetology. The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality.

Distribution: NE Thailand, WC Laos
Type locality: Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, Nong Khai Province, Nong Dem Subdistrict, Bung Khan District, Thailand, 18°15' N, 103°58' E, 200-380 m elevation.

Manthey, U. and J. Nabhitabhata, 1991. Eine neue Agame Ptyctolaemus phuwuanensis sp.n. (Sauria: Agamidae) aus Nordost-Thailand. Sauria. 13(4): 3-6 pp.

Ananjeva, N.B. and B.L. Stuart, 2001. The agamid lizard Ptyctolaemus phuwuanensis Manthey and Nabhitabhata, 1991 from Thailand and Laos represents a new genus. Russian Journal Herpetology. 8(3): 165-170 pp. http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/research_collections/zoology/pdf/Ananjeva_Stuart_2001v2.pdf

Species: Mantheyus phuwaunensis from Siamensis.org Species Index:

http://www.siamensis.org/species_index#3625--Species: Mantheyus phuwaunensis
http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Mantheyus&species=phuwuanensis

[Botany • 1991] Thai Impatiens • เทียนเมืองกาญจน์, เทียนกาญจนบุรี Impatiens kanburiensis

เทียนเมืองกาญจน์, เทียนกาญจนบุรี

Impatiens kanburiensis T. Shimizu (Balsaminaceae)

ไม้ล้มลุก สูง 50-100 ซม. กิ่งอ่อนและยอดอ่อนมีขนสั้นนุ่มหนาแน่น ใบเดี่ยวเรียงสลับ รูปรีแกมขอบขนาน ยาวประมาณ 4.5 ซม. มีต่อมรูปรี 1 คู่ ที่ขอบใบด้านล่าง ปลายและโคนใบแหลม โคนเบี้ยวเล็กน้อย ขอบใบหยักมน ปลายหยักเป็นติ่งสั้นๆ แผ่นใบด้านล่างมีขนตามเส้นใบ เส้นใบ 8-10 คู่ ก้านใบยาว 1-2 ซม. ดอกออกเดี่ยวๆ ออกตามซอกใบใกล้ปลายกิ่ง ใบประดับติดที่โคนก้านดอก ก้านดอกยาว 0.5–1.5 ซม. กลีบเลี้ยงกลีบข้าง 4 กลีบ กลีบคู่ในมีขนาดเล็ก กลีบคู่นอกเชื่อมติดกันเป็นกะเปาะ ปลายแยก 2 แฉก แต่ละแฉกปลายมีติ่งแหลม ด้านนอกมีขนสั้นนุ่มหนาแน่น กลีบปากเป็นถุง กว้างประมาณ 0.8 ซม.ด้านในมีจุดสีเหลือง ตรงกลางมีปื้นสีเหลือง เดือยสั้น 1คู่ กลีบดอกกลีบกลางรูปไข่กลับ ยาวประมาณ 1 ซม. สีม่วงอ่อนช่วงปลายกลีบ กลางกลีบเป็นสันสีเขียวอ่อน ปลายกลีบเป็นติ่งแหลม กลีบปีกเชื่อมติดกัน ยาวประมาณ 2 ซม. กลีบคู่นอกยาวประมาณ 1.2 ซม. ปลายมน เว้าตื้นๆ ที่โคนมีเขา แคปซูลเต่งตรงกลาง ปลายเรียวแหลม เมล็ดรูปขอบขนาน แบน ยาวประมาณ 0.4 ซม. มีขนสั้นนุ่ม

เทียนกาญจบุรี เป็นพืชถิ่นเดียวของไทย พบเฉพาะที่จังหวัดกาญจนบุรี ขึ้นตามเขาหินปูน ระดับความสูงไม่เกิน 350 เมตร

Shimizu, T. 1991. New Species of the Thai Impateins (1). Journal of Japanese Botany. 66(3): 166-171.

http://web3.dnp.go.th/botany/detail.aspx?LinkMain=Y&words=เทียน&typeword=group