[PaleoMammalogy • 2024] Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki • An archaic Dolphin from the Central Paratethys (Early Miocene, Austria)

Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki

Sanchez-Posada, Racicot, Ruf, Krings & Rössner, 2024 

DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2401503 

www.LMU.de

 

ABSTRACT

A new long-snouted homodont odontocete fossil from the Lower Miocene of Austria (ca. 22.5–22.0 Ma) is formally described and interpreted based on external skull characteristics supplemented by CT and µCT data. The specimen was found in deposits from the Central Paratethys and includes an incomplete and fragmented cranium and mandible as well as ear bones. It differs markedly from previously identified long-snouted archaic dolphins with single-rooted, homodont dentition, and thus is suggestive of a new taxon, for which the name Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki proposed. The geological context of R. pollerspoecki hints at a neritic habitat in close vicinity to estuarine environments. Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki shares key features with certain members of the so-called ‘Chilcacetus clade’ such as the widening of the premaxillae at the rostrum base and the absence of a deep lateral groove along the rostrum; however, a phylogenetic analysis reconstructs R. pollerspoecki in a polytomy with members of this ‘clade’ and a larger clade including many other taxa. To better understand the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa, comprehensive reexamination of Argryocetus and Macrodelphinus will be necessary. Measurements obtained through µCT-based internal anatomical reconstruction of the bony labyrinth indicate that R. pollerspoecki had the ability to hear specialized high-frequency signals similar to modern narrow-band high-frequency (NBHF) specialists. This work further identifies several extinct platanistoids as hearing within the NBHF spectrum, increasing the understanding of the diversity of ecological adaptations in early-diverging odontocetes and providing more examples of convergent evolution of this hearing type.

Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki, gen. et sp. nov.

 

Catalina Sanchez-Posada, Rachel A. Racicot, Irina Ruf, Michael Krings and Gertrud E. Rössner. 2024. Romaleodelphis pollerspoecki, gen. et sp. nov., An archaic Dolphin from the Central Paratethys (Early Miocene, Austria). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.  e2401503. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2401503

Archaic dolphin could hear high frequency sounds

 www.LMU.de/en/newsroom/news-overview/news/archaic-dolphin-could-hear-high-frequency-sounds.html

[Botany • 2021] Rubus noricus (Rosaceae) • Hidden on Both Sides of the Alps: A New Species of Bramble from Austria and Germany

 Rubus noricus Hohla, Pagitz & Király

in Hohla, Pagitz & Király, 2021.

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.489.1.1

Rubus ser. Rhamnifolii includes apomictic polyploid species, which occur in north-western and central Europe, with rare outposts to eastern central Europe. A regionally distributed tetraploid species of the series occurring north and south of the Eastern Alps in Austria and Germany, Rubus noricus is described here. The new species is morphologically compared with similar taxa of the series, moreover, comprehensive iconography, data on distribution and ecology are presented.

Keywords: apomixis, biogeography, ecology, postglacial spread, Rubus ser. Rhamnifolii, taxonomy, Eudicots

  Rubus noricus Hohla, Pagitz & Király.
A: section of leafed first-year stem; B: detail of first-year stem; C: margin of terminal leaflet; D: infructescence; E: inflorescence axis; F: peduncle; G: flower; H: petal; I: young carpel. Del. J. Táborská.

 Rubus noricus Hohla, Pagitz & Király.
 A: typical leaf of first-year stem (underside); B: typical leaf of first-year stem (upperside); C: close-up of lower surface of a leaf on first-year stem; D: first-year stem; E: infructescence; F: terminal part of infructescence; G: flowers; H: young collective fruits (with hairy carpels). Austria, Upper Austria, Lochen, Tannberg, July and August 2019, phot. M. Hohla.

Rubus noricus Hohla, Pagitz & Király, sp. nov. 

Etymology:— The epithet “noricus” derives from the former Roman province “Noricum” that approximately covered the eastern Alps and its foregrounds, which overlap well with the species’ distribution area.

Ecology:— Rubus noricus was found in the colline and submontane altitudinal belts from 320 to 600 m above sea level. The species generally grows on slightly acidic (e.g. silicate-rich gravel or granite) to base-rich (e.g. limestone) substrates, on semi-dry to mesic soils, both in natural forest communities (most often in associations of the Fagetalia order), and their derivates (e.g. planted coniferous stands, partly mixed with native deciduous tree species). It prefers half-shady fringes or somewhat opened forest stands, in turn, it avoids exposed sunny sites.

  Michael Hohla, Konrad Pagitz and Gergely Király. 2021. Hidden on Both Sides of the Alps: Rubus noricus, A New Species of Bramble (Rosaceae) from Austria and Germany. Phytotaxa. 489(1); 1–9. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.489.1.1

[Diplopoda • 2020] Haasea Verhoeff, 1895 (Chordeumatida, Haaseidae)—A Genus of Tumultuous History and Chaotic Records—Redefinition, Revision of Taxonomy and Geographic Distributions, with Descriptions of Two New Species from Austria and Serbia

Haasea  sp.

in Antić & Akkari, 2020.

  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4798.1.1 

Researchgate.net/publication/342200732

Abstract

In this paper we revise the chordeumatidan genus Haasea Verhoeff, 1895 for the first time and describe two new species viz., H. gruberi sp. nov. and H. makarovi sp. nov. discovered in Austria and Serbia, respectively. A new terminology is proposed to standardize the description of the gonopod structures in the genus. Type material obtained from several institutions was examined and documented herein, whereby lectotypes are designated. We clarified the taxonomic status of a few taxa and consider the species H. norica (Verhoeff, 1913) and H. guidononveilleri Makarov, 2008 as a junior subjective synonyms of H. cyanopida (Attems, 1903) and H. vidinensis (Strasser, 1973a), respectively. The following subspecies or varieties, viz., Orobainosoma filicis ossiacum Verhoeff, 1939b, Orobainosoma flavescens vornatscheri Verhoeff, 1935, Orobainosoma hungaricum orientale Tabacaru, 1965, and Orobainosoma inflatum var. aspidiorum Verhoeff, 1929 are here regarded as junior subjective synonyms of their nominal taxa. The taxonomic relationships within the genus Haasea are discussed and an identification key to its 17 species is presented, based on number of body segments and gonopod structures.

                Maps showing species occurences based on historical and recent records are presented to understand their respective geographic ranges. H. flavescens is now deleted from the list of species in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Italy as these records were based on misidentified material. H. inflata is deleted from the fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina, whereas H. hungarica is newly recorded from Austria, Serbia and Slovenia.

Keywords: Myriapoda, Haasea gruberi sp. nov., H. makarovi sp. nov., new synonymies, lectotypes, identification key, gonopod structures, SEM, distribution maps, taxonomy, millipedes, Central Europe, the Alps, the Carpathians, the Balkans

Dragan Antić and Nesrine Akkari. 2020. Haasea Verhoeff, 1895—A Genus of Tumultuous History and Chaotic Records—Redefinition, Revision of Taxonomy and Geographic Distributions, with Descriptions of Two New Species from Austria and Serbia (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Haaseidae). Zootaxa. 4798(1); 1-77. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4798.1.1

Researchgate.net/publication/342200732_Haasea_Verhoeff_1895-a_genus_of_tumultuous_history_and_chaotic_records-_redefinition_revision_of_taxonomy_and_geographic_distributions

[Paleontology • 2019] Mystriosuchus steinbergeri • Description and Phylogenetic Placement of A New Marine Species of Phytosaur (Archosauriformes: Phytosauria) from the Late Triassic of Austria

Mystriosuchus steinbergeri 

Butler, Jones, Buffetaut, Mandl, Scheyer & Schultz, 2019

DOI:  10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz014

  twitter.com/ButlerLabBham  twitter.com/MarkWitton

Abstract

Phytosaurs are a group of carnivorous, semi-aquatic archosaurian reptiles that attained an almost global distribution during the Late Triassic. We here describe a new species of the phytosaur genus Mystriosuchus from the Norian Dachstein Limestone of Austria, from a marine lagoonal depositional environment. The new Austrian material comprises remains of at least four individuals of similar size (c. 4 m in total length) found in association but disarticulated, and includes one complete and two partial skulls and postcrania. All of these specimens apparently represent a single taxon, which is distinguished by numerous anatomical features from the two previously named Mystriosuchus species. Maximum parsimony analysis of a comprehensive morphological dataset provides strong statistical support for the phylogenetic position of the new Austrian taxon in Mystriosuchus, as the sister taxon to a clade comprising M. planirostris and M. westphali. Histological analysis suggests that the Austrian phytosaur specimens represent individuals that were at least eight years old at time of death, but which had not yet reached skeletal maturity. Taphonomic and palaeoenvironmental data suggest that these phytosaurs were living in the marine lagoon in which they were preserved, providing the strongest evidence to date of marine adaptations in phytosaurs.

Keywords: bone histology, fossils, marine adaptations, morphology, phylogeny, reptiles

Figure 5. Holotype skull of Mystriosuchus steinbergeri sp. nov. (NHMW 1986/0024/0001)
 in right lateral (A), posterior (B), medial cross-sectional (C), dorsal (D) and ventral (E) views.

twitter.com/ButlerLabBham

Figure 1. Photographs taken in 1982 during the collection of the type and referred material of Mystriosuchus steinbergeri sp. nov. A, the type locality. The five figures in the centre of the photograph are clustered around the excavation site. B, the excavation team, including from left-to-right, Johann Segl, Sepp Steinberger, Georg Sverak and Walter Prenner. Georg Sverak is using the pneumatic hammer to drill a hole for a wedge used to split the blocks of limestone for removal. C, Georg Sverak and Walter Prenner in front of their tent. D, photograph of the block, as originally excavated, including the holotype skull (NHMW 1986/0024/0001; bottom right of photograph) and paratype mandible (NHMW 1986/0024/0002; top middle of photograph) in close association.

twitter.com/ButlerLabBham 

Life reconstruction of Mystriosuchus steinbergeri sp. nov. in the Dachstein Limestone depositional environment.

Illustration: Mark Witton.

twitter.com/MarkWitton

SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY 

Archosauriformes Gauthier, 1986 

Phytosauria Jaeger, 1828

Parasuchidae Lydekker, 1885 sensu Kammerer et al., 2015 

Mystriosuchinae Huene, 1915 sensu Kammerer et al., 2015 

Leptosuchomorpha Stocker, 2010 sensu Jones & Butler, 2018 

Mystriosuchini Huene, 1915 sensu Jones & Butler, 2018 

Mystriosuchus Fraas, 1896

Mystriosuchus steinbergeri sp. nov.

Etymology: The species is named for Sepp Steinberger, who discovered and helped collect the holotype and referred specimens.

Richard J. Butler, Andrew S. Jones, Eric Buffetaut, Gerhard W. Mandl, Torsten M. Scheyer and Ortwin Schultz. 2019. Description and Phylogenetic Placement of A New Marine Species of Phytosaur (Archosauriformes: Phytosauria) from the Late Triassic of Austria. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. zlz014. DOI:  10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz014  

twitter.com/ButlerLabBham/status/1126169142447550465

 twitter.com/MarkWitton/status/1126197916539002881

[Ichthyology • 2018] Romanogobio skywalkeri • A New Gudgeon (Teleostei: Gobionidae) from the upper Mur River, Austria

Romanogobio skywalkeri 

Friedrich, Wiesner, Zangl, Daill, Freyhof & Koblmüller, 2018

DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6 

museum-joanneum.at

Abstract

Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species, is described from the upper Mur River in the Austrian Danube drainage. It is related to R. banarescui from the Mediterranean basin. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished from R. banarescui by lacking epithelial crests on the predorsal back, having 12–14 total pectoral-fin rays (vs. 10–11) and usually 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays (vs. 7½). It is distinguished from other Romanogobio species in the Danube drainage by having a very slender body; a moderately long barbel, extending slightly beyond the posterior eye margin; and no epithelial crests on the predorsal back. Romanogobio skywalkeri is distinguished by a minimum net divergence of 6.3% (uncorrected p-distance against R. banarescui) in the COI barcoding region from other European Romanogobio species. A key to the Romanogobio species of the Danube drainage is provided. Romanogobio banarescui from the Vardar drainage and R. carpathorossicus from the Danube drainage are treated as valid species.

Keywords: Pisces, Freshwater fish, taxonomy, Cytochrome oxidase I, Europe, hydropower

Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri  

 photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at 

museum-joanneum.at

FIGURE 3. Romanogobio skywalkeri, from the top, not preserved, 91 mm SL, 96 mm SL; Austria: River Mur at Oberaich.

Romanogobio skywalkeri, new species

Etymology. Named for Luke Skywalker, the hero of the movie “Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope” (Lucasfilms, Twentieth Century Fox, 1977). As common name emerald gudgeon fits the line with common names of other Romanogobio species and reflects the green hue of the fish when observed in his natural habitat or freshly caught.

  

Smaragdgressling Romanogobio skywalkeri, 

photos: Wolfgang Gessl, www.pisces.at

  

Thomas Friedrich, Christian Wiesner, Lukas Zangl, Daniel Daill, Jörg Freyhof and Stephan Koblmüller. 2018. Romanogobio skywalkeri, A New Gudgeon (Teleostei: Gobionidae) from the upper Mur River, Austria.  Zootaxa. 4403(2); 336–350. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.6
 www.museum-joanneum.at/presse/aktuelle-projekte/events/event/6908/hotspot-mur-1
 facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156304529357138 

 treatment.plazi.org/id/56314416-8525-FF95-90A9-A1DEFEB2FEAA

 twitter.com/plazi_ch/status/981468539445006336

     

[Herpetology • 2008] First record of a natural male hybrid of Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis Laurenti, 1768 and Bufo (Bufo) bufo Linneus, 1758 from Austria

Natural male hybrid of Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis LAURENTI, 1768
and Bufo (Bufo) bufo LINNEUS, 1758 from Perchtoldsdorf, Austria.

Photographs: M. Duda.

Natural hybridisation of Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis LAURENTI, 1768 and Bufo (Bufo) bufo LINNEUS, 1758 was reported occasionally from Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy. Additionaly, hybrids of both species were bred in the laboratory, hybrid spawn, tadpoles and toadlets from these two species are subject to high mortality. The obvious rareness of viable hybrids among Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis and Bufo bufo accords with the recent view of the parental species representing different genera (FROST et al. 2006). Nevertheless, there are documented records of adult hybrids in nature

..................

Key words: Amphibia: Anura: Bufonidae: Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis, Bufo (Bufo) bufo, natural hybridisation, Austria

Duda M. 2008. First record of a natural male hybrid of Bufo (Pseudepidalea) viridis Laurenti, 1768 and Bufo (Bufo) bufo Linneus, 1758 from Austria. Herpetozoa. 20: 184-186. http://www.vipersgarden.at/PDF/Duda_Bufo_Hybriden.pdf

[Paleontology • 2002] Austriadactylus cristatus • A crested rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur from the Late Triassic of Austria

Austriadactylus cristatus (Dalla Vecchia et al. 2002) Norian, Late Triassic, ~210 mya, was the largest known Triassic pterosaur. Derived from a sister to Raeticodactylus, Austriadactylus was a phylogenetic predecessor to the much smaller Austriadactylus from Italy (SC 332466).

http://www.reptileevolution.com/austriadactylus-austrian.htm

http://www.palaeocritti.com/by-group/pterosauria/austriadactylus

Dalla Vecchia FM, Wild R, Hopf H and Reitner J 2002. A crested rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur from the Late Triassic of Austria, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 22 (1): 196-199.

http://jstor.org/stable/10.2307/4524213

http://publicationslist.org/fabio.dalla_vecchia