[Paleontology • 2026] Invictibellatrix amberina • A new megaraptoran dinosaur (Coelurosauria: Megaraptora) from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation, UK, and its implications for theropod evolution and biogeography

 

 Invictibellatrix amberina
with contemporary fauna in the lower part of the Wessex Formation. 

Morrison, Scherer, Mannion, Porro, Clark, Folkes & Barrett, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rsos.260937 

Artwork by Sergey Krasovskiy and Pedro Salas

Abstract

Theropod dinosaur remains from the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, UK, are rare and often fragmentary. Here, we present a previously undescribed braincase from this formation that represents a new coelurosaurian, Invictibellatrix amberina gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis and comparative anatomy indicate that Invictibellatrix is distantly related to all previously named theropods from this stratigraphic unit. Theropod braincases are often regarded as morphologically and phylogenetically conservative, but we demonstrate that neurocranial characters provide essential data that can help clarify the phylogenetic relationships of theropods. The sub-circular occipital condyle, sub-oval foramen magnum and presence of a sagittal nuchal crest indicate that Invictibellatrix is referable to Megaraptora, with phylogenetic analyses recovering it as an early-diverging member of this clade, within a paraphyletic array of Eurasian taxa. Incorporation of Invictibellatrix into a biogeographical analysis suggests that non-megaraptorid megaraptorans likely had a cosmopolitan distribution in the Early Cretaceous, and that the absence of megaraptorans in the Late Cretaceous of Laurasia is best explained by regional extinction. The recognition of this new genus increases our knowledge of Early Cretaceous European coelurosaurian diversity, which now includes tyrannosauroids, maniraptoriforms and megaraptorans.

Keywords: megaraptora, endocast, Early Cretaceous, theropod, dinosaur, biogeography, Wessex Formation 

Systematic palaeontology

Dinosauria Owen, 1842

Saurischia Seeley, 1888

Theropoda Marsh, 1881

Tetanurae Gauthier, 1986

Coelurosauria Huene, 1914

Megaraptora

Photographs of the holotype braincase (NHMUK PV R6775) of Invictibellatrix amberina gen. et sp. nov. in A: anterior, B: posterior; C: right lateral; D: left lateral; E: ventral; F: dorsal views.

Abbreviations: atr, anterior tympanic recess; boc, basioccipital crest; bpr, basipterygoid recess; bsr, basisphenoid recess; bt, basal tubera; btw, basituberal web; CN, cranial nerves V, VII; cp, cultriform process; cvl, crista ventrolateralis of basisphenoid; fm, foramen magnum; oc, occipital condyle; ova, fenestra ovalis; pcr, paracondylar recess; pit, depression of the pituitary gland within the pituitary fossa; pp, paraoccipital process; prp, preotic pendant; psncr, parasagittal nuchal crest recess; scr, sub-condylar recess; snc, parasagittal nuchal crest; sok, supraoccipital knob; sta, sella turcica. Scale bar equals 50 mm.

Invictibellatrix amberina gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: the generic name Invictibellatrix is derived from the Latin ‘invictus’ (‘unconquered’) and ‘bellatrix’ (‘warrior’ in the feminine form) and honours the future role of Megaraptora as Gondwanan apex predators, while early on in their evolutionary history they were smaller, non-apex predators [55–57]. This name is to give hope and strength to all those who are bullied, discriminated, victimized and oppressed that tomorrow will be theirs and not to give up in the face of such odds. The species epithet amberina is derived from the amber present in the plant debris beds of the Wessex Formation [58].

Locality and horizon: Sudmoor Point, near Brook, southwestern coast of the Isle of Wight, UK; Wessex Formation, Barremian, Lower Cretaceous. Most likely from the lower plant debris beds (L1 to L5).

Holotype: NHMUK PV R6775, a partial braincase.

Diagnosis: Invictibellatrix amberina can be diagnosed by the following unique character combination (autapomorphies marked with an asterisk): (i) *presence of a small basipterygoid recess anterior to the anterior tympanic recess (ATR) on each side of the parabasisphenoid, (ii) *slightly transversely compressed, hourglass-shaped nuchal crest, (iii) the presence of two large, deep and dorsoventrally elongate paracondylar recesses on the ventrolateral sides of the basioccipital, and (iv) *parasagittal nuchal crest recesses that are slightly curved and pronounced.

An artist's illustration of the new theropod dinosaur, Invictibellatrix amberina (center of the image), in its ecosystem on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom, in the Early Cretaceous (around 120 million years ago). It lived in what was likely a seasonally wet-to-dry floodplain environment and is surrounded by other dinosaurs including large long-necked rebbachisaurid sauropods (directly behind Invictibellatrix, center) and relatives of Iguanodon (right). A spinosaurid theropod, potentially the apex predator of the time, fishes (left). Invictibellatrix has just caught and is consuming two small mammals. Gymnosperms dominate the environment as flowering plants (angiosperms) were not common at this time. Other reptiles including relatives of modern lizards, crocodiles and turtles enjoy the warm Early Cretaceous weather of the U.K.

Artwork by Sergey Krasovskiy and Pedro Salas

Cassius Morrison; Charlie R. Scherer; Philip Mannion; Laura B. Porro; Brett Clark; Daniel D. Folkes; Paul M. Barrett. 2026. A new megaraptoran dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation, UK, and its implications for theropod evolution and biogeography. R. Soc. Open Sci. 13(10): 260937. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rsos.260937 [14 Oct 2026]

[Paleontology • 2026] New Fossil Material of Chelus colombiana (Testudines: Chelidae) from the Middle Miocene of Peru

 

Chelus colombiana MUSM-920
specimen from the Middle Miocene of Fitzcarrald Arch, Peru.
(A) Shell in anterior (cranial) view. (B) Shell in left lateral view. (C) Shell in posterior (caudal) view, showing both pelvic girdles articulated and sutured to the carapace and plastron. 

in Cadena, Salas-Gismondi, Zamora-Vega, ... et Pérez-García. 2026. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.palwor.2026.201135

  Artistic reconstruction  by Juan Giraldo

Abstract

We describe two fossil turtle shells of Chelus colombiana from Middle Miocene vertebrate localities in the Fitzcarrald Arch and Iquitos regions of Peru. One specimen represents one of the most complete fossil shells of the genus, also one of the largest known, measuring 84.6 cm in carapace length and estimated to have weighed approximately 65 kg. Morphological comparisons confirm synchronous consistency with other C. colombiana specimens from Colombia and Brazil, with only minor variation in the gular and extragular scutes. These new records extend the known geographic distribution of C. colombiana to the southwestern margins of the Pebas wetland system and support a broader pattern of body size gigantism among Miocene South American turtles, likely driven by ecological connectivity rather than climatic factors. However, the absence of associated cranial material remains a major obstacle to fully resolving the taxonomy of fossil Chelus, a problem further explored in this study.

Keywords: South America; Neogene; Pebas Formation; Testudines; Pleurodira; paleobiogeography

Systematic paleontology

Order Testudines Batsch, 1788 sensu Joyce et al., 2020a

Suborder Pleurodira Cope, 1865 sensu Joyce et al., 2020b

Family Chelidae Gray, 1825 sensu Joyce et al., 2021

Genus Chelus Duméril, 1806

Chelus colombiana Wood, 1976

 Shell of Chelus colombiana MUSM-920 specimen from the Middle Miocene of Fitzcarrald Arch, Peru. 
(A) Shell in anterior (cranial) view. (B) Shell in left lateral view. (C) Shell in posterior (caudal) view, showing both pelvic girdles articulated and sutured to the carapace and plastron.
 (D) Artistic reconstruction of Chelus colombiana by Juan Giraldo.

Edwin-Alberto Cadena, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Camila Zamora-Vega, John Flynn, Pierre-Olivier Antoine, Patrice Baby and Adán Pérez-García. 2026. New Fossil Material of Chelus (Testudines: Chelidae) from the Middle Miocene of Peru. Palaeoworld. 35(5); 201135. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.palwor.2026.201135 [25 May 2026]

 

[Paleontology • 2026] Nipponopelta yezoensis • A new nodosaurid ankylosaur (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Hikagenosawa Formation in Japan reveals dispersal pattern of Asian nodosaurid ankylosaurs

Nipponopelta yezoensis 

 Oyabu, Kobayashi, Zelenitsky, Fiorillo & Kano, 2026

「ニッポノペルタ・エゾエンシス」DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2026.106477 

Highlights

• Nipponopelta yezoensis is the first ankylosaur formally named from Japan.

• The taxon is more closely related to North American nodosaurids than Asian taxa.

• Coastal environments may have played a role in interregional nodosaurid radiations.

Abstract

Nodosaurid dinosaurs are mainly known from North America and Europe, with rare occurrences in South America and Asia. A partial skull, discovered in a concretion from the upper part of the marine Hikagenosawa Formation (upper Cenomanian) in Yubari City, Hokkaido, Japan, was initially described in 2005 and identified as a nodosaurid based on its dentition and occipital bone morphology. However, its taxonomic status remained unresolved. In this study, three-dimensional CT reconstructions reveal detailed morphological features justifying the naming of a new taxon, Nipponopelta yezoensis gen. et sp. nov., the first named Japanese ankylosaur based on unique characters in the occipital region. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Nipponopelta yezoeisis is deeply nested within derived North American and European nodosaurids and distantly related to other Asian nodosaurids. Ancestral geographic analysis suggests that Nipponopelta yezoensis and its close relatives originated in Laramidia, Appalachia, and Asia, indicating a wide ancestral area. Habitat reconstruction reveals that Nipponopelta yezoensis preferred marine-influenced environments, likely inhabiting coastal or estuarine areas. This preference for coastal environments played a significant role in its dispersal patterns across different regions.

Keywords: Ankylosauria; Nodosauridae; Cretaceous; Palaeobiogeography; Asia

Nipponopelta yezoensis gen. et sp. nov.

Shumpei Oyabu, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Darla K. Zelenitsky, Anthony R. Fiorillo and Manabu Kano. 2026. A new nodosaurid ankylosaur (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Hikagenosawa Formation in Japan reveals dispersal pattern of Asian nodosaurid ankylosaurs. Cretaceous Research. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2026.106477 [21 August 2026]

https://tiisys.com/blog/2026/09/02/post-202824/

北海道産恐竜化石を「ニッポノペルタ・エゾエンシス」と命名～約1億年前の"海辺の恐竜"が明かす、白亜紀の大陸間移動～（総合博物館　教授　小林快次）

 

[PaleoIchthyology • 2026] Nazaria limnica • A New deep bodied ray-finned fish (Osteichthyes: Actinopterygii) from the Permian Pedra do Fogo Formation (Northeastern Brazil) and its phylogenetic and paleogeographic affinities

Nazaria limnica

Richter, Cisneros, Kammerer, Pardo, Marsicano, Fröbisch, Smith & Angielczyk, 2026

 DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2697805  

Artwork by Juan C. Cisneros & Martha Richter

 bsky.app/profile/cisneros.bsky.social

ABSTRACT

A deep bodied ray-finned fish is reported from Cisuralian lacustrine deposits of the Parnaíba Basin. Its ecological niche and systematic affinities are discussed, considering the paleogeographic distribution of selected Permo-Carboniferous deep bodied fishes from several separate sedimentary successions of western Gondwana. The occurrence of deep bodied fishes in the Parnaíba Basin mirrors the presence of a similarly shaped but less derived and distantly related taxon, Paranaichthys longianalis from the late Permian of the Paraná Basin of southern Brazil. The new taxon’s unique combination of characters includes an elongated pectoral fin; posteriorly inclined suspensorium; deep flank scales ornamented with fine vertical striae, tiny mandibular teeth and palatal crushing dental plates. It shares with Guildayichthys and Discoserra two preopercular bones, a supraorbital, and marginal teeth on the lower jaw. Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on two datasets. Dataset 1 included 53 characters coded for 26 deep bodied and fusiform fish fossils from Brazil, North America, China, South Africa, and Australia, with results indicating that is most closely related to the North American order Guildayichthyformes, known from marine rocks of Pennsylvanian age. Dataset 2 included 119 taxa coded for 293 characters. The two analyses place the new taxon as the sister group of a clade comprised of Blourugia and Paranaichthys. However, the results of the study of both datasets show a high degree of uncertainty about the interrelationships between the new taxon and other deep bodied Paleozoic fish species.

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

OSTEICHTHYES Huxley, 1880

ACTINOPTERYGII Cope, 1887

NAZARIA, gen. nov.

 

Etymology—Named after the municipality of Nazária in the State of Piauí, where the fossils were collected.

NAZARIA LIMNICA, gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology—Derives from the Greek epithet limne (‘lake’) a reference to the lacustrine paleoenvironment where the fishes lived.

Nazaria limnica, MAP PV1029 (holotype).
A, part; B, counterpart (reversed). The caudal and anal fins are not preserved in the holotype.

Abbreviations: vrs, ventral ridge scales.

Nazaria limnica, MAP PV1029 (holotype).
A, skull and anterior part of the trunk (dorsal crest not figured here); B, identification of skull bones as preserved in A and, augmented drawing of one of the anteriormost trunk scales, showing its vertical ornamental ridges and dorsal of the peg-and-socket articulation system. The hatched lines indicate uncertain bone boundaries.

Abbreviations: An, angular; a.In, anterior infraorbital; br, branchiostegal rays; Cl, cleithrum; Cla, clavicle; De, dentary; Dro, dorsal rostral; Dsp, dermosphenotic; Ent?, impression of an entopterygoid?; Ex, extrascapulars; Fr, frontal; Ju, jugal; mt, mandibular teeth; Mx, maxilla; Na, nasal; Op, operculum; Pa, parietal; Pmx-ant, premaxilla-antorbital; Pop1, preoperculum 1; Pop2, preoperculum 2; Psp, post-spiracular; Sco, scapulocoracoid; So, suborbitals; Sop, suboperculum; St, supratemporal; Su, supraorbital; Vo, vomer; VRo, ventral rostral.

 Nazaria limnica, MAP PV1029 (holotype).
A, detail of the mouth and surrounding region; B, details of the dentition.

 Abbreviations: maxt?, possible maxillary crushing teeth; mt, mandibular marginal teeth; Mx, maxilla; Vo, vomer (vomerine tooth plate).

Tentative reconstruction of the skull pattern and anteriormost flank scales of Nazaria limnica, based on MAP PV1029 (holotype), after rearrangement of some taphonomically dislocated bones (jugal, lachrymal and ventral preopercular). Short, dotted lines represent inferred bone limits (preoperculum, suboperculum, and ventral limit of the suprachleithrum). The inset features the skull sensorial line pattern.

Abbreviations: An, angular; a.In, anterior infraorbital; app, anterior process of parasphenoid; asp, posterior ascending process of parasphenoid; br, branchiostegal rays; Cl, cleithrum; Cla, clavicle; Dro, dorsal rostral; Dsp, dermosphenotic; Ent?, impression of an entopterygoid?; Ex, extrascapulars; Fr, frontal; Ju, jugal; Mx, maxilla; Na, nasal; Op, operculum; P1, pectoral fin; Pa, parietal; Par, parasphenoid; Pmx-ant, premaxilla-antorbital; Pop1, preoperculum 1; Pop2, preoperculum 2; Psp, post-spiracular; Sco, scapulocoracoid; So, suborbitals; Sop, suboperculum; sr, sclerotic ring; St, supratemporal; Su, supraorbital; Vo, vomer; Vro, ventral rostral.

Life reconstruction of Nazaria limnica, based on a composite rendering of characters observed on either the holotype, the paratype or both.

Art by Juan C. Cisneros based on Martha Richter reconstruction.

 

Martha Richter, Juan C. Cisneros, Christian F. Kammerer, Jason D. Pardo, Claudia A. Marsicano, Jörg Fröbisch, Roger M. H. Smith and Kenneth D. Angielczyk. 2026. A New deep bodied ray-finned fish (Osteichthyes/Actinopterygii) from the Permian Pedra do Fogo Formation (Northeastern Brazil) and its phylogenetic and paleogeographic affinities. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2697805. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2697805 [26 Aug 2026]

 bsky.app/profile/cisneros.bsky.social/post/3mtzp3mskp225

 bsky.app/profile/jdpardo.bsky.social/post/3mtyrzy7tw225

[Paleontology • 2019] Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis • A New freshwater teleosaurid (Thalattosuchia: Teleosauridae) from the Jurassic of northeastern Thailand

Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis

Martin, S. Suteethorn, Lauprasert, Tong, Buffetaut, Liard, Salaviale, Deesri, V. Suteethorn & Claude, 2019

อินโดไซโนซูคัส โปเตโมสยามเอนซิส  || DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1549059 

 Artwork by Kmonvish Lawan

 

ABSTRACT

The core of the fossil record of Teleosauridae, a family of thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs, is well known from western Tethyan marine deposits of the Jurassic. Outside this province, their fossil record is patchy and in need of revision, with specimens from Russia, Madagascar, and Asia. Peipehsuchus teleorhinus is known from the Early or Middle Jurassic of China and teleosaurid specimens have been mentioned or preliminarily described from two Jurassic localities in Thailand, yet they were not assigned to a given taxon. Thanks to recent field work, at least 10 individuals represented by cranial material were excavated and prepared from a single Jurassic locality known as Phu Noi in the lower Phu Kradung Formation of northeastern Thailand. Here, we describe these specimens, together with disarticulated postcranial elements, and erect a new taxon, Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis, gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses confirm the teleosaurid affinities of the new species, which does not form an exclusive clade with the Chinese teleosaurid Peipehsuchus teleorhinus. The presence of teleosaurids at Phu Noi and a preliminary account of its faunal content favor a Middle to Late Jurassic age for the fossil-bearing horizon. In contrast, Cretaceous deposits in Thailand are characterized by goniopholidids and pholidosaurids, indicating a faunal turnover in Southeast Asia across the Jurassic–Cretaceous. As previously shown by isotope data, the new teleosaurid species was a resident of the freshwater environment and co-occurs with remains of exclusively terrestrial taxa such as sauropod, ornithopod, and theropod dinosaurs and freshwater tetrapods such as turtles and temnospondyls.

Indosinosuchus potamosiamensis, gen. et sp. nov.

 Jeremy E. Martin, Suravech Suteethorn, Komsorn Lauprasert, Haiyan Tong, Eric Buffetaut, Romain Liard, Celine Salaviale, Uthumporn Deesri, Varavudh Suteethorn and Julien Claude. 2019. A New freshwater teleosaurid from the Jurassic of northeastern Thailand. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 64 (2): 239–260. e1549059. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2018.1549059  [27 Feb 2019]

 facebook.com/Dinosaursdiary/photos/1606369629465840 

 twitter.com/Synapsida/status/1101165207257337856

[Paleontology • 2026] Spea labreae • A New extinct Pleistocene Species of Spadefoot Toad (Anura: Scaphiopodidae) and comments on the Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography of Anurans from Rancho La Brea, California

Reconstruction of Spea labreae, (dark spadefoots, center) in La Brea Tar Pits compared with Spea hammondii (light spadefoot, left), the species currently present in the area, and the presence of the Mexican burrowing toad (Rhinophrynidae, bottom). 

 Cruz & Lindsey, 2026

 DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2689465 

Artwork by Arturo Dávalos

ABSTRACT

Fossil amphibians hold great promise for paleoecological, paleoclimatological, and biogeographic studies because of their extreme sensitivity to environmental conditions. However, the study of fossil amphibians to date has been limited, because the fragility of frog, toad, and salamander skeletons means that diagnostic elements are rarely preserved in the fossil record. One unique locality that preserves a robust record of Quaternary amphibians is Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. Here, we describe the amphibian fauna from the Hancock Collection of Rancho La Brea, which contains fossils from ∼45,000 years before present through the Holocene. We document previously unrecognized taxa from this locality, including the Mexican burrowing toad Rhinophrynus sp. and a new species of spadefoot toad, Spea labreae, sp. nov. Using osteological comparison material, we calculate the size of this new species of Spea, which is larger than the extant species in this genus. We analyze the current distribution and fossil record of the genus Spea and the family Rhinophrynidae, documenting changes in geographic ranges of these taxa during the Quaternary. These changes likely resulted from the interplay of deglacial climate changes and topographic complexity in the American Southwest, and may help to predict amphibian responses to climate changes impacting the region today.

Class AMPHIBIA, Linnaeus, 1767

Order ANURA Rafinesque, 1815

Family SCAPHIOPODIDAE Cope, 1865

Genus SPEA Cope, 1866

SPEA LABREAE, sp. nov.

Etymology—The specific epithet refers to La Brea, Spanish for ‘the tar’ which gave rise to the name of Rancho La Brea, the locality where this species is found.

 

Locality, Horizon, and Age—Pit A, Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California, Late Pleistocene–Holocene.

 

Reconstruction of Spea labreae, (dark spadefoots, center and right) in La Brea Tar Pits compared with Spea hammondii (light spadefoot, left), the species currently present in the area, and the presence of the Mexican burrowing toad (Rhinophrynidae, bottom).

 Artwork by Arturo Dávalos.

 

J. Alberto Cruz and Emily L. Lindsey. 2026. A New extinct Pleistocene Species of Spadefoot Toad and comments on the Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography of Anurans from Rancho La Brea, California. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2689465. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2689465 [04 Aug 2026]

[PaleoEntomology • 2026] Paleoanomala decapitata • A New lace bug from Lower Cretaceous Spanish Amber informs the Evolution of Forewing Venation in Tingidae (Hemiptera: Miroidea)

Paleoanomala decapitata 

 Davranoglou, Fabrikant, Peñalver, Pérez-de la Fuente, Álvarez-Parra & Delclòs, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70107 

 x.com/ThePalAss 

Abstract

A new lace bug, Paleoanomala decapitata sp. nov. (Tingidae, Tingiometrinae), is described from Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) amber of Peñacerrada I (Burgos, Spain). The genus Paleoanomala was previously known only from Cenomanian Kachin amber of Myanmar, and the discovery of this new species significantly expands its palaeogeographical range as well as the known diversity of lace bugs from Spanish amber deposits. Furthermore, the description of the new species urged us to undertake a reinterpretation of forewing venation in early lace bugs, finding nearly identical venation patterns in the extinct genera Paleoanomala and Tingiometra (Tingiometrinae), and Hispanocader (Hispanocaderidae). Based on this revised interpretation and other shared morphological characters, the extinct tingid subfamily Tingiometrinae and the family Hispanocaderidae are synonymized with Ebboidae, which is here treated as the subfamily Ebboinae stat. nov. within Tingidae. Additionally, Paleoanomala aptenus Poinar & Vega is recognized as a junior synonym of Tingiometra yuripopovi Golub & Heiss, and the latter species is transferred to Paleoanomala as Paleoanomala yuripopovi comb. nov. The affinities of the male paratype previously assigned to this species remain uncertain and it is tentatively treated as Ebboinae indet. Finally, a synthesis of the palaeobiogeographical affinities of arthropods from Cretaceous Spanish amber suggests extensive faunal connections between Iberia, Myanmar and the Middle East during the Early Cretaceous, reflecting the widespread distribution of resiniferous forest ecosystems across Laurasia.

Keywords: Heteroptera, Tingidae, lace bug, fossil, Cretaceous amber, Iberia

Paleoanomala decapitata sp. nov. 

 Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou, Dolev Fabrikant, Enrique Peñalver, Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente, Sergio Álvarez-Parra and Xavier Delclòs. 2026. A New lace bug from Lower Cretaceous Spanish Amber informs the Evolution of Forewing Venation in Tingidae (Hemiptera, Miroidea). 

Papers in Palaeontology.  DOI: doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70107 [29 June 2026] 

x.com/ThePalAss/status/2071649975742681465 

[Paleontology • 2026] Gondwananectes osvaldoi • A new Middle Jurassic marine reptile from Gondwana clarifies the origin of Cryptoclidia, the most successful group of plesiosaurs

Gondwananectes osvaldoi

Otero, Acuña, Vargas, Rojas, Ortiz & Aguirrezabala, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70068 

 x.com/ThePalAss

Abstract 

Cryptoclidia (Plesiosauria, Plesiosauroidea) was a major clade of marine reptiles that originated during the Jurassic. The early evolution of Cryptoclidia is documented by records of Cryptoclididae from the Middle Jurassic (174.7–165.1 Ma) and onwards in Europe, the Caribbean and South America. However, the origin of Cryptoclidia itself has remained obscure. Only some traits shared with Cryptoclidia are found in the Toarcian (184.2–174.7 Ma) taxa Plesiopterys wildi and Franconiasaurus brevispinus, from southern Europe. Here we describe a small-bodied sub-adult skeleton belonging to a new plesiosaurian taxon from the Middle Jurassic (c. 170 Ma) of the Atacama Desert (former southwestern Gondwana). The new taxon has single-headed ribs in its axial skeleton, and its combination of novel and ancestral features place it as the sister taxon of Cryptoclidia. The lower Bajocian stage, the phylogenetic position of the new taxon, as well as its palaeogeographic occurrence, point to an older origin and dispersal of Cryptoclidia ancestors, reinforcing the notion that an early Caribbean corridor between the Pacific and Tethyan realms was already functional during the Middle Jurassic.

Keywords: marine reptile, plesiosaurian, phylogeny, Middle Jurassic, Gondwana, palaeogeography

Gondwananectes osvaldoi

 

Rodrigo A. Otero, Sergio Soto Acuña, Alexander O. Vargas, Jennyfer Rojas, Héctor Ortiz, Guillermo Aguirrezabala. 2026. A new Middle Jurassic marine reptile from Gondwana clarifies the origin of Cryptoclidia, the most successful group of plesiosaurs. Papers in Palaeontology. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/spp2.70068 [08 March 2026] 

x.com/ThePalAss/status/2031413080001823092

[PaleoMammalogy • 2026] Paludocyon moyasolai • A New Species of Paludocyon (Carnivora: Amphicyonidae) from the early Middle Miocene of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Barcelona, Spain)

 

Paludocyon moyasolai 

Morales, Abella, Valenciano, Gamarra, Robles, Gregori, Alba & Casanovas-Vilar, 2026  

 DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-026-09814-6 

illustration by Jesús Gamarra    x.com/Gamarraptor

Abstract

The early Middle Miocene (15.9 Ma) site of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, Spain) has yielded a rich vertebrate assemblage, including abundant carnivoran remains that mostly remain unpublished. Here we describe a new species of the amphicyonid genus Paludocyon based on a compressed cranium with well-preserved teeth and an isolated lower molar (m2) from els Casots. Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov., included in the subfamily Amphicyoninae, is characterized by a notably enlarged M2, which is buccolingually broader than the M1, and by a the relatively large size of the M3, both traits being absent in other species of Paludocyon. A phylogenetic analysis, conducted on European and North American species assigned to Cynelos and Paludocyon, indicates that Cynelos is paraphyletic but supports the monophyly of Paludocyon, with the new species being recovered as its basal-most member.

 

Keywords: Amphicyoninae, Europe, Iberian Peninsula, Paleobiogeography, Phylogeny

Systematic Paleontology

Order Carnivora Bowdich, 1821

Family Amphicyonidae Trouessart, 1885

Subfamily Amphicyoninae Trouessart, 1885

Tribe Amphicyonini Trouessart, 1885

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov. from els Casots.
 a–f. Cranium, IPS10156, holotype: a. lateral left view; b. ventral part; c. left P4–M3 (stereo pair) in occlusal view; d. right P2 in lingual view and the left P3–M2 in buccal view; e. isolated right M1 in occlusal view; f. isolated right M2 in occlusal view.
g–i. Left m2, IPS11438, paratype, stereo pairs in occlusal (g), buccal (h), and lingual (i) views.

All specimens are depicted to the same scale except scale bars in a equal 10 cm, scale bar in b-i equal 5 cm

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov.

Type locality: els Casots, Catalonia, Spain.

Age and distribution: Aragonian subzone Cb (MN5), earliest Middle Miocene (~ 15.9 Ma), only known from the type locality.

Diagnosis: Medium-sized species of Paludocyon; P4 with reduced protocone; robust M1 with lingual platform reduced; M2 buccolingually broader than M1, with metacone smaller than paracone; M3 large and with well-defined trigone cuspids; m2 with a robust trigonid, protoconid and metaconid almost of the same height, protoconid with a weak basal buccal widening, short talonid of similar width as the trigonid, and large hypoconid occupying the buccal area of the talonid basin.

Etymology: Species epithet dedicated to Salvador Moyà-Solà, in recognition of his wonderful contribution to the development of European paleomastology (see review in Alba 2025).

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov. from els Casots, Spain. Reconstructed life appearance of the head and neck (illustration by Jesús Gamarra)

 

Jorge Morales, Juan Abella, Alberto Valenciano, Jesús Gamarra, Josep M. Robles, Maria Gregori, David M. Alba and Isaac Casanovas-Vilar. 2026. A New Species of Paludocyon (Carnivora: Amphicyonidae) from the early Middle Miocene of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Barcelona, Spain).  Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 33, 29. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-026-09814-6   [06 June 2026]

  x.com/Gamarraptor/status/2064277680023888311

[Paleontology • 2026] Jian changmaensis • First non-Avian Theropod (Dromaeosauridae: Microraptorinae) from the Bird-bearing Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin, Gansu Province, Northwestern China

 

Jian changmaensis 

Zhou, Lamanna, Poust, Li, You & O’Connor, 2026

attacks the early bird Gansus yumenensis 

  

 facebook.com/CarnegieMNH 

 illustration by Lewis LaRosa  x.com/LewisLaRosa, colorized by Jão Canola.

ABSTRACT

Lacustrine sediments of the Lower Cretaceous (lower Aptian) Xiagou Formation exposed near the village of Changma in the Changma Basin of northwestern Gansu Province, China have yielded more than 100 avian partial skeletons, many of which also preserve remnants of soft tissues such as feathers and skin. Collectively, these fossils characterize a rich avifauna dominated by the crownward ornithuromorph Gansus yumenensis Hou and Liu, 1984. Despite this wealth of Early Cretaceous bird material, no skeletal remains of other dinosaurs have been described from Changma to date. Here we report the first non-avian dinosaur body fossil from the Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin. Consisting of an articulated left pectoral girdle and forelimb lacking the carpus and manus, the specimen pertains to a new dromaeosaurid theropod taxon, Jian changmaensis, gen. et sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Jian within Microraptorinae, expanding the definitive fossil record of this clade to include northwestern China. The new Changma microraptorine constitutes an additional similarity between the theropod faunas of the Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin and penecontemporaneous strata of the Jehol Group of northeastern China. In particular, the Changma theropod assemblage closely resembles that of the Sihedang locality of the Jehol Group in that both include representatives of Microraptorinae and are overwhelmingly dominated by single ornithuromorph taxa that phylogenetic analyses have repeatedly resolved as close relatives. This raises the possibility that the two sites were deposited under comparable paleoenvironmental settings that are otherwise poorly represented at known Jehol localities. 

Key Words: Early Cretaceous, Gansus yumenensis, Jian changmaensis, microraptorine, paleobiogeography, paleoenvironment, phylogeny, Sihedang 

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY 

Dinosauria Owen, 1842 

Saurischia Seeley, 1888 

Theropoda Marsh, 1881 

Maniraptora Gauthier, 1986 

Dromaeosauridae Matthew and Brown, 1922 

Microraptorinae Xu, 2002 

Holotype of Jian changmaensis, gen. et sp. nov. (GSGM-D050), an articulated partial left pectoral girdle (scapulocoracoid) and forelimb (humerus, radius, and ulna). A, silhouette of generalized microraptorine dromaeosaurid theropod (courtesy Scott Hartman) showing skeletal elements preserved; B, photograph of specimen as preserved, exposed primarily in dorsomedial (scapulocoracoid), caudodorsal (humerus), and dorsal (radius and ulna) views; C, interpretive line drawing of B; D, detail photograph of scapulocoracoid and proximal end of humerus in caudodorsal view, showing supracoracoid fenestra and other structures; E, interpretive line drawing of D.

Abbreviations: ac, acromion; bc, bicipital crest; C, coracoid; cr, caudal ridge; dep, dorsal epicondyle; dpc, deltopectoral crest; dr, dorsal ridge; ed, epicondylar depression; fs?, fossa for M. supinator?; H, humerus; hh, humeral head; lp, lateral process; ‘mb’, ‘medial bar’; op, olecranon process; R, radius; S, scapula; scb, scapular blade; scf, supracoracoid fenestra; sta, sternal articulation; U, ulna.

Jian changmaensis, gen. et sp. nov.

Diagnosis.—Medium-sized (intermediate in skeletal dimensions between adult specimens of Microraptor zhaoianus and Sinornithosaurus millenii Xu et al., 1999; see Table 2) microraptorine dromaeosaurid theropod characterized by the following three autapomorphies: (1) a coracoid that is proportionally longer relative to the humerus than in any other microraptorine (~36% humerus length; the next closest individuals are the immature Microraptor IVPP V31612, with a value of ~35%, and IVPP V12811, the holotype of Sinornithosaurus, with a value of 33%) (Table 2); (2) humeral distal condyles developed on the cranial surface of this bone (Figs. 2B–C, 3E; a local autapomorphy within Microraptorinae, shared with nonmicroraptorine theropods such as the therizinosaur Erlikosaurus andrewsi Barsbold and Perle, 1980, and Aves); and (3) a well-developed foramen on the ventral aspect of ...

Etymology.—The genus name is for the Jiān (鹣), a one winged bird in Chinese mythology, in reference to the bird-like, possibly volant nature of this microraptorine taxon and the skeletal composition of its holotype (an isolated partial pectoral girdle and forelimb). The specific name is for Changma (昌马), the locality where the holotype was discovered.

 The new microraptor dinosaur Jian changmaensis (left) attacks the early bird Gansus yumenensis (right) in what is now the Changma Basin of northwestern China approximately 120 million years ago. 

 illustration by Lewis LaRosa  x.com/LewisLaRosa,
colorized by Jão Canola.

Ling-Qi Zhou, Matthew C. Lamanna, Ashley W. Poust, Da-Qing Li, Hai-Lu You and Jingmai K. O’Connor. 2026. First non-Avian Theropod (Dromaeosauridae, Microraptorinae) from the Bird-bearing Lower Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of the Changma Basin, Gansu Province, Northwestern China. ANNALS OF CARNEGIE MUSEUM. 92(2); 89–110. [4 June 2026]

https://carnegiemnh.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Jian-changmaensis-Annals-of-Carnegie-Museum.pdf

 facebook.com/CarnegieMNH/posts/1431015332396739

 x.com/LewisLaRosa/status/2062606679980556631

[Paleontology • 2026] Acutodon villeveyracensis • A New pan-shinisaur Lizard (Anguimorpha) from the lower Campanian of Villeveyrac (Hérault, France)

Acutodon villeveyracensis 

Jansen, Augé, Garcia, Otero & Valentin, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2636649 

Artwork by Olivier Jansen

ABSTRACT

The Chinese crocodile lizard (Anguimorpha, Pan-Shinisaurus Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is an endangered species inhabiting the lowland rainforests of southeastern China and northern Vietnam. The evolutionary history of this clade remains poorly understood, as only five fossil species and a few fossil specimens are described from the Lower Cretaceous of China and the Cenozoic of Europe and North America, revealing a considerable gap in the fossil record. A new anguimorph, Acutodon villeveyracensis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the lower Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) locality of Villeveyrac (Hérault, France), corresponding to a freshwater subtropical paleoenvironment. The species is attributed to a pan-shinisaur anguimorph based on a toothed maxilla sharing multiple characters with the extant Sh. crocodilurus and its fossil relatives, notably tall, tapered, and recurved teeth, with mesiodistally constricted tooth bases lacking basal infoldings but possessing medial resorption pits, and a posteromedially shifted anterior superior alveolar foramen. This Cretaceous record is the oldest in Europe for pan-shinisaur lizards. It pre-dates the occurrence of this clade in Europe by around 30 Myr, raising questions about the paleobiogeographic history of pan-shinisaur lizards.

Acutodon villeveyracensis holotype and unique material (UP.VIL.2010.55). Photographs, virtual reconstruction, and interpretative drawings of the maxilla in A, labial; B, lingual; C, occlusal; and D, dorsal views. Note that the posteriormost tooth was lost after CT scanning.

Abbreviations: asaf, anterior superior alveolar foramen; ce, cutting edge; cl, crista lateralis; ct, crista transversalis; fp, facial process; lf, labial foramina; lic, lamina intercristalis; lpp, lateral premaxillary process; lr, lacrimal recess; mpp, medial premaxillary process; ps, palatal shelf; rp, resorption pit; sds, supradental shelf. Scale bar equals 10 mm.

Details of the teeth of Acutodon villeveyracensis holotype and unique material (UP.VIL.2010.55) from the virtual reconstruction.
A, morphology in anterior view; B, section in median plane; C, section in horizontal plane.

Abbreviations: asaf, anterior superior alveolar foramen; c, cement; cl, crista lateralis; ct, crista transversalis; d, dentine; lf, labial foramen; lpp, lateral premaxillary process; m, maxilla; mpp, medial premaxillary process; ps, palatal shelf; t1–t4, teeth numbered from front to back. Scale bar equals 2 mm.

SQUAMATA Oppel, 1811

ANGUIMORPHA Fürbringer, 1900

PAN-SHINISAURUS sensu Smith and Gauthier, 2013

ACUTODON gen. nov.

ACUTODON VILLEVEYRACENSIS, gen. et sp. nov.

Diagnosis—Large anguimorph lizard characterized by the following combination of characters: the teeth are tall, thin, and possess a tapered apex; anterior teeth are strongly posteriorly recurved, but the most posterior teeth are straight; the teeth lack striations and basal infoldings; the base of the teeth expands lingually but is strongly anteroposteriorly compressed, and is covered in a thin layer of cementum; the crowns have a faint cutting edge, restricted to the most apical portion; medial resorption pits are ...

Etymology—‘acutus’ (Latin), sharp, pointed, piercing, and thin; ‘ὀδόντος’ (Greek), teeth; the genus name refers to the tapered, sharp, and thin teeth of this new genus; ‘villeveyracensis’ (Latin) from the locality of Villeveyrac, department of Hérault, France, where this new lizard taxon has been found.

Acutodon villeveyracensis
Paleoartistic reconstruction of the new genus and species of pan-shinisaur lizard from the lower Campanian of Villeveyrac (Hérault, France). Original artwork by Olivier Jansen.

Olivier Jansen, Marc Augé, Geraldine Garcia, Olga Otero and Xavier Valentin. 2026. A New pan-shinisaur Lizard (Anguimorpha) from the lower Campanian of Villeveyrac (Hérault, France). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2636649  [20 May 2026]