[Chilopoda • 2019] Revision of the Neotropical Species of Aphilodontinae (Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae), with Eight New Species and A First Phylogenetic Analysis of the Subfamily

Mairata itatiaiensis 

Calvanese, Brescovit & Bonato, 2019

 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4698.1.1 

Abstract 

Aphilodontinae are a well distinct but poorly known group of soil centipedes (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae) inhabiting two disjunct areas in South America and South Africa respectively. A comprehensive revision of the Neotropical species is presented based on the examination of >150 specimens, the phylogenetic analysis of the entire subfamily based on 47 morphological characters, and the description of eight new species from Southeastern Brazil. The Aphilodontinae were confirmed a monophyletic clade within Geophilidae and closely related to Geoperingueyia, with which they share synapomorphic characters in the labrum, second maxillae and forcipules. Particular groups of clypeal setae, inconspicuous lateral parts of labrum and coalescent forcipular throchanteroprefemur and femur were recovered as synapomorphies of the Aphilodontinae. Four monophyletic genera are recognized within the subfamily Aphilodontinae Silvestri, 1909 (1908) (= Brasilophilidae Verhoeff, 1908; = Mecistaucheninae Verhoeff, 1925 n. syn.), three exclusively Neotropical and one exclusively South African. The Neotropical genera are: Aphilodon Silvestri, 1898 (= Mecistauchenus Brölemann, 1907 n. syn.; = Brasilophilus Verhoeff, 1908 n. syn.), with ten species (including A. caboclos n. sp., A. indespectus n. sp., A. meganae n. sp., A. pereirai n. sp. and A. silvestrii n. sp.), characterized by a small terminal spine on the ultimate legs, in both males and females; Mecophilus Silvestri, 1909, with two species (including M. tupiniquim n. sp.), characterized by elongated forcipular segment and first leg-bearing segment; Mairata n. gen., with two species (M. butantan n. sp. and M. itatiaiensis n. sp.), characterized by the partial reduction of the distal article of the second maxillary telopodite and a particular shape of ultimate legs, in both males and females. The South African genus, Philacroterium Attems, 1926, comprises eleven known species (including P. weberi (Silvestri, 1909) n. comb., P. caffrarium (Verhoeff, 1937) n. comb., P. porosum (Verhoeff, 1937) n. comb., P. brevipes (Verhoeff, 1938) n. comb., P. bidentatum (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. longipes (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. macronyx (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. maritimum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb., P. pauciporum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb. and P. transvaalicum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb.) and is characterized by vestigial lateral parts of the labrum and the complete suppression of the distal article of the telopodites of the second maxillae. Identification keys are provided for the Aphilodontinae genera and for the species of Aphilodon, Mecophilus and Mairata n. gen. The known occurrence of Aphilodon in Brazil is extended from the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso to the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, that of Mecophilus from the state of Paraná to the state of São Paulo.

Keywords: Myriapoda, centipedes, taxonomy, morphology, phylogeny, biodiversity

Victor C. Calvanese, Antonio D. Brescovit and Lucio Bonato. 2019. Revision of the Neotropical Species of Aphilodontinae (Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae), with Eight New Species and A First Phylogenetic Analysis of the Subfamily. Zootaxa. 4698(1); 1–72. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4698.1.1

[Paleontology • 2019] Fukuipteryx prima • An Unusual Bird (Theropoda, Avialae) from the Early Cretaceous of Japan suggests Complex Evolutionary History of Basal Birds

Fukuipteryx prima

Imai, Azuma, Kawabe, Shibata, Miyata, Wang & Zhou, 2019

  nature.com/articles/s42003-019-0639-4

(artwork by M. Yoshida)

Abstract

The Early Cretaceous basal birds were known largely from just two-dimensionally preserved specimens from north-eastern China (Jehol Biota), which has hindered our understanding of the early evolution of birds. Here, we present a three-dimensionally-preserved skeleton (FPDM-V-9769) of a basal bird from the Early Cretaceous of Fukui, central Japan. Unique features in the pygostyle and humerus allow the assignment of FPDM-V-9769 to a new taxon, Fukuipteryx prima. FPDM-V-9769 exhibits a set of features comparable to that of other basalmost birds including Archaeopteryx. Osteohistological analyses indicate that FPDM-V-9769 is subadult. Phylogenetic analyses resolve F. prima as a non-ornithothoracine avialan basal to Jeholornis and outgroup of the Pygostylia. This phylogenetic result may imply a complex evolutionary history of basal birds. To our knowledge, FPDM-V-9769 represents the first record of the Early Cretaceous non-ornithothoracine avialan outside of the Jehol Biota and increases our understanding of their diversity and distribution during the time.

Figure 1: FPDM-V-9769. a Photograph. A box indicates where a sample was taken for osteohistological analyses. b Schematic line drawing of the skeletons. Abbreviations: cev cervical vertebra, co coracoid, dv dorsal vertebra, fe femur, fu furcula, hu humerus, il ilium, mc metacarpal, md manual digit, py pygostyle, ra radius, sv sacral vertebra, ti tibia, ul ulna. Scale bars equal 3 cm in a and b

Figure 2: Reconstructions and restoration. a–c Skeletal reconstructions of FPDM-V-9769 in cranial (a), dorsal (b), and left-lateral (c) views. d Life restoration of Fukuipteryx prima (artwork by M. Yoshida). One side of a cube in each image equals 1 cm

Systematic palaeontology

Theropoda Marsh, 1881

Maniraptora Gauthier, 1986

Avialae Gauthier, 1986

Fukuipteryx prima gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: Fukui refers to Fukui Prefecture in central Japan, where the specimen was collected, and pteryx (Latin) for wing; prima (Latin) for primitive, as the species exhibits several primitive morphological features among fossil birds.

Diagnosis: A pigeon-sized non-ornithothoracine avialan with the following autapomorphies: semicircular depression on the craniodorsal corner of the humeral head, dorsally bowed humeral shaft, and robust pygostyle with incipient spinal processes and paddle-like structure at the distal end.

Holotype: FPDM-V-9769 (FPDM: Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Fig. 1), a disarticulated but closely associated skeleton, including right surangular; two cervicals; four dorsals including two nearly complete ones, an isolated centrum, and incomplete vertebral arch; incomplete synsacrum composed of two sacrals; five caudals; pygostyle; several dorsal ribs; incomplete furcula; incomplete left and right coracoids; incomplete right ilium; forelimbs including left humerus, incomplete left and complete right ulna, complete left and incomplete right radius, right major metacarpal, left minor metacarpal, left alular digit 1, left major digits 2 and 3, minor digits 3 and 4; and hindlimbs including left and right femur; left and right incomplete tibia; and variably preserved metatarsals II (left), III (incomplete left), and IV (complete left and incomplete right).

Type locality and horizon: Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry in the northern part of the city of Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan (Supplementary Fig. 1); the Lower Cretaceous Kitadani Formation (Aptian)23 (see Supplementary Notes for further details).

Takuya Imai, Yoichi Azuma, Soichiro Kawabe, Masateru Shibata, Kazunori Miyata, Min Wang and Zhonghe Zhou. 2019. An Unusual Bird (Theropoda, Avialae) from the Early Cretaceous of Japan suggests Complex Evolutionary History of Basal Birds. Communications Biology. 2: 399.  nature.com/articles/s42003-019-0639-4

[Crustacea • 2019] Paguroids (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae and Paguridae) of the Remote Oceanic Archipelago Trindade and Martin Vaz, off southeast Brazil, with New Records, Description of Three New Species and Zoogeographical Notes

Iridopagurus martinvaz 

 Lima, Tavares & de Mendonça, 2019

  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4694.1.1 

Abstract

Trindade and Martin Vaz (TMV) is a highly isolated, oceanic volcanic archipelago located some 1200 km off the Brazilian coast and about 4200 km away from the nearest African coast. For almost 100 years Calcinus tibicen (Herbst, 1791) was the only hermit crab species known from TMV. From 2012 to 2018, 263 daytime SCUBA diving and intertidal samplings conducted at TMV yielded 1075 paguroid specimens in 10 species, three of which are established herein as new species: Iridopagurus martinvaz sp. nov., Nematopagurus micheleae sp. nov., and Pagurus carmineus sp. nov. Iridopagurus margaritensis García-Gómez, 1983, and Phimochirus leurocarpus McLaughlin, 1981, both only known from the northern hemisphere, are recorded for the first time from the southwestern Atlantic. Opportunity was taken herein to include hitherto unreported or little known specimens from along the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, namely, Dardanus venosus H. Milne Edwards, 1848, Nematopaguroides pusillus Forest & de Saint Laurent, 1968, Pagurus provenzanoi Forest & de Saint Laurent, 1968, and Phimochirus holthuisi (Provenzano, 1961). The lectotype of Pagurus venosus H. Milne Edwards, 1848 is designated as the neotype for the obscure Pagurus arrosor divergens Moreira, 1905, which thus becomes an objective junior synonym of the former. A list of all paguroid species known from the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic archipelagoes and islands (Ascension, Cape Verde, Fernando de Noronha, Gulf of Guinea, Rocas Atoll, Saint Helena, Trindade and Martin Vaz) with their gross distribution in the Atlantic Ocean is provided. Investigation on the existence of patterns of geographic distribution for the paguroid fauna of the tropical southern-central Atlantic oceanic islands showed that 70% percent of the paguroids from TMV are western Atlantic in origin and 30% endemic. No amphi-Atlantic paguroid species are known from TMV. Conversely, the affinity of Ascension’s (33%) and Saint Helena’s (50%) paguroids is with the eastern Atlantic; no western Atlantic paguroids have been reported from these two islands so far. Exploration on the existence of trends of correlation between islands area and species richness through the Spearman’s coefficient of correlation showed that the patterns in the number of paguroid species cannot be explained by variation in island area alone (rs = 0.4728; p = 0.28571).

Keywords: Crustacea, Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, species-area relationships, hermit crabs, Crustacea, Paguroidea

 Trindade and Martin Vaz Archipelago (TMV):
A—Position of the TMV relative to the Brazilian continental coastline and Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, and isobath curves around TMV; B—Trindade Island viewed from distance; C—Martin Vaz Islands viewed from distance; D–G—Trindade Island; D—rocky-sandy beach near Parcel das Tartarugas, partly exposed at low tide; E—artificial reef substrate (ARS) being deployed on hard bottom composed of large boulders among patches of sand and calcareous algae; F—mixed hard bottom characterised by numerous nodules of calcareous algae; G—irregular hard limestone bottom. A, adapted from Perreira-Filho et al. (2011); photographs by J.B. Mendonça

Researchgate.net/publication/305314870

Daniel Lima, Marcos Tavares and Joel Braga Jr. de Mendonça. 2019.  Paguroids (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae and Paguridae) of the Remote Oceanic Archipelago Trindade and Martin Vaz, off southeast Brazil, with New Records, Description of Three New Species and Zoogeographical Notes. Zootaxa. 4694(1); 1–63. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4694.1.1

 Researchgate.net/publication/305314870_Alpheid_shrimps_of_the_Trindade_Martin_Vaz_Archipelago_off_Brazil

[PaleoEntomology • 2019] Angimordella burmitina • Pollination of Cretaceous Flowers

Angimordella burmitina 

Bao, Wang, Li & Dilcher, 2019

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1916186116 

The color and morphology of flowers are artistic only. Illustration: Ding-hau Yang. 

Significance: 

Since Darwin, insect pollination was thought to be a key contributor to the Cretaceous radiation of angiosperms. Both insects and angiosperms were common during the mid-Cretaceous, but direct evidence for a Cretaceous insect-angiosperm pollination mode was until now absent. Here, we report a specialized beetle-angiosperm pollination mode preserved in Burmese amber where a tumbling flower beetle is carrying tricolpate pollen grains that belongs to the eudicots that comprise the majority of extant angiosperm species. Our study provides direct evidence of insect pollination of Cretaceous flowers, which is further supported by the flower-visiting body shape, specialized pollen-feeding mouthparts, and zoophilous pollen grains. These findings demonstrate that insect pollination of flowering plants was well established 99 million years ago.

Abstract

Insect pollination of flowering plants (angiosperms) is responsible for the majority of the world’s flowering plant diversity and is key to the Cretaceous radiation of angiosperms. Although both insects and angiosperms were common by the mid-Cretaceous, direct fossil evidence of insect pollination is lacking. Direct evidence of Cretaceous insect pollination is associated with insect-gymnosperm pollination. Here, we report a specialized beetle-angiosperm pollination mode from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (99 mega-annum [Ma]) in which a tumbling flower beetle (Mordellidae), Angimordella burmitina gen. et sp. nov., has many tricolpate pollen grains attached. A. burmitina exhibits several specialized body structures for flower-visiting behavior including its body shape and pollen-feeding mouthparts revealed by X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). The tricolpate pollen in the amber belongs to the eudicots that comprise the majority of extant angiosperm species. These pollen grains exhibit zoophilous pollination attributes including their ornamentation, size, and clumping characteristics. Tricolpate pollen grains attached to the beetle’s hairs are revealed by confocal laser scanning microscopy, which is a powerful tool for investigating pollen in amber. Our findings provide direct evidence of insect pollination of Cretaceous angiosperms, extending the range insect-angiosperm pollination association by at least 50 million years. Our results support the hypothesis that specialized insect pollination modes were present in eudicots 99 million years ago.

Keywords: amber, insect, angiosperm, pollen, paleoecology

  Fig. 2. Angimordella burmitina and tricolpate pollen grains.
 (A) Habitus. Pollen grains attached to the body are indicated by red dots, unattached are indicated by yellow dots, clumped pollen are indicated by blue squares. (B−H) Locations are highlighted in A. (B and C) Pollen grains near the body. Yellow arrows point to colpi. (D and E) Pollen grains on the body. (F−H) Clumped pollen grains. (G and H) Locations are highlighted in F and G, respectively. Blue arrows point to colpi.

Family Mordellidae Latreille, 1802.

Subfamily Mordellinae Latreille, 1802.

Angimordella burmitina gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: The generic name is derived from the Latin prefix “angi” (referring to angiosperm) and the genus Mordella Linnaeus. The specific name is derived from Latin “Burmitina,” referring to the mineralogical name of Burmese amber.

Holotype :NIGP171315 (Fig. 1), a complete beetle with left side visible but its right side covered by abundant microbubbles. A thrip is near the maxillary palpi of the beetle on the left side.

Horizon and Locality: Mid-Cretaceous (∼99 Ma); Burmese amber, from the Hukawng Valley, Kachin State, Myanmar.

Diagnosis: Body small, with pronotum and elytra with wrinkles or ridges dorsally; antennae serrate; mesotibiae and metatibiae without any kind of ridge including subapical one; pygidium not well developed, shorter than 1/2 of last abdominal sternite.

 Fig. 3. Ecological reconstruction of Angimordella burmitina. These tumbling flower beetles are feeding on eudicot flowers.

The color and morphology of flowers are artistic only. 

Illustration: Ding-hau Yang. 

Tong Bao, Bo Wang, Jianguo Li, and David Dilcher. 2019. Pollination of Cretaceous Flowers. PNAS. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1916186116

New fossil pushes back physical evidence of insect pollination to 99 million years ago  phys.org/news/2019-11-fossil-physical-evidence-insect-pollination.html via @physorg_com
A Specialized Beetle-Angiosperm Pollination Mode from mid-Cretaceous Burmese Amber

[Herpetology • 2019] Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis • A New Species of the Genus Acanthosaura (Squamata, Agamidae) from Yunnan, China

Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis

 Liu & Rao, 2019

 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.888.38491

Abstract

A new species of Acanthosaura from Yunnan, China is described based on unique morphometric and meristic external characters and a very distinctive color pattern. The fourteenth species recorded of this genus, Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov., was previously considered A. lepidogaster although it more closely resembles A. crucigera. It can be separated from all other species of the genus by having different numbers of subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger and toe, and a different shape of the black eye patch. The new species differs genetically from investigated congeners by percentage distance of 14.46% to 23.27% (cytochrome b gene).

Keywords: Acanthosaura crucigera, Dehong, Acanthosaura lepidogaster, Tongbiguan

Figure 3. Adult male holotype (KIZL201804) of  Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. in life
 A lateral view of the head B dorsal view of the body C dorsal view of the head D lateral view of the body E ventral view of the head F ventral view of the body.

Figure 4. Adult female paratype (KIZL201805) of  Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. in life
 A lateral view of the head B dorsal view of the body C dorsal view of the head D lateral view of the body E ventral view of the head F ventral view of the body.  

Figure 7. Comparison of three different types of eye patch A  Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. B A. lepidogaster C A. nataliae.  

 Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. 

Acanthosaura lepidogaster: Zhao et al. 1999: 82–85.

Acanthosaura lepidogaster: Yang and Rao 2008: 186–187.

Diagnosis: 

A medium-sized (maximum SVL 115.6 mm) agamid lizard with two pairs of spines: postorbital (supraciliary) spines and spines on occiput between tympanum and nuchal crest; tympanum naked; moderately developed gular pouch; scales on flanks randomly intermixed with medium and large scales; nuchal crest present and strongly developed; diastema between the nuchal and dorsal crests present; dorsal crest slightly developed, composed of enlarged, pointed scales beginning at shoulder region and decreasing regularly in size; tail 1.56–1.85 times SVL; black nuchal collar present; black eye patch present; black oblique folds anterior to the fore limb insertions present.

The new species can be separated from all congeners by having different numbers of subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger (19–21) and toe (25–28), and a different shape of the black eye patch, that extends from posterior margin of nostrils through orbit posteriorly and downwards beyond the posterior end of the tympanum but neither meeting the diamond shaped black nuchal collar on nape nor black oblique humeral fold.

....

Etymology: The name refers to Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, the locality where the new species was found.

Figure 10.  Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. A live adult male on the ground B live adult female on a leaf C live adult female asleep on a branch D live juvenile asleep on branches and leaves.

Figure 9. Habitat at the type locality of  Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov., Tongbiguan Township, Yingjiang County, Dehong Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China
A distant view B close view.

Distribution: Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. is only recorded in Tongbiguan Nature Reserve including Yingjiang County, Longchuan County and Ruili City, the border region with northern Myanmar in western Yunnan, China, so it probably occurs in northern Myanmar.

Natural history: The type series of Acanthosaura tongbiguanensis sp. nov. was collected at night while they were asleep on small trees in a primordial forest. However, we suppose that they forage for food on the ground during the day. At the type locality we found four other species of reptiles, namely Cyrtodactylus khasiensis (Jerdon, 1870), Pseudocalotes kakhienensis (Anderson, 1879); P. microlepis (Boulenger, 1887); Trimeresurus yingjiangensis Chen et al., 2019; and seven species of amphibians, Leptobrachella yingjiangensis (Yang et al., 2018); Limnonectes longchuanensis Suwannapoom et al., 2016; Megophrys feii Yang et al., 2018; M. glandulosa Fei et al., 1990; Raorchestes longchuanensis (Yang & Li, 1978); Theloderma moloch (Annandale, 1912); Zhangixalus smaragdinus (Blyth, 1852).

 Shuo Liu and Dingqi Rao. 2019. A New Species of the Genus Acanthosaura from Yunnan, China (Squamata, Agamidae).  ZooKeys. 888: 105-132. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.888.38491

[Herpetology • 2019] A Revised Dichotomous Key to the Snakes of Italy (Squamata, Serpentes), According to Recent Systematic Updates

the Snakes of Italy (Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes)

in Di Nicola, 2019. 

 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4686.2.10

  facebook.com/MatteoDiNicolaPhotography 

The diffusion of “citizen science” brings considerable benefits to ecological research (Bonney et al. 2009; Dickinson et al. 2012) and involves an increasing use of data provided by “non-professionals” for the establishment of distribution atlases (for instance, through online platforms such as “iNaturalist”). Therefore, it is important that the presented data are sufficiently reliable and, for this reason, photographic documentation of what has been observed is always encouraged. In many cases, however, the circumstances or the conditions of the observed organism do not allow a photographic identification. Dichotomous keys are tools that, in addition to the use by technicians, researchers and students, can be useful to “non-professional” observers to improve the accuracy in the determination of observations to be submitted to the scientific community. This also applies to the herpetological field, and thus to this work, which offers an updated dichotomous key for the determination of Italian snakes (the first since the one published in Corti et al. (2011)) in light of the various systematic updates that affected this taxon.

Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola. 2019. A Revised Dichotomous Key to the Snakes of Italy (Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes), According to Recent Systematic Updates. Zootaxa. 4686(2); DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4686.2.10

facebook.com/MatteoDiNicolaPhotography/photos/2854547331223969

[Botany • 2019] Amomum spathilabium (Zingiberaceae: Alpinieae) • A New Species from northern Thailand

Amomum spathilabium W.Kaewsri

in Kaewsri & Kanjanawattanawong, 2019. 

 DOI: 10.20531/tfb.2019.47.2.11 

ABSTRACT

Amomum spathilabium, a new species from Nan Province in northern Thailand, is described and illustrated. It is closely related to A. subcapitatum but differs in the labellum shape, anther crest shape and longer ligule. Details on distribution, ecology, etymology, and a preliminary conservation assessment are provided.

KEYWORDS: Amomum subcapitatum, Doi Phukha, native plant, spathulate labellum, taxonomy

Figure 1. Amomum spathilabium W.Kaewsri:
A–B. Habit; C. Detail of ligules; D. Leaves; E. Inflorescences; F. Stamen; G. Detail of flower including a calyx, pistil and corolla (from left):  H. Detail of labellum (from left): front and back views; I. Infructescence with mature fruits. 

Amomum spathilabium W.Kaewsri, sp. nov. 

Type: Thailand, northern: Nan, Doi Phu Kha, ..., 20 June 2010, Kaewsri-254 (holotype BKF!; isotypes BK!). 

Similar to Amomum subcapitatum Y.M.Xia by its winged fruits and and leaf blade, but differs in its ligule being longer, bilobed, 5–7 cm long, papery, apex dry at maturity, glabrous; and the glabrous petiole, 7–17 cm long; a comparison of the characters of these two species is given in Table 1.

Etymology.— The specific epithet of this new species refers to its main distinguishing character, the spathulate labellum shape.

Distribution.— Endemic to Thailand

Ecology.— Growing in montane evergreen forest, on the slope of mountain, in light gaps, 1,326 m above sea level.

Wittaya Kaewsri and Supanath Kanjanawattanawong. 2019. Amomum spathilabium (Zingiberaceae: Alpinieae), A New Species from northern Thailand.  Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany). 47(2); 193-195. DOI: 10.20531/tfb.2019.47.2.11

[Paleontology • 2019] A Polar Dinosaur Feather Assemblage from Australia

Australian feathered polar dinosaur.

in Kundrát, Rich, Lindgren, et al., 2019. 

 DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2019.10.004 

 Illustration: Peter Trusler 

Highlights: 

• Fossil feathers from the Koonwarra Fossil Bed in southeastern Australia record the first demonstrable dinosaur (including birds) integumentary structures described from the Mesozoic polar regions.

• This diverse range of non-avian theropod (paravian) and bird feathers more than doubles the number of Mesozoic fossil feather specimens and morphologies recovered from the Gondwanan landmasses to date.

• Possible traces of eumelanosomes imply original dark colouration and patterning. Some of the geologically oldest barbicel-like structures also evince advanced avian-grade flight feather morphologies in the Early Cretaceous.

ABSTRACT

Exceptionally preserved Mesozoic feathered dinosaur fossils (including birds) are famous, but recognized from only very few localities worldwide, and are especially rare in the Southern Hemisphere. Here we report an assemblage of non-avian and avian dinosaur feathers from an Early Cretaceous polar (around 70°S) environment in what is now southeastern Australia. The recovered remains incorporate small (10–30 mm long) basal paravian-like tufted body feathers, open-vaned contour feathers, and asymmetrical bird-like wing feathers that possess high-angled barbs with possible remnants of barbicels — amongst the geologically oldest observed to date. Such morphological diversity augments scant skeletal evidence for a range of insulated non-avian theropods and birds inhabiting extreme southern high-latitude settings during the Mesozoic. Although some of these fossil feathers exhibit what may be residual patterning, most are uniformly toned and preserve rod-shaped microbodies, as well as densely-packed microbody imprints on the barbules that are structurally consistent with eumelanosomes. Geochemical analysis detected no identifiable residual biomolecules, which we suspect were lost via hydrolysis and oxidization during diagenesis and weathering. Nevertheless, an originally dark pigmentation can be reasonably inferred from these melanic traces, which like the coloured feathers of modern birds, might have facilitated crypsis, visual communication and/or thermoregulation in a cold polar habitat.

Keywords: Mesozoic birds, Aves, Paravesmelanosomes, Early Cretaceous

 Martin Kundrát, Thomas H. Rich, Johan Lindgren, Peter Sjövall, Patricia Vickers-Rich, Luis M. Chiappe and Benjamin P. Kear. 2019. A Polar Dinosaur Feather Assemblage from Australia. Gondwana Research. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.gr.2019.10.004 

Researchgate.net/publication/254219016_A_polar_dinosaur-track_assemblage_from_the_Eumeralla_Formation_Albian_Victoria_Australia

First evidence of feathered polar dinosaurs found in Australia - Uppsala University  mynewsdesk.com/uk/uu/pressreleases/first-evidence-of-feathered-polar-dinosaurs-found-in-australia-2942524 

[Mammalogy • 2019] Camera-trap Evidence that the Silver-backed Chevrotain Tragulus versicolor remains in the wild in Vietnam

Tragulus versicolor (Thomas, 1910)

in Nguyen, Tran, Hoang,et al., 2019.

 nature.com/articles/s41559-019-1027-7 

 NatureEcoEvoCommunity.nature.com
 GlobalWildlife.org

Abstract

In an age of mass extinctions, confirming the survival of lost species provides rare second chances for biodiversity conservation. The silver-backed chevrotain Tragulus versicolor, a diminutive species of ungulate known only from Vietnam, has been lost to science for almost three decades. Here, we provide evidence that the silver-backed chevrotain still exists and the first photographs of the species in the wild, and urge immediate conservation actions to ensure its survival.

An Nguyen, Van Bang Tran, Duc Minh Hoang, Thi Anh Minh Nguyen, Dinh Thang Nguyen, Van Tiep Tran, Barney Long, Erik Meijaard, Jeff Holland, Andreas Wilting and Andrew Tilker. 2019. Camera-trap Evidence that the Silver-backed Chevrotain Tragulus versicolor remains in the wild in Vietnam. Nature Ecology & Evolution.   nature.com/articles/s41559-019-1027-7  NatureEcoEvoCommunity.nature.com/u

FOUND: Miniature Fanged ‘Deer’ Rediscovered Tiptoeing Through Vietnam’s Coastal Forests

First-ever Photos and Footage of Silver-backed Chevrotain Confirm First Rediscovery of Lost Mammal on Global Wildlife Conservation’s ‘Most Wanted’ List GlobalWildlife.org/press/found-chevrotain-miniature-fanged-deer-rediscovered-tiptoeing-through-vietnams-coastal-forests/

 globalwildlife.org/web/5288ea84a4ae858b/media-kit--miniature-fanged--deer--rediscovered-tiptoeing-through-vietnam-s-coastal-forests/

 Search for the silver-backed chevrotain NatureEcoEvoCommunity.nature.com/users/324101-andrew-tilker/posts/56070-search-for-the-silver-backed-chevrotain #behindthepaper

Silver-Backed Chevrotain, With Fangs And Hooves, Photographed In Wild For First Time  tinyurl.com/yx86b4wo

Scientists rediscover mammalian oddity in remote Vietnam  news.mongabay.com/2019/11/scientists-rediscover-mammalian-oddity-in-remote-vietnam