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Language Spanish journal of palaeontology. 2025. Vol. 40, no. 1
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- Fungal cortices in kauri resin from New Zealand as taphonomic and ecological analogues of Cretaceous amber cortices: an actualistic approach(2025) Peñalver Mollá, Enrique; Speranza , Mariela; Delclòs Martínez, XavierSeveral papers have been published in the last two decades about the peculiar cortices that commonly are present in Cretaceous amber pieces from diverse terrestrial western Tethyan localities. These cortices are constituted by networks of filamentous structures, and have been identified as mycelia composed of hyphae of resinicolous fungi according to a multidisciplinary research of Albian Spanish samples using diverse techniques. Main evidence indicating its fungal nature was the taphonomic scenario inferred and the detection of preserved chitin polysaccharides in the filamentous structures, using specific chitin markers visualized under confocal laser microscopy. Herein is present a similar fungal colonization pattern forming thin cortices observed in extant kauri pine resin (Agathis australis: Araucariaceae) from New Zealand. It has been compared with the typical pattern previously observed in the Spanish Cretaceous amber cortices. The similar fungal cortices in Agathis resins are considered as taphonomic and ecological analogues, but no phylogenetic relationship is suggested. The palaeoecological implications, with regard to Spanish Cretaceous forest environmental conditions that this extant correlate suggests, are discussed; also a new unusual growth of resinicolous fungus with the same microscopic hyphae features in Cretaceous amber are presented. Conclusions can be extended to Cretaceous amber cortices from other Laurasian localities.
- First record of the genus Cylindracanthus Leidy, 1856 (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii) from the Eocene of the Pamplona Basin (Navarre, South Pyrenean area): systematics and taphonomy(2025) Astibia, Humberto; Elorza, Javier; Del Rosario, Francisco JavierCylindracanthus (Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii) fossils from the middle–upper Eocene (Ilundain Marl Formation, Bartonian–Priabonian) of the Pamplona Basin (Navarre, Southern Pyrenean area) are described for the first time. The fossils correspond to rostral fragments from the anterior and posterior regions. The absence of alveoli and teeth allows them to be assigned to the species Cylindracanthus rectus, a species with a wide distribution in the Eocene. The rostrum is composed of francolite, in consequence of the fossil-diagenetic replacement of biogenic hydroxyapatite. Sometimes, the external surface of the rostrum, formed by ridges and grooves, is covered by a thin band of early celestite, which partially protects the original microstructure. The central channels are filled with different mineral phases, with voids corresponding to previous euhedral pyrite crystals surrounded by natrojarosite, with colloidal shapes. The whole complex was affected by late fractures filled by fibrous gypsum crystals. The possible physical-chemical processes that gave rise to the formation of pyrite, natrojarosite, celestite and gypsum in different environments during the fossil-diagenetic stage are discussed.
- Scientific and Artistic Representations in avian evolution(2025) Buscalioni, Angela D.This essay explores the relationship between artistic and scientific perspectives in the depiction of birds' formal organization. It highlights how both fields converge in fundamental questions that shape the identity of avian organisms. Historically, early approaches to avian evolution focused on functional characters, which represented complex adaptations. Birds were later linked to archosaurian reptiles from around 200 million years ago, and their evolution was seen as gradual, emerging from terrestrial organisms. Recent palaeontological discoveries, particularly from the Maniraptora group, have provided well-preserved fossils, supporting the theory that birds are descendants of dinosaurs. These findings suggest that the emergence of birds from their maniraptoriform ancestors occurred in less than 50 million years. Phylogenetic systematics has helped to map out evolutionary transformations based on homologous traits, but discrepancies in these patterns have led to inconsistencies in cladograms. Meanwhile, studies in morphometrics, genetics, and developmental biology have focused on morphological units, interpreting these units through the lens of modularity and evolutionary integration—concepts also explored in art—to understand the new avian Bauplan.
- Biotic interactions and climate change, drivers of life(2025) Ruiz-González. , Mario X.Abiotic and biotic factors have continually shaped life on our planet. Understanding the mechanisms and processes that influence the evolutionary dynamics of biodiversity is crucial for addressing contemporary challenges. This review is aimed to achieving three objectives: first, to provide an overview of the diversity and significance of biotic interactions in nature throughout evolutionary history. Second, to emphasize the importance of integrating current ecological research with fossil data to gain deeper insights on life's evolution and the causality of extinction events. Finally, I advocate for the integration of living organisms’ ecology with evolutionary biology and genetics, into the training of 21st-century palaeontologists.
- Temporal dynamics of a trace fossil rocky coast assemblage: Insights into the development of a Middle Miocene transgressive episode (SE Spain)(2025) Santos, Ana; Mayoral, EduardoA study of a Middle Miocene series (lower Langhian–Serravalian) in the El Bellical Basin (Almería) has revealed evidence of an ancient rocky coastline. This conclusion is supported by the discover of bioerosive structures on numerous boulders and pebbles from various conglomeratic beds. Four distinct ichnogenera have been identified: Entobia, Gastrochaenolites, Caulostrepsis, and Maeandropolydora, encompassing a total of eleven ichnospecies. These bioerosive structures were formed by clionaid sponges, lithophagous bivalves, and polychaete or spionid annelids, indicating they belong to the Entobia ichnofacies, typical of shallow, high-energy marine environments. A typical colonisation sequence was identified, beginning with clionaid sponges, followed by lithophagous bivalves, and then annelids, either contemporaneously or shortly thereafter. Additionally, some instances showed encrusting epilithozoan organisms. The conglomerate deposits further suggest the accumulation of large boulders and pebbles at the base of cliffs or as part of extensive, shallow, high-energy littoral environments with low sedimentation rates and abundant suspended nutrients. This evidence points to the existence of an ancient shoreline during the Lower Langhian–Serravalian (Middle Miocene) in this region, linked to the Mediterranean Neogene basins formed by the uplift of the Betic Cordillera and related to the extensional tectonic of this area.
- Median-based resistant methods in the current framework of Geometric Morphometrics(2025) Marugán-Lobón, JesusLandmark-based geometric morphometric (GM) methods have become a standard in shape analysis. Superimposition of landmark constellations, referenced to the mean, is performed using the least squares criterion under the consensus framework of Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA). While effective, especially when combined with multivariate statistics, this approach also has limitations. Specifically, if there is localized variation (if a few landmarks are significantly displaced in relation to the others), the method homogenizes variation to perform an optimal fit that can spread variation randomly, yielding unrealistic results. This limitation has long been recognized and discussed in the literature—especially paleontological—proposing methods based on repeated medians that help checking for such localized variation in landmark constellations. However, the broad establishment of GPA has led to their neglect, potentially compromising interpretations in studies of allometry, integration, and modularity. Two real life examples, one biological (spiders) and one paleobiological (pterosaur skulls), are used to illustrate what "localized variation" means and the effect it can have on the structure of Procrustes shape data, and consequently, on further statistical analyses. The intended message is that median-based resistant methods for landmark superimposition should be re-implemented
- Mosaic evolution. An example in the origin of Neandertals(2025) Rosas, Antonio; Bastir, Markus; García-Tabernero, Antonio; Alarcón, José AntonioThe emergence of Neandertal morphology (Homo neanderthalensis) is associated with the appearance of mosaic phenotypes in Middle Pleistocene ancestral populations. Using this case as a reference, we analyze the concept of "mosaic evolution". Mosaic evolution suggests that different traits can evolve independently, at different times, resulting in various combinations of primitive and derived traits (mosaics) in descendant species. Often, the seemingly random nature of these trait combinations is interpreted within the conceptual framework of population genetics, where the different states of anatomical traits are seen as direct expressions of allelic variants. In this paper, we propose that the appearance of these mosaics of traits in Middle Pleistocene hominins of Europe occurred within a complex network of morphogenetic interactions involving two factors that affect the organism as a whole. First, during the early part of the Middle Pleistocene, there is an increase in body size, and consequently, an increase in metabolism, which may have affected facial anatomy through the expansion of the respiratory tract. Second, the hominin lineage from which Neandertals, Denisovans, and modern humans descend experiences an increase in the size of certain brain areas, leading to changes in the anatomy of the cranial vault and the integration of anatomical systems related to the base of the skull. In this context, changes in the overall orientation of the basicranium and in the topological relationships between the midline of the skull base and the lateral portions of the skull (temporal fossae) can be explained from an organismic perspective.
- Borings are not boring: Examples of macrobioerosion in marine palaeo-ecosystems(2025) Martinell, JordiBioerosion is an ecological process identifiable in the fossil record by means of traces left on hard substrates by producers, since Late Proterozoic times. It implies both the destruction and construction of information, and its analysis is a valuable tool to better understand the biodiversity and the (palaeo)ecological complexity of a given area at any moment of the Earth’s history, as bioeroding organisms often lack a fossilisable hard skeleton. Moreover, bioerosion traces inform on two (reaction and coaction) of the three relationships established between organisms and their environment within the ecosystem. But bioerosion is also a first order taphonomic agent. Bioerosion and taphonomy follow one another as (palaeo)ecological and fossilisation processes, but at the same time they overlap and condition each other. This review aims to be a state-of-the-art treatise on bioerosion as both an ecological process and a taphonomic agent. The review mainly focuses on the fields of palaeomalacology, understanding molluscs both as producers and victims, or substrates of bioerosion, and of the rocky-shore environments, both centred in the Neogene period. Bioerosive studies of a palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental nature are numerous and continue to increase. Research on bioerosion-taphonomy interaction still has a long way to go. As such, this contribution will demonstrate its value for both palaeoenvironmental interpretation and for understanding the sometimes-complex processes of fossilisation.
- Phalangeal formula, topological insights, and symmetry in the manus of Lepidosauria(2025) Fontanarrosa, Gabriela; Dos Santos, Daniel Andrés; Rasskin-Gutman, DiegoThe phalangeal formula (PF) describes the skeletal configuration of the digital regions of the autopodia. The plesiomorphic phalangeal formula (PPF) for the Lepidosauria manus is 2-3-4-5-3. Previous research identified 53 unique PFs in lepidosaurians. Here, we propose a new analytical method treating the PF as a matrix, applying image processing techniques to analyze new organizational patterns including symmetry. We quantified the degree of symmetry of the 53 lepidosaurian PFs through a symmetry score capturing the overlap between the original images and their transformed counterparts after specific geometric operations. We found that the PPF revealed a previously unnoticed diagonal axis of symmetry, a pattern highly improbable compared to thousands of randomly generated PFs. In a PCA of the 53 lepidosaurian PFs symmetry scores, PC1 was significantly correlated with the total number of phalanges whereas PC2 reflected the variability in phalangeal counts among different digits. The PCA effectively summarized the underlying variance of the symmetry scores data, elucidating a reduction trend in phalanx count (PC1) and the degree of diversity of PF arrangements (PC2). This approach is useful for addressing symmetry in meristic characters and systems of articulated pieces which could reveal hidden symmetry patterns in other lineages.
- Una mirada histórica al descubrimiento, estudio e interpretación de Megatherium americanum Cuvier, 1796: el caso particular del megaterio de Valencia(2025) Pérez-Ramos, Alejandro; Belinchón, Margarita; González-Santiago, Gemma; Illobre, Sandra; Dolz-Andrés, Enric; Vercher-Prats, María; Boscaini, Alberto; Soibelzon, Esteban; Montero, Raúl; Torres-García, Andrés; Alcaide-Marzal, Jorge; Llacer-Martos, Sergio; Montoya Bello, Plinio; Quilis-Quesada, VicentSe presenta una breve visión histórica del descubrimiento, estudio, interpretación y repercusión popular de la especie Megatherium americanum Cuvier, 1796 (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Megatheriidae), principalmente de dos esqueletos montados en España desde antiguo. El ejemplar exhibido en el Museo de Ciencias Naturales de Valencia (España), que forma parte de la colección traída por Rodrigo Botet en 1898 de Argentina, representa uno de los especímenes más completos y emblemáticos que se han recuperado de esta especie de la megafauna sudamericana del Pleistoceno. Este coloso terrestre, un herbívoro especializado, es conocido por su robustez ósea y requerimientos biomecánicos especiales para soportar su gran masa corporal. Varias investigaciones han demostrado su capacidad para adoptar posturas bípedas ocasionales, utilizando su cola y extremidades posteriores como soporte, lo que le permitía acceder a vegetación elevada. Además, su musculatura desarrollada y garras largas le facilitaban alcanzar recursos tróficos como raíces, por medio de actividades fosoriales, y brotes de ramas altas, y le servían para la defensa contra depredadores. Estudios recientes sobre su microestructura ósea han revelado una intensa remodelación, acorde con las demandas biomecánicas que se derivaban de su locomoción y tamaño. El espécimen presente en Valencia es un testimonio clave de los avances en paleontología, y continúa enriqueciendo nuestra comprensión biológica de la evolución de los Xenarthra.
- El magisterio del Profesor Miquel De Renzi de la Fuente y su contribución multifacética a la paleontología(2025) Peñalver Mollá, Enrique; Botella, Héctor; Palmqvist, Paul; Figueirido, BorjaMiquel De Renzi de la Fuente es un paleontólogo catalán que ha realizado gran parte de su investigación y magisterio en la Universitat de València, como catedrático de Paleontología. Es difícil indicar cuál de sus dos grandes facetas ha sido más importante, su investigación o su docencia. Son muchos los alumnos de Biología que quedaron marcados por sus clases en epistemología de la ciencia, biomorfodinámica y Paleontología, la última disciplina desde una visión muy biológica, pero a la vez profundamente multifacética. Son también muchos los doctorandos que aprendieron a investigar en esa ciencia que se ocupa de hechos naturales históricos y, por ello, contingentes. Actualmente, como Profesor Emérito de la Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas de la Universitat de València, actualmente con despacho y laboratorio en el Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, la comunidad española de paleontólogos, agrupados en la Sociedad Española de Paleontología, ha querido rendirle un homenaje publicando, en su honor, el volumen actual de su decana revista científica. La presente es una visión sobre su magisterio e investigación, sin olvidar el factor humano, en el cual destaca su generosidad para con sus alumnos y colegas, así como su permanente disponibilidad para iluminar cualquier aspecto de la investigación y de la disciplina. En conclusión, para sus colegas y para varias generaciones de alumnos y doctorandos, Miquel De Renzi es un sabio de eso tan complejo que es el proceso evolutivo y, además, un amigo.
