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Language Spanish journal of palaeontology. 2015. Vol. 30, no. 1
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- Taphonomy and palaeopathology of two mysticete whales, upper Miocene Pisco Formation, Peru(2020) Esperante, Raúl; Poma, OrlandoTwo mysticete fossil whales from the upper Miocene of the Pisco Formation in Peru are described that show healed bone-fractures in ribs. One specimen is preserved in a tuffaceous diatomaceous siltstone and the other specimen is preserved in siltstone. Both specimens are well preserved, mostly articulated and almost complete. Shark teeth were found associated with one of the skeletons, but both specimens lack any trace evidence for the activity macro-scavengers. We suggest that the cause of bone fracture may have been collision with rocky shores, other wales, or large predators. The fact that the rib fractures healed indicates that the whales did not die due the bone fractures. Sedimentologic and paleontological evidence indicate that they were rapidly buried in the marine platform with well-oxygenated water
- Spaces and species: The Rodrigo Botet Collection (Valencia, Spain) and the palaeoecological relationships of early Homo sapiens during their dispersal in the southern cone of South America(2020) Chichkoyan, Karina V; Belinchón, Margarita; Lanata, José L; Martínez-Navarro, BienvenidoIn this paper we present the taphonomic analysis of the Rodrigo Botet Collection, an assembly of fossil bones excavated from the Region of the Pampas (Argentina) which display evidence of having been subject to anthropic action. This collection of South America mammals is housed at the Natural Science Museum of Valencia (Spain), and is the most important of this type in Europa. In order to better comprehend the evidence found in this collection a palaeoecological framework was applied. This framework was linked to the relations established between Homo sapiens and the native megafauna, which may have implied new forms of niche construction or colonization in South America spaces. The distribution of the different species over the landscape, the general ecological characteristics of these mammals, and the presence of possible competitors were taken into account during the research. In this context we emphasise that human beings behaved as an invasive species in this continent during the first peopling of America. Special attention is also placed on comparing different early human dispersal events in different scenarios. America and Europe are exemplary case studies for making further discoveries on the several anthropic impacts that our species has exerted in different times and spaces
- Large ungulates from the basal Oligocene of Oman: 1 – Embrithopoda(2020) Pickford, MartinArsinoitheres (Embrithopoda, Mammalia) have been known to occur in the Early Oligocene of Oman since 1992, yet the fossils on which the records were based have not yet been published. This contribution rectifies this situation and provides the first secure basis for the presence of arsinoitheres in Oman, some post-cranial material previously attributed to this genus being of uncertain affinities. The Omani records and the one in the Shumaysi Formation, Saudi Arabia, extend the distribution of Arsinoitherium adrewsi to the northeastern extremities of the Afro-Arabian Continent
- Aptian-Albian coral faunas from the Sierra del Carche (Prebetic, Murcia, southern Spain)(2020) Löser, Hannes; Arias, Consuelo; Vilas, LorenzoThree small coral faunas from the Early Aptian, Latest Aptian and Late Albian from a sedimentary section in the Sierra del Carche are described. A total of 17 species in 15 genera of the suborders Amphiastraeina, Archeocaeniina, Faviina, Fungiina, Heteroceniina, Microsolenina, and Stylinina are reported. One species in the genus Heteropistophyllium is described as new. The Early Aptian fauna encompasses six species, the Late Aptian fauna three species and the Late Albian fauna ten species. The three faunas do almost not share species. There are only colonial corals
- The Upper Miocene fish fauna of the Fortuna Basin, as observed in the surroundings of Abanilla (Murcia province, Spain)(2020) Gaudant, Jean; Soria, Jesús Miguel; Fierro, Ignacio; Saint Marin, SimonaFossil fishes are present at two different stratigraphical levels near Abanilla, in the Upper Miocene of the Fortune basin (Murcia, Spain). The first site corresponds to a monospecific fossiliferous horizon, late Tortonian in age, which was present at La Serretilla before recent levelling works destroyed this outcrop. This horizon has mainly yielded fish remains and, exceptionally, articulated skeletons of clupeid fishes belonging to the species Sardina? crassa (Sauvage). The second fossiliferous site, which is stratigraphically situated in the basal part of the “Chicamo cycles”, belongs to the lowermost Messinian. These strata, both marly and diatomaceous contain a juvenile fish fauna and correspond to a spawning area in which marine stenohaline fishes were breeding and where the newly hatched fishes were beginning their development. The diatoms of the fossiliferous horizons are clearly indicative of a fully marine salinity and exclude the possibility of hypo- or hyperhaline conditions. The composition of the Chicamo fish fauna looks very similar to that the Campos del Río site and characterizes marginal marine conditions that differ strikingly from those which, like the Columbares site, in the Murcia-Cartagena basin, are indicative of a connection to open sea
- Taphonomical interpretations of the Sima de los Huesos site (Atapuerca range, Burgos, Spain): a review(2020) Rabadà i Vives, DavidThe Sima de los Huesos site, Atapuerca, contains an important sample of fossilised human bones of Homo heidelbergensis. The nature of Sima de los huesos (SH) human remains was interpreted as human burials but a bibliographic review of literature published on this subject has given rise to a new perspective. According to this new revision SH site was originated by different taphonomical mechanisms. Competition between Homo and other predators for the cavity, accidental death around the pit and a feeding trough for felines and canines while the cave had other entrances nowadays obstructed, explain this human fossil association. Large felines fed on human remains around the put. Canids and other scavengers came later for feeding. The water flows in the cave during heavy rainfall produced dispersion, mixing and abrasion in all these human skeletal remains. During all these processes a low sedimentation rate and eventual supply of corpses produced the observed fossil concentration. The majority of bears fell later by accident or died while hibernating neat the site
- First footprints occurrence from the Muschelkalk detritical unit of the Catalan Basin: 3D analyses and palaeoichnological implications(2020) Mujall, Eudald; Fortuny, Josep; Rodríguez-Salgado, Pablo; Diviu, Marc; Oms, Oriol; Galobart, ÀngelFossil vertebrate footprints are known from several Triassic localities of the Iberian Peninsula. Geological setting and palaeoichnological analyses are presented from the first recovered tetrapod footprints from the Middle Muschelkalk facies of the Iberian Peninsula. The studied outcrop is 40 km NW from Barcelona, in the Catalan Coastal Ranges (Catalan Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula). The stratigraphic section is ascribed to Middle Muschelkalk facies from Late Anisian-Early Ladinian age (Middle Triassic), and comprises mainly red mudstones with interbedded sandstones. Tetrapod footprints are located at the upper part of decametric medium-grain size sandstone intercalated in metric-submetric mudstone beds sequence. The general palaeoenvironment is a floodplain with episodic torrential events. Several 3D models from footprints were made by photogrammetry technique, being useful in the morphological description and depth analyses as indicator of the trackmaker’s pressure weight distribution and locomotion-substrate interaction. Tetrapod footprints are preserved in convex hyporelief in a sandstone bed with ripple laminations, mud-cracks and invertebrate traces. Substrate under the sand was muddy and soft, with progressive desiccation. There are eight footprints from different specimens and trackmakers. Seven of them are attributed to Isochirotherium isp. And Chirotherium isp. In special, three of them clearly resemble to pentadactyl morphology of chirotheriid pes. Potential trackmakers are crurotarsians. The last footprint is isolated and is referable to Rhynchosauroides isp. Potential trackmakers is a lacertoid-type reptile. The finding partially confirms the presence of homogeneous fauna diversity in the Middle Triassic of Europe Dominated by the same ichnofamilies reported here
- Microstructure of Triassic conodont Pseudofurnishius murcianus van den Boogaard: Functional implications(2020) Martínez-Pérez, Carlos ; Plasencia, Pablo; Márquez-Aliaga, AnaPseudofurnishius murcianus van den Boogaard is a Triassic conodont with a very characteristic morphology, a blade with a rostral platform heavily denticulated, that makes it easily distinguishable from other coeval species. It is a well-know taxon that has been the object of several palaeobiological works, focused on their apparatus reconstruction, ontogeny and, recently, their P1 element function. In order to increase our palaeobiology knowledge of this taxon we undertook a histological analysis to corroborate the functional hypothesis established for this conodont. The histological study demonstrated the presence of different microstructural types, suggesting that they are functional adaptions due to the slicing function that the P1 elements performed
- Improving mesh generation in finite element analysis for functional morphology approaches(2020) Marcé-Nogué, Jordi; Fortuny, Josep; Gil, Lluís; Sánchez, MontserratFinite Element Analysis (FEA) is a powerful tool for functional morphology purposes. The accuracy of the final results depends on the mesh generation and the quality of the mesh. This is especially important in vertebrates as they present a complex biological structure, implying a complex geometry and, consequently, mesh generation should be performed with a consistent criterion. The aim of this paper is to discuss different ways to create a mesh of a vertebrate structure with different mesh generation methods and give recommendations on how to generate an efficient mesh without exceeding computational limits. Topics such as quality of the mesh, suitability of the mesh and reliability of the mesh are introduced to help the generation of the mesh. In this case, the use of convergence procedures assures the results of a computational solution and can be a good solution for the vertebrate models. The skull of a Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidiamus) is used as a case study
- New conodont data from a Devonian-Carboniferous succession in the central sector of the Betic Cordillera (SE Spain)(2020) Navas-Parejo, Pilar; Rodríguez-Cañero, Rosario; Martín-Algarra, AgustínA new Paleozoic outcrop in the Malaguide Complex of the central sector of the Betic Cordillera has provided the conodont species Palmatolepis angularis, Palmatolepis crepida, Palmatolepis quadrantinodosolobata, and Palmatolepis regularis, that identify the Late and Latest crepida zones (Famennian, Late Devonian). In the same outcrop, but it geometrically lower beds, the presence of Gnathodus bilineatus Romulus indicates a late Visean to latest Serpukhovian age (Early Carboniferous). This is the first time these both ages are recorded in the area. These findings confirm the intense thrust tectonics affecting the Malaguide rocks in the area, and allow us to correlate this outcrop with other better-known sectors of the Malaguide Complex, affirming the presence of the Falcoña and Almogia formations, as well as that Upper Devonian strata in a stratigraphic position equivalent to the Santi Petri Fm, but with very different facies
- The fossil record of the uppermost Maastrichtian Reptile Sandstone (Tremp Formation, northeastern Iberian Peninsula)(2020) Blanco, Alejandro; Méndez, Josep M; Marmi, JosepNumerous localities with vertebrate remains, including dinosaurs (sauropods, ornithopods, theropods and ankylosaurus), crocodiles and turtles, are known in the Arén and Tremp Formations (Maastrichtian, norheastern Iberian Peninsula). This diverse fossil record is improving our understanding of the history of the latest Mesozoic faunas in Europe. A conspicuous 7 meter thick sandstone and/or microconglomerate level (the so called Reptile Sandstone) occurs near the top of the “lower red unit” of the Tremp Formation, about 10 meters below the base of the “Vallcebre limestone”, which is Danian in age. Bone remains and ichnites are known in the Reptile Sandstone, and represent one of the youngest vertebrate records in the Maastrichtian of the Tremp Formation. New finding carried out in north Barcelona province complement the fossil assemblage of the Reptile Sandstone with turtle, crocodile, theropod and possible sauropod remains in addition to hadrosaurs
- Distribución y cronología del oso pardo (Ursus arctos L.) en la Península Ibérica durante el Pleistoceno Superior y Holoceno(2020) García-Vázquez, Ana; Pinto Llona, Ana C; González-Fortes, Gloria M; Grandal-D'Anglade, AuroraSe presentan los resultados de 12 nuevas dataciones radiométricas 14C de restos de oso pardo (Ursus arctos L.) procedentes de cuevas de la mitad occidental de la Cordillera Cantábrica (Galicia-Asturias-Cantabria). Estas dataciones, además de otras previamente publicadas, datan la presencia de la especie en cuevas de esta zona desde hace más de 40.000 años BP a 2.442 ± 61 años cal BP, correspondiendo la mayor parte a los inicios del Holoceno. La revisión bibliográfica, realizada sobre la presencia de esta especie en otros yacimientos de la Península, muestra la existencia de estos en al menos 143 sitios. En el Pleistoceno Superior los yacimientos se distribuyen por toda la Península y superan en número a aquellos con restos holocenos. En general se producen vacíos en la distribución coincidentes con las zonas de litología no caliza. También, existe un sesgo relacionado con la intensidad de la investigación en ciertas áreas. Otro factor puede ser la competencia con el oso cavernario (Ursus spelaeus ROSENMÜLLER) por recursos o hábitat, aunque sólo el 12,5% de los yacimientos en donde aparecen las dos especies muestran la sustitución de una especie por la otra tras la extinción del oso cavernario. El descenso de población en oso pardo se refleja en la escasez de yacimientos a partir del Neolítico, probablemente debido a la presión ejercida por la expansión de las actividades humanas, hasta llegar a las dos poblaciones actuales relictas en la Península Ibérica (Cordillera Cantábrica y Pirineos)
- Trending topics in Spanish Palaeontology: Contributions from the XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores(2020) Navas-Parejo, Pilar; Martínez-Pérez, CarlosThe present volume represents a series of synthetic works presented at the “XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores en Paleontología”, which took place in Atarfe (Granada, Spain) on April 2013. During this meeting, more than thirty contributions were presented, offering a representative sample of the palaeontological state-of-the-art research currently developed in Spain. A small selection of these contributions is here presented, highlighting than most of them are first-authored by early-stage Spanish researcher who attended the aforementioned meeting. As stated above, our planet has evolved since its origin, in a similar wat that Palaeontology has evolved during the las decades. This evolution, with the application of new novel ways to obtain accurate information form the past, combined with more traditional approaches, its patently showed by the contents of the following paper. Several of these papers deal with the application of recently developed techniques on palaeobiological studies: 3D models of tetrapod footprints using photogrammetry, histological analysis, or the use of Finite Element Analysis on vertebrates. On the other hand, other papers here present point out that there is still classic palaeontological work to do: description of the first fossil records; radiocarbon dating; or new fossil remains on deposits previously studied. We would like to thank the early-stage researcher who have contributed to this volume, the senior researchers co-authoring the papers, an all the people and institution that supported the successful celebration of the “XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores en Paleontología”
