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Language Spanish journal of palaeontology. 2023. Vol. 38, no. 2
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- Palaeobiological study of the Holocene micromammal assemblage from the Cueva del Hueso (Castrillón, Asturias, NW Spain)(2023) Cernadas-Garrido, Antonio; Álvarez-Vena, Adrián; Álvarez-Lao, DiegoThe Cueva del Hueso is located in Castrillón, Asturias. In this work, we carried out a taxonomic, palaeoecological and biochronological study of the micromammals that inhabited the cave environment during the genesis of its most recent level, Level 0. The recovered assemblage presents considerable diversity, yielding a minimum of 286 individuals belonging to 16 taxa. This species association indicates that the landscape would be dominated by open areas and forested patches, with cooler climatic conditions than the current. The presence of Rattus sp. and Mus musculus, along with the climatic inferences, have allowed estimating a relative chronology for Level 0 between 450 AD and 1850 AD.
- A new asymmetric rhynchonellide from the Cretaceous of the Eastern Prebetic (Southeastern Spain)(2023) Berrocal-Casero, Mélani; Baeza-Carratalá, José Francisco; García Joral, FernandoThe external and internal features and the microstructure of the asymmetric rhynchonellides from the Albian–Cenomanian (Cretaceous) transition from the Alicante Province (Eastern Prebetic, Southeastern Spain) have been herein studied. Previous authors placed these rhynchonellides in Cyclothyris difformis, consequently attributing an unquestionable Cenomanian age (Upper Cretaceous) to the deposits in which they appear. The long dorsally concave crura and the leptinoid pattern microstructure of the shell confirm their attribution to the genus Cyclothyris. However, among other diagnostic criteria (e.g., ribbing pattern, relative width), C. difformis shows facultative type of asymmetry; while the forms studied here show obligate asymmetry. Therefore, the new species Cyclothyris ementitum sp. nov. is formally described, being characterized by the biconvexity of its shell, its obligate type of asymmetry and an ornamentation of around 25 ribs on each valve. Thus, the study and revision of these rhynchonellides has contributed to updating the record and distribution of the asymmetric Cretaceous rhynchonellides of the genus Cyclothyris. This work opens a new line of research to better understand the biostratigraphical calibration of the Cretaceous sediments from the Eastern Prebetic, and a new insight into the possible origin of the obligate asymmetry present in C. ementitum.
- A new enantiornithine specimen from the Lower Cretaceous of Las Hoyas: avifaunal diversity and life-history of a wetland Mesozoic bird(2023) Nebreda, Sergio M.; Chiappe, Luis M.; Navalon, Guillermo; Chinsamy, Anusuya; Sanz, José L.; Buscalioni, Angela D.; Marugán-Lobón, JesúsThe Lower Cretaceous fossil site of Las Hoyas (Cuenca, Spain) has yielded the richest Cretaceous avifauna of the European continent. We describe a new fossil (MUPA-LH-33333) of an enantiornithine bird from this locality. This specimen consists of a partially articulated skeleton preserving portions of the vertebral column, both girdles and limbs, ribs and sternum; it also preserves patches of soft tissues including remigial feathers and integumentary structures belonging to the postpatagium. MUPA-LH-33333 shares dimensions and some anatomical features with the holotype of Concornis lacustris, a species previously described from Las Hoyas. However, the new specimen shows differences especially in the coracoid and the sternum, suggesting the presence of a different morphotype closely related to C. lacustris. Nevertheless, the poor preservation prevents asserting that it represents a new species. Histological evidence from its long bones indicates that is subadult or adult and that early fast rates followed by slower and protracted cyclical phases took place during its growth, a previously unnoticed pattern in Lower Cretaceous enantiornithines. This new finding supports the hypothesis that enantiornithines regularly inhabited the Las Hoyas wetland, making this site a hotspot for enhancing our understanding of the evolution and life history of these Cretaceous birds.
- Palaeoecology and palaeobiogeographic relationships of Lower Devonian bryozoans from the Guadámez and Peñón Cortado Sections of Sierra Morena (SW Spain)(2023) Ernst, Andrej; Rodríguez, SergioBryozoan fauna from the Lower Devonian (Pragian – Emsian) deposits of the Ossa-Morena Zone (SW Spain) comprises twenty-eight species: one cyclostome, two cystoporates, sixteen trepostomes, five cryptostomes, and four fenestrates. Three new genera with one new species, respectively, are described: cyclostome Diploclemella serenensis n. gen. n. sp., trepostome Cordobella tenuis n. gen. n. sp., and cryptostome (rhabdomesine) Serenella dubia n. gen. n. sp. Three trepostome species are new: Leptotrypa parva n. sp., L. modesta n. sp., and Boardmanella spinigera n. sp. Ten species are described in open nomenclature. The studied bryozoan fauna shows high morphological and taxonomical diversity, comprising mostly species of moderate size. The assemblage is clearly dominated by branched ramose and encrusting growth forms. The studied bryozoan fauna shows some distinct palaeobiogeographic relations to the bryozoans from the Lower Devonian of NW Spain, Morocco, and Czech Republic.
- Middle Ordovician trilobites from the Castillejo Formation, Eastern Iberian Range (NE Spain): taxonomic reappraisal, biostratigraphy, and correlation(2023) Romero, Sara; Gutiérrez-Marco, Juan CarlosMiddle Ordovician trilobites found in 11 fossil localities from the areas of Alpartir, Aladrén, Luesma and Fombuena (Zaragoza province), and south of Calamocha (Teruel province) are studied. Most records come from the Alpartir Member of the Castillejo Formation, which is dated as Dobrotivian in age (late Darriwilian according to the global scale), with the only exception of two localities that are slightly older, from late Oretanian age (mid−late Darriwilian). In the overlying Sierra Member, three additional localities are recorded, which have estimated age ranges from late early to late Dobrotivian (latest Darriwilian, possibly reaching the Sandbian). A total of 21 different trilobite species were identified including Uralichas hispanicus, Parabarrandia crassa and “Panderia” beaumonti that are recorded for the first time in the Eastern Iberian Range. The main trilobite assemblage from the Alpartir Member belongs to the Placoparia tournemini Biozone, which correlates with numerous areas of southwestern Europe, and here occurs in a biofacies dominated by asaphids. The scarce data derived from the Sierra Member do not allow to distinguish biozones, although the incipient development of a trilobite biofacies adapted to sandy bottoms is recognized, which ends at the top of the Placoparia borni Biozone in the whole of southwestern Europe. The correlation of the trilobite assemblages with those of other formations represented in the Cantabrian, West Asturian-leonese and Central Iberian zones is also discussed, the latter probably related through the enigmatic Central Iberian Arc, a debated orocline of the Iberian Massif.
- Flight Performance of the Early Cretaceous Bird Confuciusornis sanctus: Evidence from an Exceptionally Preserved Fossil(2023) Chiappe, Luis M.; Serrano, Francisco J.; Abramowicz, Stephanie; Göhlich, Ursula B.The Chinese early Cretaceous Confuciusornis sanctus is the most abundant Mesozoic bird and a model species for studies of early avian evolution. While previous investigations were largely focused on aspects of the anatomy, taxonomy and systematics, and life history and ecology of this bird, there has been minimal research on its flight properties. Our study centers on a well-preserved specimen with exquisite details of its plumage. NHMW 1997z0112/0001 affords novel information on aspects of its skeletal morphology, particularly from the axial and appendicular skeletons, and its plumage provides the opportunity to quantify key flight-related variables including, wingtip, wing chord, body mass, wingspan, and wing area. We use these parameters to provide a quantitative assessment of the flight properties of C. sanctus. Most previous studies have suggested that this species was unable to achieve prolonged flights. However, our results indicate that the capacity for this bird to perform prolonged flights cannot be discarded, given that our data shows it might have been able to combine periods of flapping with periods of efficient low-speed gliding. Specifically, our results indicate that while having slightly less capacity than modern gliding birds, the gliding capacity of C. sanctus would have been significantly higher than that of modern short-term fliers such as land fowl. On the basis of these inferences, we conclude that C. sanctus could fly efficiently for prolonged periods of time when used a combination of flapping and gliding periods.
- Claves de la evolución climática durante la transición pre-Jaramillo a Jaramillo en Europa a partir del análisis mineralógico del yacimiento paleontológico de Quibas (Pleistoceno Inferior, sureste ibérico)(2023) Del Castillo, Elia; Alías Linares, María Asunción; Laborda-López, Casto; Iannicelli, Claudia; Pal, Shubham; Agustí, Jordi; Piñero, PedroEl yacimiento paleontológico de Quibas es un afloramiento kárstico con una edad comprendida entre 1,1 y 0,9 Ma (Pleistoceno Inferior final). Representa la única secuencia continua de vertebrados terrestres de edad pre-Jaramillo a Jaramillo de Europa. Está formado por dos estructuras principales: Quibas-Sima (dividida en las unidades QS-1 a QS-7) y Quibas-Cueva (QC-1–QC-6). En este trabajo se estudia la composición mineralógica de los sedimentos que conforman las unidades estratigráficas de Quibas-Sima, a través de análisis de difracción de rayos X, conductividad eléctrica, cromatografía iónica y espectrometría de emisión óptica por plasma de argón, con el objetivo de evaluar tendencias paleoclimáticas en la secuencia. Los resultados preliminares indican que hay un aumento en las proporciones de carbonatos, yesos y halita desde QS-2 hacia QS-4 y QS-5 (1,07–0,99 Ma), lo que sugiere una progresiva disminución de las precipitaciones en el sureste peninsular hace un millón de años. Los datos son consistentes con el inicio de una fase glaciar, lo cual viene apoyado por la desaparición progresiva en Quibas-Sima de taxones afines a bosques y cursos de agua estables como la ardilla voladora Hylopetes sp. y el musgaño Neomys sp., en favor de la aparición de taxones ligados a espacios abiertos como la culebra bastarda (Malpolon monspessulanus) y la víbora hocicuda (Vipera latastei).
