Article
Geology
A. Perez-Garcia
Summary: The article reports the discovery of a partial shell of a pleurodiran turtle in Madagascar from the Cenomanian, confirming its attribution to a new littoral form. This turtle is the oldest defined in the fossil record of Madagascar and one of the oldest members of Bothremydina worldwide, expanding the palaeobiogeographic distribution of this lineage.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geology
Oliver A. Lopez-Conde, Adan Perez-Garcia, Maria L. Chavarria-Arellano, Jesus Alvarado-Ortega
Summary: This paper describes the discovery of the first Bothremydini from Mexico, introducing a new representative species, Palauchelys montellanoi gen. et sp. nov., thus expanding knowledge about the diversity of this group in the American Cretaceous record.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Walter G. Joyce, Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Tyler R. Lyson, Lydia J. Rahantarisoa, David W. Krause
Summary: The Maevarano Formation in northwestern Madagascar has provided significant insights into the evolution of insular ecosystems during the late Cretaceous. The new pelomedusoid turtle species, Sahonachelys mailakavava, was a specialized suction feeder that preyed upon small-bodied invertebrates and vertebrates, showcasing a unique feeding strategy divergent from other turtle species.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geology
A. Guerrero, F. Ortega, A. Perez-Garcia
Summary: Shell pitting is a relatively common phenomenon in extinct turtles, but its characteristics and causes are still unclear. Previous interpretations of shell pitting in turtle fossils were often speculative or lacked sufficient justification. In this study, a mark found on the carapace of a bothremydid turtle from a fossil site in Spain was analyzed using physical examination and computerized axial tomography scan. The possible etiology, pathogenesis, and healing stages of the mark were discussed, and an ectoparasitic origin was suggested as the most likely explanation. This study provides the first report of a pathology of ectoparasitic origin in the shell of a bothremydid turtle.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adan Perez-Garcia
Summary: A new pleurodiran turtle, identified as attributable to Bothremydidae, is described from an Upper Cretaceous outcrop in Southwestern Niger. The unique features of Abalakemys chapmanae gen. et sp. nov. include an almost complete large shell, an exclusive ornamental pattern on the plate's outer surface, small fourth pleural scutes, and a noticeably wedged posterior plastral lobe. This turtle could belong to Nigeremydini, a poorly understood lineage of Bothremydodda that inhabited the African Trans-Saharan seaway, with limited shell information available.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marcos Martin-Jimenez, Adan Perez-Garcia
Summary: Bothremydidae is a successful lineage of pleurodiran turtles that lived from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene. This study focused on the virtual reconstruction of the cranial bones and neuroanatomical structures of Tartaruscola teodorii, providing valuable anatomical information about this species. Additionally, the comparative framework for Pleurodira was improved by analyzing the neuroanatomical structures of other extant taxa belonging to several pleurodiran lineages.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Vinicius Tadeu de Carvalho, Richard C. Vogt, Rommel R. Rojas, Mario da Silva Nunes, Rafael de Fraga, Robson W. avila, Anders G. J. Rhodin, Russell A. Mittermeier, Tomas Hrbek, Izeni Pires Farias
Summary: Turtles are highly threatened vertebrates, with many species at risk of extinction. The Phrynops geoffroanus species complex consists of multiple geographically structured species with subtle differences in shape but distinct coloration and patterns on the head and plastron. This research contributes to understanding species diversity and biodiversity in South America and provides a basis for conservation efforts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrea Guerrero, Francisco Ortega, Santiago Martin de Jesus, Adan Perez-Garcia
Summary: Turtle shells often have abnormal osseous modifications on their surface, which can threaten the survival of the organisms. The etiology and pathogenesis of these modifications in most extinct turtle shells remain unknown. This study re-analyzed shell anomalies in a Neochelys sp. individual from the middle Eocene, providing new insights and refuting previous interpretations. Detailed physical examination, direct observation, literature review, and computerized axial tomography scan were used to propose diverse causal agents and provide information on pathogenesis and healing stages of the studied shell anomalies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mohamed AbdelGawad, Adan Perez-Garcia, Ren Hirayama, Sara Mohesn, Abdel-Aziz Tantawy, Gebely Abu El-Kheir
Summary: The Quseir Formation, located in the Kharga oasis of the Southwestern Desert in Egypt, is a clastic deposit from the Upper Cretaceous period. This formation consists of bioturbated mudstone and sandstone intercalations, with scattered vertebrate remains such as shark teeth, dinosaur remains, and turtle plates. A newly discovered complete turtle shell from the Quseir Formation is identified as a new taxon called Khargachelys caironensis, representing the only Bothremydini member found in the Campanian record of Egypt and North Africa, filling an evolutionary gap in late Cretaceous pleurodires in the region.
Article
Paleontology
Andrea Guerrero, Adan Perez-Garcia
Summary: This study analyses several British specimens of small pleurosternid turtles found in the Purbeck Limestone Group in detail and justifies their attribution to juvenile individuals of Pleurosternon bullockii based on shape variability influenced by ontogenetic development and intraspecific variation. The research provides new data on the ontogenetic development of a basal form.
Article
Zoology
Fabio A. G. Cunha, Iracilda Sampaio, Jeferson Carneiro, Richard C. Vogt
Summary: A new species of freshwater turtle, Mesoclemmys sp. nov., has been discovered in the Brazilian Amazon Basin with distinct morphological characteristics and a known geographic range. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA sequences confirms the existence of a new taxon within Mesoclemmys.
CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Edwin-Alberto Cadena, Diego A. Combita-Romero
Summary: This study describes limb bones and fossil shell remains from the upper Valanginian, Rosa Blanca Formation of Colombia, which shed light on the conditions and characteristics of large-size evolution in protostegid turtles.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
France de Lapparent De Broin, Gregoire Metais, Annachiara Bartolini, Imdad Ali Brohi, Rafiq A. Lashari, Laurent Marivaux, Didier Merle, Mashooque Ali Warar, Sarfraz H. Solangi
Summary: The discovery of a new littoral bothremydid specimen in Southern Pakistan fills a geographic and stratigraphic gap in the knowledge of the family, with discussions on its phylogenetic affinities with other species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joshua R. Ennen, Mickey Agha, Sarah C. Sweat, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Jeffrey E. Lovich, John B. Iverson, Anders G. J. Rhodin, Robert C. Thomson, H. Bradley Shaffer, Christopher W. Hoagstrom
Summary: The study conducted the first global evaluation of turtle biodiversity and imperilment at a sub-basin level, identifying smaller areas of high conservation value. High-priority sub-basin clusters were mostly located along tropical and subtropical coastlines. The findings emphasize the global significance of Asia as a key area for turtle conservation, while identifying focal areas across the globe where targeted turtle conservation is especially needed.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Marcos Martin-Jimenez, Adan Perez-Garcia
Summary: This study presents the first 3D reconstruction of the skulls of two specimens belonging to the genus Galianemys, providing detailed descriptions of the neuroanatomical structures. By comparing with other non-Cearachelyini group bothremydids, differences and shared characters within the lineage of Galianemys and Bothremydidae are identified, contributing to a more precise characterization within Pleurodira.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Gustavo A. Ballen, Carlos Jaramillo, Fernando C. P. Dagosta, Mario C. C. de Pinna
Summary: Studies suggest that during the middle Miocene period 15-16 million years ago, the riverine systems of the Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia were connected to the Amazon region, with the Western Andes not acting as a complete geographical barrier. The structured distribution of fish faunas in the Miocene period across the continent indicates that factors such as ecological conditions also played a role in shaping the evolution of South American fish faunas, in addition to the uplift of the Andes.
PAPERS IN PALAEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Chelsea L. White, Jonathan I. Bloch, Paul E. Morse, Mary T. Silcox
Summary: This study presents the first virtual endocast of a smaller-sized Paleogene microsyopid plesiadapiform, Niptomomys, and reveals significant differences in brain size estimation and olfactory bulbs compared to the common ancestor of primates. These findings support a model of shifting emphasis and neocortical expansion in primate evolution.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
S. Zapata, L. Calderon-Diaz, C. Jaramillo, F. Oboh-Ikuenobe, J. C. Piedrahita, M. Rodriguez-Cuevas, A. Cardona, E. R. Sobel, M. Parra, V. Valencia, A. Patino, J. S. Jaramillo-Rios, M. Flores, J. Glodny
Summary: A new dataset including detrital U-Pb zircon ages, sandstone petrography, and low-temperature thermochronology from the Southern Central Cordillera were used to construct a paleogeographical model of the Miocene hinterland and foreland regions in the Northern Andes.
Article
Paleontology
Laura Mora-Rojas, Andres Cardenas, Carlos Jaramillo, Daniele Silvestro, German Bayona, Sebastian Zapata, Federico Moreno, Cesar Silva, Jorge W. Moreno-Bernal, Juan Sebastian Jaramillo, Victor Valencia, Mauricio Ibanez
Summary: This study provides an overview of the middle Miocene Konzentrat-Lagerstatte of the La Venta site, which contains valuable information on the biotic response to climatic changes. By compiling published studies and using geological maps and geochronological data, the researchers have established a comprehensive understanding of the Neotropics terrestrial ecosystems during the Neogene. The findings highlight the importance of the La Venta site in understanding Miocene paleoecological dynamics in northern South America, yet further exploration is still needed.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Michele Andriolli Custodio, Martin Roddaz, Roberto Ventura Santos, Pierre-Olivier Antoine, Laurent Marivaux, Narla S. Stutz, Elton Luiz Dantas, Carlos Jaramillo, Melanie Louterbach, Christian Hurtado, Guilherme Oliveira Goncalves
Summary: This study investigates the paleoenvironments of Western Amazonia during the Paleogene through a multi-proxy approach. The results reveal the presence of lacustrine and tide-dominated depositional systems in the Hual-laga Basin, northern Peru. The biostratigraphic and U-Pb zircon dating suggest a hiatus in the depositional record during the Paleocene, and the carbon and oxygen stable isotope values indicate a transition from freshwater to brackish conditions. It is proposed that the Bartonian shallow marine incursion in the Huallaga Basin originated from the north through the Caribbean Sea and might have influenced regional biodiversity patterns in the Paleogene.
JOURNAL OF SOUTH AMERICAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Carlos Jaramillo
Summary: This review examines the development of South American tropical biomes, specifically their origins and timing. The transition from non-angiosperm dominance to full angiosperm dominance took place during the Cretaceous period. However, there are no existing equivalents to the Cretaceous biomes, as lowland forests lacked closed canopies and were mainly dominated by gymnosperms and ferns. The extant lowland tropical rainforests first emerged in the Cenozoic era with a multistratified forest, angiosperm-dominated closed canopy, and the dominance of major tropical plant families.
Article
Plant Sciences
Luke Mander, Carlos Jaramillo, Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe
Summary: Fossil pollen and spores provide crucial information about the geological history of tropical vegetation. However, the large number of pollen and spore types encountered makes taxonomy and classification challenging. This study focuses on the Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene sediments in southeastern Nigeria, describing a palynoflora consisting of 29 spores, two gymnosperm pollen grains, and 138 angiosperm pollen grains. The samples suggest an increase in diversity from the Paleocene to the Eocene in the region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Xavier Delclos, Enrique Penalver, Eduardo Barron, David Peris, David A. Grimaldi, Michael Holz, Conrad C. Labandeira, Erin E. Saupe, Christopher R. Scotese, Monica M. Solorzano-Kraemer, Sergio Alvarez-Parra, Antonio Arillo, Dany Azar, Edwin A. Cadena, Jacopo Dal Corso, Jiri Kvacek, Antonio Monleon-Getino, Andre Nel, Daniel Peyrot, Carlos A. Bueno-Cebollada, Alejandro Gallardo, Beatriz Gonzalez-Fernandez, Marta Goula, Carlos Jaramillo, Iwona Kania-Klosok, Rafael Lopez-Del Valle, Rafael P. Lozano, Nieves Melendez, Cesar Menor-Salvan, Constanza Pena-Kairath, Vincent Perrichot, Ana Rodrigo, Alba Sanchez-Garcia, Maxime Santer, Victor Sarto i Monteys, Dieter Uhl, Jose Luis Viejo, Ricardo Perez-de la Fuente
Summary: Amber, fossilized resin, has revolutionized our understanding of past terrestrial organisms and habitats. Cretaceous amber outcrops are abundant in the Northern Hemisphere during a 54 million year interval. The extensive resin production during this time, attributed to coniferous trees and climatic dynamics, has led to a remarkable record of terrestrial life known as the 'Cretaceous Resinous Interval' (CREI).
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Stephanie A. Maiolino, Stephen G. B. Chester, Doug M. Boyer, Jonathan I. Bloch
Summary: With a few exceptions, crown-clade Primates have nails instead of claws on most post-axial digits. The distal phalanx morphology of extinct plesiadapiforms and their close relatives is indicative of having supported keratinous claws, consistent with previous behavioral reconstructions. The results suggest that plesiadapiform distal phalanges share characteristics with both generalized arborealists/scansorialists and antipronograde specialists.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Edwin-Alberto Cadena, Carlos De Gracia, Diego A. Combita-Romero
Summary: The oldest fossil record of Lepidochelys, a genus of marine turtles, has been discovered in the Upper Miocene Chagres Formation of Panama. The preserved carapace exhibits unique features and exceptional preservation, providing insights into the evolutionary history of Lepidochelys. Additionally, the discovery challenges traditional paradigms of biomolecular preservation by demonstrating potential DNA persistence in fossils from lower latitudes.
JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Edwin-Alberto Cadena, Diego A. Combita-Romero
Summary: This study describes limb bones and fossil shell remains from the upper Valanginian, Rosa Blanca Formation of Colombia, which shed light on the conditions and characteristics of large-size evolution in protostegid turtles.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Maria Camila Vallejo-Pareja, Edward L. Stanley, Jonathan Bloch, David C. Blackburn
Summary: The establishment of terrestrial vertebrate faunas in North America was influenced by various factors at different geographic scales. A study of anurans from Florida in the Late Oligocene revealed fossils attributed to Eleutherodactylus, providing evidence of their presence in North America before colonizing Central America. This study demonstrates the dispersal of amphibians from the Caribbean into North America during the Late Oligocene.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Rafael Francisco Castano-Cardona, Carlos Jaramillo, Andres Pardo-Trujillo, Barbara Vento, Daniela Quiroz-Cabascango, Estefania Angulo-Pardo
Summary: Several Cretaceous amber-bearing localities have been recently discovered in Ecuador and Colombia. A palynological study was conducted to determine their age and assess the floral content. The findings reveal that these localities date back to the late Aptian to early Albian and late Aptian to early Cenomanian, indicating a humid climate in these regions.
BOLETIN DE GEOLOGIA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Aldo Benites-Palomino, Jorge Velez-Juarbe, Carlos De Gracia, Carlos Jaramillo
Summary: New fossil cetaceans from the Upper Miocene Chagres Formation in the Caribbean have been discovered in Eastern Panama. These fossils show similarities with Late Miocene cetacean communities in the Californias in the North Pacific and the Pisco Formation in Peru. This indicates that shallow water marine connection might have facilitated the dispersal of coastal species across both sides of the Isthmus, despite the reduction in deep and intermediate Caribbean-Pacific water interchange during the Middle Miocene.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Christoph Haggi, B. David A. Naafs, Daniele Silvestro, Dailson J. Bertassoli Jr, Thomas K. Akabane, Vinicius R. Mendes, Andre O. Sawakuchi, Cristiano M. Chiessi, Carlos A. Jaramillo, Sarah J. Feakins
Summary: This study surveys the distribution of brGDGT and isoGDGT in tropical South America and establishes new brGDGT-based temperature models. The results show variations in the distribution of these lipids in different soil types and profiles, and provide insights for paleoclimatic reconstructions.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
