PalArch

Farke, Andrew A. & Chiara A. Wilridge. 2013. A Possible Pterosaur Wing Phalanx from the Kaiparowits Formation (Late Campanian) of Southern Utah, USA – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 10(2) (2013), 1-6. ISSN 1567-2158. 6 pages + 1 figure.

ijjn — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 07:30:03 +0000

Abstract An isolated bone from the late Campanian-aged Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah is tentatively identified as the terminal wing phalanx (manual phalanx IV-4) from a pterosaur, representing the first report of this clade from the formation. The specimen is 60 mm long and hollow, with thin and delicate walls and expanded ?proximal and ?distal ends. This is consistent with anatomy reported for equivalent elements in pterodactyloid pterosaurs. Although the specimen cannot be more precisely identified, it is consistent with occurrences of pterosaurs in penecontemporaneous terrestrial depositional environments throughout western North America.

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Wedel, M.J. & M.P. Taylor. 2013. Neural Spine Bifurcation in Sauropod Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation: Ontogenetic and Phylogenetic Implications. – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 10(1) (2013), 1-34. ISSN 1567-2158. 34 pages + 25 figures, 2 tables.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:54:38 +0000

Abstract It has recently been argued that neural spine bifurcation increases through ontogeny in several Morrison Formation sauropods, that recognition of ontogenetic transformation in this ‘key character’ will have sweeping implications for sauropod phylogeny, and that Suuwassea and Haplocanthosaurus in particular are likely to be juveniles of known diplodocids. However, we find that serial variation in sauropod vertebrae can mimic ontogenetic change and is therefore a powerful confounding factor, especially when dealing with isolated elements whose serial position cannot be determined. When serial position is taken into account, there is no evidence that neural spine bifurcation increased over ontogeny in Morrison Formation diplodocids. Through phylogenetic analysis we show that neural spine bifurcation is not a key character in sauropod phylogeny and that Suuwassea and Haplocanthosaurus are almost certainly not juveniles of known diplodocids. Skeletochronology based on the sequence of skeletal fusions during ontogeny can provide relative ontogenetic ages for some sauropods. Although such data are sparsely available to date and often inconsistent among sauropod genera they provide another line of evidence for testing hypotheses of ontogenetic synonymy. Data from skeletal fusions suggest that Suuwassea and Haplocanthosaurus are both valid taxa and that neither is an ontogenetic morph of a known diplodocid.

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Conference: Bioarchaeology of Ancient Egypt. Schedule and Abstracts. – PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology 10 (1) (2013), 1-31. ISSN 1567-214X. 31 pages.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:59:26 +0000

Abstract and schedule of the conference “Bioarchaeology of Ancient Egypt” (AUC, 2013).

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Krauss, Rolf. With a Contribution by Victor Reijs. 2012. Babylonian Crescent Observation and Ptolemaic-Roman Lunar Dates. – Palarch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology 9(5) (2012), 1-95. ISSN 1567-214X. 95 pages + 28 figures, 62 tables, 2 appendices.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:14:57 +0000

Abstract This article considers three question associated with Ptolemaic-Roman lunar chronology: did the temple service begin on Lunar Day 2; were lunar phases determined by observation and/or cyclically; how accurate were lunar observations? In the introduction, Babylonian and modern observations of old and new crescents are analyzed to obtain empirical visibility lines applicable to Egyptian lunar observations. Second Edition.

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TER-QUA 2011 Proceedings: Steven E. Fields, H. Gregory McDonald, James L. Knight & Albert E. Sanders. 2012. The Ground Sloths (Pilosa) of South Carolina. – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(3) (2012), 1-19. ISSN 1567-2158. 19 pages + 7 figures, 1 table.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:23:09 +0000

Abstract A summary of museum and literature records of ground sloths collected from South Carolina is presented. The ground sloth record in South Carolina consists of three genera, Eremotheirum with two species, Megalonyx with three species and Paramylodon with one species. Three of these species, Eremotherium eomigrans and Megalonyx leptostomus from the Blancan and Megalonyx wheatleyi from the Irvingtonian are new records for the state. An early Pliocene specimen of M. leptostomus is the earliest record of sloths from South Carolina. The fossil record of sloths in the state extends from the Pliocene (Blancan) through the Pleistocene (Late Rancholabrean) and is confined to sedimentary deposits on the Coastal Plain.

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TER-QUA 2011 Proceedings: Robert M. Chandler. 2012. A New Species of Tinamou (Aves: Tinamiformes, Tinamidae) from the Early-Middle Miocene of Argentina. – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(2) (2012), 1-8. ISSN 1567-2158. 8 pages + 2 figures, 1 table.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:32:38 +0000

Abstract A new species of tinamou from the early-middle Miocene (Santacrusian), Santa Cruz Formation of Argentina is named. The new species is approximately 16 million year old and has an affinity with the modern genus Crypturellus based on the unique characteristics of the humerus, hence, the designation aff. Crypturellus. Fossil species and the zooarchaeological record of modern tinamous are given.

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TER-QUA 2011 Proceedings: Jeremy B. Stout. 2012. New Material of Borealosuchus from the Bridger Formation, with Notes on the Paleoecology of Wyoming’s Eocene Crocodylians. – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(5) (2012), 1-7. ISSN 1567-2158. 7 pages + 3 figures, 1 table.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:58:14 +0000

Abstract The Eocene Green River and Bridger Formations of Wyoming represent lacustrine and fluvial environments noteworthy for an extremely diverse crocodylian fauna (at least eight species in seven genera). This paper discusses a fragmentary crocodylian jaw from the Bridger Formation, and also notes possible ecological partitioning among these sympatric crocodylians. The jaw fragment can be assigned confi dently to Borealosuchus based on the exclusion of the splenial from the mandibular symphysis and the presence of occlusal grooves between the alveoli, and it is referred tentatively to Borealosuchus cf. B. wilsoni. To examine the paleoecology of these crocodylians, variables based on habitat, body size, and inferred diet were formulated and species placed within respective categories. The research found that while there were more sympatric crocodylians in the early to mid Eocene of Wyoming than in any present-day biota, direct interspecifi c competition for resources is presumed to have been relatively low.

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BOOK REVIEW: PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 9 (4) (2012)

PalArch Editor (AV) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:54:36 +0000

Christoffer Theis about Habicht, Michael E. 2011. Nofretete und Echnation. Das Geheimnis der Amarna-Mumien. – Leipzig, Koehler & Amelang GmbH.

Die Geschichte der Amarnazeit und das Wirken der verschiedenen Charaktere, deren Namen Echnaton, Nofretete, Tutanchamun oder Aja II. wohl vielen Individuen ein Begriff sein dürften, ist in der Ägyptologie auch weiterhin ein vieldiskutiertes Thema – eine Publikationen zu den verschiedenen Bereichen [...]

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TER-QUA 2011 Proceedings: Pennilyn Higgins. 2012. Climate Change at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary: New Insights from Mollusks and Organic Carbon in the Hanna Basin of Wyoming. – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(4) (2012), 1-20. ISSN 1567-2158. 20 pages + 7 figures, 3 tables.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:46:11 +0000

Abstract Climate change at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is frequently regarded as among the best ancient proxies for the potential effects of modern climate change. Terrestrial sections recording this event are few, but essential in understanding the impacts of rapid global change on land-dwelling life forms such as humans. In the Hanna Formation, exposed in the Hanna Basin of south-central Wyoming, the PETM and associated climate change are recorded in lacustrine and fl uvial sediments bracketing the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. Isotopic analysis of abundant fossil mollusks and organic carbon reveal interesting trends in the warming during the PETM and the subsequent climatic recovery. Changes in sedimentary environment due to climate change or tectonic events may be distinguishable through isotopic study, helping to clarify the direct impact of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems.

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TER-QUA 2011 Proceedings: Larry D. Martin. 2012. Institute for Tertiary-Quarternary Studies (TER-QUA). – PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(1) (2012), 1-3. ISSN 1567-2158. 3 pages.

PalArch Editor (AV) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:27:55 +0000

The start

TER-QUA (the Institute for Tertiary-Quaternary Studies) was organized in 1968 on the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council’s U.S. National Committee of INQUA (the International Union for Quaternary Research). At this time it was under the directorships of Prof. Samuel Treves and Prof. Charles Bertrand Schultz both of the University of Nebraska. TER-QUA was formed to bring together [...]

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