Crocodylian Diversity Peak and Extinction in the Late Cenozoic of the Northern Neotropics
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Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus Niloticus) Genetic Diversity and Population Structure, Within the Lower Kunene and Okavango Rivers of Northern Namibia
Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) genetic diversity and population structure, within the lower Kunene and Okavango Rivers of northern Namibia by William F. Versfeld Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Natural Science at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Dr Ruhan Slabbert Co-Supervisor: Dr Clint Rhode and Dr Alison Leslie Department of Genetics Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: March 2016 Copyright © 2016 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract The Nile crocodile has experienced numerous stages of illegal hunting pressures in the mid-20th- century across most of the species’ distribution. The reduced Nile crocodile populations have shown partial recovery and it is currently considered as a “lower risk” / “least concern” species on the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature. In Namibia, however, the Nile crocodile is recognised as a protected game species under the Nature Conservation Ordinance No 4 of 1975, allowing trophy hunting of the species only with the issuing of a hunting licence. Census and genetic data of the Nile crocodile is limited or non-existing in Namibia and the country has recently developed a species management plan to conserve the wild populations. -
Tomistoma Tomistoma Schlegelii Mark R
Tomistoma Tomistoma schlegelii Mark R. Bezuijen1, Bruce M. Shwedick2, Ralf Sommerlad3, Colin Stevenson4 and Robert B. Steubing5 1 PO Box 183, Ferny Creek, Victoria 3786, Australia ([email protected]); 2 Crocodile Conservation Services, PO Box 3176, Plant City, FL 33563, USA ([email protected]); 3 Roedelheimer Landstr. 42, Frankfurt, Hessen 60487, Germany ([email protected]); 4 Crocodile Encounters, 37 Mansfi eld Drive, Merstham, Surrey, UK ([email protected]); 5 10 Locust Hill Road, Cincinnati, OH 45245, USA ([email protected]) Common Names: Tomistoma, sunda gharial, false gharial, 2009 IUCN Red List: EN (Endangered. Criteria: C1: buaya sumpit, buaya senjulung/Julung (Indonesia), takong Population estimate is less than 2500 mature individuals, (Thailand) with continuing decline of at least 25% within 5 years or two generations. Widespread, but in low numbers; IUCN 2009). It is likely that criteria A1(c): “a decline in the area Range: Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java), Malaysia of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or decline in habitat” (Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak), Brunei, Thailand also applies, as habitat loss is the key threat to the species. (extirpated?) (Last assessed in 2000). Principal threats: Habitat destruction Ecology and Natural History Tomistoma (Tomistoma schlegelii) is a freshwater, mound- nesting crocodilian with a distinctively long, narrow snout. It is one of the largest of crocodilians, with males attaining lengths of up to 5 m. The current distribution of Tomistoma extends over lowland regions of eastern Sumatra, Kalimantan and western Java (Indonesia) and Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia (Malaysia), within 5 degrees north and south of the equator (Stuebing et al. 2006). Tomistoma apparently occurred in southern Thailand historically, but there have been no reports since at least the 1970s and it is probably extirpated there (Ratanakorn et al. -
Forgotten Crocodile from the Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, New
posed that the narial cavities of Para- Wima1l- saurolophuswere vocal resonating chambers' Goniopholiskirtlandicus Apparently included with this material shippedto Wiman was a partial skull that lromthe Wiman describedas a new speciesof croc- forgottencrocodile odile, Goniopholis kirtlandicus. Wiman publisheda descriptionof G. kirtlandicusin Basin, 1932in the Bulletin of the GeologicalInstitute KirtlandFormation, San Juan of IJppsala. Notice of this specieshas not appearedin any Americanpublication. Klilin NewMexico (1955)presented a descriptionand illustration of the speciesin French, but essentially repeatedWiman (1932). byDonald L. Wolberg, Vertebrate Paleontologist, NewMexico Bureau of lVlinesand Mineral Resources, Socorro, NIM Localityinformation for Crocodilian bone, armor, and teeth are Goni o p holi s kir t landicus common in Late Cretaceous and Early Ter- The skeletalmaterial referred to Gonio- tiary deposits of the San Juan Basin and pholis kirtlandicus includesmost of the right elsewhere.In the Fruitland and Kirtland For- side of a skull, a squamosalfragment, and a mations of the San Juan Basin, Late Creta- portion of dorsal plate. The referral of the ceous crocodiles were important carnivores of dorsalplate probably represents an interpreta- the reconstructed stream and stream-bank tion of the proximity of the material when community (Wolberg, 1980). In the Kirtland found. Figs. I and 2, taken from Wiman Formation, a mesosuchian crocodile, Gonio- (1932),illustrate this material. pholis kirtlandicus, discovered by Charles H. Wiman(1932, p. 181)recorded the follow- Sternbergin the early 1920'sand not described ing locality data, provided by Sternberg: until 1932 by Carl Wiman, has been all but of Crocodile.Kirtland shalesa 100feet ignored since its description and referral. "Skull below the Ojo Alamo Sandstonein the blue Specimensreferred to other crocodilian genera cley. -
Thomas Jefferson Meg Tooth
The ECPHORA The Newsletter of the Calvert Marine Museum Fossil Club Volume 30 Number 3 September 2015 Thomas Jefferson Meg Tooth Features Thomas Jefferson Meg The catalogue number Review; Walking is: ANSP 959 Whales Inside The tooth came from Ricehope Estate, Snaggletooth Shark Cooper River, Exhibit South Carolina. Tiktaalik Clavatulidae In 1806, it was Juvenile Bald Eagle originally collected or Sculpting Whale Shark owned by Dr. William Moroccan Fossils Reid. Prints in the Sahara Volunteer Outing to Miocene-Pliocene National Geographic coastal plain sediments. Dolphins in the Chesapeake Sloth Tooth Found SharkFest Shark Iconography in Pre-Columbian Panama Hippo Skulls CT- Scanned Squalus sp. Teeth Sperm Whale Teeth On a recent trip to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Philadelphia), Collections Manager Ned Gilmore gave John Nance and me a behind -the-scenes highlights tour. Among the fossils that belonged to Thomas☼ Jefferson (left; American Founding Father, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and third President of the United States) was this Carcharocles megalodon tooth. Jefferson’s interests and knowledge were encyclopedic; a delight to know that they included paleontology. Hand by J. Nance. Photo by S. Godfrey. Jefferson portrait from: http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-jefferson-9353715 ☼ CALVERT MARINE MUSEUM www.calvertmarinemuseum.com 2 The Ecphora September 2015 Book Review: The Walking 41 million years ago and has worldwide distribution. It was fully aquatic, although it did have residual Whales hind limbs. In later chapters, Professor Thewissen George F. Klein discusses limb development and various genetic factors that make whales, whales. This is a The full title of this book is The Walking complicated topic, but I found these chapters very Whales — From Land to Water in Eight Million clear and readable. -
First Remains of Diplocynodon Cf. Ratelii from the Early Miocene Sites of Ahníkov (Most Basin, Czech Republic)
First remains of Diplocynodon cf. ratelii from the early Miocene sites of Ahníkov (Most Basin, Czech Republic) Milan Chroust, Martin MazuCh, Martin ivanov, Boris Ekrt & ÀngEl h. luján Fossil crocodylians from the early Miocene (Eggenburgian, MN3a) sites of Ahníkov (Most Basin, Czech Republic) are described in this paper. The new material presented here includes over 200 remains (bones, teeth and osteoderms), and therefore constitutes the largest crocodylian sample known from the fossil record of the Czech Republic. Assignment of the specimens to the fossil alligatoroid taxon Diplocynodon cf. ratelii Pomel, 1847 (family Diplocynodontidae) is justified by the presence of several cranial and postcranial features. In the Czech Republic, this species has been previously reported only from the Tušimice site (MN3, Most Basin, Ohře/Eger Graben). The majority of the material reported from Ahníkov is composed of disarticulated juvenile individuals. Both sites are most likely attributable to the specific environment of swampy areas, where crocodile hatchlings would hide from predators. The presence of the genus Diplocynodon supports the assumption of rather warm climatic conditions in Central Europe during the early to middle Miocene, as well as a swampy depositional environment previously inferred for Ahníkov. However, some squamate taxa suggest the existence of additional, surrounding palaeoenvironment characterised by a more open landscape with slightly drier conditions. • Key words: fossil crocodiles, alligatoroid, Ahníkov, Ohře/Eger Graben, Eggenburgian. CHROUST, M., MAZUCH, M., IVANOV, M., EKRT, B. & LUJÁN, À.H. 2021. First remains of Diplocynodon cf. ratelii from the early Miocene sites of Ahníkov (Most Basin, Czech Republic). Bulletin of Geosciences 96(2), 123–138 (10 figures, 1 table). -
The First Crocodyliforms Remains from La Parrita Locality, Cerro Del Pueblo
Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana / 2019 / 727 The first crocodyliforms remains from La Parrita locality, Cerro del Pueblo Formation (Campanian), Coahuila, Mexico Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva, Gerardo Carbot-Chanona, Rafael Vivas-González, Lizbeth Nava-Rodríguez, Fernando Cabral-Valdéz ABSTRACT Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva ABSTRACT RESUMEN Fernando Cabral-Valdéz Departamento de Paleontología, Museo del Desierto, Carlos Abedrop Dávila 3745, 25022, The record of land tetrapods of El registro de tetrápodos terrestres en la Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. the Cerro del Pueblo Formation Formación Cerro del Pueblo (Cretácico (Late Cretaceous, Campanian), in Gerardo Carbot-Chanona tardío, Campaniano) en Coahuila, incluye Coahuila, includes turtles, pterosaurs, [email protected] tortugas, pterosaurios, dinosaurios y Museo de Paleontología “Eliseo Palacios Aguil- dinosaurs, and crocodyliforms. This era”, Secretaría de Medio Ambiente e Historia last group is represented only by crocodyliformes. Este último grupo está Natural. Calzada de los hombres ilustres s/n, representado por goniofólididos, eusuquios 29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico. goniopholidids, indeterminate eusu- chians, and Brachychampsa montana. In indeterminados y Brachychampsa montana. Rafael Vivas-González this work we report the first crocodyli- En este trabajo se reportan los primeros Villa Nápoles 6506, Colonia Mirador de las Mitras, 64348, Monterrey, N. L., Mexico. form remains from La Parrita locality, restos de crocodyliformes de la localidad Cerro del Pueblo Formation, based La Parrita, Formación Cerro del Pueblo, Lizbeth Nava-Rodríguez on one isolated tooth, vertebrae, and con base en un diente aislado, vértebras y Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autóno- osteoderms. The association of croc- ma de San Luis Potosí, Dr. Manuel Nava 8, osteodermos. La asociación de crocodyli- Zona Universitaria Poniente, San Luis Potosi, odyliforms, turtles, dinosaurs, and formes, tortugas, dinosaurios y oogonias S.L.P., Mexico. -
Crown Clades in Vertebrate Nomenclature
2008 POINTS OF VIEW 173 Wiens, J. J. 2001. Character analysis in morphological phylogenetics: Wilkins, A. S. 2002. The evolution of developmental pathways. Sinauer Problems and solutions. Syst. Biol. 50:689–699. Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts. Wiens, J. J., and R. E. Etheridge. 2003. Phylogenetic relationships of Wright, S. 1934a. An analysis of variability in the number of digits in hoplocercid lizards: Coding and combining meristic, morphometric, an inbred strain of guinea pigs. Genetics 19:506–536. and polymorphic data using step matrices. Herpetologica 59:375– Wright, S. 1934b. The results of crosses between inbred strains 398. of guinea pigs differing in number of digits. Genetics 19:537– Wiens, J. J., and M. R. Servedio. 1997. Accuracy of phylogenetic analysis 551. including and excluding polymorphic characters. Syst. Biol. 46:332– 345. Wiens, J. J., and M. R. Servedio. 1998. Phylogenetic analysis and in- First submitted 28 June 2007; reviews returned 10 September 2007; traspecific variation: Performance of parsimony, likelihood, and dis- final acceptance 18 October 2007 tance methods. Syst. Biol. 47:228–253. Associate Editor: Norman MacLeod Syst. Biol. 57(1):173–181, 2008 Copyright c Society of Systematic Biologists ISSN: 1063-5157 print / 1076-836X online DOI: 10.1080/10635150801910469 Crown Clades in Vertebrate Nomenclature: Correcting the Definition of Crocodylia JEREMY E. MARTIN1 AND MICHAEL J. BENTON2 1UniversiteL´ yon 1, UMR 5125 PEPS CNRS, 2, rue Dubois 69622 Villeurbanne, France; E-mail: [email protected] 2Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS9 1RJ, UK; E-mail: [email protected] Downloaded By: [Martin, Jeremy E.] At: 19:32 25 February 2008 Acrown group is defined as the most recent common Dyke, 2002; Forey, 2002; Monsch, 2005; Rieppel, 2006) ancestor of at least two extant groups and all its descen- but rather expresses dissatisfaction with the increasingly dants (Gauthier, 1986). -
Phylogenetic Taphonomy: a Statistical and Phylogenetic
Drumheller and Brochu | 1 1 PHYLOGENETIC TAPHONOMY: A STATISTICAL AND PHYLOGENETIC 2 APPROACH FOR EXPLORING TAPHONOMIC PATTERNS IN THE FOSSIL 3 RECORD USING CROCODYLIANS 4 STEPHANIE K. DRUMHELLER1, CHRISTOPHER A. BROCHU2 5 1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 6 Tennessee, 37996, U.S.A. 7 2. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 8 52242, U.S.A. 9 email: [email protected] 10 RRH: CROCODYLIAN BITE MARKS IN PHYLOGENETIC CONTEXT 11 LRH: DRUMHELLER AND BROCHU Drumheller and Brochu | 2 12 ABSTRACT 13 Actualistic observations form the basis of many taphonomic studies in paleontology. 14However, surveys limited by environment or taxon may not be applicable far beyond the bounds 15of the initial observations. Even when multiple studies exploring the potential variety within a 16taphonomic process exist, quantitative methods for comparing these datasets in order to identify 17larger scale patterns have been understudied. This research uses modern bite marks collected 18from 21 of the 23 generally recognized species of extant Crocodylia to explore statistical and 19phylogenetic methods of synthesizing taphonomic datasets. Bite marks were identified, and 20specimens were then coded for presence or absence of different mark morphotypes. Attempts to 21find statistical correlation between trace types, marking animal vital statistics, and sample 22collection protocol were unsuccessful. Mapping bite mark character states on a eusuchian 23phylogeny successfully predicted the presence of known diagnostic, bisected marks in extinct 24taxa. Predictions for clades that may have created multiple subscores, striated marks, and 25extensive crushing were also generated. Inclusion of fossil bite marks which have been positively 26associated with extinct species allow this method to be projected beyond the crown group. -
Christopher A. Brochu
Curriculum Vitae CHRISTOPHER A. BROCHU Department of Geoscience Phone: 319-353-1808 University of Iowa Fax: 319-335-1821 Iowa City, IA 52242 Email: [email protected] EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY Higher Education 1993-1997 Ph.D. Geological Sciences University of Texas at Austin 1989-1993 M.A. Geological Sciences University of Texas at Austin 1985-1989 B.S. Geology University of Iowa Professional and Academic Positions 2010 - present Miller Teaching Fellow, University College, University of Iowa 2006 - present Associate Professor, Department of Geoscience, University of Iowa 2001 - 2006 Assistant Professor, Department of Geoscience, University of Iowa 2001 - present Research Associate, Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory, Texas Memorial Museum 2001 - present Research Associate, Department of Geology, Field Museum 2001 - present Research Associate, Science Museum of Minnesota 1998 - 2000 Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Department of Geology, Field Museum Honors and Awards 2011 Fellowship, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, University of Iowa 2011 Career Development Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa 2006 Dean’s Scholar, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa 2005 Collegiate Teaching Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa 1996 Romer Prize, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 1996 Stoye Award in General Herpetology, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists 1996 Best Student Technical Sessions Speaker, Geological Sciences, University of Texas -
HHS Public Access Author Manuscript
HHS Public Access Author manuscript Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptScience. Author Manuscript Author manuscript; Author Manuscript available in PMC 2015 June 12. Published in final edited form as: Science. 2014 December 12; 346(6215): 1254449. doi:10.1126/science.1254449. Three crocodilian genomes reveal ancestral patterns of evolution among archosaurs A full list of authors and affiliations appears at the end of the article. Abstract To provide context for the diversifications of archosaurs, the group that includes crocodilians, dinosaurs and birds, we generated draft genomes of three crocodilians, Alligator mississippiensis (the American alligator), Crocodylus porosus (the saltwater crocodile), and Gavialis gangeticus (the Indian gharial). We observed an exceptionally slow rate of genome evolution within crocodilians at all levels, including nucleotide substitutions, indels, transposable element content and movement, gene family evolution, and chromosomal synteny. When placed within the context of related taxa including birds and turtles, this suggests that the common ancestor of all of these taxa also exhibited slow genome evolution and that the relatively rapid evolution of bird genomes represents an autapomorphy within that clade. The data also provided the opportunity to analyze heterozygosity in crocodilians, which indicates a likely reduction in population size for all three taxa through the Pleistocene. Finally, these new data combined with newly published bird genomes allowed us to reconstruct the partial genome of the common ancestor of archosaurs providing a tool to investigate the genetic starting material of crocodilians, birds, and dinosaurs. Introduction Crocodilians, birds, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs are a monophyletic group known as the archosaurs. Crocodilians and birds are the only extant members and thus crocodilians (alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials) are the closest living relatives of all birds (1, 2). -
A New Fossil Crocodilian from Mongolia, by Charles C
AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES Published by Number 1097 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL hIISTORY December 26, 1940 New York City A NEW FOSSIL CROCODILIAN FROM MONGOLIA, BY CHARLES C. MOOK2 In the field season of 1930 the Central SPECIFIC CHARACTERS.-Symphysis extending of The American back to level of the sixth mandibular teeth, the Asiatic Expedition two rami of the mandible diverging at a moder- Museum of Natural History collected some ately wide angle, dental row shorter than post- crocodilian remains from the Irdin Manha dental portion of jaw, teeth stout and faintly Beds of Upper Eocene age at a locality striated, interfenestral plate flat, sutures of seven miles west of Camp Margetts, Mon- nasals with lachrimals considerably shorter than golia. These remains consisted of portions sutures with prefrontals. of at least two individuals. A portion of DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TYPE MATERIAL. -The lateral borders of the nasals are parallel the skull including parts of the frontal, for a considerable distance. The sutures of the prefrontal, lachrimal, nasal, and maxillary nasals with the lachrimals are shorter than their bones, indicates an individual of fairly sutures with the prefrontals. The interorbital small size. An interorbital consisting plate is of moderate breadth and is flat. The plate, snout exhibits a slight constriction at the level of parts of the frontal and nasal bones, indi- of what are apparently the sixth maxillary teeth. cates a individual. A of lower larger pair The two rami of the mandible diverge at a jaws, with the two rami separated, and fairly broad angle. The symphysis is moder- somewhat broken and crushed, indicate a ately broad. -
Abstract Book JMIH 2011
Abstract Book JMIH 2011 Abstracts for the 2011 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists AES – American Elasmobranch Society ASIH - American Society of Ichthyologists & Herpetologists HL – Herpetologists’ League NIA – Neotropical Ichthyological Association SSAR – Society for the Study of Amphibians & Reptiles Minneapolis, Minnesota 6-11 July 2011 Edited by Martha L. Crump & Maureen A. Donnelly 0165 Fish Biogeography & Phylogeography, Symphony III, Saturday 9 July 2011 Amanda Ackiss1, Shinta Pardede2, Eric Crandall3, Paul Barber4, Kent Carpenter1 1Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA, 2Wildlife Conservation Society, Jakarta, Java, Indonesia, 3Fisheries Ecology Division; Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA, 4University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Corroborated Phylogeographic Breaks Across the Coral Triangle: Population Structure in the Redbelly Fusilier, Caesio cuning The redbelly yellowtail fusilier, Caesio cuning, has a tropical Indo-West Pacific range that straddles the Coral Triangle, a region of dynamic geological history and the highest marine biodiversity on the planet. Caesio cuning is a reef-associated artisanal fishery, making it an ideal species for assessing regional patterns of gene flow for evidence of speciation mechanisms as well as for regional management purposes. We evaluated the genetic population structure of Caesio cuning using a 382bp segment of the mitochondrial control region amplified from over 620 fish sampled from 33 localities across the Philippines and Indonesia. Phylogeographic