A Preliminary Review of the Biostratigraphy of the Uppermost Permian, Triassic and Lowermost Jurassic of Gondwanaland
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8. Archosaur Phylogeny and the Relationships of the Crocodylia
8. Archosaur phylogeny and the relationships of the Crocodylia MICHAEL J. BENTON Department of Geology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast, UK JAMES M. CLARK* Department of Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA Abstract The Archosauria include the living crocodilians and birds, as well as the fossil dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and basal 'thecodontians'. Cladograms of the basal archosaurs and of the crocodylomorphs are given in this paper. There are three primitive archosaur groups, the Proterosuchidae, the Erythrosuchidae, and the Proterochampsidae, which fall outside the crown-group (crocodilian line plus bird line), and these have been defined as plesions to a restricted Archosauria by Gauthier. The Early Triassic Euparkeria may also fall outside this crown-group, or it may lie on the bird line. The crown-group of archosaurs divides into the Ornithosuchia (the 'bird line': Orn- ithosuchidae, Lagosuchidae, Pterosauria, Dinosauria) and the Croco- dylotarsi nov. (the 'crocodilian line': Phytosauridae, Crocodylo- morpha, Stagonolepididae, Rauisuchidae, and Poposauridae). The latter three families may form a clade (Pseudosuchia s.str.), or the Poposauridae may pair off with Crocodylomorpha. The Crocodylomorpha includes all crocodilians, as well as crocodi- lian-like Triassic and Jurassic terrestrial forms. The Crocodyliformes include the traditional 'Protosuchia', 'Mesosuchia', and Eusuchia, and they are defined by a large number of synapomorphies, particularly of the braincase and occipital regions. The 'protosuchians' (mainly Early *Present address: Department of Zoology, Storer Hall, University of California, Davis, Cali- fornia, USA. The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, Volume 1: Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds (ed. M.J. Benton), Systematics Association Special Volume 35A . pp. 295-338. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1988. -
South Africa's Coalfields — a 2014 Perspective
International Journal of Coal Geology 132 (2014) 170–254 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal of Coal Geology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijcoalgeo South Africa's coalfields — A 2014 perspective P. John Hancox a,⁎,AnnetteE.Götzb,c a University of the Witwatersrand, School of Geosciences and Evolutionary Studies Institute, Private Bag 3, 2050 Wits, South Africa b University of Pretoria, Department of Geology, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa c Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya St., Kazan 420008, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation article info abstract Article history: For well over a century and a half coal has played a vital role in South Africa's economy and currently bituminous Received 7 April 2014 coal is the primary energy source for domestic electricity generation, as well as being the feedstock for the Received in revised form 22 June 2014 production of a substantial percentage of the country's liquid fuels. It furthermore provides a considerable source Accepted 22 June 2014 of foreign revenue from exports. Available online 28 June 2014 Based on geographic considerations, and variations in the sedimentation, origin, formation, distribution and quality of the coals, 19 coalfields are generally recognised in South Africa. This paper provides an updated review Keywords: Gondwana coal of their exploration and exploitation histories, general geology, coal seam nomenclature and coal qualities. With- Permian in the various coalfields autocyclic variability is the norm rather than the exception, whereas allocyclic variability Triassic is much less so, and allows for the correlation of genetically related sequences. During the mid-Jurassic break up Coalfield of Gondwana most of the coal-bearing successions were intruded by dolerite. -
Asterotheca Meriani (Brongn.) Stur and Its Spores from the Upper Triassic of Lunz (Austria)
ASTEROTHECA MERIANI (BRONGN.) STUR AND ITS SPORES FROM THE UPPER TRIASSIC OF LUNZ (AUSTRIA) D. C. BHARDWAJ & HARI PALL SINGH Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow ABSTRACT Horizon-Lunzer Schichten, UpperTriassic. This paper deals with the morphological study of The compressions were examined under A ste"otheca rneriani (Brongn.) Stur, a species of strong reflected light. The transfer prepara ferns from the Upper Triassic of Lunz, Austria. tions were made following Walton's transfer well preserved in the form of carbonaceous crust on the shales. The frond is bipinnate. Pinnules method ( WALTON, 1923 ) and studied under are longer than broad and the venation is typically strong reflected ligh t. The synangia were of Pecopteris type. Synangia are circular, borne picked up with the help of a needle from the intramarginally, comprising 4 sessile sporangia in transfers and treated separately with com close cohesion at the anterior end but slightly apart at the apical end. Spores are bilateral, circular to mercial nitric acid for about 24 hours. Then oval in polar view and indisputably show a longi the oxidized products were washed with tudinal ( monolete) slit, slightly bent in the middle. water and followed by a treatment with 10 The spore exine is thick and finely granulose. per cent potassium hydroxide solution for 4 hours. After several washings with water, INTRODUCTION till the residue was free from alkali, the spores thus recovered were mounted in OR the last few decades the study of Canada balsam. For the recovery of the plant microfossils, especially the spores cuticles, the organic crust in the transfers F and pollen grains from the sedimen was separated with the help of xylol and tary strata such as shales and coals is being passed through alcohol to bring it to water. -
Palaeontological Impact Assessment Phase 1: Desktop Study Proposed
Palaeontological Impact Assessment Phase 1: Desktop Study Proposed Dinosaur Interpretation Center, Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Free State Dr. Jonah Nathaniel Choiniere Senior Researcher Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg [email protected] 011 717 6684 For South African National Parks (SANParks) Wednesday, 11 March 2015 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Phase I Palaeontological Impact Assessment concerns the South African National Park authority’s proposal to build a Dinosaur Interpretation Center at Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Free State. The proposed development will overlie sedimentary bedrock that is extremely likely to contain vertebrate fossils of scientific and cultural importance. It is strongly recommended that a trained palaeontologist be on hand during site work to monitor all excavations into the sedimentary bedrock. This palaeontologist should have a collection permit from the South African Heritage Resources Agency so that they can legally excavate any important material that is discovered while the site is developed. With this mitigation recommendation in place, it will be possible to simultaneously complete the proposed project and protect valuable heritage resources. BACKGROUND INFORMATION This Phase I Palaeontological Impact Assessment (PIA) is a part of an Environmental Impact Assessment being performed by EnviroWorks and commissioned by the developer, South African National Parks (SANParks). The contact person for EnviroWorks is: Adel Groenewald 072 460 3333 -
Triassic) in Barreal Depocenter, San Juan Province, Argentina
Andean Geology ISSN: 0718-7092 ISSN: 0718-7106 [email protected] Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería Chile Stratigraphical, sedimentological and palaeofloristic characterization of the Sorocayense Group (Triassic) in Barreal depocenter, San Juan Province, Argentina Bodnar, Josefina; Iglesias, Ari; Colombi, Carina E.; Drovandi, Juan Martín Stratigraphical, sedimentological and palaeofloristic characterization of the Sorocayense Group (Triassic) in Barreal depocenter, San Juan Province, Argentina Andean Geology, vol. 46, no. 3, 2019 Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile Available in: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=173961656006 This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International. PDF generated from XML JATS4R by Redalyc Project academic non-profit, developed under the open access initiative Josefina Bodnar, et al. Stratigraphical, sedimentological and palaeofloristic characterization of ... Research article Stratigraphical, sedimentological and palaeofloristic characterization of the Sorocayense Group (Triassic) in Barreal depocenter, San Juan Province, Argentina Caracterización estratigráfica, sedimentológica y paleoflorística del Grupo Sorocayense (Triásico) en el área de Barreal, provincia de San Juan, Argentina Josefina Bodnar *12 Redalyc: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa? Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina id=173961656006 [email protected] Ari Iglesias 23 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina [email protected] Carina E. Colombi 24 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina [email protected] Juan Martín Drovandi 24 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina [email protected] Received: 30 November 2017 Accepted: 30 October 2018 Published: 04 February 2019 Abstract: e northern area of Cuyo Basin (west-central Argentina) corresponds to the Rincón Blanco half-graben, whose filling is arranged into the Rincón Blanco and Sorocayense groups. -
Meandering in the Main Karoo Basin, Eastern Cape, South Africa FIELD TRIP LEADERS: Emese Bordy & Goonie Marsh
POST 10 Meandering in the main Karoo Basin, Eastern Cape, South Africa FIELD TRIP LEADERS: Emese Bordy & Goonie Marsh This comprehensive five day trip will take us through, via an unique route in the shortest travel time and distance, a geo-traverse through over 400 million years of South African geological history. The main focus of the field trip is the sedimentary fill of the southern main Karoo Basin, including the nature of some of the major Karoo intrusive and volcanic complexes of the Eastern Cape. Field Trip Leaders: Emese Bordy and Goonie Marsh Start: Port Elizabeth End: Port Elizabeth Dates: 3-8 September 2016 ITINERARY SUGGESTION OF FLIGHT BOOKING FROM CAPE TOWN TO PORT ELIZABETH: SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1803 DEPARTING CAPE TOWN AT 07h00, ARRIVING PORT ELIZABETH AT 08h15 Day 1 3 September 2016, Saturday Arrival at Port Elizabeth Airport and transfer to Grahamstown Overnight at the Graham Hotel in Grahamstown BB via Addo Elephant Park Day 2 4 September 2016, Sunday Stop 1 : Overview of 400 million years of South African geological history though the rocks and landscape of Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. Topics covered: Cape and Karoo systems, formation of the main Karoo Basin and Cape Fold Belt, Gondwana breakup, Cenozoic sea level changes. Location : 1820 Settlers' Monument Features to be seen : Relationship of the geology and geomorphology Cape Fold Belt - large-scale geological and geomorphological features: Witteberg quartzite ridges with some mudstone lenses to the south (cut by the N2 national road) & to the north (called Botha’s Ridge) running across the horizon. City bowl overlying the E-W running contact between soft Witteberg mudstones to the south and Dwyka tillites to the north Flat peneplain underlain by hard silcretes (with Joza/ King’s Flat township on it), visible along the northeastern horizon. -
The Sauropodomorph Biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation of Southern Africa: Tracking the Evolution of Sauropodomorpha Across the Triassic–Jurassic Boundary
Editors' choice The sauropodomorph biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation of southern Africa: Tracking the evolution of Sauropodomorpha across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary BLAIR W. MCPHEE, EMESE M. BORDY, LARA SCISCIO, and JONAH N. CHOINIERE McPhee, B.W., Bordy, E.M., Sciscio, L., and Choiniere, J.N. 2017. The sauropodomorph biostratigraphy of the Elliot Formation of southern Africa: Tracking the evolution of Sauropodomorpha across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 62 (3): 441–465. The latest Triassic is notable for coinciding with the dramatic decline of many previously dominant groups, followed by the rapid radiation of Dinosauria in the Early Jurassic. Among the most common terrestrial vertebrates from this time, sauropodomorph dinosaurs provide an important insight into the changing dynamics of the biota across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. The Elliot Formation of South Africa and Lesotho preserves the richest assemblage of sauropodomorphs known from this age, and is a key index assemblage for biostratigraphic correlations with other simi- larly-aged global terrestrial deposits. Past assessments of Elliot Formation biostratigraphy were hampered by an overly simplistic biozonation scheme which divided it into a lower “Euskelosaurus” Range Zone and an upper Massospondylus Range Zone. Here we revise the zonation of the Elliot Formation by: (i) synthesizing the last three decades’ worth of fossil discoveries, taxonomic revision, and lithostratigraphic investigation; and (ii) systematically reappraising the strati- graphic provenance of important fossil locations. We then use our revised stratigraphic information in conjunction with phylogenetic character data to assess morphological disparity between Late Triassic and Early Jurassic sauropodomorph taxa. Our results demonstrate that the Early Jurassic upper Elliot Formation is considerably more taxonomically and morphologically diverse than previously thought. -
The Early Evolution of Rhynchosaurs Butler, Richard; Montefeltro, Felipe; Ezcurra, Martin
University of Birmingham The early evolution of Rhynchosaurs Butler, Richard; Montefeltro, Felipe; Ezcurra, Martin DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00142 License: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY) Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (Harvard): Butler, R, Montefeltro, F & Ezcurra, M 2016, 'The early evolution of Rhynchosaurs', Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2015.00142 Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portal Publisher Rights Statement: Frontiers is fully compliant with open access mandates, by publishing its articles under the Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC-BY). Funder mandates such as those by the Wellcome Trust (UK), National Institutes of Health (USA) and the Australian Research Council (Australia) are fully compatible with publishing in Frontiers. Authors retain copyright of their work and can deposit their publication in any repository. The work can be freely shared and adapted provided that appropriate credit is given and any changes specified. General rights Unless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or the copyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposes permitted by law. •Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. •Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. •User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?) •Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain. -
Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida
Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Series Christian F. Kammerer Kenneth D. Angielczyk Jörg Fröbisch Editors Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida Chapter 17 Vertebrate Paleontology of Nooitgedacht 68: A Lystrosaurus maccaigi-rich Permo-Triassic Boundary Locality in South Africa Jennifer Botha-Brink, Adam K. Huttenlocker, and Sean P. Modesto Abstract The farm Nooitgedacht 68 in the Bethulie Introduction District of the South African Karoo Basin contains strata that record a complete Permo-Triassic boundary sequence The end-Permian extinction, which occurred 252.6 Ma ago providing important new data regarding the end-Permian (Mundil et al. 2004), is widely regarded as the most cata- extinction event in South Africa. Exploratory collecting has strophic mass extinction in Earth’s history (Erwin 1994). yielded at least 14 vertebrate species, making this locality Much research has focused on the cause(s) of the extinction the second richest Permo-Triassic boundary site in South (e.g., Renne et al. 1995; Wignall and Twitchett 1996; Knoll Africa. Furthermore, fossils include 50 specimens of the et al. 1996; Isozaki 1997; Krull et al. 2000; Hotinski et al. otherwise rare Late Permian dicynodont Lystrosaurus 2001; Becker et al. 2001, 2004; Sephton et al. 2005), the maccaigi. As a result, Nooitgedacht 68 is the richest paleoecology and paleobiology of the flora and fauna prior L. maccaigi site known. The excellent preservation, high to and during the event (e.g., Ward et al. 2000; Smith and concentration of L. maccaigi, presence of relatively rare Ward 2001; Wang et al. 2002; Gastaldo et al. 2005) and the dicynodonts such as Dicynodontoides recurvidens and consequent recovery period (Benton et al. -
Massospondylus Carinatus Owen 1854 (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the Lower Jurassic of South Africa: Proposed Conservation of Usage by Designation of a Neotype
Massospondylus carinatus Owen 1854 (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha) from the Lower Jurassic of South Africa: Proposed conservation of usage by designation of a neotype Adam M. Yates1* & Paul M. Barrett2 1Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, 2050 Johannesburg, South Africa 2Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, U.K. Received 17 February 2010. Accepted 12 November 2010 The purpose of this article is to preserve the usage of the binomen Massospondylus carinatus by designating a neotype specimen. Massospondylus is the most abundant basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Early Jurassic strata of southern Africa. This taxon forms the basis for an extensive palaeobiological literature and is the eponym of Massospondylidae and the nominal taxon of a biostratigraphical unit in current usage, the ‘Massospondylus Range Zone’. The syntype series of M. carinatus (five disarticulated and broken vertebrae) was destroyed during World War II, but plaster casts and illustrations of the material survive. Nonetheless, these materials cannot act as type material for this taxon under the rules of the ICZN Code. In order to avoid nomenclatural instability, we hereby designate BP/1/4934 (a skull and largely complete postcranial skeleton) as the neotype of Massospondylus carinatus. Keywords: Dinosauria, Sauropodomorpha, Massospondylidae, Massospondylus, Massospondylus carinatus, neotype, South Africa, upper Elliot Formation, Early Jurassic. INTRODUCTION same taxon, possibly even the same individual, as at least Richard Owen described and named Massospondylus some of the syntype series of Massospondylus carinatus. carinatus (1854, p. 97) with carinatus as the type species of Their initial separation from Massospondylus carinatus the genus by monotypy. -
University of Birmingham the Earliest Bird-Line Archosaurs and The
University of Birmingham The earliest bird-line archosaurs and the assembly of the dinosaur body plan Nesbitt, Sterling; Butler, Richard; Ezcurra, Martin; Barrett, Paul; Stocker, Michelle; Angielczyk, Kenneth; Smith, Roger; Sidor, Christian; Niedzwiedzki, Grzegorz; Sennikov, Andrey; Charig, Alan DOI: 10.1038/nature22037 License: None: All rights reserved Document Version Peer reviewed version Citation for published version (Harvard): Nesbitt, S, Butler, R, Ezcurra, M, Barrett, P, Stocker, M, Angielczyk, K, Smith, R, Sidor, C, Niedzwiedzki, G, Sennikov, A & Charig, A 2017, 'The earliest bird-line archosaurs and the assembly of the dinosaur body plan', Nature, vol. 544, no. 7651, pp. 484-487. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature22037 Link to publication on Research at Birmingham portal Publisher Rights Statement: Checked for eligibility: 03/03/2017. General rights Unless a licence is specified above, all rights (including copyright and moral rights) in this document are retained by the authors and/or the copyright holders. The express permission of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of this material other than for purposes permitted by law. •Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. •Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. •User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (?) •Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain. Where a licence is displayed above, please note the terms and conditions of the licence govern your use of this document. -
Heritage Impact Assessment: Proposed Quarry on Portion 4 of Farm 120, Waai Kraal, Outside Beaufort West, Western Cape
HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT: PROPOSED QUARRY ON PORTION 4 OF FARM 120, WAAI KRAAL, OUTSIDE BEAUFORT WEST, WESTERN CAPE (Assessment conducted under Section 38 (8) of the National Heritage Resources Act (No. 25 of 1999) as part of Basic Assessment) Prepared for Greenmined Environmental On behalf of Lombardskraal Doleriet (Pty) Ltd December 2020 Version 1.0 Prepared by John Gribble (MA) ACO Associates 8 Jacobs Ladder, St James, Cape Town, 7945 Phone (021) 706 4104 Fax (086) 603 7195 Email: [email protected] CONTENTS OF THE SPECIALIST REPORT – CHECKLIST Regulation GNR 326 of 4 December 2014, as amended 7 April Section of Report 2017, Appendix 6 (a) details of the specialist who prepared the report; and the Preface pages and expertise of that specialist to compile a specialist report including Appendices C and D a curriculum vitae; (b) a declaration that the specialist is independent in a form as Page 4 may be specified by the competent authority; (c) an indication of the scope of, and the purpose for which, the Section 3: Terms of report was prepared; Reference (cA) an indication of the quality and age of base data used for the Section 6: Methodology specialist report; (cB) a description of existing impacts on the site, cumulative Section 14: Impacts impacts of the proposed development and levels of acceptable and Risks change; (d) the duration, date and season of the site investigation and the Section 6.3: relevance of the season to the outcome of the assessment; (e) a description of the methodology adopted in preparing the Section