single specimen of Stelliporella sp. (a heliotid coral) from the Hirnantian of Estonia contains at least four specimens of endobiotic cornulitid tubeworm Conchicolites sp. The cornulitids settled on the living heliolitid colony and were subsequently overgrown by the host coral. The endobiotic cornulitids may have derived significant advantages from inhabiting stable substrates, such as the massive skeletons of corals, which offered both physical support and a reduced risk of dislodgement. The coral skeleton surrounding the Conchicolites specimens does not exhibit changes in geometry other than a change in the shape of growth lines above the cornulitid, suggesting a neutral impact on the host and possibly a commensal relationship.
This study reconstructs vegetation change in southern Brazil from a pollen record spanning the last 27,000 years. Five palynological phases were identified in a 154 cm core from the Floresta Nacional de Chapec & oacute; (Santa Catarina). Phase I (26,855-24,622 cal. BP) reflects colder-than-present conditions, with grasslands dominant and small patches of Araucaria Forest. Phase II(23,922-22,593 cal. BP) shows a further increase in grassland taxa, indicating a still-cold but more humid climate. Phase III (21,894-7,620 cal. BP) begins under cold conditions and then transitions to warmer conditions, particularly after 7,000 cal. BP. During Phase IV (6,595-2,355 cal BP), the Araucaria Forest expanded, followed by the spread of Seasonal Deciduous Forest; this interval corresponds to peak warmth and humidity in the sequence. Phase V (after 1500 BP) records forest retreat, especially toward the top of the core, likely associated with Euro-Brazilian colonization and the advance of the modern agricultural frontier.
New suid fossils comprising upper and lower dentition were recovered from the Dhok Pathan Formation (upper Miocene outcrops of Hasnot and Padhri) of the Siwalik Group in the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan. Most of the recovered material shows morphometric similarities with the Eurasian genera, Propotamochoerus and Hippopotamodon, and is allocated to Propotamochoerus hysudricus, Hippopotamodon sivalense, H. major, while a partial lower incisor is described as Tetraconodon magnus and some broken specimens are described as Suidae indet. These specimens add further data to the anatomical characteristics of these species, especially representing the first ever description of the upper third molar of H. major from the Siwaliks and incisor of Tetraconodon magnus.
Soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS) can be produced by abiotic factors, invertebrate bioturbation, or trampling by large tetrapods. Differentiating between these origins is crucial for ichnological interpretation, particularly in stratigraphic units where body fossils are rare or bedding-plane exposures are limited. In this study, we describe new occurrences of SSDS interpreted as dinoturbations, cross-sectional tracks formed by heavy tetrapods, in the Tr & ecirc;s Barras Formation (Areado Group, Abaet & eacute; Sub-Basin, Sanfranciscana Basin), in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. These structures occur in fine- to medium-grained, cross-bedded sandstones, and preserve downward deformation, faulting, and local compaction. Their features, along with their stratigraphic position, support interpretation as tetrapod trampling traces, possibly produced by dinosaurs. These ichnological findings are significant within the context of the marine incursions into the Sanfranciscana Basin, as the dinoturbations indicate that, at the time of their formation, the environment was continental. This highlights the potential of ichnological data to refine paleoenvironmental reconstructions and to identify stratigraphic intervals in which the depositional system was predominantly continental during episodic marine incursions in intracratonic basins.
The tooth enamel is the most mineralized tissue of vertebrates. This is one of the factors that make teeth very common in the fossil record. Most of the carnivorous archosaurs throughout the Mesozoic Era possessed ziphodont teeth, whose denticles are round bumps that are always located on carine, and with a symmetrical or convex-asymmetric border. In some taxa, they are strongly recurved apically. This study presents a paleometric approach to isolated archosaur teeth, integrating macro, micro and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements of denticles from seven ziphodont teeth of archosaurs collected from the Santa Maria Supersequence (SMS) Triassic, Paran & aacute; Basin, Brazil. The quantitative data obtained allowed the identification of similarities and differences among the studied specimens, which were compared with published datasets, likely reflecting taxonomic diversity within the assemblage. Despite their superficial similarity, certain dental features suggest a greater diversity of diets and feeding strategies among the SMS archosauriforms. Moreover, this paper provides the first enamel thickness measurements from ziphodont teeth of the SMS, opening new perspectives for understanding enamel microstructure and its implications for archosaur taxonomy and functional morphology.
This study presents a historical and quantitative overview of the development of taphonomic research in Brazil from its early milestones to recent trends. The analysis highlights key publications, academic theses, and institutional initiatives that have shaped the field since the late 1980s. A significant growth in scientific output is observed from 2011 onwards, culminating in a peak number of publications in 2024. Despite this progress, research remains concentrated in the Southern, Southeastern, and Northeastern regions, underscoring the need to expand investigations into the Central-West and Northern areas. The study also emphasizes the importance of revitalizing actualistic taphonomy, strengthening conservation paleobiology, and increasing research in paleobotany and micropaleontology. Moreover, integrating robust stratigraphic and geochronological frameworks is essential for advancing taphonomic studies and Brazilian paleontology more broadly. These findings provide a comprehensive perspective on the evolution, current status, and future directions of taphonomic research in Brazil.
Glyptotherium cylindricum (Xenarthra, Glyptodontidae) in the Transvolcanic Belt, State of Puebla, Mexico. Glyptodontinae, was the unique subclades of Glyptodontidae (Cingulata, Xenarthra) that participated in the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) and arrived in Central and North America in the early Pliocene (ca. 3.9 Ma). Currently, Glyptotherium is the only one genus recognized in North and Central America, with two chronospecies, Gl. texanum (Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene) and Gl. cylindricum (Late Pleistocene). While the evolutionary history of this genus has been relatively well studied in the present territory of the United States, little is known about these glyptodonts in southern North America (Mexico) and Central America. Glyptotherium is probably the only pan-American genus of glyptodonts with records in North and Central America and, possibly, northern and western South America. Here, we describe a specimen assignable to Glyptotherium (dorsal carapace, caudal armor, mandible, and vertebrae) and coming from the Late Pleistocene of General Felipe Ángeles Municipality, Puebla (Mexico). In addition, the dorsal profile of the dorsal carapace and its ornamentation pattern allow its assignment to Gl. cylindricum. The location of this new record of Gl. cylindricum allows us to hypothesize that these animals may have used the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt-Sierra Madre del Sur axis as a corridor to disperse throughout south-central North America and Central America, especially during the coldest periods of the Late Pleistocene. During this period, both the South American species Glyptodon reticulatus and Gl. cylindricum reached their greatest latitudinal distribution, suggesting an ecological plasticity not observed in other Glyptodontidae throughout their extensive evolutionary history. Keywords: diversity, Pleistocene, distribution, Southern North America.
The Emsian transgression established redox conditions (anoxic to dysoxic) and drastic suppression of bioturbation in the Paran & aacute; Basin, recorded in the Jaguaria & iacute;va Member (Ponta Grossa Formation). The application of morphometric and sclerochronological analyses in Orbiculoidea bodenbenderi Clarke (Brachiopoda, Lingulata) allowed the recognition of three shell associations with high time-averaging. The first group of brachiopods had high relative growth rates in the juvenile phase (13.52% f 2.11%), followed by a sharp decline until senescence (2.81% f 0.8%); the second group of brachiopods presented moderate juvenile growth rates (7.44% f 2.32%) and gradual reduction throughout life; finally, the third group exhibited residual growth since maturation (3.85% f 1.20%), with stagnation during senescence (2.60% f 1.08%). The coexistence of these distinct patterns in the same stratum (Maximum Flooding Surface-MFS) is incompatible with a single contemporary population, demonstrating a case of time-averaging, in which organisms from different generations and paleoenvironmental conditions were amalgamated during deposition. Slow sedimentation near the MFS, associated with reduced bioturbation under dysoxic/anoxic conditions, allowed shells to remain in the taphonomically active zone for long periods, facilitating temporal condensation and increasing the time-averaging. The O. bodenbenderi assemblage is the result of multigenerational integration, highlighting the importance of integrating ontogenetic and taphonomic data for accurate paleoenvironmental interpretations in transgressive contexts.
study presents the first body mass estimation for a member of the Pachyarmatheriidae, a distinctive group of cingulates that includes species with two rigid armours covering most of the body, unlike armadillos, which have mobile bands, or glyptodonts, characterized by a single continuous armour plate. Specifically, we estimate the body mass of Neoglyptatelus uruguayensis, a late Miocene member of the family Pachyarmatheriidae. Body mass estimations were performed using allometric equations based on extant cingulates and through a geometrical model of its armour. The results ranged from 16 kg to 28 kg, with the most reliable approximation suggesting a body mass of approximately 17 kg. We also estimated the position of the centre of mass and made some paleobiological suggestions based on our results.
Lagoa Santa region is an important karst complex, known for its large number of caves containing abundant fossil and subfossil osteological material. Among the Pleistocene fossils identified in this important area are various paleovertebrate remains, including members of the order Carnivora. This study describes two fragmented dentaries from a small Canidae of the genus Speothos, found in Cuvieri Cave. The specimens likely belonged to the same individual, whose first molar had not yet erupted, indicating that it was a juvenile. Although the presence of canids has previously been reported in the region, this is the first identification of Speothos in the Pleistocene deposits of Cuvieri Cave. It is believed that the animal entered the cave in search of prey, such as rodents and other mammals present at the site, and eventually became trapped within the cavity.
Palynology and megafauna in Quaternary Lake sediments from Lagoa do Coronel, Jaguaretama – Ceará, Brazil. Numerous natural lakes and tanks function as areas for the accumulation of water and remains of humans and animals in the semiarid regions of the State of Ceará. These sites often hold important proxies (markers) of paleoclimate and vegetation and frequently contain past records of human and fauna presence. Lagoa do Coronel is one of these sites known for previous paleontological finds of Pleistocene megafauna. However, the aridity of the region leads the farmers to search for water in the deepest portions of the dried-up basins at the soil/rock contact, which normally causes stratigraphic disturbance, but put in evidence fossils and artefacts. In February 2021, the excavation of a well in the northern sector of the basin exposed a stratigraphic outcrop, a little more than two meters deep, where the strata intersected with a preserved structure of the deposit. The palynology of the upper horizons of the section suggests higher humidity and milder climate than the present one. Below the sampled horizon, a layer containing megafauna fossils (Xenarthra and Proboscidea) is present, but inaccessible due to the backflow of the water table within the trench. The study of previously recovered fossils is presented here. Keywords: Xenarthra, Proboscidea, pollen, Quaternary Lake sediments, Northeast Brazil.
This work presents the results obtained through a palynological analysis of a sedimentary core from a minerotrophic peat bog in the Mata Preta Ecological Station, Araucaria Subtropical Plateau in western Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The identification of palynomorphs and cluster analysis allowed the division of the core into three environmental phases and two subphases. The basal age of the core is 39,647 years BP, corresponding to the Middle Pleistocene, a period characterized by a cold and humid climate. Forest regeneration was observed after the Last Glacial Maximum (approximately 18,000 to 20,000 years BP). The vegetation is characterized by a grassland-forest mosaic, and the beginning of forest expansion in the center of the Araucaria Subtropical Plateau occurs earlier than that observed on its eastern edge. These results corroborate those of other studies already conducted in the Araucaria Subtropical Plateau.
THE Taubat & eacute; Basin comprises continental deposits formed within the central segment of the Continental Rift of Southeastern Brazil. The paleontological record of this basin is limited to the lacustrine deposits of the Trememb & eacute; Formation, with rare fossil evidence from other units. The Pindamonhangaba Formation, likely of Miocene age, was deposited in a meandering fluvial system during a post-rift phase. While its sedimentological and stratigraphic aspects are well-documented, trace fossils have not been described in this basin. Trace fossil analysis offers valuable insights into paleoenvironmental reconstructions, as they are generally preserved in situ and reflect the behavior of tracemakers, which is controlled by paleoecological parameters. Consequently, trace fossil studies are essential for interpreting paleoenvironmental conditions concurrent with or subsequent to sediment deposition. This study aims to characterize the ichnoassociations of the Pindamonhangaba Formation using a paleoecological approach. A 33-meter-thick section in Taubat & eacute; City, composed predominantly of mud-rich deposits with pedogenic features interbedded with sandy channel deposits, reveals diverse trace fossils. These include Skolithos, Taenidium, and Palaeophycus in sandstones; Skolithos, Palaeophycus, Beaconites, and Vondrichnus in pedogenized mudstones; and rhizoliths. The ichnological record reflects the dominance of Scoyenia ichnofacies (composed of Skolithos, Palaeophycus, Taenidium, and Beaconites), indicating atransition from subaqueous to subaerial conditions, and a single level with of the Termitichnus ichnofacies (Vondrichnus, Beaconites), indicating a greater paleoecological stability in paleosols, likely influenced by lateral changes in depositional settings.
de Soledade is a large outcrop of carbonate rock whose ravines contain abundant fossil material. This work presents the biostratinomic analysis of 896 specimens of vertebrate remains from two such ravines, namely Ravina das Araras and Ravina do Leon. The material from Ravina dasAraras was collected from three different layers with stratigraphic control, whereas the Ravina do Leon material consists of a single deposit. The assemblages consist of disarticulated, microfossil elements, and are dominated by Anurans, small-and medium-sized mammals. Comparison between ravines leads to the conclusion that Lajedo de Soledade preserves elements with varied biostratinomic history that were at least partly accumulated by the action of birds of prey, and that the main factor controlling the observed patterns in the assemblages is variation in availability of water over Lajedo's history. Comparison with other kinds of deposits in the BIR places the ravines apart from both caves and natural tanks in terms of biostratinomic patterns. It is unlikely that Lajedo de Soledade is reliable in terms of original species abundance and its use for paleoecology is limited.
Siwaliks are worldwide known for its fossil primate remains. Several fossil prosimians and hominoids, including Sivapithecus, Sivaladapis, and Gigantopithecus, have been discovered in the Siwaliks of the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, many fossil mammals have been found in the area under study. This paper presents the first finding of a well-preserved upper molar of Anancus sivalensis, which was collected from the Tatrot Formation (Pliocene) of the Upper Siwalik deposits at Khera Village near KalaAmb in Himachal Pradesh, India. The dental remains suggest that Anancus sivalensis was a grazer. The mammalian fauna indicates that the Tatrot bed of the Upper Siwaliks in this region dates back to the early Pliocene. The present paper deals with the systematic description of the fossil material of Anancus. The Tatrot deposit of the Upper Siwaliks in the region is thought to date early Pliocene based on the mammalian faunal composition. However, some comments about the palaeoecological conditions in the form of the habitat spectra have also been included, which indicate a more open landscape with bushland, grassland and scattered wood cover.
In 2020, a group of Brazilian female paleontologists from various universities and public institutions conducted the study "Brazilian Paleontology Gender Profile," whose main objective was to assess the current demographic diversity of Brazilian paleontologists and how the role of women has evolved throughout the history of the Brazilian Society of Paleontology. Initially, the project aimed to determine the number of professionals working in Paleontology and their demographic distribution in the country. However, our research expanded, encompassing race, Indigenous representation, LGBTQIAP+ data, parenthood, harassment, and gender violence. The present work presents the first installment of three sets of unpublished data, shedding light on gender issues and how to combat gender discrimination through the proposal of affirmative action policies that could be taken within the Brazilian Society of Paleontology and other scientific associations in South America.
Palynology of the Cretaceous of the Araripe Basin: a bibliometric study. Palynology has played a crucial role in the stratigraphic studies of the Araripe Sedimentary Basin, contributing to the advancement of knowledge about the biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and paleoenvironment of the Cretaceous period. This study aims to systematize scientific production on palynology in the Araripe Basin between 1971 and 2023, analyzing aspects such as frequency of publications, leading journals, keywords, relevant authors, and collaboration networks. The methodology involved a review and selection of publications from national and international databases, followed by a quantitative analysis of the selected works, which totaled 37 publications, including articles, dissertations, theses, book chapters, and annals of specialized events. The results indicate stability in scientific production over time, with an average of three publications per year, although there are occasional gaps. Most publications focus on stratigraphic aspects and utilize palynology as the primary tool for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstruction. Thus, although the palynology of the Araripe Basin has made significant progress, there is an opportunity to expand scientific production through inter-institutional and international collaborations. These joint efforts could lead to substantial advances in the understanding of environmental and geological changes during the Cretaceous period in the Araripe Basin.
The paleoflora of the Fonseca Formation is the most diverse paleofloristic record of the Eocene-Oligocene transition of Brazil. This paleoflora can be considered an ancestor of one of the phytophysiognomy of the Atlantic Forest Biome, specifically the Dense Ombrophilous Forest, which developed under climate that ranged from humid tropical to sub-humid subtropical. The main physiognomic features, type of margins and leaf area, of 81 fossil leaves preserved as compressions/impressions allowed the definition of 43 angiosperm morphotypes. These morphotypes were used to infer the mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP) at the time of their deposition. In order to reconstruct MAT and MAP, different equations were used, based on the univariate methods known as Leaf Margin Analysis and LeafAreaAnalysis. The results indicate that the paleoflora of the Fonseca Formation developed under a MAT of 26.6 to 27.2 degrees C and a MAP of 843 to 1028 mm. When these values are compared to the current conditions found in the region where the paleoflora of the Fonseca Formation inhabited, it can be observed that the conditions were warmer than today, by 6.5 to 7.5 degrees C, and less humid, between 436 and 621 mm. In general, Southeast Brazil, during the Eocene-Oligocene, had a warmer and more humid climate than the current one. However, the results obtained allow us to infer that the deposition area of the Fonseca Formation developed under warmer and less humid regional conditions than today, as a consequence of its geographical position, which was in the transition zone between tropical and subtropical climates, characterized by conflicts between the different atmospheric systems.
Numerous natural lakes and tanks function as areas for the accumulation of water and remains of humans and animals in the semiarid regions of the State of Cear & aacute;. These sites often hold important proxies (markers) of paleoclimate and vegetation and frequently contain past records of human and fauna presence. Lagoa do Coronel is one of these sites known for previous paleontological finds of Pleistocene megafauna. However, the aridity of the region leads the farmers to search for water in the deepest portions of the dried-up basins at the soil/ rock contact, which normally causes stratigraphic disturbance, but put in evidence fossils and artefacts. In February 2021, the excavation of a well in the northern sector of the basin exposed a stratigraphic outcrop, a little more than two meters deep, where the strata intersected with a preserved structure of the deposit. The palynology of the upper horizons of the section suggests higher humidity and milder climate than the present one. Below the sampled horizon, a layer containing megafauna fossils (Xenarthra and Proboscidea) is present, but inaccessible due to the backflow of the water table within the trench. The study of previously recovered fossils is presented here.
brachiopod Glottidia bravardi? is first described from the Paran & aacute; Formation (Late Miocene, Argentina). The species was known from other deposits of the "Entrerriense or Paranense" transgression (Puerto Madryn Formation in Argentina and Camacho Formation in Uruguay), and its absence in the Paran & aacute; Formation was noteworthy. Finally, two specimens collected around a century ago were found in the Paleoinvertebrate Collection of the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales. One of them was intended to be the holotype of the species, but Glottidia bravardi was formally described just in 1995, by Figueiras & Martinez, based on Uruguayan type specimens. G. bravardi lived in warm, subtropical waters, and its presence in this latitude reflects a northward withdrawal of the genus range in the Atlantic waters during the Paleogene/Neogene, in accordance with other brachiopod examples (i.e., Bouchardia).
