The taxonomy and phylogeny of the Miocene to Recent genus Sphaeroidinellopsis have been documented in previous studies, but evolution this lineage remains unclear. Some authors debated past, choosing a variety parameters discriminate morphospecies. Here we present new scanning electron microscope analyses specimens from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 925 (Ceara Rise, western equatorial Atlan...

We describe here the Bovidae from early Middle Miocene site of Maboko, Kenya, known for its rich and highly diverse assemblage Primates. They are attributed to two taxa slightly different sizes, Turcocerus africanus n.sp. Kubanotragus pickfordi. In addition ranges through Turkey China; it might have originated in Africa but lack precise dating weakens any phylogeographic hypothesis. has similar...

A new species of Sphaerodactylus (Squamata: Gekkota: Sphaerodactylidae) is described from an amber inclusion from the late Early Miocene or early Middle Miocene (15 to 20 million years ago) of the Dominican Republic. Unlike earlier amber-embedded specimens assigned to this genus, the new specimen is largely skeletal, with some integument remaining. A combination of 258 (of 674) osteological and...

The Miocene mega-wetland of western Amazonia holds a diverse, largely endemic ostracod fauna. Among them, especially the genus Cyprideis experienced a remarkable radiation. Micropalaeontologic investigations of a 400 m long sediment core (~62 km SW Benjamin Constant, Amazonia, Brazil) permitted a taxonomic revision of about two-thirds of hitherto described Cyprideis species. We evaluate the dia...

Many odontocete groups have developed enlarged facial crests, although these crests differ in topography, composition and function. The most elaborate crests occur in the South Asian river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), in which they rise dorsally as delicate, pneumatized wings anterior of the facial bones. Their position wrapping around the melon suggests their involvement in sound propagatio...