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Rift basins are commonly characterised by multiple sediment sources (e.g. transverse and longitudinal) that change over time during different rifting evolution stages. Therefore, tracing sediment provenance to decipher the sedimentary source-to-sink analyses processes in rift basins is important to predict sandy reservoirs. The Xihu Sag in the East China Sea Shelf Basin, particularly its western slope, features large-scale sand bodies of unclear origin. We used petrography, heavy minerals and geochemistry to study sediment provenance in the Eocene Baoshi to Miocene Longjing formations. Our work suggests there are three distinct areas (namely zones A, B and C) affected by different source areas. Zone A, influenced by the Hupijiao uplift, primarily contains metamorphic rock minerals; Zone B, affected by the Haijiao and Hupijiao uplifts, contains igneous and metamorphic rock minerals; and Zone C, dominated by the Haijiao uplift, features igneous with some metamorphic sources, which increase over time, indicating stronger sediment input from the northern Hupijiao uplift. Rare earth element analysis suggests a continental margin and island arc setting, primarily with intermediate–acid felsic rock sources. However, a Eu negative anomaly in Eocene upper Pinghu Formation to the Miocene Longjing Formation indicates some basic source contributions, possibly from a volcanic belt east of the South Yellow Sea. This intermediate–basic volcanic rock belt is located to the northwest of the Hupijiao uplift and may provide clasts for zones A and B through axial channels. These findings indicate that varied sediment sources in the different zones and basin evolution stages with a growing extra-basinal contribution from the Eocene to Miocene, which align with the tectonic shift from the rifting to post-rift period, are essential for understanding the sedimentary filling in this area. Three distinct regions are identified, each influenced by different source areas. Rare earth elements indicate that the tectonic setting of the source terranes was active continental margin and continental island arc. From Eocene to Miocene, there was a growing influence of distal source areas entering the basin through the axial fluvial channels. Sediment provenance changes respond to the basin-scale tectonic evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ponto-Caspian radiation of gammaroid amphipods is one of the world's most diverse lacustrine crustacean radiations as well as the only lacustrine amphipod radiation with a fossil record (dating back 9 Ma). However, the phyletic relationship between fossils and extant species was never formally investigated, hampering our evolutionary understanding of this diverse clade. Here, we present the first morphology-based phylogeny (114 characters) of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids that includes 99% of extant taxa, all previously known fossils, as well as newly discovered fossil specimens from the Late Miocene (10.5 Ma) of eastern Romania. Our phylogenetic and phenetic results strongly support the monophyly of all fossil taxa. However, despite its widespread Late Miocene distribution throughout the Paratethys Sea, this fossil clade left no modern descendants. Its exact phylogenetic position is ambiguous, although it is nested in the radiation's crown group. Morphometric analyses further indicate that fossil species occupy a narrower and peripheral morphospace relative to extant taxa. Our results support the assignment of the newly discovered Romanian fossils to a new genus, Eogmelina gen. nov. with two new species Eogmelina moldavica gen. et sp. nov. and Eogmelina prisca gen. et sp. nov. Finally, our findings call for a fundamental systematic restructuring of Ponto-Caspian gammaroids at genus and family level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The geographical origin and evolutionary mechanisms underpinning the rich and distinctive New Caledonian flora remain poorly understood. This is attributable to the complex geological past of the island and to the scarcity of well-resolved species-level phylogenies. Here, we infer phylogenetic relationships and divergence times of New Caledonian palms, which comprise 40 species. We use this framework to elucidate the biogeography of New Caledonian palm lineages and to explore how extant species might have formed. Methods A phylogenetic tree including 37 New Caledonian palm species and 77 relatives from tribe Areceae was inferred from 151 nuclear genes obtained by targeted sequencing. Fossil-calibrated divergence times were estimated and ancestral ranges inferred. Ancestral and extant ecological preferences in terms of elevation, precipitation and substrate were compared between New Caledonian sister species to explore their possible roles as drivers of speciation. Key Results New Caledonian palms form four well-supported clades, inside which relationships are well resolved. Our results support the current classification but suggest that Veillonia and Campecarpus should be resurrected and fail to clarify whether Rhopalostylidinae is sister to or nested in Basseliniinae. New Caledonian palm lineages are derived from New Guinean and Australian ancestors, which reached the island through at least three independent dispersal events between the Eocene and Miocene. Palms then dispersed out of New Caledonia at least five times, mainly towards Pacific islands. Geographical and ecological transitions associated with speciation events differed across time and genera. Substrate transitions were more frequently associated with older events than with younger ones. Conclusions Neighbouring areas and a mosaic of local habitats shaped the palm flora of New Caledonia, and the island played a significant role in generating palm diversity across the Pacific region. This new spatio-temporal framework will enable population-level ecological and genetic studies to unpick the mechanisms underpinning New Caledonian palm endemism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Latidae is considered to have originated in marine waters of the Tethys, and the fossil record of this group indicates a widespread occurrence of latid fishes in the past. In the Mediterranean–Paratethyan basins, the genus Lates is represented by a number of fossil species, the youngest of which have been reported from Miocene deposits of Italy and Ukraine. Here we report on Lates fossils recovered from Late Miocene (Pontian) deposits of the Shkodova Gora locality of Ukraine, with a description of a new species †Lates odessanus sp. nov. The new species bears distinct morphological traits, especially on its maxilla, premaxilla, and parasphenoid, not found in other spatiotemporally close relatives. The fossil record shows that much of the latid species diversity was lost after the Late Miocene, and the newly described species, †L. odessanus, appears to be the last known extinct representative of this group in low salinity deposits of the Mediterranean–Paratethyan basins. The only extant Lates species in the Mediterranean, L. niloticus, has survived in estuarine environments of the southern shore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean Basin has been subjected to important geological and paleogeographic events that have shaped the evolution of the faunal assemblages that inhabit it. Two main events can be highlighted, the closure of its eastern margin by the Gomphotherium Land Bridge, and the temporal closure of the connection to the Atlantic Basin during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. These two events shaped the diversity of the chondrichthyan assemblages of the Mio–Pliocene Mediterranean, and their consequences can be observed even in the modern faunal composition. To better understand the taxonomic and ecological composition of the Mediterranean chondrichthyan faunas between the aforementioned events, and how they affected their evolutionary dynamics, we have performed a complete systematic and paleoenvironmental study of the chondrichthyan assemblage recovered from various Late Miocene localities at the municipality of Alcoy Basin (Alicante, eastern Spain). Our analysis allowed us to recognize up to 20 taxa of sharks and rays recovered from Miocene deposits. In addition, we reconstruct the paleobathymetry of the El Muro fossil site, based on the estimation of the Oceanization Index for foraminifera, as well as by the elasmobranch fossil assemblage via weighted bootstrap analysis. We expect that this first description and study of the Miocene chondrichthyan taxa from this area of eastern Spain could help us create a comparative framework to compare these communities with other areas, as well as show the changes in the elasmobranch species that have inhabited the Mediterranean Basin during and after the Messinian Salinity Crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) metamorphism is the most thermally extreme form of regional crustal metamorphism, with temperatures exceeding 900°C. The duration and heat source of UHT metamorphism are critical constraints on the tectonic evolution of orogenic systems. Here, we report the discovery of a sapphirine-bearing granulite from the east-central Himalaya which preserves UHT evidence. The reconstructed pressure-temperature-time path indicates that the temperature increased by almost 200°C within ~2 Ma which is consistent with rapid asthenospheric heat input. Numerical simulations illustrate potential mechanisms for such heating: juxtaposition of the deep crustal accretionary system with the upwelling asthenospheric mantle through newly developed apertures generated by slab break-off and/or associated vertical tearing of down-going Indian lithosphere. Spatial-temporal consistencies among the UHT metamorphic phases, postcollisional magmatism, geophysical constraints, and crustal deformation indicate that slab break-off or tearing controls broad swaths of Himalayan tectonics. The consequent upwelling asthenosphere may have been a significant heat source for the Miocene Himalaya and for similar ancient collisional orogenic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The known diversity of European middle and late Miocene hominids has increased significantly during the last decades. Most of these great apes were frugivores in the broadest sense, ranging from soft fruit frugivores most like chimpanzees to hard/tough object feeders like orangutans, varying in size from larger than siamangs (over 17 kg) to larger than most chimpanzees (~60–70 kg). In contrast to the frequent sympatry of hominoids in the early-to-middle Miocene of Africa, in no European Miocene locality more than one hominid taxon has been identified. Here we describe the first case of hominid sympatry in Europe from the 11.62 Ma old Hammerschmiede HAM 5 level, best known from its excellent record of Danuvius guggenmosi. The new fossils are consistent in size with larger pliopithecoids but differ morphologically from any pliopithecoid and from Danuvius. They are also distinguished from early and middle Miocene apes, share affinities with late Miocene apes, and represent a small hitherto unknown late Miocene ape Buronius manfredschmidi. With an estimated body mass of about 10 kg it represents the smallest known hominid taxon. The relative enamel thickness of Buronius is thin and contrasts with Danuvius, whose enamel is twice as thick. The differences between Buronius and Danuvius in tooth and patellar morphology, enamel thickness and body mass are indicative of differing adaptations in each, permitting resource partitioning, in which Buronius was a more folivorous climber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1605 M7½ Earthquake is the only earthquake in the history of China that has caused large-scale land subsidence into the sea, with the total area of land subsidence exceeding 100 km2. The disaster has led to the sinking of 72 villages. There is still no clear understanding of the source seismogenic fault of this earthquake. In this work, we conducted a detailed study of the middle segment of the Maniao-Puqian fault (MPF), which is the epicenter area, through geomorphological survey, data collection, shallow seismic exploration, cross-section drilling, and chronological dating. The results showed that the middle segment of the MPF zone is composed of three nearly parallel normal faults with a dextral strike-slip: "Macun-Luodou fault (F2-1), Haixiu-Dongyuan fault (F2-2), and Changliu-Zhuxihe fault (F2-3)". And F2-2 is composed of two secondary faults, namely F2-2′ and F2-2″, with a flower-shaped structure buried under the ground. It is distributed nearly east-west, dipping to the north and has experienced at least five stages of activities since the Miocene. The vertical activity rates of F2-2′ and F2-2″ are ∼2.32 and ∼2.5 mm/a, since the Holocene, respectively. There were eight cycles of transgression and regression since the Miocene. The fault activity resulted in the thickening of the Holocene strata with a slight dip to the south, on the hanging wall, showing V-shaped characteristics. The MPF is likely the source seismogenic fault of the M7½ earthquake that hit Qiongshan in 1605. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lygodactylus is the most speciose gekkonid group in Africa, with several additional, candidate species already identified from previous studies. However, in mainland Africa, several groups remain only partially resolved, and there are several taxonomic inconsistencies. Lygodactylus gutturalis was described from Guinea-Bissau in the 1870s and since then, the species has been recorded from West to East Africa, and it is widely distributed through different biomes and ecoregions. However, this taxon has never been studied in detail. In this work, we use an integrative approach, including molecular phylogenetic analysis, morphometrics, skull osteology, and biogeography to provide the first systematic revision of the L. gutturalis species complex. The L. gutturalis complex is a subgroup within the L. picturatus group and includes nine well-differentiated species. We elevate Lygodactylus gutturalis dysmicus to full species status, recognize Lygodactylus depressus as the sister species to L. gutturalis , describe five new species (Lygodactylus kibera sp. nov. , Lygodactylus karamoja sp. nov. , Lygodactylus mirabundus sp. nov. , Lygodactylus leopardinus sp. nov. and Lygodactylus gamblei sp. nov.), and propose an additional candidate species that requires further research. Also, in order to shed light on some taxonomic inconsistencies between the L. gutturalis and Lygodactylus angularis groups, we revisit the L. angularis group, within which we elevate Lygodactylus angularis heeneni and Lygodactylus angularis paurospilus to full species status. The L. gutturalis subgroup diversified during the Late Miocene (between 5–15 Mya), probably as a consequence of multiple vicariant events driven by the expansion of the African savannahs and the establishment of climatic refugia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The north‐western Alpine foreland in Switzerland and France comprises the Late Miocene Jura Mountains, considered a type example for thin‐skinned thrusting where deformation of the sedimentary cover is decoupled from the basement along a regional basal detachment. To what extent basement faults were involved during its deformation is a matter of debate. We use 3D seismic data to investigate the deformation style along the easternmost tip of the Jura range in unprecedented detail. Here, basement‐rooted normal faults were not only repeatedly reactivated before thrust belt formation but also contemporaneously active as reverse/transpressional faults. They either propagated up into the Mesozoic succession without interruption ('hard linkage') or apparently controlled the localisation of Mesozoic faults via smaller‐scale shear zones ('soft linkage'). Our analysis of the resulting fault geometries questions the existence of a large‐scale basal detachment in this area and points out the importance of thick‐skinned fault reactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Evergreen broad‐leaved forests (EBLFs) are dominated by a monsoon climate and form a distinct biome in East Asia with notably high biodiversity. However, the origin and evolution of East Asian EBLFs (EAEBLFs) remain elusive despite the estimation of divergence times for various representative lineages.Using 72 selected generic‐level characteristic lineages, we constructed an integrated lineage accumulation rate (LAR) curve based on their crown ages.According to the crown‐based LAR, the EAEBLF origin was identified at least as the early Oligocene (c. 31.8 million years ago (Ma)). The accumulation rate of the characteristic genera peaked at 25.2 and 6.4 Ma, coinciding with the two intensification periods of the Asian monsoon at the Oligocene – Miocene and the Miocene – Pliocene boundaries, respectively. Moreover, the LAR was highly correlated with precipitation in the EAEBLF region and negatively to global temperature, as revealed through time‐lag cross‐correlation analyses.An early Oligocene origin is suggested for EAEBLFs, bridging the gap between paleobotanical and molecular dating studies and solving conflicts among previous estimates based on individual representative lineages. The strong correlation between the crown‐based LAR and the precipitation brought about by the Asian monsoon emphasizes its irreplaceable role in the origin and development of EAEBLFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ancient records, discrimination of specific triggering events from sediment gravity flow deposits is very difficult, due to multiple interactions between triggering events and similar sedimentary characteristics. For this study, we introduce the Hakcheon-Chogok Megaturbidite (HCM) in the Miocene Pohang-Youngduk Basin (PYB), providing an opportunity to differentiate the triggering events. This megaturbidite is over 70 m thick in the proximal part and less than 4 m thick in the distal part. The diachronous stratigraphic position and distinct coarser sediments than those of the underlying and overlying successions suggest a large-scale slope failure of the fine-grained foreset (more than 2 km3). The occurrence of exotic granitic boulders, originating from the basement rock, more than 1 km west of the present fan-apex, is indicative of extreme sea-level run-up. The dispersal pattern and paleocurrent direction suggest that the HCM flowed to the northeast, irrespective of the local depositional slope which show a radial distribution from the fan-apex. The distribution pattern almost perpendicular to the strike of the NW-SE trending transfer fault suggests that the HCM was triggered by a reflection flow of giant tsunami wave, resulting in a large-scale failure of high-gradient (> 15° in slope angle) fandelta slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First record of Miocene large-sized vertebrate coprolites from the western India. • Geochemical analyses confirm phosphatic character of ichnofossils. • Biotic inclusions confirm omnivorous diet of the chelonian producer. • Overall data suggest coprolites were deposited in coastal marine settings. In this paper, we provide the first data on large (cm-sized) coprolites (represented by three morphotypes) comprising a rare occurrence of eight specimens from a total of three vertebrate-bearing horizons identified within the Early Miocene (Aquitanian) Khari Nadi Formation and Middle Miocene (Burdigalian-Langhian) Chassra Formation, Kutch Basin, western India. The geochemical data confirm the phosphatic character of the investigated ichnofossils. The dominance of partly digested bone matter and presence of plant remains in all the three coprolite morphotypes reflects the omnivorous diet of the producers, which were most likely chelonians. The occurrence of an inclusion (in a coprolite specimen recorded in this study) showcasing an ultrastructure similar to mammalian dental enamel is a rarity in Neogene coprolite records. Additional biotic inclusions observed in the investigated coprolites include ostracods (assigned to genera Paractinocythereis, Hermanites, and Propontocypris); large planispiral benthic foraminifera including the genus Quinqueloculina ; uniserial and biserial benthic foraminifera belonging to genus Textularia ; marine calcareous algae genus Actinoporella ; chrysophytes (resting spores or cysts of planktonic algae); sponge spicules (represented by the morphotypes Acanthoxea and Strongyle); freshwater diatom genus Aulacoseira ; unidentified fungal remains; and phytoliths. Taken together, the biotic and abiotic (e.g., pyrite) inclusions, geochemical data and associated microbiota suggest that these ichnofossils were deposited in a dominantly coastal marine (intertidal) setting linked to a lacustrine/palustrine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaeogiraffa is a poorly understood giraffid genus from the Vallesian of Axios Valley (Northern Greece), Turkish Thrace and Central Turkey. The Axios Valley remains come from three non-contemporaneous Vallesian faunas from the localities: Pentalophos, Ravin de la Pluie, and Xirochori, whereas the Turkish remains come from the Vallesian faunas of Middle Sinap, Yulafli, and Küçükçekmece. Remains from Pentalophos and Ravin de la Pluie were described as congeneric with the Iberian Deccenatherium, although they were later attributed to a new, distinct genus known by three different species: Palaeogiraffa macedoniae , Palaeogiraffa pamiri , and Palaeogiraffa major. The type species of the genus, Pg. macedoniae, was based on the most abundant Pentalophos material, while the rest of the species was established mainly on size difference criteria. Here we provide a review of the Palaeogiraffa material in order to (i) test its validity, (ii) re-discuss hypotheses about the genus phylogenetic relationships with other Late Miocene giraffids, and (iii) re-explore intrageneric diversity and number of recognized species based on the available Eastern Mediterranean samples. We confirm Palaeogiraffa as a distinct genus from other Late Miocene giraffids based on its unique proportions, as well as its dental and postcranial morphology. Furthermore, we endorse the likelihood of Palaeogiraffa being phylogenetically linked to the sivatherine lineage, based mainly on its dental and metatarsal morphological features. The generic attribution of specimens from Xirochori, Ravin de la Pluie, Middle Sinap, Yulafli and Küçükçekmece to Palaeogiraffa is adequately supported by the present data. Nevertheless, the recognition of three species is more open to discussion, though they should be retained until more material is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new Prat de Cest locality (Narbonne-Sigean Basin, Aude, France) provides a rodent fauna composed of Pseudocricetodon thaleri , Simplomys aff. aljaphi , Vasseuromys cf. bergasensis , Plesiosminthus myarion and Rhodanomys occitanensis nov. sp. Eomyidae account for more than 78% of the material collected and reflect a humid and forested environment. The presence of Plesiosminthus myarion and Simplomys aff. aljaphi , the evolutionary stage of Pseudocricetodon thaleri, close to the population of Coderet (MP30) but displaying some derived characters shared by Early Miocene populations, and the intermediate morphology and size of R. occitanensis nov. sp. between Rhodanomys transiens and Rhodanomys schlosseri support a basal MN1 age for Prat de Cest. The glirid Vasseuromys cf. bergasensis is the first occurrence of this genus outside Spain and could also be the first occurrence of Vasseuromys bergasensis in the Early Miocene. The unique faunal association found in Prat de Cest paves the way for a possible subdivision of the MN1 biozone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern Anatolia has been the subject of many studies due to its complex tectonic structure. Here we report on a paleomagnetic study sampled from upper Cretaceous to middle Miocene sedimentary and volcanic rocks at 54 sites running along the traces of the North Anatolian Fault in the Pontides, Northern Türkiye, to define the post-late Cretaceous tectonic evolution of the area. The results were evaluated together with previously published paleomagnetic data around the Kırşehir Block and the Pontides. The rotational pattern showed distinct phases in the Pontides after the late Cretaceous. A predominant late Cretaceous-middle Eocene clockwise rotation up to 38.1° ± 17.4° probably occurred due to the progressive collision between the Pontides and the Kırşehir Block from west to east. The ongoing deformation continued along the İzmir-Ankara-Erzincan Suture Belt during the middle Eocene-middle Miocene time as evidenced by the paleomagnetic rotation pattern, while no significant rotations were observed further north of the suture zone at this time period. On the other hand, middle Miocene paleomagnetic sites showed a counterclockwise rotation, reflecting the westward escape of the Anatolian microplate, while local fault-bounded vertical block rotations were apparent in places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe Phalacrocorax bakonyiensis n. sp. an extinct member of the cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae). The fossil was found in 2021 by geologist János Futó in the sediments of a small cave cavity on the side of Várhegy in Sümeg, a part of the Bakony Mountains of West Hungary, where Late Miocene (MN11–12) vertebrate fossils have been found in the past decades. The total number of bone fragments collected was 14, of which only three can be identified. Two of these belong to adults and one, due to its poor preservation and size, to a very young specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biostratigraphic integration study based on the planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils from the Mango-2 well, North El Fayrouz Offshore Field, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, provides a well-defined zonal scheme for the Oligocene-middle Miocene interval. The lithologic succession was subdivided into three formations, from oldest to youngest; Sidi Salem, Qantra and Tineh. Six planktic foraminiferal zones and four calcareous nannofossils zones, in addition to two unconformities are identified. The planktic foraminiferal zones include Ciperoella angulisuturalis, Paragloborotalia opima opima (Oligocene), Globigerinoides primordius, Praeorbulina curva (early Miocene), Praeorbulina glomerosa and Fohsella peripheroronda (middle Miocene). The calcareous nannofossil zones include Furcatolithus distentus, (Oligocene), Discoaster druggii, Helicosphaera ampliaperta (early Miocene) and Sphenolithus heteromorphus (middle Miocene). The absence of the Paragloborotalia kugleri, Paragloborotalia pseudokugleri and Furcatolithus ciperoensis zones suggests an unconformity across the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. Another unconformity was identified across the Aquitanian-Burdigalian boundary based on the absence of the Globoquadrina dehiscens, Globigerinita dissimilis, Globigerinatella insueta and Sphenolithus belemnos zones. These unconformities are most likely related to regional tectonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New mapping of the Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa shows that the central part is a pseudo-stratigraphy made of shallow-water and deep-water siliciclastic and volcanic slide blocks, with individual blocks ranging in size from tens of meters to >10 km in length. The outcrop pattern and scale are remarkably similar to those of large-scale Miocene to recent submarine landslides in New Zealand along the active Hikurangi subduction zone that are periodically triggered by earthquakes on the subduction megathrust, providing evidence for megathrust earthquakes in the Paleoarchean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travertines are terrestrial carbonates that are commonly associated with fault activity in extensional and transtensional basins. The faults serve as conduits for the rising and mixing of carbonate‐enriched fluids with thermal and meteoric CO2 inputs promoting travertine precipitation at the surface. Therefore, travertine successions provide key constraint on the faulting, depositional environments, fluid flow and climate. This work focuses on the travertine succession in the Miocene Levač Basin, the marginal basin of the Morava Corridor situated at the junction of the Dinarides and the southernmost Carpathians. Detailed sedimentological, geochronological (U–Pb age, laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry) and structural analyses of the travertines are used to reconstruct the evolution of the feeding geoothermal system. Furthermore, these data were used to understand the controlling factors governing alternation of fluid flows enriched in thermally generated and meteoric CO2, and precipitation of travertines in Levač Basin, and finally to elucidate the late stage of basin evolution. Four facies associations are distinguished within the succession, i.e. travertine slope, ridge, flat, and travertine flat under the fluvial influence. The results demonstrated that travertine deposition was controlled by north‐west/south‐west and north‐east/south‐east normal fault arrays. Stable isotope data show positive δ13C values (with δ18O being negative) shifting to negative in the distal and stratigraphically younger deposits implying dilution of deep hydrothermal fluids by mixing with meteoric waters. Finally, travertine deposits yielded a new U–Pb age of ca 14 Ma indicating that the Middle Miocene extensional phase known from other intermountain basins in the Dinarides reached as far east as the Levač Basin and Morava Corridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morchella spongiola is a highly prized mushroom for its delicious flavor and medical value and is one of the most flourishing, representative, and dominant macrofungi in the Qilian Mountains of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau subkingdoms (QTPs). However, the understanding of M. spongiola remains largely unknown, and its taxonomy is ambiguous. In this study, we redescribed a unique species of M. spongiola, i.e., micromorphology, molecular data, genomics, and comparative genomics, and the historical biogeography of M. spongiola were estimated for 182 single-copy homologous genes. A high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of M. spongiola M12-10 was obtained by combining PacBio HiFi data and Illumina sequencing technologies; it was approximately 57.1 Mb (contig N50 of 18.14 Mb) and contained 9775 protein-coding genes. Comparative genome analysis revealed considerable conservation and unique characteristics between M. spongiola M12-10 and 32 other Morchella species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that M. spongiola M12-10 is similar to the M. prava/Mes-7 present in sandy soil near rivers, differentiating from black morels ~ 43.06 Mya (million years ago), and diverged from M. parva/Mes-7 at approximately 12.85 Mya (in the Miocene epoch), which is closely related to the geological activities in the QTPs (in the Neogene). Therefore, M. spongiola is a unique species rather than a synonym of M. vulgaris/Mes-5, which has a distinctive grey-brown sponge-like ascomata. This genome of M. spongiola M12-10 is the first published genome sequence of the species in the genus Morchella from the QTPs, which could aid future studies on functional gene identification, germplasm resource management, and molecular breeding efforts, as well as evolutionary studies on the Morchella taxon in the QTPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) has an annual mean location north of the equator today. The factors determining this location and the evolution to its modern state are actively debated. Here we investigate how the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) influences the ITCZ during the early‐to‐middle Miocene. By conducting a sensitivity study with an open Canadian Arctic Archipelago gateway, we show that North Atlantic Deep‐Water formation strengthens the AMOC, in alignment with Miocene North Atlantic ventilation proxies. A vigorous AMOC increases northward Atlantic Ocean heat transport and cross‐equatorial atmospheric energy transport shifts southwards to compensate, pushing the ITCZ northwards. Our study supports AMOC development as a strong contributor to the ITCZ's northern location today. Existing proxy‐based interpretations of ITCZ history are too sparse to strongly confirm these results. We predict a strong in‐phase relationship between AMOC strength and ITCZ's northward location, which should be testable in high resolution paleoclimate records. Plain Language Summary: The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is a narrow tropical region where tropical rainfall is concentrated. Its annual mean position is predominantly north of the equator in the modern climate, especially in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. The position of the ITCZ varies seasonally and over long‐time scales. One hypothesis is that Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) energy transport displaces the ITCZ north of the Equator. We test this hypothesis in a paleoclimate simulation with realistic early‐to‐middle Miocene (20–11.6 million years ago) configurations. By opening the Canadian Arctic Archipelago gateway, a crucial connection between the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic, we find that a strong AMOC transports more heat northward in the ocean, and in compensation, the flow of atmospheric energy across the equator shifts southward, consequently pushing the ITCZ north of the equator. More Miocene proxy records are required to empirically support this model result. Key Points: Opening an Arctic Ocean gateway in Miocene climate simulations generates a strong Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and increases northward ocean heat transportTo compensate, atmospheric energy transport across the equator shifts southward, pushing the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) north of the equatorAMOC strengthening is a mechanism in past warm climates for northward ITCZ shifts [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The east-west trending Taurides form a curved area in central eastern Anatolia known as the Gürün Curl. In order to understand the origin of the Gürün Curl and Tauride evolution in general, the results of a new field study of this region have been synthesized together with previously published data. We suggest that the geodynamic evolution of the area began with the likely presence of a Tethys Ocean transform fault. This fault separated the Taurides into the Akdere Sector in the west and the Munzur Sector in the east in the Late Cretaceous. During the late Santonian–early Campanian, ophiolites obducted onto the Munzur Sector, while platform sediments continued to accumulate in the Akdere Sector. This was followed by the development of an Andean-type arc-type magmatism (the Baskil Arc) during the early–middle Campanian in the Munzur Sector. Continued closure of the Tethys led to the collision of the Bitlis Massif in the south of the Munzur Sector in the Campanian. This, in turn, resulted in continental subduction and slab roll-back that was controlled by a Subduction Transform Edge Propagator (STEP) Fault that lay on the original transform fault between the Akdere and Munzur sectors. Because the subducted slab was free at its western corner, the western edge rolled back faster than in the east, leading to an asymmetrical extensional regime on the upper plate that created the late Campanian Hekimhan Basin. While these geodynamic events were taking place in the Munzur Sector, the Akdere Sector was in a platform setting. During the Palaeocene, the Late Mesozoic units of the Akdere Sector began to overthrust on the Hekimhan Basin and the ophiolites. Following the Palaeocene, all these tectonostratigraphic units were covered by Eocene sediments around the Gürün Curl of which the modern appearance was completed by the Miocene to Recent movements along the strike-slip faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective determination of boundaries of bioregions is a nontrivial problem. Here we present a new method family, HespDiv, and an algorithm for its implementation in a new R package: hespdiv. The hespdiv algorithm performs iterative hierarchical nonlinear spatial subdivisions of taxic data into topologically contiguous geographic regions. Bioregions obtained in this way can be viewed as realistic and causally important entities belonging to eco‐genealogical Bretskyan hierarchy. The possibilities of the hespdiv algorithm are successfully demonstrated on the Miocene mammal data from the contiguous United States, where a hierarchical set of bioregions was determined. The algorithm works in a decision‐tree‐like manner by generating multiple split‐lines, that each subdivide a study area and data into two parts per iteration per region. The performance of each split‐line is measured using a combination of data generalization and comparison functions that can be custom made or selected from pre‐set subdivision methods. In each iteration, the best split‐line is used to produce a subdivision, until no more adequate split‐lines are found. The process results in a hierarchy of subdivisions of distribution of taxonomic occurrences in space. Benefits of hespdiv include the delineation of spatially contiguous clusters, flexibility, and unique representations of spatial hierarchy tree. The package is shown to be effective in determining significant contiguous spatial structures of biota, so called geobiomes, in sufficiently sampled time intervals and regions. The flexibility and ease to use of the approach allows its application to the whole range of palaeo‐variables and environmental proxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Neosimnia P. Fisher, 1884, is reported for the first time from Indonesia in the form of several fossil species, recovered together from the Miocene deposits of Tasikmalaya, West Java. The species described closely resemble their current Atlantic counterparts, of which they exhibit all the modern characteristics. Nevertheless, they are undoubtedly new to science, as no living or fossil specimens of this genus are known from the Indian Ocean or the Western Pacific Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of genetic and anatomical data focusing on golden moles (Chrysochloridae) and tenrecs (Tenrecidae). Our results support the now well-resolved topology for extant tenrecids, in addition to the paraphyly of 'Chrysochlorinae' and the genera Chrysochloris and Chlorotalpa as traditionally used. Carpitalpa arendsi is the sister taxon to Neamblysomus ; together, they compose the sister clade of Amblysomus. Unexpectedly, Calcochloris obtusirostris is the sister taxon of Chrysospalax. The oldest divergence within crown Chrysochloridae is likely to be the node separating Eremitalpa–Huetia or Eremitalpa alone from the remaining species. A Chrysochloris–Cryptochloris root appears most frequently under equally weighted parsimony or with few or no sampled tenrecids, suggesting that it is artefactual. The tropical genus Huetia is among the most widely distributed and anatomically polymorphic in our sample. Eremitalpa and Huetia have a relatively unspecialized hyoid apparatus and short angular process of the dentary. These elements in Huetia show a particular resemblance to those of the Namibian fossil Namachloris , which we reconstruct as a stem chrysochlorid. Crown chrysochlorids are geologically younger than crown tenrecids and probably diversified in the Miocene around the same time as the tenrecid genus Microgale. Fossils of both groups from Eocliff in Namibia are probably late Eocene to early Miocene in age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the records of Tetraploa spores from Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary strata along with spore-pollen assemblages are numerous and well documented, no foliicolus Tetraploa macroconidia have been reported to date. Here, we report the first occurrence of conidia assignable to modern Tetraploa Berk. & Broome (Tetraplosphaeriaceae: Pleosporales: Dothideomycetes) on cuticular fragments of compressed monocot leaf recovered from the middle Siwalik sediments (Late Miocene; 12–8 Ma) of Himachal Himalaya, India. We determine their taxonomic position based on detailed macromorphological comparison with similar modern and fossil taxa and discuss their palaeoecological significance in terms of the present-day ecological conditions of modern analogues. This finding also represents an essential data source for understanding Tetraploa 's evolution and diversification in deep time. • The first fossil evidence of foliicolous anamorphic Tetraploa. • Determine their taxonomic position based on macromorphological comparison with similar modern and fossil taxa. • Represents an essential source of data for understanding Tetraploa 's evolution and diversification in deep time. • Interpret paleoecology in Himachal Siwalik. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present manuscript, we describe and illustrate a novel foliicolous fossil-species of Zygosporium Mont. (Zygosporiaceae: Xylariales: Sordariomycetes) on compressed monocot leaf recovered from the Middle Siwalik sediments (Late Miocene) of Himachal Pradesh, western Himalaya. The new fossil-species characterized by macronematous, dark brown, unbranched or occasionally branched conidiophores with a chain of up to four integrated dark brown, curved, thick-walled, swollen, hook-like, alternately or sub-oppositely arranged vesicles is described here as Zygosporium himachalensis sp. nov. This is the first fossil evidence of Zygosporium having stacked chained vesicular conidiophores and is so significant data for both paleomycologists and mycologists. The in-situ occurrence of Z. himachalensis on monocot leaf cuticles suggests a possible host–saprophyte relationship that might have existed in the ancient forest of Himachal Pradesh during the Miocene. • Describe a new foliicolous fossil-species Zygosporium himachalensis based on a detailed conidiophore morphology. • First report of fossil representative of Zygosporium with stacked chained vesicular conidiophores. • Existence of a likely host–saprophyte relationship between monocots and Z. himachalensis since Miocene. • Interpret paleoecology in Himachal Siwalik. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Çorakyerler fossil locality in Anatolia reveals unique faunal elements. This study introduces Hystrix kayae sp. nov., a new Late Miocene porcupine initially classified as Hystrix sp. Yavuz et al., 2018. This finding expands our knowledge of Late Miocene Anatolian porcupines, bringing the total number of known species to three. H. kayae sp. nov. is larger than Hystrix aryanensis and exhibits greater upper cheek tooth crown height. Its cheek tooth morphology differs from Hystrix depereti, and it possesses distinctive U‐shaped choanae unlike Hystrix primigenia. The Çorakyerler locality may predate sites with H. aryanensis and H. primigenia but aligns temporally with Hystrix parvae localities. This study enhances our understanding of Late Miocene porcupine diversity in Anatolia, emphasizing the importance of Çorakyerler in unraveling the evolutionary history of these fascinating mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slab tearing is widely reported in oceanic slabs; however, tearing in continental slabs is still not very well understood. Geophysical data have shown the existence of tearing of the Indian lithosphere underneath the Yadong-Gulu rift in southern Tibet. Along this rift, the Jiacun lamprophyres and the Yangying trachytes comprise the youngest alkaline volcanic rocks in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen, and hence provide evidence for understanding the operation of continental slab tearing. Jiacun lamprophyres, with an age of 13 Ma as determined by Ar-Ar dating, are the only outcrop of alkaline volcanic rocks in the Himalayan block. Geochemical analysis indicates that they were derived from a peridotite source in the Indian lithospheric mantle near the spinel field. Yangying trachytes, dated at 8.81 ± 0.15 Ma by the U-Pb dating method, were derived from a pyroxenite melt in the Tibetan lithospheric mantle with a higher crustal influence. Both sites show high phlogopite and pyroxene temperatures, indicating a hot influx favoring the melting of these magmas, which is likely associated with the tearing of the Indian slab. Ages of this magmatism suggest that the activity along the rift lasted at least 4 m.y. and migrated from south to north. This shows that slab tearing can trigger over-thickened lithospheric melting in a collisional orogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Plant disjunctions have fascinated biogeographers and ecologists for a long time. We use tribe Bocageeae (Annonaceae), a predominantly Neotropical plant group distributed across several present-day Neotropical biomes and with an African–American disjunction, to investigate long-distance dispersal mediated by frugivorous animals at both intercontinental and intracontinental scales. Methods We reconstructed a species-level phylogeny of tribe Bocageeae with a dataset composed of 116 nuclear markers. We sampled 70 % of Bocageeae species, covering their geographical range and representing all eight genera. We estimated divergence times using BEAST, inferred ancestral range distributions and reconstructed ancestral states for fruit traits related to long-distance dispersal in a Bayesian framework. Key Results The ancestral Bocageeae date to the Early Eocene and were inferred to occur in Africa and proto-Amazonia. Their ancestral fruits were large and dehiscent. The first lineage split gave rise to an exclusively Neotropical clade during the Middle Eocene, in proto-Amazonia. Range exchange between the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest occurred at least once during the Miocene, and from Amazonia to Central America and Mexico during the Early Miocene. Transitions in different sets of fruit morphologies were inferred to be related to dispersal events across South American regions/biomes. Conclusions In Bocageeae, mammals might have been responsible for long-distance dispersal through the Boreotropics. In the Neotropics, proto-Amazonia is proposed to be the source for dispersal to other tropical American biomes. Long-distance dispersal might have happened via a wide range of dispersal guilds, depending on frugivore radiations, diversity and abundance in particular time periods and places. Hence, inter- and intracontinental dispersal might not rely on a single dispersal syndrome or guild, but more on the availability of frugivorous lineages for seed dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Throughout the Cenozoic, Africa underwent several climatic and geological changes impacting the evolution of tropical rain forests (TRFs). African TRFs are thought to have extended from east to west in a 'pan-African' TRF, followed by several events of fragmentation during drier climate periods. During the Miocene, climate cooling and mountain uplift led to the aridification of tropical Africa and open habitats expanded at the expense of TRFs, which probably experienced local extinctions. However, in plants, these drivers were previously inferred using limited taxonomic and molecular data. Here, we tested the impact of climate and geological changes on diversification within the diverse clade Monodoreae (Annonaceae) composed of 90 tree species restricted to African TRFs. Methods We reconstructed a near-complete phylogenetic tree, based on 32 nuclear genes, and dated using relaxed clocks and fossil calibrations in a Bayesian framework. We inferred the biogeographical history and the diversification dynamics of the clade using multiple birth–death models. Key Results Monodoreae originated in East African TRFs ~25 million years ago (Ma) and expanded toward Central Africa during the Miocene. We inferred range contractions during the middle Miocene and document important connections between East and West African TRFs after 15–13 Ma. Our results indicated a sudden extinction event during the late Miocene, followed by an increase in speciation rates. Birth–death models suggested that African elevation change (orogeny) is positively linked to speciation in this clade. Conclusion East Africa is inferred as an important source of Monodoreae species, and possibly for African plant diversity in general. Our results support a 'sequential scenario of diversification' in which increased aridification triggered extinction of TRF species in Monodoreae. This was quickly followed by fragmentation of rain forests, subsequently enhancing lagged speciation resulting from vicariance and improved climate conditions. In contrast to previous ideas, the uplift of East Africa is shown to have played a positive role in Monodoreae diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liupan Mountains, one of the important mountain ranges in western China, are located on the boundary between the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and the Ordos Block. The uplift history of the Liupan Mountains remains controversial. Loess deposits are good tracers of regional tectonic and geomorphic changes, because loess is sensitive to erosion and the formation and preservation of loess requires relatively flat highlands and relatively stable tectonic environments. We investigated the distribution of Neogene loess deposits on the western piedmont of the Liupan Mountains and examined a near-continuous loess section (Nanping section) on the piedmont alluvial highlands. Correlation of magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy with the QA-I Miocene loess sequence dates this 56-m section covering the interval from ~8.1 to 6.2 Ma. The lower boundary age of this section, together with previously reported Zhuanglang red clay (sand-gravel layers with intercalated loess during ~9–8 Ma and near-continuous loess during ~8–4.8 Ma) and Chaona red clay (~8.1–2.58 Ma), indicates that the Liupan Mountains were uplifted in the late Miocene (~9–8 Ma) and basically formed by ~8 Ma, attesting to no intense mountain building since that time. In addition, based on the information from the Zhuanglang core and the QA-I section, we infer that sizable parts of the Liupan Mountains were uplifted during the late Oligocene–early Miocene and did not experience intense uplift during ~22–9 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parrotia C. A. Meyer (Hamamelidaceae) is a relictual genus with only two extant species disjunctly distributed in the subtropical forests of East China and temperate forests of North Iran. Fossil records suggest that Parrotia was widespread in Europe and Asia during the Miocene, but its fossils are predominantly based on pollen and leaves. In this paper we describe the first fossil flower of Parrotia based on an exceptionally well‐preserved amber inclusion from the middle Miocene of Zhangpu, Southeast China. The fossil flower was investigated with light microscope and microcomputed tomography techniques. Parrotia zhiyanii sp. nov. is a small apetalous staminate flower subtended by a pair of prominent bracts. The androecium consists of 12 stamens, and each stamen consists of a short, slender filament and a prominent, elongated anther. The anthers with short simple trichomes on the outer surface and a prominent apical connective extension are opened by longitudinal slits. Unlike its living relatives, the new Parrotia from Zhangpu grew in a Miocene seasonal tropical rainforest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northeastern periphery of the Qaidam Basin is a crucial region for comprehending the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau, as it documents Late Cenozoic crustal deformation that elucidates the plateau's growth process. In this study, we reconstruct three stages of crustal deformation in the northeastern periphery of the Qaidam Basin during the Late Cenozoic based on interpretation of growth strata from five seismic profiles, structural mapping of the typical superimposed folds and detailed detrital zircon analysis within the study area. (1) During the Early Miocene to Late Miocene period (23–8.6 Ma), there was NW–SE extensional deformation in the northeast margin of the Qaidam Basin, which exerted control over the deposition of the Youshashan Formation. (2) The NW–SE shortening occurred during the Late Miocene period (8.6–8.1 Ma), subsequent to the deposition of the Youshashan Formation and preceding the deposition of the Shizigou Formation, resulting in a parallel unconformity between these two geological units. (3) The intense shortening of the NE–SW direction occurred during the Late Miocene and Pliocene epochs (8.1–2.5 Ma). The timing of this deformation aligns with the sedimentary age of the Shizigou Formation, suggesting that the initial deformation age may represent the onset of NE extrusion from the Tibetan Plateau towards the northeast margin of the Qaidam Basin. The present study not only delineates a Late Cenozoic structural dome resulting from two‐stage crustal shortening in the northeastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, but also provides a crucial evidence for reconstructing the Late Cenozoic intracontinental deformation process in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: As one of the burrowing mayfly groups with large mandibular tusks, the phylogenetic relationships within Potamanthidae are always controversial. There are at least two opposite hypotheses for mayfly grouping: Potamanthidae + (Ephemeridae + Polymitarcyidae) and (Potamanthidae + Ephemeridae) + Polymitarcyidae. Because of the indeterminate origin time of this group, the present study aimed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship and explore the origin time of Potamanthidae based on mitochondrial (mt) genomes. In addition, the protein-coding genes (PCGs) of these mt genomes may undergo positive selection when these species live in low-temperature environments. Potamanthidae belongs to the superfamily Ephemeroidea but has no complete mt genome released in the NCBI (except for two unchecked and one partial mt genome). Since the sister clade to Potamanthidae has always been controversial, we sequenced seven mt genomes of Potamanthidae (two species from Rhoenanthus and five species from Potamanthus) in order to rebuild the phylogenetic relationships of Potamanthidae in this study. The divergence time of Potamanthidae was also investigated by utilizing five fossil calibration points because of the indeterminate origin time. In addition, because Rhoenanthus coreanus and Potamanthus luteus are always in low-temperature environments, we aimed to explore whether these two species were under positive selection at the mt genome level. Amongst the 13 PCGs, CGA was used as the start codon in COX1, whereas other genes conformed to initiating with an ATN start codon. From this analysis, UUA (L), AUU (I), and UUU (F) had the highest usage. Furthermore, the DHU arm was absent in the secondary structure of S1 in all species. By combining the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNAs, we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationship of Potamanthidae within Ephemeroptera. The monophyly of Potamanthidae and the monophyly of Rhoenanthus and Potamanthus were supported in the results. The phylogenetic relationship of Potamanthidae + (Ephemeridae + Polymitarcyidae) was also recovered with a high prior probability. The divergence times of Potamanthidae were traced to be 90.44 Mya (95% HPD, 62.80–121.74 Mya), and the divergence times of Rhoenanthus and Potamanthus originated at approximately 64.77 Mya (95% HPD, 43.82–88.68 Mya), thus belonging to the late Pliocene Epoch or early Miocene Epoch. In addition, the data indicated that R. coreanus was under negative selection and that ATP8 and ND2 in Potamanthidae had a high evolutionary rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Psychodidae is described by a well-preserved adult male trapped in Miocene amber from Simojovel, Chiapas, Mexico. The new species named Trichomyia vetusta sp. nov., is described, illustrated, and compared with the other Trichomyia fossil species from Mexican amber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a hemimandible of a medium-sized feline from the Middle Miocene (middle Aragonian, MN 5, local biozone Dc, around 15.5 Ma) site of Príncipe Pío-2, a recently discovered fossil locality placed in the urban limits of Madrid city (Spain), within an area previously known for its rich paleontological findings. The specimen is very well preserved, showing the complete hemimandible, as well as all the teeth except the incisors. Some characters, such as the missing talonid in m1, the high p3, the large mesial cuspid in p4, and the presence of a vestigial m2, prevent its adscription to other known feline taxa such as Styriofelis turnauensis or Miopanthera lorteti, previously recorded in the Middle Miocene faunas from Europe, but absent in the central basins of Spain. The hemimandible has robust mandibular corpus and ramus compared with these latter and to extant felines of similar size, and exhibits a relatively stronger ridged masseteric line, which points towards the existence of a proportionally larger and more powerful m. masseter that generated a strong bite when hunting. These characters suggest that the Príncipe Pío-2 feline could have preyed upon relatively larger prey than those of extant, similarly sized felines. We propose the new genus and species Magerifelis peignei for the studied specimen, a species that would also include the material from the French Middle Miocene localities of Bézian and Artenay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Diahot Tooth" is an isolated postcanine tooth of a large herbivorous mammal, discovered in the Diahot region of northern New Caledonia in 1875. Most authors have identified it as an upper premolar of a rhinocerotid, but an alternative proposal is that it belongs to a diprotodontoid marsupial that has been named Zygomaturus diahotensis. Either possibility raises biogeographical difficulties, because New Caledonia has been isolated from other major landmasses for 80 million years, and neither rhinocerotids nor diprodotontoids appear to be good candidates for such a long-distance overwater dispersal event. Here, we present a novel interpretation of the affinities and origin of the Diahot Tooth, based on qualitative study of its preserved morphology and quantitative phylogenetic analyses that include both rhinocerotids and diprotodontoids. We show that the Diahot Tooth most closely resembles the first deciduous premolar of Western Eurasian Miocene teleoceratine rhinocerotid Brachypotherium brachypus, with the few discrepancies relating to traits that are known to be variable in B. brachypus. Our phylogenetic analyses also support this relationship. The preservation of the Diahot Tooth closely resembles that of B. brachypus teeth from the "Faluns Sea" of the Loire basin, and we propose that the New Caledonian specimen originated there and was taken to New Caledonia by a European colonist during the mid-19th century, where it was lost, rediscovered, and incorrectly assumed to be autochthonous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elongated biconvex Carex fossil fruits are relatively common in fossil assemblages, but they are of much uncertain taxonomic affinity. Three fossil-species have been erected to accommodate the materials from the respective type localities (C. klarae, C. paucifloriformis and C. paucifloroides) and a number of superficially similar-looking fossils were reported from other sites. The formerly proposed affinities mostly pointed to the extant C. pauciflora (subgen. Euthyceras) or Carex sect. Cyperoideae (subgen. Vignea), depending on the authors. But despite the similar superficial resemblance of the fossil remains to these not very closely related sedge taxa, other groups are also possible matches. We used a comparative approach employing stereomicroscope and SEM to analyze the affinities of several Old World "mummified" fossils (ca. 23 to 0.1 Ma) of elongated biconvex fruits. Several samples showed a fair preservation of previously unattested microscopic characters. In particular, one of them allowed us to detect an indirect record of fine silica body morphologies (impressions) on the periclinal walls, which permitted the sound taxonomic placement of the remains from the Miocene of Siberia as a Carex sect. Cyperoideae. In all the other fossils analyzed, the epidermal cell outline and the central position of the main silica body were sufficient to discard assignment to subgen. Euthyceras, despite a purported affinity to C. pauciflora reported in previous literature. In the absence of detailed information on silica bodies, epidermal cell (exocarp) details in fossil specimens do not seem to be determinant for the systematic placement. However, the addition of diagnostic style characters pointed to sect. Cyperoideae as the best match with the available information. Our data support a continued presence of Carex sect. Cyperoideae in the Old World since the Miocene, which candidates Eurasia as a possible place of origin for it, despite DNA-based reconstructions alone proposed North America. This study underlines the importance of detailed taxonomic studies to properly address the identity of fossils and unravel the biogeographic history of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Santa María and Antares Zn-Pb(-Ag) skarn deposits in the Velardeña Mining District are located in central–NW Mexico. They lie 470 m apart along the contact between Oligocene felsic intrusions and Cretaceous limestones, and were developed during prograde, retrograde, post-ore (Santa María), and late stages. Firstly, the prograde stage was formed by fluids at ~ 600 °C and 15 wt% NaCl equiv., and consists of garnet + wollastonite ± clinopyroxene and biotite ± K-feldspar assemblages. Secondly, the retrograde/ore stage was formed by fluids at 300–500 °C with salinities of 20–30 wt% CaCl2 (Santa María) and > 40 wt% NaCl equiv. (Antares). It comprises assemblages of chlorite, amphibole, epidote, calcite, scapolite, quartz, sericite, adularia, fluorite, and muscovite associated with sphalerite, pyrite, galena, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and Pb-Bi-Sb sulfosalts. Thirdly, the post-ore stage was formed by fluids at ~ 400 °C and 20–30 wt.% CaCl2 and comprises poorly mineralized calcite veins. Fourthly, the late stage was formed by fluids at < 300 °C and 20–30 wt.% CaCl2 (Santa María) and ~ 15 wt% NaCl equiv. (Antares), and crystallized tetrahedrite-group minerals and pyrite + marcasite. δ18Ofluid between ~ 14‰ and 23‰ at Santa María and between ~ 12‰ and 17‰ at Antares show a less-modified magmatic affinity for mineralizing fluids at Antares; δ13Cfluid between 0‰ and –6‰ register recycling of sedimentary C. Moreover, sulfides with δ34SVCDT between –3‰ and 2‰ reveal a magmatic source for S. Altogether, these data suggest that, at Santa María, magmatic-derived fluids actively interacted with the wall rocks, whereas at Antares the fluid-rock interaction was milder. In both deposits, metal deposition was triggered by the cooling and neutralization of ore-bearing fluids with carbonate rocks. Our 40Ar/39Ar dates for adularia of ca. 37.5 Ma place the deposits within the Eocene–early Miocene metallogenetic epoch of central–NW Mexico, during which other world-class skarn-epithermal systems were emplaced (e.g., Concepción del Oro and Mazapil-Peñasquito). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examination of a fossil from a Miocene Konservat-Lagerstätte (c. 11–16 Mya) from Australia shows it to be an astioid jumping spider that is here described as Simaetha sp. indet. Fossilization in the iron oxide–hydroxide mineral goethite led to a high-fidelity preservation of not only the exterior, but of the pharyngeal plate and a neuropile in the cephalothorax. The discovery of the fossil supports the molecular-based hypothesis that the Late Oligocene/Early Miocene radiation of astioid genera occurred in Australasia. Modern Asian genera then would be the result of northward migrations from Australia rather than a movement in the other direction. Biogeographically, the Miocene Simaetha fits within the predicted bioclimatic distribution of the genus today, though the bioclimatic requirements of the fossil species are now found in eastern Queensland rather than in central New South Wales. Simaetha , it seems has retained its original bioclimatic profile for 15 Myr, even though climatic and ecological conditions in Australia have changed significantly. The fossil record now shows the independent evolution of modern genera during the Early Miocene in at least five different salticid lineages on two continents. These salticid radiations occurred at a time of planet-wide, rapid climatic and ecological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aridification of the Australian continent led to the diversification of mygalomorph spiders in the Miocene, but a depauperate fossil record has made it difficult to investigate evolution across this epoch. Here, we describe the first fossil barychelid spider (Araneae: Barychelidae) in the world and the second fossil mygalomorph spider from Australia. It is placed as a new genus and species (Megamonodontium mccluskyi gen. et sp. nov.). Megamonodontium resembles Monodontium Kulczyński, 1908, a genus that persists in rainforests through Singapore, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The new specimen is the second largest spider fossil in the world and is approximately five times larger than extant Monodontium. The fossil shows that this lineage once occupied mesic rainforest habitats in Australia but has since been replaced by other spiders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction-related magmatism is a significant contributor to arc building and continental growth. In the active convergent margin of the SW Japan arc, voluminous volcanic rocks and mafic dykes formed through subduction and back-arc rifting during Miocene. In this study, we investigate a suite of felsic volcanic rocks (rhyolite and dacite) and lamprophyres from central Shikoku Island, which occur in the north-central part of the Chichibu belt and Sanbagawa belt in the Outer zone of the SW Japan arc. Whole-rock geochemistry results show that the rhyolite and dacite samples are peraluminous, belong to the high-K calc-alkaline series, show LREE and LILE enrichment, HREE and HFSE depletion that suggest arc volcanic affinity. The lamprophyre samples belong to alkali lamprophyre, show LREE and HFSE enrichments, and display OIB (oceanic island basalt)-like geochemical features. The 206Pb/238U weighted mean ages of the zircons from the rhyolite and dacite samples range from 14.39 ± 0.21 Ma to 13.92 ± 0.30 Ma, whereas the lamprophyre shows 206Pb/238U weighted mean age of 12.21 ± 0.35 Ma. Zircon Lu-Hf isotope data suggest that the rhyolite and dacite were derived from the remelting of the arc crustal rocks and that the lamprophyre was derived from depleted mantle sources and was contaminated by crustal materials. The felsic volcanic rocks (rhyolite and dacite) can be correlated to Miocene (15.5 Ma to 13.5 Ma) magmatism in the Outer Zone of the SW Japan arc. The formation of lamprophyre dykes in the SW Japan arc may be related to the subhorizontal mantle flows beneath the SW Japan arc associated with the opening of the Japan Sea back-arc basin or asthenosphere upwelling through the slab-tear of the Philippine Sea Plate beneath the SW Japan arc. Our study shows that the SW Japan Arc was built by multiple magmatism from diverse sources in an active convergent margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution studies some paleobiological aspects of Opisthodactylus kirchneri , a fossil rheid from the Late Miocene of northwestern Argentina. We estimate the body mass of this species using an allometric equation based on long-legged birds. Besides, we estimate the maximum running speed by applying a previously published biomechanical model to study other living and fossil running birds. We perform multivariate analyses with hindlimb measurements used as biomechanical model inputs to compare the fossil rheid with other living ratite species. We found that O. kirchneri would not have been a swift runner as living rheids of South America. We identify the presence of a long distal hindlimb segment correlated with a novel adaptation to paleoenvironmental conditions in southern South America during the Late Miocene. We propose alternative interpretations based on these results and the hindlimb bone proportions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Source rock evaluation and basin modelling play crucial roles in understanding hydrocarbon potential. In this study, pyrolysis data from 92 shale ditch samples were employed to assess the source rocks in the Abu Gharadig Basin (Western Desert, Egypt). The organic richness ranged from 0.53% to 4.1% by weight, indicating varying hydrocarbon‐generating capabilities. Specifically, kerogen types II and III exhibited the potential to generate hydrocarbons, ranging from fair to good oil sources. The burial history analysis provided insights into the sedimentation and subsidence rates during different geological periods. The Late Jurassic‐Early Cretaceous period witnessed modest rates of sedimentation and subsidence. In contrast, the Oligocene and Late Miocene periods experienced medium burial rates, while the Late Cretaceous‐Early Tertiary period exhibited high burial rates. Specific formations were examined in detail, with the Apollonia Formation standing out as a significant hydrocarbon reservoir. It entered the early oil window at approximately 17.87 Ma and the wet gas window at about 17.41 Ma in the ASSIL‐1X well. However, it didn't reach the GPAA‐4 well. The Abu Roash 'D' member also showed promise, entering the early oil window at 38.20 and 47.38 Ma, and the wet gas window at 37.40 and 43.64 Ma. Similarly, the Abu Roash 'F' member exhibited favourable hydrocarbon generation, entering the early oil window at 39.90 and 54.86 Ma, and the wet gas window at 39.70 and 51.62 Ma in both the ASSIL‐1X and GPAA‐4 wells. Based on the analysis, the Apollonia, Abu Roash 'D' and 'F' members were identified as source rocks, while the Kharita, 'C', 'E' and 'G' members were recognized as reservoir rocks. The Abu Roash Shale acted as an effective seal rock. The geological structure of the region revealed the presence of NW‐SE normal faults, forming a three‐way dip closure trap. This research substantially enhances our comprehension of the hydrocarbon system within this basin. It achieves this by thoroughly investigating source rock evaluation, basin modelling and delivering invaluable insights into the mechanisms that govern hydrocarbon generation, expulsion and trap age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]