New synapsid fossil found in Moçambique

A fossil of a new species (Niassodon mfumukasi n.gen., n.sp.) from the Permian (256 Mya) was found in Moçambique by a team of researchers from Portugal, the USA, Moçambique and Germany. Using synchrotron radiation it was possible to find out new features about basal synapsid anatomy.

Niassodon mfumukasi female (256 Mya)

For more information, please check: http://www.museulourinha.org/pt/Noticias/Noticias_2013-12-05_NiassodonMfumukasi.htm

A new nodosaurid from Northeastern Spain

Remains from the Lower Cretaceous Albian Escucha Formation (Aragón, Spain) were described by James Kirkland (Utah Geological Survey, USA) and others. Paleontologists believe Europelta carbonensis n.gen., n.sp., was a basal nodosaurid related to other European ankylosaurs (Anoplosaurus, Hungarosaurus, Struthiosaurus) which all form a subfamily of eurypod dinosaurs, the Struthiosaurinae. The fragmented skeleton was found in Teruel region and has a fairly preserved skull. It may not be the oldest finding but ankylosaurs from the Upper Jurassic are normally badly preserved (e.g. Dracopelta zbyszewskii from Portugal), making Europelta an important addition to the list. Several characters (e.g. narrow predentaries, transversaly wide condyles, etc.) were checked in the skull and leave no doubts about the classification for this individual.

Views of Europelta carbonensis' skull

Form more information, please check: http://aragonhoy.aragon.es/index.php/mod.documentos/mem.descargar/fichero.documentos_Kirkland_et_al_2013_in_press_Europelta_PONE-D-13-24335_36be13e3%232E%23pdf