A taxonomic and morphological re-evaluation of “Halitherium” cristolii Fitzinger, 1842 (Mammalia, Sirenia) from the late Oligocene of Austria, with the description of a new genus

Voß, Manja; Berning, Björn; Reiter, Erich

doi:10.5852/ejt.2016.256

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Both of these taxa have been previously recovered (by parsimony methods) as stem sea cows ( Vélez-Juarbe, 2012 ; Vélez-Juarbe & Wood, 2018 ). However, the splits that most closely precede the crown node lead to Kaupitherium greulli ( Voss & Hampe, 2017 ), Kaupitherium bronni ( Voss & Hampe, 2017 ), and Lentiarenium cristolii ( Voss, Berning & Reiter, 2016 )—three species that have been proposed (again by parsimony methods) as deriving from the earliest divergences within crown Sirenia ( Vélez-Juarbe & Wood, 2018 ). In other words, BTD analysis of the total evidence dataset placed these Oligocene species just outside of the crown clade, but parsimony analysis of a single morphological partition has positioned them just inside the group.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Total evidence time-scaled phylogenetic and biogeographic models for the evolution of sea cows (Sirenia, Afrotheria)

Heritage

Seiffert

2022

PeerJ

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Molecular phylogenetic studies that have included sirenians from the genera Trichechus, Dugong, and Hydrodamalis have resolved their interrelationships but have yielded divergence age estimates that are problematically discordant. The ages of these lineage splits have profound implications for how to interpret the sirenian fossil record—including clade membership, biogeographic patterns, and correlations with Earth history events. In an effort to address these issues, here we present a total evidence phylogenetic analysis of Sirenia that includes living and fossil species and applies Bayesian tip-dating methods to estimate their interrelationships and divergence times. In addition to extant sirenians, our dataset includes 56 fossil species from 106 dated localities and numerous afrotherian outgroup taxa. Genetic, morphological, temporal, and biogeographic data are assessed simultaneously to bring all available evidence to bear on sirenian phylogeny. The resulting time-tree is then used for Bayesian geocoordinates reconstruction analysis, which models ancestral geographic areas at splits throughout the phylogeny, thereby allowing us to infer the direction and timing of dispersals. Our results suggest that Pan-Sirenia arose in North Africa during the latest Paleocene and that the Eocene evolution of stem sirenians was primarily situated in the Tethyan realm. In the late Eocene, some lineages moved into more northern European latitudes, an area that became the source region for a key trans-Atlantic dispersal towards the Caribbean and northern-adjacent west Atlantic. This event led to the phylogenetic and biogeographic founding of crown Sirenia with the Dugongidae-Trichechidae split occurring at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary (~33.9 Ma), temporally coincident with the onset of dropping global sea levels and temperatures. This region became the nexus of sirenian diversification and supported taxonomically-rich dugongid communities until the earliest Pliocene. The Dugonginae-Hydrodamalinae split occurred near Florida during the early Miocene (~21.2 Ma) and was followed by a west-bound dispersal that gave rise to the Pacific hydrodamalines. The late middle Miocene (~12.2 Ma) split of Dugong from all other dugongines also occurred near Florida and our analyses suggest that the Indo-Pacific distribution of modern dugongs is the result of a trans-Pacific dispersal. From at least the early Miocene, trichechid evolution was based entirely in South America, presumably within the Pebas Wetlands System. We infer that the eventual establishment of Amazon drainage into the South Atlantic allowed the dispersal of Trichechus out of South America no earlier than the mid-Pliocene. Our analyses provide a new temporal and biogeographic framework for understanding major events in sirenian evolution and their possible relationships to oceanographic and climatic changes. These hypotheses can be further tested with the recovery and integration of new fossil evidence.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Total evidence time-scaled phylogenetic and biogeographic models for the evolution of sea cows (Sirenia, Afrotheria)

Heritage

Seiffert

2022

PeerJ

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“…This is corroborated by direct morphological comparisons. Taking into account the representatives of the former "Halitherium"-species complex alone, the preserved character combination described above is likewise shared by "H." taulannense, the taxonomic-morphological revision of it is still in progress (Voss 2013), Kaupitherium gruelli Hampe, 2017, K. bronni (Krauss, 1858) Voss and Hampe, 2017, and Lentiarenium cristolii (Fitzinger, 1842) Voss et al 2016. As such, neither it is possible to define a species on the holotype material that can be clearly distinguished from other taxa, nor is this West Indian sirenian unambiguously assignable to any known species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-evaluation of the taxonomic and systematic status of “Halitherium” antillense Matthew, 1916 (Mammalia, Sirenia)

Voß

2020

PalZ

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Halitherium antillense Matthew, 1916 was established on a left mandibular fragment and two vertebrae from late Oligocene deposits of Puerto Rico. This species was only provisionally referred to the genus Halitherium and its taxonomic status and systematic affinities remained doubtful. In the course of the revision of the Halitherium-species complex and the meanwhile invalid generic name “Halitherium”, the holotype, and only known specimen, is re-investigated. A number of morphological characters usually diagnostic in sirenians are determined. However, the holotype material of “H.” antillense is not informative enough and, as such, neither can be assigned to any known species nor is it possible to define a taxon that can be clearly distinguished from other species. Unlike other, now revised species originally grouped under “Halitherium”, the establishment of a new taxonomic combination for “H.” antillense is not possible. As a nomenclatural consequence, the name “H.” antillense is only applicable to a single specimen, the holotype, and declared as a nomen dubium.

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“…H. taulannense Sagne, 2001 *Well known from several specimens, but referred to a new genus belonging to the Dugongidae. H. cristolii Fitzinger, 1842 Mainly known from a mandibular holotype and associated partial skulls; now referred to a new genus belonging to the Dugongidae (Voss et al, 2016).corresponds to the "Fish Shale" or "Middle Rupel Clay" (Rothausen and Sonne, 1984; and is characterized by finely stratified to laminated, bituminous clays and marls, which transgress locally on the coastal deposits. The Hochberg Member was deposited in water depths of up to 150 m and represents the most prominent unit of the Bodenheim Formation, with a maximum thickness of 80 m. The Alzey and Bodenheim formations were deposited in a subtropical to Mediterranean climate, which is indicated by plant remains such as palm trees near Flörsheim and cones of conifers near Eckelsheim (Schaarschmidt, 1982).…”

Section: Species Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for two sympatric sirenian species (Mammalia, Tethytheria) in the early Oligocene of Central Europe

Voß

Hampe

2017

J. Paleontol.

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Abstract.-The early Oligocene (Rupelian) sirenian Halitherium schinzii Kaup, 1838, which represents the type species of the genus Halitherium Kaup, 1838, is revised herein based on a morphological re-evaluation of skeletal material originally assigned to this taxon. This study provides new and comprehensive information on the cranial and postcranial anatomy and allows the distinction of two sympatric species. Following a recent approach on the invalidity and subsequent rejection of H. schinzii Kaup, 1838, Kaupitherium gruelli new genus new species is established on the basis of a nearly complete holotype. The second taxon resembles K. gruelli n. sp. in a number of skeletal features, such as reduced nasals and absence of the canines, but can be clearly distinguished mainly by the post-canine dental formula and the supraoccipital morphology. The diagnostic skullcap of a species formerly synonymized under "H. schinzii" is re-validated as the holotype of K. bronni (Krauss, 1858). On the basis of paleoecological implications, a hypothesis is established to explain the overlapping stratigraphic and biogeographic occurrences (i.e., sympatry of both taxa). A diagnosis and up-to-date synonymy complement the taxonomical information. The revision of "H. schinzii" provides new data on the past sirenian diversity and forms the basis for a taxonomic and systematic re-evaluation of species originally grouped in the genus "Halitherium."

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A taxonomic and morphological re-evaluation of “Halitherium” cristolii Fitzinger, 1842 (Mammalia, Sirenia) from the late Oligocene of Austria, with the description of a new genus

Cited by 4 publications

References 20 publications

Total evidence time-scaled phylogenetic and biogeographic models for the evolution of sea cows (Sirenia, Afrotheria)

Total evidence time-scaled phylogenetic and biogeographic models for the evolution of sea cows (Sirenia, Afrotheria)

Re-evaluation of the taxonomic and systematic status of “Halitherium” antillense Matthew, 1916 (Mammalia, Sirenia)

Evidence for two sympatric sirenian species (Mammalia, Tethytheria) in the early Oligocene of Central Europe

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