Un nuevo reptil acuático del Triásico de China, con una adaptación para
alimentarse, muy especializada, acaba de ser descrito por nuestros
colegas, los paleontólogos chinos Long Cheng, Xiao-Hong Chen, Qing-Hua
Shang y Xiao Chun Wu en la importante revista científica
Naturwisenchaften. El reptil, un diápsido, procede del Triásico de
Luoping (Yunnan), unos 270 millones de años.
El estudio
geológico indica que el yacimiento donde se encontró se deposito con
sedimentos marinos costeros, en cuyos niveles se encuentran otros
fósiles de reptiles marinos como ictiosaurios, sauropterigios de
distintos tipos, protorosauros y archosauriformes. También hay numerosos
invertebrados como crustáceos, miriápodos, bivalvos, gasterópodos,
belemnites, equinodermos, braquiópodos…Un mar rico en alimentos. La
diversidad de esta fauna queda también reflejada por la variedad de
mecanismos de alimentación que se encuentran entre los grupos de
reptiles Luoping.
El reptil del que queremos hablar en esta nota
es muy peculiar. Sus dientes se distribuyen como los dientes de un
peine. Más de 175 dientes pleurodontos (están soldados al hueso) se
encuentran en cada rama tanto derecha como izquierda de las mandíbulas y
de los maxilares. Los maxilares en lugar de estar soldados en la parte
medial, están abiertos, y en ambos bordes también se encuentran dientes.
Un cráneo realmente singular como se puede ver en la fotografía.
Además,
los dientes son como finas agujas. Altos y delicados. En esto se
parecen a los de algunos reptiles voladores que también se alimentaban
seguramente por filtración de los alimentos en el agua. En contraste con
los finos dientes, las mandíbulas son masivas, lo que indican una gran
fortaleza y que probablemente tenían fuertes musculaturas para abrirlas y
moverlas hacia atrás.
Esto nos indica que Atopodentatus unicus,
que así es el nombre que le han puesto a este peculiar reptil diápsido
marino (haciendo referencia a la dentición peculiar y única entre los
vertebrados) podría haber sido un vertebrado que araba el fondo marino
en busca de pequeños organismos bentónicos. Además los dedos de Atopodentatus unicus
terminan en pezuñas, esto junto con otras características anatómicas
del esqueleto permite afirmar que sería capaz tanto de nadar como de
caminar sobre tierra, planicies de marea e islas de arena en la zona
intermareal.
El holotipo, un esqueleto casi completo, de algo
más de dos metros desde la cabeza a la cola, se encuentra en el
Instituto de Geología y recursos minerales de Wuhan, en China.
El
que quiera profundizar puede leer el artículo completo: Long Cheng,
Xiao-Hong Chen, Qing-Hua Shang, Xiao-Chun Wu. 2014. A new marine reptile
from the Triassic of China, with a highly specialized feeding
adaptation. Naturwissenschaften. DOI 10.1007/s00114-014-1148-4
SALINAS DE INTERIOR. OTROS MODELOS DE EXPLOTACIÓN DE SAL, DE LA
PREHISTORIA A LA ACTUALIDAD.
VIERNES 14 DE FEBRERO 20:30 H. RESTAURANTE BODEGA EL CARRETERO.
CHICLANA DE LA FRONTERA.
(Calle Sor Ángela de la Cruz, 26)
El I Ciclo Internacional de BARferencias es un evento promovido por ERA
Cultura, en el que se realizan conferencias de corte distentido que se
llevarán a cabo fuera de los muros académicos, en los bares, a lo
largo de distintas ciudades como: Madrid, Cuenca (Ecuador), Zafra
(Badajoz), Córdoba, Cantabria y Chiclana de la Frontera.
Las BARferencias tienen una temática que gira en torno a la historia y
la arqueología pero con muy variados contenidos, algo natural teniendo
en cuenta la variedad geográfica. Es por ello que podemos encontrar
desde aspectos de la vida cotidiana del mundo romano a excavaciones
realizadas en el cerro Huyacán de Ecuador.
El viernes 14 de febrero se realizará la primera de un ciclo de 3
conferencias, en chiclana de la Frontera, que será impartida por el Dr.
Santiago Valiente Cánovas, Catedrático de Artes Plásticas y Diseño
en la Escuela Superior de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes
Culturales de Madrid. en el restaurante bodega El Carretero a las 20:30,
bajo el título "Salinas de Interior. Otros modelos de explotación de
sal desde la prehistoria hasta la actualidad." Con ello las Barferencias
pretenden acercar a la ciudadanía de Chiclana de la Frontera, aspectos
no tan conocidos sobre las formas de extracción y explotación de sal,
con tanta tradición en la ciudad. En la actualidad Santiago Valiente
Cánovas está gravitando sus estudios desde la meseta, en yacimientos
tan emblemáticos como las salinas de Espartinas (Ciempozuelos), a la
provincia de Cádiz, obteniendo datos novedosos de áreas de
explotación de sal de interior de nuestra provincia.
La Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) nos ha mandado información de ayudas para investigar. Os la adjuntamos.
John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research Program
The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) invites applications from graduate students and post-doctoral researchers for the John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research Program to support collections-based research in any field of paleontology. The program awards grants of up to $500 to visit PRI’s collections.
This grant honors John W. Wells (1907-1994), past President of the PRI Board of Trustees, a long-time geology faculty member at Cornell University, and one of the world\'s leading authorities on fossil and living corals.
The application deadline is February 15th of each year.
PRI houses one of the largest collections of invertebrate fossils in North America, with particular strengths in Cenozoic mollusks from the Western Hemisphere and marine invertebrates of the northeastern U.S., especially the Devonian of Central New York. PRI\'s Type and Figured collection is searchable online at www.pricollectionsdatabase.org.
For further information, see http://www.museumoftheearth.org/research.php?page=888262
J. Thomas Dutro Jr. Student Award in Systematic Paleontology
In recognition of the importance of basic systematic research to the science of paleontology, Paleontological Research Institution annually presents an award in systematic paleontology to a deserving graduate student, who is also a member of PRI in good standing. This award of $500 is available to any student enrolled in an advanced degree program (Masters or Ph.D.) who is pursuing research in any area of systematic paleontology. Acceptable costs are research supplies and bench fees, fieldwork or museum visit expenses, and/or travel to a scientific meeting to present research results. Membership can be applied for at the time of application. The award recipient will be expected to write a short essay about his/her research for PRI’s membership newsletter and the paleontology section of the online magazine Evolution – This View of Life. For a list of previous recipients, click here.
The application deadline is February 1, 2014. To apply, send a 500-word description of your research project, including a simple budget of how the funds will be used, plus a letter of recommendation from your primary research advisor (sent separately or with application) to:
Dr. Paula M. Mikkelsen, Associate Director for Science
Paleontological Research Institution
1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
research@museumoftheearth.org
Nos ha llegado información de un puesto de trabajo para investigar en moluscos. Os lo adjuntamos
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM) Foundation has an immediate opening, the Twila Bratcher Endowed Chair in Malacological Research, for an accomplished malacologist to conduct collection-based research on the Museum’s extensive collections of mollusks. The Museum has world-class malacological holdings and a rich history of collections-based research on marine invertebrates. Neontological holdings have a special emphasis on shelled mollusks of the eastern Pacific. The Museum also holds extensive collections of fossil mollusks, especially Cretaceous and Cenozoic gastropods and bivalves.
We seek an early career scientist who will implement an internationally recognized, modern and integrative research program in the evolutionary biology of mollusks, including taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, and biodiversity science. The successful candidate will have a PhD, a track record of research productivity, evidence of the ability to generate external funding, a strong interest in science communication and engaging the public in malacological research, and the ability to effectively communicate and engage with a wide variety of audiences, including the public and the NHM’s various stakeholders. The successful candidate also will be expected to help develop the collections and contribute to the Museum\'s public programs (education and exhibits).
This is a full time, untenured position of limited duration. The current expectation is that funding for the position will be available for two years, depending on performance evaluations and available resources; performance evaluations and available resources may also allow the position to be extended beyond two years.
The NHM, the largest natural history museum in the western United States, has recently finished a dramatic transformation including new ground-breaking exhibits and a 3 ½ acre wildlife garden. The NHM’s mission is to inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds. The NHM has recently developed a strategic intent – “Be the best at communicating how our planet and life on it changes over time and why this matters” – that will guide the museum’s priorities over the next decade.
Applications, including a cover letter, CV, statement of research, statement of science communication interests, and the names and contact information for three potential professional references, should be sent by March 15, 2014, to: lgranado@nhm.org - Lisa Granados, Research & Collections, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science seeks a Curator in the Department of Earth Sciences to grow its scholarship, to curate and expand its North American fossil collections, and to help inspire public understanding of, and involvement in, science. The ideal candidate\'s scholarship will involve field-based paleontological research on fossil vertebrates. Areas of specialty might include paleoecology, paleobiology, evolution or related fields. Successful candidates will have a research program with a focus in western North America and an established track record of publication and funding. The successful candidate will be a phenomenal public speaker and will regularly engage the general public and media.
The Denver Museum is an exciting place to do science with an active curatorial staff spanning the fields of anthropology, zoology, space sciences, health sciences and earth sciences. The museum offers opportunities to engage with the general public through educational programming and exhibits and to work with a large, highly-trained volunteer corps. The museum has outstanding conservation, volunteer management, and library staff. The museum has strong local public support, has a new collections facility with excess storage and is surrounded by well-exposed, fossil-bearing sedimentary rocks.
The Earth Science Department is an outwardly focused and collegial team that engages in international research but has strong emphasis on the geologic and paleontologic record of the American West. Current staff expertise is in invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology and paleobotany, and each curator has at least one scholarly project in Colorado. The Department\'s collections are sizeable and are growing; their composition and history are described at http://www.dmns.org/science/collections/. The Department also has a fully staffed preparation laboratory that operates 364 days per year, a full-time collections manager, and over 250 volunteers who engage in science, collections, and outreach. The Department has close collaborations with local analytical laboratories and helps shepherd the museum\'s fleet of field vehicles and field equipment.
Successful candidates must have their PhD or be in receipt of their PhD no later than September 1, 2014. Post-doctoral experience is recommended. The starting date of the position is flexible.
Application Instructions
To apply, submit one single PDF file which contains all of the following on single-spaced, single-sided pages in 12-point or larger font:
1) a two page cover letter that outlines your present and anticipated scholarship and personal objectives;
2) a one or two page statement of outreach highlighting: (a) areas where you are currently most effective; (b) ways to leverage your skills within and beyond the DMNS to improve the public\'s understanding of science; and (c) innovative approaches for leveraging the DMNS platform to effectively engage the general public and catalyze the next generation of scientifically literate youth;
3) a one page statement of how you might (a) dovetail your scholarship with existing collections at the DMNS, and (b) build and steward a new major fossil collection at the DMNS;
4) a curriculum vitae which lists your in-press or published peer-reviewed publications, recent departmental seminars you have given and your post-graduate history of employment; and
5) a list of contact information for three professional references with whom you have collaborated in the past, and three references with whom you have not previously collaborated.
No phone calls or printed application materials will be accepted. We will begin reviewing applications on February 15th and the application period will close March 1st.
Be advised that due to the high volume of applicants, we are only able to directly contact those candidates whose skills and background best fit the needs of the position, however please check your inbox and junk mail for any correspondence. If you are a returning applicant, please note that cover letters must be deleted, edited and then reattached to correspond with the position.
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is an equal opportunity employer. The Museum is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse staff committed to serving the needs of all our visitors and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH06/ats/careers/requisition.jsp;jsessionid=A2B6D06426E52B841F72126EFF28B726.NA10_primary_jvm?org=DMNS&cws=1&rid=420
