Tratamientos de conservación de los cráneos de ballena fósil del Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência de Lisboa en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

El 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress acogió la presentación de Fátima Marcos Fernández, miembro del equipo de conservación del Grupo de Biología Evolutiva (GBE). Su comunicación se tituló "Conservation of the fossil whale skulls of Vandelli from the collections Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa". En este trabajo se abordaron los desafíos y soluciones implementados en la conservación de tres cráneos fósiles de ballena descubiertos en los depósitos miocenos de Adiça (Sesimbra, Portugal) y documentados por Vandelli en 1831, afectados por casi dos siglos de deterioro. La presentación destacó el uso de técnicas avanzadas para la eliminación de contaminantes químicos, la estabilización de microfracturas y el desarrollo de soportes a medida, poniendo en valor la importancia de la sostenibilidad y reversibilidad en los tratamientos de conservación. El resumen es el siguiente:

This summary focuses on the conservation efforts of three fossilized whale skulls from the Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência (Universidade de Lisboa). Discovered in the Miocene deposits of Adiça (Sesimbra, Portugal) during the first half of the 19th century and documented by Vandelli in 1831, these skulls hold significant scientific and historical value. Over their nearly 200-year history, the skulls suffered some damage, including a devastating fire in 1978. While they were not directly impacted by the flames, soot deposition and high temperatures introduced chemical contaminants that compromised their structural integrity and appearance. X-ray fluorescence was used to assess the effects of the fire, revealing heavy metal particles such as lead, zinc, and mercury on the fossil surface. Combined with soot embedded in microfractures, these factors further destabilized the fossils both chemically and physically. Moreover, soluble salts induced internal stress, causing fractures and skeletal disaggregation. Our intervention followed an interdisciplinary approach and guided by minimal intervention principles. Contaminants were removed through mechanical and chemical techniques, including gel-based solutions to dissolve deeply embedded deposits. Microfractures were consolidated using Paraloid B72, ensuring structural stability and reversibility of the treatments. Customized supports were also developed to safeguard the fossils during storage and handling. This case illustrates how the integration of advanced methods and modern conservation techniques can effectively mitigate the harmful effects of degradation agents. The outcomes not only preserve the physical and aesthetic integrity of the fossils but also ensure their long-term sustainability and the elimination of toxicity for future research.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Marcos-Fernández, F., Fernández-Martínez, J., Fernández-Fernández, E., Povoas, L., Judite Alves, M., Mocho, P. 2025. Conservation of the fossil whale skulls of Vandelli from the collections of Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa. In Vlachos et al. (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 229.

Análisis neuroanatómico a partir de modelos tridimensionales de las tortugas del linaje Podocnemidoidea desde el Cretácico hasta el presente en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

Durante el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress celebrado el pasado mes de marzo se presentó una revisión de la neuroanatomía del clado Podocnemidoidea, incluido dentro del grupo de tortugas pleurodiras. Este clado incluye dos linajes principales: Bothremydidae reconocido desde el Cretácico Inferior hasta el Eoceno, y Podocnemidoidae, con algunos de sus representantes formando parte de la biodiversidad actual. En esta comunicación se analizaron los elementos neuroanatómicos en estos dos linajes, a partir de la metodología basada en el uso de Tomografía Computarizada. Los elementos fueron comparados además con otros grupos de tortugas pleurodiras, generando un marco neuroanatómico más amplio dentro de Pleurodira. A partir del análisis de las estructuras neuroanatómicas se observaron características comunes dentro de Podocnemidoidea, principalmente en la cavidad craneal y en los canales del nervio facial, que las diferencian del resto de linajes de pleurodiras. Además, se identificaron modificaciones en el laberinto óseo que responden a adaptaciones a medios acuáticos marinos, en contraste con la mayoría de tortugas pleurodiras de hábitos dulceacuícolas. El resumen de la comunicación es el siguiente:

Podocnemidoidea is a successful and diverse lineage of pleurodiran turtles, dating from the Early Cretaceous. It includes Podocnemididae, which is part of the current biodiversity, but also extinct clades, the most abundant and diverse being the Cretaceous to Paleogene Bothremydidae. Extant podocnemidids are restricted to freshwater environments of the Southern Hemisphere. By contrast, some extinct representatives of both Bothremydidae and Podocnemididae inhabited other regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America, some forms showing adaptations for life in transitional and even marine aquatic niches. Most adaptations to these habitats, especially to the marine ones, involved modifications in the skeletal morphology related to changes in their locomotion and the acquisition of more hydrodynamic body structures, mainly reflected in the carapace and appendicular skeleton. However, some modifications in the cranial anatomy and its neuroanatomy are also observed by the use of CT-scan and the reconstruction of internal cranial structures. Despite the neuroanatomical elements within Pleurodira are relatively conservative, some modifications exclusive to Podocnemidoidea were identified, as the shape of the endocranial cavity or the pattern of the facial nerve canals. Several neuroanatomical characters are exclusive to some of its lineages, as the presence of expanded cartilaginous rider in Bothremydidae, or short carotid canals in Podocnemidoidae. In addition, the shape and thickness of the semicircular canals of the labyrinth appear to correspond to adaptive responses. The differences observed through the comparative study of the neuroanatomical structures in several representatives of Podocnemidoidea are hereby discussed and included in a broader comparative framework within Pleurodira.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Martín-Jiménez, M., Pérez-García, A. 2025. The neuroanatomical structures in Podocnemidoidea (Testudines, Pleurodira) from the Cretaceous to the present: an update. In Vlachos et al. (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 388.
• Figura: Escaneado de un cráneo de tortuga pleurodira (arriba izquierda), radiografía de uno de los cráneos analizados (arriba derecha), análisis de las estructuras craneales internas (abajo izquierda), y modelo tridimensional de los elementos neuroanatómicos (abajo derecha).

El registro fósil de simosáuridos en la región de Oriente Medio en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

Varios integrantes del Grupo de Biología Evolutiva de la UNED han presentado durante el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress el trabajo titulado “New perspectives on the simosaur fossil record of the Middle East: a preliminary review”. En esta comunicación, se han presentado resultados preliminares anatómicos y sistemáticos sobre nuevos restos de simosaurios de Israel, así como una puesta al día sobre el registro paleobiogeográfíco y estratigráfico de Simosauridae, con especial énfasis en la región de Oriente Medio. A continuación, os dejamos el resumen perteneciente a este trabajo:

Simosaurs (Simosauridae, Eosauropterygia) were marine reptiles whose fossil record is restricted so far to the Tethys west margin. They are mostly known from the lower Ladinian (Middle Triassic) to the Carnian (Upper Triassic) of Europe, where the only two defined species are known: Simosaurus gaillardoti, from the Ladinian of France and Germany; and Paludidraco multidentatus, from the Carnian of Spain. Conversely, Simosauridae is poorly represented by scarce fragmentary cranial and postcranial elements in the Middle East (i.e., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt). Those from Israel probably represent the oldest occurrence of Simosauridae, coming from uppermost Anisian or lowermost Ladinian levels. Most so far documented Middle East remains were studied more than two decades ago, when the only representative of the clade was S. gaillardoti. In this context, all the Middle East remains were referred to as Simosaurus sp. Recent anatomical and systematic studies have substantially increased knowledge about Simosauridae, allowing for a better identification of the diagnostic characters of both the clade and its representatives. In this sense, an exhaustive revision of the previously documented material from Israel, along with the study of relatively abundant unpublished material from the same country, and the recently published fossils from Egypt, is currently in process. Here, we provide anatomical and systematic analyses of all the remains attributable to Simosauridae from the Middle East, and paleobiogeographic implications for the clade. Postcranial elements not previously recorded for Simosauridae in the Middle East are recognized, along with the oldest unequivocal occurrence of this lineage.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Cabezuelo Hernández, A., de Miguel Chaves, C., Pérez-García, A. 2025. New perspectives on the simosaur fossil record of the Middle East: a preliminary review. In Vlachos et al. (Eds), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 26. 
• Imagen 1: Portada de la comunicación oral presentada en el congreso 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress.

Una propuesta de etiquetado de microfósiles mediante un código de colores en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

Durante la quinta edición del Palaeontological Virtual Congress que ha tenido lugar durante el pasado mes de marzo, se presentó la comunicación titulada: "Proposal for managing microfossil labelling using colour codes". En este proyecto se propone reemplazar el siglado alfanumérico por un sistema basado en colores y su combinación, con el objetivo de facilitar una identificación visual rápida y eficiente. Esta metodología también permitirá reducir el espacio necesario para el siglado, lo que permite su aplicación en fósiles de pequeño tamaño, como dientes de cocodrilo y terópodo.

Además, se ha diseñado un sistema de organización asociado al código de color, que no solo optimiza la devolución de los ejemplares, sino que también reduce la posibilidad de disociación, mejorando al mismo tiempo el almacenamiento y la conservación de los mismos. El resumen es el siguiente:

Analyses of collections of small fossil vertebrate teeth, obtained by screen washing and hand picking of sediment samples, rank amongst the commoner techniques for determining the diversity of past ecosystems. However, the handling and management of these fossils present specific challenges due to their small size, particularly concerning the difficulty of applying legible and visible labelling, especially with alphanumeric characters. This increases the risk of dissociation between the fossils and their associated documentation.

A colour-coded labelling system is proposed here as an alternative to alphanumeric characters. This method links each specimen to its specific position within a storage box, where the necessary documentation for its identification is kept. Before applying the label, the most suitable area of the tooth is carefully assessed in order to avoid interfering with its future study.

The labelling system uses two coloured dots, each representing a row and column in the storage box, employing standardised colours based on the Pantone system. The dots are applied directly to the specimen's surface using an entomological needle, ensuring both precision and a minimal size. Corresponding positions in the box are marked with the same code, enabling specimens to be systematically returned to their original locations, thereby improving organisation and accessibility.

Each box incorporates a digital system with individual QR markers linking to associated information, such as photographs, photogrammetry models, and damage maps. This approach ensures the proper identification and preservation of specimens, minimises the risks of dissociation, facilitates handling, and optimises their consultation within scientific collections.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Nieto García, K., Marcos-Fernández, F., Ortega, F. 2025. Proposal for managing microfossil labelling using colour codes. In Vlachos et al. (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 230.

Un nuevo crocodiliforme maquimosaurino del Jurásico Superior de Alpuente en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

Durante el mes de marzo tuvo lugar la quinta edición del Palaeontological Virtual Congress, donde se presentó la comunicación: "A machimosaurid crocodyliform from the Tithonian of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation at Alpuente (Valencia Spain)" realizada por Arturo Gamonal, Maite Suñer, Iván Narváez y Francisco Ortega. Este trabajo presenta los restos de un nuevo crocodiliforme maquimosaurino del Jurásico Superior de Alpuente. Estos nuevos restos son elementos poscraneales, con varios centros vertebrales, el sacro completo y un fémur, además de un fragmento de mandíbula. Se han comparado estos restos con los diversos talatosuquios del Jurásico Superior europeo, demostrando las similitudes de estos restos con la tribu Machimosaurinii, haciendo de estos restos los primeros elementos postcraneales de este taxón en España. El resumen es el siguiente:

Teleosauroidea were a diverse group of marine crocodyliforms that thrived during the Early and Middle Jurassic, having a decline in diversity towards the end of the Upper Jurassic. Few remains of this group have been recovered beyond the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary. In this study, we present the remains of a large teleosauroid found in Alpuente (Valencia, Spain).

The material was recovered from the Corral de Marín fossil site, located at the base of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation, and dates from the lowermost Tithonian. It is therefore one of the few teleosauroids present during this age. The available remains include both cranial and postcranial elements: five dorsal vertebrae, a sacrum, four caudal vertebrae, a femur, a partial lower jaw, and osteoderms.

Comparative analysis with other teleosauroids from the Upper Jurassic of Europe reveals morphological features that enable its tentative classification within the Machimosaurini tribe. Key characters include the presence of three sacral vertebrae (two true sacrals and one caudosacral), the distinctive morphology of the Meckelian groove in the mandible, and the ornamentation of the teeth preserved in the alveoli of the lower jaw. The available characters allow for a preliminary assessment of the taxonomic status of the material, which exhibits unique features within the context of the Machimosaurini. This finding potentially represents the first record of skeletal remains for Machimosaurini in the Tithonian of Europe.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Gamonal, A., Suñer, M., Narváez, I., Ortega, F. 2025. A machimosaurid crocodyliform from the Tithonian of the Villar del Arzobispo Formation at Alpuente (Valencia, Spain). In Vlachos et al. (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 242.
• Imagen: Reconstrucción en vida del cocodriliforme maquimosaurino del Jurásico Superior de Alpuente por Rafael Doñate.

Nuevos datos sobre la diversidad de tortugas de Ariño (Teruel) en el 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress

Entre los trabajos presentados, por parte del Grupo de Biología Evolutiva de la UNED, en el recientemente celebrado 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress se incluye uno que analiza la diversidad de tortugas del yacimiento del Albiense de Ariño, en Teruel. Dada el escaso registro de yacimientos con vertebrados esa edad a nivel europeo, la asociación faunística registrada en Ariño resulta peculiar. Así, allí fue definido el representante más antiguo de Pleurosternidae reconocido a nivel global, Toremys cassiopeia. Toremys no es la única tortuga primitiva allí representada, sino que, además de esa forma acuática, tortugas primitivas terrestres son reconocidas. Así, allí se ha definido un nuevo taxón, Aragochersis lignitesta, probablemente no siendo el único miembro de Helochelydridae registrado en esa mina de carbón.

En el nuevo trabajo presentado en este congreso científico se documenta, por primera vez, la presencia de una forma de tortuga derivada, que es atribuible al linaje de Pleurodira. Su atribución al grupo endémico de Europa Dortokidae no puede ser descartada. De ser correcta esta hipótesis, esta tortuga podría corresponder a la única de este linaje identificada en un largo lapso de tiempo en el que, hasta ahoras, no estaban representadas: a lo largo de los más de 35 millones de años que separan el Barremiense (en el Cretácico Inferior) del Santoniense (en el Cretácico Superior). El resumen de esta contribución es el siguiente:

The Spanish lower Albian Santa María coal mine (Ariño, Teruel Province) provides relevant information on European vertebrates that lived at the end of the Early Cretaceous. This is especially relevant considering that the pre-Albian and the uppermost Cretaceous faunas of Europe were remarkably different, but few sites provide data about this transition. One of the best-represented vertebrate lineage in this outcrop of the Escucha Formation is the turtles. Testudinata reported so far were limited to early representatives (i.e., taxa not attributable to the crown Testudines). Thus, a new aquatic turtle was defined, the pleurosternid Toremys cassiopeia; but also a new representative of the terrestrial lineage Helochelydridae, Aragochersis lignitesta. The coexistence of at least two helochelydrids was recently proposed. The analysis of new turtle remains, considering both isolated plates and a partial skeleton, allows us to identify a greater diversity, a representative of Testudines being recognized. It is attributable to Pan-Pleurodira and, most probably, to Dortokidae. Dortokids are exclusive to Europe, being relatively well-known at the Upper Cretaceous, from the Santonian to the Maastrichtian. They survived until the Paleocene. However, although they were identified from the Barremian, the Lower Cretaceous record is minimal: a gap is present from the Barremian to the Santonian. The Upper Cretaceous and Paleocene dortokids exhibit numerous derived traits relative to the Barremian representatives, including some unusual for Pan-Pleurodira (e.g., the loss of mesoplastra). The taxon from Ariño bridge the gap between them. Thus, analyzing it could provide new data on the diversity and evolution of this lineage.

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Más información:

• Referencia: Pérez-García, A., Espílez, E., Mampel, L., Cobos, A. 2025. On the potential youngest presence of dortokid turtes for the Lower Cretaceous record. In Vlachos et al. (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the 5th Palaeontological Virtual Congress, 310. 
• Imagen: Holotipo de Aragochersis lignitesta, procedente del Albiense de Ariño (Teruel, España).