Discover, rate, and verify biology preprints.

Feeding experiments with Senegal bichir Polypterus senegalus provide evidence for diet-related tooth damage and dental microwear

This study shows that diet affects tooth damage and microwear in Senegal bichir, providing a framework for inferring diet in extinct fish species.

Diversity in early animal communities of the Ediacaran, Avalon assemblage

The paper analyzes diversity in Ediacaran Avalon assemblage communities, finding that alpha diversity is more influenced by local assembly than broader environmental factors.

Durophagous adaptations in a new crocodyliform from the Santonian of Hungary and a systematic reassessment of European Cretaceous atoposaurids

The paper describes a new crocodyliform species from the Santonian of Hungary and reassesses the taxonomy of European Cretaceous atoposaurids, finding potential polyphyly in Theriosuchus.

Causal analysis of rock-biodiversity relationships over the global Phanerozoic challenges rock record bias and common cause hypothesis

This study evaluates the causes of covariation between marine biodiversity and sedimentary rock quantity over the Phanerozoic, finding that rock-record bias and common-cause mechanisms both contribute, but neither fully explains the patterns.

A comprehensive identification protocol for postcranial bones of Southeast Asian Ruminantia. Part 1: Osteometry

The paper develops an osteometric identification tool for Southeast Asian ruminant postcranial bones using measurements and ratios, validated against existing datasets.

Increase in sea-level and shelf area positively influenced the development of Cenozoic biodiversity hotspots by modulating turnover rate in marine benthos

The paper identifies marine biodiversity hotspots over the past 66 million years and shows that sea-level and shelf area increases boost origination rates in molluscs and cnidaria, contributing to hotspot development.

Solving Paleobotany's 200-year problem with fluorescence and artificial intelligence

This paper uses fluorescence and AI to solve paleobotany's 200-year problem by revealing detailed leaf venation in fossils.

Playing by their own rules: clade-specific trends in mandibular form and function disrupt current paradigms of early tetrapod evolution

The paper examines morphofunctional trends in vertebrate mandibles across extant and extinct taxa, finding clade-specific patterns that challenge the assumption that mandibles reliably reflect feeding modes in deep-time reconstructions.

The trilobite nervous system and the early evolution of the mandibulate central complex

This paper describes the central nervous system of a trilobite, providing morphological evidence supporting its placement within the mandibulate stem lineage and insights into the evolution of the euarthropod central complex.

Linear morphometrics fail to support strong sexual dimorphism in Uintatherium anceps

The paper uses linear morphometrics to test sexual dimorphism in Uintatherium anceps and finds no strong evidence of it, contrasting with findings in Bison bison.

New data on the gorgonopsian Aelurognathus tigriceps from the Daptocephalus Assemblage Zone (Karoo Basin, South Africa) with novel insights into the pelvic girdle, hind limbs and tail

This paper describes new fossil data on Aelurognathus tigriceps, focusing on the pelvic girdle, hind limbs, and tail, providing insights into gorgonopsian postcranial morphology.

Acrean fish diversity back in time: Paleoichthyology of the Rio Acre fossil fauna in Brazil

The paper reports new fossil fish taxa from the Rio Acre locality in Brazil, showing ecological conservatism in Amazonian fish assemblages during the Neogene.

Protocells reproduce morphological and chemical signatures of early microfossils

This study shows protocells can mimic morphological and chemical features of early microfossils, challenging current biogenicity criteria.

A novel phylogenetic comparative model reveals strong signals for early high disparity in ichthyosaurs

Combining Early Burst and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes, an Early High Disparity model best fits ichthyosaur skull length across 108 phylogenies, placing median peak disparity at 231.1 Ma.

Unique pattern of injuries in Olenoides serratus from the Burgess Shale elucidate moulting process in trilobites

This study examines injuries in Olenoides serratus trilobites from the Burgess Shale, showing increased genal spine malformations linked to moulting complications.

Developmental variation in pterygoid segmentation clarifies patterns of avian bony palate evolution

Micro-computed tomography of 69 immature and mature bird specimens finds complete post-hatching pterygoid segmentation (hemipterygoid detaches from pterygoid, fuses to palatine) only in Neoaves, not Galloanserae or palaeognaths.

Garamaudo bauciensis, a new freshwater Mosasauridae (Reptilia, Squamata) from the Santonian (Late Cretaceous) of Provence, southeastern France

This paper describes a new freshwater mosasauroid species, Garamaudo bauciensis, from the Santonian of France, highlighting its terrestrial adaptations and implications for mosasauroid evolution.

An exact version of Hunt's ancestor-descendant directional random walk model

The paper corrects Hunt's model by using a tridiagonal covariance matrix instead of a diagonal one, improving step size estimation in evolutionary models.

Bone diagenesis in Iron Age Siberia: a histological and microtomographic study of Tunnug 1 (Russia, 2nd-4th c. CE)

This study examines bone preservation in permafrost conditions at Tunnug 1, finding moderate preservation and factors like burial depth affecting degradation.

NOTE ON RHEIFORMES (AVES: PALAEOGNATHAE) FROM A QUATERNARY CAVE IN THE LAGOA SANTA KARST, EASTERN BRAZIL

The paper describes two Quaternary rheiform bones from a cave in the Lagoa Santa karst region, attributed to Rhea americana, extending the fossil record of the group in Brazil.