Cearania heterophylla gen. nov et sp nov., a fossil gymnosperm with affinities to the Gnetales from the Early Cretaceous of northern Gondwana

Vegetative and fertile shoots of a shrub-like seed plant from the late Aptian Crato Formation of Brazil are described as Cearania heterophylla Kunzmann, Mohr and Bernardes-de-Oliveira, gen. nov. et sp. nov. Anatomical details of the axes, epidermal features and separate ovulate and pollen producing organs indicate the gymnospermous nature of this plant. The vascular tissue of the axes includes tracheids with bordered pits and fiber tracheids. Vegetative shoots comprising at least three branching orders bear opposite-decussately arranged ovate to lanceolate, dorsiventrally flattened, parallelodromous, rather thick leaves that vary tremendously in size. The amphistomatic leaves bear (brachy-)paracytic stomatal complexes arranged in simple longitudinal files. The ovulate structure is interpreted as a terminally attached single globular ovule/seed surrounded by at least five to six lanceolate bracts. A terminally attached pollen-cone like structure grows on a lateral leafy shoot. The unusual character combination may indicate that the fossils belong to a hitherto unknown group with affinities to ephedroid Gnetales. Sterile shoots formerly often described as Podozamites, Nageiopsis or Lilites that are at least partly congeneric with C. heterophylla Kunzmann, Mohr and Bernardes-de-Oliveira, gen. nov. et sp. nov. had a wide geographic distribution during the Early Cretaceous. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial diversity associated with algae, ascidians and sponges from the north coast of Sao Paulo state, Brazil

Little is known about the microbial diversity associated with marine macroorganisms, despite the vital role microorganisms may play in marine ecosystems. The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity of bacteria and fungi isolated from eight marine invertebrate and one algae samples. Data derived from ARDRA and sequencing analyses allowed the identification of marine-derived microorganisms isolated from those samples. Microbial strains identified up to the genus level revealed 144 distinct ribotypes out of 256 fungal strains and 158 distinct ribotypes out of 181 bacterial strains. Filamentous fungi were distributed among 24 different genera belonging to Ascomycota, Zygomycota and Basidiomycota, some of which had never been reported in the literature as marine invertebrate-inhabiting fungi (Pestalotiopsis, Xylaria, Botrysphaeria and Cunnninghamella). Bacterial isolates were affiliated to 41 different genera, being Bacillus, Ruegeria, Micrococcus, Pseudovibrio and Staphylococcus the most abundant ones. Results revealed an unexpected high microbial diversity associated to the macroorganisms which have been collected and suggested the selection of certain microbial taxonomic groups according to the host. The combined data gathered from this investigation contribute to broaden the knowledge of microbial diversity associated to marine macroorganisms, including as a promising source for the discovery of new natural products. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A new fossil Adamussium (Bivalvia: Pectinidae) from Antarctica

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Reinterpretation of a conulariid-like fossil from the Vendian of Russia

Vendoconularia triradiata Ivantsov and Fedonkin, recently described from Vendian (latest Proterozoic) strata of Russia, has been interpreted as a six-sided conulariid cnidarian. However, comparison of published illustrations of V. triradiata with Palaeozoic conulariids suggests that certain key features of the anatomy of V. triradiata should be reinterpreted. Specifically, features previously homologized with the corners of conulariid thecae may actually be homologous to the conulariid midlines. Under this new interpretation, the corners of the Vendoconularia theca were sulcate, and the midline of each face was non-sulcate and flanked by a pair of low internal carinae. This alternative set of hypotheses of homology makes the argument for a conulariid affinity for Vendoconularia stronger.

The dimension of the pore space in sponges

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Thermal behavior of renewable diesel from sugar cane, biodiesel, fossil diesel and their blends

Biofuels and their blends with fossil fuel are important energy resources, whose production and application have been largely increased internationally. This study focuses on the evaluation of the activation energy of the thermal decomposition of three pure fuels: farnesane (renewable diesel from sugar cane), biodiesel and fossil diesel and their blends (20% farnesene and 80% of fossil diesel - 20F80D and 20% farnesane, 50% fossil diesel and 30% biodiesel - 20F50D30B). Activation energy has been determined from thermogravimetry and Model-Free Kinetics. Results showed that not only the cetane number is important to understand the behavior of the fuels regarding ignition delay, but also the profile of the activation energy versus conversion curves shows that the chemical reactions are responsible for the performance at the beginning of the process. In addition, activation energy seemed to be suitable in describing reactivity in the case of blends of renewable and fossil fuels. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

The first fossil avian egg from Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The puzzle assembled: Ediacaran guide fossil Cloudina reveals an old proto-Gondwana seaway

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Heydrichia (?) poignantii, sp nov (Sporolithaceae, Sporolithales, Rhodophyta), a 100 million year old fossil coralline red alga from north-eastern Brazil, and a new Hauterivian record of Sporolithon from Switzerland

Fossil specimens of Heydrichia (?) poignantii, sp. nov. (Sporolithaceae, Sporolithales, Rhodophyta), representing the first confirmation of the genus in the fossil record, were discovered in thin sections of Albian limestones from the Riachuelo Formation, Sergipe Basin, and in thin sections of Albian -Cenomanian limestones from the Ponta do Mel Formation, Potiguar Basin in north-eastern Brazil. A detailed morphological-anatomical account of the species is provided, and its placement in Heydrichia is discussed in relation to current classification proposals. Comparisons with the four other known species of the genus, all non-fossil, show that H. poignantii is the only known species of Heydrichia in which thalli are encrusting to sparsely warty to horizontally layered with overlapping lamellate branches that commonly appear variously curved or arched, and in which thalli have sporangial complexes that become buried in the thallus. The evolutionary history of Heydrichia remains uncertain, but available data suggest that the genus may have diverged from the sporolithacean genus Sporolithon, known as early as Hauterivian times (c. 129.4-132.9 +/- 1 Ma) from Spain (and newly reported here from Switzerland), or it may have arisen from a graticulacean alga such as Graticula, dating from mid-Silurian times (c. 427-435 Ma). Current data also suggest that Heydrichia is more likely to have arrived in Brazil from Central Atlantic waters than from higher latitude South Atlantic waters. This implies that currently living species in southern Africa probably arose later from ancestors further equatorward in the South Atlantic, although confirming studies are needed. All non-fossil species of Heydrichia are known only from the southern hemisphere.

Correlation Between Apparent Activation Energy and NOx emission of renewable diesel from sugar cane, biodiesel, fossil diesel and their blends

Biofuels and their blends with fossil fuel are important energy resources, which production and application have been largely increased internationally. This study focus on the development of a correlation between apparent activation energy (Ea) and NOx emission of the thermal decomposition of three pure fuels: farnasane (renewable diesel from sugar cane), biodiesel and fossil diesel and their blends. Apparent Activation energy was determined by using thermogravimetry and Model-Free Kinetics. NOx emission was obtained from the European Stationary Cycle (ESC) with OM 926LA CONAMA P7/Euro 5 engine. Results showed that there is a linear correlation between apparent activation energy and NOx emission with R2 of 0,9667 considering pure fuels and their blends which is given as: NOx = 2,2514Ea - 96,309. The average absolute error of this correlation is 2.96% with respect to the measured NOx value. The main advantage of this correlation is its capability to predict NOx emission when either a new pure fuel or a blend of fuels is proposed to use in enginees.

Mesodictyon, A New Fossil Genus of the Centric Diatom Family Thalassiosiraceae from the Miocene Chalk Hills Formation, Western Snake River Plain, Idaho

Three new centric diatom species assigned to a new genus are described from Miocene lacustrine deposits of Idaho. Species of the new genus, Mesodictyon, have the areola cribrum in the middle of the loculus, strutted processes and radiating, non-fasciculated striae. The strutted processes of M. magnum (diameter 60-150 μm) have long (2-3 μm) tubular extensions. The strutted processes of M. fovis (diameter 14-80 μm) are in distinct pits near the junction of the face and mantle. The valve face of M. undulatum (diameter 10-44 μm) is weakly tangentially undulate. Preliminary evidence indicates that Mesodictyon has a wide geographic distribution and may be a useful biostratigraphic marker.

Sponges as substrata and early life history of the tubulariid Zyzzyzus warreni (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in the Sao Sebastiao Channel, Brazil

The hydroid Zyzzyzus warreni is usually found in shallow coastal waters forming aggregations of solitary polyps embedded in demosponges. Early life history transformations and settlement responses by the actinulae of this hydroid were studied in the laboratory using 13 species of sponges and 2 species of algae collected in the Sao Sebastiao Channel (Brazil) as substrata. The absence of oral tentacles and mouth in the actinulae and early events of metamorphosis suggest that these larvae are unable to spend long periods in the plankton and attach quickly near conspecifics when a preferred substratum is encountered. The time required for settlement and the number of elicited settlings indicated four settlement responses: (a) frequent and short-time settlement, in actinulae exposed to Halichondria cebimarensis, Mycale angulosa, M. aff. americana, M. laxissima (skeleton) and Tedania ignis; (b) moderate and delayed settlement, in actinulae exposed to Aplysina caissara, A. fulva, Haliclona melana and M. microsigmatosa; (c) no settlement, in actinulae exposed to Suberites aurantiacus and to the algae Hypnea musciformis and Sargassum cymosum; and (d) lethal response, in actinulae exposed to Amphimedon viridis, Aplysilla rosea, Dragmacidon reticulatum and M. laxissima. These responses indicate a considerable degree of species discrimination by the actinulae and are consistent with substrata used by the hydroid in the natural environment.

New fossil pulmonate snails from the Paleocene of Itaborai Basin, Brazil (Pulmonata: Cerionidae, Strophocheilidae, Orthalicidae)

The limestones of ltaborai Basin (Middle Paleocene), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, harbor a rich fossil fauna of pulmonate snails. Here two new pulmonate species are described: Brasilennea guttula sp. nov. (Cerionidae) and Eoborus rotundus sp. nov. (Strophocheilidae). B. guttula is the third species of its genus endemic from Itaborai, characterized mainly by its conspicuous shell shaped like a "water drop", with an acuminated spire. E. rotundus is the second of its genus from ltaborai, characterized mainly by its rounded outline and its relative small size. Moreover, a record of Plagiodontes aff. dental us (WOOD 1828) (Orthalicidae) is presented here for the first time for Itaborai Basin.

NEW FOSSIL RECORDS OF PLEISTOCENE MARINE MOLLUSKS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Fossils of the gastropods Diodora patagonica, Zidona dufresnei, Olivancillaria carcellesi, Lamniconus lemniscatus carcellesi and the bivalve Arcinella brasiliana are registered for the first time from the outcrops of Chui Creek, on the coastal plain of Rio Grande do Sul State, southernmost Brazil, together with other taxa previously known elsewhere. The specimens were collected in a shallow Pleistocene marine facies exposed at the base of the banks of the creek, in a fossil concentration possibly formed by storm events. The taxa described here live in shallow environments (with the exception of A. brasiliana and Z. dufresnei) with sandy bottoms (except for D. patagonica, T patagonica, B. odites, C. rhizophorae and A. brasiliana). The presence of L. lemniscatus carcellesi, found living today only in Uruguay and Argentina, indicates a wider distribution for this taxon during the late Pleistocene.

The First Occurrence in the Fossil Record of an Aquatic Avian Twig-Nest with Phoenicopteriformes Eggs: Evolutionary Implications

Background: We describe the first occurrence in the fossil record of an aquatic avian twig-nest with five eggs in situ (Early Miocene Tudela Formation, Ebro Basin, Spain). Extensive outcrops of this formation reveal autochthonous avian osteological and oological fossils that represent a single taxon identified as a basal phoenicopterid. Although the eggshell structure is definitively phoenicopterid, the characteristics of both the nest and the eggs are similar to those of modern grebes. These observations allow us to address the origin of the disparities between the sister taxa Podicipedidae and Phoenicopteridae crown clades, and traces the evolution of the nesting and reproductive environments for phoenicopteriforms. Methodology/Principal Findings: Multi-disciplinary analyses performed on fossilized vegetation and eggshells from the eggs in the nest and its embedding sediments indicate that this new phoenicopterid thrived under a semi-arid climate in an oligohaline (seasonally mesohaline) shallow endorheic lacustine environment. High-end microcharacterizations including SEM, TEM, and EBSD techniques were pivotal to identifying these phoenicopterid eggshells. Anatomical comparisons of the fossil bones with those of Phoenicopteriformes and Podicipediformes crown clades and extinct palaelodids confirm that this avian fossil assemblage belongs to a new and basal phoenicopterid. Conclusions/Significance: Although the Podicipediformes-Phoenicopteriformes sister group relationship is now well supported, flamingos and grebes exhibit feeding, reproductive, and nesting strategies that diverge significantly. Our multi-disciplinary study is the first to reveal that the phoenicopteriform reproductive behaviour, nesting ecology and nest characteristics derived from grebe-like type strategies to reach the extremely specialized conditions observed in modern flamingo crown groups. Furthermore, our study enables us to map ecological and reproductive characters on the Phoenicopteriformes evolutionary lineage. Our results demonstrate that the nesting paleoenvironments of flamingos were closely linked to the unique ecology of this locality, which is a direct result of special climatic (high evaporitic regime) and geological (fault system) conditions.