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Utset E. Combating parachute science in Latin America through Indigenous agency. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024; 38:e14217. [PMID: 37937472 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
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2
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Troiano LP, Dos Santos HB, Aureliano T, Ghilardi AM. A remarkable assemblage of petroglyphs and dinosaur footprints in Northeast Brazil. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6528. [PMID: 38499621 PMCID: PMC10948842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56479-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The Serrote do Letreiro Site, found on the northwest periphery of the Sousa Basin, Brazil, presents a remarkable convergence of paleontological and archaeological elements. It is constituted of sub-horizontal "lajeiros", or rock outcrops, intermingled with endemic Caatinga vegetation. The three prominent outcrops feature fossilized footprints of theropod, sauropod, and iguanodontian dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Period. Adjacent to these dinosaur tracks, indigenous petroglyphs adorn the surface. The petroglyphs, mainly characterized by circular motifs, maintain a striking resemblance to other petroglyphs found in the states of Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte. This study primarily endeavors to delineate the site's major characteristics while concentrating on the relationship between the dinosaur footprints and the petroglyphs. It concurrently assesses the preservation status of this invaluable record, shedding light on its implications for the realms of paleontology, archaeology, and cultural heritage studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo P Troiano
- The National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute, Brasília, DF, 70390-135, Brazil.
| | - Heloísa B Dos Santos
- Institute of Cariri Archaeology Dr. Rosiane Limaverde, Casa Grande Foundation, Nova Olinda, CE, 63165-000, Brazil
| | - Tito Aureliano
- Department of Zoology, Regional University of Cariri (URCA), Crato, CE, 63105-000, Brazil
- Diversity, Ichnology and Osteohistology Laboratory (DINOLab), Department of Geology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, 59075-000, Brazil
| | - Aline M Ghilardi
- Diversity, Ichnology and Osteohistology Laboratory (DINOLab), Department of Geology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, 59075-000, Brazil
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Kralick AE, Canington SL, Eller AR, McGrath K. Specimens as individuals: Four interventions and recommendations for great ape skeletal collections research and curation. Evol Anthropol 2023; 32:336-355. [PMID: 37750542 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Extensive discourse surrounds the ethics of human skeletal research and curation, but there has yet to be a similar discussion of the treatment of great ape skeletal remains, despite the clear interest in their ethical treatment when alive. Here we trace the history of apes who were killed and collected for natural history museums during the early 20th century and showcase how the guiding research questions of the colonial era continue to influence scholarship. We discuss best practices for improving industry and academic standards of research on, and the curation of, ape remains. The suggested interventions involve restoring individual identity and narrative to great apes while engaging with contextual reflexivity and decolonial theory. The resulting recommendations include contextualizing the individual, piecing individuals back together, challenging/questioning the captive-wild dichotomy, and collaborative international conversations. Our objective is to encourage a conversation regarding ethical and theoretical considerations in great ape skeletal remains research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Kralick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephanie L Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Basic and Translational Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrea R Eller
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Kate McGrath
- Department of Anthropology, SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, New York, USA
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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4
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Dillon EM, Dunne EM, Womack TM, Kouvari M, Larina E, Claytor JR, Ivkić A, Juhn M, Carmona PSM, Robson SV, Saha A, Villafaña JA, Zill ME. Challenges and directions in analytical paleobiology. PALEOBIOLOGY 2023; 49:377-393. [PMID: 37809321 PMCID: PMC7615171 DOI: 10.1017/pab.2023.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 50 years, access to new data and analytical tools has expanded the study of analytical paleobiology, contributing to innovative analyses of biodiversity dynamics over Earth's history. Despite-or even spurred by-this growing availability of resources, analytical paleobiology faces deep-rooted obstacles that stem from the need for more equitable access to data and best practices to guide analyses of the fossil record. Recent progress has been accelerated by a collective push toward more collaborative, interdisciplinary, and open science, especially by early-career researchers. Here, we survey four challenges facing analytical paleobiology from an early-career perspective: (1) accounting for biases when interpreting the fossil record; (2) integrating fossil and modern biodiversity data; (3) building data science skills; and (4) increasing data accessibility and equity. We discuss recent efforts to address each challenge, highlight persisting barriers, and identify tools that have advanced analytical work. Given the inherent linkages between these challenges, we encourage discourse across disciplines to find common solutions. We also affirm the need for systemic changes that reevaluate how we conduct and share paleobiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M. Dillon
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, U.S.A.; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
| | - Emma M. Dunne
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Tom M. Womack
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Miranta Kouvari
- Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
| | - Ekaterina Larina
- Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, U.S.A
| | - Jordan Ray Claytor
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, U.S.A; Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, Washington 98195, U.S.A
| | - Angelina Ivkić
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2,1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mark Juhn
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, U.S.A
| | - Pablo S. Milla Carmona
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; Instituto de Estudios Andinos “Don Pablo Groeber” (IDEAN, UBA-CONICET), Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Selina Viktor Robson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Anwesha Saha
- Institute of Palaeobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Paleogenetics and Conservation Genetics, Centre of New Technologies (CeNT), University of Warsaw, S. Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jaime A. Villafaña
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Bernardo O ‘Higgins, Santiago 8370993, Chile
| | - Michelle E. Zill
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, U.S.A
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Kellner AWA. Cultural objects at risk - the responsibility of reviewers and editors. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e2023951. [PMID: 37222305 DOI: 10.1590/0001-37652023951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander W A Kellner
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, 20940-040 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Scheyer TM, Oliveira GR, Romano PSR, Bastiaans D, Falco L, Ferreira GS, Rabi M. A forged 'chimera' including the second specimen of the protostegid sea turtle Santanachelysgaffneyi and shell parts of the pleurodire Araripemys from the Lower Cretaceous Santana Group of Brazil. SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY 2023; 142:6. [PMID: 37163143 PMCID: PMC10163108 DOI: 10.1186/s13358-023-00271-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Fossils of Cretaceous sea turtles adapted to an open marine lifestyle remain rare finds to date. Furthermore, the relationships between extant sea turtles, chelonioids, and other Mesozoic marine turtles are still contested, with one key species being Santanachelys gaffneyi Hirayama, 1998, long considered the earliest true sea turtle. The species is an Early Cretaceous member of Protostegidae, a controversial clade either placed within or closely related to Chelonioidea or, alternatively, along the stem lineage of hidden-neck turtles (Cryptodira) and representing an independent open marine radiation. Santanachelys gaffneyi is one of the most completely preserved early protostegids and is therefore critical for establishing the global phylogenetic position of the group. However, the single known specimen of this taxon is yet to be described in detail. Here we describe a second specimen of Santanachelys gaffneyi from its type horizon, the Romualdo Formation (late Aptian) of the Santana Group of the Araripe basin, NE Brazil. The skeletal elements preserved include the posterior part of the skull, neck vertebrae, shoulder girdle, anterior-most and left/central part of the carapace with few peripherals, and plastron lacking most of the hyoplastra. The remaining part of the carapace was apparently completed by fossil dealers using an anterior part of the pleurodiran Araripemydidae, tentatively identified as a shell portion of cf. Araripemys barretoi, a more common Santana fossil turtle, among other indeterminate turtle shell fragments. The purpose of this paper is to report the repatriation of the specimen to Brazil and to provide a preliminary description. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13358-023-00271-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten M Scheyer
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gustavo R Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Área de Ecologia, Laboratório de Paleontologia & Sistematica, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manuel de Medeiros S/No., Dois Irmãos, Recife, Pernambuco 52171-900 Brazil
| | - Pedro S R Romano
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Dylan Bastiaans
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Zurich, Karl Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Falco
- SCANCO Medical AG, Fabrikweg 2, 8306 Brüttisellen, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel S Ferreira
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP), Sigwartstrasse 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Hölderlinstrasse 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Márton Rabi
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Hölderlinstrasse 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
- Central Natural Science Collections, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Domstraße 4, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
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Watson C. Pressure to publish is 'fuelling illegal practices in palaeontology'. Nature 2022:10.1038/d41586-022-03745-x. [PMID: 36385286 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-03745-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Ethics, law, and politics in palaeontological research: The case of Myanmar amber. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1023. [PMID: 36175597 PMCID: PMC9522859 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03847-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Fossil material in amber from Myanmar can provide important insights into mid-Cretaceous forest ecosystems. However, Myanmar amber has been receiving increased international attention due to reported links between amber mining and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in northern Myanmar, as well as the legal issues associated with its exportation. Here, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of Myanmar amber publications (1990-2021) and demonstrate how research interest in Myanmar amber is explicitly linked to major political, legal, and economic changes. An analysis of the authorship networks for publications on amber inclusions reveals how current research practices have excluded Myanmar researchers from the field. In addition, the international trade of Myanmar amber with fossil inclusions falls into a legal 'grey-zone' which continues to be exploited. This case study vividly demonstrates that systemic changes, alongside an increased awareness of inequitable research practices amongst the broader scientific and allied communities, are urgently needed to curb illegal practices in palaeontology.
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Jouault C, Engel MS, Huang D, Berger J, Grandcolas P, Perkovsky EE, Legendre F, Nel A. Termite Valkyries: Soldier-Like Alate Termites From the Cretaceous and Task Specialization in the Early Evolution of Isoptera. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.737367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In several insect eusocial lineages, e.g., some aphids, thrips, ants, some stingless bees, and termites, task specialization is brought to its climax with a sterile soldier caste solely devoted to colony defense. In Isoptera, while the reproductives are defenseless, the soldiers have unique morpho-physiological specializations whose origin and evolution remain unresolved. Here we report on two instances of Cretaceous fossil termite reproductives belonging to different families († Valkyritermes inopinatus gen. et sp. nov. and an unpublished specimen from the Crato Formation), with intriguing phragmotic soldier-like heads and functional wings. These individuals, herein called Valkyries, are the first termite reproductives known with defensive features and suggest that phragmosis arose at least in the Early Cretaceous. Valkyries resemble modern neotenic soldiers except for their complete wings. Their discovery supports the hypothesis that the division between reproductive (indicated by the winged condition of Valkyries) and defensive tasks (indicated by the phragmotic head) has not always been complete in termite history. We explore two alternative scenarios regarding the origin of Valkyries (i.e., relatively recent and convergent origins vs. plesiomorphic condition) and discuss how they might relate to the development of soldiers. We argue that, in both cases, Valkyries likely evolved to face external threats, a selective pressure that could also have favored the origin of soldiers from helpers. Valkyries highlight the developmental flexibility of termites and illustrate the tortuous paths that evolution may follow.
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Lenharo M, Rodrigues M. How a Brazilian dinosaur sparked a movement to decolonize fossil science. Nature 2022; 605:18-19. [PMID: 35459896 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-01093-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Cisneros JC, Raja NB, Ghilardi AM, Dunne EM, Pinheiro FL, Regalado Fernández OR, Sales MAF, Rodríguez-de la Rosa RA, Miranda-Martínez AY, González-Mora S, Bantim RAM, de Lima FJ, Pardo JD. Digging deeper into colonial palaeontological practices in modern day Mexico and Brazil. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:210898. [PMID: 35291323 PMCID: PMC8889171 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Scientific practices stemming from colonialism, whereby middle- and low-income countries supply data for high-income countries and the contributions of local expertise are devalued, are still prevalent today in the field of palaeontology. In response to these unjust practices, countries such as Mexico and Brazil adopted protective laws and regulations during the twentieth century to preserve their palaeontological heritage. However, scientific colonialism is still reflected in many publications describing fossil specimens recovered from these countries. Here, we present examples of 'palaeontological colonialism' from publications on Jurassic-Cretaceous fossils from NE Mexico and NE Brazil spanning the last three decades. Common issues that we identified in these publications are the absence of both fieldwork and export permit declarations and the lack of local experts among authorships. In Mexico, access to many fossil specimens is restricted on account of these specimens being housed in private collections, whereas a high number of studies on Brazilian fossils are based on specimens illegally reposited in foreign collections, particularly in Germany and Japan. Finally, we outline and discuss the wider academic and social impacts of these research practices, and propose exhaustive recommendations to scientists, journals, museums, research institutions and government and funding agencies in order to overcome these practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Cisneros
- Museu de Arqueologia e Paleontologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI), Teresina, PI 64049-550, Brazil
| | - Nussaïbah B. Raja
- GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Loewenichstr. 28, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aline M. Ghilardi
- Departamento de Geologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil
| | - Emma M. Dunne
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Felipe L. Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa, São Gabriel, Brazil
| | | | - Marcos A. F. Sales
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Ceará (IFCE) – Campus Acopiara, Acopiara, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Rubén A. Rodríguez-de la Rosa
- Unidad Académica de Ciencias Biológicas-Unidad Académica de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Calzada Solidaridad, S/N, Campus II, C.P. 98060, Zacatecas, Mexico
| | - Adriana Y. Miranda-Martínez
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sergio González-Mora
- Museo de Paleontología, Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Renan A. M. Bantim
- Laboratório de Paleontologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Coronel Antônio Luís, 1161, Pimenta, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Flaviana J. de Lima
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia e Microestruturas, Centro Acadêmico de Vitória – Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (CAV/UFPE), R. Alto do Reservatório – Alto José Leal, Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil
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