Postnatal nutrition influences male attractiveness and promotes plasticity in male mating preferences

The fossil record of Late Cretaceous–Paleogene modern birds in the Southern Hemisphere includes the Maastrichtian Neogaeornis wetzeli from Chile, Polarornis gregorii and Vegavis iaai from Antarctica, and Australornis lovei from the Paleogene of New Zealand. The recent finding of a new and nearly complete Vegavis skeleton constitutes the most informative source for anatomical comparisons among Australornis, Polarornis, and Vegavis. The present contribution includes, for the first time, Vegavis, Polarornis, and Australornis in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. This analysis resulted in the recognition of these taxa as a clade of basal Anseriformes that we call Vegaviidae. Vegaviids share a combination of characters related to diving adaptations, including compact and thickened cortex of hindlimb bones, femur with anteroposteriorly compressed and bowed shaft, deep and wide popliteal fossa delimited by a medial ridge, tibiotarsus showing notably proximally expanded cnemial crests, expanded fibular crest, anteroposterior compression of the tibial shaft, and a tarsometatarsus with a strong transverse compression of the shaft. Isolated bones coming from the Cretaceous and Paleogene of South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand are also referred to here to Vegaviidae and support the view that these basal anseriforms were abundant and diverse at high southern latitudes. Moreover, vegaviids represent the first avian lineage to have definitely crossed the K–Pg boundary, supporting the idea that some avian clades were not affected by the end Mesozoic mass extinction event, countering previous interpretations. Recognition of Vegaviidae indicates that modern birds were diversified in southern continents by the Cretaceous and reinforces the hypothesis indicating the important role of Gondwana for the evolutionary history of Anseriformes and Neornithes as a whole.

     

Deep-diving dinosaurs

Dysbaric bone necrosis demonstrated in ichthyosaurs may be the result of prolonged deep diving rather than rapid ascent to escape predators. The bone lesions show structural and anatomical similarity to those that may occur in human divers and in the deep diving sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus.     

Non-specific association between filamentous bacteria and fungus-growing ants

Fungus-growing ants and their fungal cultivar form a highly evolved mutualism that is negatively affected by the specialized parasitic fungus Escovopsis. Filamentous Pseudonocardia bacteria occurring on the cuticle of attine ants have been proposed to form a mutualistic interaction with these ants in which they are vertically transmitted (i.e. from parent to offspring colonies). Given a strictly vertical transmission of Pseudonocardia, the evolutionary theory predicts a reduced genetic variability of symbionts among ant lineages. The aim of this study was to verify whether actinomycetes, which occur on Acromyrmex octospinosus leaf-cutting ants, meet this expectation by comparing their genotypic variability with restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Multiple actinomycete strains could be isolated from both individual ant workers and colonies (one to seven strains per colony). The colony specificity of actinomycete communities was high: Only 15% of all strains were isolated from more than one colony, and just 5% were present in both populations investigated. Partial sequencing of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid of two of the isolated strains assigned both of them to the genus Streptomyces. Actinomycetes could also be isolated from workers of the two non-attine ant species Myrmica rugulosa and Lasius flavus. Sixty-two percent of the strains derived from attine ants and 80% of the strains isolated from non-attine ants inhibited the growth of Escovopsis. Our data suggest that the association between attine ants and their actinomycete symbionts is less specific then previously thought. Soil-dwelling actinomycetes may have been dynamically recruited from the environment (horizontal transmission), probably reflecting an adaptation to a diverse community of microbial pathogens.     

The armoured dissorophid Cacops from the Early Permian of Oklahoma and the exploitation of the terrestrial realm by amphibians

Cacops, one of the most distinctive Paleozoic amphibians, is part of a clade of dissorophoid temnospondyls that diversified in the equatorial region of Pangea during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian, persisting into the Late Permian in Central Russia and China. Dissorophids were a successful group of fully terrestrial, often spectacularly armoured predators, the only amphibians apparently able to coexist with amniotes when the latter started to dominate terrestrial ecosystems. In this paper, we describe excellent new skulls from the Early Permian of Oklahoma attributed to Cacops, Cacops morrisi sp. nov. and provide for the first time detailed information about this iconic dissorophid. These specimens show anatomical and ontogenetic features that will impact on future studies on the evolution of terrestriality in tetrapods. For example, the large, posteriorly closed tympanic embayment has fine striations on an otherwise smooth surface, documenting the oldest known clear evidence for the presence of a tympanic membrane in the fossil record, a structure that is used for hearing airborne sound in extant tetrapods. The skull of C. morrisi also has several features associated with predatory behaviour, indicating that this dissorophid may have been one of the top terrestrial predators of its time.     

Evidence of at least two evolutionary lineages in Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) suggested by mtDNA variability and geometric morphometrics of forewings

Melipona subnitida, a tropical stingless bee, is an endemic species of the Brazilian northeast and exhibits great potential for honey and pollen production in addition to its role as one of the main pollinators of the Caatinga biome. To understand the genetic structure and better assist in the conservation of this species, we characterized the population variability of M. subnitida using geometric morphometrics of the forewing and cytochrome c oxidase I gene fragment sequencing. We collected workers from six localities in the northernmost distribution. Both methodologies indicated that the variability among the sampled populations is related both to the environment in which samples were collected and the geographical distance between the sampling sites, indicating that differentiation among the populations is due to the existence of at least evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock data suggest that this differentiation may have begun in the middle Pleistocene, approximately 396 kya. The conservation of all evolutionary lineages is important since they can present differential resistance to environmental changes, as resistance to drought and diseases.     

Faunal trends and sea-level changes: biogeographic patterns of Kimmeridgian ammonites on the Western European Shelf

The Kimmeridgian series of the northern Aquitaine margin is representative of the marine sedimentation on the Western European Shelf. It has been used to demonstrate a fundamental relationship between relative sea-level changes and the biogeographic dynamics of the Kimmeridgian ammonites. This synthesis, based on comparative sedimentological and paleobiogeographical studies, shows that the shelf was settled by submediterranean and/or subboreal ammonites during transgressive phases and maximum sea-level rises. Endemic lineages differentiated during the sea-level highstands and the beginning of lowstands. Correlative with the long-term sea-level rise, endemic elements have progressively taken a prominent role within the Kimmeridgian ammonite faunas of the shelf. The patterns of faunal changes have been deduced from studies of ammonite lineages from distinctive biogeographic origins: Rasenioides, Lithacosphinctes, Orthaspidocerasand Gravesia. Compared with subboreal ammonites, it seems that the submediterranean species were more tolerant of changing environments and adapted to new environments more easily. Therefore most of the endemic lineages which settled the Western European area originated in submediterranean faunas.     

Cretaceous choristoderan reptiles gave birth to live young

Viviparity (giving birth to live young) in fossil reptiles has been known only in a few marine groups: ichthyosaurs, pachypleurosaurs, and mosasaurs. Here, we report a pregnant specimen of the Early Cretaceous Hyphalosaurus baitaigouensis, a species of Choristodera, a diapsid group known from unequivocal fossil remains from the Middle Jurassic to the early Miocene (about 165 to 20 million years ago). This specimen provides the first evidence of viviparity in choristoderan reptiles and is also the sole record of viviparity in fossil reptiles which lived in freshwater ecosystems. This exquisitely preserved specimen contains up to 18 embryos arranged in pairs. Size comparison with small free-living individuals and the straight posture of the posterior-most pair suggest that those embryos were at term and had probably reached parturition. The posterior-most embryo on the left side has the head positioned toward the rear, contrary to normal position, suggesting a complication that may have contributed to the mother’s death. Viviparity would certainly have freed species of Hyphalosaurus from the need to return to land to deposit eggs; taking this advantage, they would have avoided intense competition with contemporaneous terrestrial carnivores such as dinosaurs.     

Export pumps in Epulopiscium fishelsoni, the symbiotic giant gut bacterium in Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Activity of the potential antixenobiotic efflux pumps of Epulopiscium fishelsoni (epulos), the symbiotic giant gut bacterium of the algivorous surgeonfish Acanthurus nigrofuscus, was studied in vivo using various specific substrates and microfluorometry. Kinetic and inhibitor analyses revealed the following vital efflux activities: (1) verapamil-sensitive efflux of amphiphilic cationic compounds rhodamine B, Hoechst 33342, and ethidium bromide; (2) verapamil-sensitive efflux of hydrophobic neutral fluorescein diacetate; (3) verapamil-insensitive efflux of hydrophilic anionic fluorescein; and (4) verapamil-insensitive efflux of glutathione-S-bimane. Cytosolic enzymes, nonspecific esterase and glutathione S-transferase, were shown to participate in xenobiotic metabolism. The results suggest that the activity of the potential efflux pump in epulos are similar to those described in other bacteria but are kinetically characterized by an unusually high transport rate, probably mediated by hyperplasia of the plasma membrane. Further studies of the export pumps in epulos may unmask their evolutionary adaptation to a xenobiotic-rich host gut content.     

How to uncoil your partner—“mating songs” in giant pill-millipedes (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida)

The stridulation of the giant pill-millipede genus Sphaerotherium from South Africa, one of only three groups of millipedes that produce sounds, was studied. One hundred one stridulation series of a total of nine different species (Sphaerotherium dorsaloide, Sphaerotherium hanstroemi, Sphaerotherium mahaium, Sphaerotherium similare, Sphaerotherium punctulatum, Sphaerotherium convexitarsum, Sphaerotherium dorsale, Sphaerotherium rotundatum, and Sphaerotherium perbrincki) were analyzed. Stridulation sounds are produced only with a special field of ribs on the posterior surface of the posterior telopod, which is actively moved over a field of sclerotized nubs on the inner margin of the anal shield. The Sphaerotherium male usually stridulates only when in contact with a female to initiate mating. This seems to prevent the female from volvating into a ball or stimulate the female to uncoil when already rolled in. The sound analyzes revealed a broad frequency spectrum in all stridulation sounds produced, without obvious differences in frequency distribution among species. However, the temporal pattern of the stridulation varies greatly between species and seems to be species-specific, arguing for a species recognition function of the stridulation during courtship behavior. A single species (S. punctulatum) was found to stridulate during mating while three species also show postcopulatory stridulation. Apparently, pill-millipedes are not capable of acoustic perception, as no hearing organs are known, indicating that the communication is mainly based on perception of temporal vibration patterns, and not of the acoustic signal itself. The need to overcome the rolling-in reflex of the female is developed as a hypothesis why stridulation exists only in millipedes able to coil into a ball, and apparently evolved four times independently in the superorder Oniscomorpha.     

Vegaviidae,a new clade of southern diving birds that survived the K/T boundary

The fossil record of Late Cretaceous–Paleogene modern birds in the Southern Hemisphere includes the Maastrichtian Neogaeornis wetzeli from Chile, Polarornis gregorii and Vegavis iaai from Antarctica, and Australornis lovei from the Paleogene of New Zealand. The recent finding of a new and nearly complete Vegavis skeleton constitutes the most informative source for anatomical comparisons among Australornis, Polarornis, and Vegavis. The present contribution includes, for the first time, Vegavis, Polarornis, and Australornis in a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. This analysis resulted in the recognition of these taxa as a clade of basal Anseriformes that we call Vegaviidae. Vegaviids share a combination of characters related to diving adaptations, including compact and thickened cortex of hindlimb bones, femur with anteroposteriorly compressed and bowed shaft, deep and wide popliteal fossa delimited by a medial ridge, tibiotarsus showing notably proximally expanded cnemial crests, expanded fibular crest, anteroposterior compression of the tibial shaft, and a tarsometatarsus with a strong transverse compression of the shaft. Isolated bones coming from the Cretaceous and Paleogene of South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand are also referred to here to Vegaviidae and support the view that these basal anseriforms were abundant and diverse at high southern latitudes. Moreover, vegaviids represent the first avian lineage to have definitely crossed the K–Pg boundary, supporting the idea that some avian clades were not affected by the end Mesozoic mass extinction event, countering previous interpretations. Recognition of Vegaviidae indicates that modern birds were diversified in southern continents by the Cretaceous and reinforces the hypothesis indicating the important role of Gondwana for the evolutionary history of Anseriformes and Neornithes as a whole.     

低DO下AGS-SBR处理低COD/N生活污水长期运行特征及种群分析

本研究在序批式活性污泥反应器(SBR)中接种好氧颗粒污泥(AGS),构成AGS-SBR系统,研究其在低DO(0.5~1.0mg·L~(-1))条件下,处理低COD/N比(4.0)生活污水同步脱氮除磷的长期稳定运行特性,并解析反应器的主要菌群构成.结果表明,在反应器运行的180d里,AGS-SBR系统表现出了良好且稳定的除污能力,反应器对水体中COD、NH~+_4-N、TN和TP平均去除率分别达到87.17%、95.21%、77.05%和91.11%.好氧颗粒污泥沉降性能一直很好,污泥始终保持着完整的颗粒外观和密实紧凑的结构,并没有出现明显的颗粒污泥解体的现象.同时,高通量测序结果表明,变形菌门、厚壁菌门、绿菌门、绿弯菌门和拟杆菌门为SBR-AGS反应器中主要优势菌群.Denitratisoma、Planctomycetaceae、Thauera、Comamonas、Nitrosomonas和Nitrospira是反应器中与脱氮有关菌群;Clostridium和Anaerolinea是除磷相关细菌.     

Salt glands in the Jurassic metriorhynchid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geosaurus</Emphasis>: implications for the evolution of osmoregulation in Mesozoic marine crocodyliforms

The presence of salt-excreting glands in extinct marine sauropsids has been long suspected based on skull morphology. Previously, we described for the first time the natural casts of salt-excreting glands in the head of the Jurassic metriorhynchid crocodyliform Geosaurus araucanensis from the Tithonian of the Vaca Muerta Formation in the Neuquén Basin (Argentina). In the present study, salt-excreting glands are identified in three new individuals (adult, a sub-adult and a juvenile) referable to the same species. New material provides significant information on the salt glands form and function and permit integration of evolutionary scenarios proposed on a physiological basis in extant taxa with evidence from the fossil record. G. araucanensis represents an advanced stage of the basic physiological model to marine adaptations in reptiles. G. araucanensis salt glands were hypertrophied. On this basis, it can be hypothesized that these glands had a high excretory capability. This stage implies that G. araucanensis (like extant pelagic reptiles, e.g. cheloniids) could have maintained constant plasma osmolality even when seawater or osmoconforming prey were ingested. A gradual model of marine adaptation in crocodyliforms based on physiology (freshwater to coastal/estuarine to estuarine /marine to pelagic life) is congruent with the phylogeny of crocodyliforms based on skeletal morphology. The fossil record suggests that the stage of marine pelagic adaptation was achieved by the Early Middle Jurassic. Salt gland size in the juvenile suggests that juveniles were, like adults, pelagic.     

一次航班飞行全过程大气污染物排放特征

飞机发动机以航空煤油为燃料,在运行过程中会排放多种大气污染物,对空气质量和人体健康存在较大影响.选择A320作为典型机型,提取了一次真实航班飞行过程中的机载飞行数据,基于BM2及BM2-FOA耦合模型,获得了其在飞行全过程中每一时刻CO、UHC、NO_x及PM_(2.5)的排放指数,并计算了CO、UHC、NO_x、SO_2、CO_2及PM_(2.5)的精确排放量.结果表明,飞行过程中CO和UHC排放指数与推力变化趋势相反,数值范围分别为0.67~595.34 g·kg~(-1)和0.05~0.43 g·kg~(-1).NO_x排放指数与燃油流量变化趋势一致,数值范围是0.96~114.25 g·kg~(-1).PM_(2.5)排放指数全过程变化较小,约为0.25~0.36 g·kg~(-1).飞行全过程中,CO_2排放总量最大,约为2.0×10~4kg.同时,NO_x的排放量约为213.4 kg,SO_2也排放了24.5 kg.CO、PM_(2.5)和UHC的排放量分别为7.5、2.2和0.5 kg.将本次精确计算结果与使用ICAO基准模型对LTO起降阶段的估算结果进行对比后发现,基准模型LTO飞行时间较真实时间偏长37%.基准模型估算LTO阶段CO、UHC污染物排放量偏高,NO_x偏低,且偏差较大;而SO_2、CO_2和PM_(2.5)的排放量估算结果偏差相对较小.与机动车相比,A320飞机的一次LTO起飞着陆飞行,NO_x排放量约等于一辆小客车行驶8.6×10~4km,或相当于1274辆小客车1 d的排放量.     

A relict basal tetrapod from Germany: first evidence of a Triassic chroniosuchian outside Russia

Chroniosuchians are basal tetrapods nesting within the paraphyletic anthracosaurs and were so far only well known from the Permian and Triassic of Russia. In this study, we present evidence for their existence in the upper Middle Triassic of Germany, based on diagnostic osteoderms and vertebrae from the Kupferzell and Vellberg localities in southern Germany. The finds are most similar to Synesuchus, a Middle Triassic bystrowianid chroniosuchian from the Northern Ural Pechora region. They demonstrate that by Middle Triassic time, chroniosuchians were much more widespread than previously thought.     

The first ceratopsian dinosaur from South Korea

In 2008, a new basal neoceratopsian was discovered in the Tando beds (Albian) of Tando Basin in South Korea. It represents the first ceratopsian dinosaur in the Korean peninsula and is assigned to Koreaceratops hwaseongensis gen. et sp. nov. Autapomorphies of Koreaceratops include very tall neural spines over five times higher than the associated centra in the distal caudals, and a unique astragalus divided into two fossae by a prominent craniocaudal ridge on the proximal surface. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that Koreaceratops is positioned between Archaeoceratops and all more derived neoceratopsians, and the elongation of caudal neural spines was an important derived character in non-ceratopsid neoceratopsians. The very tall caudal neural spines in Koreaceratops, Montanoceratops, Udanoceratops, Protoceratops, and Bagaceratops appear to be homoplasious, suggesting an independent adaptation, possibly for swimming. Skeletal evidence suggests that obligate quadrupedalism occurred gradually in neoceratopsians progressing from bipedal through facultative quadrupedalism, to complete quadrupedalism in Coronosauria.     

Reconstructing the anatomy of the 42-million-year-old fossil †Mengea tertiaria (Insecta, Strepsiptera)

Fossilization in amber is unique in preserving specimens with microscopic fidelity; however, arthropod inclusions are rarely examined beyond the exoskeleton as this requires destructive sampling when traditional techniques are used. We report the first complete, digital 3D, non-destructive reconstruction of the anatomy of an insect fossil, a specimen of †Mengea tertiaria embedded in a 42-Ma Baltic amber. This was made possible using Synchrotron μ-CT. The species belongs to the stem group of the phylogenetically enigmatic and extremely specialized Strepsiptera. Most internal structures of the fossil are preserved, but small parts of the lumen had decayed due to incomplete infiltration of the resin. Data on internal organs provided additional information for resolving phylogenetic relationships. A sister group relationship between †Mengea and all extant lineages of the group was confirmed with characters previously not accessible. The newly gained information also yielded some insights in the biology of †Mengea and the early evolutionary history of Strepsiptera. The technique has a tremendous potential for a more accurate interpretation of diverse fossil arthropods preserved in ambers from 130 Ma to the present.     

First record of plicidentine in Synapsida and patterns of tooth root shape change in Early Permian sphenacodontians

Recent histological studies have revealed a diversity of dental features in Permo-Carboniferous tetrapods. Here, we report on the occurrence of plicidentine (infolded dentine around the base of the tooth root) in Sphenacodontia, the first such documentation in Synapsida, the clade that includes mammals. Five taxa were examined histologically, Ianthodon schultzei, Sphenacodon ferocior, Dimetrodon limbatus, Dimetrodon grandis, and Secodontosaurus obtusidens. The tooth roots of Ianthodon possess multiple folds, which is generally viewed as the primitive condition for amniotes. Sphenacodon and D. limbatus have distinctive “four-leaf clover”-shaped roots in cross section, whereas Secodontosaurus has an elongate square shape with only subtle folding. The most derived and largest taxon examined in this study, D. grandis, has rounded roots in cross section and therefore no plicidentine. This pattern of a loss of plicidentine in sphenacodontids supports previous functional hypotheses of plicidentine, where teeth with shallow roots require folds to increase the area of attachment to the tooth-bearing element, whereas teeth with long roots do not. This pattern may also reflect differences in diet between co-occurring sphenacodontids as well as changes in feeding niche through time, specifically in the apex predator Dimetrodon.     

南亚热带地区水库夏季铁、锰垂直分布特征

铁(Fe)和锰(Mn)均为氧化还原敏感性元素,是水质评价的重要指标之一.为了解南亚热带地区供水水库夏季Fe、Mn的垂直分布特征,于2016年7月调查了粤东地区9座水库敞水区湖沼学变量和Fe、Mn浓度的垂直分布特征.在有明显温度分层的深水水库中Fe、Mn存在显著的梯度分布,表层水体中总Fe(TFe)、总Mn(TMn)以及溶解性Fe、Mn(DFe、DMn)的浓度显著(TFe,F=6.708,P=0.032;TMn,F=9.720,P=0.014;DFe,F=8.129,P=0.029;DMn,F=11.125,P=0.016)低于底层.5座深水水库底层水体中TFe、TMn平均浓度分别为0.399 mg·L~(-1)和0.422 mg·L~(-1),其中溶解态离子占70%以上,而在没有明显温度分层的浅水水库中,表层水体TFe、TMn以及DFe、DMn浓度略低于底层但无显著性差异(TFe,F=0.135,P=0.726;TMn,F=0,P=1;DFe,F=0.006,P=0.943;DMn,F=0.007,P=0.936),4座浅水水库底层水体中TFe、TMn平均浓度分别为0.110 mg·L~(-1)和0.089 mg·L~(-1),且主要以非溶解态存在.水体中TFe和DFe浓度与溶解氧(DO)浓度、p H值和深度呈显著相关关系(P0.05),与总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)浓度没有显著相关性.水体热分层及高的水体稳定性导致DO和p H值呈现明显的梯度分布,是导致深水水库Fe、Mn在水层间形成梯度分布的关键原因.深水水库底层水体低DO浓度和酸性条件有利于沉积物中Fe、Mn的释放,是导致Fe、Mn以溶解态存在的主要原因.同时,以红壤为主的土壤类型可能是该地区水体中Fe、Mn普遍较高的重要原因.以上结果表明,南亚热带地区夏季分层稳定的深水水库底层水体普遍存在Fe、Mn较高的现象,以深层取水的供水方式易出现Fe、Mn浓度超标,湖上层取水则可避免该问题.     

短期填埋龄垃圾堆体内微生物群落结构与种群分布特征

填埋垃圾的稳定化过程一般经历好氧过渡、水解酸化、初期产甲烷及稳定产甲烷阶段,固相垃圾的厌氧水解酸化阶段常被视为垃圾降解的限速步骤,而这一阶段微生物的降解作用是影响垃圾稳定化进程的关键.以青岛市小涧西生活垃圾填埋场短期填埋龄垃圾为研究对象,采用MiSeq高通量测序研究了填埋龄0～1、1.0～1.5、1.5～2 a垃圾堆体内微生物的群落结构多样性及种群分布特征.结果表明,0～1 a填埋龄垃圾微生物多样性高于1.0～1.5 a和1.5～2 a垃圾堆体,且微生物多样性整体上随填埋深度呈降低趋势.参与垃圾降解细菌多样性比真菌更丰富,而真菌多样性随填埋区域、填埋龄的不同呈现更显著的差异.参与短期填埋龄垃圾降解的细菌中,Firmicutes在填埋层上层为优势菌门,最大比例达到65%,Proteobacteria在填埋层中下层为优势菌门,最大比例达到88%.填埋上层细菌菌属以Defluviitoga、Aerococcus、Clostridium III和Proteiniphilum为主,而在中下层以Thiopseudomonas、Sporosarcina和Eionea为主.真菌主要包括3个菌门,Ascomycota在各点位均为最优势菌门,属水平上Kernia及Aspergillus作为常见的腐生菌属,在不同点位均有较高的丰度.冗余分析表明短期填埋龄垃圾堆体内微生物不同时空分布存在显著差异性,且细菌群落结构的变化受pH值影响较大,而真菌群落结构的变化与垃圾有机质密切相关.     

A new bolosaurid parareptile, Belebey chengi sp. nov., from the Middle Permian of China and its paleogeographic significance

A new bolosaurid parareptile, Belebey chengi sp. nov., is described from Dashankou, Gansu Province, China, a Middle Permian locality which is known mostly for its therapsid fauna. The material consists of well-preserved mandibular and anterior skull remains and currently represents the largest and latest surviving member of Bolosauridae. Phylogenetic analysis of bolosaurid interrelationships, the first analysis of any clade of Early Permian parareptiles, indicates that the new taxon groups consistently with the other (Russian) members of the genus Belebey, and forms the sister clade to the genus Bolosaurus from North America. The Early Permian Eudibamus cursoris from Germany falls into the basal most position within Bolosauridae. Our analysis also shows that the split between the main bolosaurid lineages must have occurred near or before the Permo-Carboniferous boundary and that the paleo-equatorial region of Laurasia probably served as the center of origination for these parareptiles. A similar pattern can be found in other clades of Paleozoic amniotes, suggesting that this may be the general trend in early amniote evolution.