Volume 20 1977
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Item Palaeontologia africana Volume 20(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977)Item New species of Parmularius hopwood and Damaliscus sclater and Thomas (Alcelaphini, Bovidae, Mammalia) from Makapansgat, and comments on faunal chronological correlation(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Vrba, Elizabeth S.Two new species of Alcelaphini, based on fossils from the Makapansgat Limeworks, are described. One is an early member species of the extinct genus Parmularius Hopwood. The present description is the first record of a Parmularius from any southern African fossil site. The other new species belongs to Damaliscus Sclater and Thomas, and is closely related to the extinct Damaliscus niro (Hopwood). The phylogenetic relationships of the new species to other extant and extinct alcelaphines are discussed. Comparison with fossils of the same, and/or related, species elsewhere in Africa gives rise to comments on faunal chronological correlation.Item Technological note: a cheap stereophotograph apparatus(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Thackwray, H. O.The need for a gadget for taking stereo pairs of photographs has been evident for some time. What was needed was a cheap, pocket-sized gadget that would fit all makes of cameras, could be used for close-up photos, large immovable objects and even landscapes. It had to be simple and easy to operate.Item Fossil insect wings from the early Permian White Band formation, South Africa(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) McLachlan, Ian R Anderson, Anne MFossil insect remains are reported for the first time from the Lower Karroo White Band in South Africa. The wings of two individuals have been recovered from separate localities 140 km apart in the southern Cape fold-belt. They unfortunately supply little useful information on the depositional environment of the White Band as they were probably transported some distance to their final site of preservation.Item An investigation of the lower Permian middle Ecca ammonite locality at Alleta, Natal(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) McLachlan, I. R.The problematic ammonite Paraceltites bowdeni Teichert & Rilett has been recorded only from the Alleta iron-ore mine near Dundee in Natal. It is unique in the Early Permian Ecca Series as it suggests a normal salinity for the depositional environment of sediments that have yielded no other clearly marine fossils. An investigation of the matrix of the specimen slabs, however, yields information which is incompatible with equivalent data from the Alleta mine and the Ecca sediments in general. The matrix contains the distinctive pollen Classopollis which is not known from elsewhere in the world in deposits older than Late Triassic. Comparative tests of the degree of thermal diagenesis of the contained organic material suggests that the ammonite specimens have not been subjected to the same degree of alteration as the sediments at the Alleta mine. Results of other tests have not been definitive but do not contradict the suggestion that the ammonites were mistakenly accredited to the A1leta mine. It is concluded that the ammonites derived originally from sediments of Late Triassic to Early Jurassic age at an unknown locality outside of South Africa.Item A review of the localities and flora of the lower Permian Karoo strata at Vereeniging, South Africa(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) LeRoux, S F Anderson, Heidi MThe Vereeniging fossil floras are particularly well known and often referred to, as it is among them that attached glossopteridophyte fructifications were first recorded. No recent review of the localities, flora and age of the deposits is available. The history of collecting and description of fossil plants from Vereeniging dates from 1879. Ten localities have been recorded to date, the most important of which are the three Leeukuil quarries from which a diverse flora has been collected and described over the past thirty years. Two of the localities are considered to fall within the Lower Ecca and the remaining eight within a restricted section of the Middle Ecca coal measures. The older flora is poorly known and is represented only by the genera Gangamopteris and Noeggerathiopsis. The younger flora is fairly comprehensively known and includes some 23 genera and 33 species of plants.Item Postcanine tooth function and jaw movement in the gomphodont cynodont Diademodon (Reptilia; Therapsida)(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Grine, Frederick E.The postcanine dentition of Diademodon was well adapted, in both morphology and pattern of replacement, to exercising and maintaining precise occlusion. These teeth may be grouped into three morphological classes, consisting of conical, gomphodont and sectorial teeth. The anterior conicals may have acted as gripping teeth, and the posterior sectorials may have been utilized as food "tenderizers" or shredders, while the intermediate gomphodont teeth were utilized in the mastication of food items. The gomphodont teeth, which show evidence of heavy wear, were examined in the scanning electron microscope (SEM), in order to attempt a reconstruction of the masticatory jaw movements in this animal, based on the morphology and orientation of the occlusal wear facets. The occlusal surfaces of the gomphodont teeth are pitted. The pitted occlusal surface texture is an indication of either abrasion or attrition, resulting from direct pounding of the lower teeth against their maxillary antagonists. It is concluded that masticatory jaw movements in Diademodon were wholly orthal. There is no dental evidence to support the contention that this reptile exercised either propalinal (Hopson, 1971) or ectental chewing movements. The jaw closing action in Diademodon appears to have been equivalent to the masticatory power stroke.Item Fossil vertebrate studies in Rhodesia: sphenodontid remains from the upper Trias of Rhodesia(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Gow, C. E.Small sphenodontid rhynchocephalians are known from the upper Trias in Britain (Robinson, 1973). This paper records for the first time the presence of sphenodontids of very similar age, size, and morphology from the Upper Trias of Rhodesia.Item On a supposed skin impression of Procolophon(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Gow, C. E.Van Heerden (1974) described and figured what he took to be an impression of the skin of Procolophon found with a typical assemblage of natural moulds of that animal. The stereophotographs in his Plate 4 seemed, however, to show sutures and the impressions of a few tiny sharp pointed teeth. Examination of the original shows that this is indeed the case. The accompanying explanatory sketch (fig. 1), which may be read in conjunction with Van Heerden's published photographs, shows that the pattern of dermal bones is typically amphibian and quite unlike that of Procolophon, as too are the teeth. The conclusion is reached that the specimen (QR 1597) shows normal bones of the skull and is not a skin impression.Item Owenetta in perspective(Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, 1977) Gow, C. E.This paper adds detail to the existing description of the small procolophonid Owenetta rubidgei Broom. The relationships of this animal are assessed with reference to other South African procolophonids and pareiasaurs. All are broadly related but a mosaic of characters precludes any direct phyletic relationships.