Living lingulide brachiopods are traditionally recognised as representatives of evolutionary conservatism, showing little change in general-morphology from their Cambrian ancestors. However, less attention has been given to their anatomical and ontogenetic modifications since their initial appearance. Among these, lingulellotretids are unique, characterized by their typical elongate pedicle foramen and large pseudointerarea. This study describes exquisitely preserved soft-tissue and phosphatic shells of Lingulellotreta from Cambrian Series 2 deposits in China and Kazakhstan. Biomineralized novelties in Lingulellotreta, including elongate pseudointerarea forming a pouch-like visceral cavity and columnar shell architecture, probably were evolutionarily modified from the unmineralized tubular ancestor Yuganotheca during the Cambrian Explosion. Lingulellotretids, however, faced extinction in the Early Ordovician, exemplifying a short-lived evolutionary experiment with a tubular body form in early brachiopods. Since the early Cambrian, lingulide brachiopods have exhibited a long-term evolutionary trend marked by the reduction of pseudointerarea, reflecting a convergence toward a more efficient body plan that ultimately became dominant in later lineages. The intensification of skeletal defences and the increasing demands of filter feeding within benthic communities likely drove these evolutionary modifications and ecological adjustments, culminating in the development of the distinctive, persistent tongue-shaped body of linguloid brachiopods during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.

Small shelly fossils (SSFs) have long been recognized as important to the studies of both metazoan evolution and the onset of biomineralization during the Cambrian radiation. The marked decline in the occurrence, diversity and abundance of SSFs in the middle to late Cambrian, when compared with the early Cambrian, has often been regarded as a result of the closure of a phosphatization window. Despite this, there have been numerous and consistent reports of SSFs from the middle Cambrian and younger deposits. To identify possible factors influencing SSF preservation, five microfacies including bioclastic limestone, flat-pebble conglomerates with bioclasts, hummocky cross-stratified grainstone with bioclasts, bioclastic grainstone in hardgrounds and glauconite bioclastic wackstone-packstone, from Cambrian Series 2 to Miaolingian in North China are compared to assess how differences in lithology impact the preservation potential of SSFs. Our results, based on 35,161 SSF specimens from deposits across six sections, suggest that there are still abundant and diverse SSFs in the middle Cambrian of North China preserved in ways not exclusively reliant on the presence of phosphate and that SSF preservation can be linked to the differences in microfacies in the early to middle Cambrian of North China.

Biotic interactions are considered as major drivers of evolutionary changes, but their identification in the fossil record is extremely rare and controversial. Based on qualitative and quantitative analyses, we report evidence of a biotic interaction between an echinoderm host and its symbiont, probably a parasitic epibiont, from the Cambrian Wuliuan Stage of Australia. The echinoderm plates bear external outgrowths with a median pit at their distal end. These unusual structures have not been previously documented from Cambrian echinoderms and their lack of consistency across various morphological parameters, supports the interpretation that a biotic interaction generated these unique structures. Perturbations in plate microstructure and the overproduction of skeletal material in specific regions, together with reduced size, negatively impact the host’s growth suggesting a parasitic interaction. This reaction by the echinoderm host may represent the progressive embedment of the invasive epibiont. This record represents the oldest evidence of parasitism among deuterostomes.

Diving beetles (Dytiscidae) are important generalist predators in freshwater ecosystems that have been around since the Jurassic. Previous phylogenetic studies have identified a largely stable set of monophyletic named groups (subfamilies, tribes and subtribes); however, backbone relationships among these have remained elusive. Here we use whole genome sequencing to reconstruct the phylogeny of Dytiscidae. We mine de novo assemblies and combine them with others available from transcriptome studies of Adephaga to compile a dataset of 149 taxa and 5364 orthologous genes. Species tree and concatenated maximum likelihood methods provide largely congruent results, resolving in agreement all but two inter-subfamily nodes. All 11 subfamilies are monophyletic, supporting previous results; possibly also all tribes, but Hydroporini is recovered as paraphyletic with weak support and monophyly of Dytiscini is method dependent. One large clade includes eight of 11 subfamilies (excluding Laccophilinae, Lancetinae and Coptotominae). Matinae is sister to Hydrodytinae + Hydroporinae, in contrast with previous studies that have hypothesized Matinae as sister to the remaining Dytiscidae. Copelatinae belong in a clade with Cybistrinae, Dytiscinae, Agabinae and Colymbetinae. Strongly confirmed sister group relationships of subfamilies include Cybistrinae + Dytiscinae, Agabinae + Colymbetinae, Lancetinae + Coptotominae and Hydrodytinae + Hydroporinae. Remaining problems include resolving with confidence the basal ingroup trichotomy and relationships between tribes in Hydroporinae. Resolution of tribes in Dytiscinae is affected by methodological inconsistencies. Platynectini, new tribe, is described and Hydrotrupini redefined within subfamily Agabinae. This study is a step forward towards completely resolving the backbone phylogeny of Dytiscidae, which we hope will stimulate further work on remaining challenges.

Koalas are arboreal herbivorous marsupials, endemic to Australia. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the number of koalas declined dramatically due to hunting for their furs. In addition, anthropogenic activities have further decimated their available habitat, and decreased population numbers. Here, we utilize 37 historic and 25 modern genomes sampled from across their historic and present geographic range, to gain insights into how their population structure and genetic diversity have changed across time; assess the genetic consequences of the period of intense hunting, and the current genetic status of this iconic Australian species. Our analyses reveal how genome-wide heterozygosity has decreased through time and unveil previously uncharacterized mitochondrial haplotypes and nuclear genotypes in the historic dataset, which are absent from today's koala populations.

Dogs exhibit an exceptional range of morphological diversity as a result of their long-term association with humans. Attempts to identify when dog morphological variation began to expand have been constrained by the limited number of Pleistocene specimens, the fragmentary nature of remains, and difficulties in distinguishing early dogs from wolves on the basis of skeletal morphology. In this study, we used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyze the size and shape of 643 canid crania spanning the past 50,000 years. Our analyses show that a distinctive dog morphology first appeared at about 11,000 calibrated years before present, and substantial phenotypic diversity already existed in early Holocene dogs. Thus, this variation emerged many millennia before the intense humanmediated selection shaping modern dog breeds beginning in the 19th century.

 Leaf cuticle is the waxy envelope that protects leaves from desiccation, UV damage, and abrasion. The cuticle encodes information about a plant's chemistry and leaf epidermal and stomatal cell morphology. Fossil leaf cuticle has been used to determine taxonomic affinities for almost two centuries and recognized in recent decades for its value in reconstructing paleoenvironments and paleoclimates, especially atmospheric CO2. Fossil leaf cuticle preparation techniques are typically reported as single workflows tied to individual studies, starting with finding fossils in the field through the steps of preparing cuticle for chemical and morphological analysis, including decisions about type of microscopy and level of sampling effort at different spatial scales (number of fields-of-view, leaves, and species). The siloed nature of these publications makes finding appropriate methods and workflows for new studies difficult, especially for less experienced researchers. Here, we attempt to synthesize a breadth of existing workflows and make recommendations to guide methodological decision-making for new studies, with a particular focus on paleo-CO2 reconstruction via a proxy based on leaf gas-exchange principles (the Franks model). We describe and annotate chemical procedures for preparing cuticles for analysis and include recommendations regarding leaf conditions for which each is most appropriate. For studies making repeated measures of morphology (e.g., stomatal density), we describe a resampling routine that can guide decision-making, in real time, about sampling effort.

Large-scale DNA screening of palaeontological and archaeological collections remains a limiting and costly factor for ancient DNA studies. Several DNA extraction protocols are routinely used in ancient DNA laboratories and have even been automated on robotic platforms. Robots offer a solution for high-throughput screening but the costs, as well as necessity for trained technicians and engineers, can be prohibitive for some laboratories. Here, we present a high-throughput alternative to robot-based ancient DNA extraction using a 96-column plate. When compared to routine single MinElute columns, we retrieved highly similar endogenous DNA contents, an important metric in ancient DNA screening. Mitogenomes with a coverage depth greater than 0.1× could be generated and allowed for taxonomic assignment. However, average fragment lengths, DNA damage and library complexities significantly differed between methods but these differences became nonsignificant after modification of our library purification protocol. Our high-throughput extraction method allows generation of 96 extracts within approximately 4 hours of laboratory work while bringing the cost down by ~39% compared to using single columns. Additionally, we formally demonstrate that the addition of Tween-20 during the elution step results in higher complexity libraries, thereby enabling higher genome coverage for the same sequencing effort.

During the last glacial period (~118 to 11.7 ka), the Arctic has been characterized bya major redistribution of flora and fauna as a consequence of extreme climatic fluctua-tions, with associated glacial advances and retreats, sea-level changes, and shifting seaice extent. In the high- latitude regions of Northern Europe that are currently subject torapid climate warming, we lack a comprehensive understanding of faunal biodiversityin the last glacial period due to the extreme rarity of preserved organic remains. Here,we present a stratified sediment deposit with a diverse faunal composition preservedin a bone- bearing layer in Arne Qvamgrotta, part of the Storsteinhola cave system(68.10° N 16.38° E) in Northern Norway. Chronological analyses of sediments andbones including radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence, uranium–thorium, andphylogenetic dating place the faunal assemblage in Marine Isotope Stage 5a (MIS 5a,Odderade interstadial, ~85 to 71 ka). Combining comparative osteology and bulk-bonemetabarcoding, we identify 46 taxa, including mammals, birds, and fish, with sev-eral species not previously found in Fennoscandia. The fauna implies a nonanalogouscold- adapted coastal community, with close proximity to sea ice and nearby freshwaterbodies. Mitogenome analyses of a subset of taxa identify extinct lineages which attestto a lack of habitat tracking and the absence of a local refugium during the subsequentfully glaciated periods. This faunal record demonstrates long-term faunal dynamics andcoastal environmental conditions during MIS 5a in the European Arctic.

The evolution of cold-adapted terrestrial species underwent two main phases. First, the genera of cold-adapted taxa appeared during the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene. The modern day and Late Pleistocene cold-adapted species then arose during and after the Middle Pleistocene Transition. These species evolved through one or more of the following processes: out of the temperate zone, evolving in situ, or through montane preadaptation. Palaeogenetic studies are greatly contributing to our understanding of the timings and modes of evolution of cold-adapted species as well as when their specialised traits evolved. The evolution of polar plant and beetle species is claimed to show greater stasis than that of vertebrates, but could instead reflect morphological conservatism that can be tested with palaeogenetics.

Monitoring species’ occurrences is essential for understanding ecosystem dynamics, tracking biodiversity changes, and guiding conservation efforts. Traditional monitoring methods, such as visual surveys, are challenging, particularly for elusive and endangered species. This proof-of-concept study explores the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) collected from peck marks as a non-invasive tool for detecting and identifying woodpecker species. We collected nine samples from fresh peck marks on birch and spruce trees in the forests of Swedish Lapland. In two samples, we successfully amplified an 81 base-pair fragment of the woodpecker mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. Taxonomic assignment identified the Eurasian three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), a species classified as “Near Threatened” in Sweden. We collected an additional 15 samples from 4-19 years old peck marks preserved inside the trunks of birch and pine trees in the same area. No woodpecker DNA was detected in these samples, likely due to DNA degradation. Our findings demonstrate the potential of using eDNA from peck marks as a non-invasive approach for monitoring elusive woodpecker species

The Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus) is a small rodent distributed across theFennoscandian mountain tundra and the Kola Peninsula. The Norwegian lemming likelyevolved during the Late Pleistocene and inhabited Fennoscandia shortly prior to the LastGlacial Maximum. However, the exact timing and origins of the species, and its phyloge-netic position relative to the closely related Siberian lemming (Lemmus sibiricus) remaindisputed. Moreover, the presence of ancient or contemporary gene flow between bothspecies is largely untested. The Norwegian lemming displays characteristic phenotypicand behavioral adaptations (e.g., coat color, aggression) that are not present in otherLemmus species. We generated a de novo genome assembly for the Norwegian lemmingand resequenced nine modern and two ancient Lemmus spp. genomes. We show that allLemmus species form distinct monophyletic clades, with concordant topology betweenthe mitochondrial and nuclear genome phylogenies. The Siberian lemming is dividedinto two distinct but paraphyletic clades, one in the east and one in the west, where thewestern clade represents a sister taxon to the Norwegian lemming. We estimate thatthe Norwegian and western Siberian lemming diverged shortly before the Last GlacialMaximum, making the Norwegian lemming one of the youngest known mammalianspecies. We did not find any indication of gene flow between L. lemmus and L. sibiricus,suggesting postglacial isolation of L. lemmus. Furthermore, we identify species-specificgenomic differences in genes related to coat color and fat transport, which are likelyassociated with the distinctive coloration and overwintering behavior observed in theNorwegian lemming.

The Qimmeq (Greenland sled dog) has worked continuously with the Inuit in Greenland for more than 800 years. However, they now face drastic population declines caused by climate change, urbanization, and competition from snowmobiles. This study sequenced 92 modern and ancient genomes to investigate how centuries of isolation shaped the regional Qimmeq populations and the impact of European contact. We found distinct regional populations and evidence for two migrations of dogs into Greenland with the Inuit from Canada. Furthermore, we found that there is minimal European ancestry in present day Qimmit and limited recent inbreeding despite low heterozygosity. These insights are critical for conservation efforts aimed at preserving the Qimmit amid environmental changes and cultural transitions.

Speciation is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, and understanding the mechanisms driving speciation remains the foremost research topic within this field. Hybridisation is often involved in speciation and can influence its rates, potentially accelerating, decelerating or even reversing the process. This study investigates the evolutionary history of the New Guinean bird genus Melidectes, consisting of six species that inhabit various montane regions at different elevations. While most Melidectes species have allopatric distributions, two species overlap in the central mountain range and hybridise. However, plumage differences and elevational adaptations are assumed to maintain the species' boundaries. Utilising specimens from natural history collections and comprehensive genomic analyses, including a de novo genome assembly, we characterise allopatric speciation patterns within the genus and highlight how future speciation could potentially be driven by climate change. Contrary to previous hypotheses, our findings suggest that in the two distributionally overlapping species, phenotypic differences do not prevent gene flow. We find limited acoustic differentiation and extensive admixture across most of their distributions. Divergence and admixture levels conform poorly to the current taxonomy and follow a geographical pattern in which the most isolated populations at the ends of the distributions are most divergent and show least admixture. However, in contrast, their mitochondrial genomes do group in accordance with species identity, namely, into two deeply divergent lineages. We propose that this system demonstrates the ephemeral nature of speciation, in which two incipient species have started mixing extensively as they came into secondary contact, resulting in nearly complete fusion into a single lineage.

Hybridisation is known to occur between a wide range of taxa, including species for which strong sexual selection has led to markedly different sexual phenotypes and lek-mating behaviours. To what extent occasional hybridisation can overcome the reproductive barriers in such systems and, for example, lead to the establishment of hybrid zones is poorly known. In this study, we address this question by focusing on one of the most well-known avian radiations in which sexual selection has resulted in an extraordinary assemblage of phenotypic diversity and lek-mating behaviours: the birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae). We quantify the genome-wide distribution of introgression and find multiple signals of recent and historical gene flow between and within two genera of birds-of-paradise, Astrapia and Paradigalla. In addition, we present the first empirical genomic indication of a putative hybrid zone between two lekking bird-of-paradise species that differ substantially in their sexually selected traits and behaviours. Our findings are consistent with the idea that behavioural and phenotypic traits may constitute weaker pre- and post-zygotic barriers to gene flow than generally thought in lek-mating species.

Deciphering cryptic diversity can have substantial implications for ourunderstanding of evolutionary processes and species conservation. Birdsare arguably among the best studied organismal groups, but even in avianclades there are some genera that have not been thoroughly surveyed.This is particularly true for taxa that occur in hyperdiverse biogeographicregions. In this study, we focus on an endemic group of New Guineanbirds, the jewel-babblers (genus: Ptilorrhoa), and study the diversificationhistory of all known taxa. We assemble a de novo genome using linkedread sequencing and genomic data for 40 historical specimens. Bothphylogenomic and population-genomic analyses strongly support therecovery of a cryptic species and shed new light on the diversificationhistory of this group. The blue jewel-babbler (Ptilorrhoa caerulescens) is aparaphyletic species complex and P. c. nigricrissus is more closely relatedto the phenotypically distinct and sexually dimorphic P. geislerorum, thanto other P. caerulescens subspecies. These findings demonstrate that evenin well-studied groups such as birds, cryptic diversity can still be aprevalent reality. Moreover, by deciphering cryptic diversity, we shed newlight on the processes driving speciation within Ptilorrhoa and the need topotentially revise the taxonomic status of all subspecies

Elaborate female ornaments are rare in nature. One explanation for this is that female investment in ornamentation may take away crucialresources from other costly life history traits, such as fecundity, for which there is likely to be a higher fitness return. However, this trade-offbetween ornaments and fecundity may be less severe in species where the males offer the female an edible nuptial gift during mating. Thenutrition gained from mating may make attracting males with elaborate ornaments more cost-effective for the female. We investigated this linkin dance flies in which there is large variation in nuptial gifts, as well as female ornaments. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that nuptial giftvalue is positively associated with the evolution of female ornaments. We found that species that lack nuptial gifts have no ornaments, andhigh levels of female ornamentation have evolved most frequently in species with reliable access to an edible nuptial gift with each mating. Ourresults also suggest that female ornaments have most likely evolved following the evolution of nuptial gifts. We argue that the added benefitsfrom each mating have helped the females to overcome the costs associated with the development and maintenance of ornaments

Genomic studies have revealed introgressive hybridisation as a common phenomenon across the tree of life, particularly among young radiations. As incipient speciation tends to be induced by vicariance events, it is assumed that introgressive hybridisation is more frequent in young radiations in which allopatrically distributed species have a high probability of coming into secondary contact. In this study, we use whole genomic data to investigate spatio-temporal introgression patterns in a songbird radiation that has colonised a highly dynamic island region in the Indo-Pacific. Some taxa within this radiation have colonised remote oceanic islands whereas others occur on landmasses and islands in the Sahul region that were periodically connected during Pleistocene periods of lower sea levels. Our results show that introgressive hybridisation has been pervasive within this young radiation, despite prominent plumage differences between taxa. Geographical proximity has been an important factor for hybridisation and we further find that species occupying islands in the environmentally unstable Sahul region exhibit particularly high signatures of introgressive hybridisation. Yet, one species appears to have been shielded from hybridisation, perhaps due to specific ecological specialisations. Finally, we identify a hybrid species on an island where two oceanic radiations meet. Our results also caution against relying solely on analyses that only detect asymmetric introgression when examining systems with complex introgression histories. Collectively, our results support a growing body of literature that suggests that reticulate speciation is more common than previously thought. This has implications for our understanding of species formation and their persistence through time.

The Chicxulub asteroid that ended the Cretaceous Era ∼66.05 million years ago caused a prolonged time of global darkness – the impact winter – leading to mass extinctions. Elements from the asteroid, including the platinum group elements (PGEs) osmium, iridium and platinum are known from the globally distributed boundary clay but their carrier elements have so far been unknown. We identify, for the first time in detail, the presence of these PGEs within Chicxulub impact spherules and importantly, we identify their carrier elements. We show through synchrotron Nano-XRF how these PGEs occur in nanostructures as un-ordered cube- and/or needle-like crystals co-localizing with both siderophile and chalcophile elements including Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb, derived from the asteroid. These crystals are set within a matrix of iron-rich calcium and silica glass revealing the mix of vaporized target rock and the asteroid. The results provide insights into the combination of elements present in the spherules, indicating formation of new minerals. We argue that the nano-shards of unreactive elements such as platinum, iridium and copper acted as nuclei for aerosol formation and potentially contributed to a prolonged impact winter with darkness and cooling leading to a profound and long-term climate change.

The Early Cretaceous Koonwarra site, Victoria, Australia, comprises a fossil bed considered to be a Konservat Lagerstätte famous for its myriad of fossil fish, feathers, invertebrates, and plants. Here we provide a vegetation reconstruction based on detailed palynology from a 21 m long drill core of which the basal 10 m represents the Koonwarra Fossil Bed (KFB) proper. Palynological analysis of the KFB revealed well-preserved assemblages, and c. 30,000 palynomorphs were identified, representing 138 taxa. The palynoassemblages are dominated by gymnosperm pollen, especially Alisporites (‘seed-ferns’), Araucariacites (Araucariaceae), Podocarpidites (Podocarpaceae) and monosulcate grain producers (most possibly Ginkgoales and Pentoxylales). Minor constituents include Eucommidiites and various arborescent gymnosperm pollen, including those produced by Cheirolepidiaceae such as Classopollis. The next most abundant groups are the fern spores, followed by lycophyte spores, both of which constitute a substantial portion of the palynoflora. Angiosperm pollen represents a minor but important element of the flora throughout the succession (1–6%). The LAICP-MS U–Pb dating of detrital zircon grains bracketing the Koonwarra Fossil Bed reveal a maximum dominant age of ≤ 114.1 Ma (latest Aptian) but with a few younger grains dated at 110 Ma.The palynological analysis tentatively ascribes a slightly younger age to the Unit, with assemblages referred to the very base of the Coptospora paradoxa Zone, signifying an early Albian age, based on the presence of the indices Coptospora paradoxa and Stoverisporites lunaris, combined with abundance data of various groups. Comparisons with coeval successions from other Southern Hemisphere localities, indicated that the Koonwarra assemblages derived from a cool temperate lake-margin vegetation.

The Triassic–Jurassic boundary (TJB) of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is exposed at the Germig Section in southern Xizang (Tibet), Southwest China. This marine TJB succession is well-constrained by ammonite and bivalve stratigraphy, providing a robust chronological framework. Based on the palynofloral assemblages from the Germig Section, we recognized two assemblages, one Rhaetian and one Hettangian. The Rhaetian assemblage is dominated by bisaccate pollen, which shifts across the TJB to a Hettangian Classopollis dominated assemblage, reflecting a change from a seed-fern/conifer-dominated flora to one dominated by cheirolepids. This palynofloral change has been recognized elsewhere, but appears to be diachronous across Gondwana. This is highlighted by our study, which demonstrates that the characteristic post-extinction cheirolepid forests appeared earlier at lower latitudes.

Here we have applied ToF-SIMS and Raman microspectroscopy to a phosphatic coprolite (fossilised faecal matter) preserved within an iron carbonate concretion from the Mazon Creek lagerstätte (306 Ma), of which the biomarker composition has been previously characterised using GC-MS. Abundant cholesteroid biomarkers were determined to represent dietary input from animals. This study aimed to spatially resolve these cholesteroid biomarkers within the coprolite specimen.

The steroid 5a,14a,17a(H) 20R cholestane was targeted for secondary ion mapping due to its abundance in the GC-MS analyses of the fossil (Tripp et al., 2022). The sterane biomarker was shown to be intimately associated with locally precipitated iron carbonate and some minor amounts of pyrite, and not associated with the phosphatised tissues. Importantly, phosphatisation is often associated with three-dimensional soft tissue preservation during earliest diagenesis, yet here does not show association with endogenous lipid biomarkers. This suggests that the factors facilitating lipid preservation in geological samples may differ to those controlling soft tissue fossilisation.

The spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta, is a highly social carnivore with several unique traits showing advanced social behavior. Studies of the brain of living spotted hyenas show that the anterior cerebrum is enlarged, a feature linked to sociality. It is not known, however, when sociality evolved in spotted hyenas, and its evolutionary context is therefore unknown. This is important to understand due to the apparent negative fitness effects of some spotted hyena traits. Studies of extinct species of Crocuta have shown that these do not share the large anterior cerebrum of the extant species. We use computed tomography (CT) scanning to study the endocranium of a >350,000-year-old spotted hyena from Megenta, Ethiopia and compare it to a sample of modern specimens representing the four living Hyaenidae species. We also compared our results to published fossil hyena endocrania. We found that the brain of the Ethiopian fossil is indistinguishable from that of the extant species and different from all other fossil and extant hyena brains. This places a minimum age of 350,000 years on the evolution of spotted hyena sociality and eliminates factors such as selective pressure from early Homo sapiens as potential drivers of sociality.

Here, we describe a new ecomorph of Nimravidae, Taotienimravus songi gen. et sp. nov., from the middle Oligocene of eastern Asia. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species is closely related to Nimravus and Dinaelurus, and it represents a non-sabertooth ecomorph form with initial bone-cracking adaptation—a unique form among Nimravidae. An increase in body size among Nimravidae appears to have coincided with the demise of Oxyaenidae, another carnivorous clade in the Palaeogene. The initial emergence of macrocarnivorous adaptation of Carnivora by a felid-like ecomorph probably reflects competition dynamics. Nimravidae successfully occupied several ecological niches that were not exploited by Felidae, probably owing to the lack of competition within Carnivora during much of their evolutionary history. Our study underscores the role of both abiotic and biotic factors in shaping niche availability for these animals, emphasizing the need for discussions on niche change and evolution to be grounded in these considerations.

Vargite, ideally MnCu2Mn2(OH)4(H2O)4(AsO4)2 ? named after the Swedish miner Erik Gustaf Varg (1886?1970), who collected the type specimen ? was found in the Långban Fe-Mn deposit. It occurs in open cavities in a brecciated and later hydrothermally leached carbonate groundmass, in association with hausmannite, calcite, rhodochrosite, baryte, a serpentine-group mineral, and galena. Additional minor phases are hedyphane, phlogopite and yarrowite. Paragenetically, it is a late-stage mineral, formed as a result of the interaction between an As-rich hydrothermal fluid and Mn-oxide(s) and Cu-sulphide, under low P- and T-conditions. Vargite forms bright green, semi-spherical aggregates up to 0.5 mm across, consisting of numerous thin, lath-shaped crystals, elongated along [100] and with a maximum length of 200 µm. Mohs hardness is ≈ 3 and Dcalc?=?3.49(1)?g·cm?3. The empirical chemical formula obtained from electron probe micro-analyses analyses and based on 16 anions is (Cu1.77Mg0.33)Σ2.10(Mn2.94Ca0.04Pb0.01)Σ2.99(As1.95Si0.02)Σ1.97O8(OH)4.03·3.98H2O. The crystal structures of vargite and the isotypic mineral akrochordite [MnMn2Mn2(OH)4(H2O)4(AsO4)2] have been refined in the space group P21/c from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data to R1?=?3.07% and 2.46%, respectively, giving the following sets of unit-cell parameters: a?=?5.6251(14), 5.6832(11) Å, b?=?17.452(5), 17.631(5) Å, c?=?6.905(2), 6.8417(19) Å, ??=?100.21(5)°, 99.51(4)°, and V?=?667.2(3), 676.1(3) Å3, with Z?=?2. A Raman spectrum of vargite, with major bands at 3510, 1610, 850, 780, 476, 428, 389, and 308?cm?1, strongly resembles that of isotypic guanacoite, [MgCu2Mg2(OH)4(H2O)4(AsO4)2]. Vargite, akrochordite, and guanacoite constitute the newly established akrochordite group.

Abstract. Clino-ferro-suenoite, with the ideal formula □Mn₂Fe²⁺₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂, previously named “dannemorite” or “manganogrunerite”, is formally recognized as a monoclinic member of the amphibole supergroup (IMA-CNMMC 2024-032). It occurs in iron-manganese skarn from the Hilläng mines, Dalarna, Sweden, associated with fayalite, spessartine, ferro-actinolite, calcite, magnetite and pyrite. It formed by partial replacement of manganoan fayalite during retrograde metamorphism. Individual crystals, up to 0.5 mm in length, are subhedral with a pale greenish yellow colour. The mineral is non-pleochroic and optically biaxial (–), with α = 1.670(5), β = 1.690(5), γ = 1.705(5); orientation Y || b, Z ⋀ c = 14(1)°. Cleavage parallel {110} and {010} is perfect and good, respectively. The Mohs hardness is about 6 and the mean Vickers hardness number was established as 872. The calculated density value is 3.46(1) g·cm^-3. The crystal-chemical formula of clino-ferro-suenoite is ^A□^B(Mn²⁺_0.95Fe²⁺_0.88Ca_0.15Na_0.01)_Σ1.99 ^C(Fe²⁺_3.57Mg_1.38 Mn²⁺_0.03Zn_0.01Al_0.01)_Σ5.00 ^TSi_8.00O₂₂ ^W[(OH)_1.99F_0.01]_Σ2.00, based on microprobe analyses, spectroscopic data (Mössbauer, infra-red, Raman) and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Infra-red bands originating from O-H vibration modes appear at 3608, 3620, 3638, 3653 and 3668 cm^-1, with the first and last one having weak intensities. The seven strongest reflections in the X-ray powder pattern [d values (in Å), I_rel, (hkl)] are: 8.33, 100, (110); 3.278, 21, (240); 3.084, 72, (310); 2.784, 18, (330); 2.512, 19, (20-2); 1.526, 16, (0.12.0); 1.412, 19, (66-1). Unit-cell parameters obtained from single-crystal diffraction data (MoKα) are a = 9.59840(10), b = 18.3179(2), c = 5.33450(10) Å, β = 102.1630(10)° and V = 916.87(2) ų for Z = 2. Refinement of the crystal structure in the space group C2/m yielded R = 2.25% for 1379 reflections with Io > 2σ(I). Mg ions show preference for the octahedrally coordinated C sites in the order M(2) > M(1) > M(3).

Human-mediated introductions have enabled species to colonize beyond their native ranges, yet the mechanisms underlying successful establishment remain unclear. We combined genomic and ecological analyses to investigate parallel introductions of the Eurasian Tree Sparrow across continents. Our analyses of genetic structure and demography revealed that introduced populations in North America (European origin) and Australia (Chinese origin) experienced founder effects, with resulting bottlenecks, reduced genetic diversity, and increased inbreeding.Despite the genome-wide loss of diversity, we identified conserved regions of high genetic variation in the introduced populations, potentially maintained through balancing selection of ancestral polymorphisms. Genotype-climate association and genetic offset modeling demonstrated that climate-adaptivegenetic variants retained similar frequencies across the native and introduced ranges, likely maintaining similar interactions of genetic components with climate niches. Our findings highlight how retention of adaptive polymorphism facilitates establishment success in the introduced populations, providing a framework for predicting invasion potential through genomic signatures of adaptation.

This paper proceeds from the excavations by Linnaeus University in 2019–2023 of a Migration Period house foundation at Gamla Skogsby, Öland, SE Sweden, situated in what was originally a large village with one of the largest Migration Period farms recorded on the whole island. The house and the excavation resultsare presented in brief, and in particular, the find of a raptor claw inside the house is given special attention. The claw is evaluated osteologically, identified as the claw of an eagle and suggested as an indication of prestige related to the local elite at the site. This is followed by an attempt to place the find in a larger context, with an evaluation of the find as a possible indication of falconry at the site in the Migration Period. The role of eagles in falconry is examined and the implications for this in connection with the falconry hypothesis at Gamla Skogsby are discussed. The find and the settlement at which it was made are then analysed in relation to a larger landscape context including important artefact finds, burials, settlements and fortifications, and the possible role of women in relation to falconry is discussed.

Two new fossils belonging to the extinct arachnid order Trigonotarbida are described from uppermost Carboniferous (Gzhelian, Upper Pennsylvanian) strata of the Villablino and El Bierzo basins (Castilla y León; NW Spain). These discoveries represent the second and third Spanish records of this arachnid order and are among the oldest arachnid records known from the Iberian Peninsula. They also represent the first evidence of arachnids from the Villablino and El Bierzo basins. One fossil consists of an almost complete individual including the prosoma, opisthosoma, legs and pedipalps but its preservation in ventral view makes unequivocal identification difficult. Comparison with other material favours its assignment to Aphantomartus sp. (Aphantomartidae). The second specimen consists of a prosoma and opisthosoma preserved in dorsal view and is assigned to Aphantomartus areolatus. These two arachnids were preserved alongside several plant remains referable to ferns (Polymorphopteris polymorpha, Polymorphopteris integra, Nemejcopteris feminaeformis and Oligocarpia leptophylla), seed-ferns (Neuropteris ovata) and lycophytes (Cyperites bicarinatus). The abundance and diversity of co-occurring plant remains are consistent with the other known Spanish Aphantomartus record, which is also preserved in association with several plant fossils. Based on the new occurrences, we infer that Aphantomartus favoured humid, broad-leafed, evergreen forest habitats that provided a diverse array of food and shelter.

A new roachoid species, Necymylacris sinica n. sp., is described from the lower Permian (Asselian, Cisuralian) Shanxi Formation in the Qinshui Basin, North China, based on a partially preserved forewing. This discovery represents the second record of the family Necymylacridae in China and the first from the Shanxi Formation in the Qinshui Basin. The holotype was found co-preserved with a low-diversity assemblage of 14 plant taxa (among 263 fossil-plant specimens), dominated by cordaitalean leaves (Cordaites principalis and Cordaites sp.) and pteridophytes (morphogenera Pecopteris spp.), with lesser proportions of sphenophytes, lycophytes, and seed ferns. The fossil flora and regional geological data suggest a warm, humid, low-diversity forest ecosystem in non-seasonal climates of palaeotropical Cathaysia. Evidence of plant-insect interactions, such as margin feeding, hole feeding, piercing and sucking, galling, oviposition, and seed predation, reveals that a diverse array of herbivorous insects with varying feeding strategies inhabited the Permian palaeoforest of the Qinshui Basin. These findings provide new information about the ecological complexity of early Permian palaeotropical forests during the peak of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age and new insights into the palaeoecology and biodiversity of Cathaysia during this period. The study underscores the importance of historical collections, such as those at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, in advancing our understanding of ancient ecosystems. Taxonomically, Stephanotermopsis rodendorfi Laurentiaux, 1966 is transferred into the family Necymylacridae.

• Background and Aims. Rich Triassic–Jurassic plant assemblages from Skåne, southern Sweden, have been documented extensively over the past two centuries. However, no macrofloras from the lowermost part of the Helsingborg Member (Lower Jurassic) have been forthcoming and thus the age of the successions has not been well constrained. Here we systematically describe and assess the palaeoecology and age of a newly discovered flora from the Boserup beds at Norra Albert Quarry, Skåne.

• Methods. Plant macrofossils were examined using macrophotography, fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Palynological analysis of the strata hosting the macroflora contributed to the palaeoenvironmental interpretations and refined the age of the deposits.

• Results. The low-diversity post-extinction recovery forests of the earliest Jurassic were dominated by ginkgoopsids, cheirolepid conifers and ferns, growing under seasonal mesothermal conditions. Dispersed charcoal indicates wildfires were present in the landscape at this time.

• Conclusions. Despite the poor preservation of the fossils, the Boserup beds flora provides a window into vegetation recovery in the immediate aftermath of the end-Triassic extinction event. Initial recovery is characterized by the presence of needle- and scale-leafed seed plants (notably czekanowskialeans and Brachyphyllum species that produced Classopollis pollen), along with a range of ground ferns.

A rich Albian–Cenomanian opalised plant fossil assemblage is described from the Griman Creek Formation at Lightning Ridge in the Surat Basin, northern New South Wales, Australia. The fossils are preserved predominantly as opal casts that retain few anatomical or micromorphological epidermal details. For this reason, most fossils are difficult to assign with higher taxonomic resolution than to plant families. Nevertheless, the assemblage appears to be dominated by scale-leafed cupressacean foliage and cones, with lesser proportions of araucariacean, podocarp and possibly cheirolepidacean conifers that likely constituted the middle and upper storeys of the palaeovegetation. Understorey ferns and sphenopsids are sparse. Angiosperms are notably absent but unusual pyramidal seeds may indicate the presence of the Bennettitales-Erdtmannithecales-Gnetales group in the palaeoflora. The plant fossils are co-preserved with a broad range of terrestrial and aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate remains that collectively attest to a coastal plain setting fringing the Surat Basin embayment of the epeiric ‘Eromanga Sea’, which flooded the epicratonic Great Artesian Basin complex during the Early Cretaceous. Several plant groups are shared with broadly coeval fossil floras from eastern Australia and New Zealand reflecting a fairly typical mid-Cretaceous middle- to high-latitude austral flora, but the Lightning Ridge assemblage notably lacks delicate and broad-leafed taxa, possibly owing to preservational and sampling biases. We highlight opportunities for the study of opalised plant fossils from various other assemblages in eastern Australia and note that analysis of future collections of carefully extracted specimens from the Lightning Ridge deposits offer the potential to yield micromorphological details.

Thore Gustaf Gustafsson Halle (September 25, 1884 – May 12, 1964; also often translated as Halle) was a renowned Swedish paleobotanist active in the international paleobotanical community during the first half of the 20th century. After completing his undergraduate studies at Uppsala University, he participated as a geologist and paleontologist in the 1907–1909 expedition led by Carl Skottsberg, which explored the Falkland Islands (also known as the Malvinas Islands), Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. From October 1907 to February 1908, Halle spent nearly four months in the Falkland Islands, mapping its geology and topography, and collecting and recording Devonian, Permian, and Quaternary fossil plants. In 1911, under the guidance of Professor Arvid-Gustaf Högbom at Uppsala University, he completed his doctoral dissertation based on this research, earning his doctorate.

The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Sweden, and the 99th anniversary of the first announcement of ‘Peking Man’. At this historical juncture, the editorial board of Evolution of Life has organized aspecial issue on “China-Sweden Scientific Cooperation” to review the remarkable achievements of early 20th-century collaborations between the two nations and to highlight the enduring impact of this legacy on contemporary research.

The upper Permian Newcastle Coal Measures (NCM) host world-class coal resources in coastal New South Wales,Australia. They formed close to the foredeep axis of a developing retroarc foreland basin associated with theHunter-Bowen contractional event. In addition to the typical coal-bearing lithological suite of mudrocks, heteroliths, sandstones, and coals (with several beds of volcanic ash), the NCM preserve numerous, linear bodies of conglomerate up to 100 m thick and 20 km wide that are anomalous in the context of paralic coal-bearing successions worldwide. Four facies associations are recognized: A) linear bodies of conglomerate, gravelly sandstone and sandstone, interpreted as the deposits of major coastal plain channels, B) interbedded mudrocks and sandstones, interpreted as the product of coastal plain floodplains and floodbasins, C) coals and coaly mudrocks, interpreted as the product of coastal plain mires, and D) massive and bedded tuffs, interpreted as the product of pyroclastic falls and flows from nearby stratovolcanoes. Despite having formed on a coastal plain during a time of known sea-level changes, no depositional sequences can be recognized in the NCM, due to highrates of accommodation and sediment supply. The repeated co-occurrence of southward-trending major channel belts across the Newcastle coalfield is attributed to the area being located in the axial foredeep of the basin. A new palaeogeographic reconstruction is proposed in which the northern Sydney Basin, in the late Permian, extended further northwards across what is now the southern New England Orogen, and the north-south elongate basin was drained by continental scale, basin-axial river systems that carried significant volumes ofgravel.

The Veramin meteorite, believed to have fallen in 1880, near Varamin, Tehran province, Iran (then Persia), is one of few witnessed falls of a mesosiderite, a rare type of stony-iron meteorite. In this review, it is described that historical records show inconsistencies regarding the fall, and consequently, the naming of the meteorite. The earliest printed account, by Ferdinand Dietzsch in 1881, reported that the meteorite fell near the village “Karand” east of Tehran, with a thunder-like sound. The Shah had ordered an examination of it. Later, meteoricist Aristides Brezina named it "Veramin". Further historical accounts include descriptions by Iranian official Mohammad Hassan Khan Sani’ od-Dowlah and the explorer Sven Hedin. A key document is a Persian text on a cardboard, preserved with the main meteorite mass in Tehran’s Golestan Palace. Members of the nomadic Shahsevan-e Baghdadi tribal confederacy, who had winter settlements west of Tehran, are reported as eyewitnesses. The geologist Henry A. Ward provided a detailed description in 1901, confirming the meteorite's composition and securing a larger mass for analysis and distribution to museums. The exact location and date of the fall remain uncertain due to imprecise and conflicting sources. The most likely impact field is the Booghin-Eshtehard area west of Tehran, with the event happening sometime in the period February to April 1880. The original mentioning of “Karand” is a confusion with Zarand(ieh), 70 km to the west of Varamin.

Ore-distal hydrothermal alteration zones are commonly suggested as a source of metals to ore-forming fluids. The Bergslagen ore district, Sweden exhibits extensive ore-proximal and ore-distal alterations and has been used as a typical locality for establishing the hydrothermal leaching model for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits. The ore-distal alteration in the region has been reported as depleted in ore-forming metals but robust mass change evaluations are lacking. Defining least-altered reference compositions is a major hurdle in Bergslagen due to compositional variation in the stratigraphy, extensive alteration, and high-grade metamorphic overprint. This study presents mass balance calculations for Na- and Mg-altered rocks in the Hällefors area using a set of systematically defined least-altered samples. Results show systematic mobility of light rare earth elements (LREE, here La-Eu; e.g., 80% of the Ce is mobilised during alteration which equates to 60 µg/g Ce), but no mobility of base metals. Precursor rock compositions have conspicuously low base metal concentrations (median: Zn 10 µg/g, Pb 2.5 µg/g; n = 13) compared to other volcanic centres in Bergslagen. Major base metal deposits occur in areas where least-altered volcanic rocks have higher base metal concentrations (e.g., Garpenberg; median: Zn 31.50 µg/g; Pb 11.75 µg/g; n = 10). The REE contents in least-altered rocks are relatively elevated in areas that host REE mineralisation such as the Riddarhyttan area. The results indicate that regional differences in metal fertility of the volcanic host succession may be a primary control on the metal enrichments, including REEs, occurring in the ore deposits throughout Bergslagen.