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Cranial endocast anatomy has been documented for most major lineages of mammals, revealing phylogenetic signal in the nervous system. There has been little consideration, however, of intraspecific variation in cranial endocast anatomy. This deficiency is addressed by T.E. Macrini in a newly published study of cranial endocasts of the oreodont Bathygenys reevesi, a small hoofed mammal known from the Eocene of Texas. Learn more about his findings by reading this new DigiMorph account.
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| Dibrachichthys melanurus, Shallow-water Anglerfish | 28 Sep 2009 |  |
| Dibrachichthys melanurus is a new genus and species of shallow-water anglerfish recently described by Theodore Pietsch and coauthors. It is know from near-shore coastal waters of Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and the Aru Islands, southeastern Indonesia. It differs from its sister species, Tetrabrachium ocellatum (also new on DigiMorph) in having the pectoral fin entire rather than divided into two disctinct sections. Learn more about these interesting creatures by reading the new DigiMorph accounts.
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| And now, for something a little bit different... | 01 Sep 2009 |  |
| In honor of Back to School, DigiMorph presents an antiphonal, or collection of devotional compositions, that was printed in 1584 in Mexico by Pedro Ocharte. This priceless volume was CT scanned while inside its protective case, then digitally 'cracked open' to reveal the pages inside. Because the ink used during this time period contains iron, the letters on the pages are visible in the CT imagery. Learn more about this unusual addition to DigiMorph by reading the new account by Dr. Ellen Cunningham-Krupta of The University of Texas.
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| Theropod Dinosaur, Incisivosaurus gauthieri | 15 Jul 2009 |  |
| A new paper by Amy Balanoff and coauthors describes the holotype skull of the oviraptorosaur Incisivosaurus gauthieri, from Early Cretaceous rocks of northeastern China. Computed tomography revealed, among other things, the presence of a replacement tooth behind the large rodentiform incisor, demonstrating that Incisivosaurus' unique teeth were replaced in typical archosaurian fashion. Learn more by reading this new DigiMorph account.
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| Pelagosaurus typus, Fossil Crocodyliform | 16 Feb 2009 |  |
| Thalattosuchia is a specialised group of longirostrine, marine-adapted crocodiles known from the early Jurassic to the early Cretaceous. It comprises the near-shore Teleosauridae and pelagic Metriorhynchidae. The relationship of Pelagosaurus typus to these has long been a source of contention, but recent phylogenetic analyses suggest that Pelagosaurus is a teleosaurid. Learn more about this gharial-like creature by reading the new DigiMorph account by Dr. Stephanie Pierce of the Royal Veterinary College, London.
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| Anomalepidid Snakes, Liotyphlops and Typhlophis | 12 Jan 2009 |  |
| Anomalepidids potentially are the most 'primitive' extant snakes, yet little is known of their cranial anatomy. Their study is complicated by their very small size (this skull is just over 4 mm in length) and poor representation in collections. A newly published paper by Rieppel, Kley and Maisano provides a detailed description of the cranial anatomy of two anomalepidid species and draws comparisons with two other scolecophidians, Leptotyphlops and Typhlops.
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