Egg preservation in an Eocene stingray (Myliobatiformes, Dasyatidae) from Italy

Known since the 16th century, Pesciara di Bolca in Italy represents one of the most intensively sampled Eocene marine localities, providing an unparalleled window on the early evolution of modern marine faunas (Friedman and Carnevale, 2018). Although the long-term collecting efforts have resulted in the identification of more than 80 vertebrate families, the complex alpha taxonomy of chondrichthyans, mostly represented by exquisitely preserved individuals, has received attention only in the last few years (Fanti et al., 2016; Marramà et al., 2017, 2018a, 2018b, 2018c, 2018d). Restoration of damage caused by an earthquake brought the historical Bolca collection of the Museo Geologico Giovanni Capellini (Bologna, Italy) under close reexamination. Among others, a complete whiptail stingray of the myliobatiform family Dasyatidae, Tethytrygon muricatus, was restored and examined in detail. The use of ultraviolet (UV) light unveiled details of the shape and size of the fins, individual skeletal cartilages, and soft tissues. The individual is interpreted as a sexually mature female based on the absence of claspers and presence of the uterus bearing four eggs. This is the first report of preserved fossilized eggs for stingrays, and in general of eggs in situ in a fossil batoid. Shape, microscopic structure, and relative size of the eggs compared with the overall body size of the specimen indicate an early stage of development of the eggs but also provide a remarkable opportunity to compare fossil and extant representatives of this clade and to further discuss the postulated Eocene ‘nursery’ habitat for the Bolca locality. This fossil demonstrates that a modern reproductive strategy had already been acquired in the early Cenozoic at a body size similar to that of sexually mature extant stingrays.

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PID https://www.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7969754
PID https://www.doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2019.1578967
PID pmc:PMC6817316
PID https://www.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7969754.v1
URL http://hdl.handle.net/2318/1758451
URL https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02724634.2019.1578967?needAccess=true
URL http://hdl.handle.net/11585/686189
URL http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6817316
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2019.1578967
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7969754.v1
URL https://academic.microsoft.com/#/detail/2937030516
URL http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7969754
URL https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2019.1578967
URL https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02724634.2019.1578967
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Access Right Open Access
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Author Fanti, Federico, 0000-0002-2961-8301
Author Mazzuferi, Gabriele
Author Marramà, Giuseppe, 0000-0002-7856-5605
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Collected From PubMed Central; ORCID; Datacite; UnpayWall; figshare; Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna; Archivio Istituzionale; Crossref; Microsoft Academic Graph
Hosted By Europe PubMed Central; figshare; Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna; Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology; Archivio Istituzionale
Publication Date 2019-04-09
Publisher Taylor & Francis
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Country Italy
Format ELETTRONICO
Language UNKNOWN
Resource Type Other literature type; Article
keyword Paleontology, ray, Bolca, Eocene
keyword FOS: Physical sciences
keyword FOS: Sociology
keyword FOS: Biological sciences
keyword FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
system:type publication
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Source https://science-innovation-policy.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=dedup_wf_001::f0d0cf0b1b2c61990b3c36b5c9d2b543
Author jsonws_user
Last Updated 21 December 2020, 18:18 (CET)
Created 21 December 2020, 18:18 (CET)