Reassignment of Lioestheria codoensis cardoso (Spinicaudata - Anthronestheriidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil: systematics and paleoecology

GALLEGO, OSCAR FLORENCIO; MONFERRAN, MATEO DANIEL; ASTROP, TIMOTHY IAN; ZACARIAS, IRACEMA

REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PALEONTOLOGIA

SOC BRASILEIRA PALEONTOLOGIA

Lugar: Porto Alegre; Año: 2013 vol. 31 p. 47 - 60

1519-7530

Lioestheria codoensis Cardoso was described by Roberto N. Cardoso in 1962 from materials originally collected from the Codó Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Paranaíba Basin, Piauí State), northeastern Brazil. Since its discovery L. codoensis has been assigned to different genera by different authors [as Estheriina (Nudusia) and Cyzicus (Lioestheria)]. In this paper, previous systematic assignments are reviewed and discussed in light of new scanning electron microscopy studies of material collected by Eva B. Caldas in the 1990´s. As a result of this research, the species is assigned to a new genus of the Family Antronestheriidae, Martinsestheria codoensis Cardoso comb. nov. This study integrates palaeontological, biological and ecological approaches to provide a robust description of M. codoensis. Previous assignments to other genera (Estheriina, Lioestheria and Cyzicus) are also assessed and comparisons with other related genera of the Family Anthronestheriidae (Pseudestherites, Etmosestheria, Anthronestheria and Paleolepthestheria? chinensis) are made. Detailed stratigraphical (Codó, Santana, Itapecuru, Rio da Batateira and Missão Velha formations) and geographical (seven localities) records are compiled. Finally, the autecology and within-species morphological variation are also addressed.