text:
Servicios Personalizados
- Citado por SciELO
Links relacionados
- Similares en SciELO
versión On-line ISSN 1851-8044
Ameghiniana vol.47 no.4 Buenos Aires oct./dic. 2010
The oldest lower Upper Cretaceous plesiosaurs (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from southern Patagonia, Argentina
José Patricio O'Gorman1 and Augusto Nicolás Varela2
1División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET. Paseo del bosque s/n 1900 La Plata, Argentina. email@example.com
2Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata - CONICET, calle 1 Nº 644, 1900 La Plata, Argentina. email@example.com
Abstract. Plesiosaurs are recorded for the first time from the lower section of Mata Amarilla Formation, Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The stratigraphic succession consists of mudstones and siltstones interbedded with medium to finegrained sandstone, deposited in a littoral environment during the Cenomanian-Santonian; therefore the material is the oldest record of plesiosaurs from the lower Late Cretaceous rocks of Argentina. The remains include teeth, some vertebrae, and one propodium assigned to Elasmosauridae indet. and Plesiosauria indet. The status of Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893, as well as its stratigraphic position are discussed, leading to the conclusion that the material described by Ameghino is probably from the Mata Amarilla Formation and can only be referred to Plesiosauria indet. Analysis of sedimentologic features suggests that the material described here was deposited in an estuar-ine environment, strongly influenced by tides. The characters of the inferred environment are consistent with the type of preservation of the materials.
Resumen. Los plesiosaurios (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) más antiguos del Cretácico Superior bajo de la Patagonia austral, Argentina. Se dan a conocer los primeros registros claramente referibles a plesiosau-rios de la sección inferior de la Formación Mata Amarilla en la provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Los niveles portadores están compuestos por limolitas y arcillitas grises y negruzcas, que alternan con bancos de areniscas finas y medianas. Dichos niveles se depositaron en un ambiente litoral durante el intervalo Cenomaniano-Santoniano, siendo por tanto el registro más antiguo de plesiosaurios del Cretácico Superior de Argentina. Los restos hallados corresponden a dientes, vértebras y un propodio asignados a Elasmosauridae indet. y a Plesiosauria indet. Se discute el estatus de Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893 y su posición estratigráfica, concluyendo que el material descripto por Ameghino es sólo referible a Plesiosauria indet. y que proviene de la sección inferior de la Formación Mata Amarilla. El análisis sedimentológico indica que los materiales que se describen aquí fueron depositados en un ambiente estuarino con fuerte influencia mareal. Las características del ambiente de depositación de esta sección son consistentes con el estado de preservación de los materiales.
Key words. Plesiosaurs; Mata Amarilla Formation; Upper Cretaceous; Santa Cruz; Argentina.
Palabras clave. Plesiosaurios; Formación Mata Amarilla; Cretácico Superior; Santa Cruz; Argentina.
Plesiosaurs are a monophyletic group of reptile that exhibit extreme adaptation to marine life (Brown 1981; O'Keefe, 2001). Cretaceous elements of this clade have been previously recorded in Campanian-Maastrichtian rocks in Patagonia (Chubut and Río Negro and Mendoza (Gasparini and de la Fuente, 2000; Gas parini et al., 2007; Lazo and Cichowolski, 2003; Salgado et al., 2007).
The record of Cretaceous plesiosaurs in Santa Cruz is restricted to a set of teeth which were used by Ameghino (1893) to describe a new species, i.e., Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893. His material was collected near Lago Argentino in beds included in Ameghino's "formación Santacruceña" (Ameghino, 1893, p. 82) and subsequently included in the "Sehuenense" stage (Ameghino, 1906).
The "Sehuenense" stage of Ameghino (1906) has been synonymized with the Mata Amarilla Formation (Cione et al., 2007; Varela et al., 2008; Varela, 2009). This unit was deposited during the Cenomanian-Santonian (Poiré et al., 2007; Varela and Poiré, 2008; Varela et al., 2008), an age based on stratigraphic relations. Subsequent authors disagreed with Ameghino's taxonomic identification of the teeth as Polyptychodon patagonicus (Cabrera, 1941; Welles, 1962). In a summary of South American plesiosaurs, Gasparini and Goñi (1985) mentioned Polyptychodon patagonicus, but expressing serious doubts about its inclusion among plesiosaurs.
The present contribution is the first report of material from the Mata Amarilla Formation that can be clearly referable to plesiosaurs. It is also the first lower Late Cretaceous record in Argentina. The purpose of this paper is to describe this new plesiosaur material and characterize and interpret the sedimentary paleoenvironments in which the remains were preserved. The equivalence of the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation and the "Sehuenense", and the taxonomic status of Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893, are also discussed.
Geological setting
The Austral Basin, also known as Magallanes Basin, is located in the southwestern region of the South American plate and comprises an area of ap-proximately 230,000 km2, covering the southern end of the Argentinean and Chilean territories. The basin is elongated in a N-S direction. The eastern edge is parallel to the Chico River and runs into the Atlantic Ocean as the "Rio Chico Dorsal" or "Dungeness Arch". The western tectonic edge is the Patagonian-Fueguian Andes, and the southern boundary is the Scotia plate (figure 1).
Figure 1. Geographic location of the Austral Basin and study area / ubicación geográfica de la Cuenca Austral y el área de estudio.
The geological history of the Austral Basin is related to three main tectonic stages. The first is the rift stage, the second is the thermal subsidence stage or sag, and the third one corresponds to the foreland stage (Arbe, 1989, 2002; Biddle et al., 1986). The Mata Amarilla Formation was deposited during the foreland stage, more precisely during the second episode of deformation, which could be related to the closure of the marginal Rocas Verdes Basin (Biddle et al., 1986).
The "Mata Amarilla Strata" (Feruglio, in Fossa Mancini et al., 1938) or Mata Amarilla Formation (Bianchi, 1967; Leanza, 1972; Russo and Flores, 1972) corresponds to Ameghino's "Sehuenense" (1906) and is one of the most representative units of the Upper Cretaceous of the Austral Basin. The Mata Amarilla Formation is up to 350 m thick, consisting of siltstones, and grey and blackish mudstones, interbedded with thin whitish sandstones deposited in coastal and continental environments (Russo and Flores, 1972; Russo et al., 1980; Arbe, 1989, 2002; Poiré et al., 2004; Varela and Poiré, 2008). The type section is located South of the Shehuen or Chalía River, in the vicinity of the Estancia Mata Amarilla (Estancia La Soriana), 23 km east from the town of Tres Lagos. The Mata Amarilla Formation overlies the Piedra Clavada Formation; the contact between them is transitional. It underlies the La Anita Formation (Varela and Poiré, 2008) (figure 2). The unit can be divided into three sections: a lower littoral section, a middle continental one, and an upper section that ranges from littoral to continental depending on the location within the study area (Varela, 2009). This unit was deposited during the early Late Cretaceous and spans the Cenomanian-Santonian (Poiré et al., 2007; Varela and Poiré, 2008; Varela, 2009) (figure 2).
Figure 2. Chronostratigraphic setting of the Austral Basin modified from Poiré et al., 2006 and Varela et al., 2008b / esquema cronoestratigráfico de la Cuenca Austral modificado de Poiré et al., 2006 y Varela et al.,2008b.
The area where the plesiosaurs were discovered is located in the southwestern corner of Santa Cruz Province (Patagonia, Argentina), east of Lake Viedma and near the town of Tres Lagos and the "Parador La Leona" (figure 1). This study was carried out in the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation, at its type locality (MAT section) and at Estancia La Blanca (LB section) (figure 1). The section at Estancia Mata Amarilla is located near the margin of the basin, while the one at Estancia La Blanca is located in the central area (Varela and Poiré, 2008).
In addition to the described plesiosaurs, the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation also bears the bivalves Exogyra guaranitica (Ihering, 1899), Cor-bula sehuena Ihering, 1907 and the gastropod Potamides patagoniensis Ihering, 1897 (Ihering, 1907, Wilckens, 1907, Bonarelli and Nágera, 1921; Feruglio, 1936, 1938). The presence of one specimen of the Santonian ammonite Placenticeras sp. has been mentioned for this formation, specifically at the locality of Cerro Índice (Blasco et al., 1980). However, the exact stratigraphic position was not determined as this genus was never reported again in the studied area.
Lungfish, amphibians, aquatic turtles, and crocodilians have been also recorded in the Mata Amarilla Formation (Cione et al., 2007; Goin et al., 2002). The middle and upper sections of the Mata Amarilla Formation are dominated by distinct continental tetrapods such as the ornithischian Talenkauen santacrucensis Novas, Cambiaso, and Ambrosio, 2004, the saurischian theropod Orkoraptor burkei Novas, Ezcurra, and Leucona, 2008, and the sauropod Puertasaurus reuili Novas, Salgado, Calvo, and Agnolin, 2005 (Lacovara et al., 2004; Novas et al., 2004a, 2004b, 2005, 2008).
Angiosperms and a few algae have been recorded in this formation too (Arrondo, 1983). Recently, Iglesias et al. (2007) described an abundant and diverse taphoflora dominated by angiosperms deposited in two levels, corresponding to the lower and middle sections of the Mata Amarilla Formation.
Material and methods
The material described in this paper consists of isolated teeth and bones with evidence of transport.
Welles's indices were used in the description of the vertebral centra (Welles, 1952). This index first considers the vertebral length in millimeters (L), the ratio between height (H) and length (H/L) and finally, the ratio between breadth (B) and length (B/L). Measurements of the height and breadth are taken on the posterior articular face of the centrum. Both (B/L) and (B/L) are given as percentages. The three values are always given in the same order (L, H/L, B/L). For propodial elements, we used the breadth / length index (B:L index), which is equal to the ratio between the anteroposterior distal length, and the proximodistal length expressed as percentage (Welles, 1952). The teeth were analyzed at the SEM facility in La Plata Museum (Jeol JSM-6360LV low vacuum SEM).
Two vertical lithostratigraphic sections at a scale of 1:100 were logged (MAT and LB section, see figure 3), describing the sedimentary facies (lithology and sedimentary structure). Sedimentary units were defined by means of facies association analysis and lithosome arquitecture, in order to interpret the sedimentary palaeoenvironments. Special emphasis was given to the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation, where the plesiosaur remains described in this paper were collected.
Figure 3. Schematic sedimentolgical columns of sedimentary units (facies association and lithosome architecture) of the Mata Amarilla Formation. Location of the levels with plesiosaurs are indicated with black arrows / perfiles esquemáticos de las unidades sedimentarias (asociaciones de facies y arquitectura de los litosomas) de la Formación Mata Amarilla. La ubicación de los niveles con plesiosaurios se indica con flechas negras.
Institutional abbreviations. ANSP, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, USA; CM Zfr, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand; MACN, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; MLP, Museo de La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires Pro-vince, Argentina; MML, Museo Municipal de Lamarque, Río Negro Province, Argentina; MPEF, Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Chubut Province, Argentina; MPM, Museo Regional Provincial Padre Manuel Jesús Molina, Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
Systematic paleontology
Subclass Sauropterygia Owen, 1860
Order Plesiosauria Blainville, 1835
Material. MPM-PV 1871-2 (figure 4.1-2), one cervical vertebra; MPM-PV 1871-1-1, 54 teeth; MPM-PV 1871-1-2, one tooth; MPM-PV 1871-1-3 (figure 5), one tooth; MPM-PV 1870-2 (figure 4.3), one cervical vertebra; MPM-PV 1870-3 (figure 4.7-9), one pectoral vertebra; MPM-PV 1869-1 (figure 4.4-6), one anterior dorsal vertebra; MPM-PV 1869-2, one fragment of dorsal? vertebra; MPM-PV 1870-1(figure 4.10-12), one propodium.
Locality and horizon. All specimens are from the Mata Amarilla Formation (Cenomanian-Santonian), southwestern Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina. Localities of collections are as follows: type locality of the Mata Amarilla Formation (MAT section): MPM-PV 1869-1 (figure 4.4-6) and MPM-PV 1869-2; Estancia La Blanca, East of Lake Viedma, near the town of Tres Lagos and the "Parador La Leona"(LB section) Level 1: MPM-PV 1870-2 (figure 4.3), MPM-PV 1870-3 (figure 4.7-9), and MPM-PV 1870-1 (figure 4.10-12); Level 2: MPM-PV 1871-1-1; MPM-PV 1871-1-2; MPM-PV 1871-1-3, and MPM-PV 1871-2 (figure 4.1-2).
Figure 4. 1-12, Plesiosaur vertebrae and propodium from the Mata Amarilla Formation, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina / vértebras y propodio de plesiosaurios provenientes de la Formación Mata Amarilla, Santa Cruz, Argentina. 1-2, (MPM-PV 1871-2). 1, cervical vertebra in dorsal view, 2, posterior view / 1, vértebra cervical en vista dorsal y, 2, vista posterior; 3 (MPM-PV 1870-2) cervical vertebra in ventral view / vértebra cervical en vista ventral. 4-6 (MPM-PV 1869-1). Anterior dorsal vertebra in dorsal (4) right lateral (5) and ventral (6) views / vértebra dorsal anterior en vista dorsal (4) lateral derecha (5) y posterior (6) .7-9 (MPM-PV 1870-3). Pectoral vertebra in dorsal (7), lateral (8), and anterior (9) views / vértebra pectoral en vista dorsal (7), lateral (8) y anterior (9). 10-12 (MPM-PV1870-1). Propodium in dorsal (10), ventral (12) views, and in cross section (11) / propodio en vista dorsal (10), ventral (12) y en sección transversal (11).
Figure 5. MPM-PV 1871-1-3. Plesiosauria indet. tooth in axial view / diente de Plesiosauria indet. en vista axial. Scale bar 2 mm / escala 2 mm
Family Elasmosauridae Cope, 1869 Elasmosauridae indet.
MPM-PV 1871-2 is a cervical vertebra with no neural arch or ribs (figure 4.1-2). The proportions of the vertebral body are 16, 106:150; hence, it is higher than long and wider than high. One foramen at the base of the neural channel connects to a large cavity inside the body. The body is 9 mm long, 8 mm high, and more than 14 mm wide. The facets of articulation for the neural arch are depressed and extend anteroposteriorly (figure 4.1). The articular face is slightly depressed with a slight dumbbell-shape as the ventral notch is not very pronounced (figure 4.2). A small foramen is observed ventrally. The body is damaged, and it seems likely that originally there may have been two foramina.
This vertebral body shows juvenile features, such as small size and lack of fusion between the neural arch and ribs to the body. The dumbbell-shaped face is considered as a synapomorphy of Elasmosauridae (Tarlo, 1960; Sato and Storrs, 2000). Although proportions of MPM-PV 1871-2 are not the typical of elasmosaurids, the difference could be due to the position along the neck or more probably to ontogenetic changes as already recorded in plesiosaurs (O'Keefe, 2006).
Plesiosauria indet.
MPM-PV 1871-1-1, 54 teeth; MPM-PV 1871-1-2, one tooth; MPM-PV 1871-1-3 (figure 5), one tooth. These isolated teeth are mostly incomplete because their roots are broken, and some lack the apex of the crown. In some cases, only crown fragments were collected. Ornamentation is clearly visible in some, but quite unclear in others. Teeth height range is 10-25 mm, whereas the diameter at the boundary between the crown and the root measures 3-10 mm.
Teeth are curved and thus present a concave (lingual) and a convex (labial) face. Their surface is covered by striae (about 20 per tooth). The striation is more pronounced on the lingual side, softer and shorter on the labial side (figure 5), or almost absent in some teeth. The striation arises at the base of the crown or more distally. In some cases, two striae converge near the boundary between the crown and the root.
Descriptions and illustrations of Cretaceous plesiosaur teeth from Patagonia are scarce. In the polycotylid Sulcusuchus erraini Gasparini and Spalletti, 1990, (MPEF: 650) from the La Colonia Formation, late Campanian-early Maastrichtian, Chubut Province (Gasparini and de la Fuente, 2000), teeth are acuminate, curved and with striae. One anterior tooth shows abrasion and lacks striation on the labial surface. These characteristics are compatible with the morphology of the material from Estancia La Blanca, from the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation. Isolated plesiosaur teeth were also recorded in the Loncoche Formation from CalmuCo, Mendoza Province, and assigned to the late Campanian-early Maastrichtian (Previtera and González Riga, 2008). These teeth and those collected at Estancia La Blanca share the shape and the presence of striae. In a tooth from CalmuCo, the striation is absent on the labial side as in the teeth of Estancia La Blanca. It appears that tooth morphology found in specimens from Estancia La Blanca is common among plesiosaurs and has been previously recorded in Argentina.
Tooth features have been used in Plesiosauria systematics (Bardet et al., 1999; O'Keefe, 2001; Smith, 2003). The most commonly used features are the shape, the presence of flat faces, and the pattern of ornamentation. Teeth can be gracile with long roots, robust with short roots, or small and needle-like (Brown, 1981). Flat faces are present in some pliosaurs from the Upper Jurassic, in which teeth cross-section is subtriangular (Tarlo, 1960). Observed striation patterns are basically three: no striation, only lingual striation, or striae around the entire pe-riphery (Tarlo, 1960). Teeth from Estancia La Blanca are gracile, with circular cross-sections and lingual striation (labial striation reduced or absent). No species with the latter characters (gracile, cylindrical, labial striation) were present in the data matrix used by O' Keefe (2001) for phylogenetic analysis of the clade Plesiosauria. Phylogenetic analyses by Smith (2003) show that only Terminonatator ponteixensis (Sato, 2003) has the same three states observed in the material from Santa Cruz. However, it is necessary to emphasize that there are many missing data in the matrix used, especially those related to striae arrangement. General shape is similar to that observed in Plesiosauroidea, but it has been observed in Polycotylidae too. Thus, because Polycotylidae has a changing position in plesiosaur phylogeny (O'Keefe, 2001; Druckenmiller, 2006) and because of the absence of characters defining or justifying familial or generic assignation, the dental material from Estancia La Blanca (MPM-PV 1871-1-1; MPM-PV 1871-1-2; MPM-PV 1871-1-3) must be referred to Plesiosauria indet.
MPM-PV 1870-2, one incomplete cervical vertebral body (figure 4.3). The proportions of the body are 40, 113:150; therefore, it is higher than long and wider than high. Ventral surface is slightly concave and has two vascular foramina separated by a rounded ridge. There are traces of single-headed fused ribs in the ventrolateral area of the body.
Vertebral body is longer than those observed in polycotylids and pliosaurids, and lacks the prominent ring around the articular face observed in polycotylids (Tarlo, 1960; Sato and Storrs, 2000). On the other hand, proportions are not those of typical elasmosaurid cervical bodies, which tend to be longer than high. The latter character has been used as a synapomorphy of the family Elasmosauridae (Persson, 1963; Bardet et al., 1999). However, when plotting the values of neck length, height, and width in two Elasmosauridae, it is obvious that the last cervical vertebrae are shorter than those located in the anterior region and midlength of neck. Graphs (figure 6) show measurements of the cervical centra in Elasmosaurus platyurus Cope, 1869, a typical elasmosaurid with strong elongation of the cervical vertebrae (figure 6.1), and Mauisaurus haasti Hector, 1874, a more generalized elasmosaur in relation to the vertebral elongation (figure 6.2). In both cases, the posterior cervical centra are higher than long. Moreover, the articular surface, which is very damaged, seems to be nearly flat -an elasmosaur feature (Bardet et al., 1999). It is possible that vertebra MPM-PV 1870-2 may belong to an elasmosaur, but poor preservation prevents definite confirmation. Thus, we prefer to refer this vertebra to Plesiosauria indet.
Figure 6. 1-2. Graphic length (L, ), height (H, ), and breadth (B, ) of the cervical vertebrae of two Upper Cretaceous elasmosaurs / gráfico de los valores del largo (L, ), alto (H, ) y ancho (B, ) de las vértebras cervicales de dos elasmosaurios del Cretácico Superior. 1, Elasmosaurus platyurus Cope, 1869. A.N.S.P. nº 10081 (data taken from Welles, 1952, p. 55); and 2, Mauisaurus haasti Hector, 1874. CM Zfr 115 (Data taken from O'Keefe, 2006, p. 228) / 1, Elasmosaurus platyurus Cope, 1869. A.N.S.P. nº 10081 (Datos tomados de Welles, 1952, p. 55) y 2, Mauisaurus haasti Hector, 1874 . CM Zfr 115 (Datos tomados de O'Keefe, 2006, p. 228).
MPM-PV 1870-3 (figure 4.7-9), one pectoral vertebral body without ribs or fused neural arches. Proportions of the vertebral body are 76, 118:161. The base of the neural canal becomes wider toward the rear end. On both sides, areas of articulation of the neural arch are depressed and confluent with the parapophysis so there is no clear boundary between the parapophysis and the areas of articulation of the neural arch (figure 4.8). This parapophysis occupies much of the sides of the vertebral body, being slightly depressed at the central zone and convex at the periphery. The two zones -the parapophysis and the zone of articulation of the neural arch- are crossed by foramina. The anterior margin of the parapophysis coincides with the anterior edge of the lateral surface of the vertebral body. The posterior margin of the parapophysis does not contact the posterior border of the lateral surface of the vertebral body (figure 4.8). The anterior articular face is subelliptic and has three dorsal concavities: one corresponding to the neural canal, and two corresponding to lateral areas produced by the articular zones of the neural arch (figure 4.9). The posterior articular face of the vertebral body is subelliptic with a slight dorsal concavity corresponding to the neural canal. Both articular faces are slightly depressed. There are at least two ventral foramina.
MPM-PV 1869-1 (figure 4.4-6), one dorsal vertebral body with a nonfused neural arch. Proportions of the centrum are 32, 122:153, rendering it wider than high and higher than long. Two foramina present at the base of the neural canal. The articulation surface of the neural arch is a unique depression that extends up to the dorsal part of the lateral surface of the vertebral body. There is a small "lump" on the lateral surface which is slightly elongated in an anteroventral direction (figure 4.5). Articular faces of the centrum are elliptical and slightly depressed, with a small prominence in the central zone. Ventral surface of the body rounded, with one small central and two lateral foramina.
MPM-PV 1869-2, fragment of dorsal(?) vertebra, corresponding to the articular face. It measures 38 mm high and 42 mm wide. Therefore, the articular face is subcircular and presents a marked central depression.
The dorsal vertebral bodies (MPM-PV 1869-1 and MPM-PV 1869-2) are amphiplatyan (MPM.-PV 1869-1) to slightly amphicoelic (MPM-PV 1869-2), showing the typical morphology of Plesiosauria. A neural arch not fused to the vertebral body in MPM-PV 1869-1 can be interpreted as indicator of a juvenile or sub-adult ontogenetic stage (Brown, 1981).
MPM-PV 1870-1(figure 4.10-12), one propodium of a juvenile specimen. As the humerus and femur are often similar in plesiosaurs, the assignment of the propodium is difficult. This difficulty becomes more problematic in juveniles, where these two bones are more closely similar than in adults (Brown, 1981). The propodium is robust with proximal and distal expansions. Measurements: 158 mm long, 91 mm distal expansion; B:L index: 57. For orientation of the propodium it was assumed that the most important muscular scar is the ventral scar, which is displaced toward the posterior margin (figure 4.12). On the dorsal surface of the propodium there is another muscular scar which is smaller and located in a more central position (figure 4.10), as well as a third elon-gated muscular scar at the distal half of the posterior margin.
The capitulum is elliptical in proximal view, with the major axis anteroposteriorly oriented, and surrounded by a slight ridge. The entire surface of the capitulum is pierced by foramina which indicate the presence of transphyseal canals, and therefore a vascularized cartilaginous cap. Although there is no well developed trochanter or tuberosity, the dorsal surface has a slightly marked projection, which could be an incipient trochanter/tuberosity. The distal end is rounded and devoid of articular facets. The material was found broken across the middle of the shaft, exposing a dense and compact cortex, a well defined medulla, and canals that connect the medulla with the outer surface (figure 4.11).
A juvenile ontogenetic stage is inferred on the basis of the following features: the robustness, the lack of differentiation between capitulum and tuberosity or trochanter, and the absence of articular facets at the distal end. Furthermore, the internal structure of the bones, particularly of the propodium, has been suggested as a possible indicator of ontogenetic stage. Compact and well-defined cortex surrounding the medulla has been recorded in juvenile individuals. The cortex has a cancellous structure in adults, so the boundary between medulla and cortex is diffuse (Wiffen et al., 1995; Wahl, 2006). The material described herein displays the typical structure observed in juveniles. This is congruent with the other morphological features mentioned above.
Foramina in the capitulum indicate the presence of transphyseal canals which suggest a vascularized cap. These canals have been found in fast growing species that reach large sizes (Rhodin, 1985). They have been observed in the turtle Dermochelys coriacea and interpreted as related to its large size. Vascularization of the epiphyses has not been observed in smaller turtles (Rhodin, 1985).
Propodium morphology (MPM-PV 1870-1) closely resembles that of MML Pv 5, an indeterminate Plesiosauria found in the Jagüel Formation (late Maastrichtian) in Salinas de Trapalcó, Río Negro Province (Gasparini et al., 2003a, 2007). MML Pv 5 and MPM-PV 1870-1 from Estancia La Blanca share the robustness of the humerus and femur, the lack of differentiation between capitulum and tuberosity or trochanter, and the absence of articular facets at the distal end. All these characters have been associated with juvenile stages (Brown, 1981; Wahl, 2006); therefore, their taxonomic value is doubtful. However, a propodium with similar features found in Río Negro (MML-Pv 193) indicates that larger individuals (and therefore, probably older) retain part of the mentioned features (Gasparini et al., 2007). Propodia of similar characteristics have been collected in the Maastrichtian of Central Chile ever since the 19th century (Gay, 1848, pl. 2) and assigned to Plesiosaurus chilensis Gay (1848), afterwards named Pliosaurus chilensis (Gay, 1848) by Deecke, 1986. However, the latter has been considered a nomen vanum by subsequent authors and probably requires revision (Welles, 1962).
Comments on Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893
Polyptychodon patagonicus was described by Ameghino in 1893. The type material of Polyptychodon patagonicus consists of a group of teeth -described but never illustrated- coming from what Ameghino called and understood as "formación Santacruceña" in 1893. Ever since the 19th century there have been different opinions about the age and correct assignment of this material. The discovery of plesiosaur vertebrae and teeth in the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation leads to the analysis of the history of Florentino Ameghino's ideas on the age of the layers bearing the remains, and how this influenced the assignation of the materials to other reptile taxa.
Ameghino made the following description of the original materials of Polyptychodon patagonicus: [The teeth of Polyptychodon patagonicus are open at theirbase, conicalcylindrical in shape, with sharp-pointed apex, and strongly curved. The outer surface is covered by pronounced longitudinal ridges of enamel, separated by deep furrows; the ridges start at the base, all of them at the same level, ending at different distances from the apex, nearly in the same way as in Polyptychodon interruptus, Ow. I do not know any complete tooth. The largest tooth, which almost lacks the entire base occupied by the pulp cavity, is nearly 3 cm high; and at the broken part at the base, it measures one centimeter in diameter approximately] (Ameghino, 1893, p. 82; translated from Spanish).
However, subsequent authors considered Ameghino's identification (1893) with doubts, probably because of two reasons. First, plesiosaur teeth have been often confused with crocodile or fish teeth, because of their similar morphological characteristics. Second, the association of Polyptychodon patagonicus teeth with Cenozoic mammalian teeth in the same for-mation was assumed. For this reason Cabrera (1941) stated that if the teeth of Polyptychodon patagonicus were contemporaneous with mammalian remains, then they should be assigned to crocodilians. Welles (1962) followed the same line of thought and mentioned Cabrera (1941), claiming that the teeth could belong to crocodilians. Finally, in a summary of South American plesiosaurs, Gasparini and Goñi (1985) mentioned Polyptychodon patagonicus as a plesiosaur, but with serious doubts about its assignation.
Unfortunately, the original material described by Ameghino in 1893 is not available for study. Although there is a record of two teeth of Polyptychodon patagonicus from the "Sub-Patagoniano" of Lago Argentino in the MACN, this material (catalogued as MACN-A 5809) could not be located in the collection.
Concerning the stratigraphic and geographic provenance of his material, Ameghino (1893, p. 76) wrote: [The formation that I have named Santacruceña, covers most of the Austral Patagonian region that is crossed by the Santa Cruz, Sehuen, and Gallegos Rivers] (Ameghino, 1893, p. 76; translated from Spanish). It is clearly evident that the "formación Santacruceña" named by Ameghino, is equivalent only in part to what is nowadays known as the Santa Cruz Formation, as the Santa Cruz Formation is not exposed along the Shehuen or Chalia River (Sehuen River of Ameghino). Contrarily, the Mata Amarilla Formation is the unit exposed along the mentioned river (Feruglio, in Fossa Mancini et al., 1938; Arbe, 1989, 2002; Varela and Poiré, 2008). For this reason it is evident why Ameghino included the Mata Amarilla Formation in his "formación Santacruceña" (Cione et al., 2007). Ameghino's opinion is quite understandable taking into account the lithological similarity of the Mata Amarilla and the Santa Cruz formations.
In relation to the age, Ameghino (1893, p. 76) assigned his "formación Santacruceña" to the "Eoceno inferior (Paleoceno)". Due to the problematic associa-tion of primates and other Cenozoic mammals with Cretaceous taxa in the "formación Santacruceña", Ameghino wrote in the final discussion: [This fact (referring to the identifications carried out in the paper and the associated Cretaceous age) is meaningful and enough to decidedly tilt the scales in favor of those who believe that the "formación Santacruceña" is even older than the "lower Eocene", as I considered it from the beginning. It is possible that it becomes necessary to refer the lower part of it to the larámico or upper Cretaceous] (Ameghino, 1893, p. 84; translated from Spanish).
So what seemed to be an association between Polyptychodon patagonicus and mammalian teeth was just a lithostratigraphic misunderstanding of Ameghino, who rectified himself in 1906. It is important to emphasize that the original purpose of the 1893 paper was not to solve the stratigraphical problem, but to add new descriptions of the material sent by his brother, Carlos Ameghino. However, since 1893 Ameghino supposed that his "formación Santacruceña" included units of different age.
In his work published in 1906, Ameghino separated the outcrops at Río Shehuen initially belonging to the "formación Santacruceña", and named them "Sehuenense stage". Ever since then Polyptychodon patagonicus was listed together with taxa from the "Sehuenense stage" instead of being included with those from the "formación Santacruceña", thus solving the stratigraphic problem. Hence, it can be assumed that there is no real association between Polyptychodon patagonicus and Cenozoic taxa.
It is necessary to point out that different authors refer to the "Sehuenense" in different ways. Ameghino (1906) used "Sehuenense", while Cabrera (1941) used "Sehuense", and Arbe (1989, 2002) "Shehuenense". We use the first spelling in this contribution because we refer to Ameghino's original concept (1906).
Under the light of the discussion above, and with the new record showing the existence of abundant dental material from the Mata Amarilla Formation assignable to Plesiosauria, there appears to be strong evidence that Ameghino was the first to publish material referred to Plesiosauria from lower Late Cretaceous rocks in Santa Cruz.
Since the original material is not available, the relation between the teeth referred to Polyptychodon patagonicus and the new records described here can only be discussed based on Ameghino's description and the diagnosis of the genus Polyptychodon Owen, 1841
Tooth morphology described by Ameghino (1893) is common in plesiosaurs: conical, slightly curved teeth, with marked striae. Polyptychodon teeth illustrated by Owen in 1841 seem to bear striae on the entire outer surface
The fact that Ameghino never mentioned any difference between his material and the teeth illustrated by Owen could indicate that his material had the same features shown by Polyptychodon. Therefore, the presence of striae on the entire outer surface is a difference between the original material of Polyptychodon patagonicus and the materials described in this paper, which have reduced or even absent lingual striation.
The reasons stated by other authors (Cabrera, 1941; Welles, 1962) to reject the identification of the teeth made by Ameghino are thus not valid. The assignment of Ameghinos's material to Polyptychodon, a pliosaur from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Campanian?) in England, Germany, Czech Republic, and USA (Welles and Slaughter, 1963, Bardet and Godefroint, 1995) is not valid because no characters support this assignation. Hence, Polyptychodon patagonicus is a nomen vanum and the type material, as well as the teeth described in this paper, must be referred to Plesiosauria indet.
Paleoenvironment interpretation
The lower section of the Mata Amarilla is well exposed in LB section, where the plesiosaur remains were found in white sandstone facies with herring-bone cross-stratification, showing changes in the direction of palaeocurrents; according to Boyd et al. (2006) this is interpreted as produced by tidal action. So, following the criteria of Boyd et al. (2006), these facies were interpreted as subtidal bars characterizing the shallowest part of estuaries. Finally, this lower section ends with a prograding bayhead delta.
In the MAT section, the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation exposes only five meters (figure 3). The skeletal remains of plesiosaurs in the MAT section were found in heterolithic, mixed stratified (flaser and wavy) facies, showing alternating decantation and traction processes. Such structures are mostly dominated by shales, characteristic of estuarine central areas, according to Boyd et al. (2006). The paleoenvironment of the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation where the plesiosaurs were found is therefore interpreted as a tidal dominated estuary.
All the plesiosaur bones and teeth show signs of transport. The material is disarticulated with no evidence that they belonged to the same single specimen. It is interesting to note that the remains are predominantly elements resistant to fragmentation, such as the vertebral centra, the propodium, and teeth. However, the teeth are incomplete, most with-out roots and some lacking the apex of the crown. Bone damage consists of fractures and elimination of superficial bone but no perforations or fouling were observed. Therefore, the preservation status of the skeletal remains is consistent with the energetic conditions of tidal action, which is consistent with the sedimentological interpretation.
In vertebra MPM-PV 1871-2 (Level 2, LB section), the internal cavity is filled with sediment forming a natural cast of the missing part of the vertebra. Clearly, the fracture occurred after lithification, suggesting that part of the damage observed in the material could have been caused by reworking or recent weathering.
Finally, although very scarce, some remains of the lower Mata Amarilla Formation are young specimens, possibly lying near the coast, probably an estuary. It has been often mentioned that young specimens, at least those of plesiosauroids, could live in rivers and estuaries (Wiffen et al., 1995).
Biogeographic significance of the new record
Late Cretaceous plesiosur records in southern Gondwana were limited to the Campanian-Maastrichthian of Argentina (Cabrera, 1941; Gasparini and Goñi, 1985, Gasparini and Salgado, 2000; Gasparini et al., 2003a,b; 2007), Chile (Gay, 1849; Casamiquela, 1969; Suárez and Fritis, 2002), Antarctic Peninsula (Gasparini et al., 1984; Chatterjee and Small, 1989; Fostowicz-Frelik and Gazdzicki, 2001; Martin et al., 2007), New Zealand (Wiffen and Moisley, 1986; Cruickshank and Fordyce, 2002; Hiller et al., 2005), and the Turonian-Cenomanian of Australia (Kear, 2003). According to those records it is evident that while the early Late Cretaceous is recorded in Oceania, there are no records for the same period in southern South America and Antarctica. The new plesiosaurian material from the lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation contributes toward completing this gap in the record (figure 9).
Figure 7. Late Creatceous paleomap showing some of the records of plesiosaurs in Southern Gondwana (modified from Gasparini et al., 2003a). Lower Early Creataceous record; upper upper Late Cretaceous record / paleomapa del Cretácico Superior donde se muestran algunos de los registros del Cretácico Superior en el Sur de Gondwana. registros correspondientes al Cretácico Superior bajo; registro correspondiente al Cretácico Superior alto.
The oldest lower Late Cretaceous plesiosaur record in Argentina is presented, becoming the first record of these reptiles for Santa Cruz Province. Analysis of the literature provides strong evidence that Polyptychodon patagonicus Ameghino, 1893, is based on remains of Plesiosauria from the Mata Amarilla Formation. However, the status of nomen vanum is maintained for P. patagonicus because the isolated teeth are not considered sufficient to diagnose a genus or species. The lower section of the Mata Amarilla Formation in the study area was deposited in an estuarine environment with strong tidal influence. The conservation and lack of articulation of the remains is congruent with the expected level of transport in that environment.
The authors thanks T. Martin (Institut für Palaeontologie, Universität Bonn), F. Goin and J. Gelfo (Museo de La Plata) for providing logistical support in field work, in which also participated J. Cuitiño, G. Pedersen, A. Barrueco, M. Giacobelli, L. Chornogubsky, S. Hoffmann, and J. Schultz. They also thank Dr. Adan Tauber (Museo Regional Provincial Padre Manuel Jesús Molina, Río Gallegos) for authorization to study the material from Santa Cruz, and L. Acosta Burllaile for the preparation of material. C. Deschamps and J. Echevarria (Museo de La Plata) for reading the English version. Likewise they tanks their dissertation advisors, Z. Brandoni de Gasparini, L. Salgado, and D. Poiré for critically reading of the manuscript and for financial support (projects PICT 25276 and CONICET PIP 6237/05). Finally they thank the referees, N. Bardet (Muséum national d' Histoire naturelle, Paris) and J. Martin (Museum of Geology, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, USA), whose comments have substantially improved both the scientific content and the language of this paper.
1. Ameghino, F. 1893. Sobre la presencia de vertebrados de aspecto mesozoico en la formación Santacruceña de la Patagonia austral. Revista del Jardín Zoológico de Buenos Aires 1:76-84 [ Links ]
2. Ameghino, F. 1906. Les formations sédimentaires du Crétacé Superieur et du Tertiaire de Patagonia, avec an paralèlle entre leurs faunes mammalogiques et celles de l' ancien continent. Anales del Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires, 15 (serie 3, 8): 1-508. [ Links ]
3. Arbe, H.A. 1989. Estratigrafía, discontinuidades y evolución sedimentaria del Cretácico en la Cuenca Austral, Prov. de Santa Cruz. Instituto Superior de Correlación, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Serie de Correlación Geológica 6: 419-442. [ Links ]
4. Arbe, H.A. 2002. Análisis estratigráfico del Cretácico de la Cuenca Austral. In: M.J. Haller (ed.), Geología y Recursos Naturales de Santa Cruz. 15º Congreso Geológico Argentino, Relatorio: 103-128. [ Links ]
5. Arrondo, O.G. 1983. [Informe estudio paleontológico. Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, Buenos Aires. Unpublished report. [ Links ]].
6. Bardet, N. and Godefroint, P. 1995. Plesiosaurus houzeaui Dollo, 1909 from the Upper Campanian of Ciply (Belgium) and a review of the Upper Cretaceous plesiosaur from Europe. Sciences de la Terre 65: 179-186. [ Links ]
7. Bardet, N., Godefroit, P. and Sciau, J. 1999. A new elasmosaurid plesiosaur from the Lower Jurasic of southern France. Palaeontology 42: 927-952. [ Links ]
8. Bianchi, J.L. 1967. [Informe preliminar acerca de los perfiles estratigráficos realizados en el sector occidental de la Cuenca Austral, durante las campañas 1964-65 y 1965-66. Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, Buenos Aires. Unpublished report. [ Links ]].
9. Biddle, K., Uliana, M., Mitchum, R .Jr., Fitzgerald, M., and Wright, R. 1986. The stratigraphic and structural evolution of central and eastern Magallanes Basin, Southern America. In: P. Allen, and P. Homewood (eds.), Foreland basins. International Association of Sedimentologists, Special Publication 8: 41-61. [ Links ]
10. Blainville, H.D. de. 1835. Description de quelques espèces de reptiles de la Californie, precédée de l'analyse d'un système général d'herpetologie et d'amphibiologie. Nouvelles Archives du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle 4: 233-296. [ Links ]
11. Blasco, G.B., Nullo, F. and Proserpio, C. 1980. Santoniano-Campaniano: Estratigrafía y contenido amonitífero, Cuenca Austral. Revista Asociación Geológica Argentina 35: 467-493. [ Links ]
12. Bonarelli, G. and Nagera, J.J. 1921. Observaciones geológicas en las inmediaciones del lago San Martín (territorio de Santa Cruz). Dirección General de Minas, Boletín 27b: 1-39. [ Links ]
13. Boyd, R., Dalrymple, R.W. and Zaitlin, B.A. 2006. Estuarine and Incised-Valley Facies Model. In: H.W. Posamentier and R.G. Walker (eds.), Facies Model Revisited. Society for Sedimentary Geology, Special Publication 84: 171-235. [ Links ]
14. Brown D. S.1981. The English Upper Jurassic Plesiosauroidea (Reptilia) and a review of the phylogeny and classification of the Plesiosauroidea. Bulletin of British Museum of Natural History, (Geology) 35: 253-347. [ Links ]
15. Cabrera, A. 1941. Un Plesiosaurio nuevo de Cretáceo del Chubut. Revista del Museo de la Plata (Nueva Serie) 2: 113-130. [ Links ]
16. Casamiquela, R.M. 1969. La presencia de Aristonectes Cabrera (Plesiosauria) del Maastrichtense del Chubut, Argentina. Edad y carácter de la transgresión Rocanense. 4º Jornadas Geología Argentinas (Mendoza), Actas 1:199-213. [ Links ]
17. Chatterjee, S. and Small, B.J. 1989. New plesiosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Antarctica. In: J.A. Crame (ed.), Origins and Evolution of the Antarctic Biota, Special Publications of the Geological Society 47: 197-215. [ Links ]
18. Cione, A.L., Gourie, S., Goin, F., and Poiré, D. 2007. Atlantoceratodus, a new genus of lungfish from Upper Cretaceous of South America and Africa. Revista del Museo de La Plata, Paleontología 10: 1-12. [ Links ]
19. Cruickshank, A.R.I. and Fordyce, R.E .2002. A new marine reptile (Sauropterygia) from New Zealand: Further evidence for a Late Cretaceous Austral radiations of cryptoclidid plesiosaur. Palaeontology 45: 557-575. [ Links ]
20. Cope, E.D. 1869. Synopsis of the extinct Batrachia, Reptilia and Aves of North America. Transaction of the American Philosophical Society (new series) 14: 1-252. [ Links ]
21. Deecke, H.V. 1896. Über Saurier-Reste aus dem Quiriquina-Schichten; Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie 10: 32-63 [ Links ]
22. Druckenmiller, P.S. 2006. [Early Cretaceous plesiosaurs (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the northern Alberta palaeoenvironmen-tal and systematic implications. Unpublished Thesis. Department of Biological Sciences, Alberta, University of Calgary. 581 pp. [ Links ]].
23. Feruglio, E. 1936. Paleontographia Patagonica. Istituto Geologico della Università di Padova, Memorie 11: 1-384. [ Links ]
24. Feruglio, E. 1938. El Cretáceo superior del lago San Martín y de las regiones adyacentes. Physis 12: 293-342. [ Links ]
25. Fossa Mancini, E., Feruglio, E. and Yussen de Campana, J.C. 1938. Una Reunión de geólogos de Y.P.F. y el problema de la Terminología Estratigráfica. Boletín de Informaciones Petroleras 171: 31-95. [ Links ]
26. Fostowicz-Frelik, L. and Gazdziki A. 2001. Anatomy and histol-ogy of plesiosaur bones from the Late Cretaceous of Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Palaeontologia Polonica 60: 7-32. [ Links ]
27. Gasparini, Z., Bardet, N., Martin, J.E. and Fernandez, M. 2003b. The elasmosaurid plesiosaur Aristonectes Cabrera from the Latest Cretaceous of South America and Antarctica. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23: 104-115. [ Links ]
28. Gasparini, Z. and de la Fuente, M. 2000. Tortugas y plesiosaurios de la Formación La Colonia (Cretácico Superior) de Patagonia, Argentina. Revista Española de Paleontología 15: 23-35. [ Links ]
29. Gasparini, Z., del Valle, R. and Goñi, R. 1984. Un Elasmosaurido (Reptilia, Plesiosauria) del Cretácico Superior de la Antártida. Contribuciones del Instituto Antártico Argentino 305: 1-24. [ Links ]
30. Gasparini, Z. and Goñi, R. 1985. Los plesiosaurios el Cretácico de America del Sur y del continente antártico. Coletânea de Trabalhos Paleontológicos 27: 55-63. [ Links ]
31. Gasparini, Z., and Salgado, L. 2000. Elasmosauridos (Plesiosauria) del Cretácico Tardío del norte de Patagonia. Revista Españo de Paleontología 15: 13-21. [ Links ]
32. Gasparini, Z., Salgado, L., and Casadío, S., 2003a. Maastrichtia plesiosaurs from northern Patagonia. Cretaceous Research 2 147-170. [ Links ]
33. Gasparini Z., Salgado, L. and Parras, A. 2007. Late Cretaceous plesiosaurs from northern Patagonia, Argentina. Geologic Journal 42: 185-202. [ Links ]
34. Gasparini, Z, and Spalletti, L.A. 1990. Un nuevo cocodrilo en lo depósitos mareales maastrichtianos de la Patagonia noroccidental. Ameghiniana 27: 141-150. [ Links ]
35. Gay, C. 1848. Historia Física y Política de Chile. Zoología 3-4. Maulde et Renou, París, pp. 371. [ Links ]
36. Goin, F.J., Poiré, D.G., de la Fuente, M.S., Cione, A.L., Nova F.E., Bellosi, E.S., Ambrosio, A., Ferrer, O., Canessa, N.D Carloni, A., Ferigolo, J., Ribeiro, A.M., Sales Viana, M.S Pascual, R., Reguero, M., Vucetich M.G., Marenssi, S., D Lima Filho, M. and Agostinho, S. 2002. Paleontología Geología de los sedimentos del Cretácico Superior aflorant al sur del Río Shehuen (Mata Amarilla, Prov. de Santa Cru Argentina). 15º Congreso Geológico Argentino (El Calafate) Actas: 603-608. [ Links ]
37. Hector, J. 1874. On the Fossil Reptilia of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 6: 333-358. [ Links ]
38. Hiller, N., Mannering, A.A, Jones, C.M, and Cruickshank, A.R. 2005. The nature of Mauisaurus haasti Hector, 1874 (Reptilia:Plesiosauria). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25: 588-601 [ Links ]
39. Iglesias, A., Zamuner, A.B., Poiré, D.G, and Larriestra, F. 200 Diversity, taphonomy and palaeoecology of an angiosper flora from the Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Coniacian) in Southern Patagonia, Argentina. Palaeontology 50: 445-466. [ Links ]
40. Ihering, H., von. 1897. Os molluscos dos terrenos terciarios de Patagonia. Revista do Museu Paulista 2 : 217-227. [ Links ]
41. Ihering, H., von. 1899. Die Conchylien der patagonischen Forma tion. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie 1899, 1-46. [ Links ]
42. Ihering, H., von. 1907. Les mollusques fossiles du Tertiare et du Crétacé superieur de l' a Argentine. Anales Museo Nacional Buenos Aires 7: 1-611. [ Links ]
43. Kear, B.P. 2003. Cretaceous marine reptiles of Australia: a revie of taxonomy and distribution. Cretaceous Research 24: 277-30 [ Links ]
44. Lacovara, K., Harris, J., Lammana, M., Novas, F., Martinez, R. and Ambrosio, A. 2004. An enormous sauropod from the Maastritchtian Pari Aike Formation of southernmost Patagonia. Journal of Vetebrate Paleontology 24: 81A. [ Links ]
45. Lazo, D.G. and Cichowolski, M. 2003. First plesiosaur remain from the Lower Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina Journal of Paleontology 77: 784-789. [ Links ]
46. Leanza, A.F. 1972. Andes Patagónicos Australes. In: A.F. Leanza (ed.), Geología Regional Argentina. Academia Nacional de Ciencias (Córdoba), pp. 689-706. [ Links ]
47. Martin, J.E., Sawyer, J.F, Reguero, M. and Case, J.A. 2000 Occurence of a young elasmosaurid plesiosaur skeleton from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Antartica. Online Proceedings of the 10th ISAES. USGS Open Report 2007-104, Short Research Paper 066, pp.4 [ Links ]
48. Novas, F.E., Cambiaso, A.V. and Ambrosio, A. 2004a. A new basal iguanodontian (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia. Ameghiniana 41: 75-82. [ Links ]
49. Novas, F.E., Ezcurra, M.A. and Leucona, A., 2008. Orkorapt burkei nov. gen. et sp., a large theropod from the Maastrichtia Pari Aike Formation, Southern Patagonia, Argentina Cretaceous Research 29: 468-480. [ Links ]
50. Novas, F.E., Lecuona, A., Calvo, J. and Porfiri, J. 2004b. Un terópodo del Cretácico Superior de la provincia de Santa Cruz Ameghiniana Suplemento Resúmenes 41: 58R. [ Links ]
51. Novas, F.E., Salgado, L., Calvo, J.O. and Agnolín, F.L. 2005. Giant titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceou of Patagonia. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales (nueva serie) 7: 37-41. [ Links ]
52. Owen, R. 1841. Odontography 1. London. Hippolyte Bailliere Press, London 655 pp. [ Links ]
53. Owen, R. 1860. On the orders of fossil and recent Reptilia, and their distribution in time. Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 29: 153-166. [ Links ]
54. O'Keefe, F.R. 2001. A cladistic analysis and taxonomic revision of the Plesiosauria (Reptilia: Sauropterygia). Acta Zoologica Fennica 213: 1-63. [ Links ]
55. O'Keefe, F.R. 2006. Morphologic and ontogenetic patterns in elas-mosaur neck length, with comments on the taxonomic utility of neck length variables. Paludicola 5: 206-229. [ Links ]
56. Persson, P.O. 1963. A Revision of the classification of the Plesiosauria with synopsis of the stratigraphical and geo-graphical distribution of the group. Lunds Universitets Arsskrift 59: 1-60. [ Links ]
57. Poiré, D.G., Franzese, J.R., Spalletti, L.A. and Matheos, S.D. 2007. [Estratigrafía de las rocas reservorios de la Cuenca Austral en el sector cordillerano, provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Guía de Campo, Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas, La Plata, 112 pp. Unpublished. [ Links ]].
58. Poiré, D.G., Zamuner, A.B., Goin, F., Iglesias, A., Canessa, N., La-rriestra, C.N., Varela, A.N., Calvo Marcillese, L. and Larriestra, F. 2004. Ambientes sedimentarios relacionados a las tafofloras de las formaciones Piedra Clavada y Mata Amarilla (Cretácico), Tres Lagos, Cuenca Austral, Argentina. 10º Reunión Argentina de Sedimentología (San Luis) Actas: 140-141. [ Links ]
59. Previtera, E. and Gonzalez Riga, B.J. (2008). Vertebrados cretácicos de la Formación Loncoche en CalmuCo, Mendoza, Argentina. Ameghiniana 45: 349-359. [ Links ]
60. Rhodin, A.G.J. 1985. Comparative chondro-osseous development and growth of marine turtles. Copeia 3: 752-771. [ Links ]
61. Russo, A. and Flores, M.A. 1972. Patagonia austral extraandina. In: A.F. Leanza (ed.), Geología Regional Argentina. Academia Nacional de Ciencias (Córdoba), pp. 707-725. [ Links ]
62. Russo, A., Flores, M.A. and Di Benedetto, H. 1980. Patagonia austral extraandina. In: J.C.M. Turner (ed.), Segundo Simposio de Geología Regional, Academia Nacional de Ciencias (Córdoba), pp. 1431-1462. [ Links ]
63. Salgado, L., Parras, A. and Gasparini, Z. 2007. Un plesiosaurio de cuello corto (Plesiosauroidea, Polycotylidae) del Cretácico Superior del norte de Patagonia. Ameghiniana 44: 349-358. [ Links ]
64. Sato, T. 2003. Terminonator ponteixensis, a new elasmosaur (Reptilia; Sauropterygia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Saskatchewan. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23: 89-103. [ Links ]
65. Sato, T. and Storrs, G.W. 2000. An Early Polycotylid plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Cretaceous of Hokkaido, Japan. Journal of Paleontology 74: 907-914. [ Links ]
66. Smith, A.S. 2003. [Cladistic Analysis of the Plesiosauria (Reptilia: Sauropterygia).Unpublished Thesis. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol. pp.81. [ Links ]].
67. Suarez, M.E. and Fritis, O. 2002. Nuevo registro de Aristonectes ( Plesiosauroidea, incertae sedis) del Cretácico Tardío de la Formacion Quiriquina, Cocholgüe, Chile. Boletín de la Sociedad de Biología de Concepción 73: 87-93. [ Links ]
68. Tarlo, L.B.H. 1960. A Review of the Upper Jurassic Pliosaurs. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) 4: 145-189. [ Links ]
69. Varela, A.N. 2009. Accommodation / sediment supply fluvial deposition controlled by base level changes and relative sea level fluctuations in the Mata Amarilla Formation (Early Upper Cretaceous), Southern Patagonia, Argentina. Abstracts 9th International Conference on Fluvial Sedimentology. Acta Geologica Lilloana 21:66. [ Links ]
70. Varela, A.N. and Poiré, D.G. 2008. Paleogeografía de la Formación Mata Amarilla, Cuenca Austral, Patagonia, Argentina. 12ª Reunión Argentina de Sedimentología, Actas: 183. [ Links ]
71. Varela, A.N., Richiano, S. and Poiré, D.G. 2008. Análisis paleoambiental de la Formación Mata Amarilla a partir de su malaco-fauna, Cuenca Austral, Patagonia, Argentina. In: Schiuma M. (ed.), Trabajos Técnicos, 7ª Congreso de Exploración y Desarrollo de Hidrocarburos (Mar del Plata), pp. 601-605. [ Links ]
72. Wahl, W.R. 2006. Juvenile plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) assemblage from the Sundance Formation (Jurassic), Natrona County, Wyoming. Paludicola 5: 255-261. [ Links ]
73. Welles, S.P. 1952. A Review of the North American Cretaceous Elasmosaurs. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences 29: 144 [ Links ]
74. Welles, S.P. 1962. A new species of Elasmosaur from the Aptian of Colombia and a review of the Cretaceous plesiosaurs. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences 44: 96 [ Links ]
75. Welles, S,P. and Slaughter, B.H. 1963. The first record of the ple-siosaurian genus Polyptychodon (Pliosauridae) from the new world. Journal of Paleontology 37: 131-133. [ Links ]
76. Wiffen, J., Buffrenil, V., Ricqlès, A.D. and Mazin, J. 1995. Ontogenetic evolution of bone structure in Late Cretaceous Plesiosauria from New Zealand. Geobios 7: 625-636. [ Links ]
77. Wiffen, J. and Moisley, W.L. 1986. Late Cretaceous reptiles (families Elasmosauridae and Pliosauridae) from the Manga-houange Stream, North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics 29: 205-252. [ Links ]
78. Wilckens, O. 1907. Die Lamellibranchiaten, gastropoden etc, der oberen Kreide Südpatagoniens. Berichte der Naturforschungen Gesellschaft Freiburg 15: 1-70. [ Links ]
Recibido: 2 de febrero de 2009.
Aceptado: 28 de abril de 2010.


text:
It needs more McCain.
It needs more McCain.
theres no augustus and yeah it needs more mccain
Needs some Lily, Blur, Chirpy, Agustus, more McCain, less Carter, and less Sandy.
This is awesome. Mean Lucy and Abbey x Daisy look so cute.
@anon1, macaron and grubey: McCain is a retard. He's lucky to have appeared at all!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's imperative to make sure your affairs are in order. If you don't, someone else surely will. Therefore, no matter your financial worth, having an estate plan is vital in ensuring your assets are properly cared for—with your goals in mind.
A basic estate plan includes a will, a power of attorney, and a living will or health-care proxy. Likewise, don't neglect to take stock of assets such as retirement savings, insurance policies, and other personal investments. Whom do you trust to handle your finances? Who will receive your inheritance? Whom will you confide in to make important medical decisions regarding your care? Now is the time to establish a plan to protect the interests of both you and your loved ones. Don't leave your future to chance. Make sure your plan is in place and you've discussed it with those most important to you.
Whatever the beginning point—a birthday, an anniversary, or a weekend at the cottage—pick a date and have the talk. Share with your loved ones your hopes and concerns for your future and encourage them to join you on your unique decision-making journey. Read below to get started and protect your estate from costly court fees and unnecessary state taxes.
When planning your estate, consider the financial benefits of planned giving. It gives you the opportunity to make charitable gifts now or after your lifetime.
Planned gifts are sometimes referred to as "stop-and-think" gifts because they require some planning and, often, help from your professional advisors. Unlike cash donations, they are typically made from assets in your estate rather than disposable income, and come to fruition upon your death.
The most common planned gift is to make a bequest in your will or living trust. Other planned gifts include:
All donors who make Presbyterian Senior Living aware of their intentions to make a planned gift may become a member of one of our Legacy Clubs. Our Legacy Clubs include:
Asistencia de idiomas disponible bajo petición. Para asistencia, comuníquese con la comunidad utilizando la información a continuación.
可根据要求提供语言帮助。 如需协助,请使用以下信息与社区联系。
Hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ có sẵn theo yêu cầu. Để được hỗ trợ, vui lòng liên hệ với cộng đồng bằng cách sử dụng thông tin bên dưới.


text:
The white truffle of Alba (tartufo bianco; or trifola d'Alba in the Piemontese dialect) is a mycorrhizal fungi which lives in a symbiotic relationship with a host tree wherein it acquires minerals from the soil and passes them on to the plant and utilizes plant-provided carbon for its own growth and reproduction. The truffle is generally found in the Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato regions of Piemonte in humid, north-facing internal hill slopes with elevations not exceeding 700 meters and with pH values ranging between 6.6 and 8.5 (simplyflavors.com). The truffle has an affinity for the trees such as oak, willow, poplar, linden, lime, sweet chestnut, and hazelnut.
The truffle has a distinct aroma (earth, tree roots, and old cheese according to lifeinitaly.com) and is famous for said aroma as well as the taste and perceived aphrodisiac qualities. The desirable qualities of the white truffle, plus declining harvest levels, combine to make this an extremely expensive delicacy with prices ranging to $2000/lb and beyond. The truffles are harvested by truffle hunters (trifulaus) and their dogs (previously pigs but they are rather unruly) during the "season" which stretches from early October to early December. The dogs are trained by first being able to find hidden cheese, then cheese hidden in association with truffles, then the truffle only. The dogs are rewarded for each find with some type of treat. In the field the dog is more easily dissuaded from destroying the truffle than is a pig.
Back to the hunt. Ezio is our trifulau. According to Giuseppe (and the restaurant literature) he is a great truffle hunter who has been pursuing this passion (initially a job) since he was a boy. He has his own truffle "range" located down the hillside from the elevated position of the restaurant. Did I mention that Ezio was also the proprietor of Tra Arte e Quercie? Well he is and after managing the production and serving of our meals, he changed into his great-white-truffle-hunter garb, picked up his divining rod (waist-high shepherd's crook with a metal tip), collected his trusty companion (looked like a golden mutt), gave us all hiking sticks, and strode off into the "jungle." We were on our way.
As we started down the hill, we were talking loudly and laughing. Nerves I thought. We were venturing into the unknown. Would we prove ourselves equal to the challenge? How would we react when we came face to face with the prey? Would we stand firm? Or cut and run? Ezio looked back at us with a disapproving glare and whispered something to Giuseppe. We were obviouly not hunters. We would most likely scare the prey away. But no, that was not his biggest concern. No, you see, secrecy is the thing that is valued most among the trifulau. If you find a truffle at a particular spot, you will continue to find more truffles at that spot in the future. If you reveal that spot (inadvertently or otherwise), other hunters will harvest in your stead. Truffle hunters keep going back to the well. Silently.
Suddenly Ezio stopped and placed his finger to his lips. He signaled for us to stop walking and talking. I rolled my eyes. I had been to Disney. This was going to be the contrived drama scene with some rustling in the underbrush and then we would move on. But no. It was not that way. We heard some voices approaching. How could this be? We were on private land. Surely Ezio would jump out and confront these people as they passed about thirty feet below us on a hunt of their own. But he did not. As they passed on he indicated that they were poachers and it was best to not let them know that we were there. He did not want them potentially doubling back and spying on his hunting operation.
After that crisis passed, we continued on our walk to the area where Ezio was going to show us his magic. In anticipation of our arrival, he had not harvested in this area for two days. He wanted to improve the chances of our coming out of this hunt with success. When he got to this slightly flatter area, he stretched out his staff in the manner of Moses reaching out to part the Red Sea and the dog went bounding off with her nose close to the ground. She was nuzzling around in the underbrush in an area defined by the outstretched divining rod.
Suddenly she stopped running around and started urgently nosing a particular spot. Quick as a flash Ezio was kneeling beside her, guiding her head with his hands, exerting a gentle pressure as he sought to ensure that the truffle was not close enough to the surface for the dog to damage it. He then moved her back from the site, reached into an heretofore unnoticed slit in the back of his jacket, and pulled out a metal claw with a wooden, elongated handle. He began to clear the underbrush and dig gently into the soil with this implement. Just prior, he had reached into the pocket of this jacket and retrieved a reward treat which he gave to the dog. We were silent as we watched the operation. Then Ezio reached into the soil and held up a small dark object between his thumb and forefinger. He muttered something and then passed the object on to Guiseppe. Small black truffle, said Giuseppe. And we all touched it. And smelled it. This was our first time. And it did smell like truffle oil.
And so we continued for another hour or so and our trove grew. Small black truffles. Small white truffles. Large white truffles. I was busy calculating what my take was going to be from this afternoon's book of work. When Ezio signalled that our work here was done, we jauntily walked back up the hill. We were in high spirits. We had confronted the truffle in the wild and had emerged victorious. And we had Ezio's trophy bag full of victims to prove the point. As we got to the top of the hill, we stopped at the gate of Ezio's residence. His daughter-in-law was standing there holding his grandson. The grandson struggled to be placed on the ground so that he could run over to his grandfather. The two embraced lovingly and Ezio reached into his pouch, retrieved one of the large, valuable, white truffles and gave it to his grandson. This 2-year-old kid looked at the truffle intently and then brought it up to his nose and smelt it. He then passed it back to his granddad. The cycle renews.
By the way, our reward for the day's work was the opportunity we had to see a master ply his craft. Oh well.


text:
Elegance and function combine to give this contemporary corner wood TV console a striking appearance. The design gives a stylish modern look crafted with durable PVC laminate and MDF board. Console will accommodate most flat-screen TVs up to 52 inch and has enough shelving to provide ample space for A/V components.
The Walker Edison Furniture Company manufactures affordable TV stands, entertainment centers, coffee tables, desks, chairs and dining tables for the North American marketplace. Walker Edison Furniture Company takes pride in producing quality furniture at great prices. Their factories employ skilled artisans and utilize quality raw materials to provide quality furniture for the masses.
ModernCollections.com offers attractive modern furniture and contemporary furniture for residential and commercial spaces. Save on the Castillo 44 Inch Corner Wood TV Stand in Black with factory direct pricing and discover why customers have trusted us for all their modern furniture needs.


text:
Charlie Sheen's wife, Brooke, has left a hospital after a week of treatment for an infection after oral surgery.
Her lawyer, Yale Galanter, says she was released Monday night with orders to rest for the next week.
He says the star of the TV sitcom "Two And A Half Men" visited his wife in the hospital but now that she is out, the court order keeping them from contacting each other remains in full effect.
The Sheens have a Feb. 8 court date in Aspen in the aftermath of a domestic violence incident that brought police to their Colorado home on Christmas Day.
Galanter says they will ask for modification of the no-contact order. Sheen is also set for arraignment that day on domestic violence charges.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Charlie Sheen
PLAY IT NOW: Was Charlie Sheen Ever Violent With Denise Richards?
PLAY IT NOW: AH Nation: What Was The Biggest Story Over The Holidays? (January 4, 2010)
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Charlie Sheen - Courts - Hospitalizations - TV


text:
Remember when The Avengers came out, and it was just so gleefully jam-packed with crazy shit? Like, they shook the bag until every last thing fell out? The Mortal Instruments is like that, except for teen urban fantasy. This movie has everything in it, and it will make you laugh until you pass out.
Spoilers ahead...
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is based on a bestselling book series by Cassandra Clare, and if you're a fan of the books, you'll appreciate this movie on a whole different level. You'll probably even understand the plot. But for those of us who didn't get around to reading the books before seeing the movie, it's basically just nonstop zany randomness, in the best possible way.
I can't remember the last time I saw a movie as joyously silly and ridonkulous as Mortal Instruments, with as much of a "kitchen sink" feeling. Doomsday comes to mind. So does Drive Angry. Basically, Mortal Instruments makes Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters look like a Dogme 95 film.
Movies like The Mortal Instruments don't come along too often, especially ones which are so merrily in on the joke. Mostly because it's rare for a Hollywood studio to decide to throw $60 million at such a totally bonkers property.
At some point during this film, I kind of lost track of what was supposed to be going on. There were about 20 plot points happening at once, characters were changing sides, everybody turned out to be related to everybody else, there was a McGuffin that the main baddie wanted and it was totally unclear what would happen if he got it, and so on.
But here's a thumbnail plot synopsis, for the uninitiated: Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror) plays Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary girl who's actually secretly part of the supernatural world of demons, witches, vampires and werewolves. After her mother (Lena Headey, underutilized) gets kidnapped, Clary joins up with a group of "Shadowhunters," or demon-fighters, who use cool rune tattoos to do magic. And it turns out that Clary is the key to finding a magic cup that can something something magic thingy.
Candy for Dinner
The whole thing piles escapist trope on top of escapist trope. Clary is the key to everything, and she also has unique powers, and two hot boys are into her, and she has plenty of excuses for angst (that the film thankfully never wallows in for a second.) She gets awesome makeovers and romantic moments and lots of "fuck yeah" moments, and it's basically like gorging yourself on the most amazing candy ever.
This film is over two hours long, but it whizzes along at an insane pace and everybody approaches the material with total good humor, like a goth pantomime. Jamie Campbell-Bower channels a manic eccentricity and goggle-eyed weirdness that remind me of a young, underwear-model version of Tom Baker. Robert Sheehan is basically still playing Nathan from Misfits, and gets some lovely moments of taking the piss out of all this supernatural wackness.
Lily Collins, meanwhile, looks believably dazed and thrilled at all the supernatural reveals that come at the rate of one per minute. You can chart her heroic journey by the amount of eyeliner and fetishwear she has on.
Just the fact that this movie takes place in New York, and every single person in it is British, is kind of awesome. I feel like most of the people in this movie are doing some version of their real accent, but it's hard to tell — occasionally it feels like someone tries to do an American accent for a few minutes, here and there. You should see the film and decide for yourself what accents these people are doing.
Every time you start to think you have a handle on what's going on in this film, a gang of werewolf car mechanics comes bursting in and gets into a fight with pigeon demons. Or a mob of vampires mounts a very West Side Story-esque attack. By the end of the film, when people are spitting super-dramatic declarations at each other, the entire theater at my screening was laughing hysterically.
But you know, I feel like we were mostly laughing with this film, not at it. There is a ton of sly humor in this film that comes from the characters being self-aware and a bit clever, along with all the stuff where the movie pokes fun at its own excesses. The whole thing is extremely tongue in cheek, but the characters also get in a lot of nice wisecracks.
Money makes things ponderous
I want to return to what this film has in common with The Avengers. Namely, the thing of throwing all of the toys out of the box and smashing them in all directions, until a bunch of them break and absolutely none of them is in mint condition.
True, The Avengers is a much, much better film than Mortal Instruments — but they're both similarly untrammeled. And the animated GIFs coming out of Mortal Instruments will be just as prolific and wonderful as the Avengers GIFs have been.
Generally, when more than about $30 million is spent on a movie, a certain amount of storytelling lethargy tends to set in. Things get ossified. The people who are bankrolling the thing want to keep making sure the movie will appeal to all the quadrants, and that the whole thing can be distilled into a trailer. And the film has to pause constantly, so we can admire all the money they spent on this shot or that shot.
You only get this kind of "fuck it, let's just do everything" spirit on zero-budget movies, or in rare cases where somebody has been convinced it'll work. Avengers, because a bunch of movies built up to it. The Mortal Instruments probably gets a special dispensation because the books had such a huge following.
In any case, this kind of "every flavor at once" world-crafting is worth celebrating, even when the result is ultimately kind of baffling. When you mash up a ton of genre ideas and intertwine a million subplots into a frenetic mess, you end up with something that destabilizes genre.
I feel like the not-so-subtle message of Mortal Instruments is: It's okay to be greedy. You're allowed to want all of the supernatural escapism and romance and eye-candy and escapism at once, you don't have to pace yourself. This movie never once shames Clary for lusting after Jamie Campbell-Bower's frequently bare torso, and it never shames the audience for wanting every yummy teen story trope, all at the same time.
Sure, The Mortal Instruments laughs at itself. A lot. But it never laughs at its audience, or acts like there's anything wrong with reveling in silly nonsense. And that's what makes it a beautiful piece of trash culture, in the end. It's such a guilty pleasure, it loops around and becomes innocent again.


text:
Find the lowest prices for Cialis 2.5 mg pills from reliable online pharmacies, including additional information about bonus pills, Cialis 2.5 mg coupons, promo codes, free shipping and other discounts. Buy Cialis 2.5 mg pills cheap and safely choosing the best price among the reputable pharmacies available on our site.
Pharmacy Price per pill Manufacturer Country
$4.73 Eli Lilly And Company United Kingdom
$4.95 Eli Lilly And Company Canada
$10.78 Eli Lilly And Company United States
$11.99 Eli Lilly And Company United States
$12.25 Eli Lilly And Company United States
We do not guarantee, do not approve, and are not responsible for any product or service that is advertised or offered to users through our website or any hyperlink contained with our site.
We are not responsible for any transactions that may occur between you and third-party suppliers or services. Any reservation and/or purchase transaction is directly between a seller and buyer.


text:
As Economy Gets Back on Track, Schwab Helps Investors of All Ages Do the Same
Public Company Information:
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Investors find it hard to "walk the talk" when saving for retirement, according to the recent quarterly Real Life Retirement pulse survey from Charles Schwab. Nearly three in ten investors believe they should contribute 10 percent of their income to retirement, yet twice that number of investors – 60 percent – are allocating less. Additionally, 20 percent of those surveyed are saving nothing for retirement.
"We work with clients of all ages who feel they are behind or perhaps not where they should be when it comes to retirement savings. What we tell them is that one key to successful preparation is finding the common ground between realities and dreams," said Schwab Financial Consultant Darsi Ringer. "At Schwab we offer the resources and guidance to help investors get back on track for retirement, devising a plan that suits their lifestyle and expectations and also closes the gap in savings goals through discipline and smart portfolio management."
Real Life Retirement Tips for All Ages
Ringer offers basic retirement tips to help investors of all ages get back on track:
- Set your 401(k) contribution to at least 10 percent of your gross income beginning with your first job
- Resist the temptation to cut back on saving for retirement, regardless of what's going on elsewhere in your life
- Put any bonuses or raises you get into your retirement savings
- Make saving for retirement a priority, even as you also save for other goals, such as a house or your children's college education. There are no loans or financial aid options to help pay for retirement
- Track your spending, find ways to cut back on expenses and save more for retirement
- Put any bonuses or raises you get into your retirement savings
- Contribute the maximum-allowed amount to your 401(k) or other employer retirement plan
- After you contribute the maximum to your 401(k), consider the benefits of contributing to a traditional or Roth IRA
- Put any bonuses or raises you get into your retirement savings
Fifties and Sixties
- Take advantage of "catch-up" contributions to your retirement accounts
- Consider retiring later or working part-time in retirement to help increase your income
- Consider decreasing your exposure to stocks to help reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio
For More Information
Charles Schwab encourages individuals to take advantage of Schwab's Real Life Retirement Services, which provides a realistic approach to retirement, not only offering key insight into actionable ways to save for and manage retirement savings, but also providing guidance on products and services and access to stories from Americans who have successfully moved into life's third act. For more information please visit, www.schwab.com/RealLifeRetirement.
About The Study
The Charles Schwab Q1 Retirement Omnibus Survey was conducted by Kelton Research between January 26th and February 1st, 2010 using Random Digit Dialing of listed and unlisted numbers. Quotas are set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population ages 18 and over. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
About Charles Schwab
The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) is a leading provider of financial services, with more than 300 offices and 7.8 million client brokerage accounts, 1.5 million corporate retirement plan participants, 768,000 banking accounts, and $1.49 trillion in client assets. Through its operating subsidiaries, the company provides a full range of securities brokerage, banking, money management and financial advisory services to individual investors and independent investment advisors. Named "Highest in Investor Satisfaction with Self-Directed Services" by J.D. Power and Associates in 2009, its broker-dealer subsidiary, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (member SIPC, www.sipc.org), and affiliates offer a complete range of investment services and products including an extensive selection of mutual funds; financial planning and investment advice; retirement plan and equity compensation plan services; referrals to independent fee-based investment advisors; and custodial, operational and trading support for independent, fee-based investment advisors through Schwab Advisor Services. Its banking subsidiary, Charles Schwab Bank (member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender) provides banking and mortgage services and products. More information is available at www.schwab.com. (0410-2617)
Charles Schwab
Matt Hurwitz, 415-667-0480
Pablo Rodriguez, 415-486-3267


text:
Alternate Seaside project proposed in Waterford
Waterford - In an effort to encourage state and town officials to think "outside the box" when it comes to development of the state-owned Seaside Preservation District off Shore Road, a Seaside neighbor has resubmitted an alternative proposal of development to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The "Seaside House" proposal by Woodsea Place resident Debby Green, which Green originally circulated in 2006, envisions a cooperative living facility on the shore where residents work 20 hours a week in exchange for free room and board on the property of the former Seaside Regional Center for the mentally disabled.
"My main interest is that it be used as something for the benefit of a lot of people," Green said Wednesday. She said that the site could house mentally ill, disabled and homeless people.
Green said she also plans to submit the proposal to the office of Gov. Dannel Malloy. She said one reason she submitted it to the commission in Waterford is because of turnover in the commission's membership since she last submitted the proposal.
Department of Administrative Services Staff Counsel Jeffrey Beckham said that the state is unable to consider new proposals for use of Seaside at this time due to the state's contract with preferred developer Mark Steiner, who has proposed turning the site into a high-end resort.
Green said she first sent her proposal in 2006 to Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford; Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-20th District; the Office of Policy and Management, and the office of Gov. Jodi Rell. She said she later submitted it to the town and then resubmitted it, making the most recent submission her third to the town.
The proposal submitted May 21 calls for the superintendent's house to be restored first so that residents may move in. Once residents moved in, they would work with a nonprofit contractor to restore the remaining buildings.
Steiner previously commissioned an engineering report that state officials say rules the property unsound. The State Historic Preservation Office has said it approves of demolition of buildings on site, which sits on the National Register of Historic Places and contains two buildings designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert.
Green said her proposal is predicated on her belief that the buildings are sound, and in a new cover letter to the proposal she asks that the commission hire an independent structural engineer to assess the property at Steiner's expense.
Seaside neighbor Kathy Jacques said Wednesday that Green's proposal is "a good idea."
"I think what's more significant is the idea of exploring any other uses," said Jacques, who has also submitted alternative proposals in the past. She said she thinks the public will be more interested in alternative proposals now that demolition of buildings is proposed as an option.
The proposal does not appear on the agenda of the commission's meeting tonight. Green said Wednesday that she also plans to resubmit the proposal to the state.
Stories that may interest you
Storm recovery upsets Norwich Public Utilities cost-cutting efforts
NPU had been offsetting deep revenue losses during the COVID-19 business shutdowns with expense cuts not possible during storm recovery.
Supporters make case for public banking in Connecticut
Supporters of a public bank in the state cite the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to consider the idea.
Lamont declares emergency in Connecticut; nearly half of Eversource customers without power
Gov. Lamont on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in Connecticut in response to the impact of Tropical Storm Isaias, which tore through the state Tuesday leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.
Trees and wires fall as Isaias brings strong winds to region
Lamont declares emergency in Connecticut; nearly half of Eversource customers without power
Trump questions whether Jeffrey Epstein was killed in federal custody


text:
Everything after this is line subject to change.
Advance tickets for this year's CBMTCBL will go on sale this Saturday, June 2nd at 11 AM. You can only acquire these tickets at Brugge Brasserie only, and this time they are an all-inclusive $35.
Last year, this event sold out in five hours. We suspect tickets will sell out again this year. They are extremely limited*.
FOOD MENU: (Choose one)
1) Vegetarian friendly crepe: Shaved Brussels sprouts sautéed in chili oil & balsamic-poplar sauce, fried capers, goat cheese, walnuts, potato hash. Poached egg & hollandaise sauce as garnish.
2) Steak and Eggs with Frites
3) German breakfast board: Variety of cured meats, cheeses, bread, fresh fruit, yogurt, jams/jellies, what have you.
BEER MENU: (Try all)
(As chosen by our syrup beer expert panel.)
Smoke: Schlenkerla Marzen
Sour: Hanssens Kriek
Stout: Dupont Monk's Stout
Double IPA: He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A.
Plus mystery beers in the following categories: (trust us)
1x Saison
2x Syrup/Sweet/Fruit Beer
1x Brugge Beer
Once again - all details are subject to change completely.
*By limited I mean that they will sell out and that if you don't have one, you won't get in. I know it's completely ridiculous to explain what limited tickets mean, but you'd be surprised at some of the emails we get.


text:
Oman Aviation Services (Oman Air) continues to play a vital role in the realization of bringing about young Oman is on par with the ever changing global aviation trends in the most practical way by fulfilling the Omanization Program companywide from the beginning of 1993 till date.
Several groups of young Omanis have been recruited, trained and have become efficient staff, some of whom have turned out to
be potential Leaders and Managers in their chosen fields. Among other positions, the role of a Pilot job being the highest in demand, globally.
Captain Rashid Al Mawaly, Oman Air Divisional Manager Flight Operations stated that Omani pilots are among the best in the world and this is mainly because they are carefully selected as per the international standards and specifications that fulfill the Company's requirements. They have all undergone an intensive and comprehensive training program with close monitoring, to ensure that they are in compliance with the various regulatory and mandatory rules and regulations set forth for SAFETY & AIRWORTHINESS of the airline and its clients.
Mr. Amar Nasser Divisional Manager Human Resources & Administration added that in addition to our current manpower and keeping in mind the latest company expansion strategies, 15 Ab-initio Pilot Trainees have been recruited and are scheduled to undergo an intensive 16 months Pilot Training Program with the ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. The training venue was carefully selected through a strict criterion based decision mainly of the quality and standard of service that would meet most of the company's requirements and expectations in accordance with the local awarding and regulatory body - the DGCAM of Oman". Corporate Communication and Media Department in Oman Air acknowledged that it is a great feeling to be a pilot for Oman Air. All one needs is sincerity, hard work, competitive spirit and the determination to succeed. Oman Air develops tomorrow's career pilot through the most unique industry specific training experience that exceeds the expectations with uncompromising emphasis on quality and safety. Each pilot is trained to be an effective crewmember and employee with a positive attitude, strong work ethics, sound aeronautical decision-making skills, and exceptional airmanship. They affirmed that Oman Air has built up a reputation as a strong, competitive leader in the airline industry committed to recruiting and nurturing bright and dynamic individuals to meet our manpower needs. In the new millennium, Oman Air's mission is to seek out new ways to develop and improve its position as a leader in aviation excellence.The National carrier of the Sultanate Oman maintains an unwavering commitment to innovation through a unique and focused strategy that differentiates the airline within the industry. Flying an airplane is fun. Being paid to do it is even better they said in conclusion.


text:
From the observation deck of the Robert G. Brownlee, the 90-foot research vessel owned by the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, students look out over San Francisco Bay 15 feet above water. The fully functioning research vessel has enough space to accommodate 70 students, and the Institute educates 42,000 students each year through its ship- and land-based programs.
Every semester, Briana McCarthy, assistant professor for Biology and Environmental Science and Technology at Skyline College, takes 45 of her students aboard the Robert G. Brownlee, where they learn about the Bay, marine biology and marine stewardship. On the four-hour discovery voyage, the students collect and examine plankton, run hydrology (water chemistry) tests, and use a 16-foot trawl net to catch fish, then work in small groups to observe and identify the fish. Students also do a "mud grab," collecting a bottom sediment sample, examining it for organisms and invertebrates and discussing their observations.
McCarthy has taught at Skyline for about four years. For the past five-plus years, she has also worked with the Marine Science Institute by teaching classes "on the water" every two months. Additionally she teaches biology and environmental science at Laney College in Oakland.
Between the two colleges, McCarthy carries a student load of anywhere from 150 to 200 per semester and she loves her work. But being involved in the world of science was something she would not have predicted. The U.C. San Diego graduate originally headed off to college to study communications.
"I still have a big passion for writing and I thought doing journalism would be satisfying," she said. "At that time I worked really well under deadlines and loved nonfiction writing. Those were my aspirations."
On a whim, and to satisfy a course requirement, McCarthy took a seminar on how plants adapt to high altitudes. It was a great experience.
"The instructor was so passionate and it was learner-centered," McCarthy said. "Suddenly 'science' was so interesting. I thought maybe I wasn't born to go into the science field, but writing about biology issues, that would be really appealing. I decided a science background would prove more useful than a writing background."
Originally from Venice, California, McCarthy had never been a particular fan of science. She dropped out of high school biology because she just didn't think she was smart enough for it. But she did have a great passion for environmental issues, including climate change and habitat destruction. She received her degree in ecology, went to work for the Sierra Club for several years, then headed to graduate school at San Francisco State where she received her masters's in ecology with a special focus on biology, education and research. Her graduate thesis "involved understanding undergraduate students' conceptions of scientific processes– primarily biological processes."
With her San Francisco State courses on pedagogy, the recurring theme McCarthy learned was that students are taught to wonder about the natural world from a very young age, but in fifth or sixth grade, it's more about memorizing facts and all the standardized tests.
"Science classes can too often expect students to be passive learners," McCarthy said. "A lot of the methods I use to teach are the ones I learned in grad school. Pair shares, for instance. Getting students to pair up and discuss the topic before we even discuss it in class."
Recently, McCarthy added the "clicker" into her teaching methods. A clicker is a wireless student response system that allows the teacher to ask students a question and receive remote feedback.
"If I have just taught them a concept and ask them a question that they don't answer correctly, then this allows me to reteach the concept.
"In my classes, I try to cultivate wonder and emphasize how major advances in science have been the result of creativity or unexpected outcomes," McCarthy continued. "The first week of class is about — is science boring, are all scientists anal retentive. The message is, don't let stereotypes about scientists deter you from following a path you are really passionate about."
Two years ago, McCarthy, who is also the co-advisor of Skyline's Environmental Club, wrote a grant application with Anjana Richards, which created the Sustainable Campus Initiative.
"We were awarded funds to do three different things," McCarthy said. "One, to run an environmental science learning course, two, to engage students, faculty and staff in sustainability issues on campus, and three, to engage faculty in emphasizing sustainability in their curriculum."
"Sustainability means how do we provide for ourselves and use our resources responsibly so that future generations can use them as well," McCarthy continued. "It is really about planning for the future and everyone who attends is invited to engage. Their ideas drive what we do."
In the spring, McCarthy was the recipient of the 19th Assembly District's Environmental Leadership Award for her exemplary efforts to educate students about biology and environmental sustainability. She was also recognized for her involvement with the Community College Biology Faculty Enhancement Through Teaching Program at San Francisco State University, as well as her work her with Expanding Your Horizons at Skyline College, which encourages young women to pursue careers in science, technology and math. The award was presented by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo.
"Sometimes I go into meetings with a bunch of scientists and I think, oh, I don't belong here," McCarthy said. "My mind doesn't work as linearly as some scientists minds do. I wasn't naturally great at science growing up and I never thought I had the type of science mind that was needed. But I found my niche in grad school. I took my education in my own hands. And I want to impart that on my students and show them that they can learn these complex subjects, if they identify their learning style and then follow that through. Sometimes I don't really love scientists, but I always love science."


text: Thanks for this treasure chest of information, its wealth is immeasurable. These methods are so simple, yet so profound, and I have observed that these patterns are natural and are used unconsciously or intuitively. I can only imagine (at this point) what years of conscious refining and training wil..read more >>


text:
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2012.
This is a very good informational documentary about the kind of EMF/RF sensitivity that I live with.
Please take a moment to watch. I am sure that many people are walking around with this and completely unaware of what the causes of their symptoms are. Blanketed with RF and EMF daily…these waves being so intrinsically woven into the fabric of our lives…it is the biggest human experiment we have conducted yet yet on earth. We unfortunately…and our children and grandchildren are the test mice in the lab.


text:
Latest News
New Vessel Guiding Star H360
New Fishing Vessel Guiding Star H360 delivered for P&J Johnstone Peterhead with complete Woodsons wheelhouse package.
more »
Please fill in the form below to enquire about "E-Sea 3-4G"
* = required fields
The e-SEA™ system from Woodsons is excellent for crew morale, welfare considerations, downloading attachments, web surfing and just great to have on board. It is essential really in this day and age. Service from all at Woodsons has been exceptional, any technical problems have been attended to rapidly and information forthcoming from the people who have attended the vessel, so full marks there.
Captain of Pacific Blade (Anchor Handling Vessel)


text:
Back-to-School Styles
As summer comes to an end, it's time to start thinking about going back to school. I don't know about you, but my favorite thing about going back to school is shopping for cute, new outfits! Here are four ways that I styled my favorite back-to-school outfits, using one pair of white sneakers.
Outfit 1:
This first outfit is my favorite look! I love a comfy wrap dress! For this look, I styled a simple wrap dress with a jean jacket, a gold choker, and white sneakers. This is a perfect outfit to start the school year off right!
Outfit 2:
For my second back-to-school look, I decided to go for a little more of a sassy chic look. By pairing one of my favorite graphic tees with a cheetah print skirt, a jean jacket, and white sneakers, this outfit is perfect for making a statement on your first day!
Outfit 3:
Some days you just want to be comfortable! I love this next outfit because it's not only comfortable, but it's super cute too! To create this look, grab any cropped hoodie and your favorite joggers, and then pair it with some sneakers. Now you're ready to conquer your day in style!
Outfit 4:
For my final look, I decided to grab my favorite pair of ripped jeans and I paired it with a graphic tee. Graphic tees are all the rage and are perfect tops to thrift or pick up at your local Plato's Closet! Lastly, I completed this look with my favorite white sneakers! I really love this outfit because it's easy to pull together using just a few basic items from your closet and so cute.
Although summer is almost over, I hope these outfits give you something fun to look forward to during your back-to-school shopping!
Blog By: Grace Myler | @gracemyler
Photos: @amsingerphotos


text:
RII-YUBU, Sudan, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- One man was killed, two wounded and two young girls kidnapped in an attack against civilians by Sudanese rebels, officials say.
The assault Tuesday by the Lord's Resistance Army occurred 5 miles from Tambura in Sudan's state of Western Equatoria, near the border with Central Africa Republic where the LRA is based. It was the second attack of its kind in a week, the Sudan Tribune reported.
The assaults by the LRA have displaced thousands of people despite the insurgents' being dogged by Ugandan army, Sudan's southern army and a local protection group called the Arrow Boys, the newspaper said Tuesday.
The LRA, which originated in Uganda in 1987 and has carried out its attacks fairly consistently since then, says it wants to rule that nation along the lines of the Bible's Ten Commandments. Its youngest soldier to carry arms was 5 years old.
Joseph Bakosoro, the governor of Western Equatoria said the state "will never allow any dialogue with the LRA rebels in the state's territory as called for by the UN bodies."
"The LRA are people without visions and objectives but only guided with the destruction and killing of innocent civilians," Bakosoro.