Museum of Texas Tech University

About: Museum of Texas Tech University is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Phylogenetic tree & Cytochrome b. The organization has 66 authors who have published 193 publications receiving 4860 citations.

Whole mitochondrial genomes provide increased resolution and indicate paraphyly in deer mice

Abstract: Recent phylogenies of deer mice, genus Peromyscus, have relied heavily on mitochondrial markers. These markers provided resolution at and below the level of species groups, but relationships among species groups and Peromyscus affiliated genera have received little support. Here, we present the mitochondrial genomes of 14 rodents and infer the phylogeny of Peromyscus and related taxa. Our analyses support results from previous molecular phylogenies, but also yield support for several previously unsupported nodes throughout the Peromyscus tree. Our results also confirm several instances of paraphyly within the clade and suggest additional taxonomic work will be required to clarify some relationships. Our findings greatly enhance our understanding of the evolution of Peromyscus providing support for previously unsupported relationships. However, the results also highlight the need to address paraphyly that may exist in this clade.

Cranial anatomy of the Late Triassic phytosaur Machaeroprosopus , with the description of a new species from West Texas

Abstract: The skull anatomy of a new species of the phytosaur Machaeroprosopus is described for the first time on the basis of two specimens from the Upper Triassic Cooper Canyon Formation of Texas. Additional information is provided by a third specimen referred to Machaeroprosopus sp. A paranasal bone, an additional paired element of the narial region, is identified. Important new data are presented for the braincase, including the morphology of the epipterygoid and presphenoid, an anterior process of the prootic, an anteroventral process of the laterosphenoid, and a parasphenoid process. Machaeroprosopus lottorum n. sp. is characterised by four apomorphies: a supratemporal fenestra closed on the skull roof with bevelled anterior rim, a comparatively short squamosal, a flat and rugose narial rim, and medially extended palatines that come close to form an ossified secondary palate. With respect to the supratemporal fenestra, the supraoccipital-parietal complex and several features of the squamosal, Machaeroprosopus lottorum n. sp. bridges the morphological gap between species previously referred to the genera Pseudopalatus and Redondasaurus. A parsimony analysis of known species of Machaeroprosopus supports the hypothesis that the development of the rostral crest in Machaeroprosopus is a sexually dimorphic feature, and questions the validity of the genus Redon- dasaurus. Consequently, Redondasaurus is here considered a junior synonym of Machaeroprosopus.