A downward kink one or more scales in length at the posterior end of the upper lateral line, leaving only one scale row instead of two between it and the lower lateral line, has been considered a synapomorphy uniting as a monophyletic group all members of both clades of endemic haplochromine cichlids of Lake Malaŵi. Here, this claim is tested by surveying the character in representatives of all genera of Lake Malaŵi haplochromines (tribe Haplochromini of the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae). Presence of the kink is shown to be variable in most genera, and it was not documented at all in two (Abactochromis, Cyrtocara). Specimens with no kink occur in many genera, and kink presence and length frequently vary on the two sides of the body. Thus, it is difficult to justify the kink as a synapomorphy of the species flock. The two clades differ in kink frequency; a kink occurred on at least one side of the body in 79% of bilaterally assessable specimens in the non-mbuna clade, but in only 53% of those in the mbuna clade (p < 0.0001). When a kink is present, its length is more variable in non-mbuna (1 to 8 scales, mode 2) than mbuna (1 to 4 scales, mode 1). Extension of the upper lateral line backward from the upper flank close to or onto the caudal peduncle, where no scale row is as dorsally situated, is identified as one cause of kink existence; additional factors likely await discovery. Contrary to published statements, the kink is expressed in some specimens of Astatotilapia calliptera, a phylogenetically important nonendemic haplochromine found in Lake Malaŵi and elsewhere, which may be the sister of the lake's endemic flock. An apparently identical lateral-line kink occurs sporadically in haplochromines in other lakes and in members of three other pseudocrenilabrine cichlid tribes, further refuting the hypothesis that this character is a synapomorphy of the Lake Malaŵi species flock.

Turtles of the total clade Pan-Chelydridae have a relatively sparse fossil record that reaches back to the Late Cretaceous (Santonian). The clade was only present in North America during the Cretaceous but spread along unclear routes to Asia and Europe during the Paleocene, only to go extinct on those continents by the end of the Pliocene. Final dispersal to South America took place at some time during the late Neogene. The ecology of stem chelydrids seems to have been similar to that of the extant Chelydra serpentina, although more primitive representatives were more molluscivorous as inferred from their broader triturating surfaces. Current phylogenies only recognize five internested clades: Pan-Chelydridae, Chelydridae, Chelydropsis, Chelydra and Macrochelys. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of 31 named fossil taxa, 8 are nomina valida, 10 are nomina invalida, 9 are nomina dubia, 1 is a nomen nudum and 1 is a regular, unavailable name.

Turtles of the total clade Pan-Kinosternoidea have a relatively poor fossil record that extends back to the Late Cretaceous (Campanian). The clade is found only in North America during its early history, but dispersed to Central America no later than the Miocene and to South America no later than the Pleistocene. Ancestral pan-kinosternoids were likely aquatic, bottom-walking omnivores or carnivores that preferred low-energy freshwater habitats. The Pan-Dermatemys lineage is often recovered in more fluvial habitats, and some are specialized to feed on aquatic vegetation. Alternatively, many representatives of Kinosternon evolved specializations (e.g., plastral lobe kinesis) that allowed them to successfully inhabit and disperse across more terrestrial habitats such as savannas and floodplains. A taxonomic review of the group concludes that of 42 named taxa, 27 are nomina valida (including two species of the controversial taxon Planetochelys), 14 are nomina invalida and only one a nomen dubium.

In July 2012, 22 people representing eight institutions from six countries conducted a six-day expedition to the submontane heath forest near Bukit Pagon in Brunei Darussalam. Base camp was located at an elevation of 862 masl about 200 m from the Brunei-Sarawak border and 9 km from the peak of Bukit Pagon. The herpetology and ichthyology portion of the survey resulted in the collection of 61 specimens, representing 30 species, with 4 additional species documented by photograph but not collected. One additional taxon, Tropidophorus brookei, was seen but neither collected nor photographed. Nearly half of the species found are endemic to Borneo. The findings of this brief expedition shed light on the distribution of many endemic taxa in one of the world's greatest biodiversity hot spots. Despite its small size, Brunei supports a rich vertebrate fauna that is understudied compared with neighboring Sarawak and nearby Sabah.