Middle to Late Pleistocene herpetofauna from Scladina and Sous-Saint-Paul caves (Namur,Belgium)

For the first time, the fossil herpetofauna from the Middle and Late Pleistocene of Scladina and Sous-Saint-Paul caves (Sclayn, Belgium) is described. The amphibians and squamate reptiles are represented by one salamander (Salamandra salamandra), three anurans (Pelodytes punctatus, Bufo bufo and Rana temporaria), two lizards (Lacerta cf. agilis and Anguis fragilis) and two snakes (Zamenis longissimus and Vipera cf. berus). The occurrence of the Parsley Frog (Pelodytes punctatus) and the Aesculapian Snake (Zamenis longissimus), which are not currently represented in Belgium, is of particular interest. Scladina also represents one of the northernmost fossil mentions for the Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) although it is within its current distribution in Europe. Finally, the presence of the Adder (Vipera cf. berus) is very probably attested in Scladina whereas today this snake is infrequent and classified as endangered in Belgium.     

A refined ammonite biostratigraphy for the Middleand Upper Carixian (Ibex and Davoei Zones,Lower Jurassic) in North-West Europe and stratigraphical details of the Carixian-Domerian boundary

A refined biostratigraphical scheme is described forthe Ibex and Davoei Zones (Carixian Substage, Lower Jurassic) in NW Europe, and the biostratigraphical details of the Carixian — Domerian boundary are outlined. It is based on detailed stratigraphical collections of ammonites from the major Pliensbachian localities in Britain, France and Germany, with supplementary data from Portugal. The zones and subzones, which are largely unchanged from the well-established scheme described by Dean & alii (1961), are further divided into zonules which can be recognised throughout NW Europe. These zonules, nine for the Ibex Zone and seven for the Davoei Zone, probably represent the greatest biostratigraphical resolution readily obtainable using ammonite faunas. The problems inherent in the precise recognition of the chronostratigraphical Carixian-Domerian boundary, owing to slightly discordant species ranges, are discussed.