Decouverte de restes de Cyprinidae (Poissons teleosteens)dans l'Oligocene moyen de Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhone)

Cyprinid Fish-remain (an articulated skeleton of Varhostichthys sp. and isolated pharyngeal teeth) have been found in the Upper part of the “argiles de Saint-Henri”, a Middle oligocene formation of Marseilles basin. The finding of these Fish-remains confirms that these deposits have been sedimented under fresh-water conditions.     

Signification paléoécologique des assemblages de diatomées du Messinien dans le bassin de Melilla-Nador (Rif Nord-Oriental, Maroc)

In the Melilla-Nador basin, the diatomites represent one of the main sedimentary components of the Messinian together with reefal carbonate platforms. Two vertical sections were realised in the diatomitic levels from distal platform. Diatom assemblages are for the first time described in this basin. A total of 125 diatom species were determined: 73 centrics and 52 pennates. Significant diatom assemblages defined from the statistical analysis indicate ecological variations concerning diatomitic levels or parts of diatomitic levels. Using the data sets we propose paleoenvironmental models showing the complexity of the ecological interactions. This study point the permanence of opened marine environment, the impulse of cold waters from Atlantic origin, a general decrease in bathymetry in the Messinian marls-diatomitic series, the influence of the carbonate platform progradation and the occurrence of upwelling systems.     

Radiolaires mésozoïques de la formation de Kermanshah (Iran)

Radiolarites are one of the characteristic facies of the Tethyan Mesozoic realm. In western Iran, the Kermanshah radiolarites belong to a vast siliceous complex characteristic of the Mesozoic rocks of the Tethys region. These siliceous sequences are associated either with ophiolitic outcrops, which allow us to date them, or to sedimentary sequences that were deposited in a long and narrow basin in an intertropical zone, which benefited from the nutritional content of upwellings driven by monsoons. This basin extended from the Hawasina series (Oman) in the south, continued northward into the series of Pichakun (South Iran) and Kermanshah (western Iran) and ended with the Kocali series (Turkey). Radiolarites were dated in these different parts of the basin except in Kermanshah. The present work fills this gap and reveals that several levels can be dated by radiolarians from the Lower Pliensbachian, for the oldest ones, up until the Turonian for the youngest.     

Deux nouveaux sites à traces de pas dinosauroïdes dans la Formation Dolomitique de l’Hettangien de Lozère,Languedoc-Roussillon,France

Recent ichnological studies revealed two new localities showing dinosaur footprints in the Hettangian Dolomitic Formation from the Causses Basin, southern France. The traces are reported from the northern part of the basin, in Lozère, an area where Lower Jurassic dinosaur ichnites were poorly documented. The surfaces bearing footprints are characterized by a large number of traces. The ichnites are ascribed to Grallator (Hitchcock, 1858), Dilophosauripus (Welles, 1971) and Eubrontes (Hitchcock, 1845) whose trackmakers were theropods. Although numerous tracksites were previously described in the southern part of the Causses Basin, these three ichnotaxa are for the first time observed in association into the Dolomitic Formation.     

Sur la presence de vegetaux a structure conservee du Viseen dans le poudingue mosaique du Stephanien du bassin de Saint-Etienne (France)

Upper Visean plant-bearing cherts have been discovered in association with others yielding a Stephanian A flora, in conglomerates (poudingue mosaïque) from the base of the Stephanian B at Grand'Croix. It confirms the distant source, from the Roanne region, of the Dinantian elements during the initial basin sedimentation and constitutes an excellent example of complex reworking of fossil plant material.     

Les industries acheuléennes de la France septentrionale

The excavations of several open air sites in Northern France and, especially in the Somme basin, have given numerous data concerning the age and the environment of the human occupations for the period from MIS 12 to MIS 8. The quality of the raw material and the function of the different sites have a great effect on the composition of the lithic assemblages as it has been seen for the different sites located near the confluence of the Somme and Avre (Cagny-la Garenne, Cagny-l’Épinette, Ferme de l’Épinette, Gentelles). The characteristics of the lithic industries of Gouzeaucourt show the complexity of the transition from Lower to Middle Palaeolithic.     

Les assemblages lithiques du site épigravettien de Buzhanka 2 (Ukraine)

In 2003, a new Epigravettian site, Buzhanka 2, was discovered in the Middle Desna region. Typologically, the tool complex of the Upper layer is close to the Mezhyrich type complex. Thus, Buzhanka 2 is the northernmost site with this type of industry. It is the only site, in the Middle Desna basin and also in the whole basin of the Middle Dnieper, where the proportion of quartzite reaches more than 40 %. In the other sites from the whole Middle Dnieper region, this proportion is usually not more than a few percent.     

Les assemblages de diatomées du bassin messinien de Boudinar (Maroc nord-oriental)

The Messinian is one of the strongest biogenic silica accumulation periods in the world and more particularly in the Mediterranean, where it is marked by an important diatomitic sedimentation. In the Boudinar basin (Morocco north-Eastern, Western Mediterranean), the section of Sidi Haj Youssef, localised near the volcano of Ras Tarf, has approximately 100 m thickness of clayey-marly series in which 12 diatomitic levels of variable thickness are intercalated. The microfloristic study of diatoms on 86 samples, carried out in detail for the first time, made it possible to recognize 50 genus of diatoms (24 of centric and 26 of pennate) represented by 185 species (75 species of centric and 110 species of pennate). Four hundred individuals were taken from each sample to determine the relative frequency of each taxon within the diatoms assemblages. Thus, several assemblages were defined by the predominance of the following species: Coscinodiscusmarginatus, Actinoptychussenarius, Thalassionemanitzschioides, Actinocycluscurvatulus, Thalassiothrixlongissima, Rhizosoleniastyliformis and Actinocyclusehrenbergii. These diatoms assemblages display a littoral marine environment in communication with the opened sea. The abundance of the cold water species towards the base and the top of the section suggests broad exchanges of the basin with the Atlantic Ocean in Messinian. The predominance of the species Thalassionemanitzschioides and/or Thalassiothrixlongissima indicates periods of strong productivity that can be associated to upwelling systems.     

L’industrie du Paléolithique inférieur du site de Baigu,Bassin de Bose,Province autonome du Guangxi Zhuang,RP de Chine

The site of Baigu, in Bose basin, autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang (China), dated to just over 800,000 years, delivered a rich lithic industry, mainly composed of pebbles tools. This industry consisted by the abundance of heavy and huge pebbles tools, the choppers, the picks massive and the hand-axes. The flakes have been rare retouched.     

Les nouveaux gisements villafranchiens du ravin de Cornillet (Moustiers Sainte-Marie,Alpes de Haute Provence,France) et leur contexte géologique

Several mammal remains were recently discovered in the Cornillet gully deposits: Nyctereutes megamastoides, Pachycrocuta perrieri, Dicerorhinus etruscus, Gazella borbonica. Eucladoceros senezensis, Croizetoceros ramosus. This fauna is attributed to the middle Villafranchian.The most recent beds of the Riez-Valensole basin include several superimposed units with three type of facies: fluvio-eolian (i. e. a conglomeratesand-silt sequence), lacustrine and breccian. The Upper Pliocene represented in the Puimoisson-Ségriès region by fossiliferous lacustrine deposits is covered with coarse detrital material. The Cornillet deposits can be found at the lower part of the calcareous formation continuing this Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphy.The breccias of Balène, located at the top ofthese formations, constitute a thick spread of the detrital material of cryoclastic origin. This spread appeared later than the tectonical thrust of the surrounding calcareous mountains upon the Tertiary basin.     

Stratigraphie et chronologie du site de Gaolingpo dans le bassin de Bose,sud de la Chine

The Bose Paleolithic industry in the Bose Basin, Guangxi, South China is well known in the international scientific community for its bearing handaxes dated back to 803 ka. Seven terraces were developed in the basin and terrace 4 is the most important because handaxes and tektites were recovered from this terrace. Since the first site was discovered in 1973, additional sites of the Bose Paleolithic industry have been investigated and excavated, most of which are located on terrace 4. The previous studies concluded that there is only one phase within this industry and its age is 803 ka. However, before 2013, no attempt had been made to dig down to the basal gravels from the top of terrace 4 in archaeological excavations. Therefore, the stratigraphy and the layers from which the stone artifacts derive of terrace 4 are not clear. In 2013–2014, we conducted an excavation of 200 m² at the Gaolingpo site, which is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in the Bose Basin. We excavated to the basal gravel deposits from the top of this terrace, and a section of more than 7 meters thick deposit was exposed and clearly shows the stratigraphic layers of Pleistocene and Holocene deposits. Furthermore, features and about 800 stone artifacts including choppers, picks, scrapers, etc. were excavated from several stratigraphic layers, which are different in age and other aspects. Based on stratigraphy and the stone artifacts, three stages of Paleolithic cultural remains from the Gaolingpo site can be established. The first stage is in the age of at leat 803 ka. The second stage can be dated to 15 ka and the third stage to about 10 ka.     

Le Paléolithique Supérieur dans la moyenne vallée de l’Ebre

After 30 years of research, we begin to perceive an incipient outline of the Upper Palaeolithic in the central Ebro Valley. The assembled data permit us to speak of human occupation on the Southern face of the Pyrenees, but also on the borders of the Iberian Mountains and of the Ebro basin. All these sites seem to mark the passageways from and to the neighbour territories, emphasizing the communication pathway role of the Iberian basin.     

Sur un nouveau gisement fossilifere du Miocene superieur (Tortonien-Turolien moyen) de Cucuron (Vaucluse)

The fossiliferous layer is located in tortonian fresh water marls with “Helix” christoli within Durance basin.Micromammals, molluscs and ostracodes are yielded. The fauna analysis get to place it in Middle turolian (MN 12 zone) and to give an Upper Turolian age (MN 13) to the Luberon red limes and gravels formation. It appears clearly that the lacustrine biotop with Paralimnocythere bouleigensis spread more and more late southward in the Rhône valley. At the Tortonian, the sea stopped longuer in the Durance basin than in the Valréas one.     

La formation des Calcaires et Lignites de Sigonce (Oligocène moyen,bassin de Forcalquier,Alpes-de-Haute-Provence): Datation à l'aide des mammifères; reconstitution des milieux de dépots

A section in the “Calcaires et Lignites de Sigonce” formation is described. Sedimentological study shows a swamp deposit. The collected Rodents and Insectivores teeth indicate a Middle Oligocene age (Antoingt level). Consequently, the Sigonce lignite and the basis of the Viens (Apt basin) and Bois d'Asson (Manosque trench) formations are correlated.     

Nouvelles données sur les macro-invertébrés du Turonien de la région de Libreville (bassin côtier nord-gabonais)

Thirteen species of macroinvertabrates have been identified for the first time from the Turonian deposits of the Libreville region. Seven ones correspond to bivalves: Lima (Plagiostoma) subsimplex Thomas and Péron, 1890, ?Osteomya sp., Plicatula ferryi Coquand, 1862, P. fourneli Coquand, 1862, P. ventilabrum var. suffetulensis Pervinquière, 1912, Plicatula sp., Pleuromya sp.; three other ones are echinoid species: Mecaster batnensis (Coquand, 1862), Mecaster nicaisei (Coquand, 1862), Mecaster sp.; and the last three are gastropods: Cylichna sp. ? Pterocerella poinsettiformis Stephenson, 1941, Columbellina sp. Excepted Plicatula ferryi Coquand and P. ventilabrum var. suffetulensis Pervinquière which are identified in the Senonian of Gabon, all species are found for the first time in Gabonese coastal basin. Their paleobiogeographic distribution is extended to Gabon. In Gabonese coastal basin, the stratigraphic and geographic ranges of the Plicatula genus are extended in Turonian and Libreville region respectively. The macrofaunal assemblage found in the Libreville region is cosmopolitan. Its shows paleogeographical affinities with Tethys and south of South Atlantic.     

L'ichthyofaune des marnes messiniennes des environs de Gabbro (Toscane,Italie): Signification paleoecologique

Five species of fossil Fishes, of which three are new (Aphanius italicus nov. sp., Palaeoatherina etrusca nov. sp. and Gobius ignotus nov. sp.) occur in the Messinian marls from Gabbro (Tuscany, Italy). This association allows to consider this locality as constituted in a continental basin with a variable salt content.     

Evolution de la temperature de l'oxygene dissous et de la transparence dans la baie Nord du lac Tanganika

Resume Nous décrivons dans ce travail l'évolution de la température de l'oxygène dissous et de la transparence dans le bassin N. du lac Tanganika.La température de l'eau ne subit des fluctuations intéressantes au cours de l'année que dans les 100 premiers mètres de la surface. Les eaux du Tanganika offrent une temperature élevée jusqu' à ses plus grandes profondeurs; à 1.400 m. la température de l'eau est encore de 23.35° C. La température des eaux superficielles dépend de l'insolation journalière et les variations saisonnières n'affectent qu'une épaisseur d'eau d'une centaine de mètres. La couche oxygénée de l'eau est très faible par rapport aux énormes profondeurs du lac. Dans le bassin N. elle varie au cours de l'année entre les extrêmes de 45 m. et de 115 m.; la plupart du temps la limite de l'oxygène dissous se situant à 75–80 m de profondeur.Les eaux superficielles sont fortement oxygénées, leur teneur en oxygène dissous oscille autour de 100% de satuation, jusqu'au thermocline elles sont encore oxygénées à 80–90%.Le thermocline est toujours plus haut que la limite de l'oxygène dissous et ne présente absolument pas une barrière biologique comme c'est le cas dans la plupart des lacs des régions tempérées.La transparence des eaux du lac Tanganika est considérable, elle atteint souvent 20 m; la moyenne au cours de l'année se situant aux environs de 15 m.

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Summary The author describes the temperature, oxygen and transparency conditions in the Northern basin of Lake Tanganyika.The fluctuations in the temperature of the waters in the course of the year is of interest only down to a depth of 100 m.The temperature of water in Lake Tanganyika is high even in the greatest depths; at 1.400 m depth the temperature of the water is still 23.35° C. The temperature of surface water depends on the daily solar radiation. The influence of seasonal variations is felt only down to a depth of about one hundred meters.The oxygenated layer of water is very thin in comparison with the very great depth of the lake. In the northern basin, this layer varies in thickness between 45 and 115 m, the limit of dissolved oxygen being at a depth of about 75 m most of the time.The oxygen concentration in superficial waters is very high and nearly reaches the saturation point. Down to the thermoclinal point, the concentration is still 80–90 % The thermocline is always higher than the limit of dissolved oxygen, it does not at all constitute a biological barrier as it does in most lakes in temperate climates. The waters of Lake Tanganyika are very transparent, their transparency often reaches the depth of 20 m, the average for the year being 15 m.

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Centre de Recherches du Tanganika (Uvira) Institut pour la Recherche Scientifique en Afrique Centrale I.R.S.A.C.     

Stratigraphie mineralogique du Pleistocene glacio-torrentiel de la Haute-Durance provencale. Correlations avec le Pleistocene glaciaire du bassin de Laragne-Sisteron

In the Durance valley below Sisteron, the clay minerals of the material forming the fluvio-glacial pleistocene terraces and the superposed paleosols concur to correlate these levels with the glacial complex of the Laragne-Sisteron basin.     

Introduction de l'analyse multifactorielle dans le traitement de données palynofloristiques santoniennes (Crétacé supérieur)

The data processing, with multifactorial analysis, of palynofloras yielded by seven Santonian lignitic levels in the Dieulefit locality (Drôme, France) and by eight levels of same facies in the Nyons locality (Drôme, France) enables us to establish relations within a basin (deposit) between the variations in the relative frequencies of Normapolles taxa and the sedimentary factors, especially the facies and the alluvial deposits.The comparison, with the same method, between Nyons and Dieulefit deposits on the basis of their common taxa emphasizes the phytogeographical differences existing between these Santonian deposits (Upper Cretaceous)