Une nouvelle espèce du genre Bohlinia (Mammalia,Giraffidae) du Miocène supérieur de Toros-Menalla,Tchad

New Giraffidae specimens discovered from the Late Miocene fossiliferous sector of Toros-Menalla (northern Chad) are described. These specimens are assigned to Bohlinia, a genus known so far only in some Late Miocene localities of Eurasia. This is the first occurrence of the genus in Africa. Analysis of the material allows us to describe a new species of giraffid, Bohlinia adoumi n. sp., probably close to the Eurasian forms.     

Bryozoaires cheilostomes nouveaux du Miocène supérieur du Bassin d'Alboran (Méditerranée occidentale)

Three new species and one new subspecies, Tremogasterinacookae, Cribrilina messiniensis, Emballotheca mediterranea and Herentia thalassae alboransis (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) are described from various Messinian deposits (Uppermost Miocene) of the Mediterranean province of Alboran: Algeria, Morocco, Spain.     

Chronologie des sites du Pléistocène inférieur et moyen du nord de l’Afrique

North Africa, and in particular the Maghreb, is a key region for African prehistory in that it contains sites whose chronology covers the entire Pleistocene period from 2.5 Ma to the Holocene. In terms of culture, it fits into the general pattern of the Stone Age, but it has particularities that make it a region apart with its own cultures. Due to its climate and geographical position, between the desert regions of the south and the Mediterranean Sea to the north, it has offered mankind a diversity of landscapes and environments that are quite unique and favorable to the development of human evolution. Finally, this region gives access to Europe through several maritime passages (Gibraltar, Sicily), which were probably used during the Pleistocene, thus reinforcing the interest in studying this northern part of Africa. The recent development of numerous dating methods has made it possible to reinforce and consolidate the chronostratigraphic framework, which for many years had been based solely on radiocarbon dating. These methods have sometimes even contributed to the confirmation of ‘new’ ideas that have dusted off the existing framework of prehistory. This article presents a chronology of the main ancient sites of the Maghreb dated by different methods whose ages compared to the results obtained by other disciplines participate and contribute to a better understanding of the environmental and cultural framework of prehistoric Man.     

Nouvelles espèces de dasycladales du crétacé inférieur de provence (S.E. France)

In the Lower Cretaceous of Provence Cylindroporella faronensis n. sp. and Cylindroporella massiliana n. sp. represent small size species with a limited number of branches. The former ranges from the Middle (or Lower p.p. ?) Berriasian to the Lower Valanginian, the latter is found in the Lower Hauterivian, but could appear earlier in other regions. Clypeina isabellae n. sp. is also a small size form with a fibrous, yellowish microstructure, close to Clypeina sulcata, it is restricted to the Middle (or Lower p.p. ?) and Upper Berriasian. Besides their biostratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic potential value this material from Provence is also interesting from an evolutionary point of view. At generic levels it shows distinctive patterns relatively to the “Cope law”.     

Révision d’Oryctolagus lacosti (Lagomorpha,Mammalia) du Pliocène supérieur de Perrier (Auvergne,France)

Fossil leporids from the Upper Pliocene of the locality of Perrier-Étouaires (Auvergne, France) are here revisited. They were initially attributed to Lepus lacosti by Pomel (1853), and later to the genus Oryctolagus. This material had been neither accurately described nor figured until now. Thus, a lectotype and two paralectotypes have been chosen among the material of the original collection. The diagnostic character of Oryctolagus lacosti is its big size, similar to that of modern hares (Lepus), together with other morphological characters that fit in the variability range of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Fossils of leporids similar to those of Perrier have also been found in several Plio-Pleistocene localities from western Europe.     

Espèces du groupe de Candona candida,Candona neglecta et quelques Candona à l'aspect morphologique problématique (Candonidae,Ostracoda) du Bassin de Turiec (Miocène supérieur,Slovaquie)

The subfamily Candoninae is the most diversified group in the Upper Miocene freshwater deposits of the Turiec Basin (Slovakia). The presence of Candoninae morphologically related to recent as well as Central Paratethys species reveals a problem between taxonomy based on soft body (zoological classification) and taxonomy based on hard part (paleontological classification). The current zoological classification is applied which reflects the real taxonomical relationships between species. The accent was put on the carapace morphological details to distinguish the species. Three described groups (Candona candida, C. neglecta and Candona of group indet) contain 7 new species – Candona densa, C. mocki, C. imaginaria, C. margueritae, C. singularis, C. sirveni et C. vahica.     

Vampyronassa rhodanica nov. gen. nov sp., vampyromorphe (Cephalopoda,Coleoidea) du Callovien inférieur de la Voulte-sur-Rhône (Ardèche,France)

Vampyronassa rhodanica nov. gen. nov. sp., Vampyromorpha (Cephalopoda, Coleoidea) from the Lower Callovian of la Voulte-sur-Rhône (Ardèche, France). The Vampyromorpha, an order of cephalopods closely related to Octopoda, have been yet undubitably identified only in recent time, always in deep oceanic waters. Their occurrence since the Middle Jurassic is evidenced by about twenty specimens from the Lower Callovian of la Voulte-sur-Rhône (Ardèche), which exhibit vampyromorph fundamental features : eight sessile arms showing one row of suckers with bordering cirri, a web uniting the arms, a pair of brachial tentacles, well shaped lateral eyes, an internal uncalcified supporting organ (gladius), a pair of supero-posterior fins, two postero-dorsal light-organs, no ink-sac. These specimens, here assigned to the new genus and species Vampyronassa rhodanica, still differ from recent Vampyromorpha by their two first dorsal sessile arms clearly longer than the others, their more important funnel and their longer and slightly more spindle-like body. This characteristic Middle Jurassic vampyromorph leads to admit a much older origin for this cephalopod order. The probably mesopelagic mode of life of this new vampyromorph is then tentatively examined. Critical arguments about the assignment to Vampyromorpha of three large teuthid-like species from the Upper Jurassic of Germany are developed.     

Première biozonation du Pléistocène Européen,principal résultat biostratigraphique de l'étude des Rhinocerotidae (Mammalia,Perissodactyla) du Miocène terminal au Pléistocène supérieur d'Europe Occidentale

For the Uppermost Miocene the already known zones MN 9 to MN 13 are used without any change; they prove to be particularly useful for the study of fossil rhinocerotids. The Plio-Villafranchian age corresponds to the zones 14 to 19, the definition of the first five being completed and the last being new. Middle to Upper Pleistocene age deals with the zones 20 to 26, all being new and defined following the same principles.     

Étude des Radiolaires d'un nodule phosphatédu Carbonifère inférieur de Bareilles,Hautes-Pyrénées,France

The discovery of well-preserved Radiolaria yielded into a single phosphatic nodule from Carboniferous lydites of Bareilles (Hautes-Pyrénées, France) allowed the identification of ten genera and nineteen species. Four of these species are new. The separation of the fauna from the phosphatic matrix has permitted it to be studied with the scanning electron microscope and to be correlated with faunas recently described by the same process. At least, seven species are identical with middle and upper Tournaisian phosphatic nodules from the Montagne Noire (Deflandre and Deflandre-Rigaud, 1944, Deflandre, 1973b) and from Istanbul, Turkey (Holdsworth, 1973), and eight others with Visean from the «Rheinische Schiefergebirge, West Germany (Won, 1983). The author questions the age of lydites from Hautes-Pyrénées, attributed to middle to upper Tournaisian (early Mississippian).     

Découverte d'une faune de vertébrés dans l'Oligocène inférieur de Vayres-sur-Essonne (bassin de Paris,France) : biodiversité et paléoenvironnement

The new rich vertebrates deposit from the Lower Oligocene, at Vayres-sur-Essonne (Essonne, France), contains 34 marine and seven continental taxa, 17 taxa being recorded for the first time from the Paris Basin. The richness of the ichtyofauna is higher than in anyone of the Parisian Oligocene deposits and equals the one of the ‘Argiles de Boom’ (Belgian Rupelian). Its affinities with the septentrional ichtyofauna is confirmed, meridional elements being rare. The terrestrial fauna, the oldest known from stratotypical Stampian (base of the Upper Stampian) shares affinities with the one of Montalbán and attests the occurrence of nearly freshwater environments. To cite this article: D. Merle et al., C. R. Palevol 1 (2002) 111–116.     

Ouzocerus gracilis n.g., n.sp., Bovidae (Artiodactyla,Mammalia) du Vallésien (Miocène supérieur) de Macédoine (Grèce)

A new antilope, Ouzocerus gracilis n.g., n.sp., isdescribed from a late Miocene layer from Northern Greece. It is known from an incomplete skull, jaws and limb bones. A comparison with other spiral horned antilopes shows it has some affinities with Protragelaphus but it is clearly different. Its known geographic area extends from Greece to Iran.     

Première découverte d’un squelette de Channidae (Poisson téléostéen) dans le Miocène inférieur d’Illerkirchberg, près d’Ulm (Wurtemberg, Allemagne)

A skeleton of a Channid fish is reported for the first time from the European Lower Miocene. Because of the lack of any appropriate diagnostic character, it is nevertheless impossible to determine if it belongs either to the Asiatic genusChanna Scopoli or to the African one,Parachanna Teugels &Daget. For this reason, its palaeobiogeographical significance remains unclear. Otoliths (sagitta) that very likely belong to the same Channid species have been described from Illerkirchberg asChanna elliptica (vonSalis). They are compared to the sagitta from recent species of the generaChanna (Scopoli) andParachanna (Teugels &Daget). Their morphological characters are intermediate between those characterizing the sagitta of both genera.     

Ancylotherium cheboitense nov. sp., nouveau Chalicotheriidae (Mammalia,Perissodactyla) du Miocène supérieur des Tugen Hills (Kénya)

Ancylotherium cheboitense nov. sp., new Chalicotheriidae (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) from the Late Miocene of the Tugen Hills (Kenya). Seven articulated bones of a left foot, comprising the talus, incomplete calcaneum, cuboid, co-ossified navicular + ectocuneiform, the mesocuneiform, metatarsals II, III and IV, as well as an isolated lower molar, were discovered at Cheboit, Baringo District, Kenya. All these remains came from the Kapgoywa Member (5.9 to 6.1 Ma) at the base of the Lukeino Formation. They belong to a new species of Ancylotherium, A. cheboitense nov. sp. This Schizotheriinae is characterised by its remarkably stocky skeleton, its high and wide talus, its massive metatarsals, in particular the fourth, of which the anterior surface of the diaphysis is strongly depressed. A. cheboitense is smaller but much more massive than Ancylotherium hennigi and even more so than Chemositia tugenensis, both species that have (at least partly) about the same age. It could represent an attempt to adapt to a humid habitat. To cite this article: C. Guérin, C. R. Palevol 4 (2005).     

Nouveaux genres de Squaliformes (Chondrichthyes) du Paléogène des Landes (Sud-Ouest de la France)

Résumé  Parmi les nombreux squaliformes récoltés dans le Lutétien des Landes (SO de la France), deux genres et espèces nouveaux ont été reconnus:Squaliodalatias weltoni n. gen. n. sp. etAngoumeius paradoxus n. gen. n. sp. La morphologie dentaire du premier permet de le rapprocher des Dalatiidae. Les relations phylétiques du second taxon sont pour 1’instant moins claires, en raison de sa denture supérieure inhabituelle pour un Dalatiiforme aussi évolué au niveau de la denture inférieure. Ces taxa nouveaux viennent enrichir nos connaissances sur un groupe encore mal connu à l’état fossile en raison de son habitat bathyal ainsi que sur la mise en place et la radiation, encore trop peu documentée, des faunes profondes.      

Isorthid AE (Brachiopoda) du dévonien inférieur du massif armoricain

Three species of Isorthidae are described in the Lower Devonian of the Armorican Massif. Two of them were hitherto badly known, being never adequately described nor figured: Isorthis (Protocortezorthis) miloni from the Gahard Formation (Gedinnian) and Isorthis (Protocortezorthis) trigeri from the Saint-Céneré Formation (Gedinnian-Siegenian). Isorthis oehlertiSolle, 1976 is considered as a synonym of Isorthis (Protocortezorthis) trigeri. The geographic distribution of these species allows to corroborate that until the top of the Lower Devonian (top of Le Faou Formation), two provinces with different faunal associations exist in the Armorican Massif.     

Nouvelles espèces de Madréporaires dans le Kimméridgien supérieur du Jura (France)

The study of an Upper Kimmeridgian madreporarianfauna collected in the southern french Jura (between Valfin and Belley), allowed: 1) to describe five Scleractinian new species: Mitrodendron biennensis nov. sp., Hexapetalum nemorosum nov. sp., Thalamocoenia gironensis nov. sp., Cryptocoenia stelliserrata nov. sp., Columnocoenia miniflora nov. sp. and a new variety of Heliocoenia (Kobycoenia) claudiopolisensisBeauv., 1964, characterized by its small calices; 2) to modify the diagnosis and the systematic position of the species Baryhelia crassa (de From.) which was created as Heterocoenia crassade From.; 3) to increase of a new species the genus Hexapetalum only known, till now, by its Stramberg Tithon type-species; and 4) to give some palaeoenvironmental conclusions = the Upper Jurassic reef formations in the Southern Jura grew in shallow water characterized by an abundant carbonate sedimentation. Genera associations and distribution confirm the presence, between Oyonnax and Belley, of a low energy area, protected by a barrier reef and, northern of this barrier, of a higher hydrodynamic environment.     

Dicerorhinus miguelcrus afonti nov. sp., une nouvelle espèce de rhinocéros (Mammalia,Perissodactyla) du gisement pliocène supérieur de Layna (Soria,Espagne) et de la formation pliocène de Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales,France)

More than 90 remains of rhinoceroses bones and teeth have been recovered from the Layna Pliocene deposit. They correspond to a middle sized animal with stout bones and is quite different from both the large sized Pliocène D. megarhinus, the lower Villafranchian D. jeanvireti and the slim small Villafranchian D. etruscus. Its a new species belonging to the Dicerorhinus genus: D. miguelcrusafonti nov. sp. This species is also found in the Perpignan Pliocene formation, together with D. megarhinus.