Ostracodes de la Formation de Bhanness,Kimméridgien (Jurassique supérieur) du Liban central : taxonomie,paléoécologie et paléobiogéographie

A microfauna composed of 11 species of ostracodes belonging to 11 genera have been recovered from the Bhanness Formation of Kimmeridgian age, in Central Lebanon. Four species are new and are described herein: Ektyphocythere dahressawanensis nov. sp., Dicrorygma (Orthorygma) libanensis nov. sp., Citrella? elongata nov. sp. and Procytherura inflata nov. sp. From a palaeobiogeographical standpoint, this fauna characterizes the North Gondwana province which differs from the South Gondwana province, particularly by the presence of the genus Schuleridea and the absence of the genus Majungaella.     

Complete Columbian mammoth mitogenome suggests interbreeding with woolly mammoths

Background  

Late Pleistocene North America hosted at least two divergent and ecologically distinct species of mammoth: the periglacial woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and the subglacial Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi). To date, mammoth genetic research has been entirely restricted to woolly mammoths, rendering their genetic evolution difficult to contextualize within broader Pleistocene paleoecology and biogeography. Here, we take an interspecific approach to clarifying mammoth phylogeny by targeting Columbian mammoth remains for mitogenomic sequencing.     

Les faunes des sites du Pléistocène supérieur du Caucase méridional : Grotte de Saka?hia, Grotte d’Ortvala et Grotte du Bronze (République de Géorgie)

The paleontological analysis of the fauna from three Late Pleistocene localities in Southern Caucasus (Saka?hia, Ortvala, and Bronze cave) confirmed the presence of Ursus spelaeus, Canis lupus, Equus ferus, Rhinocerotidae, Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus, Alces alces, Bison priscus, Capra caucasica, Ovis ammon and Sus scrofa. The study also permitted the identification of new taxa for these localities. There may be the presence of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) at Saka?hia, however it has not yet been confirmed. Moreover, remains of aurochs (Bos primigenius) were identified, in particular at Bronze cave where its abundance is exceptional. Indeed, Bos and Bison are generally very rare in Southern Caucasus. The analysis of the proportion of the different species in each locality revealed the two types of occupations of the caves, one dominated by hominids and the other by carnivores. At Saka?hia, where fauna is dominated by the presence of cave bear, the cave was seasonally occupied by Neanderthal groups. On the other hand, Bronze cave corresponds to a habitat of hunters, which occupied the site for longer periods.     

Madonna dell'Arma (San Remo, Italie) : expression locale de la végétation ligure au cours du Paléolithique moyen

Pollen analysis of Madonna dell’Arma cave inside part (Liguria, Italy) allowed us to reconstitute, at local scale, the Ligurian coastal vegetation between the end of the last interglacial period and the beginning of the pleniglacial. This transition period shows an important representation of arboreal cover and a persistence of thermophilous elements that allowed us to considerate the western Liguria as a periglacial refuge. During the end of the last interglacial, xerophytic, halophytic herbs and shrubs taken over from a Mediterranean pre-forest unit in the first slopes constituted the coastal zone. The nearness of Argentina torrent and the Armea influenced, in the coast, the existence of marshy zones colonized by hygrophilous trees. In the Ligurian lowlands spread out sclerophyllous and mesophilous forests according to altitude. The beginning of the pleniglacial is indicated in the sequence by increases of Pinus, Cupressaceae and Artemisia in the context of a decline in the thermophilous components. This picture of vegetation has become integrated into the multidisciplinary studies of the site and contributed to the elaboration of palaeoclimatic hypothesis similar as those revealed by the fauna.     

Isotopes stables (C,N) du collagène des mammouths de Mezhyrich (Epigravettien,Ukraine) : implications paléoécologiques

The mammoth steppe ecosystem was characterized by a high diversity in large mammals species distributed on a vast geographical range. The isotopic analyses of the collagen of the faunal remains from this context testified the niche partitioning among large herbivores with a specialization in the types of consumed plants. In the case of the mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), systematic higher abundances in ¹⁵N are found for this species compared to those of other grazers in Eurasia and Alaska during the Upper Palaeolithic. This distinct isotopic signature reflects a specific ecological niche. The analyses of mammoth remains at the Epigravettian site of Mezhyrich (15,000–14,300 conv BP) reveal low abundances in ¹⁵N that are equivalent to those of the associated horses. Thus, the mammoth of Mezhyrich experienced a significant change in their environment and diet that probably led to the loss of their ecological niche. A likely direct competition with other large herbivores and the possible predation by wolves and human populations should be considered for the mammoth of the Ukrainian plains, long before their extirpation from the region.     

Hommes et environnements au Paléolithique supérieur en Ukraine continentale et en Crimée : introduction

Research, conducted under the ANR project “Mammouths”, on “the end of the mammoth steppe: Man/Environment relationship during late Pleniglacial in Eastern Europe”, is the subject of several contributions, a part of them is published in this volume, under the heading “Humans and environments during Upper Paleolithic in mainland Ukraine and Crimea”, in the French journal L’anthropologie.     

Nouvelles recherches dans le bassin Plio-Pléistocène d’Anagni (Latium méridional, Italie)

The Anagni intra-apennine basin is especially rich in palaeontological and archaeological sites, spanning between middle Villafranchian and upper Pleistocene. The Italian Institute of Human Palaeontology has carried out researches in this region in the last 30 years. At Costa San Giacomo, middle Villafranchian yellow sands contain Mastodon arvernensis and Elephas meridionalis. At Colle Marino, a travertine layer and lime-clay contains mode 1 lithic industry, below any volcanic layers whose lower limit is 700 Ky old. Excavations have been restarted at Fontana Ranuccio, a 458 Ky Acheulian site with rich mammalian fauna (Elephas antiquus, Ursus deningeri, Bos primigenius, Dama clactoniana, Equus mosbachensis), a remarkable bone industry and four human teeth. Drillings, for about 40 m, have identified Matuyama-Brunhes limit 23 m under the main volcanic pyroclastite, in a thick limnic clay layer.     

Gastropodes sinémuriens du Monte Cucco (Apennins d’Ombrie-Marche, Italie centrale)

Recent researches carried out in the uppert part of the “Calcare Massiccio” formation of Monte Cucco allowed to recover a rich Sinemurian fauna of gastropods, bivalves, brachiopods, ammonoids and some solitary corals. The gastropod fauna is greatly dominant and includes 18 species which belong to the superfamilies Pleurotomarioidea, Fissurelloidea, Amberleyoidea, Neritoidea, Loxonematoidea, Cerithioidea, Nerineoidea, Littorinoidea and Acteonoidea. Ten species of gastropods are here described for the first time. This fauna shows a marked affinity with that of the Sinemurian of Sicily. Under a paleoecological point of view, it is indicative of free marine conditions, in photic zone but under a weak hydrodynamism, and therefore may suggests the reference to a deep infralittoral or upper circalittoral environment.     

Groupe de Candona clivosa, nouveau groupe de Candoninae (Crustacea, Ostracoda) et sa diversification dans le Bassin de Turiec (Slovaquie) au Miocène supérieur

The Candona clivosa-group, a new group of Candoninae - is erected on the base of the folded inner lamella observed on the postero-ventral border of the female valve. The elongated sub-triangular and rectangular valves of this group are described from the Miocene and Quaternary deposits of Europe. A folded inner lamella is also observed in 11 species of Candona from the Upper Miocene of the Turiec Basin of which 8 are new - Candona fatrica nov. sp., C. tatrica nov. sp., C. lacustris nov. sp., C. palustris nov. sp., C. stagnosa nov. sp., C. laterisimilis nov. sp., C. jiriceki nov. sp. and C. incurva nov. sp. They show a higher variability of the outline, calcification of the valves and width of the zone of concrescence. The extrinsic and intrinsic aspects of this morphological diversification in the Turiec Basin are discussed.     

Comportements de subsistance au Paléolithique supérieur en Crimée : analyse archéozoologique des couches 6-2, 6-1 et 5-2 de Buran-Kaya III

The rockshelter of Buran-Kaya III (Crimea), found in 1990 by A. Yanevich, presents an exceptional stratigraphic sequence ranging from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Neolithic. The cultural layers yielded abundant assemblages of lithic and bone industries, personal adornments and mobiliary art, several ones made of mammoth ivory. We present here the results of zooarchaeological analyses of the large mammal remains from layers 6-2, 6-1 and 5-2, attributed to Gravettian sensu lato, and their interpretation in terms of subsistence behaviours, by comparing the three assemblages. The faunal composition of the three layers is rather homogeneous. The site settlements seem mainly related to the acquisition and treatment activities of small and middle-sized mammals, especially saiga antelope in summer, and large-sized mammals, in winter in 6-1 and maybe also in 5-2. During Gravettian, Buran-Kaya III was repeatedly used as a butchery or short-termed camp-site, probably in summer for hunts of saiga antelope.     

Stratigraphie, paléoécologie et foraminifères du paléogène des Alpes Maritimes et des Alpes de Haute-Provence (Sud-Est de la France)

Paleogene sedimentation in the Alpes Maritimes and Alpes de Haute Provence regions is composed of one complete sedimentary sequence. This sequence begins with the continental Formation from Microcodium and continues with the Cerithium layers, the Calcaires Nummulitiques and the Marnes Bleues, which are overlaid by the turbidites of the Grès d’Annot Formation. Sedimentation starts in the Nummulites perforatus zone close to the base of ‘the Truncorotaloides rohri zone (P 14) and ends in the Cassigerinella chipolensis-Pseudohastigerina micra zone (P 18) and the NP21 zone in the upper part of the Grès d’Annot. More biomarkers were used in order to define a more detailed local biozonation (biozones AMP 1 to AMP 7). Four local zones were also defined by the last occurrence of Nummulites millecaput and N. perforatus-N. ptukhiani and then by the first appearance of N. retiatus (AMGF 1-4). The evolution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages shows an increase in bathymetry from the internal platform in the Cerithium layers to the calcareous platform with large foraminifers, then to the external platform and the deep offshore environment of the Marnes Bleues and Grès d’Annot. Low faunal diversity in the Grès d’Annot together with the predominance of agglutinated species indicates a poorly oxygenated, organic rich and turbidite environment. Seven steps (SD 1 to SD 7) in the Eocene marine transgression are shown from East to West by detailed local biozonation and sequence analysis. Grès d’Annot sedimentation is also diachronous, beginning within the Truncorotaloides rohri zone (P 14, AMP 1) in the East and ending within the Pararotalia opima opima zone (P 20, middle Rupelian) in the West (Barrême). Small foraminifer Paleogene fauna from the Alpes Maritimes and Alpes de Haute Provence was studied from 400 samples. It is composed of 378 species. Two new taxa are proposed: Fissurina niceana n. sp. and Globocassidulina alpina n. sp. The species from the Escarène and Gorbio neighborhood described by M. von Hantken (1884) were re-examined.     

Puparia of the subarctic or black blowfly protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830) in a skull of a Late Eemian (?) bison at Zemst,Brabant (Belgium)

Fossil puparia of the subarctic blowfly P. terraenovae which were found in the skull and horn-core cavities of a “steppe wisent” (Bison priscus) are described. The steppe wisent was discovered in coarse fluviatile deposits overlying Eocene marine sediments at Zemst in the province of Brabant (Belgium), during excavations for the new sluice in the Brussels-Rupel Canal. Other faunal remains collected are rhinoceros — woolly rhinoceros, Coelodonta antiquitatis (?) — and proboscidian — woolly mammoth, Elephas primigenius (?). Geological and palaeontological data indicate that the deposits and their contents were probably formed during the Late Eemian under a cold temperature climate. An attempt is made to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the association of empty blowfly puparia and the skull.     

Gryllolattids (Insecta, Grylloblattida) from the Upper Permian of South Africa

A Late Permian fauna of grylloblattid insects (Insecta; Grylloblattida) from the KwaZulu-Natal Province (South Africa) is considered. New taxa, Liomopterites ulterior sp. nov. and L. meridionalis sp. nov. (family Liomopteridae); Normandienoptera serotina gen. et sp. nov. and Afrogrylloblattus disputabilis gen. et sp. nov. (Skaliciidae), are described. Mioloptera stuckenbergi Riek, 1973 and Mioloptoides andrei Riek, 1976 of the family Liomopteridae are redescribed.     

Sur l'origine du genre Microceratina Swanson, 1980 (Ostracoda, Eucytherurinae) et sa présence téthysienne dès le Jurassique supérieur

The discovery in the uppermost Jurassic of Lebanon of a species of the ostracod genus Microceratina Swanson, 1980 (Eucytherurinae), of which the oldest known species was until now of Maastrichtian age, confirms the Tethyan origin of this genus. Two new species are created: Microceratina bhannesensis nov. sp. from the Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of Lebanon, and Microceratina azazoulensis nov. sp. from the Cenomanian of Morocco. The genera Chapmanicytherura Weaver, 1982 and Erratacytheridea Herrig et al., 1997, are considered as probable junior synonyms of Microceratina. An exhaustive bibliographical analysis allowed to identifying several other Cretaceous species susceptible to be assigned to the genus Microceratina.     

Malacofauna continental holocena y paleoambientes en Villa Valle María (Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina)

The molluscan fauna recovered from Holocene continental sediments at Villa Valle María fossiliferous locality (Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina), eolian in origin and dated at 2,490 ± 45 ¹⁴C yrs. B.P. on Bulimulus sp, is reported. It represents the first illustrated record of Quaternary molluscs from loess sequences in Argentina. It is represented exclusively by land snails which belong to five gastropod families (Pupillidae, Succineidae, Ferussaciidae, Orthalicidae and Scolodontidae), 7 genera and 9 species: Gastrocopta nodosaria (d’Orbigny), Succinea meridionalis d’Orbigny, Cecilioides consobrina (d’Orbigny), Bulimulus apodemetes (d’Orbigny), B. bonariensis bonariensis (Rafinesque), Bulimulus sp, Naesiotus pollonerae (Ancey), N. deletangi (Parodiz), Miradiscops brasiliensis (Thiele) and Scolodonta semperi (Doering). The first record of Miradiscops is reported for Entre Ríos province. The gastropod assemblage, typical of habitats with plant cover and leaves and trunks as substrate, is similar to the modern molluscan fauna found today along southern Entre Ríos province (Mesopotamian District in the Subtropical Dominium), an area characterized by a warm-temperate steppe continental scenario. However, the associated record of S. meridionalis, typical of environments with higher humidity contents like ponds, suggests local more humid temporary environmental conditions such as palustrine habitats during the time span considered. Our results provide additional evidence regarding the occurrence of a dominant eolian event which produced the reworking and subsequent accumulation of superficial deflated sediments on the Pampean region. They add to previous models considering a dry period between 3,500 and 1,400 yrs. B.P. over the central Argentine plains.     

Mode de vie à Isernia La Pineta (Molise, Italie). Stratégie d’exploitation du Bison schoetensacki par les groupes humains au Paléolithique inférieur

The site of Isernia La Pineta (Molise, Italie) is characterized by the presence of a rich faunal assemblage related to a very abundant lithic industry in several archaeosurfaces dated between 600,000 and 700,000 BP. A specific archaeozoological study has been carried out on Bison schoetensacki specimens that are the most represented taxon in each archaeological level, followed by rhinoceros, elephant, bear and cervid. The quantitative et qualitative analysis of the faunal remains, the age profiles and the identification of anthropic modifications have allowed to better understand the exploitation strategies adopted by humans in the site and to underline a selective hunting of population of bison, related to the age of the individuals.     

La grotte de Niaux,théâtre des illusions

Niaux Cavern, one of the great decorated caves, has been continuously open to the public. Despite its apparent accessibility, there is much that remains beyond our comprehension. One of the most inaccessible images is in the much visited Salon Noir. It is panel number four which contains a powerful but puzzling figure sometimes referred to as the Crossed Bison. This paper is an attempt to reach into the mind of the individual who produced that image to show how that artist's evident understanding of optical illusions, as well as an intuitive understanding of the theory of mind, propelled its creation for a specific graphic purpose.     

Systematic examination of the cardiopulmonary,urogenital, muscular and gastrointestinal parasites of the Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in Denmark,a protected species recovering from a dramatic decline

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a protected species in Denmark and at present, the population is recovering due to conservation efforts. The Danish otters are mainly found in the continental part of Denmark (Jutland), but establishment in the main islands (Fyn and Zealand) has been observed. While there is a lack of systematic studies on the parasite fauna of otters in Denmark, this study aims to screen otters for their parasite fauna, especially those of zoonotic and/or veterinary importance. Thirty-three otter carcasses, road-killed (n = 30), found dead (n = 2) and shot (n = 1), were collected between June 2013 and May 2014 and examined for cardiopulmonary, urogenital, gastrointestinal, and muscle helminths by post mortem examination. Faecal samples were analysed by modified concentration McMaster technique and direct immunofluorescence test for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. At least one parasite was found in 75.8% of animals. The parasite fauna included 13 species, consisting of five nematodes: Molineus patens (30.3%), Aonchotheca putorii (27.3%), Strongyloides sp. (24.2%), Physaloptera sp. (12.1%), Eucoleus aerophilus (10.0%); one cestode: Schistocephalus solidius (6.1%); four trematodes: Metorchis bilis (33.3%), Isthimiophora melis (15.2%), Cryptocotyle sp. (3.0%), Plagiorchis sp. (3.0%); one acanthocephalan: Acanthocephalus ranae (18.2%); and two protozoans: Giardia spp. (3.1%), and Eimeria spp. (3.1%). The study showed that otters carry parasites of zoonotic and veterinary importance. Many of these parasites can also infect native carnivores and birds, and the distribution of these parasites may be affected if the otter population continue to increase in Denmark.