Ammonites du Toarcien du Haut Atlas central (Maroc)

In the central High Atlas, the Toarcian Stage is represented by a marl and marly limestone series of variable thickness. Two sections have been studied: Amellago (500 m) and Aït Athmane (100 m). Ammonites from the two sections allowed to characterize the Polymorphum, Levisoni, Bifrons, Gradata, and Speciosum zones. The Polymorphum Zone provided, among others: Dactylioceras (Eodactylites) mirabile, D. (E.) pseudocommune, Dactylioceras (Orthodactylites) aff. crosbeyi and Neolioceratoides aff. hoffmanni; the Levisoni Zone provided a rich ammonite fauna composed of, Calliphylloceras nilssoni, Dactylioceras (Orthodactylites) cf. semiannulatum, Eleganticeras exaratum, Harpoceras falciferum, H. pseudoserpentinum, H. serpentinum, H. subplanatum, Hildaites cf. forte, H. levisoni, H. cf. serpentiniformis, H. cf. subserpentinus, H. striatus, H. wrighti, Lytoceras siemensi, Lytoceras sp., Maconiceras soloniacense, Phylloceras sp., Polyplectus pluricostatum et Polyplectus sp.; the Bifrons Zone provided Eleganticeras sp., Harpoceras subplanatum?, Hildoceras bifrons, H. lusitanicum, H. semipolitum, H. sublevisoni, Hildoceras sp., Porpoceras gr. vortex – verticosum; the Gradata Zone was characterized by Pseudocrassiceras bayani, P. frantzi, Pseudocrassiceras sp., Pseudocrassiceras sp. indet.; and the Speciosum Zone provided an Hammatoceras aff. insigne. These species have been described and illustrated for the first time for the central High Atlas. Most of them are common to several basins of the north Tethyan margin and the Subboreal Domain of NW Europe.     

Sélaciens nouveaux du Crétacé du Texas

Researches undertaken in the Cretaceous of Texas have allowed to collect rich selachian faunas from Albian to Maestrichtian. Some new taxa are described: Microcorax crassus n. gen. n. sp., Pseudocorax granti n. sp., Odontaspis tenuiplicatus n. sp., O. amonensis n. sp., Ptychotrygon mcnultyi n. sp., Ischirhiza texana n. sp.; the genus Pseudohypolophus n. is proposed for the species mcnultyi placed by Thurmond in the genus Hypolophus. Thes faunas reveal to be rather different from the contemporary faunas of Europa.     

Les groupements a Amygdalus et Prunusde la fin du Tardi-glaciaire et du debut du Post-glaciaire en Mediterranee Nord-occidentale

The charcoal analysis of north-western mediterranean prehistoric settlements has revealed, at the end of the Lateglacialand at the beginning of the Post-glacial period, a type of vegetation which we can compare with pine-groves where Juniperus, Rosaceae and among them Amygdalus, some of Rhamnaceae and Oleaceae take an important place. This vegetation seems to imply temperate but dry climatic conditions.     

Alcaloïdes steroidiques du Malouetia Brachyloba et du M. Heudelotii

Malouetine and funtumafrine C have been isolated from the leaves of Malouetia brachyloba, indicating that this species is not very different from M. bequaertiana. Five conanine derivatives have been extracted from the leaves of M. heudelotii, a species which does not contain any alkaloid with a quaternary ammonium function.     

De nouveaux restes de Primelephas dans le Mio-Pliocène du Nord du Tchad et révision du genre Primelephas

The genus Primelephas Maglio 1970 gathers two primitive species of Elephantinae, only known through dental remains. A large sample of new fossils, discovered by the MPFT field missions in northern Chad Mio-Pliocene localities and attributed to this genus, allowed questioning the validity of one of the species. An intrageneric morphological variability analysis led us to consider this species as a synonym. Therefore, Primelephas should be conserved as a monospecific genus, P. korotorensis being its type and sole species. The provincialism previously described for Primelephas is rejected in favour of a large African distribution of P. korotorensis.     

Diverses proprietes de l'absorption du citrate du malate et du succinate par les lutoides du latex d'Hevea brasiliensis

Lutoïds from Hevea latex are microvacuoles with lysosomal character. In vitro in a medium free of energetic substrate citrate, malate and succinate are absorbed. The properties of this absorption and the action of some modifiers are discussed.     

Presence du Messinien dans la vallee du Rhone

According to the paleontological (molluscs and ostracods) and stratigraphical data, the Congeria rhodanicacclays are of Upper Messinian age. This oligohaline facies points out the local transgression of mediterranean origin in the Rhone basin, following a Lower Messinian erosive episode with coarse subaerial partial valley infill.     

Les ammonites du Pliensbachien du jebel Bou Rharraf (Haut Atlas oriental, Maroc)

The originality of the sedimentary deposits and ammonite faunas in the jebel Bou Rharraf concerns “Ammonitico Rosso” facies, the westernmost known for the Pliensbachian, and a strong diversity of the Phylloceratida (Phylloceras, Calaiceras, Zetoceras, Partschiceras and Juraphyllites). The morphological disparity is also important in Galaticeras, Miltoceras and Tauromeniceras. If some taxa like Miltoceras taguendoufi and Mauretaniaceras elmii nov. gen., nov. sp. seem endemic to the High Atlas, most part of the Pliensbachien ammonites of the eastern High Atlas are classic for the southern margin of the western Tethys. Three genera (Callomoniceras, Appenninoceras, Mauretaniaceras) and three new species (Miltoceras involutum, Tropidoceras heterogeneum, Mauretaniaceras elmii) are described. An analysis using the “Discrete Cosine Transform” (DCT) method allows the better understanding of the morphospace of the rib patterns for the Fuciniceras from jebel Bou Rharraf. The biostratigraphy of the High Atlas is also improved with a set of 19 biohorizons for the Pliensbachian and the base of the Toarcian that are correlable with the Tethyan areas.     

Decouverte du genre Iowaphyllum (Tetracoralliaire) dans un biostrome eodevonien du Cotentin

After a few remarks on the coral fauna in deposits near La Roquelle in Cotentin, the genus Iowaphyllum is identifiedfor the first time in France. One species (I. bohemicum) is described here; it brings new paleogeographic and stratigraphic data.     

Les ammonites du Bathonien-Callovien du Boulonnais : biodiversité, biostratigraphie et biogéographie

The ammonite fauna of the outcropping Bathonian-Callovian of the Boulonnais (Northern France) is described in detail for the first time. In the middle and Late Bathonian, the fauna is very restricted, reduced to some Perisphinctidae (Procerites) and Clydoniceratidae (Clydoniceras, Delecticeras). The abundance and the biodiversity of assemblages increase during the Callovian. These faunas are typically Subboreal, marked by Gowericeratinae (Kepplerites, Sigaloceras), Kosmoceratinae (Kosmoceras) and Proplanulitinae (Proplanulites), associated with Boreal taxa such as Cadoceratinae (Cadoceras) and Cardioceratidae (Quenstedtoceras), and Submediterranean taxa, Pseudoperisphinctinae (Homoeoplanulites, Poculisphinctes), Peltoceratinae (Pseudopeltoceras) and Macrocephalitinae (Macrocephalites). Representing the only Jurassic onshore outcrops, between the English and Normandy coasts, and the Ardennes area, the interest of these faunas for correlations between the Western and Eastern European (Russian) platforms is emphasized. Palaeobiogeographically, particularly concerning the southward migration/dispersion of the Boreal taxa, the role played by the transgressions/regressions and the resulting paleobathymetric and palaeoclimatic implications is discussed.     

Microfaune du Paléocène de quelquessondages du Dôme du Sénégal occidental; observations sur les Ostracodes

The Paleocene of Western Senegal has shown amainly benthonic microfauna; the more characteristic elements of which are the Ostracoda: Cytherella (Cytherelloidea) aff. keijiMac Kenzie, Buntonia aff. attitogonensisApostolescu, Soudanella laciniosaApost., Quadracythere? lagaghiroboensisApost., Evisceratocythere cf. glabellaApost., Some of these species, which have been discovered in Senegal for the first time, have a large stratigraphic distribution. Effectively, they have been already found in Togo, Niger, Nigeria, even Lybia. Particularly, Soudanella laciniosa seems to be a very good Paleocene fossil at least in Africa, from the Mediterranean sea to the Gulf of Guinea. The benthonic Foraminifera are less abundant and badly preserved. In the same way as Ostracoda, they show species already known in the African Paleocene. The assemblage of the microfauna, in accordance with the sedimentological data, reveals the existence of a warm sea, in connection with the open sea, but very shallow, perhaps with periodical emersions (intertidal zone?).     

Les affinites du genre Apringia(Brachiopodes Rhynchonellacea du Toarcien)

In view of its internal caracters (no septalium and prefalcifer type crura) Apringia sp. from the upperToarcian of Morocco (oriental Hight Atlas) shows more affinities for the family Pugnacidae than for the Rhynchonellidae one.     

Decouverte du plus ancien Palaeopheide (Reptilia,Serpentes) dans le Maestrichtien du Maroc

The Palaeopheidae (Reptilia, Serpentes) were hitherto known only from the Eocene. The discovery of Palaeophisin the Maestrichtian (and Paleocene) of Morocco strongly modifies the stratigraphic range of the Palaeopheidae.     

Présence du crocodilienPhosphatosaurus (Mesosuchia,Dyrosauridae) dans le paléocène du niger et du Mali

Jaw fragments of the large dyrosaurid crocodilianPhosphatosaurus Bergounioux, 1955, previously known only from the Lower Eocene of Tunisia, are described from the Lower Palaeocene of Niger and Mali. Teeth described by Gemmellaro from the Maastrichtian of Egypt are also referred to a similar form. Although too incomplete to be specifically identified, all these remains indicate that this group of dyrosaurids with a robust snout and large teeth has differentiated early. The evolution of the genusPhosphatosaurus was marked by an elongation of the mandibular symphysis. Résumé Des restes de mâchoires du grand Crocodilien dyrosauridéPhosphatosaurus Bergounioux, 1955, connu jusqu’ici seulement dans l’Eocène inférieur de Tunisie, sont décrits en provenance du Paléocène inférieur du Niger et du Mali. Des dents du Maestrichtien d’Egypte décrites par Gemmellaro sont aussi rapportées à une forme similaire. Bien que trop incomplets pour être identifiés spécifiquement, tous ces restes montrent que ce groupe de Dyrosauridae à museau robuste et à grosses dents s’est différencié de façon précoce. L’évolution du genrePhosphatosaurus a été marquée par une elongation de la symphyse mandibulaire.     

Etude expérimentale du transfert du cobalt 60 dans une chaine trophique marine benthique

Experiments were carried out in order to quantify the transfer of⁶⁰Co from the environment to various species of a benthic food chain. The food chain tested was composed of the diatomNavicula sp., the bivalveScrobicularia plana, the shore crabCarcinus maenas, and the ratRattus rattus. The diatoms take up large quantities of radiocobalt. The radio-activity accumulated (per unit weight) by the organisms studied decreases from one trophic level to the next. This result is particularly interesting from the point of sanitary protection. There is some biological control in⁶⁰Co uptake by these species. For both, invertebrate animals and rat, the quantity of⁶⁰Co assimilated is independent of the quantity ingested with food. Preferential sites of cobalt accumulation are liver and kidneys in the rat, and hepatopancreas in the two invertebrate species examined.     

Protoglobigérines et Oberhauserellidae (Foraminifères) du Bajocien-Bathonien du Jura méridional, France

A detailed investigation of the Bajocian-Bathonian protoglobigerinids and other globigerina-like foraminifera of the Southern Jura Mountains reveals an unsuspected diversity, with seven species of Conoglobigerinidae and two species of Oberhauserellidae. The discovery of two umbilical apertures in Oberhauserella as well as in some Conoglobigerina questions the generic taxonomy and raises the problem of comparisons with literature. For these reasons, five new species have been proposed: Oberhauserellaparocula and O. aff. parocula (with two apertures), “Conoglobigerina”trilocula and “C”.biapertura (with two apertures), C.solaperta and C.pupa. We demonstrate that Globuligerinabalakhmatovae (Morozova, 1961) (here emended) has a small globuligerine aperture as well as G. aff. dagestanica (Morozova, 1961). Despite the different taxonomic concepts, the Southern Jura Mountains associations, that are typical of the epicontinental platform, most closely match those of the Dagestan in the Caucasus. They clearly differ from those of the oceanic Tethys.     

Description d'une nouvelle espèce et analyse morpho-fonctionnelle du genre Doryaspis White (Heterostraci) du Dévonien du Spitsberg

Doryaspis groenhorgensis nov. sp. is a new pteraspidiform from the lower devonian of Spitsbergen. The genus Doryaspis is now considered as the most abundant pteraspidiform of the Wood Bay formation, with five described species. Moreover, the pteraspidiform diversity of this formation has been under rated all along the XXth century. A morpho-functional analysis of the Doryaspis generic characters (e.g. flat dorsal shield, ventral pseudorostrum, long cornual plates) allows to consider two possible mode of life. However, none of the pelagic or benthic mode of life is better supported than the other. The same analysis introduce some interpretative hypothesis on histology and moving of the Pteraspidiformes. The Pteraspidiformes diversity of Spitsbergen is important for further Devonian circum-arctic comparisons (e.g. siberian platform).     

Biochronologie mammalienne du Quaternaire du Maroc atlantique, dans son cadre régional

Recent researches conducted in Morocco in the frame of the “Programme Casablanca” provide a firm ground to set up a biochronology of the Pliocene and Pleistocene based upon the succession of Mammalian faunas, thanks to the occurrence of well-dated landmarks, and despite very scarce absolute datations. The site of Lissasfa, dated to the Miocene-Pliocene boundary by rodents, testifies to important exchanges with Europe. That of Ahl al Oughlam yielded more than 100 vertebrate species. The evolutionary stages of its rodents, carnivores, bovids, Kolpochoerus, as well as the absence of Equus, allow us to refer it to the late Pliocene, at ca. 2.5 Ma. The Thomas and Oulad Hamida quarries in Casablanca cut through a unique succession of marine and continental levels going back to the lower Pleistocene, yielding the earliest evidence of human presence in Morocco. Later stages of this human occupation are documented by the Middle Pleistocene levels of these quarries, and by several other sites, most of which are also located in the Rabat-Casablanca region, thus confirming the importance of this coastal area in human history. However, the first chapter of this history in North-western Africa, at present illustrated by the sites of Aïn Hanech and Mansourah in Algeria, remains poorly documented in Morocco.     

Presence du genre Simoedosaurus (Reptilia,Choristodera) en Amerique du Nord

The genus Simoedosaurus, whose distinction from Champsosaurus has recently been proven in Europe, exists also in the Clarkforkian of North America: four specimens in the Collection of Princeton University provide the evidence. This genus can be added to the already long list of forms common to the two continents at the beginning of the Eocene, which attests to the ease of migration from one to the other at this time.