河南灵井许昌人遗址动物骨骼表面人工改造痕迹

河南灵井许昌人遗址发掘出土了距今约10—8万年前的古人类头骨化石, 与头骨化石同层发现的还有大量哺乳动物化石及石制品等文化遗物。本文是对该遗址2005—2006年出土动物化石骨骼表面人工改造痕迹的观察分析结果。灵井遗址中13%的动物骨骼表面有人工切割痕的产生, 其中切割痕位于长骨骨干部位的约占此类标本总数的98.45%; 同时,在具切割痕的长骨类化石材料中,属于食草动物上部和中部肢骨的分别为34%和41%, 属于下部肢骨的则仅为25%。此外, 灵井动物群中具敲击痕、火烧痕迹、人工使用痕迹的骨骼标本分别占全部观察例数的4.2%、1%、1.32%。总之, 通过对动物骨骼表面保留的上述人工改造痕迹的观察与统计分析, 并与埋藏学实验及其他考古遗址相关属性的对比, 表明古人类是这一遗址中大量脊椎动物肉食资源的初级获取者和利用者, 他们是导致这一动物群聚集形成的主要埋藏学因素。同时, 许昌人遗址中大量破碎动物骨骼的出现可能也与古人类敲骨取髓的取食行为有着非常紧密的联系。     

甘蓝迟抽薹基因的RAPD标记

运用RAPD技术,利用混合分离群体法(Bμlked Segregant Analysis,BSA),进行了甘蓝迟抽薹基因相连锁的分子标记研究,得到了与甘蓝迟抽薹基因相连锁的RAPD标记N1-750,其连锁距离为7.9cM。     

New estimates of tooth mark and percussion mark frequencies at the FLK Zinj site: the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis falsified

Traditional interpretations of hominid carcass acquisition strategies revolve around the debate over whether early hominids hunted or scavenged. A popular version of the scavenging scenario is the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis, which argues that hominids acquired animal resources primarily through passive opportunistic scavenging from felid-defleshed carcasses. Its main empirical support comes from the analysis of tooth mark frequency and distribution at the FLK Zinj site reported by Blumenschine (Blumenschine, 1995, J. Hum. Evol. 29, 21-51), in which it was shown that long bone mid-shafts exhibited a high frequency of tooth marks, only explainable if felids had preceded hominids in carcass defleshing. The present work shows that previous estimates of tooth marks on the FLK Zinj assemblage were artificially high, since natural biochemical marks were mistaken for tooth marks. Revised estimates are similar to those obtained in experiments in which hyenas intervene after humans in bone modification. Furthermore, analyses of percussion marks, notches, and breakage patterns provide data which are best interpreted as the results of hominid activity (hammerstone percussion and marrow extraction), based on experimentally-derived referential frameworks. These multiple lines of evidence support previous analyses of cut marks and their anatomical distribution; all indicate that hominids had early access to fleshed carcasses that were transported, processed, and accumulated at the FLK Zinj site.     

What an epigenome remembers

During mammalian development, maintenance of cell fate through mitotic divisions require faithful replication not only of the DNA but also of a particular epigenetic state. Germline cells have the capacity of erasing this epigenetic memory at crucial times during development, thereby resetting their epigenome. Certain marks, however, appear to escape this reprogramming, which allows their transmission to the offspring and potentially guarantees transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Here we discuss the molecular requirements for faithful transmission of epigenetic information and our current knowledge about the transmission of epigenetic information through generations.     

Discrimination of native and introduced brown trout in the River Doubs (Rhône drainage) by number and shape of parr marks

Significant differences in the number and shape of parr marks were found between native, introduced hatchery and hybrid brown trout parr in the River Doubs. Similar differences in number of parr marks were observed in selective cross-breedings.     

Unraveling hominin behavior at another anthropogenic site from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): new archaeological and taphonomic research at BK, Upper Bed II

New archaeological excavations and research at BK, Upper Bed II (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania) have yielded a rich and unbiased collection of fossil bones. These new excavations show that BK is a stratified deposit formed in a riverine setting close to an alluvial plain. The present taphonomic study reveals the second-largest collection of hominin-modified bones from Olduvai, with abundant cut marks found on most of the anatomical areas preserved. Meat and marrow exploitation is reconstructed using the taphonomic signatures left on the bones by hominins. Highly cut-marked long limb shafts, especially those of upper limb bones, suggest that hominins at BK were actively engaged in acquiring small and middle-sized animals using strategies other than passive scavenging. The exploitation of large-sized game (Pelorovis) by Lower Pleistocene hominins, as suggested by previous researchers, is supported by the present study.     

Pelagic larval duration of 10 temperate cryptobenthic fishes

The pelagic larval duration ( D _PL) for 10 temperate cryptobenthic species belonging to three families: Gobiidae, Gobiesocidae and Blenniidae was investigated. Overall, the Gobiesocidae presented short D _PLs varying between 11 and 18 days, the Gobiidae's D _PL ranged between 14 and 39 days, and Parablennius pilicornis (Blenniidae) had an average of 33 days (range 31–37 days). Two subtypes of settlement marks were found among individuals of the same species.     

Mole’s humerus speaks. A rebuttal to Furió 2016

The discovery of small, very well-defined and perfectly preserved tooth marks on the humerus of a mole, Talpa cf. europaea (TE9, Sima del Elefante, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos), is extraordinary. To date, no micromammal fossil is known with puncture prints produced by a bite with a clear or delimited morphology that would permit its detailed study. The exceptional character of the finding may raise questions and suspicions about alteration and taphonomic agents. However, we have evidence that both the marks in the mole humerus are due to the action of biting and that this bite corresponds to the dentition of Beremendia fissidens. After all, not only large predators bite, as this article intends to demonstrate.     

Cookie‐cutter shark Isistius spp. predation upon different tuna species from the south‐western Atlantic Ocean

The predation of cookie‐cutter sharks Isistius spp. upon the early life stages of yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares, skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis and little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus are described. New evidence suggesting a connection between commercial fishing and predation by Isistius sp. is presented, with these sharks biting tunas hooked in surface waters during daylight. The healing patterns of the wounds made by the sharks are described in detail and, although such damage is known to negatively influence market price elsewhere, it is not the case on the south‐east Brazilian coast.     

Scaleprinting: individual identification based on scale patterns

A non‐intrusive method for individual identification of Iberian cyprinid complex Squalius alburnoides is presented, with possible application to other fish complexes and species. The proposed methodology is based on scale patterns that vary greatly between individuals.     

Ventral bite marks in Mesozoic ammonoids

Reports on the predators of ammonoids are rare, although ammonoids were abundant and diverse invertebrates in many Paleozoic and Mesozoic marine ecosystems. Most previous work on lethal ammonoid predation has focused on (sub)circular tooth marks which resulted from fish and mosasaur attacks. In the present study we discuss a relatively common type of bite mark in ammonoid shells, the ‘ventral bite mark’. This typically occurs in a restricted position on the ventral side of the outer body chamber whorl and does not affect either the aperture or the phragmocone. Ammonoid specimens revealing ventral bite marks used in this study were collected from a wide range of strata which range in age from the Lower Jurassic to the uppermost Cretaceous (close to the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary). These ventral bite marks are absent in the Paleozoic collections studied. The vast majority of ventral bite marks are situated at the end of the body chamber, close to the phragmocone. This is interpreted as the result of predatory attacks on the back or blind side of ammonoids in their living position. The predators aimed for the vital parts and muscle attachments to obtain the edible soft tissues. The agents for most of the ventral bite marks to ammonoids are probably coleoid cephalopods (especially teuthoids) and predatory fishes to a lesser extent.     

Arthrophycus as a mimic of crinoid column impressions in the lower Silurian of central Kentucky,USA

Unusual specimens of an ichnofossil, herein ascribed to Arthrophycus, are described from siltstone tempestites in the lower Silurian (Llandovery, Telychian) Estill Shale near Irvine, Estill County, central Kentucky, USA. The specimens display closely spaced, uncurved transverse annulations, but lack the medial ridge, rectangular cross‐sectional shape and dense branching typical of common Silurian Arthrophycus ichnospecies. This combination of features, coupled with the straightness of burrows and alignment parallel to inorganic tool marks, closely approximates the appearance of moulds of partially articulated crinoid columns (= pluricolumnals) that were impressed into firm mud and cast by storm‐deposited sediment. That these structures do not represent the external moulds of body fossils is suggested by minor width variations along the long axis of specimens, possible bioglyphs and the total absence of skeletal material, including isolated crinoid columnals, in this and other tempestites from this interval. More convincingly, the presence of very sparse branching indicates a trace fossil origin for these structures. These fossils are best interpreted as the products of preferential mining of inorganically generated tool marks by deposit feeders, owing to exposure of more organic‐rich muds by erosional scouring. Thus, this occurrence represents a rare instance in which trace fossils display a strong alignment parallel to inorganic sedimentary structures.     

Daily growth increments in the otoliths of juvenile greenback flounder, Rhombosolea tapirina Gunther, 1862

Otolith check marks of both tetracycline-treated and control juvenile greenback flounders, Rhombosolea tapirina, were attributed to the stress of transfer between aquarium tanks. Subsequent counts showed that otolith increments were deposited daily.