Les otolithes des Téléostéens du Plio-Pleistocène belge

The study of approximately twenty three thousand otoliths from Plio-Pleistocene sites in the harbour region of Antwerp, as well as a critical revision of already published material allowed us to identify a teleostean fauna with fourty seven species (including two subspecies and seven species in open nomenclature). Two of these, Ophidion springeri and Uranoscopus septentrionalis are new to science. The fauna is typical for coastal waters slightly warmer than those of the actual North Sea and caracterized by the predominance of Gadidae. Biostratigraphically this fauna is well individualized with respect to preceeding ones (only seven species in common with the Miocene fauna) and those following twenty-three species in common with the extant fauna). The following biostratigraphical subdivision has been recognized in the Upper Miocene and the Plio-Pleistocene of the Antwerp region: (1) an association with «genus? Macrouridarum labiatus, Trisopterus sculptus, Gadiculus benedeni and Trisopterus luscus spectabilis, in the Sands of Deurne (Upper Miocene); (2) an association with Gadiculus benedeni and Merlangius pseudaeglephinus, in the Formation of Kattendijk (Pliocene); (3) an association with Gadiculus verticalis and Merlangius pseudaeglefinus in the Formation of Lillo (Plio-Pleistocene); (4) an association with Gadus morhua and Merlangius pseudaeglefinus in the so called «Icenian deposits not present in Belgium but found in the Netherlands.     

Une nouvelle espèce d'Euglène,Euglena Penardii

Sans résumé     

Les faunes coralliennes de l’Oligocène de Malte : biodiversité et paléoenvironnement

The study of the coral biodiversity of the Upper Oligocene sedimentary series (Lower Coralline Limestone, Chattian) of Malta permitted the identification of 25 scleractinian genera represented by 41 species. Three new species are proposed: Miophora naxxarensis n. sp., Nerthastraea maltensis n. sp. and Gyrosmilia maltensis n. sp. Observations made in various Oligocene sites in Malta, especially around Naxxar and Tal Bajjada, allow to establish a suite of coral associations which may vary spatially and vertically. The identified scleractinian associations can be represented by different types of coral assemblages and bioconstructions: isolated colonies, coral beds of varying density but of large spatial extent, more cohesive coral banks (coral carpets) or patch reefs forming morphologies with gentle lateral slopes. The colonial morphologies are closely linked to these different types of bioconstructions. These coral constructions have been established and developed in shallow marine areas. The coral biodiversity of the Oligocene of Malta fits well in the evolution of the Cenozoic reef phenomenon whose development reached its peak in the Oligocene with great coral richness in the Chattian in the Mediterranean area.     

Les relations ontogenèse-phylogenèse:Applications paléontologiques

After a short historical introduction, the principal notions used to study the connections between ontogeny and phylogeny are desribed. The three fondamental standards (shape, age, size) upon which are made ontogenetic comparisons are defined and discussed.The different ontogenetic heterochronies are described and illustrated with concrete paleontological examples. Successively are studied:u

1. -dwarfirsm and giantism which are particularcases;
2. -the 4 types of heterochrony which affect somatic development (neoteny and acceleration) or sexual maturation (hypermorphosis and progenesis);
3. -the innovations which are a fast appearence of a new character and their associations with the 4 elementary heterochronies.

The heterochronies are connected with phylogeny. This leads to the definition of two fondamental tendancies: paedomorphosis and peramorphosis; the terms proterogenesis and palingenesis are redefined. To conclude, this study is inserted in a more wider context that shows the importance of ontogenetic knowledge to understand numerous evolutif processes (tempos in evolution, demographic strategies, cladism).     

Mérieux很可能买下Transgène

法国的Rhone-Poulenc(巴黎)在里昂的保健行业分公司Institut Merieux去年以超过8亿美元的价钱买下加拿大多伦多的Connaught Biosciences.今年要是谈判顺利的话,还要买下本国斯特拉堡的Transgène公司.Institut Merieux是世界上最大的疫苗厂商之一,占全球市场的30%,且因Wellcome(伦敦)刚刚退出这一行业,可能统治欧洲市场.Transgène本身在1989年的收入仅为1千