Des Normapolles du Crétacé supérieur de Piedras Negras (Coahuila,Mexique)

Normapolles pollen grains found in the Upson andSan Miguel Formations of northeastern Mexico extend the atlantic Normapolles Province of North America to the northern part of Middle America. Besides, since one admits the Lower Maastrichtian age of the Olmos Formation, the biostratigraphic extinction of the group appears regionally earlier than in the Atlantic Coastal Plain.     

Les hétérochronies du développement : un outil pour l'étude de la variabilité et des relations phylétiques ?: Exemple de Nigericeras,Ammonitina du Crétacé supérieur africain

Ontogenetic heterochronies: a tool to study both variability and phyletic relationships? Example: Nigericeras, Ammonitina of the african Upper Cretaceous. The Nigericeras gadeni ontogenesis (Saharian Upper Cretaceous) is characterized by three ornamental stages: multi-tuberculate inner-whorls, ombilical bi-tuberculate medium-whorls, then finally smooth adult stage. Ontogenetic Heterochonies account for their adult variability, which extends between both paedomorphic (thick/ornamented) morphotype, and peramorphic (thin/smooth) morphotype. That species may take root in the older Pseudocalycoceras. A peramorphocline characterizes the evolution of these ammonites and their younger relatives, leading to different Nigerian and Nigerien, highly compressed taxa. Such morphologies seem to be related to shallow-water palaeo-environments. The general transgressive context leads to the progressive scarcity of their supposed ecological niches. To cite this article: P. Courville, C. Crônier, C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

Les Pseudholaster (Echinoidea,Holasteroida) du Crétacé de France

In the order of Holasteroida, the fossil record highlights a contradiction between the genus Pseudholaster that appears in the Aptian, whose plastron is prostostern close to the Jurassic ancestors and the genus Holaster, which appears in the Valanginian, whose meridostern plastron appears more derived. This inconsistency can be explained by the ignorance of the plastronal architecture on the part of the early authors. A review of the species of Pseudholaster from the Cretaceous period of France was therefore carried out. The objective was to statistically determine the discriminating morphological characters, and to study the modifications of the architecture of the interambulacrum 5 of the French species belonging to this genus, as well as to the species included in the genus Holaster incorrectly by earlier authors. This review of the species of the genus Pseudholaster begins with a study of the ontogeny of the species Holaster intermedius Münster in Goldfuss, 1826–1833, first representative of the genus Pseudholaster, which appears in the Hauterivian in the Parisian and Rhodano-vocontian basins. The modifications during growth concern the overall shape, but also the plastron architecture: the number of plastron plates increases while the number of plates located between the peristome and the periproct remains fixed. The plastron of this species is protosternal and not meridosternal as Lambert pointed out. The labrum is cupuliform in contact with the second sternal 5a2 by a narrow digitation. However, this arrangement differs from that observed on a protosternal breastplate. This apomorphism of the plastron plate pattern, called “labrotaxienne”, is found in all the Pseudholaster studied, and the study of the architecture of the interambulacrum 5 also reveals a gradual decrease in the number of preanal plates between the oldest (Hauterivian) and the younger (Cenomanian-Lower Turonian) species studied. Most of the French species have been revised, with some synonyms. A new species, P. neraudeaui, is the last known Pseudholaster dated from the upper Cenomanian and lower Turonian of southwestern France. Our study illustrates the evolution of the genus Pseudholaster between the Hauterivian and the early Turonian in France. The interest of the study is to show that the appearance of the genus Pseudholaster is older than that of the genus Holaster. Pseuholaster intermedius, of Hauterivian age, possesses a derived protostern plastron called here “labrotaxien” and not meridostern as defined historically by Lambert, and to reveal that the number of preanals decreases over geological time. This data is essential for future phylogenetic studies. On a palaeobiogeographical level, the study reveals the expansion of the genus Pseudholaster during early Cretaceous in western Europe, with diversification during the Albian, its disappearance during late Cenomanian in the Paris basin while it still persists in the Aquitain basin, its predilection for circalitoral environments.     

Les crocodiliens fossiles du Jurassique moyen et supérieur de Bourgogne

The middle and upper Jurassic limestones of Côte-d'Or (France) contain some crocodilian remains referred to the genera Teleidosaurus, Steneosaurus, and Metriorhynchus. Their preservation allows a determination at a specific level only for Teleidosaurus gaudryi (Lower Bathonian), Steneosaurus larteti (Upper Bathonian), S. heberti and S. cf. intermedius (Middle Oxfordian). Sedimentological evidence shows that Steneosaurus and Teleidosaurus are found either in very pure limestones sedimented on an epicontinental platform, in a very calm and sheltered environment, in the intertidal or supratidal zone, often associated with subrecifal facies; or in the infratidal zone, more distinctly subjected to open-sea influences (deposits, currents, reworkings). Specialised Metriorhynchidae such as Metriorhynchus are completely absent in the former type of sediment but are present in the later. One may infer, considering anatomical evidence (no dermal armour, caudal fin…) that Metriorhynchus was better adapted to swimming and rather lived in the open sea. The Teleosauridae preferred very shallow or temporarily emerged places, where they could move around thanks to their limbs which were still capable of walking on land; however, this did not prevent them from going out to sea, where the habitats of both families probably largely overlapped.     

Taxonomie numérique de lactobacilles isolés du vin

Résumé L'auteur a déterminé les relations taxonomiques existant entre 65 souches de lactobacilles isolés du vin et 4 souches de collection, à l'aide de l'analyse adansonienne. Sept phénons 80 et deux phénons 72 sont décrits: ces deux derniers correspondent aux sous genres Streptobacterium et Betabacterium. Deux phénons 80 sont assimilables aux espèces Lactobacillus casei et Lactobacillus plantarum. Les autres phénons comportant plus d'une souche ne correspondent à aucune espèce décrite.Ce travail montre que l'on peut mettre en évidence les caractères phénétiques les plus représentatifs pour les regrouper ensuite dans une clé d'identification et que l'on peut juger de la valeur taxonomique d'un caractère d'intérêt pratique.

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Numerical taxonomy of lactobacilli isolated from wines

Summary The author has established the taxonomic relationships between 65 strains of lactobacilli isolated from wines and 4 named cultures, by means of adansonian analysis. Seven 80 phenons and two 72 phenons are described. The latter correspond to the subgenera Streptobacterium and Betabacterium. Two 80 phenons answer to the species L. casei and L. plantarum. The others 80 phenons of more than a strain do not correspond to any known species.This study shows that we can isolate the most representative phenetic characters and gather them again in an identification key and that we can appreciate the taxonomic value of a practical character.

     

Les sépultures italiennes du Paléolithique supérieur. Reconstitutions du régime alimentaire

The identification of dietary habits is increasingly seen as a fundamental aspect for studying the ancient human populations. Accordingly, several projects aiming to identify Paleolithic individuals’ dietary patterns were developed to analyze the organic component of bone tissue and identify isotopic markers to reconstruct the food typology. Bone fragments from six individuals were selected for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis. The interpretation of human isotopic data was framed through a dataset of twenty-one Italian Paleolithic individuals. The isotopic data generated for the Paleolithic individuals agree with the information already provided by the archaeological record concerning the Italian hunter and gatherer communities. Their subsistence economy was essentially grounded upon the exploitation of high protein foods, either from terrestrial fauna resources or inland lacustrine or riverine species.     

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”.     

Chronologie du Paléolithique supérieur dans le Nord-Est de la principale île du Japon

Palaeolithic archaeology in Tohoku region has long been discussed on constructing chronology, however it is difficult to build reliable chronological order because of poor stratigraphic excavations. In recent radiocarbon dating has advanced. In this paper I discuss the relation between chronology and radiocarbon dating in Tohoku region. At first, I categorize the Palaeolithic industries and establish the chronology by analyzing tool typology, lithic technology, and stratigraphic data. I correlate it with radiocarbon data from sites in Tohoku region. The result of analysis shows that Upper Palaeolithic industries are divided into 18 categories and 8 periods on chronology. The calibration curve IntCal 13 indicated that oldest Early Upper Palaeolithic site appeared around 37,000 cal BP, and late Upper Palaeolithic started about 27,000 cal BP. The pottery first appeared as far back as around 16,000 cal BP. Now we do not have enough radiocarbon data, so we have to gather and examine more ¹⁴C data.     

Sur quelques algues du Détroit de Messine et des environs de la Sicile

Abstract

On some seaweeds collected on the Straits of Messina and off the Sicilian coasts. – 2 Phaeophyceae of the ordines Dictyotales and Desmarestiales and 17 Rhodophyceae of the ordines Cryptonemiales, Gigartinales and Ceramiales are collected for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea (for Desmarestia ligulata) or in some localities off the Sicilian coasts and off the circumsicilian isles. For each species systematic and distribution data are reported.     

Étude de cônes mâles de Frenelopsis Schenk emend.Reymanówna & Watson, 1976 (Cheirolepidiaceae) du Crétacé supérieur de Torrelaguna (Province de Madrid-Espagne)

Isolated male cones of Gymnosperms, with preservedorganic matter, had been collected in the Upper Cretaceous (Senonian) from the surroundings of Torrelaguna (Madrid province, Spain). The study of microsporophylls epidermis in light and scanning electron microscopy has permitted to conclude to a structural identity with those of vegetative axis of Frenelopsis (Cheirolepidiaceae) present in the same levels. Pollen sacs had been observed for the first time, after a controlled maceration, in cones associated with vegetative axis of this genus. They contain a great number of pollen grains belonging to the Classopollis group.     

Les Radiolaires d'âge jurassique supérieurà crétacé supérieur dans les Radiolarites du Pinde-Olonos (Presqu'île de Koroni; Péloponnèse méridional,Grèce)

Radiolarians of several radiolarites sections of the Pindos-Olonos zone, southern Peloponnesus, lead to propose direct datations of mesozoic sediments. The acuity of such datations allow to distinguish two periods for depositionof radiolarites s.s. in the tethyan region. The first period would be Upper Jurassic and general in tethyan realm, radiolarites depositing under various latitudes (0–35°N). This would be the result of a strong ocean surface current. The second period would be Upper Cretaceous (Vraconian—Coniacian) and be geographically much more restricted (0–15°N). This could result from a weaker current. The absence of radiolaritic sedimentation is possibly the result of the destruction or insulation of the accurate basins during the obduction of ophiolites on the apulo-african realm. The inventory of Late Cretaceous radiolarian fauna, rarely done on alpine series so far, shows similar result to those obtained in Central American and California.     

La technique de débitage au Paléolithique supérieur de l’archipel du Japon

The representative debitage technique is the one of the culture of knife-to-back in the name of the superior Paleolithic of Japan. She/it can be he divided in two, the one of the first half and the one of the second half. The first corresponds at the time of apparition, either to the stage of launching of the technique of debitage laminaire whose debitage didn’t provide elaborate blades being little successive. As for the stage of fortifying of the debitage laminaire, the industries lithic to knife-to-back of the Sugikubo type developed themselves in the oriental Honshû. With regard to the region of Kantô to the second half of the first where the knife-to-back of Moro type mingled equally with those while shaping on the blade. To the recent stage of development, one can note the industry lithic to knife-to-back of Moro type is based on the technical very blady in the western Japan. Succeeding in the second half of the superior Paleolithic that the technique of debitage of Sétoüchi developed itself in this part whose debitage is characterized by the strut oblong in wing, are the transverse blades These gotten supports used especially for making the knife-to-back of Koü type while spilling country-wide. To the second recent half, the technical blade of Sunagawa type took place in all regions of Japan except the inshore regions of the Interior Sea of Séto and the region of Kinki (Kyoto-Osaka).     

Sélaciens nouveaux (Chondrichthyes,Neoselachii) du Paléocène supérieur de la région d’Ouarzazate,Maroc

Three new selachian species belonging to new genera from the Thanetian of Ouarzazate Basin are described: Tingaleus dakkai n. gen. et nov. sp., Microbatis sabatieri n. gen. et n. sp. and Garabatis atlasi n. gen. et n. sp. These new taxa as well as the associated selachian species confirm the original feature of this fauna in comparison with contemporaneous faunas occurring in the phosphate-bearing horizons of central Morocco.     

Les sépultures italiennes du Paléolithique supérieur. Inventaire et observations anthropologiques

The Upper Paleolithic burials currently known in Italy represent a rich and important group which constitutes the major part of the European sample. Among these burials, those attributed to the Gravettian are concentrated in two regions, Liguria and Puglia. Epigravettian burials were found in most parts of the peninsula and in Sicily. Grave goods are often very rich, especially in Gravettian burials. With regard to the anthropological characteristics of the buried, research has focused mainly on postcranial skeleton and on the information it can give us about weight, stature and somatic proportions. Among the Gravettians, Ligurian males reach the highest stature. The average height decreases from Gravettian to Epigravettian, as already observed in the European sample.     

Particularités méthodologiques et interprétation du dosage de thyroglobuline sérique

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a large glycoprotein produced and excreted by thyrocytes exclusively. Thus, Tg is a central marker for the follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). This review presents recent analytical and related clinical advances in Tg assay. Indeed, recent advances in Tg assay challenge the previous use of the assay in the management of DCT. Indeed, a recent assay seems sensitive enough to be used to predict DTC differentiated recurrences without stimulation of thyrocytes by rhTSH. This improvement in analytical sensitivity is combined with international standardisation and reduced interferences by Tg autoantibodies. Such assays could reduce the cost of DCT follow-up by associating echography with a single assay, reducing the need of rhTSH stimulation to rare ambiguous cases.