Where are the Caribs? Ancient DNA from ceramic period human remains in the Lesser Antilles

The identity and history of the indigenous groups who occupied the Lesser Antilles during the ceramic periods remain highly controversial. Although recent archaeological evidence has challenged hypotheses concerning the organization of human groups in this region, more biological data are needed to fully inform the discussion. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first palaeogenetic data for Late Ceramic groups of the Guadeloupe archipelago, yielding crucial information concerning the identities of these groups. Despite the generally poor DNA preservation in the tested remains, we were able to retrieve Hypervariable Region 1 sequences from 11 individuals and mitochondrial single-nucleotide polymorphisms from 13 individuals. These novel data provide interesting preliminary results in favour of a common origin for all Saladoid Caribbean communities, i.e. the first ceramic groups of the region, as well as for a local continuity between the Saladoid and post-Saladoid groups. A combination of the genetic data obtained and several pieces of cultural evidence allows us to propose that two different groups inhabited the Guadeloupe archipelago during the Late Ceramic period, with the possible occupation of the La Désirade and Marie-Galante islands by groups affiliated with the Taíno communities. The working hypotheses proposed here appear consistent with recent archaeological evidence.     

陕西府谷发现的晚中新世维氏大唇犀(奇蹄目,犀科)新材料

新材料有丰富的头骨和下颌骨标本,因而对维氏大唇犀有了更加深入的了解。观察结果显示维氏大唇犀在大唇犀属中的地位相当特别,它具有极窄的顶嵴间平面、马鞍形的头骨顶面、发育的眶上结节和较高的枕面,这些特征显示出它是所有已知大唇犀中最原始的一个种。     

科氏仓鼠(Kowalskia)一新种

山东沂南马牧池区双泉西山红棕色角砾岩层中的Kowalskia yinanensis sp.nov.头骨和下颌是该属迄今所发现的最完整的材料。这种仓鼠大小接近波兰晚上新世的K.magna,具有和Cricetinua varians相似性状的头骨及下颌。臼齿尖(嵴)发育程度较捷克最晚上新世的K.intermedia稍原始,时代上大致可与之相对比。     

辽宁海城小孤山遗址发掘简报

从小孤山晚更新世洞穴遗址出土了38种哺乳动物化石、上万件石制品以及一批制作精美的骨角制品和装饰品。石器工业在技术与类型上和华北旧石器关系密切。大致相同的骨针和穿孔兽牙于三十年代曾在周口店山顶洞遗址发现过,但是与欧洲马格德林鱼叉相似的角制鱼叉在中国旧石器文化中是头一次发现。     

记内蒙古宁城道虎沟上侏罗统/下白垩统一具有长肢的蜥蜴

道虎沟化石层分布于内蒙古宁城县道虎沟以及毗邻的河北北部和辽宁西部等地,已报道4种有尾类、1个无尾类蝌蚪、1个幼年蜥蜴、3种带原始羽毛的兽脚类恐龙、2种翼龙、3种哺乳动物以及双壳类、叶肢介、昆虫和植物等化石(有学者称之为"前热河生物群")。该层位比热河群义县组低,但地层划分存在争议:中侏罗统九龙山组、上侏罗统道虎沟组和下白垩统热河群均有报道。本文研究的道虎沟蜥蜴是该地点发现的第2个蜥蜴化石,其身体细长,为一幼年个体;前颌骨、顶骨和额骨均成对;上颌骨的面突高;后额骨和后眶骨不愈合;后额骨较大,但可能未进入上颞孔;后眶骨具宽的后突;牙齿小而尖锐,结构简单且可能为侧生;头骨的眶前区较长;具27个荐前椎;虽然未成年但个体较大;未见真皮骨板;手掌和四肢较长。上述特征组合区别于所有现生蜥蜴类,四肢比例也与其他蜥蜴有较大区别。欧美中侏罗世-早白垩世的小盗蜥(Parviraptor)和蒙古早白垩世的一个幼年个体(可能属于壁虎型类)与道虎沟标本比较相似。头骨特征和较大的荐前椎数目显示道虎沟标本可能属于硬舌蜥类(scleroglossan)。但因标本为幼年个体,本文暂将它归入有鳞类属种未定(Squamata gen.et sp.indet.)。测量数据显示,道虎沟标本的手掌和前肢相对较长;该特征常见于适应攀爬的蜥蜴种类,似可显示攀爬习性。但肢体比例可能会随身体增长而发生变化,所以此生活习性并非定论。     

四川盐源盆地哺乳类化石及其意义

本文简述盐源盆地上新世和更新世晚期两个不同时代的哺乳动物化石十余种,据之修正了该盆地晚新生代沉积的时代和对比关系.     

石炭纪一植物新属Reticalethopteris gen.nov.——对Palaeoweichselia yuani Sze的再研究

对北祁连山东段和鄂尔多斯西缘新材料的研究表明,甘肃景泰红水堡晚石炭世早期的杂羊齿属(Palaeoweichselia)与西欧的模式标本存在明显差异,遂另建-新属——Reticalethopteris gen.nov..新属与Neuralethopteris是脉延羊齿类植物中分别代表网状叶脉和羽状叶脉的一对姐妹属.     

The Mio-Pliocene European primate fossil record: dynamics and habitat tracking

We present here a study of European Neogene primate occurrences in the context of changing humidity. We studied the differences of primate localities versus non-primate localities by using the mammal communities and the ecomorphological data of the taxa present in the communities. The distribution of primates is influenced by humidity changes during the whole Neogene, and the results suggest that the primates track the changes in humidity through time. The exception to this is the Superfamily Cercopithecoidea which shows a wider range of choices in habitats. All primate localities seem to differ from non-primate localities in that the mammal community structure is more closed habitat oriented, while in non-primate localities the community structure changes towards open-habitat oriented in the late Neogene. The differences in primate and non-primate localities are stronger during the times of deep environmental change, when primates are found in their preferred habitats and non-primate localities have faunas better able to adapt to changing conditions.     

腊玛古猿和西瓦古猿的形态特征及其系统关系——颅骨的形态与比较

本文通过具体的形态比较指出,禄丰腊玛古猿和西瓦古猿应为同一类型的雌雄个体,它们与现代猩猩比较相似,而与大猩猩和黑猩猩差别较大,因此,它们可看作是猩猩的祖先。猩猩这一支大约是在一千二百万年前开始从人猿超科的进化主干上分化出来的。