Les industries paléolithiques du bassin de Bose (Chine du Sud)

About eighty Paleolithic sites are presently known in Bose basin (West of Guangxi autonomous region, South China). The sites are extensively spread on the fourth terrace of the Youjiang River. They are dated to 0.8 my, thanks to the presence in the archaeological layers of tektites, residues from a major meteoritic event, in association with the archeological materials. Only about twenty sites have been actually excavated and handaxes have been very recently discovered in stratigraphic context. The archeological material exclusively includes lithic industry which is mainly constituted by unifacial pebble tools made on coarse grain rocks: choppers, but also handaxes and picks. The technology used is very simple and there are no spheroids which usually characterize a lot of Chinese sites of this period. Bose handaxes, thought their number is quite low, remind of the western Acheulian.     

Dinosaur footprints from the Early Jurassic of Le Mazel (Lozère,Southern France)

During the 20^th century, the first dinosaur tracks of the Causses Basin were identified at Saint-Laurent-de-Trèves, in the Parc National des Cévennes (southern France). A recent excavation reveals a new theropod tracksite in the Hettangian deposits from Le Mazel, 2 km from the historical tracksite at Saint-Laurent-de-Trèves. The tracks are here described combining a biometric approach and 3D imaging photogrammetry. The main track-bearing surface bears 64 in situ tridactyl footprints preserved as concave epireliefs. Two morphotypes were identified, a “Grallatorid” morphotype and a “Kayentapus” morphotype. Footprints belonging to the first morphotype are closely similar to Grallator lescurei, Grallator minusculus, and Grallator sauclierensis. This study shows the difficulty to distinguish quite similar tridactyl tracks from an ichnotaxonomic point of view and highlights the importance of detailed biometric comparisons. Tracks are preserved in a brown to yellowish dolomudstone showing abundant cryptalgal laminites and mud cracks. These deposits were accrued in shallow environments such as intertidal and supratidal zones of a tidal flat.     

The first skull of Anthropornis grandis (Aves,Sphenisciformes) associated with postcranial elements

Associated penguin remains found in Bartonian levels of the Submeseta Formation (Seymour Island, Antarctica), including cranium and mandible, both partial tarsometatarsi, and some other fragmentary bones, are analyzed here. This specimen preserves the first cranium reliably assigned to the giant form Anthropornis grandis, and constitutes the first opportunity to taxonomically assign a cranial material to any of the Antarctic penguin species. A discussion of the diet preferences and feeding mechanisms of A. grandis is supported here by three-dimensional paleoneurological and cranial-jaw muscular reconstructions. We propose that A. grandis was a penguin with a voluminous musculature strongly attached to the neck and skull, adapted to chase and hunt fish during diving.     

Stephanorhinus jeanvireti (Mammalia,Rhinocerotidae) from the early Pleistocene of Colțești (southwestern Romania)

The Rhinocerotidae material from the early Pleistocene Tetoiu Formation of Colțești (southwestern Romania) is here described for the first time. The rhinoceros is documented by calcaneus and second, third, and fourth metatarsals, probably belonging to the same individual. The morphology and the dimensions of these specimens enable us to record the presence of Stephanorhinus jeanvireti, a relatively rare rhinoceros usually reported from late Pliocene European localities and recently considered a junior synonym of S. elatus. Nevertheless, the taxon Rhinoceros elatus is here regarded as a nomen dubium and the name S. jeanvireti is retained in order to maintain nomenclatural stability, being it based on much more diagnostic material. In Romania, S. jeanvireti has been listed within a few late Pliocene faunal assemblages, but the rhinoceros remains are fragmentary and isolated bones. The Colțești find is among the best documented records of S. jeanvireti in Romania. The biochronological distribution of S. jeanvireti is mainly confined within the MNQ16 (early and early middle Villafranchian), and its first occurrence is doubtfully reported in late MNQ15 faunas. The record of Colțești (MNQ17/MNQ18) represents, instead, the last occurrence of this taxon in Europe.     

Contribution of fossil Lagomorpha (Mammalia) to the refinement of the late Miocene–Quaternary palaeobiogeographical setting of Italy

Fossil lagomorphs are very useful palaeogeographical indicators. In the last 15 years, several papers centered on fossil lagomorphs contributed to improve the Italian late Miocene–Quaternary palaeogeographical setting, solving palaeobiogeographical enigmas debated for decades, and providing new, challenging palaeogeographic data. The high number of endemic fossil lagomorphs of Italy is due in part to its complex tectonic history (insular endemisms), and in part to the semi-isolation and the physiography of the Peninsula (continental endemisms). In Italian lagomorphs, a direct causal relationship between dispersal and turnovers is not observed, except for the Toringian. Actually, species replacements are customarily due to archipelago effect (late Miocene), phyletic speciation (Pliocene of Sardinia and Italian mainland) or occur after the extinction of older congeneric species (early Pleistocene).     

金龙胆草提取液体外抑菌活性分析

金龙胆草是传统道地中药材,但目前受到材料来源不足的限制,其应用和研究均受到很大限制,为更好地开发和应用该道地中药材,本研究以实验室野生金龙胆草和组培金龙胆草出发,分别采用热水浴和索式提取法对金龙胆草有效成份进行了提取和体外抑菌活性研究。结果表明,热水浴浸提法的抑菌效果优于索式提取法,均表现出对金黄色葡萄球菌和枯草芽孢杆菌这类革兰氏阳性菌有很好的抑制效果,最小抑菌浓度分别达到12.5 mg/mL和50 mg/mL。野生型提取液和组培型的提取液体外抑菌比较实验显示,野生型金龙胆草的抑菌效果要显著优于组培型金龙胆草提取液。这将为金龙胆草作为中药抗菌药的合理利用提供一定的指导作用,同时为减少抗生素的滥用造成的环境污染作出一定的贡献。     

Revised radiolarian zonation of the Upper Cretaceous Izumi inter-arc basin (SW Japan)

The radiolarian zonation of the Izumi Group is revised for an integrated biostratigraphy across the Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary, together with the ammonite occurrence, fission track and magnetostratigraphic calibration of the acidic tuff key beds. The significance of direct correlation in the same sections, between macro- and micro-fossils (i.e. between relatively near-shore nektonic and turbiditic planktonic-fauna) is discussed in relation to the litho- and bio-facies of the Izumi group. Late Cretaceous paleoceanographic changes inferred from the studied radiolarian fauna represent a regional marker event for the chronostratigraphic correlation of continental shelf to turbidite deep-sea sequences, which accumulated on a mid latitudinal margin facing towards the NW paleo-Pacific. The proposed Campanian/Maastrichtian boundary is at the limit between Pachydiscus awajiensis and Nostoceras hetonaiense ammonite zones. This boundary corresponds to the radiolarian last occurrence of Amphipyndax pseudoconulus (= A. enesseffi), Archaeodictyomitra sliteri, Dictyomitra formosa, D. koslovae and Rhopalosyringium magnificum at the top of the Myllocercion acineton Assemblage Zone (uppermost Campanian), and the first occurrence of Clathrocyclas gravis and Dorcadospyris sp. A, at the base of the Maastrichtian C. gravis Assemblage Zone. The new data settle partly a chronostratigraphic discrepancy between radiolarian and ammonite zonations in the Izumi Group, which was pointed out previously by Ishida et al. (2010).     

Paleobiogeographic implications of Paleocene ostracods from Senegal and related West and North Africa basins

This work summarizes biostratigraphic and paleogeographic data on Paleocene ostracods from the Senegalese-Mauritanian, West African and North African basins. In the Senegalese-Mauritanian basin, late Paleocene ostracods of high diversity suffered a mass extinction in the early Eocene. Comparison between Senegalese faunas and others of the Gulf of Guinea, Sahara and North African basins shows great similarities, with 10 common species identified: Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment and Reyment, Buntonia apatayeriyerii Reyment, B. fortunata Apostolescu, B. tichittensis Apostolescu, Cytherella sylvesterbradleyi Reyment, Dahomeya alata Apostolescu, Isohabrocythere teiskotensis Apostolescu, Phalcocythere vesiculosa (Apostolescu) Quadracythere lagaghiroboensis (Apostolescu) and Trachyleberis teiskotensis (Apostolescu). I. teiskotensis and P. vesiculosa are restricted to the upper Paleocene and are good stratigraphic markers for these basins. Faunal exchanges between West African, trans-Saharan and North African basins are highlighted. The directions of migration of some species are specified. Many West African species migrated to North Africa at the end of the Paleocene-Early Eocene. Migrations are related to climatic and paleobathymetric changes of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) that occurred during the Paleocene-Eocene transition.