A Middle Cambrian edrioasteroid from the Murero biota (NE Spain) with Australian affinities

A Middle Cambrian edrioasteroid belonging to the genus Cambraster is described from the Middle Cambrian Murero biota (Cadenas Ibéricas, NE Spain). Up to now, this genus was known only from Australia and France. This represents the first record of the class Edrioasteroidea in the Cambrian of Spain. Moreover, preliminary results on the diversity and biostratigraphic position of Cincta, Eocrinoidea and Edrioasteroidea from this area are reported.     

Nouveaux gisements à rongeurs dans le Miocène moyen continental du Bassin d'Aït Kandoula (Maroc)

The Azdal section in the Aït Kandoula basin show a succession of four fossiliferous layers delivering micromammals particularly rodents are very abundant than the great mammals. Mellalomys kandoulati nov. sp. is described in the oldest layer of the section. Compared to the Middle Miocene fauna of North Africa all the species from different layers are not yet reach the evolutionary stage of those of Pataniak 6. The old level has an age similar to those of Beni Mellal. The magnetostratigraphic study allows to situating these fore layers in chron C5An.2n and C5AAn.     

Le Paléolithique moyen et supérieur de la Hongrie du nord : nouvelles investigations dans la région d’Eger

The region of Eger town at the foot of the Bükk Mountains in Northeastern Hungary has particular importance for the understanding the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic periods of the Carpathian Basin. One of the key-problems is the association of carinated tools and foliate points in the lithic assemblages of the sites. New investigations at the Egerszalók-K?vágó site give fundamental data for the animated discussion on the relation between Aurignacian and Szeletian.     

Les ostracodes continentaux au Néogène en Aquitaine (Sud-Ouest France). Répartition spatio-temporelle : le point sur la question

A systematic research of the non-marine ostracodes from the Aquitaine Basin Neogene shows that these animals were locally well represented and able to indicate palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic data, comparable in quality with such data as from Recent continental environments. We provide a list of the taxa, and the stratigraphical distribution during the Lower and the Middle Miocene is indicated, as well as the geographical location in comparison with the estimated shorelines. The recent stratigraphical revisions of some Miocene deposits, mainly marine, from the central, southern and northern parts of the Aquitaine Basin are used. The studied microfauna contains about 20 genera and slightly more than 30 species. Most of the found genera correspond to fresh to brackish ostracodes (particularly Cytheridae and Candonidae). Several genera can indicate environmental characteristics: Candonopsis and Sclerocypris (Upper Aquitanian in age) are intertropical dwellers. Vecticypris from the Lower Miocene could indicate (in analogy with Metacypris) relatively cooler waters existing in these environments.     

Les vagues de peuplements humains au Pléistocène inférieur et moyen dans le bassin de la Loire moyenne, région Centre, France. Apports de l’étude des formations fluviatiles

Evidence of earliest human settlements had been searched in the alluvial formations laid down in the Middle Loire Basin. Many stepped sheets deposited during the successive interglacial-glacial quaternary cycles are studied in four valleys of the Loire tributaries: the Creuse, Indre, Cher and Loir rivers. These sandy remnants are systematically dated, using the Electron Spin Resonance method applied on bleached fluvial quartz. Five settlements which contain very Early Palaeolithic industries with Mode 1 technology were occupied during the Lower Pleistocene. About eighty sites with hand-axe assemblages are observed in Middle Pleistocene remnants; nine of these are described in this paper. The results theorize that the geographical center of France (47°N) would be reached by two influxes of human populations with an interval around 400 years, because major climatic pejorations, particularly at the end of the Lower Pleistocene. These two populations produced lithic industries with many differences in supply of raw materials and in techniques of striking. Not any typologic link had been observed joining the two industrial unities.     

Mégalithes et sociétés préhistoriques : concepts et terminologie

The restitution of the megalith’s technical manufacture, whith their assemblies lines and their sequences, enlarges the coast of the sens incluse in each Corsican monoliths. From the megalithics sites of Poghjaredda of Monte Rotondu (Sotta), Ciutulaghja (Appietu), and Presa (Altaghjè), some specifics activities area (pastoralism for example) or activities structured in the space (villages and tombs of middle Neolithic) interest this study. The contributions of many sciences permit to give an economic and social dimension to the choice of megalithics sites. Then, those choices are an aspect of the Neolithic process in Corsica, making part of sculpture and architecture. This study is conclued by a consideration on the actual worked stones’ terminology.