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Article Reference Paul Gigase
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Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026 OA
Article Reference Hastula jejuensis sp. nov, a new species of Hastula (Conoidea: Terebridae) from South Korea
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026
Article Reference Revision of the longirostrine crocodylian Thoracosaurus isorhynchus from the Maastrichtian–Danian of northwestern Europe
A highly debated topic in eusuchian systematics has been the placement of “thoracosaurs,” an assemblage of Cretaceous–Paleogene longirostrine crocodylians from Europe and North America. The position of “thoracosaurs” varies from one study to the next, from being the sister taxon of the extant Gavialis to being excluded from the crown group Crocodylia entirely. Despite these issues, “thoracosaurs” have been understudied, with many taxa suffering from incomplete or outdated descriptions and dubious taxonomic assignment. Here, we provide a comprehensive study of Thoracosaurus isorhynchus from Maastrichtian–Danian deposits of northwestern Europe. We present and describe new material from the type locality of T. isorhynchus. In addition, we redescribe and figure the lectotype and paralectotypes of the species, as well as the material from the Maastrichtian type area, the Netherlands. Moreover, comparison of T. isorhynchus with the type material of Thoracosaurus “scanicus” of the Danian of southern Sweden indicates that the latter might be a junior synonym of T. isorhynchus, suggesting the survival of this species across the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. An array of phylogenetic analyses points to a close relationship between T. isorhynchus and the Cenomanian Portugalosuchus azenhae. This implies an early emergence of “thoracosaurs” and causes extensive ghost lineages within Gavialoidea, highlighting the stratigraphic inconsistency of this group and a need for a thorough revision of other “thoracosaurs.”
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026
Article Reference Redescription of Teretoctopus alcocki Robson, 1932 (Cephalopoda: Enteroctopodidae), and comments on the nomenclature of “inkless octopus” genera
Two species have been attributed to the genus Teretoctopus Robson, 1929: T. indicus Robson, 1929, the type species of the genus, and T. alcocki Robson, 1932. Of the four original T. alcocki syntypes, we relocate and redescribe the remains of two of them, and designate one of them the lectotype. Of three original T.indicus syntypes, it is probable that one is lost permanently, but the whereabouts of two of them remains unknown. What we can discern from remaining T. alcocki type material, augmented with descriptions of these specimens by Anne Massy and Guy Robson, is compared with what is known of the type species of this genus, T. indicus. A rediagnosis of the genus Teretoctopus is proffered, and relationships between this genus and others historically referred to as “inkless octopuses” are evaluated. While Teretoctopus has nomenclatural priority over Vulcanoctopus González et Guerra, 1998 and Muusoctopus Gleadall, 2004, for which it is possibly the senior synonym, and shares many characters and states with Ameloctopus Norman, 1992, further taxonomic resolution of relationships among these genera must await description and molecular analyses of accurately identified Teretoctopus specimens from the Gulf of Oman and northern Arabian Sea.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026 OA
Article Reference Anurans of In Becetèn (Republic of Niger): the most diverse site for amphibians in Mesozoic Africa
In Becetèn (Niger) represents one of the most diverse continental vertebrate faunas from the Late Cretaceous of Africa. Recently, anurans, in particular aquatic pipimorphs, have generated renewed interest, with the identification of four distinct pipimorph taxa. Here we describe the remaining anuran specimens from In Becetèn, which represent at least three new anuran taxa that cannot be assigned to pipimorphs (Anura indet, Neobatrachia and a ranoid). Among them, one taxon, documented by ornamented cranial material, is a large Neobatrachia incertae sedis, as suggested by our phylogenetic analyses. This marks only the third Mesozoic occurrence of neobatrachians in Africa. In addition, an isolated humerus is referred as a new unnamed ranoid and is not only the oldest known occurrence of the clade, but also the first known Mesozoic specimen of this cosmopolitan family from Africa. With at least seven anuran taxa identified, In Becetèn is the most diverse locality of Africa, and one of the most diverse localities across the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian or Santonian).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2026 OA
Article Reference Recent Belgian records of the hornet rove-beetle Quedius (Velleius) dilatatus (Fabricius, 1787) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)
We report recent records of the rove beetle Quedius dilatatus (Fabricius, 1787) in Belgium. This beetle lives in nests of the European hornet Vespa crabro L., 1758 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and possibly profits of the recent expansion of its host. However, it seems its recent distribution is also linked to the use of recently more often used trap types, baited with an ethanol, water, glycerol and acetic acid mixture, or baited with red wine with ethanol or even white or red wine vinegar, mimicking the smell of freshly decaying wood. These methods of trapping are discussed in this paper.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Regulation of chemical emissions from offshore wind farms: comparative analysis and policy recommendations for the North Sea
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
Article Reference Chemical emissions from offshore wind farms: From identification to challenges in impact assessment and regulation
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
Article Reference The extraordinary diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of leaf litter in the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve, Tshopo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the highest diversity of ant species in the Afrotropical region, even though it remains largely understudied in the modern era. The aim of this study is to report on an inventory of the litter ants from the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve in the Tshopo Province, north of the Congo River. Three habitats (fallow, secondary forest and primary forest) were sampled at six localities. A total of 190 ant species belonging to 50 genera and 8 subfamilies, have been recorded in the Yangambi biosphere region. Besides, 96 species were added to Tshopo Province, bringing the total to 306, a 44% increase; and we added 55 species to the already diverse Democratic Republic of the Congo, raising the total record to 791 species, a 7% increase. At least 10% of the collected species are new to science.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference New distributional data and species records of Cypriot ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) based on museum collections
Specimens deposited in Natural History Museum collections are vital for the study of biodiversity, human drivers of biodiversity loss, and other environmental and socioeconomic problems. Despite recent advances in filling our knowledge gaps regarding the myrmecofauna of Cyprus, the island’s biodiversity is considered to be under-sampled. In this article, ant specimens from Cyprus deposited at the Natural History Museums of Crete, the Agricultural University of Athens (Greece), the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Genève (Switzerland), the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Belgium), and the Lund University Biological Museum (Sweden) are examined, presenting a total of 163 specimens belonging to 24 species examined. Stigmatomma denticulatum Roger, 1859 (Amblyoponinae), Myrmecina graminicola (Latreille, 1802), Stenamma debile (Foerster, 1850) (Myrmicinae), and Biogeographia 40 (1): a047 Demetriou et al., 20252 Cryptopone ochracea (Mayr, 1855) (Ponerinae) are reported for the first time for the island of Cyprus, raising its known ant diversity from 77 to 81 species, while additional distributional data are given for species with only a handful of distributional records, i.e. Tapinoma festae Emery, 1925 (Dolichoderinae), Aphaenogaster subterraneoides Emery, 1881 (Myrmicinae), and Hypoponera eduardi (Forel, 1894) (Ponerinae.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025