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Proceedings Reference Tools to support the monitoring of MSFD descriptors 6 'Sea-floor integrity' and 7 'Hydrographical conditions'
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Proceedings Reference Best-practice for long-term observations of total suspended particulate matter in coastal marine environments
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Inproceedings Reference Bioerosional marks in the shells of two extinct sea turtle taxa from the Eocene of Belgium
Bioerosional marks are frequently recognized as indicators of the dynamic interactions between the organisms and their surrounding environments. In the fossil record, these structures are frequently manifest in the skeletal remains of vertebrates, being commonly associated to predation activity, scavenging, or post-mortem degradation processes. In the case of the turtles, their shells offer a distinctive substrate, exposed for the development of bioerosional processes throughout the organism life, unlike other vertebrate osseous structures. These bioerosions can indicate the type of habitat in which the turtles live, their behavioral patterns, and even their state of health. Sea turtles, as other marine vertebrates, have been extensively studied in the realms of the biology, evolution, and conservation. However, relatively scarce information is available regarding the pathologies and infectious diseases affecting their shells, especially when extinct taxa are analyzed. The aim of this study is to analyze the diverse types of bioerosional marks on the shells of two sea turtle individuals, attributable to taxa, from the Lutetian (middle Eocene) of Belgium. One of them corresponds to the shell of the holotype of Eochelone brabantica (IRSNB R 0001). Its carapace exhibits multiple erosive anomalies on several costal plates. The second specimen is a carapace of Puppigerus camperi (IRSNB R 0004). It displays different typologies of shell deviations, also of erosive character. The analyses of these specimens have been performed through both the detailed macroscopic examination and the study of the cross-sectional images provided by CT scanning in the case of Eochelone brabantica, and a 3D model obtained through a surface scanner for Puppigerus camperi. As a result, insights into the shell modifications of these two turtle individuals induced by various external agents have been provided, enhancing our understanding of the physical stressors affecting these organisms in ancient marine environments and the organisms responsible for these changes.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference First detailed study of the Belgian Eocene sea turtle ‘Oligochelone rupeliensis’
In 1909, the famous palaeontologist Louis Dollo announced, in a paper about the Belgian fossil vertebrates, a new Oligocene (Rupelian) genus and species of sea turtle, ‘Oligochelone rupeliensis’. He indicated that it was established for a specimen that preserved the complete carapace and several appendicular bones, being characterized as “a typical marine turtle”. No further information, but neither photographs or drawings, were provided by him. He planned to publish the study of this species in the future, but this did not happen. Only a schematic drawing of the plastron of that specimen, as well as a photograph of a tibia attributed to this taxon without justification, were presented, by another author, seventy years later. The first-hand study of the specimen considered by Dollo allows us to observe that it does not preserve any tibia, so that attribution cannot be supported. Therefore, except for that imprecise drawing of the plastron published more than four decades ago, no additional information was available so far. In fact, ‘Oligochelone rupeliensis’ was recognized as a nomen nudum. After a preliminary analysis of the specimen considered by Dollo, one of us (APG) and other collaborators recently indicated, without justification, that, although ‘Oligochelone rupeliensis’ could be closely related to the Eochelone representatives, it differs from all defined members of Cheloniidae. Therefore, we point out that a detailed anatomical study of this form, as well as its comparison with other species, would be necessary to propose, for the first time, a diagnosis, if its specific validity can be confirmed. Taking this into account, that partial skeleton has been analyzed in detail by us. To improve the comparative framework, both the type material and additional individuals from all Eocene and Oligocene cheloniid taxa recognized for the Belgian record have also been analyzed first-hand. The preliminary results are presented here.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference Early Evolution and Paleobiogeographic Distribution of Pipimorphs Reflects the Opening of the South Atlantic
Pipimorpha and its crown-group Pipidae possess one of the most extensive fossil records among anurans, which extends into the Early Cretaceous in both Laurasia and Gondwana. This is probably linked to the highly aquatic lifestyle of pipids, which is probably also characteristic of early pipimorphs. In South America, pipids are currently represented only by Pipa, but the fossil record documents an evolutionary radiation of Shelaniinae (a taxon endemic to South America) in the Cretaceous; shelaniines seem to have become extinct in the Eocene. Fewer pipimorph fossils are known from Africa. Our recent redescription of the mid-Late Cretaceous (Coniacian–Santonian) taxon Pachycentrata taqueti from In Becetèn (Niger) partly fills this gap. Our new phylogenetic analysis of Cretaceous and Paleogene pipimorphs shows that this taxon diversified in a West Gondwanan block until about the mid-Cretaceous, but after that, pipimorphs show two distinct evolutionary radiations, one in South America (Pipinae), and the other (Xenopodinae) in Africa. This pattern appears to reflect the breakup of West Gondwana simultaneously with the opening of the South Atlantic during the Cretaceous. This probable vicariant pattern yields slightly different ages for the South Atlantic opening depending on the accepted topology. The tree constrained to reflect the topology of extant taxa supported by molecular data shows a last dispersal between both continents before the Cenomanian (more than 100 Ma), whereas the unconstrained topology that reflects only morphological data is compatible with a more recent last faunal dispersal among pipids. Under this unconstrained topology, the fossil record is too poor to give a reliable minimal age for this last dispersal, but molecular dating analyses suggest that this event harks back to the Mesozoic.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024 OA
Inproceedings Reference Novel shrew-borne orthonairoviruses from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Inproceedings Reference Urban waste from the medieval river Senne in Brussels
The river Senne has disappeared from the urban landscape since it was vaulted over in the 19th century, but it played a crucial role in the origin and economic development of the medieval city. In 2019 the remains of the medieval port on the river Senne were brought to light during a large excavation (nearly 6000m2) in the city centre of Brussels. Besides the discovery of a 12th-13th century bank reinforcement and an impressive stone quay wall (mainly 14th-15th century), meters thick excellently preserved waterlogged fluvial deposits from different phases of the river were excavated. These layers, dating between the 10th and 15th century, were extensively sampled for archaeobotanical(macrobotanical remains, pollen and phytoliths), archaeozoological and geoarchaeological studies. In this presentation we will discuss the results of the interdisciplinary study of these numerous samples, with a main focus on the plant remains. The assemblages consist of a mixture of naturally deposited material from the vegetation in the Senne valley and waste dumped in the river. Indeed, as urbanisation intensified, the river became used as an open sewer in which all kinds of refuse were disposed of. Thanks to the interdisciplinary approach and comparison with assemblages from several other sites in Brussels diverse types of waste could be distinguished, including artisanal(e.g. textile working and dyeing), domestic and consumption waste as well as remains of fuel and human and animal excrements. The exceptional diversity of the plant material (>300 taxa) recovered from this fluvial urban context and its perfect preservation offer a unique insight into various aspects of daily life in the city.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Inproceedings Reference Human-cat interactions at different times and geographies: modelling diets and hydrogen isotope analysis of cats from Turkey, Jordan, and Belgium
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Inproceedings Reference Ancient DNA and the dispersal of the domestic cat in Italy.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Inproceedings Reference The paleogenomics of wild and domestic cats in the ancient Levant and North Africa
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023