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Inproceedings Reference Paleogenomic insights into the dispersal of domestic cats into Europe and selection patterns over time
Zooarchaeological and genetic evidence from the last two decades demonstrated that domestic cats originated from the North African and Near Eastern wildcat, Felis lybica lybica. The commensal relationship between humans and cats started about 11 thousand years ago in the Neolithic Levant. Recent paleogenomic evidence showed that cats were introduced to Europe several millennia later, in the Roman era. Yet, archaeozoological and ancient mitochondrial DNA data from northwest Europe suggest that domestic cats were already present in this region in the 1st millennium BCE, in Iron Age settlements. Until now, only three cats from Europe dated to this period have been analysed at the nuclear level, thus leaving uncertainty on the times and circumstances of the human mediated dispersal of domestic cats into Europe. To address that, we analysed the DNA of 30 cat remains dated from the Bronze Age to the Roman era from northern and western Europe. We built double-stranded genomic libraries and generated low-coverage genome-wide data via shotgun sequencing. The temporal transect of genomic variation that we reconstructed made it possible to refine the timing of the introduction of the domestic cat to Europe. In addition, to investigate patterns of selection in the history of cat domestication, we show here the preliminary results of the analysis of cat phenotypic variants across time and place, with a particular focus on the sex-linked orange coat colour.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Inproceedings Reference The Genomic make-up of ancient wild and domestic cats from the Levant and North Africa
The domestic cat (Felis catus) descends from the North African and Near Eastern wildcat subspecies Felis lybica lybica. Its close association with humans facilitated its global spread, making it one of the most successful mammal species. Recent archaeogenomic and zooarchaeological studies indicate that domestic cats were introduced to Europe within the last 2,000 years, much later than previously assumed. However, the scarcity of genomic data from the Near and Middle East and North Africa leaves key questions unresolved, particularly regarding the origins of domestic cats and the contributions of the two proposed centres of domestication, the Neolithic Levant and Pharaonic Egypt. To fill this gap of knowledge, we generated 60 low-coverage (0.1- to 0.6-fold) genomes from cat remains from North Africa, the Near and Middle East, and the Iberian and Italian peninsulas dated from the 7th millennium BCE to the 15th century CE, along with 23 low- to high-coverage (0.4- to 15-fold) genomes of present-day and museum wildcats from the Levant and central and northern Africa. Our findings suggest that North Africa was the original centre of cat domestication. As domestic cats spread to the Levant and the Middle East, they most likely acquired Levantine genetic ancestry through admixture with local F. l. lybica populations. This work lay the foundations for further disentangling the origins of domestic cats and tracing their expansion across Southwest Asia.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference infraFADA: Upgrading the taxonomic backbone of global freshwater animal biodiversity research infrastructures
The current Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment (FADA) comprises an extensive set of global taxa lists for freshwater animal groups. At present, more than 125 thousand described freshwater animal species in more than 11 thousand genera have been documented. However, taxonomy is a living scientific discipline, where new taxa are continuously being described, and existing taxa are being placed in new taxonomic positions. Therefore, after a period of relative inactivity, the BELSPO (Belgian Science Policy) project “infraFADA” (2023-2026) re-establishes the global FADA consortium of taxonomic experts, so that all taxa lists will be brought up to date, both technically and in terms of content. infraFADA will develop a living, updated, and global FADA database, fully in open access and according to the FAIR principles. The infraFADA database is intended for use and consultation by the scientific freshwater community, as well as for interested stakeholders, for example, freshwater ecosystem managers, biodiversity conservationists, and others. Most importantly, FADA will also serve as a taxonomic backbone for other global biodiversity data infrastructures, such as the Catalogue of Life (CoL), the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the Freshwater Information Platform (FIP), and others. As such, FADA will provide a digital and living heritage of freshwater data, building bridges between science and society and helping to sustainably maintain freshwater resources.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
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
Article Reference Étude des pathologies bucco-dentaires dans trois populations mérovingiennes de Belgique
Notre étude porte sur les pathologies bucco-dentaires de trois sites mérovingiens de Belgique (Ciply, Braives et Torgny) : plus particulièrement les caries, les abcès et les pertes ante-mortem (PAM). Nous analysons l’impact de diverses variables, telles que le site archéologique, le type de dent, le sexe et l’âge au décès sur la fréquence de ces trois pathologies. Avec un total de 4599 dents étudiées pour un effectif de 423 individus, nos résultats montrent que le nombre de dents conservées varie significativement selon le site d’origine, suggérant que celui-ci exerce une influence notable sur l’état de conservation des squelettes. Nos données montrent que la présence de caries et d’abcès dépend aussi du site. Ainsi, 63 % des Mérovingiens souffraient de caries, avec les plus fortes prévalences à Braives, tandis que l’abcès est présent chez 23 % des sujets avec une fréquence plus élevée à Ciply. Par contre, le nombre de PAM, qui touchait 65 % des individus, ne varie pas selon le site. La combinaison de plusieurs pathologies est observée chez 12 % des individus, avec des taux plus élevés à Ciply et Braives. Pour les trois pathologies, les dents les plus atteintes sont les molaires et, en ce qui concerne les caries, on observe un taux légèrement plus haut du côté droit, laissant penser à une préférence de côté pour la mastication. Concernant l’impact du sexe, les hommes montrent une prédominance de PAM et de caries par rapport aux femmes, mais celles-ci ont une fréquence légèrement plus élevée d’abcès. Comme attendu, les pourcentages de PAM et de caries augmentent avec l’âge chez les adultes. Notre étude révèle que les prévalences des pathologies bucco-dentaires sont influencées par tous les facteurs envisagés. Des inégalités de régime alimentaire et d’hygiène bucco-dentaire pourraient expliquer les différences liées au sexe et à la localisation géographique.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Les proportions inattendues d’Homo naledi
Le squelette d’Homo naledi présente une mosaïque de caractéristiques primitives, uniques et dérivées. Le matériel anthropologique est fragmenté mais le squelette juvénile DH7 possède un tibia gauche complet (U.W. 101-1070) et un humérus droit presque complet (U.W. 101-948). Les proportions des membres supérieurs et inférieurs ont été utilisées depuis longtemps pour dériver des hypothèses évolutives sur les anciens hominidés. Les humains modernes se caractérisent par une dominance des membres inférieurs, tandis que certains Australopithèques et les premiers Homo présentent une dominance des membres supérieurs plus proches de celles des singes, ce qui pourrait être lié à un comportement plus arboricole. Les mesures ont été prises sur un échantillon d’humérus provenant d’une collection de squelettes d’Hommes modernes identifiés des XIXe-XXe siècles et d’une collection de squelettes de bonobo. La longueur humérale maximale (M1) a été estimée à partir d’une nouvelle mesure (M OLE-NEC) en utilisant un maximum de l’os disponible (du centre du sommet de la fosse olécranienne à l’intersection entre le sommet du col chirurgical et la tête humérale) et nous avons calculé un indice huméro-tibial pour le squelette d’H. naledi. Les résultats ont ensuite été comparés à une base de données de plus de 1500 populations humaines différentes de tout l’Holocène, y compris des populations de petite taille. L’indice huméro-tibial d’H. naledi s’est avéré statistiquement différent de celui des bonobos mais aussi des humains, avec un tibia plus long par rapport à l’humérus. Cette découverte est surprenante car un indice huméro-tibial plus élevé était attendu en accord avec le modèle Australopithecus afarensis. Les indices inter-membres impliquent à eux seuls que H. naledi était similaire aux humains modernes et que, par conséquent, la bipédie était probablement le mode de locomotion le plus important, bien que la charge mécanique des articulations soulève des questions sur l’endurance de H. naledi.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025