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Article Reference Neanderthal and animal karstic occupations from southern Belgium and south-eastern France: Regional or common features?
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2016
Article Reference Locked in the icehouse: Evolution of an endemic Epimeria (Amphipoda, Crustacea) species flock on the Antarctic shelf
The Antarctic shelf’s marine biodiversity has been greatly influenced by the climatic and glacial history of the region. Extreme temperature changes led to the extinction of some lineages, while others adapted and flourished. The amphipod genus Epimeria is an example of the latter, being particularly diverse in the Antarctic region. By reconstructing a time-calibrated phylogeny based on mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (28S and H3) markers and including Epimeria species from all oceans, this study provides a temporal and geographical framework for the evolution of Antarctic Epimeria. The monophyly of this genus is not supported by Bayesian Inference, as Antarctic and non-Antarctic Epimeria form two distinct wellsupported clades, with Antarctic Epimeria being a sister clade to two stilipedid species. The monophyly of Antarctic Epimeria suggests that this clade evolved in isolation since its origin. While the precise timing of this origin remains unclear, it is inferred that the Antarctic lineage arose from a late Gondwanan ancestor and hence did not colonize the Antarctic region after the continent broke apart from the other fragments of Gondwanaland. The initial diversification of the clade occurred 38.04 Ma (95% HPD [48.46 Ma; 28.36 Ma]) in a cooling environment. Adaptation to cold waters, along with the extinction of cold-intolerant taxa and resulting ecological opportunities, likely led to the successful diversification of Epimeria on the Antarctic shelf. However, there was neither evidence of a rapid lineage diversification early in the clade’s history, nor of any shifts in diversification rates induced by glacial cycles. This suggests that a high turnover rate on the repeatedly scoured Antarctic shelf could have masked potential signals of diversification bursts.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Conchological differentiation and genital anatomy of Nepalese Glessulinae (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Subulinidae), with descriptions of six new species
Eleven species of Glessulinae belonging to the genera Glessula Martens, 1860 (three species) and Rishetia Godwin-Austen, 1920 (eight species) are reported from Nepal, six of which are new to science and are described here, viz., G. tamakoshi Budha & Backeljau, sp. n., R. kathmandica Budha & Backeljau, sp. n., R. nagarjunensis Budha & Naggs, sp. n., R. rishikeshi Budha & Naggs, sp. n., R. subulata Budha & Naggs and R. tribhuvana Budha, sp. n. and two are new records for Nepal viz. G. cf. hebetata and R. cf. mastersi. The relation between the shell height-width ratio and the structure of the proximal part of the male reproductive organs in Glessulinae is explored. Illustrations and a key for the identification of the Nepalese Glessulinae are provided, including the first record of a spermatophore in Rishetia.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Are invasive populations characterized by a broader diet than native populations?
Background. Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. The diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. A broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a wide range of environments. Therefore, empirical studies comparing diet in invasive and native populations are necessary to understand dietary requirements, dietary flexibility, and the associated impacts of invasive species. Methods. In this study, we compared the diet of populations of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis in its native range, with several areas where it has become invasive. Each prey category detected in stomach contents was assigned to an ecological category, allowing a comparison of the diversity of ecological traits among the prey items in the diet of native and introduced populations. The comparison of diets was also performed using evenness as a niche breadth index on all sampled populations, and electivity as a prey selection index for three out of the six sampled populations. Results. Our results showed that diet breadth could be either narrow or broad in invasive populations. According to diet and prey availability, zooplankton was strongly preferred in most cases. In lotic environments, zooplankton was replaced by benthic preys, such as ephemeropteran larvae. Discussion. The relative proportions of prey with different ecological traits, and dietary variability within and between areas of occurrence, suggest that X. laevis is a generalist predator in both native and invasive populations. Shifts in the realized trophic niche are observed, and appear related to resource availability. Xenopus laevis may strongly impact aquatic ecosystems because of its near complete aquatic lifestyle and its significant consumption of key taxa for the trophic relationships in ponds.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Indochinese Polydictya lanternflies: Two new species from Vietnam, identification key and notes on P. vietnamica (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Depositional evolution of the Lower Khuzestan plain (SW Iran) since the end of the Late Pleistocene
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference New data on the sedimentary processes and timing of the initial inundation of Lower Khuzestan (SW Iran) by the Persian Gulf
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Ancient whales did not filter feed with their teeth
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Les Ostracodes de la partie supérieure de la Formation de Teferguenite (Givétien) et de la Formation de Marhouna (Givétien - Famennien) de la coupe du Km 30 (Saoura, Sahara algérien)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Présence d'Entomozoacea (Ostracodes) dans la partie famenienne de la coupe du Djebel Hèche (Gourara, Sahara algérien)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications