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Article Reference Morphological differences between putative Paleolithic dogs and wolves: A commentary to Janssens et al. (2021)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Article Reference ECMAScript program Morphological disparity of extant and extinct pinaceous ovulate cones: How many cones are enough?
Premise The expansion of Pinaceae during the Cretaceous is exemplified by the numerous ovulate cone taxa found in western Europe and North America. The Belgian Wealden facies deposits have delivered hundreds of exceptionally well-preserved yet isolated pinaceous ovulate cones; these cones were placed by convention within form-genera. Ten species have been described in Belgium, representing about 20% of the known fossil record of this period. However, the validity of these taxa is questionable because their intra- and interspecific variabilities have never been thoroughly studied. Moreover, quantifying the expansion of Pinaceae in terms of morphospace occupation is desirable to reveal the dynamics of this critical radiation. Methods We used linear and geometric morphometry to quantify the shape of the extensive sample of Cretaceous cones of Belgium. These methods were also applied to extant pinaceous species to compare the morphological disparity of Cretaceous assemblages against those of today in selected ecosystems. We used ordination methods (PCA) to visualize morphospace occupation and test for species delineation. Results The morphological disparity was not higher in fossil species than in extant species we sampled. Both morphological approaches confirmed that the species Pityostrobus andraei presents high morphological variability. Our resampling tests indicate that ovulate cone morphological variability can be satisfactorily quantified with as few as 15 specimens. Conclusions The methodology used here is relevant for quantifying both the variability and the diversity of many fossil assemblages, paving the way for a more robust evaluation of Cretaceous pinaceous diversity.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Article Reference Morphological evidence for early dog domestication in the European Pleistocene: New evidence from a randomization approach to group differences
The antiquity of the wolf/dog domestication has been recently pushed back in time from the Late Upper Paleolithic (~14,000 years ago) to the Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP; ~36,000 years ago). Some authors questioned this early dog domestication claiming that the putative (EUP) Paleolithic dogs fall within the morphological range of recent wolves. In this study, we reanalyzed a data set of large canid skulls using unbalanced‐ and balanced‐randomized discriminant analyses to assess whether the putative Paleolithic dogs are morphologically unique or whether they represent a subsample of the wolf morpho‐population. We evaluated morphological differences between 96 specimens of the 4 a priori reference groups (8 putative Paleolithic dogs, 41 recent northern dogs, 7 Pleistocene wolves, and 40 recent northern wolves) using discriminant analysis based on 5 ln‐transformed raw and allometrically size‐adjusted cranial measurements. Putative Paleolithic dogs are classified with high accuracies (87.5 and 100.0%, cross‐validated) and randomization experiment suggests that these classification rates cannot be exclusively explained by the small and uneven sample sizes of reference groups. It indicates that putative Upper Paleolithic dogs may represent a discrete canid group with morphological signs of domestication (a relatively shorter skull and wider palate and braincase) that distinguish them from sympatric Pleistocene wolves. The present results add evidence to the view that these specimens could represent incipient Paleolithic dogs that were involved in daily activities of European Upper Paleolithic forager groups.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021
Article Reference Morphological examination and phylogenetic analysis clarify the taxonomic status of Cuban Longior Travassos & Kloss, 1958 (Nematoda: Thelastomatoidea: Hystrignathidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2018
Article Reference Morphological study of the anterior dentition in Raoellidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla), new insight on their dietary habits
Raoellidae are small artiodactyls from the Indian subcontinent closely related to stem cetaceans. They bring crucial information to understand the early phase of the land-to- water transition in Cetacea. If they are considered to be partly aquatic, the question of their dietary habits remains partly understood due to their “transitional” morphology. Raoellidae are largely documented by their cheek teeth and getting a better knowledge of their anterior dentition constitutes an additional proxy to discuss their feeding habits. In this work, we document the anterior dentition of Indohyus indirae from an unprecedented sample of in situ and isolated teeth from the locality of East Aiji-2 in the Kalakot area (Rajouri district, India). We propose identification criteria for upper and lower incisors and canines in raoellids. Based on CT scan data, virtual reconstruction of in situ dentition, and identification of the isolated incisors and canines, we reconstruct a composite anterior dentition of Indohyus supported by the correspondence of wear facets between upper and lower teeth. This constitutes the first attempt at reconstruction of the anterior dentition of a raoellid. We show that the upper incisors are caniniform and very similar morphologically, whereas the lower incisors are pointed but remain incisiform and quite different from one another. We also describe noticeable intraspecific variation, at the level of upper canines, suggesting a potential sexual dimorphism in this species. Upper and lower incisors are recurved, with the upper incisor row arranged on a widely opened arch. Taken altogether the anterior dentition forms a grasping device, allowing the animal to capture and secure food, a characteristic shared with stem cetaceans. This would mark the first step towards the carnivorous diet in these peculiar artiodactyls.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
Article Reference Morphological variation and taxonomic reassessment of the endemic Malagasy blind snake family Xenotyphlopidae
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Morphological, acoustic and genetic identification of a reproducing population of the invasive African clawed frog Xenopus laevis (Anura, Pipidae) recently discovered in Belgium
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023 OA
Article Reference Morphology study of the otoliths of the parrotfish, Chlorurus sordidus (Forsska˚l, 1775) and Hipposcarus harid (Forsska˚l, 1775) from the Red Sea coast of Egypt (Family: Scaridae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference Morphology, molecules, and monogenean parasites: An example of an integrative approach to cichlid biodiversity
The unparalleled biodiversity of Lake Tanganyika (Africa) has fascinated biologists for over a century; its unique cichlid communities are a preferred model for evolutionary research. Although species delineation is, in most cases, relatively straightforward, higher-order classifications were shown not to agree with monophyletic groups. Here, traditional morphological methods meet their limitations. A typical example are the tropheine cichlids currently belonging to Simochromis and Pseudosimochromis. The affiliations of these widespread and abundant cichlids are poorly understood. Molecular work suggested that genus and species boundaries should be revised. Moreover, previous morphological results indicated that intraspecific variation should be considered to delineate species in Lake Tanganyika cichlids. We review the genera Simochromis and Pseudosimochromis using an integrative approach. Besides a morphometric study and a barcoding approach, monogenean Cichlidogyrus (Platyhelminthes: Ancyrocephalidae) gill parasites, often highly species-specific, are used as complementary markers. Six new species are described. Cichlidogyrus raeymaekersi sp. nov., C. muterezii sp. nov. and C. banyankimbonai sp. nov. infect S. diagramma. Cichlidogyrus georgesmertensi sp. nov. was found on S. babaulti and S. pleurospilus, C. franswittei sp. nov. on both S. marginatus and P. curvifrons and C. frankwillemsi sp. nov. only on P. curvifrons. As relatedness between Cichlidogyrus species usually reflects relatedness between hosts, we considered Simochromis monotypic because the three Cichlidogyrus species found on S. diagramma belonged to a different morphotype than those found on the other Simochromis. The transfer of S. babaulti, S. marginatus, S. pleurospilus and S. margaretae to Pseudosimochromis was justified by the similarity of their Cichlidogyrus fauna and the intermediate morphology of S. margaretae. Finally parasite data also supported the synonymy between S. pleurospilus and S. babaulti, a species that contains a large amount of geographical morphological variation.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications
Article Reference Morphometric evaluation of DNA-based cryptic taxa in the terrestrial decollate snail genus Rumina
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications