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Article Reference DNA identification of species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex and first record of An. daciae in Belgium
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021
Book Reference Les Insectes du Monde. Biodiversité. Classification. Clés de détermination des familles - Tomes 1-2
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021
Article Reference A new species of Sarmydus Pascoe, 1867 (Cerambycidae: Prioninae: Anacolini) from Ncobar Island, India
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Ancient pigs reveal a near-complete genomic turnover following their introduction to Europe.
Archaeological evidence indicates that pig domestication had begun by ∼10,500 y before the present (BP) in the Near East, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) suggests that pigs arrived in Europe alongside farmers ∼8,500 y BP. A few thousand years after the introduction of Near Eastern pigs into Europe, however, their characteristic mtDNA signature disappeared and was replaced by haplotypes associated with European wild boars. This turnover could be accounted for by substantial gene flow from local European wild boars, although it is also possible that European wild boars were domesticated independently without any genetic contribution from the Near East. To test these hypotheses, we obtained mtDNA sequences from 2,099 modern and ancient pig samples and 63 nuclear ancient genomes from Near Eastern and European pigs. Our analyses revealed that European domestic pigs dating from 7,100 to 6,000 y BP possessed both Near Eastern and European nuclear ancestry, while later pigs possessed no more than 4\% Near Eastern ancestry, indicating that gene flow from European wild boars resulted in a near-complete disappearance of Near East ancestry. In addition, we demonstrate that a variant at a locus encoding black coat color likely originated in the Near East and persisted in European pigs. Altogether, our results indicate that while pigs were not independently domesticated in Europe, the vast majority of human-mediated selection over the past 5,000 y focused on the genomic fraction derived from the European wild boars, and not on the fraction that was selected by early Neolithic farmers over the first 2,500 y of the domestication process.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Contribution to the knowledge of the fauna of the family Pyramidellidae Gray, 1840 (Mollusca, Gastropoda) on the islands of Saint Helena and Ascension
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Article Reference Americardia lindamaesae spec. nov., a new cardiid from Ascension Island (Bivalvia, Cardiidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Scheenstia bernissartensis (Actinopterygii: Ginglymodi) from the Early Cretaceous of Bernissart, Belgium, with an appraisal of the ginglymodians evolutionary history
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
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 Bioerosional marks in the shells of two sea turtle taxa from the middle Eocene of Belgium
This study analyses the diverse types of bioerosion marks on the shells of two sea turtle specimens from the Lutetian (middle Eocene) of Belgium. The objective is to understand the physical stressors affecting these organisms in ancient marine environments and to identify the potential factors responsible for these changes. The first specimen, the holotype of Eochelone brabantica, presents multiple erosive anomalies on its costal plates. The second individual, corresponding to Puppigerus camperi, exhibits different types of shell deviations, also of an erosive character. The combination of macroscopic and imaging techniques (i.e., CT scanning and 3D surface scanning) allow us the precise observation and identification of the different alterations. Comparative analyses suggest several external factors as potential causes of the anomalies of the two specimens (i.e., invertebrate feeding traces and trauma). This detailed examination provides specific insights into the types and causes of shell alterations in these Eocene turtles, offering a clearer understanding of their interactions in the marine ecosystem in which they lived.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
Inproceedings Reference Revision of the longirostrine crocodilian Thoracosaurus isorhynchus from the Maastrichtian–Danian of northwestern Europe
“Thoracosaurs” are a group of longirostrine eusuchians known from Upper Cretaceous–lower Paleogene coastal deposits of Europe and North America. Their phylogenetic position is highly debated and varies from one study to the next, ranging from inclusion within Gavialoidea—implying ghost lineages of up to 100 million years—to exclusion from Crocodylia altogether. Despite these issues, many “thoracosaur” taxa have been understudied, suffering from incomplete or outdated descriptions and questionable taxonomic assignment. We present a comprehensive revision of Thoracosaurus isorhynchus, the most common European “thoracosaur.” Here, we redescribe the lectotype and paralectotypes of the species from the Maastrichtian of Mont-Aimé, France, and a skull from the Maastricht type area, The Netherlands. We also add new, previously undescribed cranial and extensive postcranial material from Mont-Aimé. Moreover, comparison with the type material of Thoracosaurus “scanicus” of the Danian of southern Sweden indicates that the latter is a junior synonym of T. isorhynchus, confirming the persistence 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 implicates an early emergence of “thoracosaurs” within Gavialoidea, highlighting the stratigraphic inconsistency of this group and a need for up to date descriptions of species belonging to this group.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA