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Article Reference Waulsort Caverne X: A new cave site with Early Mesolithic human remains in Belgium
Caverne X in Waulsort (Namur province, Belgium), excavated in the 19th century, revealed a burial site which was unexpectedly dated to the Final Upper Paleolithic (10,820 ± 80 BP, OxA-6856) in the 1990’s. A re-examination of the collection and a new radiocarbon dating program was recently undertaken. The dates obtained on four left femurs (9285 ± 30 BP, ETH-74725; 9310 ± 30 BP, ETH-74726; 9340 ± 30 BP, ETH-74727; 9300 ± 30 BP, ETH-74728) revealed that the remains should in fact be attributed to the Early Mesolithic,consistent with 24 other 14 C dates obtained for eight cave sites in the Meuse Basin which range from ca . 9600 BP to 9000 BP. Caverne X contained 544 human remains belonging to at least nine individuals (one fetus, one perinatal/young child, one teenager, two adolescents/young adults and four adults), and 66 faunal remains consisting mainly of intrusive animals with the possible exception of a cervid antler, and one artefact (a small flint blade). Other than ochre deposits, all alterations (breakage, surface abrasion, impact scars and concretions) are post-depositional in origin. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis indicates a diet primarily based on terrestrial resources from an open landscape with proteins provided by large herbivores. Our study shows that Caverne X fits well with results already obtained for the Meuse Basin cave burials in terms of chronology, minimum number of individuals, funerary rituals and diet.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2020
Article Reference Were ancient foxes far more carnivorous than recent ones? Carnassial morphological evidence
Crown shape variation of the first lower molar in the arctic (Vulpes lagopus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) was analyzed using five groups of morphotypes. Carnassial morphologies were compared between the species and between spatially and temporally distant populations: one Late Pleistocene (n = 45) and seven modern populations of the arctic fox (n = 259), and one Late Pleistocene (n = 35) and eight modern populations of the red fox (n = 606). The dentition of Holocene red foxes had larger morphotype variability than that of arctic foxes. The lower carnassials of the red fox kept have some primitive characters (additional cusps and stylids, complex shape of transverse cristid), whereas the first lower molars of the arctic fox have undergone crown shape simplification, with the occlusal part of the tooth undergoing a more pronounced adaptation to a more carnivorous diet. From the Late Pleistocene of Belgium to the present days, the arctic fox’s crown shape has been simplified and some primitive characters have disappeared. In the red fox chronological changes in the morphology of the lower carnassials were not clearly identified. The phyletic tree based on morphotype carnassial characteristics indicated the distinctiveness of both foxes: in the arctic fox line, the ancient population from Belgium and recent Greenland made separate branches, whereas in the red foxes the ancient population from Belgium was most similar to modern red foxes from Belgium and Italy.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2020
Article Reference Molecular composition and ultrastructure of Jurassic paravian feathers
The Middle-Late Jurassic fossil assemblage found in the Tiaojishan Formation of Liaoning Province in northeastern China has yielded unparalleled evidence on the early evolution of birds1–4. Most importantly, the identification of various feather-like integumental appendages in non-avian and stem avialan theropods has illuminated the diversity and distribution of plumage structures during their adaptive transition towards use in flight4. Epidermal traces in the Tiaojishan Formation are preserved as either faint impressions or phosphatised and carbonised residues4,5. The latter were long thought to be a product of keratin-degrading bacteria6. However, more recent interpretations have favoured fossilised melanosomes; that is, melanin-bearing cellular organelles responsible in part for the colouration of skin and its structural derivatives7. This landmark hypothesis has spawned an entirely new field of exploratory inference into dinosaurian colour5,7–11, behaviour5 and physiology12.
Located in Library / RBINS collections by external author(s)
Webpublished Reference 1001 décisions, gouvernance et gestion - 1001 besslissingen, beleid en politiek
Série de 10 vidéos des ministres publiées sur le channel Youtube "1001 for Biodiversity". Messages vidéos des ministres responsables de la biodiversité en Belgique à l'occasion de l'anniversaire des 20 ans de la ratification de la Convention sur la Diversité Biologique (CBD) par la Belgique et de la conférence 1001 décisions organisée le 20 mai 2016 à l'IRSNB par le Point focal national CDB. Chaque ministre livre un message sur sa politique en matière de biodiversité et un second message sur les actions qu'il met en oeuvre personnellement à l'inspiration du livret "366 gestes pour la biodiversité" publié par l'Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Book Reference Environmental Impacts of Offshore Wind Farms in the Belgian Part of the North Sea: Marking a Decade of Monitoring, Research and Innovation.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Techreport Reference Radar registrations of bird migration validation through an interdisciplinary approach (RAVen project)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference The genus Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 in the Southern Ocean, with the description of a new species (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Lysianassoidea)
It is demonstrated here that Charcotia Chevreux, 1906 (Amphipoda) has priority over Charcotia Vayssière, 1906 (Gastropoda), and that Waldeckia Chevreux, 1906 has to be treated as an invalid objective junior synonym of Charcotia Chevreux, 1906. An analysis of a part of the mitochondrial COI gene of Charcotia indicates that Charcotia obesa sensu lato, consists of two genetically distant clades that fulfil the criteria of genetic species. Each genetic clade corresponds to a different morphotype. The first one has a low triangular protrusion on the dorsal border of urosomite 1, a strong tooth on epimeron 3, and the posterodistal corner of the basis of pereiopod 7 is regularly rounded. It agrees with the original description of Charcotia obesa Chevreux, 1906. The second one has a protrusion of urosomite 1 prolongated by a sharp and usually long denticle, a small tooth on epimeron 3, and the posterodistal corner of the basis of pereiopod 7 is bluntly angular. The second form is treated herein as a new species, Charcotia amundseni sp. nov., which is described in detail. While the bathymetric distribution of the two Antarctic Charcotia species overlaps (0–300 m for C. obesa and 7–1200 m for C. amundseni sp. nov.), C. obesa largely predominates at depths of less than 150 m, while Charcotia amundseni sp. nov. predominates at greater depths. Both species are widely distributed and presumably circum-Antarctic.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2018
Article Reference Distribution and paleoenvironmental framework of middle Miocene marine vertebrates along the western side of the lower Ica Valley (East Pisco Basin, Peru)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2020
Article Reference An annotated checklist of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from El Salvador, with additions from the Bechyné collection in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
A checklist of the species of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of El Salvador is presented based on data from literature and a digitization project of the Bechyné collection of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS). The RBINS collections contain a total of 2797 individual chrysomelid specimens from El Salvador, sorted into 89 species and 132 genera. In total, the current checklist contains 420 species, of which 33 are new records for El Slavador from the Bechyné collection. In these collections, there are also ten nomina nuda named by Bechyné, which need further study. The leaf beetle diversity in El Salvador, partly due to the country’s unstable political history, remains poorly studied, and many (new) species await discovery. This checklist provides a baseline for further study in El Salvador and nearby region.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019
Article Reference Ant assemblage structure on cocoa trees in smallholder farms in the Centre Region of Cameroon
We investigated the ant community structure in cocoa farms in the Centre Region of Cameroon. Ants were collected on the cocoa trees during the years 2006 and 2007 using chemical knock‐down. We tested the hypothesis of the existence of deterministic factor in the structuration of ant mosaic using C‐Score; we assessed the relationship between the numerical dominant and subdominant ant species using Spearman correlation test and discussed on the influence of vegetation structure and farm management on the ant community structure. A total of 53 ant species belonging to 20 genera and five subfamilies were identified from a set of 51,525 workers collected. C‐score analysis supported the hypothesis that ant community were structured by competition. Negative relationships were found between dominant ant species. Farming practices which were mainly pruning, chemical treatment and habitat structure appeared to influence the ecological status and distribution of dominant ant species.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2019