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Article Reference Understanding the tangled taxonomy of the genus Pseudohercostomus Stackelberg, 1931 (Insecta: Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with description of new species from Singapore and DR Congo
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021
Article Reference Review of the historical collection of Charipinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) preserved in the RBINS
Specimens from the subfamily Charipinae (Figitidae) deposited in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) were examined, in total 44 individuals were identified, belonging to eleven species. Five species are reported for the first time in Belgium: Alloxysta citripes (Thomson, 1862), A. fuscipes (Thomson, 1862), A. halterata (Thomson, 1862), A. ramulifera (Thomson, 1862) and Phaenoglyphis fuscicornis (Thomson, 1877); making 14 known species of Charipinae in Belgium. Additionally, for the first time, host information is reported for P. fuscicornis and A. consobrina (Zetterstedt, 1838).
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Overview of myrmecological studies and a checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the Democratic Republic of Congo
The production of species checklists is fundamental to setting baseline knowledge of biodiversity across the world and they are invaluable for global conservation efforts. The main objective of this study is to provide an up-to-date extensive checklist of the ants of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, based on available literature to serve as a foundation for future research and ant faunistic developments. We gathered the literature available to us, most of it compiled from the Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics (GABI) Project and treated the data to province level when possible. We also offer insight into who, when and where contributions have emerged to the current knowledge of the ants of the DRC and each of its 26 provinces. The current list is restricted to valid species and subspecies, discarding morphospecies and some misidentified taxa. The list comprises eight subfamilies, 64 genera and 736 species, the highest species diversity for a country located within the Afrotropical realm.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference First record of three alien termite species in Belgium
Subterranean termites (Family Rhinotermitidae) and drywood termites (Family Kalotermitidae) can be pest species as they have the potential to inflict damage to wooden constructions and can therefore cause a significant economic impact. Some species of these families are highly destructive and are invasive in many parts of the world. New introductions and/or the spread of termites are often caused by import of infested wood, plants or soils. The present study reports the first records of three exotic termite species in Belgium, viz. Cryptotermes brevis and Reticulitermes banyulensis in Brussels (Brussels Capital Region), and Reticulitermes flavipes in Brugelette (Hainaut province; Walloon region). The morphological identification of the specimens (N = 8) was validated by DNA-barcoding. Cryptotermes brevis and Reticulitermes banyulensis infestations are probably of little concern as local climatological conditions make it unlikely for either species to survive in the temperate climate in Belgium. In contrast, it is likely that Reticulitermes flavipes may become established and will spread to other sites in Belgium.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2024
Article Reference Two new species of robber fly in the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 from Southeast Asia (Diptera: Asilidae)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Article Reference A synopsis of the euphaeidae (Odonata: Zygoptera) of Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species of Euphaea
Located in Library / RBINS collections by external author(s)
Article Reference Reassessment of the iconic Oligo-Miocene heterodont dolphin Squalodon: a redescription of the type species S. grateloupii
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Article Reference Hydrogen isotopes in Quaternary mammal collagen from Europe
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2017
Inproceedings Reference Vestibular sensitivity and locomotor behavior in early paleocene mammals
The end-Cretaceous extinction triggered the collapse of ecosystems and a drastic turnover of mammalian communities. During the Mesozoic, mammals were ecologically diverse, but less than extant species. Modern ecological richness was established by the Eocene, but questions remain about the ecology of the first wave of mammals radiating after the extinction. Postcranial fossils are often used to determine locomotor behavior; however, the semicircular canals of the inner ear also represent a reliable proxy. These canals detect the angular acceleration of the head during locomotion and transmit neuronal signals to the brain to allow stabilization of the eyes and head. Accordingly, vestibular sensitivity to rapid rotational head movements is higher in species with a larger canal radius of curvature and more orthogonal canals. We used high-resolution computed tomography scanning to obtain inner ear virtual endocasts for 30 specimens. We supplemented these with data from the literature to construct a database of 79 fossils from the Jurassic to the Eocene and 262 extant mammals. We compared data on canal morphology and another lifestyle proxy, the size of the petrosal lobules, which have a role in maintaining eyes’ movements and position. We find that Paleocene mammals exhibited a lower average and more constricted range of Agility Indices (AI), a new measure of canal radius size relative to body size, compared to Mesozoic, Eocene and extant taxa. In the early Paleocene, body mass and canal radius increased, but the former outpaced the latter leading to an AI decline. Similarly, their petrosal lobules were relatively smaller on average compared to other temporal groups, which suggests less ability for fast movements. Additionally, Paleocene mammals had similar AIs to extant scansorial and terrestrial quadrupeds. In contrast, the lack of canal orthogonality change from the Mesozoic to the Paleocene indicates no trend toward lower vestibular sensitivity regardless of changes in body size. This result may reflect functional differences between canal orthogonality and radius size. Our results support previous work on tarsal morphology and locomotor behavior ancestral state reconstruction suggesting that ground dwelling mammals were more common than arboreal taxa during the Paleocene. Ultimately, this pattern may indicate that the collapse of forested environments immediately after extinction led to the preferential survivorship of more terrestrially adapted mammals. Funding Sources Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions: IF, European Research Council StG, National Science Foundation, Belgian Science Policy Office, DMNS No Walls Community Initiative.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA
Article Reference Brawn before brains in placental mammals after the end-Cretaceous extinction
Mammals are the most encephalized vertebrates, with the largest brains relative to body size. Placental mammals have particularly enlarged brains, with expanded neocortices for sensory integration, the origins of which are unclear. We used computed tomography scans of newly discovered Paleocene fossils to show that contrary to the convention that mammal brains have steadily enlarged over time, early placentals initially decreased their relative brain sizes because body mass increased at a faster rate. Later in the Eocene, multiple crown lineages independently acquired highly encephalized brains through marked growth in sensory regions. We argue that the placental radiation initially emphasized increases in body size as extinction survivors filled vacant niches. Brains eventually became larger as ecosystems saturated and competition intensified.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA