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Integrated stratigraphic analysis of Lower Rupelian deposits (Oligocene) in the Belgian Basin.
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RBINS Staff Publications
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Integrated stratigraphy of the Mont-Panisel borehole section (151E340), Ypresian (Early Eocene) of the Mons Basin, SW Belgium.
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RBINS Staff Publications
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Integrative taxonomic re-description of Halisarca magellanica and description of a new species of Halisarca (Porifera, Demospongiae) from Chilean Patagonia
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RBINS Staff Publications 2016
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Integrative taxonomy of calcareous sponges (subclass Calcinea) from the Peruvian coast: morphology, molecules, and biogeography
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Understanding of evolution and systematics of Calcarea (Porifera) have not yet met a corresponding increase in the knowledge of diversity and distribution of these sponges in several parts of the world. Peru is an emblematic example of this lack of taxonomic knowledge, as only three shallow-water species of sponges have hitherto been reported from its 3000 km coast. With the aim of studying sponges of Peru, an integrative taxonomy approach (morphology, molecules, and biogeography) was used in order to achieve sound species identifications. The first findings of Peruvian calcareous sponges are presented here. Eight species are described in the subclass Calcinea, of which five are new to science. The retrieved biogeographical patterns are either locally endemic, widespread, or discontinuous over large areas. Clathrina antofagastensis was previously known from Chile, while C. aurea and Ernstia tetractina had been reported from the Atlantic (Brazil), and thus represent the first genetically confirmed tropical amphi- American distributions of species not yet found on both sides of the Isthmus of Panama. Our results reveal a richer Tropical East Pacific sponge fauna than the Warm Temperate South-Eastern Pacific one.
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RBINS Staff Publications
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Integrative taxonomy of giant crested Eusirus in the Southern Ocean, including the description of a new species (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Eusiridae)
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Among Antarctic amphipods of the genus Eusirus, a highly distinctive clade of giant species is characterized by a dorsal, blade-shaped tooth on pereionites 5–7 and pleonites 1–3. This lineage, herein named ‘crested Eusirus’, includes two potential species complexes, the Eusirus perdentatus and Eusirus giganteus complexes, in addition to the more distinctive Eusirus propeperdentatus. Molecular phylogenies and statistical parsimony networks (COI, CytB and ITS2)of crested Eusirus are herein reconstructed. This study aims to formally revise species diversity within crested Eusirus by applying several species delimitation methods (Bayesian implementation of the Poisson tree processes model, general mixed Yule coalescent, multi-rate Poisson tree processes and automatic barcode gap discovery) on the resulting phylogenies. In addition, results from the DNA-based methods are benchmarked against a detailed morphological analysis of all available specimens of the E. perdentatus complex. Our results indicate that species diversity of crested Eusirus is underestimated. Overall, DNA-based methods suggest that the E. perdentatus complex is composed of three putative species and that the E. giganteus complex includes four or five putative species. The morphological analysis of available specimens from the E. perdentatus complex corroborates molecular results by identifying two differentiable species, the genuine E. perdentatus and a new species, herein described as Eusirus pontomedon sp. nov. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: alpha taxonomy – cryptic species – genetics – molecular systematics – phylogenetic systematics.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2020
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Intercontinental dispersal of mammals during the Paleocene new data from Europe
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The Paleocene in general and in Europe in particular, is generally considered as an epoch with high endemism and few intercontinental dispersals of mammals, although some faunal interchange is known between Asia and North America, mainly from the Tiffanian-Clarkforkian boundary. Up to now, however, faunal interchange between Europe and North America during the Paleocene has almost never been demonstrated. The study of the early Paleocene fauna of Hainin (Belgium) reveals high endemism in European mammals at the end of the Danian (early Paleocene). The age of the fauna of Walbeck (Germany) is reevaluated and is likely to be Selandian (middle Paleocene), significantly older than previously suggested. Therefore, Walbeck is closer in age to Hainin than to the typical late Paleocene fauna of Cernay (France). However, the faunas from Walbeck and Cernay share many common genera that are not present in Hainin, showing a faunal turnover around the Danian-Selandian boundary in Europe, marked by the first occurrence of Plesiadapis, Arctocyon and Adunator in Walbeck, and of neoplagiaulacid multituberculates and Dissacus in Cernay. The three genera present in Walbeck are abundant and diversified in North America from the beginning of the Tiffanian, i.e., older than the expected age of Walbeck. Therefore, it is inferred that these genera dispersed from North America to Europe around the Danian–Selandian boundary, corresponding roughly to the Torrejonian–Tiffanian boundary. The absence of multituberculates in the fauna of Walbeck does not allow the drawing of definite conclusions about the moment of their dispersal, but it is likely that it happened at the same time as Plesiadapis and Arctocyon, because neoplagiaulacids are abundant and diversified during the whole Paleocene in North America. Similarly, Dissacus is very rare in Cernay, and could also have dispersed at the same time as others, but remained unnoticed because of its rarity. The Clarkforkian in North America is marked by massive arrival of taxa from Asia, among which are rodents, carnivorans, and tillodonts. The recent discovery of the latest Paleocene fauna of Rivecourt (France), where typical Paleocene taxa cohabit with rodents and a carnivoran, indicates that the large-scale dispersal event marking the Paleocene–Eocene boundary began in Europe about at the same time as in North America, with the arrival of rodents and carnivorans. The morphology of the new carnivoran species suggests that this group dispersed separately from Asia to Europe and from Asia to North America.
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RBINS Staff Publications
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Intra- and Intertaxon stable O and C isotope variability of fossil fish otoliths: an early Eocene test case
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Knowledge of basic data variability is essential for the interpretation of any proxy-based paleotemperature record. To evaluate this for δ18O stable isotope paleothermometry based on early Paleogene fish otoliths from marginal marine environments, an intra- and interspecific stable O and C isotope study was performed at a single locality in the southern North Sea Basin (Ampe Quarry, Egem, Belgium), where shallow marine sands and silts are exposed. The age of the deposits is early late Ypresian (ca. 50.9 Ma) and falls within the early Eocene climatic optimum (EECO) interval. In each of four fossiliferous levels sampled, the same three otolith species were analyzed (Platycephalus janeti, Paraconger papointi and “genus Neobythitinorum” subregularis). Intrataxon stable isotope spread amounts on average 2.50-3.00‰ for all taxa and is present in all levels. This implies that each sample level comprises substantial variability, which can be attributed to a combination of temporal and taphonomic effects. More importantly, intertaxon offsets of 4.60‰ in δ13C and 2.20‰ in δ18O between the mean values of the three otolith species are found, with “N.” subregularis representing more positive values relative to the other species. We hypothesize that freshwater influence of coastal waters is the most likely cause for these discrepancies. Similar analyses on two coastal bivalve species (Venericardia sulcata and Callista laevigata) corroborate this hypothesis. Accordingly, δ18O values measured on “N.” subregularis otoliths probably represent a more open oce- anic signal, and therefore seem well-suited for δ18O stable isotope paleothermometry. This study highlights the importance of investigating data variability of a biogenic carbonate paleotemperature proxy at the species level, before applying paleotemperature equations and interpreting the outcome.
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Intra-specific morphological variability in the cave bear Ursus spelaeus (Mammalia, Carnivora, Ursidae) from the Trou du Sureau (Montaigle caves, Belgium) using an outline analysis
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Introduction history and genetic diversity of the invasive ant Solenopsis geminata in the Gala´pagos Islands
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The Gala´pagos Islands constitute one of the most pristine tropical systems on Earth. However, the complex and fragile equilibrium of native species is threatened by invasive species, among which is one of the most successful ants in the world, the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. We characterized the genetic structure and diversity of populations of S. geminata in the Galapagos Islands and unravelled the archipelago colonization by combining Bayesian clustering methods and coalescent-based scenario testing. Using 12 microsatellite markers and one mitochondrial DNA fragment (COI), we analysed individuals collected in all main invaded islands of the archipelago and from the native areas in Costa Rica and mainland Ecuador. We also used mitochondrial DNA to infer evolutionary relationships of samples collected in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Costa Rica and other Latin American countries. Our results showed that genetic diversity was significantly lower in Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador populations when compared to Costa Rican populations, and that samples from Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador (Guayaquil) clustered in a single group and all share a single mtDNA haplotype. Approximate Bayesian Computation favoured a scenario assuming that populations from Galapagos Islands diverged from mainland Ecuador. The city of Guyaquil, an obligatory hub for tourism and trade, could act as a bridgehead.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2018
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Invasive process and repeated cross-sectional surveys of the mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus establishment in Belgium
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When accidentally introduced in a new location, a species does not necessarily readily become invasive, but it usually needs several years to adapt to its new environment. In 2009, a national mosquito survey (MODIRISK) reported the introduction and possible establishment of an invasive mosquito species, Aedes j. japonicus, in Belgium. First collected in 2002 in the village of Natoye from a second-hand tire company, then sampled in 2003 and 2004, the presence of adults and larvae was confirmed in 2007 and 2008. A repeated cross-sectional survey of Ae. j. japonicus was then conducted in 2009 in Natoye to study the phenology of the species on two different sites using three kinds of traps: Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus traps, BG sentinel traps and CDC Gravid traps. An analysis of the blood meals was done on females to assess the epidemiological risks. Five species of mosquitos were caught using the different kind of traps: Culex pipiens, Cx. torrentium, Anopheles claviger, Aedes geniculatus and Ae. j. japonicus, Cx. pipiens being the most abundant. The CDC gravid traps gave the best results. Surprisingly Ae. j. japonicus was only found on one site although both sites seem similar and are only distant of 2.5 km. Its population peak was reached in July. Most of the engorged mosquitoes tested acquired blood meals from humans (60\%). No avian blood meals were unambiguously identified. Larvae were also collected, mostly from tires but also from buckets and from one tree hole. Only one larva was found in a puddle at 100 m of the tire storage. A first local treatment of Ae. j. japonicus larvae population was done in May 2012 using Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) and was followed by preventive actions and public information. A monitoring is also presently implemented.
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