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Paleocene-Eocene carbon isoltope excursion in organic carbon and pedogenic carbonate: direct comparision in a continental stratigraphic section
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The in situ Glyptostroboxylon forest of Hoegaarden (Belgium) at the Initial Eocene Thermal Maximum (55 Ma)
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Where do adaptive shifts occur during invasion? A multidisciplinary approach to unravelling cold adaptation in a tropical ant species invading the Mediterranean area
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Evolution may improve the invasiveness of populations, but it often remains unclear whether key adaptation events occur after introduction into the recipient habitat (i.e. post-introduction adaptation scenario), or before introduction within the native range (i.e. prior-adaptation scenario) or at a primary site of invasion (i.e. bridgehead scenario). We used a multidisciplinary approach to determine which of these three scenarios underlies the invasion of the tropical ant Wasmannia auropunctata in a Mediterranean region (i.e. Israel). Species distribution models (SDM), phylogeographical analyses at a broad geographical scale and laboratory experiments on appropriate native and invasive populations indicated that Israeli populations followed an invasion scenario in which adaptation to cold occurred at the southern limit of the native range before dispersal to Israel. We discuss the usefulness of combining SDM, genetic and experimental approaches for unambiguous determination of eco-evolutionary invasion scenarios.
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The Ecology and Feeding Habits of the Arboreal Trap-Jawed Ant Daceton armigerum
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Soil properties only weakly affect subterranean ant distribution at small spatial scales
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Arthropod diversity in a tropical forest
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Most eukaryotic organisms are arthropods. Yet, their diversity in rich terrestrial ecosystems is still unknown. Here we produce tangible estimates of the total species richness of arthropods in a tropical rainforest. Using a comprehensive range of structured protocols, we sampled the phylogenetic breadth of arthropod taxa from the soil to the forest canopy in the San Lorenzo forest, Panama. We collected 6144 arthropod species from 0.48 hectare and extrapolated total species richness to larger areas on the basis of competing models. The whole 6000-hectare forest reserve most likely sustains 25,000 arthropod species. Notably, just 1 hectare of rainforest yields 60\% of the arthropod biodiversity held in the wider landscape. Models based on plant diversity fitted the accumulated species richness of both herbivore and nonherbivore taxa exceptionally well. This lends credence to global estimates of arthropod biodiversity developed from plant models.
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Parallel phenotypic evolution in a wolf spider radiation on Galápagos.
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Within island archipelagos, repeated ecological settings may lead to radiations wherein similar niches are recurrently occupied. Although it has been shown that species with common habitat requirements share particular traits, it remains relatively unexplored to what extent this may lead to the repeated evolution of almost identical phenotypes (phenocopies) and how this correlates with traits subjected to sexual selection. Exploring divergence patterns of ecological and sexual relevant traits within spiders seem promising to enhance our understanding of the relative role of natural and sexual selection. Here, we conduct a detailed morphological analysis on a large set of genital and non-genital traits (morphometrics, colour pattern) within a radiation of the wolf spider genus Hogna Simon, 1885 on Galápagos and interpret these data, taking into account their known phylogenetic relationship. Our results show that recurrent environmental gradients have led to the parallel evolution of almost identical phenotypes, which not only proves that natural selection has driven morphological divergence, but also suggests that a similar genetic or developmental basis most likely underlies this divergence. Among-species variation in genital traits in contrast rather reflects the phylogenetic relationships on Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. The combination of these data indicate that speciation in this system is driven by the combined effect of ecological mechanisms and allopatric divergence in sexual traits.
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Diversity of the adapisoriculid mammals from the early Palaeocene of Hainin, Belgium
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Adapisoriculidae are an enigmatic group of small mammals known from the late Cretaceous of India, and from the early Palaeocene to early Eocene of Europe and Africa. Based on their primitive dental morphology, they have been classified as didelphids, nyctitheriids, leptictids, mixodectids, tupaiids, and palaeoryctids. While the latest hypothesis based on dental morphology suggests an affinity with Lipotyphla, postcranial remains indicate a close relationship with Euarchonta. Here, we present new adapisoriculid dental remains from the early Palaeocene locality of Hainin (Belgium). Adapisoriculidae are particularly abundant in Hainin, where they represent about one third of the mammalian fauna, offering new insights into both their specific and generic phylogenetic interrelationships. We describe three new species (Afrodon gheerbranti sp. nov., Bustylus folieae sp. nov. and Proremiculus lagnauxi gen. et sp. nov.) and document the previously unknown lower dentition of Bustylus marandati. The diversity of dental morphologies observed in the Hainin fauna suggests different interrelationships than previously suggested. In particular, the genus Proremiculus is considered morphologically intermediate between Afrodon and Remiculus, and the latter is no longer recognised as the sister group of Adapisoriculus. Although the highest diversity of adapisoriculids occurs in Europe, the oldest and most primitive members of the family were found in India and Africa, respectively. The geographic origin of the family could thus be located in any of these three continents, depending on the importance attributed to each of these factors. The coexistence of primitive and derived adapisoriculids at Hainin might indicate a very quick diversification in Europe, probably starting around the K−T boundary.
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The creodonts (mammalia, Ferae) from the Paleocene-Eocene transition in Belgium (Tienen Formation, MP7)
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Study of the dental remains of creodont mammals from the Paleocene-Eocene transition in Belgium (Tienen Formation, reference-level MP7) allows seven species to be recognized, four of which belong to the family Hyaenodontidae and three to the Oxyaenidae. The four hyaenodontid species, which are new to science, present numerous symplesiomorphic characteristics. They represent the oldest hyaenodontids of northern Europe and are shown to be the most primitive representatives of the sub-family Hyaenodontinae known so far. They are closely related to the oldest North American species but the morphological differences between them demonstrate that they are not vicariant species. Thus, the Belgian species could be at the origin of the American hyaenodontid lineages or belong to lineages already distinct but recently differentiated from common ancestors slightly older than both of these species groups. As for oxyaenids, their dental morphology shows that they could originate from the North American Paleocene lineages, although their small size does not support this hypothesis. The smallest Belgian creodont, Prototomus minimus n. sp. is remarkable in that it may present sexual dimorphism in mandibular morphology.
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Les élasmobranches de la transition Paléocène-Eocène de Dormaal (Belgique): implications biostratigraphiques et paléobiogéographiques
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