Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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A new Oligocene site with terrestrial mammals and a selachian fauna from Minqar Tibaghbagh, the Western Desert of Egypt
- A new fossil site at Minqar Tibaghbagh, east of Siwa, in the Egyptian Western Desert is described. This represents the first place in Egypt outside the Fayum Depression yielding Paleogene, terrestrial mammals. Initial studies indicate the presence of palaeomastodonts, hyracoids, and anthracotheres, presumably early Oligocene in age. As only surface prospecting has been performed, more taxa will almost certainly be discovered in future investigations here and probably also elsewhere in the surroundings. A comparison is made with the most important contemporaneous sites in Libya and Egypt that yield terrestrial mammal remains. The selachian fauna from a higher level in the section confirms the Paleogene age of the subjacent strata. It is compared with selachians faunas from the early Oligocene Eastern Tethys Ocean at other places (the Fayum Depression in Egypt, and sites in Oman and Pakistan), and differs from these sites in being fully marine. Contrary to earlier studies, the open marine mudstones of the Daba’a Formation at Minqar Tibaghbagh are overlain by Paleogene marine sediments of most probably early Oligocene age and not early Miocene marine sediments as previously reported. These strata represent not only a new site with great potential for future finds, but also allows for biostratigraphic correlation.
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Cetacean fossils from a 1961 expedition at the Schelde estuary, province of Zeeland, The Netherlands
- During 2010-2015 the authors revisited the massive collection of marine mammal fossils in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Between the thousands of postcrania collected by a single expedition at the Schelde estuary in 1961 they noted some fragmented but important toothed whale (Odontoceti) cranial specimens. This article reports on fossils of a narwhal (Monodontidae), a large beaked whale (Ziphiidae) and dolphins related to the Amazon river dolphins and the La Plata dolphin (Inioidea), which at times between the middle Miocene and early Pleistocene inhabited the North Sea realm.
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Een reuzenroofpotvis uit de Westerschelde
- Tijdens de jaarlijkse bottenvistocht van het Koninklijk Zeeuwsch Genootschap der Wetenschappen werd een zeer grote potvistand opgevist uit de Westerschelde. De lengte bedraagt 282 mm en over de curve gemeten is deze waarde zelfs ca. 350 mm. Het is het grootste exemplaar uit Europa. Hier wordt de tand beschreven, de tafonomie besproken en de morfologie vergeleken met andere grote potvistanden uit de Westerschelde. De determinatie is mogelijk tot op de superfamilie Physeteroidea, Gray 1821.
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Met de KZGW Bottenvistocht 2018 op de Westerschelde
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Korren op de Westerschelde 2018
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A new record of a paleogene cetacean (Basilosauridae, aff. Basilotritus) from the Sint Pietersberg, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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A new species of rorqual whale (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Balaenopteridae) from the Late Miocene of the Southern North Sea Basin and the role of the North Atlantic in the paleobiogeography of Archaebalaenoptera
- Background The rich fossil record of rorqual and humpback whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Balaenopteridae) is mainly characterized by monotypic genera since genera including more than one species are extremely rare. The discovery of new species belonging to known genera would be of great importance in order to better understand ancestor-descendant relationships and paleobiogeographic patterns in this diverse group. Recent discoveries in the southern North Sea Basin yielded a number of reasonably well preserved fossil balaenopterids from the Late Miocene; this sample includes a balaenopterid skull from Liessel, The Netherlands, which shares key characters with Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati from the Pliocene of Mediterranean. This skull is permanently held by Oertijdmuseum, Boxtel, The Netherlands, with the number MAB002286 and is investigated here. Methods A detailed comparative anatomical analysis of the skull MAB002286 is performed in order to understand its relationships. The age of the skull is determined by dinocyst analysis of the associated sediment. A paleobiogeographic analysis is performed to understand paleobiogeographic patterns within the balaenopterid clade the new skull belongs to. Results Our work resulted in the description of Archaebalaenoptera liesselensis new species. The geological age of the holotype skull is between 8.1 and 7.5 Ma. The phylogenetic relationships of this species reveals that it is monophyletic with Archaebalaenoptera castriarquati from the Italian Pliocene. Moreover, in combination with a more basal species of Archaebalaenoptera from the late Miocene of Peru, our paleobiogeographic analysis suggests that the North Atlantic ocean played a major role as a center of origin of a number of balaenopterid clades including Protororqualus, Archaebalaenoptera and more advanced balaenopterid taxa. From a North Atlantic center of origin, two dispersal events are inferred that led to the origins of Archaebalaenoptera species in the South Pacific and Mediterranean. The distribution of Archaebalaenoptera was antitropical in the late Miocene. The role played by the Mediterranean salinity crisis is also investigated and discussed.
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Taxonomic databases should reflect, and not substitute, published scientific literature and community consensus: some observations on WoRMS and barnacles
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De oudste in situ-walvis van Nederland afkomstig van het noordwestelijk deel van de Sint-Pietersberg, Maastricht
- In 2014 kreeg een aantal walvisbotten in een vitrine op de eerste verdieping van het Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht dan eindelijk de aandacht die ze verdienen. Ze waren al gevonden in het voorjaar van 1979 in de ENCI-groeve. Op het eerste gezicht niet veel bijzonders, of verschillend van de walvisbotten in dezelfde vitrine, van andere Limburgse vindplaatsen, maar des te interessanter omdat de 'ENCI botten' gedateerd waren als Oligoceen. Uit het Oligoceen zijn niet veel walvisresten bekend en al helemaal niet uit West-Europa. Dit riep om nader onderzoek! Er volgde een uitgebreide zoektocht in de vakliteratuur en uiteindelijk een offi cieel artikel (Van Vliet et al., 2019). Gaandeweg moest de datering worden bijgesteld; niet Oligoceen-de resten bleken nog ouder: Laat-Eoceen! De 'ENCI walvis' was onlangs het kernstuk van een speciale expositie in het Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht (mei tot januari 2020).
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Stratigraphy and palaeontology of the lower Miocene Kiel Sand Member (Berchem Formation) in temporary exposures in Antwerp (northern Belgium)
- The stratigraphic position of the lower Miocene Kiel Sand Member of the Berchem Formation in the Antwerp area (northern Belgium) is not well constrained and its depositional environments are poorly known. Due to a spatial limited decalcification front, the Kiel Sand Member is completely decalcified in southern Antwerp and gradually becomes fossiliferous to the north-east of the city. The stratigraphy and palaeontology of the fossiliferous sediments in three temporary exposures are presented. The dinoflagellate cyst analysis of fossiliferous horizons shows the relative progress of a transgression in the southern North Sea Basin during the early–middle Burdigalian, that probably initiated in the late Aquitanian. The Kiel Sand Member contains an important mollusc fauna, with several species reported for the first time from this member. The taphonomy and fauna of the shell beds indicate a shallow marine, high energetic depositional environment, strongly influenced by storms, currents, waves and a rather low sedimentation rate. The climate was warm-temperate to subtropical. In all studied sections, the Kiel Sand Member could be clearly distinguished from the Antwerpen Sand Member: similarities and differences are discussed. Moving to the north of Antwerp, the erosive base of the Antwerpen Sand Member cuts deeper into the Kiel Sand Member. The Early Miocene Unconformity (EMU) is suggested at this contact.
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Over aan wal gebrachte walvisoren
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On the presence of an ocean sunfish (Tetraodontiformes, Molidae) in the Miocene Pietra Leccese formation of Southern Italy
- The ocean sunfishes of the family Molidae comprise one of the tetraodontiform clades with the least known fossil record. Here, we report on what appears to be an isolated paraxial ossicle likely pertaining to the Molidae from a widely known marine vertebrate-bearing deposit of Southern Italy, i.e., the Miocene Pietra Leccese formation of Apulia. Thus far, paraxial ossicles are exclusively known from the genus Mola; however, the possibility that some extinct species of Ranzania or Masturus developed paraxial ossicles cannot be definitively ruled out, hence the attribution of the fossil described herein to an indeterminate taxon of the family Molidae. A careful scrutiny of palaeoichthyological literature reveals that, besides contributing to the meagre Mediterranean and global fossil record of the Molidae, the Apulian ossicle may be regarded as the best candidate to represent the first fossil find of the genus Mola from the Mediterranean Basin. In light of the environmental preferences of extant molids, the occurrence of an ocean sunfish in the Pietra Leccese matches well the warm-water, highly productive, outer neritic setting witnessed by this sedimentary unit and its fossil content. Considering also that the Miocene has been recognised as a time span of increased abundance and diversity of ocean sunfishes worldwide, our find should encourage the quest for new, hopefully articulated specimens of molids in this celebrated fossiliferous limestone.
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A Karethraichnus boring on a turtle shell bone from the Miocene of Italy is assessed as the attachment scar of a platylepadid symbiont
- Among the turtle and whale barnacles, those included in the family Platylepadidae are mostly found partly embedded in the carapace and plastron of sea turtles. As a likely consequence of their fragile shell, the fossil record of these cirripede epizoans of marine chelonians is currently limited to two occurrences of Platylepas in Pleistocene strata. Here, we describe and refer to Karethraichnus cf. lakkos an isolated boring on a fossil cheloniid costal plate from the upper Miocene Arenaria di Ponsano Formation of Tuscany (central Italy). A scrutiny of palaeontological and neontological literature as well as new first-hand observations reveal that this boring was most likely produced by a platylepadid barnacle similar to Stomatolepas, Stephanolepas or Platylepas. Two other probable platylepadid attachment scars, both of which incise cheloniid shell bones, are noted from the Oligocene and Miocene, respectively. On the whole, these scanty data support the hypothesis that platylepadids have ancient evolutionary roots and a long story of symbiosis with sea turtles. Future research efforts in this field should focus on 1) further investigating the potential of bone damage of turtle-dwelling barnacles; 2) initiating a methodical quest for possible platylepadid attachment scars in Cenozoic marine turtle fossils; and 3) replenishing the still fragmentary Palaeogene fossil record of Coronuloidea.
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Two new non-marine species of the subfamily Cypridopsinae Kaufmann, 1900 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from sourthern Africa
- Two new Cypridopsinae ostracods, Potamocypris meissneri sp. nov. and Sarscypridopsis harundineti sp. nov. are described. Both were found only as asexual (all-female) populations in temporary waters of southern Africa. Potamocypris meissneri was collected from a small pan in the North-West Province of South Africa. It is approximately 0.5 mm long and belongs to the species group with long swimming setae on the second antennae. However, the species has a somewhat isolated position in the genus owing to the conspicuously reticulated carapace, which is furthermore densely covered by prominent conuli with normal pores carrying long sensilla, as well as to the wide anterior and posterior flanges on the left valve. To allow identification of the new species in relation to its closest congeners, a key to the species of the genus Potamocypris Brady, 1870 from southern Africa is provided. The genus Sarscypridopsis McKenzie, 1977 mostly has an Afrotropical distribution with only few species occurring in other regions. Sarscypridopsis harundineti was collected from floodplains of the outskirts of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. It is approximately 0.4 mm long and can be distinguished from congeners mainly by the smaller and more oval-shaped valves. We conclude that southern African Cypridopsinae urgently need integrated taxonomic revision, by means of both morphological characters and DNA-sequence data.
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Safeguarding freshwater life beyond 2020: Recommendations for the new global biodiversity framework from the European experience
- Plans are currently being drafted for the next decade of action on biodiversity—both the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Biodiversity Strategy of the European Union (EU). Freshwater biodiversity is disproportionately threatened and underprioritized relative to the marine and terrestrial biota, despite supporting a richness of species and ecosystems with their own intrinsic value and providing multiple essential ecosystem services. Future policies and strategies must have a greater focus on the unique ecology of freshwater life and its multiple threats, and now is a critical time to reflect on how this may be achieved. We identify priority topics including environmental flows, water quality, invasive species, integrated water resources management, strategic conservation planning, and emerging technologies for freshwater ecosystem monitoring. We synthesize these topics with decades of first-hand experience and recent literature into 14 special recommendations for global freshwater biodiversity conservation based on the successes and setbacks of European policy, management, and research. Applying and following these recommendations will inform and enhance the ability of global and European post-2020 biodiversity agreements to halt and reverse the rapid global decline of freshwater biodiversity.
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Le marbre de Rance : matériau de prédilection dans l’église Sainte-Aldegonde
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Assessment of the capacity of Halicarcinus planatus larva to reach the South Shetland Islands through passive dispersal
- In the last 50 years, the anthropogenic activity and atmospheric temperature in the West Antarctic Peninsula have increased constantly, and consequently have facilitated the establishment of exotic species. Different populations of alien plant and insect species have been already recorded in the terrestrial Antarctic (e.g.Poa annua, Juncus bufoniusand Eretmoptera murphyi). In contrast, no alien marine species have been reported until now in Antarctic seawater, with the exception of a single ovigerous female of Halicarcinus pla-natusfound in the shallow waters of Deception Island in 2010 and reported in the scientific literature in 2015. Halicarcinus planatusis a small brachyuran crab living in shallow habitats, distributed in the southern South-America and in Sub-Antarctic islands (i.e. Prince Edward and Marion Islands, Crozet and Kerguelen Islands, Falkland Islandsand New Zealand). In the Sub-Antarctic islands, H. planatusis usually the unique crab species present in the shallow ecosystems. This species is able to live in cold Sub-Antarctic water mainly be-cause of its capacity to down-regulate Magnesium concentration ([Mg2+]) in the hemolymph below seawater concentration. Because of these physiological characteristics, together with a high potential of dispersal through a 45 to 60 days larva, H. planatushas beenhistorically considered as a potential invasor ofAntarctic shallow ecosystems.Here, the ability of H. planatuslarvae to be transported by water current from Sub-Antarctic to An-tarctic is evaluated through the Lagrangian particles approach and model-estimated ocean circulation. Model parameters were defined by the species characteristics (i.e. behavior, habitat preference and reproductive stra-tegy) and ecophysiology lab experiments. The survival rates of H. planatuswere measured for extreme tempe-ratures (between -1.8 and 5°C for adults and at 1, 2 and 5°C for larvae) and for salinity between 4 and 32 PSU (for only adults). Results showed that H. planatuscould survive at temperature above 1°C and salinity above 18 PSU. So that, larvae could reach Antarctic waters during summer, when temperatures are above 0°C.A possible larvae transport is from Diego Ramirez Island; it’s the last island from South America that in addi-tion is located very near of polar front and where H. planatuscan be found.Financial support: FONDECYT 1161358, Centro Fondap-IDEAL 15150003, INACH DG_14_17, FONDECYT 1160877, PIA CONICYT ACT172065. The collaborative Belgian BRAIN project: Refugia and ecosystem tolerance in the Southern Ocean (RECTO).
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Taxonomic revision of the genus Trictenotoma Gray, 1832 (Coleoptera: Trictenotomidae). Part 2 - Species from Hainan and Taiwan
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Mystery solved: a new Drymaeus species from northern Peru (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Bulimulidae)
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Peruvian Plekocheilus species (Mollusca, Gastropoda): an overview and description of a new species
