Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Simbirskiasaurus and Pervushovisaurus reassessed: implications for the taxonomy and cranial osteology of Cretaceous platypterygiine ichthyosaurs
- The ichthyosaur fossil record is interspersed by several hiatuses, notably during the Cretaceous. This hampers our understanding of the evolution and extinction of this group of marine reptiles during the last 50 million years of its history. Several Cretaceous ichthyosaur taxa named in the past have subsequently been dismissed and referred to the highly inclusive taxon Platypterygius, a trend that has created the impression of low Cretaceous ichthyosaur diversity. Here, we describe the cranial osteology, reassess the stratigraphic age, and evaluate the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of two Cretaceous ichthyosaurs from western Russia: Simbirskiasaurus birjukovi from the early Barremian and Pervushovisaurus bannovkensis from the middle Cenomanian, both formerly regarded as nomina dubia, and allocated to Platypterygius sp. and Platypterygius campylodon, respectively. We show that Simbirskiasaurus birjukovi and Pervushovisaurus bannovkensis are valid platypterygiine ophthalmosaurids, notably characterized by a peculiar narial aperture. The cranial anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of these taxa illuminate the evolution of narial aperture anatomy in Cretaceous ichthyosaurs, clarify the phylogenetic relationships among platypterygiines, and provide further arguments for a thorough revision of Platypterygius.
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Apports de la paléontologie et de la stratigraphie. Quoi de neuf en paléontologie du Paléozoïque ?
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Palaeogeographical and palaeoecological constraints on palaeozoic vertebrates (chondrichthyans and placoderms) in the Ardenne Massif - Shark radiations in the Famennian on both sides of the Palaeotethys
- Three chondrichthyan radiations are registered in the Famennian of the ArdenneMassif (Belgium). These radiations are already observed in Morocco and in the Carnic Alps, their acme being related with the early expansa transgression. Comparisons of univariate statistical descriptors like Margalef richness and Shannon–Wiener diversity index show variations between both margins of the Paleotethys, variations interpreted in terms of trophic relationships. The Ardenne area, a northern shallow carbonate platform is characterized during the Famennian by endemic shark taxa with durophagous dentition. The southern open deep-sea area, the Variscan Sea, contains large placoderms probably disclosing a negative feedback on “cladodont” chondrichthyans. This supports the hypothesis that the Armorica platelet behaved like a barrier between the central southern Laurussia and northern Gondwana.
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A new species of Groenlandaspis Heintz, 1932 (Placodermi, Arthrodira) from the Famennian (Late Devonian) of Belgium
- A new species of the phlyctaeniid arthrodire genus Groenlandaspis from the upper Famennian of Belgium is described. The remains of Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. consist of dissociated thoracic armor elements, but the specimen designed to be the holotype displays the median dorsal, anterior and posterior dorsolateral plates in connection. Though incomplete, the new species is characterized by an equilateral triangle-shaped median dorsal plate, a protruding posterodorsal apron of the posterior dorsolateral plate behind the overlap area for the median dorsal plate, and an overall lack of ornamentation. Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. constitutes the second occurrence of a Groenlandaspis species in continental Europe after the description of Groenlandaspis thorezi from upper Famennian quarries of Belgium. Another probable new species of Groenlandaspis is also described, though of unknown locality and horizon; it can however be deduced from the upper Famennian of Belgium without more precision. Together with some unpublished material of groenlandaspidids from the Famennian tetrapod-bearing locality of Strud, this material highlights the richness of the Groenlandaspididae diversity in Belgium. The discovery of Groenlandaspis potyi sp. nov. in Belgium reinforces the Famennian global distribution of this widespread genus during this period. Also, since those organisms have possibly been considered as non;marine indicators, this material is another argument pleading for close relationships between Euramerica and Gondwana around the Frasnian-Famennian boundary.
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Boccardia proboscidea and Boccardiella hamata (Polychaeta: Spionidae: Polydorinae), introduced mud worms new for the North Sea and Europe, respectively.
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The Growth of the Skull Roof Plates in Arabosteus variabilis (Acanthothoraci, Placodermi) from the Early Devonian Jauf Formation (Saudi Arabia): Preliminary Results
- The skull roof growth of Arabosteus variabilis (Acanthothoraci), from the Pragian-Early Emsian of Saudi Arabia is studied on the basis of well-preserved growth lines on the dermal plates. A clear tendency towards growth in length, i.e. allometry in length, can be observed for all studied skull roof plates of Arabosteus variabilis as well as for the skull roof in general. Each studied plate displays particular growth shaping the skull roof according to its position in the skull roof pattern, e.g., the preorbital plate controls the shape of the part of the orbit and the nuchal plate retains the relative proportions in the skull roof during growth.
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A new long-tailed basal bird from the Early Cretaceous of north-eastern China
- A new basal Avialae, Jeholornis curvipes sp. nov., from the Yixian Formation (Early Cretaceous) of Liaoning Province (north-eastern China) is described. A revision of long-tailed birds from China and a phylogenetic analysis of basal Avialae suggest that Jeholornithiformes were paraphyletic, with Jixiangornis orientalis being the sister-taxon of pygostylia. The phylogenetic analysis also recovered that the tail reduction is a unique event in the evolution of birds. Jeholornis species were cursorial, nonperching, and seed-eating birds.
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A transient deep-sea circulation switch during Eocene Thermal Maximum 2.
- Ever since its discovery, Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM2; ~53.7 Ma) has been considered as one of the “little brothers” of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~56 Ma) as it displays similar characteristics including abrupt warming, ocean acidification, and biotic shifts. One of the remaining key questions is what effect these lesser climate perturbations had on ocean circulation and ventilation and, ultimately, biotic disruptions. Here we characterize ETM2 sections of the NE Atlantic (Deep Sea Drilling Project Sites 401 and 550) using multispecies benthic foraminiferal stable isotopes, grain size analysis, XRF core scanning, and carbonate content. The magnitude of the carbon isotope excursion (0.85–1.10‰) and bottom water warming (2–2.5°C) during ETM2 seems slightly smaller than in South Atlantic records. The comparison of the lateral δ13C gradient between the North and South Atlantic reveals that a transient circulation switch took place during ETM2, a similar pattern as observed for the PETM. New grain size and published faunal data support this hypothesis by indicating a reduction in deepwater current velocity. Following ETM2, we record a distinct intensification of bottom water currents influencing Atlantic carbonate accumulation and biotic communities, while a dramatic and persistent clay reduction hints at a weakening of the regional hydrological cycle. Our findings highlight the similarities and differences between the PETM and ETM2. Moreover, the heterogeneity of hyperthermal expression emphasizes the need to specifically characterize each hyperthermal event and its background conditions to minimalize artifacts in global climate and carbonate burial models for the early Paleogene.
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Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan)
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Eocene hyperthermals in the North Sea Basin: a Belgian Ypresian perspective
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Temperature, seasonality and salinity history of the early Eocene North Sea Basin inferred from fish otoliths and mollusks
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Temperature, seasonality and salinity history of the early Eocene North Sea Basin inferred from fish otoliths and mollusks.
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Eocene hyperthermals in the North Sea Basin: a Belgian Ypresian perspective.
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Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan).
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Benthic foraminiferal and isotopic patterns during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (Aktulagay section, Kazakhstan).
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Late Quaternary (15 ka to present) development of a sandy landscape in the Mol area, Campine region, NE Belgium
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Présence ignorée de Aplus assimilis (Reeve, 1846) (Gastropoda, Pisaniidae) en Méditerranée pendant quatre décennies
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Invasion of the poles
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de GERLACHE de GOMERY, Gaston, Adolphe, Auguste, baron, explorateur polaire, aviateur, docteur en droit, dirigeant de sociétés, né à Ixelles le 17 novembre 1919, décédé à Mullem le 13 juillet 2006.
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Typpe material of taxa described by Cousin and Jousseaume in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels
