Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Population viability: an analysis for the Slender-billed Curlew.
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First records of Tachydromia Meigen and Tachypeza Meigen (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Vietnam, with descriptions of four new species
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In search for the breeding grounds of the Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris). Summary on 10 years of hypothesis and ground searches.
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Description of a new brachypterous Ariasella Gil (Diptera, Hybotidae, Tachydromiinae) from Portugal
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Palaeolithic dogs and Pleistocene wolves revisited: a reply to Morey
- This is a reply to the comments of Morey (2014) on our identification of Palaeolithic dogs from several European Palaeolithic sites. In his comments Morey (2014) presents some misrepresentations and misunderstandings that we remedy here. In contrast to what Morey (2014) propounds, our results suggest that the domestication of the wolf was a long process that started early in the Upper Palaeolithic and that since that time two sympatric canid morphotypes can be seen in Eurasian sites: Pleistocene wolves and Palaeolithic dogs. Contrary to Morey (2014), we are convinced that the study of this domestication process should be multidisciplinary.
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A new species of the genus Tachydromia Meigen (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Israel
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Contribution à la connaissance des Brentidae: nouvelles espèces et notes taxonomiques (Coleoptera Curculionoidea)
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Reconstruction of the Gravettian food-web at Predmosti I using multi-isotopic tracking (13C, 15N, 34S) of bone collagen
- The Gravettian site of Předmostí I in the central Moravian Plain has yielded a rich and diverse large mammal fauna dated around 25–27,000 14C years BP (ca. 29,500–31,500 cal BP). This fauna includes numerous carnivores (cave lion, wolf, brown bear, polar fox, wolverine) and herbivores (reindeer, large bovine, red deer, muskox, horse, woolly rhinoceros, woolly mammoth) whose trophic position could be reconstructed using stable isotopic tracking (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) of bone collagen (n = 63). Among large canids, two morphotypes, “Pleistocene wolves” and “Palaeolithic dogs”, were considered, and two human bones attributed to the Gravettian assemblage of Předmostí I were also sampled. The trophic system around the Gravettian settlement of Předmostí I showed the typical niche partitioning among herbivores and carnivores seen in other mammoth-steppe contexts. The contribution of the analyzed prey species to the diet of the predators, including humans, was evaluated using a Bayesian mixing model (SIAR). Lions included great amounts of reindeer/muskox and possibly bison in their diet, while Pleistocene wolves were more focused on horse and possibly mammoth. Strong reliance on mammoth meat was found for the human of the site, similarly to previously analyzed individuals from other Gravettian sites in Moravia. Interestingly, the large canids interpreted as “Palaeolithic dogs” had a high proportion of reindeer/muskox in their diet, while consumption of mammoth would be expected from the availability of this prey especially in case of close interaction with humans. The peculiar isotopic composition of the Palaeolithic dogs of Předmostí I may indicate some control of their dietary intake by Gravettian people, who could have use them more for transportation than hunting purpose.
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Note systématique et capture de Batocera granulipennis Rigout, 1988 en Guinée Conakry (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)
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Description d'une nouvelle espece de Tagalog Hüdephol des Philippines (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae)
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Contribution a l'étude du genre Oryctes Illiger avec la description de la femelle d'Oryctes (Rykanes) heros Endrödi (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Dynastidae)
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First record of Autocrates vitalisi Vuillet, 1912 from the island of Borneo (Coleoptera, Trictenotomidae)
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Seabria orientalis (Hintz, 1909) review of its taxonomic history, distribution note and description of the male genitalia (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae)
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Note on the distribution of Prionus kucerai Drumont & Komiya, 2006 in China (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae)
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Notes on the Distribution of Phyllognathus dionysius Fabricius in Pakistan (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Dynastidae)
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Contribution of Kanaan, Kassarat and Jeita cave systems study in the morphogenesis reconstitution of valleys, Mt-Lebanon: case study of Kalb and Antelias valleys
- Recent studies in Lebanon conducted on multi-level caves propose new insights on incision stages of Kalb and Antelias valleys. The study area is located in central Mt Lebanon and comprises a dammed karst configuration close to the Mediterranean Sea. The suggested morphogenesis model of both valleys is based on the relation between the karst base level and the thalweg levels of both rivers. A crossover analysis between speleogenesis stages of Kanaan, Kassarat and Jeita caves, the geology settings of the area and marine terraces and paleosurfaces suggest three evolution stages for Kalb and Antelias valleys. The study highlights on: i) the sub-surface morphologies as indicators for the paragenesis process identified in all three caves in response to base level aggradation, ii) latter incision of Jeita and Kassarat canyons with the reorganization of the drainage system in response to the base level drop, iii) implications of regional eustatic changes of the Mediterranean sea and tectonic uplift of Mt Lebanon. Prelemenary chronology settings for the evolution of karst system is discussed based on U/Th datations of speleothems: Speleothem growth in Kanaan cave (100 m.) began at the end of Mid-Pleistocene (cf. 194 ka ± 0.98) and also at the end of MIS 6 (cf. 127 ka ± 0.7402). Speleothems dating from Kassarat cave (60m.) showed ages at the end of MIS 3 (cf. 37.590 ±0.82 and 33.921 ±1.09). Considering that the cave level identified at 90-160 m indicate that all three caves developed in the phreatic/epiphreatic zone of Antelias and Kalb karst basin, the passage to vadose conditions is occurred then at least from the end of Mid-Pleistocene. Cave levels are therefore, prior to this age inferring to the incision of Antelias and Kalb thalwegs probably during early or Mid-Pleistocene. The cave level identified at 90-160 m and 60-70 m correspond to the elevation of some low-gradient surfaces in the area. Based on the geomorphological work interpreted in the geological framework of Antelias and Kal valleys and compared to other cave levels around the Mediterranean basin, we suggest that the first cave level could be related to a former regional transgression of the Mediterranean sea during the Pliocene. Whereas abandon of the second and lower level could be related to a marine regression stage or to Mt-Lebanon uplift during the Pleistocene.
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First record of Leiopus linnei Wallin, Nylander & Kvamme, 2009 in Belgium (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)
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A well preserved fossil ant in Baltic amber of the enigmatic genus Gesomyrmex Mayr, 1868 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)
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A list of ant species collected in the surrounding area of Rocher Frédericq (Hockai) with the first record of Leptotohorax gredleri Mayr, 1855 in belgium
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mtDNA analysis in the groundwater amphipod Niphargus from the Meuse Valley (Belgium)
