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International audience; Le vin joue un rôle économique et culturel capital depuis l’âge du Fer en France. Dès cette époque, la viticulture s’implante dans le Midi méditerranéen puis va progressivement se diffuser dans la zone tempérée. L’archéologie a bien montré à quel point le Haut-Empire romain représente une étape clé dans cette diffusion (Poux et al. 2011). Cependant, les différents marqueurs à disposition de l’archéologie culturelle et spatiale (aménagements, structures, mobiliers) sont généralement limités à des fenêtres chrono-géographiques particulières. Changeant en fonction du contexte technique, culturel et environnemental, aucun ne permet véritablement de suivre l’expansion de la vigne sur le temps long et à l’échelle métropolitaine. A condition de travailler à partir d’un grand nombre de sites, les macrorestes végétaux (graines/fruits et bois/charbons de bois) peuvent ouvrir une telle perspective à l’échelle de l’Holocène, en offrant un moyen d’approcher les populations de vigne sauvage (Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris) ainsi que celles de la plante domestique (V. vinifera subsp. vinifera). Dans le cadre du programme de recherche de l’ANR Viniculture et du GDR BioarcheoDat nous réalisons une enquête collective visant à retracer, à partir des données archéobotaniques, les dynamiques chronologiques et spatiales de la répartition et des usages de la vigne sauvage ou domestique (répartition post-glaciaire, diffusion et fluctuations de la viticulture, contextes socio-environnementaux). Nous présentons dans cette communication un premier bilan résultant d’un inventaire à large échelle des sites archéologiques ayant fait l’objet d’une étude carpologique et/ou anthraco/xylologique, permettant (1) de recenser les attestations de la vigne, afin (2) d’évaluer la récurrence de ses vestiges selon le contexte géo-chronologique, le statut du site et sa localisation dans les réseaux de circulation, l’effort d’échantillonnage réalisé et les modes de préservation attestés.

A large part of existing production activities within various past populations, from prehistoric to modern times, is now well known among the scientific community. Activities are one of the main no...

International audience

International audience; Between the Mesozoic-Cenozoic Paris Basin rich in silicified rocks, limestones and sandstones, and the Eifel region providing volcanic rocks, the Paleozoic massif of the Ardennes has been exploited for quern and millstone manufacturing from the Neolithic through the Modern Era. For some years, a French-Belgian team of archaeologists and geologists is investigating the production, distribution and utilization of this underestimated group of archaeological objects.The recent development of preventive archaeology generates large volumes of data from qualitative archaeological contexts that can provide new insights in the socio-economic organization of past societies. From a petrographical point of view, the determination of the geomaterials allows to identify their geological origins and geographical provenances.Additionally, indices of abandoned quern and millstone quarry locations are provided by the collection and analysis of historical and archaeological observations. The mapping of the geological and geographical provenances and the multiple consumption sites on which the grinding implements occur, give us an idea of the ancient distribution networks and of the potential factors that govern it.; Entre le Bassin parisien méso-cénozoïque fournissant abondamment meulières, calcaires et grès, et l'Eifel riche en roches volcaniques vacuolaires, le Massif ardennais paléozoïque a été exploité pour la production de meules à grain depuis le Néolithique jusqu'à l'époque moderne, voire contemporaine. Accompagnant une dynamique européenne forte, une équipe franco-belge de géologues et d'archéologues étudie de manière pluridisciplinaire et diachronique la production, la diffusion et l'utilisation de ces objets archéologiques méconnus. Le développement récent de l'archéologie préventive permet de les analyser au sein des sites de consommation, fournissant de riches résultats en matière d'organisation socio-économique des sociétés. Sur le plan pétrographique, la discrimination des faciès de roches meulières par les géologues du groupe permet la reconnaissance de leur origine géologique et géographique. Le recensement d'observations historiques et archéologiques anciennes livre des indices pour retrouver les carrières d'extraction des meules. La cartographie de ces points d'origine d'une part et des sites de consommation d'autre part nous offre aujourd'hui une bonne compréhension de leurs circuits de diffusion et permet de rechercher les facteurs qui peuvent régir cette distribution au cours du temps.

10 pages; International audience; Hyaenodonts are extinct placental mammals with a carnivorous diet. Their phylogenetic position among mammals and the relationships within Hyaenodonta are at present partially unresolved. The endocranium is a structure that has rarely been studied in this clade. Using 3D tomography, we studied the endocranium of the European hyaenodont Eurotherium theriodis, discovered in Egerkingen (Switzerland, Lutetian, middle Eocene). Eurotherium theriodis has an endocranium morphology that supports an increase in size of the cerebrum relative to the cerebellum over time within the Hyaenodontoidea. The endocranium also supports a complexification of the cerebrum (i.e., at least two furrows per cerebral hemisphere) within the Hyaenodontoidea and allows us to envisage an increase of the encephalization quotient (EQ), over time. Based on morphology, we consider that its endocranium does not depart from that of the hyaenodontoids known in the Lutetian, Bartonian, and Priabonian of Europe, being less complex than that of the hypercarnivorous Hyaenodon. However, the morphology of its olfactory bulbs and turbinates is similar to that observed in Hyaenodon. The large size of the turbinates of E. theriodis is regarded to be the result of a possible scavenger ecology and agrees with the meat/bone diet envisaged based on the analysis of the morphology of the skull and teeth.

A new paleoclimate record from Cyprus gives valuable insights into climatic variations during Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 6–5 for the East Mediterranean region. Two stalagmites from Pentadactylos cave in the Kyrenia mountain range (800 m altitude) in Cyprus grew from 174.6 ± 0.7 to 112.2 ± 0.5 ka BP with major hiatuses at 163–142 and 132–128 ka. During early MIS6 the stalagmite suggests through a relatively low growth rate (57–5 mm/ka) and variable, but rather negative d18O that climate conditions were highly variable on a millennial scale, with wet and cold climate conditions during Sapropel 6 deposition. At the end of MIS6 (141–132 ka), growth rate varied from 123 to 18 mm/ka and less negative δ 18 O c suggests general dry/cold conditions followed by a growth stop during H11. The onset of MIS5e is marked by the highest growth rate (217 mm/ka). The most negative δ18O values at the onset and during the Eemian wet period in Cyprus are driven mostly by the source effect (Sapropel 5) and enhanced rainfall amounts. Stable conditions during MIS 5e were rather short as shown in the growth and isotopic signal, consistent with other EM records. After 122 ka, growth decreased drastically (8–2 mm/ka) and a slow deterioration of the soil cover is suggested from continuously less negative δ13C values. Fluid inclusion d18O shows a clear shift (4–5‰) between end-MIS 6 and MIS 5e. Clumped isotopes measurements indicate kinetic effects between calcite and water of up to ∼1‰. After correction for kinetic effects using Δ47, a minimum estimate for the MIS 6–5 temperature shift in the EM is ca. 9 °C. Similarly, drastic changes in rainfall amounts are inferred from measured (fluid inclusion) and calculated water d18O.

International audience; Ocean health is critical for achieving sustainable development but is threatened by multiple stressors. Member States Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to protect 10% of their waters by 2020. The scientific evidence supporting the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) to conserve biodiversity stems primarily from knowledge concerning fully protected areas but at present, most of what is being established are partially protected areas. Here, we assess the protection levels of the 1062 Mediterranean MPAs. While 6.01% of the Mediterranean is covered by an MPA, 85% of these MPAs do not impose regulations stronger inside than outside. Full and high levels of protection, the most effective for biodiversity conservation, represent only 0.23% of the basin and are unevenly distributed across political and eco-regions. Our current efforts are insufficient at managing human uses of nature and protection levels should be increased to deliver tangible benefits for biodiversity conservation.

Pickering et al. (Nature 2018;565:226–229) utilised calcium carbonate flowstone deposits (i.e. speleothems) from eight Pliocene and Pleistocene South African Cradle of Humankind cave sites to propose that biases were created within the fossil record due to absent clastic sedimentation phases during wet periods, when caves were closed and only speleothems accumulated. Such a scenario has significant implications for our understanding of variability in hominin mobility, resource exploitation, functional repertoires and interactions with competitors in changing environmental and ecological contexts. We find considerable issues with the article. First, Pickering et al.’s contribution omits crucial fossil evidence from various stratigraphic units of the Sterkfontein Caves that indicates conditions were not always arid when the caves were open and sediments were deposited. Second, Pickering et al.’s proposal that clastic and speleothemic deposits (including faunal and floral material) form mutually exclusively is an overly simplified, binary depositional (and in this case environmental) framework that demonstrates an inherent bias in the sampling of cave deposits for dating. This creates the impression that either speleothems or clastic sediments are deposited and does not take into account the full spectrum of sedimentary complexity in karst caves. Third, closure of the caves across the Cradle of Humankind landscape during wet periods is not substantiated geomorphologically or speleologically; identification of the responsible process is critical to the proposed infilling scenario. Significance: We propose that Pickering et al.’s interpretation of the environmental context of the South African early hominin record is problematic in that it omits crucial faunal and floral fossil evidence associating hominins with non-arid climates, is geomorphologically unsupported, and perpetuates biases against temporally and climatically representative clastic sediments due to challenges related to their dating.

International audience; The anatomical asymmetries of the human brain are the subject of a great deal of scientific interest because of their links with handedness and lateralized cognitive functions. Information about lateralization in humans is also available from the post-cranial skeleton, particularly the arm bones, in which differences in size and shape are related to hand/arm preference. Our objective here is to characterize the possible correlations between the endocranial and post-cranial asymmetries of an archaeological sample. This, in turn, will allow us to try to identify and interpret prospective functional traits in the archaeological and fossil records. We observe that directional asymmetry (DA) is present both for some endocranial and humeral traits because of brain lateralization and lateralized behaviors, while patterns of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) vary. The combined study of these anatomical elements and of their asymmetries can shed light on the ways in which the body responds to dependent asymmetrical stimuli across biologically independent anatomical areas. Variations in FA are, in this context, indicators of differences in answers to lateralized factors. Humeri tend to show a much larger range of variation than the endocast. We show that important but complex information may be extracted from the combined study of the endocast and the arms in an archaeological sample of Homo sapiens.

We describe here a new turtle from the early Eocene of Wutu, Shandong Province, China. This turtle with a full row of well-developed inframarginal scutes is assigned to the basalmost testudinoids while stem testudinoids were believed to disappear by the Palaeocene–Eocene boundary. This account shows that stem testudinoids crossed this boundary in their original range. The first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of stem and modern testudinoids performed here demonstrates that the stem testudinoids, previously placed in the family ‘Lindholmemydidae’, do not form a monophyletic group, and the two major clades of testudinoids (Emydidae and Geoemydidae+Testudinidae) split one from another well before the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary, prior to the Late Cretaceous.

International audience; Cynthiacetus peruvianus Martínez-Cáceres & Muizon, 2011 is a Dorudon-like basilosaurid (Cetacea, Basilosauridae), being one of the largest members of the family. The holotype of this species is a sub-complete skeleton, which comes from the late Eocene (Priabonian) of the Otuma Formation on the southern coast of Peru. A thorough description of this specimen is presented here. Cynthiacetus peruvianus differs from the other species of the genus (C. maxwelli) in having fewer accessory cusps on the distal and mesial edges of p3 and p4. Its skull shows the general pattern of the basilosaurid skull, which is relatively monotonous across the whole family, but it is much larger than those of Dorudon and Zygorhiza, and slightly smaller and distinctly more slender than that of Basilosaurus. The most characteristic features of C. peruvianus stand on the postcranial skeleton: it presents large vertebrarterial foramina on the cervical vertebrae; it lacks a ventral expansion of the transverse processes of C3-C5; it presents the greatest number of thoracic vertebrae (20) observed in cetaceans; and its first thoracics have an almost vertical neural spine. The second part of the monograph is devoted to evolutionary trends and phylogenetic relationships of Archaeocetes with a special focus on Basilosauridae. Some of the major trends considered concern, the rostrum morphology, the asymmetry of the rostrum, the supraorbital region, the neurocranium, the pelvic girdle and hind limb, and the chevrons. A parsimony analysis confirms the monophyly of the Basilosauridae, which are supported by four unambiguous synapomorphies: the presence of well-defined embrasure pits between the upper incisors, a narrow palate anterior to P4, a cleft on the mesial edge of the lower molars, and more than 13 thoracic vertebrae. In contrast with previous hypotheses, in which Saghacetus was the sister taxon of the Pelagiceti, the results of our analysis reveal this taxon as the most basal basilosaurid. In all the analyses performed Cynthiacetus forms a clade with Dorudon and Basilosaurus, being almost constantly the sister taxon of Basilosaurus.

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

This study investigated the use of frequent metre-scale resolution Pléiades satellite imagery to monitor water quality parameters in the highly turbid Gironde Estuary (GE, SW France). Pléiades satellite data were processed and analyzed in two representative test sites of the GE: 1) the maximum turbidity zone and 2) the mouth of the estuary. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) validate the Dark Spectrum Fitting (DSF) atmospheric correction developed by Vanhellemont and Ruddick (2018) applied to Pléiades satellite data recorded over the GE; (ii) highlight the benefits of frequent metre-scale Pléiades observations in highly turbid estuaries by comparing them to previously validated satellite observations made at medium (250/300 m for MODIS, MERIS, OLCI data) and high (20/30 m for SPOT, OLI and MSI data) spatial resolutions. The results show that the DSF allows for an accurate retrieval of water turbidity by inversion of the water reflectance in the near-infrared (NIR) and red wavebands. The difference between Pléiades-derived turbidity and field measurements was proven to be in the order of 10%. To evaluate the spatial variability of water turbidity at metre scale, Pléiades data at 2 m resolution were resampled to 20 m and 250 m to simulate typical coarser resolution sensors. On average, the derived spatial variability in the GE is lower than or equal to 10% and 26%, respectively, in 20-m and 250-m aggregated pixels. Pléiades products not only show, in great detail, the turbidity features in the estuary and river plume, they also allow to map the turbidity inside ports and capture the complex spatial variations of turbidity along the shores of the estuary. Furthermore, the daily acquisition capabilities may provide additional advantages over other satellite constellations when monitoring highly dynamic estuarine systems.

In recent years, sea ice cover along coasts of East Antarctica has tended to increase. To understand ecological implications of these environmental changes, we studied benthic food web structure on the coasts of Adélie Land during an event of unusually high sea ice cover (i.e. two successive austral summers without seasonal breakup). We used integrative trophic markers (stable isotope ratios of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur) to build ecological models and explored feeding habits of macroinvertebrates. In total, 28 taxa spanning most present animal groups and functional guilds were investigated. Our results indicate that the absence of seasonal sea ice breakup deeply influenced benthic food webs. Sympagic algae dominated the diet of many key consumers, and the trophic levels of invertebrates were low, suggesting omnivore consumers did not rely much on predation and/or scavenging. Our results provide insights about how Antarctic benthic consumers, which typically live in an extremely stable environment, might adapt their feeding habits in response to sudden changes in environmental conditions and trophic resource availability. They also show that local and/or global trends of sea ice increase in Antarctica have the potential to cause drastic changes in food web structure, and therefore to impact benthic communities., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Correlating cultural, technological and ecological aspects of both Upper Pleistocene modern humans (UPMHs) and Neandertals provides a useful approach for achieving robust predictions about what makes us human. Here we present ecological information for a period of special relevance in human evolution, the time of replacement of Neandertals by modern humans during the Late Pleistocene in Europe. Using the stable isotopic approach, we shed light on aspects of diet and mobility of the late Neandertals and UPMHs from the cave sites of the Troisieme caverne of Goyet and Spy in Belgium. We demonstrate that their diet was essentially similar, relying on the same terrestrial herbivores, whereas mobility strategies indicate considerable differences between Neandertal groups, as well as in comparison to UPMHs. Our results indicate that UPMHs exploited their environment to a greater extent than Neandertals and support the hypothesis that UPMHs had a substantial impact not only on the population dynamics of large mammals but also on the whole structure of the ecosystem since their initial arrival in Europe. Parts of our research were funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (Gr. 7837 to HR), the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences of CSUN, the CSUN Probationary Faculty Support Program, the CSUN Competition for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Awards, and the RBINS. We acknowledge support by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Open Access Publishing Fund of University of Tubingen. The laboratory work was conducted with the assistance of Alex Bertacchi, Dobereiner Chaala Aldana, Sophie Habinger and Sara Rhodes (University of Tubingen). We are very thankful to Peter Tung for proofreading the manuscript and improving the language. We are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers of the journal, whose comments significantly improved the manuscript.

Spy I from the Meuse River Basin of Belgium is among the most recent Neandertals. This adult lived at the terminus of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 in cold steppe environments at the northern edge of the habitable zone for Neandertals where plants were relatively scarce. The dietary proclivities of Spy I are reconstructed using dental microwear texture analysis and compared to 33 Neandertals from western Eurasia, MIS 5 to MIS 3. Spy I has an elevated enamel surface complexity suggesting the consumption of course dietary items such as wild seeds, acorns, nuts, and underground storage organs laden with particles of grit. Unlike the young and old individuals from Hortus with low values for anisotropy, Spy I is closest to the adults from this site suggesting a common pattern of masticatory behavior typified this life cycle stage. Like many other Neandertals, Spy I probably consumed plant foods at appreciable levels, some of which were hard and brittle or poorly processed.

(IF 3.25 [2018]; Q1); International audience; Measurement of suspended particulate matter concentration (SPMC) spanning large time and geographical scales have become a matter of growing importance in recent decades. At many places worldwide, complex observation platforms have been installed to capture temporal and spatial variability over scales ranging from cm (turbulent regimes) to whole basins. Long-term in situ measurements of SPMC involve one or more optical and acoustical sensors and, as the ground truth reference, gravimetric measurements of filtered water samples. The estimation of SPMC from optical and acoustical proxies generally results from the combination of a number of independent calibration measurements, as well as regression or inverse models. Direct or indirect measurements of SPMC are inherently associated with a number of uncertainties along the whole operation chain, the autonomous field deployment, to the analyses necessary for converting the observed proxy values of optical and acoustical signals to SPMC. Controlling uncertainties will become an important issue when the observational input comprises systems of sensors spanning large spatial and temporal scales. This will be especially relevant for detecting trends in the data with unambiguous statistical significance, separating anthropogenic impact from natural variations, or evaluating numerical models over a broad ensemble of different conditions using validated field data.The aim of the study is to present and discuss the benefits and limitations of using optical and acoustical backscatter sensors to acquire long-term observations of SPMC. Additionally, this study will formulate recommendations on how to best acquire quality-assured SPMC data sets, based on the challenges and uncertainties associated with those long-term observations. The main sources of error as well as the means to quantify and reduce the uncertainties associated with SPMC measurements are also illustrated.

International audience

International audience; The site of Kostënki 21 (also known as Gmelin or Gmelinskaia) is located on the very edge of the Don River at Kostënki (Voronezh Oblast, Russia). The main archaeological horizon, layer III, is dated to c. 23,000–21,000 14C BP (c. 27,500–24,500 cal BP) and contained six concentrations of archaeological material, mostly interpreted as the remains of dwelling structures. A substantial Gravettian lithic assemblage was found. The site has traditionally been seen as without parallels within the Gravettian chronocultural framework of Eastern Europe. It has long been noted that clear differences in the lithic typology and faunal assemblages of the six concentrations can be used to separate them into two groups, but this has previously been attributed to differences in the activities carried out in the two areas. In this paper, we argue that the two parts of the site were created at different times and that one part of the site can potentially be grouped with several other sites in Russia and Ukraine on lithic techno-typological grounds. The degree of patination of the flint artefacts found at the site provides support for our interpretation.

Paola Movalli et al., European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility COST Action (CA16224) is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. Life APEX is financed by the European Union through the program LIFE17ENV/SK/000355‘Systematic use ofcontaminant data from apex predators and their prey in chemicals management’.

International audience

The Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe represents an important test case for the study of human population movements during prehistoric periods. During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the peninsula formed a periglacial refugium [1] for hunter-gatherers (HGs) and thus served as a potential source for the re-peopling of northern latitudes [2]. The post-LGM genetic signature was previously described as a cline from Western HG (WHG) to Eastern HG (EHG), further shaped by later Holocene expansions from the Near East and the North Pontic steppes [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Western and central Europe were dominated by ancestry associated with the ∼14,000-year-old individual from Villabruna, Italy, which had largely replaced earlier genetic ancestry, represented by 19,000–15,000-year-old individuals associated with the Magdalenian culture [2]. However, little is known about the genetic diversity in southern European refugia, the presence of distinct genetic clusters, and correspondence with geography. Here, we report new genome-wide data from 11 HGs and Neolithic individuals that highlight the late survival of Paleolithic ancestry in Iberia, reported previously in Magdalenian-associated individuals. We show that all Iberian HGs, including the oldest, a ∼19,000-year-old individual from El Mirón in Spain, carry dual ancestry from both Villabruna and the Magdalenian-related individuals. Thus, our results suggest an early connection between two potential refugia, resulting in a genetic ancestry that survived in later Iberian HGs. Our new genomic data from Iberian Early and Middle Neolithic individuals show that the dual Iberian HG genomic legacy pertains in the peninsula, suggesting that expanding farmers mixed with local HGs., The genetic research was funded by the Max Planck Society and the European Research Council ERC-CoG 771234 PALEoRIDER (W.H.). V.V.-M. was funded by a predoctoral scholarship of the Gobierno de Aragon and the Fondo Social Europeo (BOA20150701025) and a 3-month research stay grant (CH 76/16) by Programa CAI-Ibercaja de Estancias de Investigacio´ n. V.V.-M. and P.U. are members of the Spanish project HAR2014-59042-P (Transiciones clima´ ticas y adaptaciones sociales en la prehistoria de la Cuenca del Ebro), and of the regional government of Aragon PPVE research group (H-07: Primeros Pobladores del Valle del Ebro). The Goyet project was funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (7837 to H.R.), the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences of CSUN, and the CSUN Competition for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Awards.

International audience; The Miocene Pisco Formation, broadly exposed in the Ica Desert of southern Peru, is among the most outstanding Cenozoic marine Fossil-Lagerstä tten worldwide. It is renowned for its exceptional preservation and abundance of vertebrate fossils, including a rich assemblage of whales and dolphins (Cetacea). Here, we integrate taphonomic data on 890 marine vertebrate fossils, gathered through 16 different localities. Our observations range from the taxonomic distribution, articulation, completeness, disposition and orientation of skeletons, to the presence of bite marks, associations with shark teeth and macroinvertebrates, bone and soft tissue preservation, and the formation of attendant carbonate concretions and sedimentary structures. We propose that the exceptional preservation characterising many Pisco vertebrates, as well as their exceptionally high abundance, cannot be ascribed to a single cause like high sedimentation rates (as proposed in the past), but rather to the interplay of several favourable factors including: (i) low levels of dissolved oxygen at the seafloor (with the intervention of seasonal anoxic events); (ii) the early onset of mineralisation processes like apatite dissolution/recrystallisation and carbonate mineral precipitation; (iii) rapid burial of carcasses in a soupy substrate and/or a novel mechanism involving scour-induced self-burial; and (iv) original biological richness. Collectively, our observations provide a comprehensive overview of the taphonomic processes that shaped one of South America's most important fossil deposits, and suggest a model for the formation of other marine vertebrate Fossil-Lagerstä tten.

The Late Pleistocene site “Troisieme caverne” of Goyet (Belgium) has yielded the broadest set of Neandertal remains in North-Western Europe and is associated with a rich and diverse large mammal assemblage. We reconstructed the dietary ecology at the site using stable isotope tracking (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) of bone collagen. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of all species are consistent with those observed in other “mammoth steppe” sites. The relative contribution of potential prey species to the diet of carnivores (including Neandertals) was evaluated using a Bayesian model. The distribution of individuals from herbivorous species and carnivorous ones was determined through cluster analysis in order to identify ecological niches, regardless of the individual species attribution. The Neandertals within the predator guild and the mammoth and reindeer as representatives of the herbivores occupied the most specific and most narrow ecological niches. The “Troisieme caverne” of Goyet can be regarded as a key site for the investigation of Late Pleistocene Neandertal ecology north of the Alps.

International audience; We report new mapping, tectonic, metamorphic and U–Pb zircon dating data on the polyphased Tachakoucht–Iriri and Tourtit arc-related units within the Moroccan Pan-African belt (Sirwa window, Anti-Atlas). The studied area contains four different sub-units, from south to north: (1) the Tachakoucht gneisses intruded to its northern part by (2) Iriri intrusions. To the north, the Tachakoucht–Iriri massif is thrusted by (3) the south-verging 760 Ma Khzama ophiolitic sequence intruded by (4) the Tourtit meta-granitic complex. The Tachakoucht gneiss represents former andesitic to dacitic porphyritic rocks crystallized around 740–720 Ma in an intra-oceanic arc setting (IOAS). Subsequently, it has been buried and metamorphosed to 700 °C, 8 kbar in response to early accretion of the arc onto the West African Craton (WAC). This tectono-metamorphic event also led to the dismembering and stacking of back-arc ophiolite onto the arc unit. Subsequently, the Iriri intrusions, a suite of hydrous mafic dykes (hornblende gabbro and fine-grained basalt) and ultramafic (hornblendite) plutons showing subduction zone affinities, intruded the Tachakoucht gneiss under P–T conditions of 750–800 °C and 2–5 kbar. Emplacement of Iriri intrusions led locally to pronounced partial melting of the Tachakoucht gneiss and to the production of leucogranitic melts. These melts crop out into the Iriri–Tachakoucht gneiss contacts as leucogneissic bands (former leucosomes, dated at 651 ± 5 Ma) but also intruded the Khzama ophiolite to form the Tourtit granite (dated at 651 ± 3 Ma). These ages (651–641 Ma) also constrain the timing of Iriri intrusion emplacement. The entire complex has been overprinted by a second deformation event under greenschist to amphibolite facies conditions marked by transposition of primary structures and a development of mylonitic shear zones. These results and those published on the Bou Azzer window show that two phases of subduction-related magmatism occurred in the Anti-Atlas belt and that they were separated by an early accretion of the intra-oceanic arc system (IOAS) onto the West African craton passive margin. Our interpretations also validate thermo-mechanical models predicting an intense perturbation of subduction dynamics during arc-continent collision (i.e. composite subductions, polarity reversal) which can expand the production of typical hydrous arc magma and induces a late magmatic phase after partial or total accretion of the IOAS.

International audience

International audience; In the fossil record, it has been shown that various clades of secondarily aquatic tetrapods experienced an initial densification of their bones in the early stages of their evolution, and developed spongier and lighter bones only later in their evolution, with the acquisition of more efficient swimming modes. Although the inner bone structure of most secondarily aquatic tetrapods has already been studied, no research hitherto focused on true seals, or Phocidae. However, preliminary observations previously made on a Miocene species, Nanophoca vitulinoides, suggested that this taxon showed pronounced specialization of bone structure as compared to other seals. This feature justifies a specific comparative study, which is the purpose of this article. Microanatomical analysis of bones of N. vitulinoides shows compactness values nearing 100%, which is much higher than in other semi-aquatic mammals, pinnipeds included. Osteohistological analyses show virtually complete remodeling of the medullary territory by Haversian substitution. Extreme bone compactness locally resulted from an imbalance, towards reconstruction, of this process. Cortical regions were less intensely remodeled. In a number of specimens, the cortex shows clear growth marks as seasonal lines of arrested growth. The results suggest that, despite the extreme compactness of long bones of N. vitulinoides and the small size of this taxon, the growth rate of the cortex, and that of the bones in general, did not differ strongly from that of other, larger phocids. Extreme skeletal compaction and densification must have increased body density in Nanophoca. Consequently, speed, acceleration, and maneuverability must have been low, and this taxon was most likely a near-shore bottom-dwelling seal. Consequently, dietary preferences were most likely oriented towards benthic food sources.

International audience; The mausoleum of Vervoz-Fecheroux, erected in the civitas Tungrorum, has been known for a long time and was recently further investigated on the basis of an exhaustive inventory of four hundred and two fragments displayed, for the most significant pieces, at the Grand Curtius in Liege (Belgium). The mausoleum is comparable to the famous funeral monument of the legionnaire Lucius Poblicius and his family in Cologne (Germany). It reveals, about 150 m from the agglomeration of Vervoz, crossed by the Tongeren-Metz roadway, the presence of a local elite, probably a veteran and his family, settled in the eastern part of the Condrustis pagus in the first half of the 1st century AD. Built on a podium, the mausoleum was surrounded by six tombs, the oldest of which was a child’s circular Italic-style stone tomb.; Connu depuis la seconde moitié du XIXe s., le mausolée de Vervoz-Fecheroux, érigé dans la cité des Tongres, a été revisité sur la base d’un inventaire exhaustif de quatre cent deux fragments exposés, pour les pièces les plus significatives, au Grand Curtius de Liège (Belgique). Le mausolée est comparable au célèbre monument funéraire du légionnaire Lucius Poblicius et de sa famille, situé à Cologne (Allemagne). Il signalait, à environ 150 m de l’agglomération routière de Vervoz traversée par la chaussée Tongres-Metz, la présence d’une élite locale, sans doute un vétéran et sa famille, installés dans la partie orientale du pagus Condrustis dans le courant de la première moitié du Ier s. apr. J.-C. Édifié sur un podium, le mausolée sera encadré de six tombes, dont la plus ancienne, celle d’un enfant, était abritée dans un tombeau circulaire en pierre de type italique.

International audience; Es werden umfangreiche Tierknochenmaterialien aus einer ausgedehnten rituellen Deponierung bei Oxyrhynchus beschrieben, die 2012 entdeckt wurde. Dieser in Mittelägypten gelegene Fundplatz ist berühmt wegen der Fische aus der Gruppe der Mormyriden, die dort bereits im 1. Jt. v. Chr. verehrt wurden und nach welchen dieser Platz benannt wurde. Die Rolle, welche diese Fische im Ritus spielten, ist durch Texte, Bronzestatuetten und Malereien bereits umfassend belegt, mumifizierte Exemplare lagen jedoch bisher nicht vor. In dem hier präsentierten Beitrag wird eine solche Deponierung erstmals komplett erfasst, sowohl im Hinblick auf ihre Ausdehnung und Stratigraphie, als auch den Kontext zu umliegenden Strukturen, welche gemeinsam mit sehr speziellen Artefakten eine Datierung der Ablagerungen in die Spätphase erlauben. Sämtliche Fischreste und die wenigen Säugetierfunde werden sowohl mithilfe der Anzahl bestimmbarer Stücke (NISP) als auch der Mindestindividuenzahl (MNI) quantifiziert. Unter Verwendung von Regressionsgleichungen wird die Körperlänge der Mormyriden rekonstruiert. Aufgrund der enormen Materialmenge können die Identifizierung und die Größenrekonstruktionen für verschiedene Untereinheiten erhoben werden. Damit ist es möglich abzuschätzen, wie viele Fische in der gesamten Anlage deponiert worden waren. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit wurde sowohl der Art und Weise gewidmet, wie man die Fischbündel mit Stoffen und Halfagrass herstellte, als auch der Frage, wie dieser Kultplatz insgesamt organisiert war. Das hier repräsentierte Artenspektrum wird im Hinblick auf den Fischkult in Ägypten generell und auch im Abgleich mit Hinweisen aus den Schriftquellen diskutiert. Schließlich wird versucht, den Ablauf der Ereignisse vom Fang der Fische bis hin zu ihrer Niederlegung an diesem speziellen Platz mittels einer Kombination von zoologisch-ökologischen und papyrologischen Evidenzen nachzuzeichnen.; The abundant faunal remains are described that were found in an extensive ritual deposit discovered at Oxyrhynchus in 2012. This site in Middle Egypt was famous since the first millennium BC for the mormyrid fish that were worshipped here and after which the town was named. The role these fish played was already amply documented by textual evidence, bronze statuettes and paintings, but actual mummies were never found before. In the present contribution, the fish deposit as a whole is first described, with emphasis on its extent, its stratigraphy and its relationship to surrounding structures which, together with a very specific artefact, allow dating the layers to the Late Period. The fish remains, as well as some rare mammal bones, are quantified using both number of identified specimens (NISP’s) and minimum number of individuals (MNI’s). Body length reconstructions of the mormyrid fish were carried out using new regression equations. Because of the large amount of material, identifications and size reconstructions were done for different subsamples from which then estimates were made on the total number of fish that may have been present in the entire deposit. Attention has been paid to the way fish bundles were prepared, involving the use of both textile and halfa grass, and how the deposit was organised. Finally, the species spectrum has been discussed in view of the Egyptian fish cult and in function of other evidence from written sources. Finally, it has been tried to reconstruct the different events that may have taken place between the capture of the fish and their final deposition on the site’s locus, using a combination of both zoological/ecological and papyrological evidence.

International audience; Jean-Claude Rage est décédé le 30 mars 2018. Sa mort soudaine laisse un grand vide dans la communauté paléontologique française et dans la communauté paléoherpétologique internationale, dont il était un membre estimé et éminent. La vie et le travail de Jean-Claude ont fait l’objet d’articles récents (Roček et al., 2018 ; Steyer et Buffetaut, 2012), de sorte que seul un bref résumé en est proposé ici. Au cours de sa brillante carrière en paléontologie, essentiellement au Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) qu’il intégra en 1968, Jean-Claude a publié plusieurs centaines d’articles, principalement dans le domaine de la paléoherpétologie, un sujet sur lequel il était un expert internationalement reconnu. Au-delà de la description d’un grand nombre de nouveaux taxons et d’assemblages fauniques d’amphibiens et de squamates, Jean-Claude s’est efforcé de relier son travail anatomique et systématique à des problématiques paléobiologiques, et surtout paléobiogéographiques, plus vastes. Il fut l’un des premiers paléontologues français à interpréter les données fossiles sur lesquelles il travaillait en termes de déplacements continentaux et de tectonique des plaques. Cette approche originale a conduit Jean-Claude à enseigner la paléobiogéographie continentale à des générations d’étudiants dans plusieurs universités françaises et au Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (MNHN, Paris). La compilation des quatorze articles du présent volume commémoratif tente de refléter l’éventail étendu d’intérêts scientifiques de Jean-Claude ainsi que son engouement pour des questions plus vastes de paléontologie des Vertébrés. Jean-Claude s’intéressait même à d’autres sujets naturalistes, comme en témoignent ses dessins de divers animaux actuels (Fig. 1).

Although recently the internal structure of the non-supranuchal fossa of Homo sapiens has been described and compared to that observed in the Neandertal suprainiac fossa, until now it has not been examined in any modern human children. In this study, the internal structure of this fossa in the occipital bones of three children (two aged 3‒4 years and one aged 5 years ± 16 months) and one adult individual representing recent Homo sapiens from Australia was analysed and compared to that of the Neandertal suprainiac fossa. In order to analyse the internal composition of the fossae of the examined specimens, initially, high-resolution micro-CT datasets were obtained for their occipital bones; next, 3D topographic maps of the variation in thickness of structural layers of the occipital bones were made and 2D virtual sections in the median region of these fossae were prepared. In the fossa of one immature individual, the thinning of the diploic layer characteristic of a Neandertal suprainiac fossa was firmly diagnosed. The other Neandertal-like trait, concerning the lack of substantial thinning of the external table of the bone in the region of the fossa, was established in two individuals (one child and one adult) due to the observation of an irregular pattern of the thickness of this table in the other specimens, suggesting the presence of an inflammatory process. Our study presents, for the first time, Neandertal-like traits (but not the whole set of features that justifies the autapomorphic status of the Neandertal supraniac fossa) in the internal structure of non-supranuchal fossae of some recent Homo sapiens. We discuss the phylogenetic implications of the results of our analysis and stress the reasons that use of the 3D topographic mapping method is important for the correct diagnosis of Neandertal traits of the internal structure of occipital fossae.

International audience; The taphonomy and palaeoecology of the early Miocene (Burdigalian) vertebrate assemblage of Ullujaya (East Pisco Basin, Peru) is here described. Vertebrate remains are concentrated in marine facies (Ct1a association) of the exposed Chilcatay Formation (dated 19-18 Ma) deposited within a 30-40 m deep, semi-enclosed, offshore environment. Coupled with ichnological observations, the size distribution of pyrite framboid relics reveals fluctuation of euxinic and oxic-dysoxic conditions at the seafloor. The assemblage is dominated by toothed cetaceans (kentriodontids, squalodelphinids, physeteroids, and the eurhinodelphinid-like Chilcacetus), together with a large dermochelyid turtle, some bony fish, and diverse elasmobranchs, mostly juveniles of Carcharhinus brachyurus and Cosmopolitodus hastalis. The vertebrate assemblage comprises a coastal community, dominated by mesopredators, representative of a warm-temperate, sheltered embayment connected with riverine and open-ocean environments. Vertebrate skeletons are typically disarticulated and incomplete, and some bone elements display shark bite marks. Microborings are observed at the bone surface. Bones exhibit a good degree of apatite mineralisation and bone cavities are locally filled by Ca-Mg carbonates. Our taphonomic observations suggest prolonged flotation of carcasses during which they were subject to biogenic and physical processes of partial destruction (including scavenging by sharks), before final deposition on a soft compact substrate. Preservation was favoured by the oxygen-deficient bottom conditions that inhibited the action of benthic macro-scavengers.

International audience

Little is known about terrestrial climate dynamics in the Levant during the penultimate interglacial-glacial period. To decipher the palaeoclimatic history of the Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 6 glacial period, a well-dated stalagmite (~194 to ~154 ka) from Kanaan Cave on the Mediterranean coast in Lebanon was analyzed for its petrography, growth history, and stable isotope geochemistry. A resolved climate record has been recovered from this precisely U–Th dated speleothem, spanning the late MIS 7 and early MIS 6 at low resolution and the mid–MIS 6 at higher resolution. The stalagmite grew discontinuously from ~194 to ~163 ka. More consistent growth and higher growth rates between ~163 and ~154 ka are most probably linked to increased water recharge and thus more humid conditions. More distinct layering in the upper part of the speleothem suggests strong seasonality from ~163 ka to ~154 ka. Short-term oxygen and carbon isotope excursions were found between ~155 and ~163 ka. The inferred Kanaan Cave humid intervals during the mid–MIS 6 follow variations of pollen records in the Mediterranean basins and correlate well with the synthetic Greenland record and East Asian summer monsoon interstadial periods, indicating short warm/wet periods similar to the Dansgaard-Oeschger events during MIS 4–3 in the eastern Mediterranean region.

How modern humans dispersed into Eurasia and Australasia, including the number of separate expansions and their timings, is highly debated [1, 2]. Two categories of models are proposed for the dispersal of non-Africans: (1) single dispersal, i.e., a single major diffusion of modern humans across Eurasia and Australasia [3-5]; and (2) multiple dispersal, i.e., additional earlier population expansions that may have contributed to the genetic diversity of some present-day humans outside of Africa [6-9]. Many variants of these models focus largely on Asia and Australasia, neglecting human dispersal into Europe, thus explaining only a subset of the entire colonization process outside of Africa [3-5, 8, 9]. The genetic diversity of the first modern humans who spread into Europe during the Late Pleistocene and the impact of subsequent climatic events on their demography are largely unknown. Here we analyze 55 complete human mitochondrial genomes (mtDNAs) of hunter-gatherers spanning ∼35,000 years of European prehistory. We unexpectedly find mtDNA lineage M in individuals prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This lineage is absent in contemporary Europeans, although it is found at high frequency in modern Asians, Australasians, and Native Americans. Dating the most recent common ancestor of each of the modern non-African mtDNA clades reveals their single, late, and rapid dispersal less than 55,000 years ago. Demographic modeling not only indicates an LGM genetic bottleneck, but also provides surprising evidence of a major population turnover in Europe around 14,500 years ago during the Late Glacial, a period of climatic instability at the end of the Pleistocene.

For some years, a French-Belgian team of archaeologists and geologists is investigating the provenance of ancient quern-stones and millstones. Their study revealed the frequent occurrence of particular coarse sandstones derived from Lower Devonian strata in the Ardenne region, known as either the textquotedblleftArkose of Haybestextquotedblright by geologists or the textquotedblleftArkose of Macquenoisetextquotedblright by archaeologists. Material for Late Iron Age and Roman quern-stones and millstones was quarried from open pits located west of the border between France and Belgium, between the Belgian village of Macquenoise (Commune of Momignies, Province of Hainaut) and the French town of Hirson (Aisne Department, Hauts-de-France region). This paper describes the raw materials, presents the different types of grindstones produced through historical times and provides a detailed diffusion map of the millstones.

International audience; Evidence of water reflectance saturation in extremely turbid media is highlighted based on both field measurements and satellite data corrected for atmospheric effects. This saturation is obvious in visible spectral bands, i.e., in the blue, green and even red spectral regions when the concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) reaches then exceeds 100 to 1000 g.m −3. The validity of several bio-optical semi-analytical models is assessed in the case of highly turbid waters, based on comparisons with outputs of the Hydrolight radiative transfer model. The most suitable models allow to reproduce the observed saturation and, by inversion, to retrieve information on the SPM mass-specific inherent optical properties.

Members of the snake subfamily Aparallactinae occur in various habitats throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The monophyly of aparallactine snakes is well established, but relationships within the subfamily are poorly known. We sampled 158 individuals from six of eight aparallactine genera in sub-Saharan Africa. We employed concatenated gene-tree analyses, divergence dating approaches, and ancestral-area reconstructions to infer phylogenies and biogeographic patterns with a multi-locus data set consisting of three mitochondrial (16S, cyt b, and ND4) and two nuclear genes (c-mos and RAG1). As a result, we uncover several cryptic lineages and elevate a lineage of Polemon to full species status. Diversification occurred predominantly during the Miocene, with a few speciation events occurring subsequently in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Biogeographic analyses suggested that the Zambezian biogeographic region, comprising grasslands and woodlands, facilitated radiations, vicariance, and dispersal for many aparallactines. Moreover, the geographic distributions of many forest species were fragmented during xeric and cooler conditions, which likely led to diversification events. Biogeographic patterns of aparallactine snakes are consistent with previous studies of other sub-Saharan herpetofauna.

The South Asian river dolphin ( Platanista gangetica ) is the only extant survivor of the large clade Platanistoidea, having a well-diversified fossil record from the Late Oligocene to the Middle Miocene. Based on a partial skeleton collected from the Chilcatay Formation (Chilcatay Fm; southern coast of Peru), we report here a new squalodelphinid genus and species, Macrosqualodelphis ukupachai . A volcanic ash layer, sampled near the fossil, yielded the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age of 18.78 ± 0.08 Ma (Burdigalian, Early Miocene). The phylogenetic analysis places Macrosqualodelphis as the earliest branching squalodelphinid. Combined with several cranial and dental features, the large body size (estimated body length of 3.5 m) of this odontocete suggests that it consumed larger prey than the other members of its family. Together with Huaridelphis raimondii and Notocetus vanbenedeni , both also found in the Chilcatay Fm, this new squalodelphinid further demonstrates the peculiar local diversity of the family along the southeastern Pacific coast, possibly related to their partition into different dietary niches. At a wider geographical scale, the morphological and ecological diversity of squalodelphinids confirms the major role played by platanistoids during the Early Miocene radiation of crown odontocetes.

A key step in the evolutionary history of Odontoceti (echolocating toothed cetaceans) is the transition from the ancestral heterodont condition–characterized by the presence of double-rooted cheek teeth bearing accessory denticles–to the homodont dentition displayed by most extant odontocete species. During the last few decades, new finds and the reassessment of specimens in collections revealed an increased morphological disparity amongst the Oligo–Miocene heterodont odontocetes. Based on a partly articulated skeleton from late Early Miocene (Burdigalian, 18.8–18.0 Ma) beds of the Chilcatay Formation (Pisco Basin, Peru), we describe a new genus and species of heterodont odontocete, Inticetus vertizi, in the new family Inticetidae. This large dolphin is characterized by, amongst other things, a long and robust rostrum bearing at least 18 teeth per quadrant; the absence of procumbent anterior teeth; many large, broad-based accessory denticles in double-rooted posterior cheek teeth; a reduced ornament of dental crowns; the styliform process of the jugal being markedly robust; a large fovea epitubaria on the periotic, with a correspondingly voluminous accessory ossicle of the tympanic bulla; and a shortened tuberculum of the malleus. Phylogenetic analyses (with and without molecular constraint; with and without down-weighting of homoplastic characters) yielded contrasting results, with Inticetus falling either as a stem Odontoceti or as an early branching member of a large Platanistoidea clade. With its large size, robust rostrum and unusual dental morphology, and the absence of conspicuous tooth wear, Inticetus increases the morphological and ecological disparity of Late Oligocene–Early Miocene heterodont odontocetes. Finally, this new taxon calls for caution when attempting to identify isolated cetacean cheek teeth, even at the suborder level. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5B306B49-EB1B-42F9-B755-B0B05B4F938F.

International audience; The SeaSWIR dataset consists of 137 ASD (Analytical Spectral Devices, Inc.) marine reflectances, 137 total suspended matter (TSM) measurements and 97 turbidity measurements gathered at three turbid estuar-ine sites (Gironde, La Plata, Scheldt). The dataset is valuable because of the high-quality measurements of the marine reflectance in the Short Wave InfraRed I region (SWIR-I: 1000-1200 nm) and SWIR-II (1200-1300 nm) and because of the wide range of TSM concentrations from 48 up to 1400 mg L −1. The ASD measurements were gathered using a detailed measurement protocol and were subjected to a strict quality control. The SeaSWIR marine reflectance is characterized by low reflectance at short wavelengths (< 450 nm), peak reflectance values between 600 and 720 nm and significant contributions in the near-infrared (NIR) and SWIR-I parts of the spectrum. Comparison of the ASD water reflectance with simultaneously acquired reflectance from a three-radiometer system revealed a correlation of 0.98 for short wavelengths (412, 490 and 555 nm) and 0.93 for long wavelengths (686, 780 and 865 nm). The relationship between TSM and turbidity (for all sites) is linear, with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. The SeaSWIR dataset has been made publicly available (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.886287).

International audience; Although a high number of extant beaked whale species (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) live in the Southern Ocean and neighbouring areas, only little is known about the past occupation of the region by these highly specialized, deep diving and echolocating cetaceans. Recently, longline fishing activities along the seafloor at depths of 500-2000 m off the sub-antarctic Crozet and Kerguelen islands, Indian sector of Southern Ocean, resulted in the accessory “capture” of tens of ziphiid fossil cranial remains. Our description and comparison of the best-preserved and most diagnostic crania from this sample lead to the identification of more than eight species in at least seven genera: the hyperoodontines Africanacetus ceratopsis, Khoikhoicetus kergueleni n. sp., Hyperoodontinae indet. aff. Africanacetus, and Mesoplodon sp. aff. Mesoplodon layardii, the ziphiines Izikoziphius rossi and Ziphius sp., and the ziphiids indet. Nenga sp. aff. Nenga meganasalis and Xhosacetus hendeysi. Unsurprisingly, with at least four species in common (A. ceratopsis, Izikoziphius rossi, X. hendeysi, and Ziphius sp.), the assemblage displays high similarities with assemblages described from deep-sea deposits off South Africa, providing thus new data on the palaeogeographic distribution of several extinct species and indicating a roughly similar geochronological age for at least a part of the as semblages. The limited amount of data available points to a pre-Pliocene age for a large part of the Crozet-Kerguelen assemblage, suggesting a relatively early, Miocene colonization of the Southern Ocean by crown ziphiids. Contrastingly, 14C radiometric dating of two specimens of Mesoplodon sp. aff. Mesoplodon layardii yielded latest Pleistocene-earliest Holocene ages. These results reveal the presence either of an extinct species of Mesoplodon in the Southern Ocean only a few thousands years ago, or of an up-to-now unidentified extant species closely related to the strap-toothed whale M. layardii.; Bien qu’un grand nombre d’espèces de baleines à bec (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) habitent de nos jours l’océan Austral et les zones avoisinantes, l’occupation passée de cette région par ces cétacés à sonar hautement spécialisés, se nourrissant à grandes profondeurs, reste très mal connue. Récemment, des activités de pêche à la palangre menées sur le fond de l’océan à des profondeurs de 500 à 2000 mètres au large des îles sub-antarctiques de Crozet et Kerguelen, dans le secteur indien de l’océan Austral, ont permis la « capture » accessoire de dizaines de restes crâniens fossiles de ziphiidés. La description et la comparaison des crânes les mieux préservés et les plus diagnostiques de cette collection a permis l’identification de plus de huit espèces dans au moins sept genres : les hyperoodontinés Africanacetus ceratopsis, Khoikhoicetus kergueleni n. sp., Hyperoodontinae indet. aff. Africanacetus, et Mesoplodon sp. aff. Mesoplodon layardii, les ziphiinés Izikoziphius rossi et Ziphius sp., et les ziphiidés indet. Nenga sp. aff. Nenga meganasalis et Xhosacetus hendeysi.Sans surprise, avec au moins quatre espèces en commun (A. ceratopsis, Izikoziphius rossi, X. hendeysi, et Ziphius sp.), cet assemblage montre les plus grandes similitudes avec les assemblages décrits des dépôts océaniques profonds au large de l’Afrique du Sud. Ces similitudes fournissent de nouvelles données sur la distribution paléogéographique de plusieurs espèces éteintes et indiquent des âges géochronologiques similaires pour au moins une partie de ces assemblages. La quantité limitée de données disponibles indique un âge pré-Pliocène pour une bonne partie de l’assemblage de Crozet-Kerguelen, ce qui suggère une colonisation relativement précoce de l’océan Austral par des ziphiidés du groupe-couronne. D’un autre côté, la datation radiométrique au 14C de deux spécimens de Mesoplodon sp. aff. Mesoplodon layardii a fourni des âges allant du Pléistocène terminal au tout début de l’Holocène. Ces résultats indiquent soit la présence d’une espèce éteinte de Mesoplodon dans l’océan Austral il y a seulement quelques milliers d’années, soit la présence d’une espèce moderne, non encore identifiée et proche parente de la baleine à bec de Layard Mesoplodon layardii.

International audience; Because of its geographical position, straddling the territories of Belgium and France, a census and analysis of all the data concerning the countryside of the Nervien territory naturally fits into the Rurland project. They were undertaken in order to define the particularities of this immense area, focusing as much on the diversity of the establishments in its countryside as on the plant and animal foodstuffs that could be produced, distributed and consumed there. The carpological and archaeozoological studies integrate data from rural sites, the city capital and the conurbations, in order to examine both "producer" and "consumer" sites and to highlight the entire production and exchange network of the countryside.; En raison de sa position géographique, à cheval sur les territoires de la Belgique et de la France, un recensement et une analyse de l’ensemble des données concernant les campagnes du territoire nervien s’intègrent naturellement dans le projet Rurland. Ils ont été entrepris afin de définir les particularités de cet espace immense, en s’attachant autant à la diversité des établissements de ses campagnes qu’aux denrées végétales et animales qui pouvaient y être produites, distribuées et consommées. Les études carpologiques et archéozoologiques intègrent les données issues des sites ruraux, de la capitale de cité et des agglomérations, afin d’examiner tant les sites “producteurs” que “consommateurs” et de mettre en évidence l’ensemble du réseau de production et d’échange des campagnes.

Cetotheriidae are an iconic, nearly extinct family of baleen whales (Mysticeti) with a highly distinct cranial morphology. Their origins remain a mystery, with even the most archaic species showing a variety of characteristic features. Here, we describe a new species of archaic cetotheriid, Tiucetus rosae , from the Miocene of Peru. The new material represents the first mysticete from the poorly explored lowest portion of the highly fossiliferous Pisco Formation (allomember P0), and appears to form part of a more archaic assemblage than observed at the well-known localities of Cerro Colorado, Cerro los Quesos, Sud-Sacaco and Aguada de Lomas. Tiucetus resembles basal plicogulans (crown Mysticeti excluding right whales), such as Diorocetus and Parietobalaena , but shares with cetotheriids a distinct morphology of the auditory region, including the presence of an enlarged paroccipital concavity. The distinctive morphology of Tiucetus firmly places Cetotheriidae in the context of the poorly understood ‘cetotheres’ sensu lato , and helps to resolve basal relationships within crown Mysticeti.

International audience; Domestic Cat Felis silvestris catus populations have been increasing since the 1970s in Western Europe. This increase is particularly notable in human habitats, such as gardens and parks, where Cats have locally become the most abundant carnivore. In urban contexts, understanding Cat behaviour could be important for biodiversity management. In this study, we analysed Cat predation on garden birds, using existing data from ringing programmes in France and Belgium. These types of data permit us to (1) investigate the bird species killed by Cats, (2) analyse changes in the proportion of birds killed by Cats over the years 2000–2015, and (3) compare the causes of bird mortality as reported by observers. The most affected species were passerines, both granivorous and insectivorous (Europian Robin Erithacus rubecula, Dunnock Prunella modularis, Greenfinch Carduelis chloris), who can frequently be found feeding on the ground or visiting feeders in the winter. Perched birds (Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla) were less represented. Ground-dwelling habits were significantly correlated to predation rates. Between 2000 and 2015, Cat-related mortality in garden birds increased by at least 50%, depending on the ringing programme studied, which coincided with an increase in Cat populations. Cat-related mortality is one of the leading causes of death reported by observers (12.8–26.3% of total dead birds) and occurs at the same order of magnitude as deaths due to collisions with windows. These results underline the need to consider Cats and their potential impacts on urban biodiversity management at garden and urban levels.

International audience; La grotte de Bruniquel renferme six structures architecturées dont une grande et une plus petite plus ou moins circulaires et quatre accumulations, composées au total de 420 stalagmites entières ou fragmentées, localisées à environ 300 mètres de l’entrée. Leur construction a été datée en 2016 de 176 500 ± 2 100 ans (SIM 6) grâce à la datation uranium-thorium des stalagmites. Les Hommes de Néandertal ne seraient apparemment pas entrés par l’accès actuel, l’éboulis d’entrée étant scellé par plusieurs générations de stalagmites dont certaines très massives. Il reste donc une inconnue quant à l’âge de cet éboulis et l’existence d’un éventuel porche d’entrée contemporain de Néandertal. Dans cet article, la grotte est replacée dans son contexte géologique, karstologique et géomorphologique. Les nouvelles dates sur les structures affinent la limite minimale de l’âge des constructions et les premières dates sur l’éboulis montrent quant à elles un âge relativement ancien sans toutefois pouvoir exclure une ouverture d’une partie de l’éboulis à ~170 ka.

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International audience

International audience