Two books (Badgley C., Morgan M. E. & Pilbeam D. (eds) 2025. — At the foot of the Himalayas. Paleontology and ecosystem dynamics of the Siwalik record. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, xv + 553 p.); and Gheerbrant E. 2025. — The Rise of Mammals in Africa (illustrated by C. Letenneur and A. Lethiers). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, xvi + 265 p.) are reviewed. They are, each in their own way, fine illustrations of the vitality of an ancient science, palaeontology. They are very different. The first is a collective work on the evolution of Miocene faunas of the Siwaliks, written by specialists for specialists. The second is an introduction to the evolution of placental mammals and the role played by the African continent.
Little is known about the European Pleistocene brown bear Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758. To assess its ecological adaptations, the mandibular morphology of fossil U. arctos was analysed using 3D geometric morphometrics and compared to that of closely related Ursini. Landmarks for 3D digitisation of the mandible were chosen to reflect functional morphology relating to the musculus masseter. Extant and extinct Pleistocene Ursini of the species U. deningeri Reichenau, 1904, U. spelaeus Rosenm & uuml;ller, 1794, U. arctos and U. maritimus Phipps, 1774 were digitised or surface scanned. Generalised Procrustes superimposition was performed on the coordinates and allometry corrected for using a regression analysis pooled by species. Principal component analysis (PCA), canonical variate analysis (CVA), and a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were performed. PCA and CVA differentiate between species and subspecies in extant Ursini. Fossil U. arctos is similar to the extant Eurasian brown bear (U. a. arctos). The mandibular morphology of fossil brown bears from cold periods displays similarities to extant bears living in high latitude and high altitude environments, whereas the mandibular morphology of fossil brown bears from warm periods is significantly different to those from cold periods regardless of geological age. The masticatory differences between warm and cold adapted fossil brown bears, found in the present study, indicate that evolutionary flexibility may have played an important role in the survival of brown bears into the Holocene.
Since the 19th century, vertebrate fossils from the A & ccedil;u Formation (Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil) have received limited taphonomic attention, despite recent discoveries of various gnathostomes, including chondrichtyans, actinopterygians, dipnoans, crocodyliforms and dinosaurs. This study presents the first integrated macro-and microscale taphonomic analysis of vertebrate assemblages from selected outcrops of the A & ccedil;u Formation. A total of 134 disarticulated vertebrate specimens, mainly vertebrae and limb bones, were examined, focusing on articulation, fragmentation, weathering, abrasion, bioerosion, root marks, and diagenetic features such as mineral replacement, pore filling, and fracturing. The assemblages record variable degrees of subaerial exposure and episodic transport prior to burial, as indicated by moderate abrasion, the predominance of weathering stage 2, insect bioerosion, tooth marks, and root traces. Petrographic analyses reveal extensive carbonate and iron oxide replacement, osteon infilling, and desiccation-related microfracturing, reflecting fossilization under generally humid conditions punctuated by intervals of reduced precipitation. Integrated sedimentological and taphonomic evidence indicates that the studied deposits accumulated within an estuarine floodplain system, most consistent with the upper, fluvial-dominated sector of an estuary. The predominance of fine-grained facies with pedogenic features, interbedded sandstones, and heterolithic bedding reflects episodic sedimentation under fluctuating hydrological conditions. The fossil assemblages comprise autochthonous to parautochthonous remains, recording localized burial, limited reworking, and temporal mixing during Cretaceous depositional processes.
Degeneraster spenceri n. gen., n. sp., a new genus and species of Asteroidea de Blainville, 1830 (Echinodermata) from the Late Ordovician (middle Katian) of Morocco, is described. Similarities and differences between basal Somasteroidea Spencer, 1951 and D. spenceri n. gen., n. sp. are reviewed. Based on ambulacral (i.e., axial and adaxial) morphology, D. spenceri n. gen., n. sp. is assigned to the basal asteroid order Euaxosida Blake, 2018; extraxial morphology in contrast includes expressions that are widely found among more derived Paleozoic asterozoans. Degeneraster spenceri n. gen., n. sp. is anomalous among euaxosidan Asteroidea in lacking an ambital framework. In addition, the aboral skeleton is distinctive, and podial pores, otherwise undocumented among euaxosidans, might occur. Atypical expressions provide basis for the recognition of the new family Degenerasteridae n. fam. Differences among D. spenceri n. gen., n. sp., other Euaxosida, and the derived asteroid Paleozoic orders Hadrosida and Kermasida are surveyed. To exemplify early asterozoan diversity, the ophiuroid Componaster Glass, Blake & Lefebvre, 2024 and unassigned Falloaster Blake, Gahn & Guensburg, 2020a, are cited and illustrated for comparison with D. spenceri n. gen., n. sp. and other early Asterozoa.
We here provide the first description of fossil remains of the colubrid snake cf. Zamenis situla from Crete, Greece, originating from the Late Pleistocene of the Rethymnon fissure. Although Zamenis situla (Linnaeus, 1758) is a widespread snake species in Greece, including Crete, its fossil record in the area has thus far been restricted to Middle Pleistocene material from Tourkobounia 2, near Athens, which also represents the sole confirmed fossil occurrence of the species. We provide a comparison of the fossil specimens to other extant Cretan snakes, and highlight key morphological features that distinguish it from other colubrids. This fossil material provides further support to recent molecular studies suggesting long-term presence ofZ. situla on the island. However, due to the scarcity of the fossil record, it remains unclear whether Z. situla inhabited Crete continuously since the Late Pleistocene or was instead reintroduced to it later on. Finally, we investigate skeletal material of Z. situla, providing anatomical descriptions of key cranial and vertebral structures, which could facilitate in future fossil identifications and comparisons among colubrid snakes.
The locality of Dams (Quercy, southwestern France) has yielded two distinct fossil assemblages, one from the late Eocene (MP 19) and a second from the early Oligocene (MP 22); it is one of the few examples of a locality with infillings across the Eocene-Oligocene transition. A minimum of 21 taxa (13 mammals, six lissamphibians) have been previously identified in Dams. Study of the snake remains from Dams yields two distinct assemblages, with a total of 11 taxa. The Eocene assemblage (five taxa) includes Eoanilius aff. europae, Platyspondylia sudrei Rage, 1988 and three constrictors, i.e., Palaeopython sp., "Palaeopython" neglectus Rochebrune, 1884 and an unnamed constrictor. The Oligocene assemblage (six taxa) includes Eoanilius aff. oligocenicus three unnamed alethinophidian species, two constrictors, i.e., Bavarioboa crocheti Szyndlar & Rage, 2003 and an unnamed constrictor species, and the caenophidian "Coluber" cf. cadurci. Among the 11 snake taxa from Dams, "Palaeopython" neglectus is identified for the first time from a precise locality and several unnamed Eocene and Oligocene alethinophidians are identified and described for the first time. The constrictor Bavarioboa Szyndlar & Schleich, 1993 is identified for the first time in the early Oligocene, pushing its appearance in the fossil record from the MP 25 back to MP 22. Comparison between the two assemblages highlights a complete turnover at the species level, with a single genus, Eoanilius Rage, 1974, present in both infillings.
This study investigates the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) morphology of the first and second mandibular molars (LM1 and LM2) in late Middle Stone Age (MSA) hominins from northwestern Africa, associated with Aterian technocomplexes. These Aterian specimens are compared with fossil Homo sapiens from Jebel Irhoud, Qafzeh, Skhul, and Die Kelders, as well as with large samples of H. neanderthalensis and recent H. sapiens. By focusing exclusively on the EDJ, this study aims to clarify the evolutionary relationships between Aterians and other hominin groups during the Late Pleistocene. Using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), we analyzed the EDJ in three dimensions, enabling detailed geometric morphometric comparisons. The results reveal a clear trend of molar size reduction within the H. sapiens lineage, as well as a morphological distinction between H. neanderthalensis and all forms of H. sapiens. Aterians are distinct from all other groups due to the larger size of their dentition. Morphologically, the EDJ of the Aterian sample aligns more closely with the sample of fossil H. sapiens than with the sample of H. neanderthalensis, particularly in LM1s. LM2s display greater variability, with some specimens, such as El Harhoura LRM2 overlapping the range of variation observed in H. neanderthalensis. However, this overlap likely reflects the retention of primitive traits within Aterians, due partially to their geological age and partially to their larger size. Our findings contribute to broader discussions on the morphological diversity and evolutionary pathways of fossil H. sapiens. The mosaic of dental traits observed in Aterian hominins is discussed in context of regional variations in the evolutionary trajectories of Late Pleistocene hominin populations.
To investigate reptile body size as an ecological indicator and the relationships between size and environmental variables through time, we compared patterns of maximum size from the Plio-Pleistocene Shungura Formation of Ethiopia. For this previously-undescribed reptile fossil record, we provided estimates of body mass for pythonid snakes, aquatic pelomedusid and trionychid turtles, terrestrial testudinid turtles, whose carapace lengths reach over 1m, and crocodylians including Crocodylus, cf. Mecistops, and the tubulirostrine Euthecodon, which is the largest known crocodylian from the Early Pleistocene. Body size maxima in aquatic taxa correspond to lake level, with large body size observed in aquatic turtles, crocodylians, and hippopotamids during lake high stands on the north side of the Turkana Depression. However, these semi-aquatic groups display heterogenous trends over time and relationships to hydrologic proxies, indicating that their differential niches in these aquatic habitats were linked to different conditions and food resources. Terrestrial tortoises (Testudinidae) exceed 100 kg in mass in three members of the Shungura Formation, but are absent at large sizes between 2.3 Ma and 2.1 Ma, during the main period of hominid stone tool production. We tested for correlation between reptile maximum sizes, mammal maximum sizes and faunal metrics, δ18O and δ13C records from paleosols and mammal tooth enamel, and paleotemperature estimates across members of the Shungura Formation. After correction for multiple comparisons, no correlation tests between reptile size and paleoenvironment or mammal metrics are significant. However, high correlation coefficients between size maxima and paleosol δ18O values suggest temporal coincidence between size change and shifts in hydrological regimes and evaporation levels. These results identify links between maximum size in reptiles and local environments that, if confirmed by trends in other settings, could be utilized in the future as paleoenvironmental proxies for terrestrial vegetation and aquatic habitats.
The brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) once inhabited the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. Based on a traveler's description, H. Schinz, 19th-century naturalists described a new species, Ursus crowtheri Schinz, 1844, whose existence was soon questioned. This study presents a metric characterization of the fossil Atlas brown bear using both published and new data from Moroccan archaeological sites. The analysis focuses on phalanges and metapodials, which are more frequently preserved, and compares them with Holocene specimens from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain) and the Zagros Mountains (Iran). Results suggest that the Atlas bear had relatively short and robust paws, partially supporting historical descriptions. No significant size difference was found between Late Pleistocene specimens and Holocene ones, although the number of Pleistocene elements is too low to draw any firm conclusions. New direct radiocarbon dating of remains from Kehf el-Hammar and Hattab II confirms a temporal range spanning the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene. Osteological evidence shows that brown bears were present in North Africa until at least the early Middle Ages. Although some aspects of Crowther's testimony remain unverifiable, his description is fairly consistent with osteological and ecological data. This suggests that the last brown bears of the Maghreb may have survived longer and been better known to local populations than previously assumed.
Besides being taxonomically and phylogenetically informative, changes in the size and shape of the hominin face through time can reflect important functional adaptations. Recent discoveries of well-preserved Australopithecus crania, particularly StW 573 ("Little Foot") from Sterkfontein, South Africa, have enriched the fossil record. Although nearly complete, the StW 573 skull has suffered post-depositional damage, leading to the displacement and fragmentation of its facial structures. This study presents a preliminary digital reconstruction and comparative analyses of the StW 573 face. The skull was scanned at the Diamond Light Source (United Kingdom), and semi-automated segmentation was used to digitally separate bones and teeth from the surrounding matrix, and isolate bone fragments. The fragments were then digitally reassembled through visual alignment. The reconstructed StW 573 face was compared to those of Gorilla, Homo, Pan, and Pongo, and to the Australopithecus specimens Sts 5 ( (Australopithecus africanus from South Africa, 3.4-3.5 Ma) and A.L. 444-2 ( (Australopithecus afarensis from Ethiopia, 3.8 Ma), using standard linear measurements and a landmark-based geometric morphometric (GM) approach. The dimensions of the StW 573 reconstructed face, as assessed by the linear measurements, fall within the ranges observed in Gorilla and Pongo. Our GM analysis reveals that the shape of the reconstructed face of StW 573 is more similar to A.L. 444-2 than to Sts 5, with both fossils plotting close to extant Pan and Pongo groups in shape space. In addition to documenting close similarities between StW 573 and the eastern African Australopithecus specimen A.L. 444-2, our results provide new insights into the variability of the Australopithecus facial skeleton and raise questions on the adaptations and evolutionary polarity (e.g. ancestral pattern shared between eastern and southern African Pliocene Australopithecus) underlying changes affecting the orbital region within the genus.
In the Lower Indus Basin (Sindh, Pakistan), the Ranikot Group is historically known for its rich malacofauna described in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Recent fieldwork undertaken between 2009 and 2014 has yielded a wealth of material that is intended to supplement the ancient data on the Ranikot Group's palaeobiodiversity. It is in this context that the Campanilidae Douvill & eacute;, 1904 assemblage is studied. It includes one ?Campanile sp. from the Bara Formation (upper Thanetian) and two new taxa from the Lakra Formation (lower Ypresian): Campanile metaisi Merle & Pacaud, n. sp. and Campanistylus lakhraensis Merle & Pacaud, n. gen., n. sp. (type species: Campanistylus lakhraensis Merle & Pacaud, n. gen., n. sp. by monotypy). With two species known only from the Lower Indus Basin this assemblage of Campanilidae displays a high provincialism at species level. Furthermore, the case of Campanistylus Merle & Pacaud, n. gen. also illustrates the emergence of a endemic genus strictly restricted to the Lower Indus Basin.
The function of Oldowan tools is a key aspect of early hominin subsistence in eastern Africa. The rarity of the sites, the preservation of the assemblages and raw materials are limiting factors in the functional study of Early Pleistocene assemblages. The archaeological occurrences from Member F of the Shungura Formation (Ethiopia) have a precise chronostratigraphic framework (2.324 ± 0.020 Ma to 2.271 ± 0.041 Ma), a detailed reconstruction of depositional environments, and artifacts produced mainly from small quartz pebbles that are highly resistant to chemical and mechanical alterations. The studied archaeological material comprises artifacts from 12 occurrences and three environmental contexts (floodplain, point bar, and channel lag). As a baseline for distinguishing taphonomic damage from use-wear, and for assessing the preservation of use-wear in the archaeological record, we characterized macroscopic and microscopic surface alterations resulting from fluvial transport and aeolian abrasion experiments. Despite the good preservation of the lithic assemblages at a macroscopic scale, variations were observed at a microscopic level corresponding to the depositional environment. Understanding the link between taphonomic alterations on quartz and the type of deposits leads to better recognition and interpretation of potential use-wear on these ancient artifacts.
Rock art research requires precise redrawing, which began in the late 19th century to authenticate and disseminate Palaeolithic paintings and engravings. Currently, redrawing methods have evolved towards digital photography and computer-assisted analysis, revealing details invisible to the naked eye. However, accurate documentation still requires specific equipment and meticulous image processing. Image processing software is essential for enhancing the contrast of photographs and revealing subtle details, making it a crucial tool for the analysis of rock art. Rock art studies are now benefiting from technological advances in imaging. Among such technologies, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has emerged as a powerful tool for the analysis of ancient paintings, disclosing details that remain invisible to the naked eye. This cutting-edge technology is particularly effective for complex applications, capturing hundreds of extended spectral bands. These bands, which are both contiguous and finely sampled, can extend well beyond the visible spectrum. HSI creates a detailed spectral signature for each pixel, forming a hypercube or three-dimensional data cube. This hypercube consists of a series of images, each image corresponding to a specific spectral band captured by the imager. The research presented here applies HSI to Palaeolithic parietal art in the Mayenne-Sciences cave (Mayenne, France), whose drawings and engravings have been dated to the Gravettian period, between 25 800 and 27 700 calBP. The main objective was to determine what additional information HSI could provide over traditional rock art analysis methods, particularly in the visible and very near infrared spectrum. An additional challenge involved testing the application under difficult conditions: total darkness requiring appropriate lighting, high humidity (almost 99%) and the presence of clay particles that could infiltrate the equipment. Using an HSI Specim IQ imager, we acquired hyperspectral images under artificial lighting of various parietal figures, mainly drawn with black pigment on limestone concretions. This non-invasive method has enabled the discovery of new figures, clarification of pigment composition, and shed new light on the techniques used to create these works of art. The findings from the Mayenne-Sciences cave demonstrate the effectiveness of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) not only in complementing visible images but also in detecting previously unknown paintings and signs. Using advanced mathematical transformations to reduce the dimensionality of the data, we were able to extract and differentiate the pigments used, revealing previously unknown paintings and drawings. A charcoal-drawn bison, which had been heavily altered, appeared almost exactly as it had been drawn by the Palaeolithic artist. In addition, two horses appear to have been drawn several times, with analysis revealing at least two layers of different pigments. Finally, the discovery of a new triangular sign with rounded edges (a sign that was found in two caves nearby) is of particular importance. The results also indicate that HSI is highly effective in enhancing pigment contrast in the visible range and providing additional discriminating information in the near-infrared spectrum. The potential to re-evaluate and refine the interpretation of prehistoric artworks through the use of advanced imaging technologies such as HSI is therefore considerable. The study emphasises the importance of integrating these technologies into the study of rock art and opens up prospects for their application to other archaeological sites. Regarding future prospects, this work emphasises the necessity for further exploration of HSI applications in other rock art sites, while considering the specific challenges associated with each environment. The ongoing improvement of hyperspectral imaging technologies and the adaptation of methodologies to varying field conditions could unveil new research opportunities in the study of prehistoric art. Moreover, the integration of SWIR (Short-Wave Infrared) HSI, or VNIR (Visible and Near Infrared) combined to SWIR point spectroscopy, alongside other in-situ analytical techniques such as X-ray microfluorescence and Raman spectrometry, has the potential to enrich our insight. Furthermore, when coupled with laboratory analytical techniques that necessitate sampling, such as "invasive" methods (mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy), a more comprehensive understanding of pigments and painting techniques may be facilitated. Such an approach would not only refine our interpretation of these ancient practices but also illuminate artistic traditions in the Palaeolithic era. In addition to its scientific benefits, the hyperspectral imaging study of the Mayenne-Sciences cave enhances our perception of rock art as a crucial element of humanity's cultural heritage. This research reveals previously unseen details and provides new interpretations of prehistoric works of art, contributing to a better understanding of the history of art. It also underlines the importance of preserving these irreplaceable testimonies to human creativity.
Renewed excavations at the significant Upper Pleistocene site of Grotta di San Teodoro in Acquedolci, Sicily, focused on a newly opened excavation area named Trench M. This is a sub-vertical cavity, which is approximately 1.80 metres deep and averages less than 80 cm in width, which revealed layers rich in Epigravettian artefacts, charcoal, faunal, and food remains. Three distinct deposits were identified during the excavation: a superficial layer (USM1) compromised/contamined, a middle layer (USM2) containing faunal remains and rare Bronze Age ceramics, and a deeper layer (USM3) resembling the Epigravettian layers already recovered in other areas of the cave. Discoveries from USM3 include distinctive artefacts such as perforated marine shells (several of which bear red pigment traces), a polished stone pendant, and other tools indicative of symbolic and hand-crafted/manufacturing activities. These remains highlight the sophisticated resource management and symbolic practices of the Epigravettian hunter-gatherer groups that occupied the site. This study provides valuable insights into the cultural dynamics and material culture of these ancient Sicilian Epigravettian communities.
We provide a thorough documentation of the vertebral morphology and intracolumnar variation of the enigmatic snake Cadurceryx Hoffstetter & Rage, 1972, from the Eocene of France. Based on abundant vertebrae, pertaining to practically all portions of the column, originating from the middle Eocene (MP 16) of Lavergne in the Phosphorites du Quercy, we conduct a revision of the taxon, provide an emended diagnosis, and highlight a number of distinctive vertebral features that differentiate it from all other snakes. Most prominently, Cadurceryx is characterized by the presence of additional apophyses throughout the trunk, cloacal, and caudal vertebrae, which form (at least partly) true articular joints linking neighbouring vertebrae (additional intervertebral articulations). These additional apophyses are: pterapophyses (present in all vertebrae), extensions of zygapophyses and neural spine, as well as extensions of pleurapophyses (present in caudal vertebrae). We further present additional trunk and/or caudal vertebrae from several other localities in the area of the Phosphorites du Quercy: the middle Eocene (MP 16) of Malpérié, the late Eocene (MP 17) of La Bouffie and Rosières 2, the late Eocene (MP 18) of Sainte Néboule, and from imprecise localities from the “old Quercy collections”. We further conduct a critical evaluation of the original description of the taxon. Based on all these, we conclude that a single species of Cadurceryx was present in France during the middle and late Eocene, i.e., the type species Cadurceryx filholi Hoffstetter & Rage, 1972. A second species of the genus, Cadurceryx pearchi Holman, Harrison & Ward, 2006, known exclusively from caudal vertebrae from the late Eocene (MP 17) of Hordle Cliff, England, is herein also assessed; based on a critical approach of the original publication that established the English species, coupled with the presentation of some new caudal vertebrae from its type locality, we consider that Cadurceryx pearchi represents a nomen dubium, with the material potentially pertaining to ?Cadurceryx sp. or some indeterminate erycid or charinaid snake. We provide a thorough overview of the geographic and stratigraphic distribution of Cadurceryx. Through a detailed comparison with extinct and extant snakes, we discard affinities of Cadurceryx with erycids or charinaids, taking also into consideration that this grouping, according to molecular data, is not monophyletic and that the evolution of complex caudal vertebral morphologies in erycids and charinaids is likely homoplastic. Accordingly, the shared distinctive features of Cadurceryx with erycids and charinaids (presence of additional apophyses in caudal vertebrae that form true articular joints linking neighbouring vertebrae) are herein also regarded as homoplastic. Instead, we show that Cadurceryx possesses a vertebral synapomorphy of tropidophiids, namely the prominent blade-like hypapophysis on trunk vertebrae, that in posterior trunk vertebrae possesses a distinct, straight anteroventral corner, plus additional shared vertebral features. Accordingly, we herein tentatively envisage Cadurceryx as a tropidophiid with convergently evolved apophyseal morphologies with erycids and charinaids. Finally, we attempt a speculative interpretation of the functional morphology of the complex structures of the vertebrae of Cadurceryx, tentatively suggesting that these true articular joints linking neighbouring vertebrae may have offered increased rigidity across the vertebral column and may have acted as an antipredator mechanism.
For the understanding of Middle Paleolithic subsistence behaviors, Gruta da Figueira Brava (Setúbal, Portugal) is a key site, as it represents the earliest evidence of systematic subsistence exploitation of marine resources in Europe known to date. However, the associated lithic assemblage, more than 80% composed of quartz, has so far remained understudied. Although widely used during the Pleistocene and the Holocene, quartz, the most abundant mineral on Earth, has been traditionally considered as a “second-rate” resource. Due to the raw material’s specific fracture mechanics, quartz lithic assemblages have the tendency to be typologically and morphologically less standardized than flint ones. For these reasons, studies of quartz assemblages have been few and far between, especially when flint and quartzite ones, easier to analyze, are found alongside. Following techno-typological and techno-economic approaches, we carried out a study of a sample of quartz cores and blanks from three successive Figueira Brava human occupation phases spanning the 86-106 ka (thousands of years ago) interval. The results show that several reduction methods were successfully applied, displaying good management of the mechanical properties of the raw material. Alongside the Bipolar-on-Anvil technique, methods such as Levallois and Discoid were used, albeit following strategies somewhat different than with flint and quartzite. At Figueira Brava, the use of quartz – abundant locally and skillfully worked through a diverse range of reduction methods – reflects the good adaptation of the cave dwellers to their environmental context.
L’étude de l’art rupestre bénéficie désormais des avancées technologiques en imagerie. Parmi ces technologies, l’imagerie hyperspectrale (HSI) se révèle être un outil puissant pour analyser les peintures anciennes en révélant des détails invisibles à l’œil nu. Les travaux de recherche présentés appliquent l’HSI à l’art rupestre paléolithique de la grotte ornée Mayenne-Sciences (Mayenne, France), dont les dessins et gravures datent du Gravettien. L’objectif principal était de déterminer quel type d’informations supplémentaires l’HSI peut apporter par rapport aux méthodes traditionnelles d’analyse d’art rupestre, en particulier dans le spectre visible et le très proche infrarouge. L’enjeu était également de tester l’application dans un contexte difficile : une obscurité totale nécessitant un éclairage adapté, une hygrométrie élevée et la présence de particules d’argile pouvant s’infiltrer dans les appareillages. Un imageur HSI Specim IQ a permis d’acquérir des images hyperspectrales sous éclairage artificiel de différentes figures pariétales, principalement tracées au pigment noir sur des concrétions calcaires. Des transformations mathématiques avancées réduisant la dimensionnalité des données ont permis d’extraire, de différencier les pigments utilisés et de révéler des tracés jusqu’alors inconnus. Un bison dessiné au charbon, très altéré, est apparu quasiment tel qu’il était lors de son tracé initial. Par ailleurs, deux chevaux semblent avoir été tracés en plusieurs fois. Nos résultats montrent que l’HSI est particulièrement efficace pour améliorer le contraste des pigments dans le visible, tout en apportant de nouvelles informations discriminantes dans la partie très proche infrarouge du spectre. Cette méthode non invasive a permis de révéler de nouvelles figures, de préciser la composition des pigments et d’apporter des éléments inédits sur les méthodes de création de ces œuvres d’art. Cette étude souligne l’importance de l’intégration des technologies d’imagerie avancées dans l’étude de l’art rupestre et ouvre des perspectives pour l’application de l’HSI à d’autres sites archéologiques.
We here describe a new genus and species of snake, based on several trunk and caudal vertebrae, originating from the late Eocene (MP 17a) of Hordle Cliff, England. We investigated the fossil material via both visual microscopy and micro-computed tomography (μCT) scanning, focused on its intracolumnar variation, and extensively compared it with other Paleogene snake taxa from England and continental Europe. The new small taxon is characterized by an array of bizarre and distinctive vertebral features that can differentiate it from all other snakes. Its morphology is similar to that of russellophiids; however, some anatomical features differ drastically from those observed in the latter group and therefore, defy such family-level placement. In addition, the new English taxon bears some striking resemblance with extant acrochordids, particularly with the species Acrochordus granulatus (Schneider, 1799). Accordingly, we consider that the new taxon most likely represents an early diverging caenophidian, potentially being even a member of Acrochordidae Bonaparte, 1831, far outside the so far known stratigraphic and geographic distribution of the latter group. It further adds to the astonishing diversity of vertebral morphologies of European Paleogene snakes.
Over the last twenty-five years, the study of hominin evolution and archaeological assemblages has become increasingly complex, due to new archaeological and paleoanthropological discoveries, and the advent of innovative analytical approaches. Findings from paleontological and archaeological sites and localities along the East African Rift Valley reveal substantial cultural and biological diversity during the Lower Pleistocene. From this context emerge critical questions about the relationships between the different material cultures and hominins. To explore these questions, I propose a cross-disciplinary approach that examines both the skeletal anatomy of hominins and the associations between hominins and archaeological assemblages in Lower Pleistocene sites and localities in East Africa. Anatomical evidence suggests that the dexterity required to produce Oldowan assemblages was likely not exclusive to the genus Homo. Moreover, multiple hominin species appear to have been involved in tool-making, particularly within Oldowan assemblages. These assemblages have been associated with Homo sp. and Homo habilis (n = 10), Homo erectus/ergaster (n = 6), and with a significant number, of Paranthropus remains (n = 8). Given this evidence, Paranthropus should now be recognized as a stone tool-maker alongside early Homo.
We here describe a new genus and species of snake, based on several trunk and caudal vertebrae, originating from the late Eocene (MP 17a) of Hordle Cliff, England. We investigated the fossil material via both visual microscopy and micro-computed tomography (mu CT) scanning, focused on its intracolumnar variation, and extensively compared it with other Paleogene snake taxa from England and continental Europe. The new small taxon is characterized by an array of bizarre and distinctive vertebral features that can differentiate it from all other snakes. Its morphology is similar to that of russellophiids; however, some anatomical features differ drastically from those observed in the latter group and therefore, defy such family-level placement. In addition, the new English taxon bears some striking resemblance with extant acrochordids, particularly with the species Acrochordus granulatus (Schneider, 1799). Accordingly, we consider that the new taxon most likely represents an early diverging caenophidian, potentially being even a member of Acrochordidae Bonaparte, 1831, far outside the so far known stratigraphic and geographic distribution of the latter group. It further adds to the astonishing diversity of vertebral morphologies of European Paleogene snakes.
