Autopsy of a biological extinction example: the Frasnian-Famennian boundary crisis (364 Ma)

Without studying the causes of the F/F boundary mass extinction, the precise analysis of ostracod species shows evolutionary process only discernable it the global scale. About 75 % of ail species disappeared in the Uppermost Frasnian in all studied regions of the world. Others survived, with some geographic changes, owing to littoral refuges (Lazarus effect). Deep benthic ostracods seem almost untouched by this event. We show that new post-event species resulted front allopatric speciations by migration between neritic provinces or along continental slopes towards deeper environments. During the event, surviving lineages show a continuous gradation from unscathed species to chronocline species, to phyletic subspeciations or speciations (=pseudo-extinctions) and even to new genera. The durability of lineages is controlled by the migration of populations. (C) 1999 Academie des sciences

New micropalaeontological studies on the stratotype of the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary at Tercis (SW France): the gilianelles (microproblematica) extracted through acetolysis

The Campanian-Maastrichtian stratotype section at Tercis (SW France) consists mainly of hard calcareous levels. Their treatment using acetolysis left residues among which for the first time well-preserved free microfossils were obtained (These levels had been studied previously only through thin sections). Within these residues, a wealth of calcareous shells of unknown affinity (incertae sedis) occur. These previously undescribed fossils are documented herein with photographs and drawings. Optical observations are synthesised in computer assisted drawings which depict 36 discrete forms. Scanning electron microscopy documented the nannostructures of these tests which led to the recognition of 30 forms with a common organisation and nannostructure. These are the microproblematica group called "gilianelles". The remaining six forms of incertae sedis do not share the same characteristics. According to morphological observations, a planktonic existence is inferred for most of the incertae sedis. The simple organisation and small size of the gilianelles suggest that they may represent a new Order of Rhizopod Protozoans. Their stratigraphical distribution has been established in the stratotype section of the "Grande Carrière" at Tercis (SW France). This distribution shows an extraordinary rate of turn-over with some taxa having a range of less than 1 Ma.La section du stratotype de la limite Campanien-Maastrichtien établi à Tercis (SO France) comprend des niveaux carbonatés indurés qui ont été dissociés par acétolyse. Les résidus obtenus ont permis d'observer pour la première fois des microfossiles dégagés dans ces niveaux. Parmi eux figurent en grande quantité des tests classés incertae sedis qui sont illustrés ici en détail pour la première fois. Des observations à la loupe et au microscope optique permettent d'illustrer 36 formes reconstituées sur ordinateur. Des examens complémentaires au microscope électronique précisent la caractérisation des formes permettant de distinguer les caractères propres au groupe homogène des gilianelles, microproblematica comprenant 30 des 36 formes illustrées vis à vis de formes qui ne présentent pas tous ces caractères. D'après la morphologie des tests, un mode de vie en suspension dans l'eau est suggéré pour certains des micro-organismes ayant produit ces tests à l'organisation simple. Quant aux microproblematica nommés gilianelles, une appartenance à un ordre non répertorié de Protozoaires Rhizopodes est proposée. La distribution stratigraphique établie dans la section met en évidence un extraordinaire taux de renouvellement de ces incertae sedis dont beaucoup n'ont laissé de témoignages que pendant moins d'un million d'années

Measurement with beam of the deflecting higher order modes in the TTF superconducting cavities

This paper reports on recent beam measurements of higher order modes in the TESLA Test Facility (TTF) accelerating modules. Using bunch trains of about 0.5 ms with 54MHz bunch repetition and up to 90% modulated intensity, transverse higher order modes are resonantly excited when the beam is offset and their frequency on resonance with the modulation frequency. With this method, the trapped modes can be excited and their counteraction on the beam observed on a wide-band BPM downstream of the module. Scanning the modulation frequency from 0 to 27MHz allows a systematic investigation of all possible dangerous modes in the modules

The palaeopsychrosphere in the Devonian

International audienc

New ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs from the European lower cretaceous demonstrate extensive ichthyosaur survival across the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary

Background Ichthyosauria is a diverse clade of marine amniotes that spanned most of the Mesozoic. Until recently, most authors interpreted the fossil record as showing that three major extinction events affected this group during its history: one during the latest Triassic, one at the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary (JCB), and one (resulting in total extinction) at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. The JCB was believed to eradicate most of the peculiar morphotypes found in the Late Jurassic, in favor of apparently less specialized forms in the Cretaceous. However, the record of ichthyosaurs from the Berriasian–Barremian interval is extremely limited, and the effects of the end-Jurassic extinction event on ichthyosaurs remains poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings Based on new material from the Hauterivian of England and Germany and on abundant material from the Cambridge Greensand Formation, we name a new ophthalmosaurid, Acamptonectes densus gen. et sp. nov. This taxon shares numerous features with Ophthalmosaurus, a genus now restricted to the Callovian–Berriasian interval. Our phylogenetic analysis indicates that Ophthalmosauridae diverged early in its history into two markedly distinct clades, Ophthalmosaurinae and Platypterygiinae, both of which cross the JCB and persist to the late Albian at least. To evaluate the effect of the JCB extinction event on ichthyosaurs, we calculated cladogenesis, extinction, and survival rates for each stage of the Oxfordian–Barremian interval, under different scenarios. The extinction rate during the JCB never surpasses the background extinction rate for the Oxfordian–Barremian interval and the JCB records one of the highest survival rates of the interval. Conclusions/Significance There is currently no evidence that ichthyosaurs were affected by the JCB extinction event, in contrast to many other marine groups. Ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaurs remained diverse from their rapid radiation in the Middle Jurassic to their total extinction at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous