Presumed Symbolic Use of Diurnal Raptors by Neanderthals

In Africa and western Eurasia, occurrences of burials and utilized ocher fragments during the late Middle and early Late Pleistocene are often considered evidence for the emergence of symbolically-mediated behavior. Perhaps less controversial for the study of human cognitive evolution are finds of marine shell beads and complex designs on organic and mineral artifacts in early modern human (EMH) assemblages conservatively dated to ≈100–60 kilo-years (ka) ago. Here we show that, in France, Neanderthals used skeletal parts of large diurnal raptors presumably for symbolic purposes at Combe-Grenal in a layer dated to marine isotope stage (MIS) 5b (≈90 ka) and at Les Fieux in stratigraphic units dated to the early/middle phase of MIS 3 (60–40 ka). The presence of similar objects in other Middle Paleolithic contexts in France and Italy suggest that raptors were used as means of symbolic expression by Neanderthals in these regions

Phylogenetic Analysis of Pelecaniformes (Aves) Based on Osteological Data: Implications for Waterbird Phylogeny and Fossil Calibration Studies

) were also assessed. The antiquity of these taxa and their purported status as stem members of extant families makes them valuable for studies of higher-level avian diversification. (sister taxon to Phalacrocoracidae). These relationships are invariant when ‘backbone’ constraints based on recent avian phylogenies are imposed.Relationships of extant pelecaniforms inferred from morphology are more congruent with molecular phylogenies than previously assumed, though notable conflicts remain. The phylogenetic position of the Plotopteridae implies that wing-propelled diving evolved independently in plotopterids and penguins, representing a remarkable case of convergent evolution. Despite robust support for the placement of fossil taxa representing key calibration points, the successive outgroup relationships of several “stem fossil + crown family” clades are variable and poorly supported across recent studies of avian phylogeny. Thus, the impact these fossils have on inferred patterns of temporal diversification depends heavily on the resolution of deep nodes in avian phylogeny

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Andrew R. Mourer Papers, 1954

Typed summary of detailed interview (4 leaves) with Leonard Sackett concerning his father, Andrew R. Mourer, Sr., who came to Hankinson, N.D. area in 1878 and was the first to own a steam engine in Hankinson. Includes an explanation of how a horse-powered separator works, behavioral differences between horses and mules, treatment of mules at Keystone Farm, artesian water and its effect on new residents, physical effects of field work on hired men, and a pencil sketch of a horse drawn separator

Biostratigraphie comparée des faunes de grands mammifères et d'oiseaux du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur en Europe occidentale et en URSS d'Europe

During the middle and upper Pleistocene, large mammal and bird faunas are very similar in Western Europe and m the European part of the USSR. The associations of large mammals are the same, with the same species, with the exception of some particular genera (like Paracamelus, Tamanalces, Pontoceros for the USSR, Jansofelis, Bubalus, Syncerus for the Western Europe), of endemic forms, specially in Caucasus, and of some vicanants as the Ibex. We are in the same faunal province and the few established variations concern mainly the relative proportions of some species (dominance of Mammuthus in most of the sites of Central Russia and Ukraine). As for the avian fauna of Western Europe, in middle and upper Pleistocene, the avian fauna of URSS includes a low proportion of extinct forms. In a whole, the avifaunas found in the same types of sites (karstic fillings or open air settlements) are very comparable with the exception of the Caucasian prehistoric sites which include some endemic species or genera.Au Pléistocène moyen et supérieur, les faunes de mammifères de grande taille et d'oiseaux d'Europe occidentale et d'URSS d'Europe sont très semblables. Les associations de grands mammifères sont les mêmes et concernent les mêmes genres et les mêmes espèces. II y a quelques exceptions, comme certains genres tels que Paracamelus, Tamanalces, Pontoceros pour l'URSS d'Europe et Jansofelis, Bubalus, Syncerus pour l'Europe occidentale, il y a des formes endémiques, en particulier au Caucase, et il y a quelques cas de vicariance, comme le montrent les bouquetins. Nous sommes cependant dans la même province faunique et les quelques variations constatées concernent surtout les proportions relatives de certaines espèces : la dominance de Mammuthus dans de nombreux gisements de Russie centrale et d'Ukraine est rarement constatée en Europe occidentale. Tout comme celles d'Europe occidentale, les faunes d'oiseaux de l'URSS au Pléistocène moyen et supérieur ne comptent qu'une faible proportion de formes éteintes. D'une manière générale les avifaunes provenant de gisements de même type sont tout à fait comparables (remplissages karstiques, gisements de plein air), sauf pour les gisements préhistoriques du Caucase où se trouvent quelques genres et espèces endémiques.Guérin Claude, Mourer-Chauvire Cécile, Ballesio R., Faure M., Debard Evelyne. Biostratigraphie comparée des faunes de grands mammifères et d'oiseaux du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur en Europe occidentale et en URSS d'Europe. In: Bulletin de l'Association française pour l'étude du quaternaire, vol. 20, n°2-3, 1983. pp. 133-144