Search

The isolated river drainages of eastern North America serve as a natural laboratory to investigate the roles of allopatry and secondary contact in the evolutionary trajectories of recently diverged lineages. Drainage divides facilitate allopatric speciation, but due to their sensitivity to climatic and geomorphological changes, neighboring rivers frequently coalesce, creating recurrent opportunities of isolation and contact throughout the history of aquatic lineages. The freshwater mussel Quadrula quadrula is widely distributed across isolated rivers of eastern North America and possesses high phenotypic and molecular variation across its range. We integrate sequence data from three genomes, including female‐ and male‐inherited mitochondrial markers and thousands of nuclear encoded SNPs with morphology and geography to illuminate the group's divergence history. Across contemporary isolated rivers, we found continuums of molecular and morphological variation, following a pattern of isolation by distance. In contact zones, hybridization was frequent with no apparent fitness consequences, as advanced hybrids were common. Accordingly, we recognize Q. quadrula as a single cohesive species with subspecific variation (Q. quadrula rumphiana). Demographic modeling and divergence dating supported a divergence history characterized by allopatric vicariance followed by secondary contact, likely driven by river rearrangements and Pleistocene glacial cycles. Despite clinal range‐wide variation and hybridization in contact zones, the process‐based species delimitation tool delimitR, which considers demographic scenarios like secondary contact, supported the delimitation of the maximum number of species tested. As such, when interpreting species delimitation results, we suggest careful consideration of spatial sampling and subsequent geographic patterns of biological variation, particularly for wide‐ranging taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter provides a systematic description of all confirmed or reliable finds of fossil coturnicines (Aves: Galliformes: Phasianidae: Coturnicini) from the Miocene to the Lower Pleistocene of Eurasia, as well as North Africa (Morocco). Previously published data are reviewed and newly described materials come from the Miocene to the Lower Pleistocene of Eastern Europe (Ukraine and European part of Russia) and Eastern Siberia (Baikal), as well as from the Upper Pliocene of Mongolia. The oldest member of the Coturnicini clade (Tologuica vetusta sp. nov.) is described from the uppermost Lower Miocene-lowermost Middle Miocene of Baikal area (Tagay locality). Members of the fossil genus Tologuica are present in the upper Middle Miocene of Mongolia and the fossil genus Palaeoperdix, which is here revised and transferred to Coturnicini, is known from the upper Middle Miocene of Europe (Palaeoperdix longipes Milne-Edwards, 1869 and Palaeoperdixgrivensis (Ennouchi, 1930) comb. nov.). Plioperdix ("Palaeocryptonyx") hungarica (Jánossý, 1991) from the Upper Miocene of Hungary is transferred to Palaeoperdix. Mioryaba magyarica Zelenkov, 2016 is shown to be similar to modern Perdicula. Several Upper Miocene through Lower Pleistocene coturnicine taxa are assigned to the fossil genera Chauvireria and Plioperdix, with several new species erected: Chauvireria egorovkensis sp. nov., Chauvireria axaina sp. nov., and Plioperdix boevi sp. nov. (all of them from the Upper Miocene of North Black Sea area). The Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene taxon Plioperdix ("Francolinus") capeki (Lambrecht, 1933) is transferred to Palaeocryptonyx, and the Late Pliocene taxa Palaeocryptonyx novaki Sánchez Marco, 2009 from Spain and Plioperdixafricana Mourer-Chauriré & Geraads, 2010 from Morocco are transferred to a new genus, Marocortyx gen. nov., which is considered a morphologically transitional form between Alectoris and Margaroperdix. The new finds of Palaeocryptonyx donnezani Depéret, 1892 are described, which were previously partly treated as Plioperdix pontica. Some previously published finds of P. donnezani are revised. The oldest find of Coturnix quails in the region is from the Upper Pliocene of Mongolia (Shaamar) and is described as Coturnix augustus sp. nov. Coturnix coturnix is further described from the Lower Pleistocene of Crimea (Taurida Cave). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter describes the main localities of fossil Eurasian coturnicines (Aves: Phasianidae: Coturnicini). The age and fauna of the Sansan locality (Middle Miocene; France) and Tagay locality (latest Early–early Middle Miocene; East Siberia), which yielded the oldest finds of coturnicines in Eurasia, are discussed in more detail. The geological description of the Sharga locality (Middle Miocene; Mongolia), Hyargas-Nuur 2 locality (Khirgiz-Nur; Miocene–Pleistocene; Mongolia), and Chono-Harayah 1 and 2 localities (Chono-Khariakh; Pliocene; Mongolia) are given as of 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Juniperus spp. are keystone shrubs in western North America and important climatic indicators in paleo‐records. However, a lack of taxonomic resolution among fossil species limits our ability to track past environmental changes. Plant macrofossils at Rancho La Brea (RLB) allow for reconstructions of juniper occurrence to species across 60 000 yr. We use microscopy, image analysis, species distribution modeling (SDM), and radiocarbon dating to identify an unknown Juniperus species at RLB and put it into chronological context with fossil Juniperus californica at the site to infer past environmental conditions. We identify the unknown taxon as Juniperus scopulorum Sargent, 1897. The Pleistocene occurrence of this species in California expands its known distribution and documents its extirpation. Temporal ranges of the two fossil junipers alternate, revealing a pattern of differential climatic sensitivity throughout the end of the Pleistocene. Occurrence patterns suggest sensitivity to temperature, moisture availability, and the presence of two mega‐droughts at c. 48–44.5 ka and c. 29.3–25.2 ka. Extirpation of both taxa by c. 13 ka is likely driven by climate, megafaunal extinction, and increasing fire. The extirpation of fossil junipers during these past climatic events demonstrates vulnerability of juniper species in the face of global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fauna of planktonic and benthic foraminifera of the Tatar Strait was studied in the surface layer of sediments from bottom cores collected during cruise LV85 of the R/V Akademik Lavrentyev in May 2019. The communities of benthic foraminifera, consisting of living and dead shells, in their ecological appearance correspond to the modern cold-water oceanographic conditions of the sampling sites of the stations. Among the planktonic foraminifera, in addition to the dominant subarctic form Neogloboquadrina pachyderma dex., there are single tropical and subtropical species (Globorotalia inflatа, Globigerinoides ruber, and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei). The authors believe that the above-mentioned warm-water forms entered the Tatar Strait from the southwestern Sea of Japan with warm Tsushima Current waters. Fossil records of warm-water fauna in Pleistocene and Holocene sediments play an important role in interpreting the geological record in the northern Sea of Japan. Their presence in sedimentary sections makes it possible to trace the northward migration of warm currents and assess its influence on coastal ecosystems in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freshwater red alga Batrachospermum gelatinosum has a well‐documented distribution spanning historically glaciated and unglaciated eastern North America. This alga has no known desiccation‐resistant propagule; thus, long‐distance dispersal events are likely rare. We predicted strong genetic structure among drainage basins and admixture among sites within basins. We predicted greater genetic diversity at lower latitude sites because they likely serve as refugia and the origin of northward, post‐Pleistocene range expansion. We used 10 microsatellite loci to investigate genetic diversity from 311 gametophytes from 18 sites in five major drainage basins: South Atlantic Gulf, Mid‐Atlantic, Ohio River, Great Lakes, and Northeast. Our data showed strong genetic partitioning among drainage basins and among sites within basins, yet no isolation by distance was detected. Genetic diversity varied widely among sites and was not strictly related to latitude as predicted. The results from B. gelatinosum provide strong support that each stream site contributes to the unique genetic variation within the species, potentially due to limited dispersal and the prevailing reproductive mode of intragametophytic selfing. Simulations of migration suggested post‐Pleistocene dispersal from the Mid‐Atlantic. Batrachospermum gelatinosum potentially persisted in refugia that were just south of the ice margins rather than in the southernmost part of its range. Research of other taxa with similar ranges could determine whether these results are generally applicable for freshwater red algae. Nevertheless, these results from B. gelatinosum add to the growing literature focused on the patterns and genetic consequences of post‐Pleistocene range expansion by eastern North American biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil crocodylian remains have been documented from India and other parts of South Asia since the mid-nineteenth century, but specimens attributed to several extinct and extant species of Crocodylus have largely been neglected in modern taxonomic treatments. Here, we present a detailed anatomical description of the extinct species Crocodylus palaeindicus, which we restrict to the late Miocene to early middle Pleistocene of India. Using an autapomorphy-based approach to species-level identification, we regard Crocodylus sivalensis as a junior synonym of C. palaeindicus and provide taxonomic re-identifications of all specimens previously referred to these two species. We present a new diagnosis for C. palaeindicus that facilitates its distinction from the extant mugger crocodile, C. palustris, which does not unequivocally appear in the fossil record prior to the Pleistocene. The lack of clear spatiotemporal overlap, coupled with the otherwise lengthy ghost lineage implied by their sister-taxon relationship in our phylogenetic analyses, provides tentative support that the extant species either is the descendant of C. palaeindicus or originated via budding cladogenesis. An expanded phylogenetic analysis recovers the late Miocene African C. checchiai and Pliocene South American C. falconensis as species within the Neotropical Crocodylus clade, supporting an African origin for this radiation. We also recover Kinyang, from the early–middle Miocene of Kenya, as a crocodyline, rather than an osteolaemine as originally described, and it is potentially the stratigraphically earliest known member of the Crocodylus lineage. Other notable results from our phylogenetic analyses suggest that crocodyloids might not have been present in North America prior to the late Neogene arrival of Crocodylus, with Albertosuchus knudsenii, Prodiplocynodon langi and 'Crocodylus' affinis all recovered outside of Crocodyloidea. Furthermore, we demonstrate that an alligatoroid placement for the recently erected latest Cretaceous–Palaeogene East Asian clade Orientalosuchina is highly labile, with relationships at the 'base' of Crocodylia unstable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven Pleistocene tracksites and two lithic sites, identified with varying degrees of confidence and attributed to Homo sapiens, have been identified in aeolianite deposits along a 1200 m coastal stretch at Brenton-on-Sea on South Africa's Cape south coast. Some sites contain more than one track- or trace-bearing layer, and each site is from a geological different unit. The aeolianites adjacent to the ichnosites that have been dated span an age range from 113 ± 8 ka to 76 ± 5 ka. Globally, hominin tracks preserved in aeolianites are rare, as are tracks preserved in hyporelief, which are observed at several of the Brenton-on-Sea sites. Clusters of hominin tracksites older than 40 ka are also rare. The sites represent groups of hominins of different sizes traversing dune fields, sometimes jogging or using sticks, and provide details of their tool-making and diet. The ichnological record thus complements the extensive and globally significant archaeological record from the region. The likely presence of nearby accessible caves, and a shoreline that was not too distant, provide an explanation for the profusion of ichnosites and their registration over millennia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the fossil horse remains from the archaeo-palaeontological layer of the Middle Pleistocene locality of Fontana Ranuccio (Central Italy) (400 ka; MIS 11), which has been long considered a reference site for the Italian biochronology from which the Fontana Ranuccio Faunal Unit has been established in the 1990s. Despite the archaeo-palaeontological importance of this locality, the material belonging to equids has never been formally described. The Fontana Ranuccio sample consists of 28 remains, in particular 25 isolated premolars and molars at different wear stages, an incomplete scapula, a complete talus and a proximal portion of a third metatarsus which belong to a large caballine horse, historically ascribed to Equus cf. E. mosbachensis. The large size and the persistence of some primitive – stenonoid sensu lato – characters in the Fontana Ranuccio teeth, together with clear advanced (caballine) morphological traits support their attribution to the polymorph group of Equus mosbachensis. The results of the revision of the Fontana Ranuccio material and the comparison with data from selected European localities are consistent with the hypothesis that the morphological and dimensional differences observed in Middle Pleistocene horses depend on the presence of ecomorphotypes and the intrinsic intra-population variability that characterises most equid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of fossil assemblage structure can help illuminate the processes shaping the assembly of ecological communities. Using Bayesian network analysis methods, we investigated patterns of association between presences and abundances of 12 large-bodied mammal clades at Pleistocene fossil localities and their dependence on local environment types, global temperature estimates, locality ages and large-scale geographic positions. The dependencies among the clades seem to be structured by the degree of generalism in carnivores and omnivores, inter-specific competition-driven ecological differentiation among the carnivores, and local environmental preferences in herbivores. With the exception of hominids, we do not find significant dependencies among the external variables (gross geographic position, age, mean global temperature) and the clades under investigation. We do not find evidence of exclusion between any two clades, which would indicate predation effects or competition at a family or higher level. The network of dependencies among mammalian clades shows a remarkable lack of change over time, pointing to emergent invariability of taxonomic assemblies at the family or higher level despite significant environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleistocene loess records of the Khovaling Loess Plateau (KLP) in Tajikistan provide rich collections of lithic artifacts demonstrating past human presence in the region. To understand the timing of human activity and environmental conditions prevailing at that time U–Th dating and clumped/stable C/O isotope measurements have been applied to modern and Pleistocene soil carbonates (SCs) collected at several sites on the KLP and surroundings. U–Th ages were corrected by two methods: 1) assuming an initial [230Th/232Th] activity ratio of 0.85 ± 0.25 based on gamma spectrometry of loess/paleosol samples, and 2) the isochron technique using leachates and fully dissolved subsamples. Diagenetic alteration and potential U/Th mobilization and related isotope fractionation due to alpha-recoil was also modelled and found to be minor in the studied soil carbonates. Compared to model ages as references, uncorrected 230Th ages are only acceptable if measured [230Th/232Th] activity ratios of leachates are high (>30), while 230Th ages derived using method 1 are mostly overcorrected. It appears that SCs can be reliably dated by the U-series disequilibrium method in this sedimentary setting, but isochron dating cannot be spared. Application of the isochron method is required to derive 230Th model ages, which ensures that the non-zero initial 230Th and possible U–Th gain/loss due to alpha-recoil can be simultaneously corrected and reliable U–Th ages obtained. U–Th ages of Pleistocene SCs clearly demonstrate post-pedogenic ingrowth of multiple, non-contemporaneous populations of SCs within loess/paleosol units, and that SC formation happened in many cases under cold, presumably dry glacial climate conditions. Considering that U–Th ages of SCs provide minimum ages of the sediment in which they form, these ages can be useful in developing loess stratigraphic models and for correlation of paleosols with marine isotope stages. This implies that the age of a given paleosol and any lithic artifacts it may contain, indicating human activity, cannot be younger than the age of SCs formed in that paleosol. This is due to the nature of soil carbonates, which can be the product of both syn- and post-depositional processes. Clumped isotope thermometry of SCs collected from modern soils at three sites in Tajikistan provide evidence for SCs dominantly recording summer season soil temperatures, while the calculated soil water oxygen isotope signatures reflect annual signals and carbonate precipitation from source waters incorporating rainfall from prior to and during SC formation. In contrast, some Pleistocene SCs record soil temperatures and stable isotope compositions more appropriate to glacial conditions, confirming the findings of U–Th ages, and highlighting the primary role of aridity-driven soil moisture changes in SC precipitation in this setting. Considering the interpretative complexities of SC stable isotope compositions, involving issues such as SC formation depth within a soil/paleosol profile, seasonality of SC growth and violation of the law of superposition, SC stable isotope proxy records of past climates cannot be considered as a set of clearly sequential data through time. This implies that such SC-based stable isotope records must be accompanied by U–Th dating of carbonates to be meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first paleoparasitological analyses in Brazil are related to the Gruta do Gentio ll (GGll) an archeological site related to the beginning of the Una ceramist tradition (13,000–410 cal B.P.), with two subsistence horizons, an ancient one related do hunter-gatherers, and a more recent one related to a horticulturist population. Crucial cultural traces of Una tradition such as pottery, fabric, adornments made from animal teeth and shells, and food remnants were also identified during the GGII excavations. Coprolites, fossilized or mineralized feces are important elements in the studies on taphonomy and sedimentology, and yield valuable information on parasitological, environmental, producer origin, and diet. In the present study, GGll coprolites were submitted to morphological and morphometrical procedures to identify the probable origin of samples within the geographical location of study. The results of the identification of coprolites showed four different morphotypes including complex, flat, spherical, and cylindrical, in 10 distinct colors, distributed heterogeneously in 16 sectors and 11 stratigraphic layers, indicating a great variety of not only human but animal coprolites. With the collected data, along with previous archeological evaluations, we can propose a primary GGII paleoecological scenario, with the presence of animals and humans that used de cave in the Pleistocene and Holocene times of Southeast Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the arithmetic average chemical composition of main types of Pleistocene sediments in the Indian and Atlantic oceans, and average chemical composition of the Pleistocene in both oceans as well. As the base for comparison, we used data from the International project of deep-sea drilling reports (phases DSDP, ODP, IODP) and other references. It was revealed that the results of comparative analyses of the mean weighted chemical composition were determined by masses of the dry sediment matter. Domination of the Atlantic mass accumulation rates over the Indian Ocean ones was due to markedly larger catchment areas, influence of more significant humid climate, and enhanced primary production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anurans are widely diversified in South Africa, with more than 150 recognised species across the country. However, most the known fossil records of anurans are concentrated in the southern part of South Africa, within the rich Pliocene site of Langebaanweg. Isolated anuran elements have been recovered in the Pliocene deposits of the Cradle of Humankind, but none from the multi-localities site of Bolt's Farm (Plio-Pleistocene). A small block containing an articulated anuran specimen was recently discovered from the Milo A site from Bolt's Farm. We analysed this specimen using CT-scanning to describe its osteology. Surprisingly, the cavity housing the skeleton took the shape of the body of the individual, revealing a small sized individual with a triangular-shaped head. The preserved skeletal elements (around 50% of the skeleton) shows clear synapomorphies of the Ranoidea. A comparison between our specimen and members of all South African ranoid families allow us to highlight numerous osteological similarities between our specimen and taxa of the Pyxicephalidae, leading to a putative attribution to this large African family. In addition, the position of the body is identical to the position of a dormant pyxicephalid, suggesting that our specimen died during a dormancy period, in the dry season. This supports the current paleoenvironment reconstruction, an open savannah with marked seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coste San Giacomo (CSG) represents a significant paleontological site to investigate the faunal and environmental changes that occurred in Mediterranean Europe during the Early Pleistocene. In this work, we described for the first time the Carnivoran assemblage. We ascribed the fossil remains to the following taxa: Ursus sp., Homotherium latidens, Canis etruscus, Pliocrocuta perrieri, Martellictis ardea and Vulpes alopecoides. Considering the value of the carnivoran taxa here identified, we discuss their particular biochronological significance, since the CSG site records the last occurrence of P. perrieri and the first occurrences of H. latidens, C. etruscus, M. ardea and V. alopecoides for the Italian Peninsula. These results will allow us to improve the data of the biochronological scheme of the Villafranchian European Land Mammal Age, recognizing the earliest dispersals and latest occurrences across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent investigations in the upper Lower–Middle Pleistocene deposits of the Megalopolis Basin (Greece) led to the discovery of several sites/findspots with abundant faunal material. Here, we provide an updated overview including new results on the micro- and macro-mammal fauna. Important new discoveries comprise partial hippopotamus skeletons from Marathousa 1 and the new Lower Pleistocene site Choremi 6, as well as a second partial elephant skeleton from Marathousa 1, including a complete tusk and the rarely found stylohyoideum. Based on the first results from the newly collected micromammals, we discuss age constraints of the sites, and we provide biostratigraphic/biochronologic remarks on key mammal taxa for the Middle Pleistocene of Greece and southeastern Europe. The presence of mammals highly dependent on freshwater for their survival, together with temperate-adapted ones in several stratigraphic layers of the basin, including those correlated with glacial stages, when conditions were colder and/or drier, indicate the capacity of the basin to retain perennial freshwater bodies under milder climatic conditions, even during the harsher glacial periods of the European Middle Pleistocene, and further support its refugial status. Yet, the smaller dimensions of the Megalopolis hippopotamuses may represent a response to the changing environmental conditions of the epoch, not optimal for hippopotamuses. Overall, the Megalopolis Basin comprises a unique fossil record for southeastern Europe and provides valuable insights into the Middle Pleistocene terrestrial ecosystems of Europe, and hominin adaptations in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly discovered deposit on the bed of the Steinhatchee River produced a moderately diverse assemblage of 15 vertebrate taxa herein designated the Steinhatchee River 2A (STR 2A) local fauna. Mammalian taxa isotopically shown from other sites to be either grazers or grazing-dominated mixed-feeders numerically dominate the fauna, especially a species of Equus. About 75% of the 552 identifiable fossils from STR 2A, representing a minimum of nine individuals, are referred to the informally named Equus (Equus) sp. A. The site produced the first known examples of associated upper and lower cheekteeth and lower incisors for this species, and also one of just two records outside of central and southern peninsular Florida. Like most Pleistocene sites in Florida, xenarthrans are diverse, with two cingulates, Dasypus and Holmesina, and two pilosans, Paramylodon and Megalonyx. An astragalus and several metatarsals of Holmesina are within the size range of H. septentrionalis, but also have some characteristics found in the older species H. floridanus. These finds corroborate that an evolutionary transition between these two species occurred in Florida during the Irvingtonian. The age of STR 2A is most likely middle Irvingtonian, ca. 0.5–0.7 Ma, an interval poorly known in Florida and the rest of the southeastern USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A debate has developed with regard to geological ages of hominin fossils attributed to Australopithecus africanus and Australopithecus prometheus in South African Plio‐Pleistocene cave deposits. For the Sterkfontein caves (Members 2 and 4), cosmogenic nuclide isochron (10Be/26Al) dating has yielded age estimates ranging from 3.4 to 3.7 million years ago (Ma). However, biochronological approaches using nonhominin primates suggest an alternative age range between 2 and 2.6 Ma. Based on a new method of hominin biochronology, Thackeray and Dykes have recognized that Sterkfontein Member 4 has a mean age of 2.76 Ma associated with a wide range (circa 2.0–3.5 Ma). In this study, the Sterkfontein skull and skeleton (StW 573), nicknamed "Little Foot" from Member 2 and attributed to A. prometheus, is reassessed. A regression model applied to estimate its age provides a hypothesized date of 3.6 Ma, which compares favorably with the existing cosmogenic dates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pliocene was a period of major faunal shift in India as older primate lineages slowly went extinct, leaving the niches vacant for cercopithecoids, specifically cercopithecids (Old World monkeys), to occupy. Among them, Presbytis sivalensis, Macaca palaeindica and Procynocephalus subhimalayanus are important, as they are potential kin to many of the South Asian and Southeast Asian monkeys living today. Further in the Pleistocene, as ecology shifted to a more grassland environment, primates such as Theropithecus delsoni and the first people of Homo sp. migrated into the subcontinent and occupied central India. All of these primate fossils are known only from a handful of fragmentary fossil remains. This article aims to discuss the discovery of fossils and the nature of these fossils from the Pliocene and the Pleistocene. Information regarding the phylogenetic affinities of these fossil primates is sporadic as well. There is a need to learn more about these primates by reanalysing existing discoveries and conducting further research into the lives of these primates of a bygone era. Such research, using modern tools and methods, will surely make significant contributions to palaeoanthropology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously known as Allophaiomys cf pliocaenicus, a new species of Pedomys is described from the early Pleistocene Java local fauna of South Dakota. Biostratigraphic correlations place the fauna between 2.0 and 1.29 Ma. Pedomys javaensis n. sp. is characterised by a first lower molar (m1) with three closed triangles (T) and a simple anteroconid (ACD) with a rare development of buccal re-entrant angle 5 defining an incipient T7. Connections between T5 and the ACD and T4–5 are broad, and the enamel is, on average, slightly positively differentiated. The M3 is simple, with distinct T5 and a relatively deep, posteriorly directed third lingual re-entrant angle. Twenty-two per cent of the Java m1s share morphological characters with Pedomys, prairie voles, suggesting that Pedomys originated from an early Pleistocene North American Allophaiomys-like ancestor. In the calculated ratios of m1 measurements, the new species lies morphologically between the Old World Allophaiomys deucalion and A. pliocaenicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to identify counties in the northeastern United States where the incidence of infant botulism (IB) is elevated compared to the nationwide incidence and to assess associations with soil type at the case residence. IB cases were identified through the distribution of the orphan drug Human Botulism Immune Globulin Intravenous for treatment of IB by state and national surveillance systems and were subsequently confirmed by laboratory testing. IB incidence by county was calculated as the number of IB cases divided by the number of live births in the county from 2000 to 2019. Cases were spatially mapped and assigned to soil types using the US Department of Agriculture’s online soils database. Possible association with soil type was evaluated with the Chi-squared test. We identified a rectangular area consisting of 17 contiguous counties in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, approximately 80 km by 250 km, in which the 20-year incidence of IB was nearly seven times greater than that of the remaining counties in those five states. Within this area, case residences were strongly associated with certain soil types (P ≤ 0.003). From 2000 to 2019, IB occurred with disproportionate incidence in a rectangular area encompassing the lower Delaware and Raritan River Valley and parts of five adjacent states. Further investigation of the soils in counties from this area could assess whether C. botulinum is more prevalent in certain soil types and whether isolation of C. botulinum is more common in counties with higher IB incidence. IMPORTANCE Infant botulism occurs more frequently in 17 counties within and adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan River watersheds. This study should alert physicians and pediatricians in the area to the higher likelihood of encountering cases of this otherwise rare disease that manifests with constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, weak suck/cry, generalized weakness, and descending bilateral paralysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymictic gravels exploited in the vicinity of Rugvica, SE from Zagreb, comprise clasts of various lithology, colour, shape, and size. Pebbles are composed of sedimentary, volcanic and, sporadically, metamorphic rocks. During the field work we recognized fossils in the abundant carbonate pebbles. Most of the carbonate clasts are rounded, discoidal in shape, varying in colour from white to dark grey, almost black. Pebbles were measured by a calliper and petrographic thin sections were prepared from fossiliferous pebbles. Numerical analyses pointed to some minor differences in their shape and size, but micropaleontological analyses revealed clasts of Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene age. Most of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic clasts originate from the two local mountain areas (Medvednica Mt. and Samobor Hills), with part of the Jurassic-Cretaceous pebbles possibly derived from SW Slovenia. Irregularly shaped and sometimes poorly rounded clasts of the Paleogene/Neogene ages seem to be abruptly transported to short distances by torrents or streams. The most enigmatic were the clasts of Carboniferous-Permian age. The nearest Palaeozoic outcrops occur upstream in Central Slovenia, but some fossils point to the even longer transport route, from the Karavanks in the upper flow of the Sava River. Gravels are overlain by fine-grained lake sediments and peat coal. Peat comprises significant amount of pine pollen, pointing to the warming period within the Late Pleistocene, which was additionally confirmed by the radiocarbon dating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complex of sedimentological, geochemical, and micropaleontological methods was used to study and compare five new sediment cores along a submeridional transect from the middle to the north of the Norwegian Sea. A combined analysis of the distribution of ice-rafted debris, polar/subpolar foraminifera, calcium carbonate, organic carbon, and continuous geochemical scanning records revealed an alternation of Middle–Late Quaternary glacial and interglacial intervals over the last 260 000 years. In the Late Middle Pleistocene glaciation (MIS 6, 8), the supply of terrigenous material had a much greater influence on regional sedimentation than in the Late Pleistocene (MIS 2–4). Local (between the central and northern parts of the Norwegian Sea) differences in glacial and interglacial sedimentation are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of research carried out at two previously unreported Eastern Desert Atbara River project (EDAR) Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites—EDAR 134 and EDAR 155. Luminescence dating results indicate human activity in this area during the Marine Isotope Stage 5 period (MIS 5), approximately 90 kya. Discussion concerning the affiliation of both analyzed inventories will be provided, including another MSA site from the EDAR area, where an assemblage dated to MIS 6/5e does not have technological features known from other technocomplexes in the eastern Sahara region (EDAR 135). Microscopic analysis of traces of tool use for the EDAR 155 assemblage shows the high impact of post-depositional (aeolian) processes on the state of preservation of lithic material. Sites EDAR 134 and 155 provide evidence for hominin activity during the late Pleistocene within an area only episodically accessible, due to arid conditions prevailing in the Saharan deserts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the publication of Megafauna: Giant Beasts of Pleistocene South America by Fariña et al. in 2013, much has been published on this fascinating subject. Here, we sum up those contributions according to their aim: taxonomic, geographical and phylogenetic novelty, new approaches to the natural history of those species, and extinction and its aftermath. The traditional centres of interest since the 19th century, especially the Río de la Plata region, have now been complemented as a source of information by many other regions in South America, and the remains are now being studied by biogeochemistry and molecular biology, as well as with finite element analysis and constantly refined statistics. Finally, scholars and the public are becoming more interested in the demise of the megamammals as the starting point of the current process of biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental calculus, or tartar, is a mineralized biofilm that develops on the teeth, and is often observed on the teeth of the South American proboscidean Notiomastodon platensis. This structure can provide details on paleoecological, paleoenvironmental and paleopathological aspects of a species. However, characterization of tartar in N. platensis is lacking. The aim of this study was to provide a macromorphological characterization of tartar on N. platensis molars, and evaluate its prevalence, distribution patterns and severity. A total of 117 molariforms from Brazilian Quaternary fossiliferous assemblages were analyzed. Thirty‐five (29.9%) molars presented tartar. The majority displayed moderate severity. Calculus was present at least on one inteloph(id) of each molar, and prevailed on the posterior region. It predominated on lower and third molars. Adult individuals showed a predominance compared to juveniles. These patterns in N. platensis are probably due to the susceptible oral environment, molar morphology, mature age and tooth replacement. These results suggest that N. platensis and probably other proboscideans were relatively susceptible to tartar development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of South American deer genera during the Quaternary is considered one of the greatest in the world. However, this was established during the beginning of the twentieth century, when the recognition of new extinct deer taxa was based only on differences in antler morphology. Thus, South American extinct deer taxa need a detailed taxonomic revision, and this is the case of the Andean deer genera Agalmaceros and Charitoceros. First, both taxa are diagnosed by the presence of thorns in their antlers. Consequently, by taxonomic priority, Agalmaceros is a senior synonym of Charitoceros. Second, we recognize here that the thorns of the antlers of Agalmaceros are the symptom of a pathology that also affects some extant deer. Excluding the thorns of the antlers, the antler of Agalmaceros is identical to that of Odocoileus virginianus, indicating that Agalmaceros is a junior synonym to this extant deer. The recognition of epizootic hemorrhagic disease as the possible cause for the thorny antlers of Andean O. virginianus and the ample record of this affecting antlers in deer from the tropical Andes suggests that an epidemic occurred in this region in the Late Pleistocene. Before describing a new taxon, taxonomists must exhaust all possibilities to explain morphological variations. In this regard, this contribution provides an interesting, important and weakly explored area in paleontology, namely taxonomic revision under a paleopathology context. With the taxonomic invalidation of Agalmaceros and Charitoceros proposed here, the diversity of South American deer genera during the Pleistocene is poorer than previously established and includes 11 taxa – seven extant and four extinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three indices estimated from measurements of the humerus and ulna were used to suggest possible ecological habits of eight extinct giant sloths from the Late Pleistocene of the Brazilian Intertropical Region. To make these inferences, data from extant primates and xenarthras representing suspensory, climbing and digging forms were compared. The results indicate niche differentiation existed between these species; Ahytherium aureum, Australonyx aquae and Nothrotherium maquinense could have been climbers, Catonyx cuvieri, Ocnotherium giganteum and Glossotherium phoenesis were diggers, while Valgipes bucklandi and Eremotherium laurillardi were strictly terrestrial in their habits. These results suggest a general pattern in which members of the Megalonychidae and Nothotheriidae were mainly climbers, whereas mylodontines were mainly diggers, and scelidotheres were strictly terrestrial along with members of the giant Megatheriidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the generalized data about the first results of radiocarbon dating carried out for the archaeological sites of the Oka Plateau in the Eastern Sayan Mountain Ridge. For the first time archaeological sites in the territory of the Oka Plateau have become known since the beginning of the second part of the 19th century, however at that time only assumption about the ancientry of the sites was proposed without substantiations. Further, for a long time archeologists visited this territory occasionally with long time intervals and the investigations consisted of the collecting artifacts from daylight surface. All attempts of the archaeological site and materials dating was based on the comparing of the typology and morphology of the artifacts from the Oka Plateau and that from the neighboring territories. In 2017 chronological investigations of Oka Plateau ancient sites with using radiocarbon dating metho began. The first archaeological site, which was dated by radiocarbon method, was the stone construction in the form of the pathway that the local people called Strela Gesera. Further on ancient settlements were engaged in the chronological research. Basing on obtained data the fact about ancient people occupying Rivers Valleys of the Oka Plateau in the final Pleistocene was approved.

Abstract Sus arvernensis is a Pliocene species that occupies a key position in the evolution of suids (Suidae, Artiodactyla, Mammalia) in Eurasia, and besides, it is considered important for biochronological correlations and paleoecological inferences. However, our knowledge on S. arvernensis is largely based on fossil remains from southwestern Europe. Here, we present a revision of the Hungarian fossil record of S. arvernensis. Up to now, the species was known from only two localities of Hungary, Gödöllő (central Hungary) and Süttő (northwest Hungary), and the latter occurrence has even been questioned. After the comparison with other relevant samples of S. arvernensis, of the Early Pleistocene S. strozzii, and of the extant wild boar S. scrofa (motivated by previous attributions and the chronology of the localities), the presence of S. arvernensis from Gödöllő and Süttő is confirmed, and more material of the species is described from Beremend (southern Hungary) and Kisláng (western Hungary). Collectively, the results of the revision carried out herein reveal a relatively widespread distribution of S. arvernensis in Hungary, hence providing an important link from the eastern to western European fossil record of the species. The specimens from Gödöllő and Süttő are slightly larger than the other material of S. arvernensis from France and Italy included in the biometric comparison, although the paucity of the material precludes to evaluate whether these differences are significant and to relate them to a chronological and/or geographical context. The occurrence of S. arvernensis in the Hungarian localities considered in this work is a biochronological indication of an age older than at least 2.6 Ma, since the species is not recorded after the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition. This in agreement with the age estimates available so far for some of the localities or provides new insights. At Süttő, in particular, the identification of S. arvernensis reinforces the view that travertine deposition started already in the Pliocene.

Geotechnical investigations conducted in preparation for infrastructure development provide high-quality borehole data in standardised digital formats. In Denmark, such geotechnical borehole data are not required to be reported to the national well database (Jupiter) and are mainly archived in privately owned databases. Accessible interglacial and interstadial terrestrial deposits are rare in Denmark, and these borehole data have the potential to identify interglacial and interstadial deposits, with significant implications for ongoing palaeoclimate, palaeoenvironmental and archaeological research. In this study, we compiled data from six major geotechnical companies, resulting in a database with over 550 000 boreholes. From this database, we identified 1850 boreholes containing samples associated with interglacial and interstadial ages. Through extensive filtering for well-documented lacustrine or palustrine deposits, we selected 161 boreholes and referenced them to 39 different geographical occurrences. Of these 39 occurrences, 36 were either new terrestrial deposits or provided substantial new records to known interglacial and interstadial sites. Our findings demonstrate that access to these privately owned geotechnical borehole data can be a valuable resource for identifying rare near-surface geological deposits, allowing the discovery of several new Pleistocene sedimentary archives that warrant further investigation.

Based on paleogenetic analysis of anthropological remains from Denisova Cave in Altai Mountains, a previously unknown population of fossil people, the Denisovans, was discovered, and a complex picture of their interaction with Neanderthals was established. Currently, 17 skeletal remains of Paleolithic hominins discovered in the cave have been identified, and fragments of ancient human DNA have been isolated from its Pleistocene deposits. This work is devoted to the characteristics of the Denisova Cave inhabitants based on a comprehensive analysis of currently known paleoanthropological and paleogenetic data. We show that the oldest human remains in Altai were found in the basal deposits of the Denisova Cave. They belong to the Denisovans, hominins that share a common ancestor with Neanderthals but a different population history. The lower culture-bearing layers with finds from the initial stage of the Middle Paleolithic contain fragments of genomes that differ from the Denisovan genomes from the overlying sediments, indicating the existence of two different populations of Denisovans. The earliest evidence of the appearance of Neanderthals in Altai was also found in Denisova Cave. A complete genome sequence was isolated from the phalanx of the foot, which received the conditional name Altai Neanderthal. Between the populations of Neanderthals and Denisovans in Altai, there was a regular exchange of genetic material.

Abstract Identifying evidence of human modification of extinct animal remains, such as Pleistocene megafauna, is challenging due to the similarity of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic features observed under optical microscopy. Here, we re-investigate a Late Pleistocene ground sloth tooth from northeast Brazil, previously suggested as human-modified based only on optical observation. To characterize the macro- and micro-morphological characteristics of the marks preserved in this tooth and evaluate potential human modification, we used stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supplemented by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV photoluminescence (UV/PL), synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF), and synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT). These methods allowed us to discriminate non-anthropogenic taphonomic features (root and sedimentary damage), anthropogenic marks, and histological features. The latter shows the infiltration of exogenous elements into the dentine from the sediments. Our evidence demonstrates the sequence of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic modification of this tooth and supports its initial intentional modification by humans. We highlight the benefits of emerging imaging and spectral imaging techniques to investigate and diagnose human modification in fossil and archaeological records and propose that human modification of tooth tissues should be further considered when studying possibly anthropogenically altered fossil remains.

Sus arvernensis is a Pliocene species that occupies a key position in the evolution of suids (Suidae, Artiodactyla, Mammalia) in Eurasia, and besides, it is considered important for biochronological correlations and paleoecological inferences. However, our knowledge on S. arvernensis is largely based on fossil remains from southwestern Europe. Here, we present a revision of the Hungarian fossil record of S. arvernensis. Up to now, the species was known from only two localities of Hungary, Gödöllő (central Hungary) and Süttő (northwest Hungary), and the latter occurrence has even been questioned. After the comparison with other relevant samples of S. arvernensis, of the Early Pleistocene S. strozzii, and of the extant wild boar S. scrofa (motivated by previous attributions and the chronology of the localities), the presence of S. arvernensis from Gödöllő and Süttő is confirmed, and more material of the species is described from Beremend (southern Hungary) and Kisláng (western Hungary). Collectively, the results of the revision carried out herein reveal a relatively widespread distribution of S. arvernensis in Hungary, hence providing an important link from the eastern to western European fossil record of the species. The specimens from Gödöllő and Süttő are slightly larger than the other material of S. arvernensis from France and Italy included in the biometric comparison, although the paucity of the material precludes to evaluate whether these differences are significant and to relate them to a chronological and/or geographical context. The occurrence of S. arvernensis in the Hungarian localities considered in this work is a biochronological indication of an age older than at least 2.6 Ma, since the species is not recorded after the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition. This in agreement with the age estimates available so far for some of the localities or provides new insights. At Süttő, in particular, the identification of S. arvernensis reinforces the view that travertine deposition started already in the Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of Panthera throughout Asia is dependent on a very scant fossil record. Dominating Asia in the Holocene, Pleistocene Panthera fossils have often been attributed to Panthera tigris. However, newer finds suggest that there was more than just P. tigris in Pleistocene Asia. Rather, species previously thought to be only from western Eurasia have been uncovered in South and East Asia, including Panthera spelaea and Panthera gombaszogensis. Therefore, re-evaluation of the fossil Panthera from Pleistocene Sunda is indicated. A partial mandible from Kedung Brubus (MIS 20–15) shows characteristics distinct from both contemporary Pleistocene P. tigris and Holocene Sunda populations. Rather, this specimen shows strong affinities with the Eurasian P. gombaszogensis. The Kedung Brubus mandible therefore provides the first evidence for the presence of P. gombaszogensis in Middle Pleistocene Sunda, becoming extinct some time after the arrival of P. tigris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Glacial retreat at the end of the Pleistocene epoch opened vast expanses of emergent habitat in the northern hemisphere that were colonized by opportunistic taxa. However, species that undergo post‐glacial expansion may have originated from one or several glacial refugia. We inferred the post‐glacial expansion history of the Eastern Red‐backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus), a fully terrestrial species with a vast distribution despite severe dispersal limitations. Previous studies indicated populations south of the glacial boundary at the eastern and western limits of the distribution were closely related, suggesting either multiple refugia or an extraordinary post‐glacial expansion event. Location: Eastern North America. Taxon: Plethodon cinereus (Green, 1818), Caudata: Plethodontidae. Methods: We collected ddRAD‐seq data from 106 individuals throughout the distribution of P. cinereus. We estimated phylogeographic structure, including finer‐scale structure among the post‐glacial populations. To test the origins and routes of colonization, we used ecological niche modelling, population trees and analyses of directional range expansion. Results: Analyses supported our hypothesis of a southeastern glacial refugium, with northward expansion along the Eastern Seaboard prior to westward invasion into the Great Lakes region, including southwestern expansion into unglaciated areas at the western end of the distribution. However, a distinct subgroup in the northwestern portion of the range raises the possibility of a second refugium near the ice‐free Driftless Area. Main Conclusions: Based on our results, we hypothesize a southeastern refugium from which most of today's northern populations undertook extensive post‐glacial colonization. Our results indicate a geographically non‐linear colonization history for P. cinereus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrow endemism is the core of plant diversity in flora of the Mediterranean Basin, which is among the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. The Mediterranean genus Kundmannia (Careae, Apioideae) comprises just three species, K. sicula , K. anatolica , and K. syriaca. Notably, K. sicula has a wide distribution from the western Mediterranean to Greece, while K. anatolica and K. syriaca occur only in Turkey's Taurus Mountains, which is a phylogeographical hotspot. Initially, the aim herein was to determine the phylogenetic placement of the genus Kundmannia based on DNA sequences, but it later developed to describing a new genus, Antalia gen. nov. and revealing historical events that acted as drivers in the genetic divergence between Kundmannia and Antalia. Both ribosomal and combined chloroplast multilocus sequences were used to unravel the phylogenetic topology. Toward this aim, morphological characteristics were examined. Based on this, Antalia differs from Kundmannia by its shorter bracteoles and petals, the colour of the petals, and smaller fruits. The phylogenetic results revealed that the genus Kundmannia is nested within the tribe Careae and is not monophyletic. Antalia , which is genetically separate from Kundmannia , is described as a new genus. Detailed morphological descriptions and identification keys are provided. Causes of the genetic disjunction between Antalia and Kundmannia were carefully considered in a time-calibrated phylogenetic framework. The Mediterranean Sea has acted as a relatively effective barrier between these genera since the Messinian salinity crisis. The unwinged mericarps seem to have facilitated the work of the barrier. Historical events during and after the Pliocene and allopatric vicariance seem to have been the most important drivers of evolution between Kundmannia and Antalia and within Antalia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interrelated concepts of risk and resilience are inherently future-focused. Two main dimensions of risk are the probability that a harmful event will happen in the future and the probability that such an event will cause a varying degree of loss. Resilience likewise refers to the organization of a biological, societal, or technological system such that it can withstand deleterious consequences of future risks. Although both risk and resilience pertain to the future, they are assessed by looking to the past – the past occurrence of harmful events, the losses incurred in these events, and the success or failure of systems to mitigate loss when these events occur. Most common risk and resilience measures rely on records extending a few decades into the past at most. However, much longer-term dynamics of risk and resilience are of equal if not greater importance for the sustainability of coupled socioecological systems which dominate our planet. Historical sciences, including archeology, are critical to assessing risk and resilience in deep time to plan for a sustainable future. The challenge is that both past and future are invisible; we can directly observe neither. We present examples from recent archeological research that provide insights into prehistoric risk and resilience to illustrate how archeology can meet this challenge through large-scale meta-analyses, data science, and modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil bird eggs from the Pleistocene of the Americas are rare. Previous records include Uruguay, Bermuda, California (USA) and Mexico, including reports of complete fossil eggs from extinct puffin (Fratercula dowi) from California, Tinamou (Tinamidae indet.) from Uruguay, Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) from Bermuda and Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) from México. The fossil record of flamingos in Mexico is restricted to palaeolakes in Central Mexico, which is very interesting because the current distribution of flamingos in North America is restricted to some areas of the Southeastern United States and Yucatan Peninsula, which are far from palaeontological sites. We report a fossil flamingo egg found during the construction of a new International Airport 'Felipe Angeles', Santa Lucía, State of México. This egg is the first Pleistocene fossil egg record for the family Phoenicopteridae, the first fossil egg record of this family in the Americas and the second record of a phoenicopterid fossil egg in the world. We re-identified the fossil eggs described by Martin del Campo in the 1940s, suggesting that they are also flamingo eggs. Using biogeographical and climate niche data for family Phoenicopteridae in North America, we infer the presence of a salinity and shallow palaeolake during the Late Pleistocene, with climatic condition being warmest and wetter than at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Size and age characteristics of shell growth of the recent and Quaternary brachiopod Hemithiris psittacea (Gmelin, 1790) under different conditions are discussed. This species is proposed as an indicator of salinity in Quaternary seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the revision of our article on the nontectonic origins of unusually steep and overturned strata in the Mesozoic of the Holy Cross Mountains (HCM), we refute arguments that the authors of discussion make our theory implausible. The authors focused on proving the presence of strike‐slip faults in the HCM, but at the same time, they believe that fold deformations precede the faults that cut them. The explanations provided by the critics still do not explain the extraordinary convergence of the morphology, surface of the fault and deformations occurring in its vicinity over a distance of 27 km. This problem was solved in our previous study, in which we have suggested that the steep and overturned orientation of the Oxfordian strata may be the result of non‐tectonic processes. We consider the arguments used by the critics to be incorrect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying evidence of human modification of extinct animal remains, such as Pleistocene megafauna, is challenging due to the similarity of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic features observed under optical microscopy. Here, we re-investigate a Late Pleistocene ground sloth tooth from northeast Brazil, previously suggested as human-modified based only on optical observation. To characterize the macro- and micro-morphological characteristics of the marks preserved in this tooth and evaluate potential human modification, we used stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supplemented by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV photoluminescence (UV/PL), synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF), and synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT). These methods allowed us to discriminate non-anthropogenic taphonomic features (root and sedimentary damage), anthropogenic marks, and histological features. The latter shows the infiltration of exogenous elements into the dentine from the sediments. Our evidence demonstrates the sequence of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic modification of this tooth and supports its initial intentional modification by humans. We highlight the benefits of emerging imaging and spectral imaging techniques to investigate and diagnose human modification in fossil and archaeological records and propose that human modification of tooth tissues should be further considered when studying possibly anthropogenically altered fossil remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since prehistoric times, indigenous residents of southwest British Columbia, Canada, collected water-worn nephrite specimens from the gravel bars along the Fraser River, using the stone for the manufacture of tools that were widely traded with other tribes. Allochthonous nephrite occurs in another geologic setting. Late Pleistocene continental glaciers transported nephrite and many other rock types from western Canada to northwest Washington State, producing extensive sediment deposits that border the Salish Sea coast in Whatcom and Island Counties, Washington. This material was little utilized by indigenous residents, but "black jade" specimens are prized by modern collectors. The depositional history and mineralogy of this material has received little attention. X-ray diffraction and SEM/EDS analyses indicate that the Salish Sea "black jade" is a form of impure nephrite that probably originated from metamorphism of a mafic igneous parent material (metabasite). The texture consists of prismatic amphibole crystals (ferro-actinolite) set in a matrix rich in plagioclase feldspar. Pyrite inclusions are locally present. A second material, sometimes erroneously labelled "muttonfat jade" by amateur collectors, consists of an intermixture of quartz and sillimanite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two sediment sections are investigated at Cape Arkhangelos, island of Rhodes, where Pleistocene marine sediments crop out in horsts and grabens of a Mesozoic basement. There, hemipelagic sediments characterized by upper bathyal communities are atypically mixed with much shallower faunal components because they were deposited close to rugged coastal landforms. Biostratigraphic analyses show that the sections were deposited between 1.8 and 0.9 Ma, and between 1.8 and 1.6 Ma, respectively. By combining the planktonic/benthic foraminiferal ratio with 31 bathymetric indicators chosen among extant species of benthic foraminifera, mollusks, and bryozoans, we show that relative sea-level fluctuations can be reconstructed in these atypical settings despite the proximity of steep slopes that favored transportation of allochthonous fauna. The shallow-water components (including gravels and calcareous algae) were transported downslope by the combined action of gravity, currents, and tectonic disturbance that promoted drowning (with a maximum flooding recorded at ca. 1.7 Ma) and then uplift of fault-bounded paleovalleys that formed during the Early Pleistocene. Abrupt facies changes and age differences between sections have been triggered by the irregular paleotopography of the Mesozoic basement, which fostered differential depositional settings, with outer to middle neritic deposits above the horsts and upper bathyal deposits in paleovalleys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleistocene climate variability is often seen as a major cause of much of the evidence observed in the archaeological and palaeontological record of Africa. While continent-wide climate systems play an important role when testing pan-African human evolutionary processes, a more focused perspective centred on specific ecosystems at a regional level allows a detailed assessment of the different spatiotemporal scales of the proxies used to reconstruct past environments and the ways humans adapted to their change over time. Recent research in the arid interior of South Africa has provided insights into the availability of freshwater in the open landscape, which is a fundamental factor for human survival and the spatiotemporal distribution of which may have had a major influence on adaptive strategies. This article reviews the Pleistocene archaeological and environmental evidence of the Free State province of South Africa, which has produced major localities such as Cornelia-Uitzoek, Florisbad and Rose Cottage Cave, with the aim of providing a starting point for the discussion over freshwater availability with regard to southern Africa's Grassland Biome. Particular emphasis is given to the description of multi-proxy approaches including the analysis of sediments, faunal remains, enamel stable isotopes, pollens and phytoliths and absolute dating based on trapped-charge methods. The picture that emerges highlights the paucity of Pleistocene datasets in the Free State and the necessity to expand research at open-air sites and improve the chronological resolution of human occupations and palaeoenvironmental proxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]