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Accepted manuscript version, licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. " 1. Climate change in the Arctic is two to three times faster than anywhere else in the world. It is therefore crucial to understand the effects of weather on keystone arctic species, particularly those such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus) that sustain northern communities. Bridging long-term scientific and indigenous knowledge offers a promising path to achieve this goal, as both types of knowledge can complement one another. 2. We assessed the influence of environmental variables on the spring and fall body condition of caribou from the Porcupine Caribou Herd. This herd ranges in the Yukon and Northwest Territories (Canada) and Alaska (USA), and is the only large North American herd that has not declined since the 2000s. Using observations recorded through an indigenous community-based monitoring programme between 2000 and 2010, we analysed temporal trends in caribou condition and quantified the effects of weather and critical weather-dependent variables (insect harassment and vegetation growth), on spring (n = 617 individuals) and fall (n = 711) caribou condition. 3. Both spring and fall body condition improved from 2000 to 2010, despite a continuous population increase of ca. 3.6% per year. Spring and fall caribou condition were influenced by weather on the winter and spring ranges, particularly snow conditions and spring temperatures. Both snow conditions and spring temperatures improved during our study period, likely contributing to the observed caribou population increase. Insect harassment during the previous summer and the frequency of icing events also influenced caribou condition. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our study shows how untangling the relative influences of seasonal weather variables allows a much better understanding of variation in seasonal body condition of caribou. It indicates that a large migratory caribou population can grow and improve condition in a global context of caribou decline and climate warming, thereby warning against generalizations about the influence of climate on all caribou populations. Finally, it testifies how data from indigenous community-based monitoring can remarkably improve ecological understanding of wildlife sustaining human communities. Where possible, we recommend management practices that respectfully engage with indigenous community-based monitoring, as this can enhance knowledge and relationships with communities, both prerequisites of successful resource management.

Since mid-1980’s, the population of the Bathurst barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Canada’s Arctic has declined by 93%. In order to develop and implement an effective recovery plan, it is important to know how various factors have cumulatively impacted the population decline. To contribute to the knowledge, we investigated the following two questions: how have changes in climate-induced habitat conditions impacted the peak calving date of the Bathurst caribou, and what was the implication of the impact on the population? Our results indicate that the peak calving date was impacted by changes in habitat conditions (e.g., the start date of vegetation growing season SOS) in a complex manner. Large inter-annual variations in SOS on the calving ground and summer range of the Bathurst herd were observed during 1985 and 2012, with the largest difference being 29 days. A 1-day delay of SOS in year i − 1 on the calving ground (SOScg(i − 1)) from its normal date could result in a 0.5-day delay in the peak calving date in year i, likely caused by the delay in the conception date in the previous fall. However, advances in SOScg(i − 1) did not alter the peak calving date in year i. Furthermore, a 1-day delay (or advance) in the current year’s SOS on the summer range (SOSsr(i)) might cause a 0.23-day delay (or advance) in the peak calving date in the current year, likely through changing the caribou’s gestation duration. Together SOScg(i − 1) and SOSsr(i) explained 69.1% of the variation in the peak calving date of the Bathurst caribou herd during 1985–2012, indicating the cumulative impacts on the peak calving date by the changing habitat conditions over a period of 2 years and thus the validation of the cumulative habitat impact hypothesis. Finally, our results also show that a 1-day delay in the peak calving date corresponded approximately 2–3% reduction in the birth rate of the Bathurst caribou, and thus might have been partially responsible for the population decline.

Many factors influence the abundance of migratory tundra caribou (Rangifer tarandus). To understand their interactions with caribou abundance, we need to quantify these factors. In this study, we documented the changes in habitat conditions during winter and pre-calving migration for the Bathurst Caribou herd, using remote sensing data and ground measurements. We found there was a significant decrease in forest area which has abundant lichen, the main caribou winter diet, during recent decades due to increase in burned area, which in turn was positively correlated with summer temperature. For winter forage accessibility, we examined the annual maximum snow depth and mean ice content in snow (ICIS). There was a significant increase in ICIS during 1963–2006, but no trend in the maximum snow depth. During the pre-calving migration, the percent snow cover showed large inter-annual variations but no significant trend.

Seventeen species from the Palaeocene and Early Eocene of northern Europe, of which 12 are new, are described belonging to the extinct macroscelidean family Louisinidae, raised here from subfamily rank. These species belong to nine genera, of which five are new. The new genera are Walbeckodon, Berrulestes, Gigarton, Thryptodon, and Prolouisina. The new species are Walbeckodon krumbiegeli, Walbeckodon girardi, Paschatherium levei, Berrulestes phelizoni, Berrulestes pellouini, Berrulestes poirieri, Gigarton meyeri, Gigarton sigogneauae, Gigarton louisi, Thryptodon brailloni, Louisina marci, and Teilhardimys brisswalteri. Prolouisina is erected for ‘Louisina’atavella Russell, 1964. Cladistic analysis was undertaken to understand the relationships within the Louisinidae and between them and the North American family Apheliscidae, in which they had earlier been included as a subfamily. Louisinidae are shown to be sister group to a clade consisting of Apheliscidae plus Amphilemuridae and part of a paraphyletic and polyphyletic Adapisoricidae, all of which are tentatively considered to be stem members of the order Macroscelidea. The most primitive macroscelidid, Chambius, from the Early Eocene of northern Africa is nested within Apheliscidae when postcranial characters were included, but in a majority of cases within the Louisinidae when postcranial characters were excluded. Most species from northern Europe became extinct at the end of the Palaeocene, although the genus Paschatherium survived for much of the Early Eocene and Teilhardimys survived into the earliest Eocene. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 164, 856–936.

Four new incomplete lower jaws of Prokennalestes are described. bringing new data for establishing the primitive cutherian dental formula and its evolution in later placentals, as well as the possible relationships of the genus.

A new dyspternine Pantolestidae, Gobiopithecus khan nov. gen., nov. sp., is described from the early Oligocenelocality of Khoer Dzan, Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Affinity of the new taxon to Kiinkerishella from Kazakhstan and to the European dyspternines, particularly Dyspterna and Cryptopithecus , is proposed. The evolutionary and geographic development of the group is considered.

New specimens of Altanius orlovi are described from the type area, Tsagan-Khushu, in Mongolia. These include the first dentary preserving alveoli for anterior teeth, which show the lower dental formula of Altanius to have been 2.1.4.3. Lower incisors were small, equal in size, and nearly vertical in emplacement. The lower canine alveolus is larger than alveoli for the incisors and larger than that for P 1 . Alveoli show P 1 to have been single-rooted and P 2 double-rooted. Upper premolars lack a paraconule, and M 1–2 have a short Nannopithex -fold rather than a full postprotocingulum joining the posterior cingulum. Altanius is one of the smallest primates known. Morphological comparisons with Teilhardina and Cantius indicate that Altanius is more generalized and primitive than other Omomyidae or Adapidae. Altanius is clearly one of the most primitive primates known to date.

Resume Bustylus cernaysi nov. gen., nov. sp., est decrit dans le Thanetien de Cernay-les-Reims (France) et est inclus dans la famille des Adapisoriculidae ( Eutheria, ?Lipotyphla ) ou il apparait occuper une position phyletique intermediaire entre les formes primitives “predilambdodontes” telles que Afrodon et les formes avancees dilambdodontes telles que Adapisoriculus . Les “caracteres marsupiaux” de cette espece, parmi lesquels la presence de cuspides stylaires developpees, font l'objet d'une discussion d'ou il ressort pour certains leur nature symplesiomorphique au sein des placentaires et marsupiaux, et pour d'autres leur lien fonctionnel possible avec la specialisation dentaire cisaillante des adapisoriculides, en particulier de la region labiale des molaires superieures avec l'evolution de la dilambdodontie dans le groupe.

Numerous dental remains of Nannopithex zuccolae, n. sp., from the terminal early Eocene locality of Prémontré (Aisne), France, show the lower anterior dentition to be similar to that of other Nannopithex. Similarities include enlarged I1, reduced I2, reduced lower canine, loss of P2, small P3 and large P4. Upper molars, P3 and P4 all present primitive characters, making this species the most primitive as well as the oldest known microchoerid.

Resume Description de Berruvius gingerichi n. sp., nouveau primate microsyopide uintasoricine du Paleocene superieur de Cernay-les-Reims. Comparaison detaillee de cette espece avec le genre nord-americain Navajovius; discussion de ses affinites.

A new genus and species, Bogdia orientalis , (Mammalia,Proteutheria, Pantolestidae) is described from the middle Eocene site of Tsagan-Khutel, from the valley of Lakes of the People's Republic of Mongolia. It is the first pantolestid species described from Asia.

Pakicetus inachus from the early Eocene of Pakistan is the oldest and most primitive cetacean known. The dentition of Pakicetus resembles that of carnivorous mesonychid land mammals as well as middle Eocene cetaceans. The otic region of the cranium lacks characteristic specializations of whales necessary for efficient directional hearing under water. Pakicetus occurs with a land-mammal fauna in fluvial sediments bordering epicontinental Eocene remnants of the eastern Tethys seaway. Discovery of Pakicetus strengthens earlier inferences that whales originated from terrestrial carnivorous mammals and suggests that whales made a gradual transition from land to sea in the early Eocene, spending progressively more time feeding on planktivorous fishes in shallow, highly productive seas and embayments associated with tectonic closure of eastern Tethys.

All Paleogene primates are plagued by uncertaintiesconcerning their classification and phyletic relationships. Purgatorius is taken as an example of a primitive primate and on this basis two genera, Donrussellia and Teilhardina are analyzed. Donrussellia is relegated to subgeneric status within Teilhardina and the included species are considered possibly to have been near the ancestry of the omomyid-adapid complex. The North American species Teilhardina americana is the most primitive omonyid presently known from that continent.

1. In terrains and intervals such as the nonmarine paleogene in Europe where fossil-mammal samples are found mostly in isolated pockets or lenses lacking stratigraphic contiguity with other samples of fossils, relative or ordinal dating by stage-of-evolution or phyletic position or niveau repere of the paleospecies (i. e., the phyletically controlled index taxon or association of taxa) remains the best technique for applying paleontology to chronostratigraphy and geochronology. 2. In terrains and intervals such as many Tertiary basins of nonmarine sedimentation in North America where the stratigraphic relationships between fossil-mammal samples can be analyzed (i. e., measured and oriented spatially) with necessary precision, the chronozone, based on joint occurrence (overlapping stratigraphic ranges) of selected paleospecies, makes the most useful and most refined unit for geochronologic correlation. 3. All paleontological techniques for dating are basically empirical and should be reviewed and revised constantly. There is a limit to paleontological resolution in chronostratigraphy and geochronology. 4. The Sparnacian Substage is a valid and useful chronostratigraphic unit and should be perpetuated, despite the fact that it is difficult to correlate with marine stratigraphic sections.

The species Adapisoriculus? germanicus Russell 1964 from the Late Palaeocene of Walbeck (G.D.R.) is recognized, after its revision, at Cernay (late Palaeocene of France) and referred to Afrodon Gheerbrant 1988, a genus recently described from the late Palaeocene of Morocco. The affinity between the European species and A. chleuhi, from Morocco, implies a trans-Tethyan terrestrial exchange between Africa and Europe at about the time of the deposition of the Walbeck fossiliferous sediments (corresponding to the earliest Thanetian of marine depositional areas) or well prior to it. Comparison of the two species also permits an emended diagnosis of the genus to be proposed.

A new genus and species of the Paroxyclaenidae is described,Merialus martinae, and the family is reviewed and divided into two subfamilies, the Paroxyclaeninae and the Merialinae, new. The two species ofDyspterna are attributed to two genera, of whichEuhookeria is new; Dyspterninae Kretzoi, 1943, is resurrected to includeDyspterna woodi, Cryptopithecus andKochictis; the subfamily is referred to the Pantolestidae.Vulpavoides is considered valid and includes“Russellites” simplicidens;V. vanvaleni n. sp. is described from Bouxwiller.Kiinkerishella andDulcidon are discussed, as are possible relationships between the Ptolemaiidae and the Merialine paroxyclaenids.

Describes the cranial structure of two creodonts belonging to the genera Arctocyon and Arctocyonides from Paleocene localities of France. Reconstructed ventral and lateral views are shown.

Detailed study of the almost complete skull of the type specimen of Paroxyclaenus, P. lemuroides, from the Tertiary phosphate beds of the Quercy region, France, suggests that this genus belongs among the hyopsodontid Condylarthra.

Paleocene mammals have recently been discovered at two new localities, one in a shell-bearing lentil exposed near Berru and the other in marls at Rilly-la-Montagne (Marne, France). From the specimens collected, knowledge of the anatomy of several species has been improved. Bessoecetor? levei n. sp., Remiculus? n. sp., and an unnamed new genus and species of the Arctocyonidae are established. Comparison with the classic locality at Cernay (near Rheims) is difficult due to an insufficient number of complete fossils.

Describes an excellently preserved mammalian skull, assigned to Plesiadapis, found in Thanetian (Eocene) deposits near Reims, France.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents mammalian evidence concerning the Eocene–Oligocene transition in Europe, North America, and Asia. In North America, the mammalian faunas of the late Eocene- early Oligocene transition are those characterizing the Uintan, Duchesnean, and Chadronian land-mammal ages. Mammalian evolution indicates that in North America particularly high rates of change were maintained over a period of at least 10 million years; the Eocene–Oligocene boundary was situated near the middle of this time. In Europe, a peak of extinctions occurred in the Late Eocene (as it did in Asia); after a low point in the Late Eocene (also as in Asia) a maximum of new genera appeared in Europe with the Early Oligocene. Information from Asia is less abundant than it is from Europe or North America, but considerable progress has been made in recent years. Perissodactyls in the Paleogene of Asia display abundance, in both numbers and taxa that is unequaled elsewhere. This is particularly true of the middle Eocene; in the late Eocene they diminish somewhat but still retain a diversity that is superior to that of the artiodactyls.