Search

We report on the first prehistoric identifications of the Greater Adjutant ( Leptoptilos dubius) in the prehistoric archaeological record of Vietnam, the earliest known example of this species in Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA). The two bone fragments, a proximal tarsometatarsus and a distal tibiotarsus, were found in the hunter-gatherer midden/cemetery site of Con Co Ngua in Thanh Hoa Province, and date to c. 6000 - 5500 BP. The tarsometatarsus has been modified into an edge ground implement similar to artefacts recorded at other archaeological sites in the region. Modifications to the functional end suggest that the implement is consistent with the manipulation and/or manufacture of plant-based fibres. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article raises issues on the extent of endemic speciation in the Wallacean region which is regarded as a biodiversity hotspot. Details as regard to the high number of endemic species in Wallacea remain poorly understood because of the lack of well-supported phylogenies of its taxa and on uncertainties related to the geological history of the region. The article suggests that in order to add significant insight into the dispersal and current distribution of taxa in the region, integrating fossil records of Wallacean biogeography is warranted.

The article examines the factors that control adaptive radiation in mammals and birds on various islands. According to the article bird radiations are mostly found on oceanic archipelagos far from continental coast line while mammal radiations occur in island arcs which are somewhat easier to reach though still isolated enough to allow evolutionary lineages to develop and diverge. Unlike birds, significant mammal radiation seem possible on a single island.

Excavations at Liang Bua, a limestone cave on the island of Flores, East Indonesia, have yielded a well-dated archaeological and faunal sequence spanning the last 95k.yr., major climatic fluctuations, and two human species -H. floresiensis from 95 to 17k.yr.(1), and modern humans from 11k.yr. to the present. The faunal assemblage comprises well-preserved mammal, bird, reptile and mollusc remains, including examples of island gigantism in small mammals and the dwarfing of large taxa. Together with evidence from Early-Middle Pleistocene sites in the Soa Basin, it confirms the long-term isolation, impoverishment, and phylogenetic continuity of the Flores faunal community. The accumulation of Stegodon and Komodo dragon remains at the site in the Pleistocene is attributed to Homo floresiensis, while predatory birds, including an extinct species of owl, were largely responsible for the accumulation of the small vertebrates. The disappearance from the sequence of the two large-bodied, endemic mammals, Stegodon florensis insularis and Homo floresiensis, was associated with a volcanic eruption at 17 ka and precedes the earliest evidence for modern humans, who initiated use of mollusc and shell working, and began to introduce a range of exotic animals to the island. Faunal introductions during the Holocene included the Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis) at about 7ka, followed by the Eurasian pig (Sus scrofa), Long-tailed macaque, Javanese porcupine, and Masked palm civet at about 4ka, and cattle, deer, and horse - possibly by the Portuguese within historic times. The Holocene sequence at the site also documents local faunal extinctions - a result of accelerating human population growth, habitat loss, and over-exploitation.

A histopathological analysis of the testis exposed to diazinon, an organophosphorus pesticide was conducted. The testis from the control fish exhibited a normal histological structure with a round, oval or somewhat rectangular shaped with closely associated seminiferous tubules. The seminiferous tubules were surrounded by a layer of connective tissue with myoid cells, Leydig cells, blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves. Upon exposure for 24 h, the overall structure of the testis looked disrupted and more often the sperm cells appeared to be somewhat larger, but spermatid were smaller than that of the control group. The 48 h exposure caused more dense and closely associated seminiferous tubules. The 72 h exposure induced dilation of the seminiferous tubules and their lumen. Ninety-six hours exposure induced more loose and disrupted structures. In this group (96 h), there was a significant reduction in both lumen and seminiferous tubule size in comparison with the control, 24, 48, and 72 h groups. After 2 weeks of exposure hardly any lumen was seen, which imparted more dense and compacted structures. The biometric analysis gave a highly significant increase in the diameter of the seminiferous lumen. After 48 h of exposure a significant reduction was seen in diameter in comparison with that of the control group. Seventy-two hour exposure indicated an increase in diameter, whereas 96 h exhibited another decrease. One week caused the diameter to increase whereas 2 weeks of exposure caused them to decrease again. The increase in diameter of the seminiferous tabule may be caused by weakening of the surrounding connective tissue and myoid cells, due to exposure to diazinon. The change in the diameters of the seminiferous tabules was very irregular. No apparent co-relation was found between the size of the fish, body weight and weight of the testis after they have been subjected to different exposure periods. There was significant change in the germ cells' diameters. As the germ cells are the essential first step in the process of spermatogenesis, their size reduction may hinder the production of viable spermatozoa, endangering the population dynamics. In order to find out the pathways of this pesticide effects, we propose to study the histopathology of pituitary gland a vital organ of the reproductive axis.