RECENT BRACHIOPODS FROM THE TONGA ISLANDS, SW PACIFIC: TAXONOMY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY

Twenty species of Recent brachiopods belonging to the genera Neoancistrocrania, Basiliola, Basiliolella, Dyscolia, Abyssothyris, Xenobrochus, Terebratulina, Fallax, Septicollarina, Frenulina, Amphithyris, Annuloplatidia, Leptothyrella, Dallina, Campages, Thecidellina and Minutella have been identified in the material collected during the French cruise Bordau 2 to the Tonga Islands, South-West Pacific. Apart from Frenulina sanguinolenta all species represent the first records for the Tonga Islands. The investigated brachiopod fauna shows the greatest affinity to that from Fiji and New Caledonia, having 16 and 12 species in common, respectively. Although less affinity is observed with the New Zealand fauna, there are two species, Terebratulina australis and Amphithyris buckmani reported so far only from New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. The biodiversity of brachiopods inTonga is similar to that inFiji but half as great as that inNew Caledonia andNew Zealand regions and much higher than inFrench Polynesia

Prvi nalaz ramenonožaca iz eocena u Egiptu

The brachiopod species Terebratulina tenuistriata (Leymerie) has been identified in the Middle Eocene (Bartonian) nummulitic limestone of the Upper Building Stone Member of the Mokattam Formation at El Basatin of Gebel Mokattam, Cairo, Egypt. The brachiopod is associated with Nummulites farisi Hussein, Boukhary & Kamal, N. praestriatus Boukhary & Kamal and N. bullatus Azzaroli. This is the first record of brachiopods from the Eocene of Egypt and northern Africa. T. tenuistriata is common and widely distributed in the Eocene deposits of Europe, and the present record extends its geographical range further south, to the southern shelf of the Tethys.Vrsta ramenonošca Terebratulina tenuistriata (Leymerie) determinirana je iz srednjeeocenskog (Barton) numulitskog vapnenca formacije Mokattam u području El Basatin, Gebel Mokattam, Kairo, Egipat. Ramenonožac je povezan s Nummulites farisi Hussein, Boukhary & Kamal, N. praestriatus Boukhary & Kamal i N. bullatus Azzaroli. Radi se o prvom nalazu ramenonožaca iz eocena Egipta i sjeverne Afrike. Vrsta T. tenuistriata je uobičajena i široko rasprostranjena u eocenskim naslagama Europe, i ovaj nalaz predstavlja širenje njenog areala na jug, do južnog šelfa Tetisa

Xenobrochus norfolkensis (Brachiopoda: Dyscoliidae), une nouvelle espèce de la Ride de Norfolk, Nouvelle-Calédonie, SW Pacifique

Le genre Xenobrochus (espèce-type Gryphus africanus COOPER, 1973) a été établi pour des brachiopodes de petite taille, rectimarginés et ayant une boucle courte avec une bande transverse à convexité antérieure. Une nouvelle espèce, Xenobrochus norfolkensis sp. nov., a été identifiée au sein du matériel récolté au cours des campagnes françaises SMIB 8, NORFOLK 1 et NORFOLK 2 dans la Ride de Norfolk (Nouvelle-Calédonie, SW Pacifique). Cette espèce diffère des précédentes par l'absence du processus cardinal et par des plaques cardinales relativement larges. Le genre comporte maintenant neuf espèces ; sa distribution géographique est restreinte à l'Océan Indien et à l'Ouest de l'Océan Pacifique.The genus Xenobrochus, with the type species Gryphus africanus COOPER, 1973, was erected for short-looped brachiopods of small size, rectimarginate and having a loop with anteriorly convex transverse band. A new species of Xenobrochus, X. norfolkensis sp. nov. has been identified in the material collected during the French cruises SMIB 8, NORFOLK 1 and NORFOLK 2 to the Norfolk Ridge, New Caledonia, SW Pacific. This species differs from those hitherto described in the absence of cardinal process and relatively wide outer hinge plates. The genus, represented now by nine species, has a distribution restricted to the Indian Ocean and West Pacific

Braquiópodos recientes del golfo Pérsico y su significación geográfica

Two brachiopod species Discradisca indica (Dall, 1920) and Argyrotheca jacksoni Cooper, 1973, together with Lingula sp., have been identified from the Persian Gulf. These species, added to the two species Terebratulina retusa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Megerlia truncata (Linnaeus, 1767) previously identified by Jackson (1921), and Lingula anatina Lamarck, 1819 by Emig (1988) bring the total to 5 species for the region. The genera Discradisca and Argyrotheca are recorded for the first time from the Persian Gulf. This fauna shows biogeographical affinities to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean faunas. The disjunct geographical distribution of Discradisca suggests this genus is a relict of an ancient Tethyan fauna.Se identificaron dos especies de braquiópodos, Discradisca indica (Dall, 1920) y Argyrotheca jacksoni Cooper, 1973, junto con Lingula sp., en material procedente del Golfo Pérsico. Estas especies, junto con las previamente identificadas por Jackson en 1921, Terebratulina retusa (Linnaeus, 1758) y Megerlia truncata (Linnaeus, 1767), y por Emig (1988), Lingula anatina Lamarck, 1819, elevan a cinco el total de especies reconocidas en la región. Los géneros Discradisca y Argyrotheca se dan a conocer por vez primera en el Golfo Pérsico. Las especies estudiadas muestran una relación biogeográfica con las presentes en el océano Índico y en el mar Mediterráneo. La distribución geográfica disjunta observada del género Discradisca, sugiere que se trata de un género que, presente en el antiguo Tetis, ha logrado sobrevivir sólo en determinados refugios mientras que se ha extinguido en los demás

X-ray microtomography (XMT) of fossil brachiopod shell interiors for taxonomy

The ability to see and understand the three-dimensional structure of an investigated object plays a key role in studying fossil remains. All living organisms are formed in three-dimensions, but unfortunately fossilization processes often reduce overall shape, making it difficult to gather information about real overall appearance, functionality, and inner structure. Here, using a specimen of the brachiopod Tere bratula terebratula we demonstrate a non-destructive technique for exploring the 3-D internal structure of fossil remains. The use of tomography allows the construction of a set of transverse serial sections in the manner used by brachiopod researchers for decades

Au sujet de l'espèce type de Lingularia, et description de Eolingularia n. gen.

Le matériel étudié a été précédemment identifié sous Lingula krausei, récolté dans des blocs erratiques du cap Rozewie (Poméranie, Pologne). Tous les échantillons proviennent des grès glauconieux d'âge cénomanien. Dames (1874) décrit sa Lingula sp. sous L. krausei qui, selon lui, diffère par le contour de la coquille de Lingula truncata. Cette espèce, dédiée à A. Krause, est considérée comme caractéristique du Cénomanien, de même que L. subovalis. Plusieurs espèces nouvelles et de nouveaux genres ont été décrits récemment ou redécrits et comparés à nos spécimens qui ont été finalement décrits et identifiés comme appartenant à Lingularia similis. Selon l'ICZN (1999), l'espèce type L. similis est actuellement synonyme de Lingula krausei. Au sein de la famille Lingulidae, un nouveau genre a été décrit sous Eolingularia avec Lingularia siberica Biernat et Emig, 1993 ; l'extension géologique va du Carbonifère au Trias, en Russie, Chine, Espagne. De possibles synonymies sont discutées.The material under study has previously been identified as Lingula krausei, collected from glacial erratics at Cape Rozewie, Poland. All specimens come from glauconitic sandstone of Cenomanian age. Dames (1874) identified his Lingula sp. as L. krausei which differs in shell outline from Lingula truncata. This species, dedicated to A. Krause, together with L. subovalis, is considered characteristic of the Cenomanian. Several new species and genera have recently been described or redescribed and compared to our specimens, here identified as Lingularia similis. By priority (ICZN, 1999), the type species L. similis is currently synonymized with Lingula krausei. A new genus Eolingularia, within the Family Lingulidae, is here described, with Lingularia siberica Biernat et Emig, 1993, as type species. This new genus ranges from the Carboniferous to the Triassic in Russia, China, and Spain. Possible synonymies are discussed

Miocene brachiopods from the Židlochovice locality, Czech Republic

Miocenní brachiopodi z lokality Židlochovice, Česká republikaV příspěvku jsou prezentovány první nálezy miocenních brachiopodů z lokality Židlochovice (karpatská předhlubeň, Morava, Česká republika), a to ze dvou nových vrtů, ŽIDL1 a ŽIDL2, které byly na této lokalitě provedeny v roce 2010. Byly zjištěny celkem 4 druhy brachiopodů, a to Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), Argyrotheca sp., Joania sp. a Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1790). Vyskytují se poměrně velmi vzácně a v malém počtu jedinců, byli nalezeni zejména ve vrtu ŽIDL2, pouze druh A. cuneata se objevil i ve vrtu ŽIDL1. Všechny zjištěné druhy jsou běžné v miocénu Centrální Paratethydy Miocene brachiopods are reported for the first time from two boreholes, designated as ŽIDL1 and ŽIDL2, drilled in 2010 at the Židlochovice locality (Carpathian Foredeep, Moravia, Czech Republic). Four species, namely Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), Argyrotheca sp., Joania sp. and Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1790), have been identifi ed. They are very rare in the studied material and occur mainly in the ŽIDL2 borehole, only A. cuneata has been found in the ŽIDL1 borehole. All the discussed species are common in the Miocene of the Central Paratethys

New record of Middle Miocene (Badenian) brachiopods from Moravia, Czech Republic

This study presents the new record of brachiopods from the Middle Miocene deposits of the locality of Oslavany, Moravia, Czech Republic. The assemblage contains five species, i.e. Terebratula sp., Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1791), Joania cordata (Risso, 1826), Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), and Platidia sp. Apart from the species J. cordata, that dominates in the studied assemblage, the remaining species are reported for the first time from Oslavany. All species recognized here were already recorded from other localities in the Moravian part of the Carpathian Foredeep. V příspěvku jsou prezentovány nové nálezy brachiopodů ze sedimentů středního miocénu na lokalitě Oslavany, Morava, Česká republika. Soubor zahrnuje 5 druhů, a to Terebratula sp., Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1791), Joania cordata (Risso, 1826), Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), a Platidia sp. Kromě druhu J. cordata, který ve studovaném materiálu dominuje, byly zbývající druhy zjištěny v Oslavanech poprvé. Všechny nalezené druhy jsou již známy z jiných lokalit moravské části karpatské předhlubně.  This study presents the new record of brachiopods from the Middle Miocene deposits of the locality of Oslavany, Moravia, Czech Republic. The assemblage contains five species, i.e. Terebratula sp., Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1791), Joania cordata (Risso, 1826), Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), and Platidia sp. Apart from the species J. cordata, that dominates in the studied assemblage, the remaining species are reported for the first time from Oslavany. All species recognized here were already recorded from other localities in the Moravian part of the Carpathian Foredeep

Glas scientifique pour les bases de données ? Erreurs induites par des manipulations de bases de données et leurs conséquences

References to Terebratulina caputserpentis attributing its authorship to Zbyszewski, 1957, not to Linnæus, 1767, have been found in three recent publications, in the collections of the Muséum National d'Histoire naturelle de Paris and in several online databases. The use in these databases seems to have arisen from WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species), specifically from WBD (World Brachiopoda Database) of which the three authors of this paper are the editors (authors). The page concerning T. caputserpentis (Linnæus, 1767) has been modified by WoRMS staff without the knowledge of these editors (authors). The decrease of the specialists in systematics and their replacement by IT specialists question the scientific reliability of the online databases as well as the specimen labelling in museums. The absence of scientific rigour becomes their Achilles' heel. Several other cases of errors are quoted and developed. In spite of applications to the staff of databases in biodiversity, the situation continued degrading so much so that today these bases are reached by the Peter principle and can no longer be used for scientific requirements, except if verifying all the desired data.La découverte de l'attribution de Terebratulina caputserpentis (Linnæus, 1767) à un autre auteur (Zbyszewski, 1957) nous a conduit à rechercher l'origine de cette citation. Cette espèce est synonyme de T. retusa (Linnæus, 1758), espèce type du genre. Des réferences à T. caputserpentis (Zbyszewski, 1957) ont été trouvées dans trois publications récentes, dans les collections du Muséum National d'Histoire naturelle de Paris et dans plusieurs bases de données en ligne, dont l'origine semble provenir de WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species), donc de la base de données WBD (World Brachiopoda Database) dont les trois auteurs de cette note sont les éditeurs (auteurs). C'est à leur insu que la fiche du synonyme Terebratulina caputserpentis (Linnæus, 1767) a été modifiée par les informaticiens de WoRMS. La diminution du nombre de spécialistes en systématique et leur remplacement par des techniciens informaticiens obligent à revoir la fiabilité des bases de données mises en ligne ou même l'identification des spécimens dans les muséums. L'absence de rigueur scientifique devient leur talon d'Achille. Plusieurs autres cas d'erreurs sont cités et développés. Malgré des interventions auprès des responsables techniques des bases de données en biodiversité, la situation a continué à se dégrader au point qu'aujourd'hui ces bases sont atteintes par le principe de Peter et ne peuvent plus être considérées comme utilisables par la communauté scientifique, sauf à vérifier l'exactitude de toutes les données souhaitées

A SAMPLING STRATEGY FOR RECENT AND FOSSIL BRACHIOPODS: SELECTING THE OPTIMAL SHELL SEGMENT FOR GEOCHEMICAL ANALYSES

Recent and fossil brachiopod shells have a long record as biomineral archives for (palaeo)climatic and (palaeo)environmental reconstructions, as they lack or exhibit limited vital effects in their calcite shell and generally are quite resistant to diagenetic alteration. Despite this, only few studies address the issue of identifying the best or optimal part of the shell for geochemical analyses. We investigated the link between ontogeny and geochemical signatures recorded in different parts of the shell. To reach this aim, we analysed the elemental (Ca, Mg, Sr, Na) and stable isotope (δ18O, δ13C) compositions of five recent brachiopod species (Magellania venosa, Liothyrella uva, Aerothyris kerguelensis, Liothyrella neozelanica and Gyphus vitreus), spanning broad geographical and environmental ranges (Chile, Antarctica, Indian Ocean, New Zealand and Italy) and having different shell layer successions (two-layer and three-layer shells). We observed similar patterns in the ventral and dorsal valves of these two groups, but different ontogenetic trends by the two- and three-layer shells in their trace element and stable isotope records. Our investigation led us to conclude that the optimal region to sample for geochemical and isotope analyses is the middle part of the mid-section of the shell, avoiding the primary layer, posterior and anterior parts as well as the outermost part of the secondary layer in recent brachiopods. Also, the outermost and innermost rims of shells should be avoided due to diagenetic impacts on fossil brachiopods