On the footsteps of Théodore Monod: biogeographical and ecological implications of an insect assemblage from the hottest spot on earth (in central Lut Desert, SE Iran)

We present the entomological results of a geological and biological exploration in the Lutdesert, performed in 2014 by the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and AtmosphericSciences (INIOAS) and the University of Tehran. Five localities were sampled, including theone considered as the the hottest spot on Earth. They yielded 15 insect taxa belonging to Blat-todea, Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Heteroptera, suggesting that in spite of being originally de-scribed as “abiotic” or “aphytic”, the Lut desert shelters a diverse insect fauna with someremarkable elements such as the endemic desert cockroache Leiopteroblatta monodi. Compar-ison with results obtained by Franco-Iranian expeditions in the sixties and seventies revealsseveral taxa in common, but also striking differences in the composition of the insect assem-blages, suggesting that the insect fauna in the Lut desert is potentially much more diverse thanpreviously expected.

NEW DATA ON THE HERD COMPOSITION IN THE MIDDLE AND LATE BRONZE AGE OF NORTHWESTERN CRIMEA

The paper deals with the results of an archeo-zoological study of bone materials from a num- ber of newly discovered settlements in Northwestern Crimea (Tarkhankut-Н2, Tarkhankut-Н8, Tarkhankut-18 and Tarkhankut-22а). According to the available archaeological evidence and ra- diocarbon determinations obtained on bone remains from cultural layers and semi-closed assem- blages, the materials in question belong to the early stage of the Babino culture (Tarkhankut-18, Tarkhankut-22а) and to the Sabatinovka (Tarkhankut-Н2, Tarkhankut-22а) and Belozerka (Tarkhankut-Н8, Tarkhankut-18) cultures. In addition, the Tarkhankut-22а settlement yielded some Early Iron Age materials. Altogether, 1211 bones were studied, and 284 of them proved to be identifiable. An attempt is made to consider the herd composition in its dynamics: during the final stage of the Middle Bronze Age the herd was heavily dominated by cattle, followed by small ru- minants, while the percentage of horse remains was insignificant. The Late Bronze Age witnessed an increase in the numbers of small ruminants, and the presence of horse became perceptible in the final of the Bronze Age. The authors compare their data with the information available for the Middle and Late Bronze Age settlements of Crimea and the synchronous cultures of the North Black Sea region. The analyzed materials point to the existence of pastoral stockbreeding with stone architecture represented by livestock enclosures.

Biostratigraphic significance of the tetrapod assem¬blages of the Timan- North Urals region and adjacent areas

New and specified data on the composition of the Triassic tetrapod assemblages of the Timan-North Urals region, the Mezen syneclise and the eastern part of the Moscow syneclise have been given. The succession of the Triassic tetrapod communities known in this area includes eight assemblages, seven of which correspond to the contemporary communities of the terrestial vertebrates known from other regions of the East European platform and the Cisurals. The first assemblage, known from the basal Triassic of the Mezen and Moscow syneclises, is Early Induan in age. The second, third and fourth assemblages are dated by Early Olenekian age and typical for the middle part of the Early Tri-assic section of the Timan-North Urals region, the Mezen and Moscow syneclises. The Late Olenekian fifth and sixth assemblages characterize the upper part of the Lower Triassic of the Northern Cisurals, the Moscow and Mezen syneclises. The seventh assemblage characterizes the base of the Middle Triassic (Lower Anisian) of the Northern Cisurals and has no analogues in other regions of the platform and of the Cisurals. The eighth assemblage is known from the upper part of the Middle Triassic of the Northern Cisurals and is Late Ladinian in age.

Den digitale dobbeltgænger

Today, many practices related to security, safety, welfare and even entertainment are based on gathering and using personal data. is article argues that this kind of surveillance, often labeled dataveillance, entails the production of ‘data doubles’, which act as proxies for the individual. Using the concepts of surveillant assem- blages and oligoptica the article interprets data doubles as 1) produced by networks, 2) fragile, and 3) limited in scope. is line of thought implicates empirical interest in the production and purpose of speci c and het- erogeneous data doubles rather than assuming an a priori critical attitude to the nature and function of these.

Evolution of small valley mire in central Poland as a result of hydroclimatic oscillations

This paper demonstrates the results of analyses of Cladocera, pollen, plant macrofossil, lithological and radiocarbon data recovered from a mire located in the Rawka River valley in central Poland. These studies permit to recognise the development of hydrology phases in Kopanicha mire and give insight into Holocene fluvial dynamics of the system; radiocarbon dating partly allowed da-ting of the patterns of Holocene valley floor development of the Rawka River. The Kopanicha mire was formed during the Atlantic period. At that time, an oxbow lake formed, becoming a mire during the Subboreal and possibly Subatlantic periods. The high sensitivity of the oxbow lakes, fens, fauna, and flora remains to climate variations - especially to changes in water level connected with the ag-gradation-erosion cycle of rivers - allows the reconstruction of the palaeoecological changes that oc-curred in the mire. The frequency and timing of hydroclimatic oscillations at Kopanicha show strong similarities to records from other sites in Poland. Changes in Cladocera frequency and plant assem-blages were mostly influenced by the Rawka River which controlled the hydrological regime of the mire. The main factors controlling the presence of Cladocera taxa were the water level and the pres-ence of favourable conditions in the mire (e.g. pH, vegetation). Most of the changes occurred in re-sponse to climate changes, but some of them were connected with local factors.

Amphibolitic rocks from the Precambrian of Grand Canyon: mineral chemistry and phase petrology

SummaryThe amphibolites and mafic schists that occur in the Precambrian metamorphic rocks of the Grand Canyon are divided into five major groups: anthophyllite and cordierite-anthophyllite rocks, early amphibolites, Granite Park mafic complex, hornblende-beating dykes, and tremolite-bearing dykes. Many types of amphibole occur in these rocks. Microprobe analyses identify gedrite, anthophyllite, cummingtonite, and grunerite, as well as three groups of calcic amphiboles. These last range in composition from colourless tremo-litic or actinolitic amphiboles, through pale-green horn-blende, to strongly pleochroic green-brown hornblende, which contains a significant proportion of the tscherma-kite and pargasite endmembers. Phase relationships between the coexisting amphiboles and other minerals are presented for two regional metamorphic events. Assem-blages containing chlorite, garnet, and hornblende were formed during the first event; from the absence of staurolite, but the presence of almandine garnet and oligoclase-andesine, it is concluded that the metamorphic grade was between the upper greenschist and the lower amphibolite facies. The second period of metamorphism produced rocks of the staurolite and sillimanite zones, within which three main ‘subfacies’ can be distinguished on the basis of phase relationships in the mafic schists.

Upper Devonian miospores from the Escuminac Formation, eastern Québec, Canada

Miospores of early Frasnian age are described from the third unit of the Escuminac Formation in eastern Québec, Canada. The assemblage comprises 34 species, including 8 species proposed as new, 2 new combinations, and 12 sparsely represented forms not considered synonymous with previously described species.The assemblage is most closely comparable to a Middle Devonian assemblage from the Orcadian Basin, Scotland. Similarities are also noted with European and Russian assemblages, particularly from the Eifelian–Givetian of the Russian Platform. Except for five long-ranging species, elements of Lower Carboniferous assemblages are lacking. Evidence suggests a transitional nature for this Escuminac assemblage. Miospores of relatively large size, a feature of Middle Devonian assemblages, are present. Marked differentiation of large and small spore types, found in several other Upper Devonian assem blages is absent. Apiculate and anchor-spined species dominate the Escuminac assemblage.