Castor fiber na gruta do Caldeirão Existência, distribuição e extinção do castor em Portugal

Beaver only had been found in Portugal in a Chalcolithic locality, the Vila Nova de S. Pedro castrum. It has now been idenrified in the Upper Paleolithic (Solurrean) from Gruta do Caldeirão, near Tomar. The species has been found recently at «Gruta do Almonda»; 4 teeth were collected in bed C, older than a Solutrean sequence (see Anexo for details). The species seems to have been rare, as it was also the case with portuguese miocene Castoridae Enroxenomys minutus and Chalicomys jaegeri. If account is taken of the presence in the Middle Ages until Castille of words meaning beaver (related to the popular latin Fiber/Biber), it is obvious that these animals still existed then. Such nouns were largely predominant over the rather erudite larin (greek derived) words as Castor, -óris and derived ones, as it could be expected. This allowed us to recognize that veiro should be the corresponding word with Fiber affinities in archaic portuguese. It was previously supposed to mean only expensive furs then imported into Portugal. Indeed it was also a zoonym. Anyway, beaver should be scarce by XIIIth century since it is not included in the quite detailed price list imposed by the «Lei da Almotaçaria» from December 26, 1253 (see Quadro II). Toponyms in veiro and derived words (fig. 2; Quadro III) (plural, feminines, diminutives, inhabited places) give a restrictive view of the Middle Age distribution. Some of them are certainly older than Portugal itself (first half of XIIth century); others existed by the XIVth century but were probably older. Some rare toponyms seem to be derived from rhe erudite latin Castor, -óris. Nothing suggests that these words were still in use as zoonyms during the Middle Ages. All toponyms are located in regions near rivers and other freshwaters ecologically suitable for beavers, so wecan approximately retrace irs former, Middle Age distribution in Portugal (fig. 2; Quadro III). Most of them are located in the Center-West and Northwest of Portugal, with a suitable c1imate (rainfall in general over 800 milimeters per year); the only sure geographical exception is Veiros, in Alto Alentejo province, in a region with comparable precipitations and less dry climare conditions than most of the territories South of the Tagus. There are less and less of these toponyms towards the South and the inner part of the country, and they are enrirely lacking in ali drier regions from Trás-os-Montes, Beira, Alentejo beyond Tagus' basin, and in Algarve. Nothing suggests beavers lived there, No pose-medieval toponym is known, nor any reference after middle XVth century. No such locality was at, or close by to, any frontier. Hence the hypothesis of veiro (e: al.) as meaning but points where expensive furs(supposedly known as veiros in general but without clearly saying from what animal they were obtained from) is to be discarded. During the Middle Ages, beaver distribution concerned all the main river basins from Minho to Tagus ones. Quice racefied in the XIIIth, the beavers may have disappeared from Portugal during the XVth century. Ecological requirements restricted their former distribution. Vulnerability to natural causes (i.e., severe drought) and to human pressure may have accounted heavily for this species extinction. Last (1446) reference for Portugal known to us suggests the species was by then almost extinct.

Palinomorfos ante-cenomanianos do «Grés do Buçaco» (Lousã, Portugal) *

The palynological study of sediments from lower levels of Lousã basin (Lomba do Alveite Arkoses). is presented. The palynological association includes several species of Appendicisporites and Cicatricosisporites, Costatoperforosporites sp., Ischyosporites teixeirae, Pattelasporites tavaredensis, Echinatisporis sp., Spheripollenites perinatus, Tricolpopollenites sp. and Retitricolpites maximus. The presence of the last two forms, and the absence of Normapolles, suggest an ante-Cenomanian, most probably Albian age for the assemblage. From these results, the begining of the infilling of the Lousã basin, is, at least in part, synchronous with the deposition of the «Grés Grosseiro Inferior» from the Occidental portuguese Basin. The presence of Lower Cretaceous sediments directly overlying the Paleozoic basement, hence outside of the Occidental Portuguese Basin,is shown for the first time.

Rupicapra rupicapra (Mammalia) In the Late Pleistocene of Portugal

The presence of the genus Rupicapra in Portugal is shown for the first time, on some dental and skeletal remains from the upper Pleistocene (Solutrean) of Salemas cave. The fossil material may be ascribed to R. rupicapra pyrenaica.

Nouvelles espèces d'ostracodes du miocène du bassin du Tage (Portugal)

Twelve new species of miocene ostracoda from the Tagus basin (Portugal) are described. Paleoenvironments concerning each of these species are given.

Paleolítico médio e superior em Portugal: datas 14C, estado actual dos conhecimentos, síntese e discussão

New radiocarbon measurements were obtained from middle and upper Paleolithic sites currendy under research by the CEPUNL, in well defined stratigraphical situations. With other dates, they yield an approximative chronological global view. Measurement dístribution in function of time does not seem to be an hazardous one. ln the actual status of our knowledge, this distribution seems to fit in some assemblages: (a) 14000 to 15000 BP, Solurrean ; (b) about 20 000 BP, Solurrean ; (e) area 25 000 BP, already Solurrean, and slightly older than 26 000 BP, still Mousterian ; (d) between 29 000 and 31 000 BP, Mousterian. The persistance of Mousterian much later than its acknowledged upper limit at about 34 000 BP (and hence the survival of its neanderthalian authors) is demonstrated. For the first time it has been possible to ascertain the upper time limit of the marine 5-8 metres raised beach (Tyrrhenian III) at Serra da Arrábida, and also the age of archaeological sires wirhout srone arrifacts, or with uncharacteristic ones. The obtained measurements allow us to correlate localities and sedimentary units with last glaciation events. There seems to have been a distinct correlation between cave and shelter human occupation and events marked by the worsening of climate.

Surveillance technology and strategy for management of Portugal's EEZ

EEZ International, Summer 2003, p. 43-47

Quaternary elephants in Portugal: new data

In this paper, a synopsis on the already known data, and the study of further specimens either new (*) or hither to undescribed are presented. The specimens dealt with have been collected at the Condeixa travertines; in the Tagus terraces near Carregado(*) and at Foz do Enxarrique(*); in the mousterian, about 31000 BP infilling from the Figueira Brava cave(*); and at Algar de Joao Ramos(*). Some specimens are ascribed to Elephas antiquus, the best represented form. Material from Figueira Brava cave and Algar de João Ramos is ascribed to Mammuthus primigenius, a species recognized here for the first time in Portugal.

Présence de Cuon alpinus europaeus BOURGUIGNAT, 1868 (Mammalia, Carnivora) dans le Pléistocène du Portugal

A fragment of the lower jaw of cuon (Cuon alpinus europaeus BOURGUIGNAT, 1868) found at gruta do Escoural is studied. It is the first occurrence recorded for the Pleistocene of Portugal.

Contributions to the Eocene palaeontology and stratigraphy of Beira Alta, Portugal II - New Late Eocene mammalian remnants from Coja (Portugal) and the presence of Palaeotherium magnum Cuvier

The presence of Palaeotherium magnum in the fauna from Coja is recorded. It is well in agreement with the earlier reporting to the Montmartre level from the Ludian stage. Field data as well as compatibility with the remaining taxa and the identical fossilization of all the specimens indicate that all the vertebrate fossils come from the same horizon in the lithostratigraphic unit "Arcoses de Côja".

Contributions to the Eocene palaeontology and stratigraphy of Beira Alta, Portugal III - Eocene plant remains from Naia and Sobreda (Beira Alta, Portugal)

The result of research conducted in trunk fragments from the Coja Arkoses Formation at Naia and Sobreda is reported. It is also reported the palynological study of the lutaceous black level surrounding the Naia trunk. Comparisons with trunks from Nave de Haver are established. Comments on palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology are presented.

The Transversarium-Bifurcatus Zone boundary at Rocha (Peral area, East-Central Algarve, Portugal)

This paper represents the first detailed study of the Transversarium-Bifurcatus Zone boundary in the Algarve. The boundary studied in the Peral area is associated with a stratigraphic discontinuity, whose hiatus partially affects the Transversarium-Bifurcatus Zones. A discontinuity was also recognized in the Bifurcatus-Birnammatum Zone boundary, which can be correlated with the traces of a Type II unconformity, which separates cycles 4.3-4.4 in HAQ et al. (1987), present on the South Iberian palaeomargin. An analysis was made of the ecostratigraphic evolution in the interval between the uppermost Transversarium Zone and the lower part of the Bimammatum Zone on the basis of the faunal spectra obtained. We conclude that ammonites are the most tolerant cephalopods to the ecological stress caused by the increase of inflows and the decrease of the shelf's ecospace. Benthic fauna decreased considerably in these conditions. A relatively abundant and diversified fauna ofDichotomoceras is noteworthy among the ammonites collected, as this genus was previously little known in the Algarve.

Mapping and characterization of a green biofilm inside of Vilar de Frades Church (Portugal)

Vilar de Frades church is integrated in the Vilar de Frades Monastery, located in the North part of Portugal (Barcelos). The monastery, founded in 566, suffered several architectural modifications and restoration works, the most relevant was in the XVI century. The church, in granite, has one nave and six bays,holding ten chapels with vaults of crossed ribbings. Nowadays, the chapels present a severe biological colonization characterised by an intense green biofilm, which becoming apparent in other locations inside the church. In the course of a general survey concerning the conservation state of the church, an accurate campaign was planned in order to assess the main biodeterioration agents, map biological colonization and determine the environmental conditions. Laboratory analyses were accomplished with optical microscopy and spectrofluorometry. This study presents the results of this campaign. Details on conservation or preservation works that need to be implemented are also presented.

Bio and magnetostratigraphy of two Lower Miocene sections, Tagus basin (Portugal)

The magnetostratigraphy of two sections in early Miocene marine deposits of the Tagus Basin is studied. Thermal demagnetization was used to isolate the primary component of magnetization for 45 samples from the Foz da Fonte section, and for 74 others from Trafaria section. The succession of the polarity zones found in these sections is tentatively correlated with the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) on the basis of the biostratigraphic data yielded by planktic Foraminifera. The planktic zones and magnetic polarities recognized in these sections can be adequately correlated with the part of the GPTS [table calibrated by BERGGRENET al. (1985)] corresponding to the Anomalies 6 and 5E (Foz da Fonte) and 5D (Trafaria). This correlations suggests ages between 19,35 and 18,14 Ma for Foz da Fonte section, and 17,90 to 16,98 Ma for Trafaria.

Le gisement de Asseiceira, Portugal (Miocène supérieur) Données complémentaires sur Freiria de Rio Maior

A new upper Miocene locality at Asseiceira (Rio Maior), near the top of the "Calcários de Almoster e Santarém" unit (Almoster and Santarém limestones) is studied. Animal and plant fossils are described. Comparisons are drawn to other localities related to the same unit: Freiria and Azambujeira (middle and upper levels, both with large mammals). Small mammals from Asseiceira and Freiria point out to a rather old age amidst the upper Vallesian, MN 10 mammal-unit. This gives a fairly accurate datation for the "Calcários de Almoster e Santarém" and for the short time span of the corresponding sedimentation. Climate was warm and quite dry, with contrasting seasons and arid events. During upper Vallesian times, climate in Iberian Peninsula was varied but drier than in France, and specially so in the inner basins. However in Portugal and in Catalonia climate would he less different in comparison with that of the Rhône basin. Environmental evolution has been important: at Freiria and Azambujeira (middle level) there were mainly shallow lacustrine environments that received ressurgence waters from the nearby "Maciço calcário". Humid areas were closely surrounded by dense forests and these by broader and drier savanna or steppe areas. Still later, carbonate sedimentation ended. For some time there was still a river system with oxbows; humid areas probably were decreasing in favour of surrounding, rather dry environments. This study stressed the nced for revision of the geology of the region of Rio Maior and for a new geological mapping of that area. Environmental evolution has been important: at Freiria and Azambujeira (middle level) there were mainly shallow lacustrine environments that received ressurgence waters from the nearby "Maciço calcário".