Contributions à la paleontology du Miocène moyen continental du basin du tage

The lignite-clays of Póvoa de Santarém dated as Upper «Vindobonian» (mammalian zone MN6), fielded abundant remains of animals and plants (spores, pollens, seeds, etc.). The forms identified are indicative of several environments. Plants, either aquatic or belonging to swampy areas are predominant (Nuphar sp., Sparganium sp., Stratiotes kaltennordheimensis, cf. Ranunculus sp.). There are also remains of plants characteristiques of a humid rather than a swampy soil such as Polypodiaceae, Myrica ceriferiformis, Toddalia maii, Spirematospermum wetzeleri. The genera Vitis and Ephedra, although rare, point fowards the existence of drier regions in the neighbourhood. The presence of polens such as Picea indicate the presence at some distance less warm upland forest areas.

Notes sur la géologie et la paleontology du Miocène de Lisbonne

This note deals with the stratigraphical and paleontological study of the Palença section on the southern bank of the river Tagus, Portugal, and specially with its coccolithophorids. Three main lithostratigraphical units may be recognized: the lowest one does correspond to the upper part of COTTER's division II, the intermediate one to divisions III and IV-a, the third corresponding to pratically the whole division IV-b, However other and higher levels are also represented. Higher beds are also represented in the same sections; they are less well exposed and were not studied in detail. Caracterisation of biozones on the basis of Coccoliths so far found at Palença section is difficultsince MARTINI's zones have been defined mainly by forms of Discoaster and other genera that are wanting. However we can recognize that the richest assemblage (from beds 17-18, the uppermost layers of blue clays IV-a) may correspond to NN4. This is not in opposition to the results of the study of planctonic foraminifera, that are characteristic of BLOW's N7. Coccoliths from lower beds do not allow at present any valid comparisons.

Contributions à la paleontology du Miocène moyen continental du basin du Tage; (V) les végètaux de Póvoa de Santarém (note préliminaire)

The lignite-clays of Póvoa de Santarém dated as Upper «Vindobonian» (mammalian zone MN6), fielded abundant remains of animals and plants (spores, pollens, seeds, etc.). The forms identified are indicative of several environments. Plants, either aquatic or belonging to swampy areas are predominant (Nuphar sp., Sparganium sp., Stratiotes kaltennordheimensis, cf. Ranunculus sp.). There are also remains of plants characteristiques of a humid rather than a swampy soil such as Polypodiaceae, Myrica ceriferiformis, Toddalia maii, Spirematospermum wetzeleri. The genera Vitis and Ephedra, although rare, point fowards the existence of drier regions in the neighbourhood. The presence of polens such as Picea indicate the presence at some distance less warm upland forest areas.

Faunule ichthyologique du Lias inférieur de S. Pedro de Muel, Portugal

The material collected in the Lower Liassic beds of S. Pedro de Muel (Portugal) contains some remains of actinopterygian fishes. The most significant elements have been described, and two genera have been recognized. One of them, Furo, is a halecomorph of the Caturidae family, the other one, Proleptolepis, is a teleostean genus belonging to the family Leptolepidae s. str. It is the first record of these two genera in Portugal. This discovery gives new data on the geographical distribution of Furo and Proleptolepis. In the present state of our knowledge, this last genus seems to be restricted to the Sinemurian - Lotharingian.

Les ostracodes du Miocène inférieur de la region de Lisbonne (basin du Tage)

Forty-five species of ostracoda from the Aquitanian of the Lisbon area, belonging in thirty-two genera, are presented. These are the first species belonging to this group reported for the Miocene formations in Portugal. Ostracoda assemblages are typical of fresh water, brackish and marine environments (littoral and inner continental shelf). References are made to the stratigraphically more significant species. Data on the paleoenvironments are also presented. A list of the studied species includes a comparison with their distribution in the Aquitaine and Rhone Miocene basins.

Biogeographic and palaeoclimatic relationships of the Middle Pliocene ichthyofauna of the Samoggia Torrent (Bologna, Italy)

New Middle Pliocene ichthyofauna (2.4-2.2 Ma) from central-eastern Italy (Samoggia Torrent, Bologna) are described. These ichthyolites were found in a rather thin laminated layer that was deposited after the 2.4 Ma climatic crisis. The origin of this deposit, in which 31 taxa have been classified, is to be related to anoxic events on a regional and, probably, supraregional scale. This ichthyofaunistic association, which consists of living genera, is characterized by a clearcut predominance of mesopelagic species. The palaeoclimatic characters of these ichthyofauna indicate subtropical-type waters, while from a palaeobiogeographic point of view there is a close relationship with the present-day Atlantic-Mediterranean bioprovince. The Samoggia deposit has yielded six taxa that are absent or only occasionally present in the Mediterranean: one of these, Spratelloides gracilis, is exclusive of the Indo-Pacific bioprovince.

Primary bioreceptivity of limestones from the mediterranean basin to phototrophic microorganisms

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Doutor em Conservação e Restauro pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Reproducing stone monument photosynthetic-based colonization under laboratory conditions

Science of the total environment 405(2008) 278-285

Biodiversity of cyanobacteria and green algae on monuments in the Mediterranean Basin: an overview

Microbiology (2009), 155, 3476–3490

Biogeographic and palaeoclimatic relationships of the Middle Pliocene ichthyofauna of the Samoggia Torrent (Bologna, Italy)*

New Middle Pliocene ichthyofauna (2.4-2.2 Ma) from central-eastern Italy (Samoggia Torrent, Bologna) are described. These ichthyolites were found in a rather thin laminated layer that was deposited after the 2.4 Ma climatic crisis. The origin of this deposit, in which 31 taxa have been classified, is to be related to anoxic events on a regional and, probably, supraregional scale. This ichthyofaunistic association, which consists of living genera, is characterized by a clearcut predominance of mesopelagic species. The palaeoclimatic characters of these ichthyofauna indicate subtropical-type waters, while from a palaeobiogeographic point of view there is a close relationship with the present-day Atlantic-Mediterranean bioprovince. The Samoggia deposit has yielded six taxa that are absent or only occasionally present in the Mediterranean: one of these, Spratelloides gracilis, is exclusive of the Indo-Pacific bioprovince.

Paleoclimatic and paleobiological correlations by mammal faunas from Southern America and SW Europe

Proceedings of the 1" R.C.A.N.S. Congress, Lisboa, October 1992

Les Périssodactyles (Mammalia) du Miocène de Lisbonne

New data led us to revise Miocene Perissodactyla from Lisbon. Equids (Anchitherium) have been decribed by Alberdi & González (1999); we fully agree with their conclusions. On the other hand, the only Chalicotheriid cannot be clearly reported to any genus. It therefore will be left in open nomenclature Schizorheriinae ind.). The Rhinocerotids have been described in detail (1983). We could recognize now that: Protaceratherium sagicum is a synonym of P. minutum; Plesiaceratherium platyodon and Plesiaceratherium lumiarense should be ascribed to the genus Plesiaceratherium and not to Aceratherium; there are no reasons for name changes as far as the forms previously referred as Diaceratherium aurelianensis, Prosantorhinus germanicus and Hispanotherium matritensis are concerned; as the genera Dicerorhinus and Lartetotherium are distinct, Dicerorhinus (Lartetotherium) sansaniensis has to be named Lartetotherium sansaniensis; as Gaindatherium (Ïberotherium) rexmanueli cannot be reported to Gaindatherium, we therefore upgrade the subgenus Iberotherium to the genus'rank - hence the names of the concerned taxa become Iberotherium rexmanueli rexmanueli and I. rexmanueli zbyszewski; Chilotherium ibericus is but a dental variation of I. rexmanueli zbyszewski. The stratigraphic distribution and age of the Miocene Perissodactyla so far known in the Lower Tagus basin / Lisbon region are presented.

Uppermost Miocene Lamniform Selachians (Pisces) from the Alvalade basin (Portugal)

This paper deals with Lamniform teeth collected in deposits from the Esbarrondadoiro Formation, Alvalade Basin in Southern Portugal. The following genera were recognized: Carcharias, Pseudocarcharias, Alopias, Isurus and Carcharocles. The species Carcharias acutissima is by far the most predominant, all other taxa being rare or very rare. This situation points to neritic, tropical to subtropical, rather shallow waters not far away from the coast. This is corroborated by the rarity of the associated, mainly pelagic, taxa. The ratio between C. acutissima and the remaining Lamniforms as a whole is markedly uneven between Esbarrondadoiro and the localities of Santa Margarida and Vale de Zebro. This suggests quite different environmental conditions, a matter that will require a more thorough examination taking into account all palaeontologic and geologic data.

Os topónimos algarvios na Paleontologia portuguesa

Since the XIX century, Portuguese and foreign geologists have defined 47 new invertebrate taxa (foraminifera, ostracods, coelenterates, brachiopods, gastropods, ammonoids, echinoids), 2 new fossil plant taxa (charophyte and pteridophyte) and 1 ichnofossil, using toponymy from the Algarve; these taxa refer to 1 genera, 47 species and 2 varieties. Besides the Algarve toponym, the most used as specific name, twenty others have been used, mostly from western Algarve; these toponyms are associated to: – Miocene units, particularly from Ribeira de Cacela and Ferragudo; – Cretaceous units between Zavial and Marim; – Upper Jurassic units from Sagres, Carrapateira and Loulé and Middle Jurassic units from Sagres and Guilhim; – Triassic units from Vila do Bispo to Tavira; – Carboniferous units, particularly from the Aljezur-Bordeira-Carrapateira region. The earliest of these designations were attributed to seven gastropods from the Upper Miocene of Cacela (COSTA, 1866-1867). The majority of the named species are typical of the Algarve, but some have been collected, as well, in the Lusitanian Basin. Although extensively cited in the geological literature, some of these taxa either do not fulfill the ICZN rules, or fall into synonymy with previously established taxa, or should be formally considered as non valid names (nomem nudum and nomen oblitum). Only widespread bibliographical review, associated with the palaeontological revision of some of these groups and the correct interpretation of the ICZN articles, will allow confirming, or not, the doubts that have now arisen.

The Sinemurian ammonites of the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal): an example of complex endemic evolutioin

Palaeodiversity 3: 59–87; Stuttgart 30 December 2010