Faunes ichthyologiques du Néogène Supérieur d’Angola, leur âge, remarques sur le Pliocène marin en Afrique Australe

This note is concerned with fish remains from Upper Neogene beds at Farol das Lagostas (and nearby quarry of SECIL) and Baía Farta, mainly recovered by the author in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1967. For further data see ANTUNES, 1964, pp. 213-215. All the forms identified until now (many of them for the first time) are show in «tableau I». Smaller ones are poorly represented. I. benedeni is provisorily accepted as a distinct species, though it may correspond to a dental morphotype that does exist equally in the extant I. oxyrhinchus (see text): therefore I. benedeni from Farol das Lagostas may after all represent only some dental variations that really belong in the form described as I. cf. oxyrhinchus. The presence of Aprionodon and Hypoprion could not be ascertained: Procarcharodon megalodon, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus benedeni. Galeocerdo cuvieri, and Carcharhinus sp. I and sp. II are specially discussed. The whole fauna does not correspond either to a very shallow and coastal environment, or to deep waters far away from the coast. It clearly points out to warm waters: an acceptable model would be the fauna from the tropical Atlantic between Northern Angola and Senegal-Cape Verde. The age of this fauna was long regarded as Burdigalian. The data formerly presented (ANTUNES, 1963) that allowed us to ascribe a pliocene age to the uppermost Neogene beds of Farol das Lagostas (Neogene III, ANTUNES, 1964) are reviewed and developed in this paper. This view is corroborated by planctonic foraminifera and stratigraphical data which provide further evidence to prove the presence of miocene beds much younger than Burdigalian, and that some deposits previously correlated to this stage have instead a Plio-Pleistocene age. Fish fauna from Farol das Lagostas is very characteristic, with giant P. megalodon in association with C. carcharias (which predominates, and whose stratigraphical distribution is particularly discussed), and with other very advanced forms like the extant tiger shark, G. cuvieri, enormous I. Benedeni, Hemipristis, and Carcharhinus (whose size largely exceeds the maximum observed with miocene material). With the exception of P. megalodon (extinct) all the other forms show very close affinities, or even identity with modern species. Comparisons with very similar faunas from some South African localities that may also have a Pliocene age are also presented.

Faunes ichthyologiques du Néogène Supérieur d’Angola, leur âge, remarques sur le Pliocène marin en Afrique Australe

This note is concerned with fish remains from upper Neogene beds at Farol das Lagostas (and nearby quarry of SECIL) and Baía Farta, mainly recovered by the author in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1967. For further data see ANTUNES, 1964, pp. 213-215. All the forms identified until now (many of them for the first time) are show in «tableau I». Smaller ones are poorly represented. I. benedeni is provisorily accepted as a distinct species, though it may correspond to a dental morphotype that does exist equally in the extant I. oxyrhinchus (see text): therefore I. benedeni from Farol das Lagostas may after all represent only some dental variations that really belong in the form described as I. cf. oxyrhinchus. The presence of Aprionodon and Hypoprion could not be ascertained: Procarcharodon megalodon, Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus benedeni. Galeocerdo cuvieri, and Carcharhinus sp. I and sp. II are specially discussed. The whole fauna does not correspond either to a very shallow and coastal environment, or to deep waters far away from the coast. It clearly points out to warm waters: an acceptable model would be the fauna from the tropical Atlantic between Northern Angola and Senegal-Cape Verde. The age of this fauna was long regarded as Burdigalian. The data formerly presented (ANTUNES, 1963) that allowed us to ascribe a pliocene age to the uppermost Neogene beds of Farol das Lagostas (Neogene III, ANTUNES, 1964) are reviewed and developed in this paper. This view is corroborated by planctonic foraminifera and stratigraphical data which provide further evidence to proove the presence of miocene beds much younger than Burdigalian, and that some deposits previously correlated to this stage have instead a Plio-Pleistocene age. Fish fauna from Farol das Lagostas is very characteristic, with giant P. megalodon in association with C. carcharias (which predominates, and whose stratigraphical distribution is particularly discussed), and with other very advanced forms like the extant tiger shark, G. cuvieri, enormous I. Benedeni, Hemipristis, and Carcharhinus (whose size largely exceeds the maximum observed with miocene material). With the exception of P. megalodon (extinct) all the other forms show very close affinities, or even identity with modern species. Comparisons with very similar faunas from some South African localities that may also have a Pliocene age are also presented.

Age constraints on the late cretaceous alkaline magmatism on the West Iberian margin

Cretaceous Research 30 (2009) 575–586

On the Upper Cretaceous age and affinities of Neocyprideis lusitanicus (Ostracoda)

Guernet & Lauverjat (1986) described a new species, Neocyprideis lusitanicus, from sediments deposited near Aveiro, Portugal. For these authors, some associated fossils (Molluscs, planktonic Foraminifera) indicated a Pliocene age. That seemingly was the first record of Neocyprideis in post-Miocene sediments in Europe. A recent study of Upper Cretaceous material from the same region showed an abundant Neocyprideis fauna, associated with Charophyta. These Neocyprideis could be assigned without any doubt to N. lusitanicus. Therefore, N. lusitanicus appears as an Upper Cretaceous species, reworked in much later sediments, not Pliocene but Quaternary, as indicated by the planktonic Foraminifera assemblage. This interpretation is supported by: 1 - the incompatibility of the Neocyprideis (restricted to lacustrine-lagoonal environments) with abundant planktic Foraminifera; 2 - the occurrence of N. lusitanicus with Charophytes and non marine, cretaceous vertebrates but without the same Foraminifera. Neocyprideis lusitanicus is a valid species, clearly different from the other late Cretaceous species (N. coudouxensis and N. murciensis) as well as the Early Miocene described species (N. aquitanica, N. janoscheki).

The Cristo Rei section (Lower Miocene). Distal fluviatile environments in a marine series, plants, vertebrates and other evidence, age

The section at Cristo Rei shows sandy beds with intercalated clayey lenses (IVb division from the Lisbon Miocene series) that correspond to a major regression event dated from between ca. 17.6 and 17 Ma. They also correspond to a distal position (relatively to the typical fluviatile facies in Lisbon), nearer the basin's axis. Geologic data and paleontological analysis (plant fossils, fishes, crocodilians, land mammals) allow the reconstruction of environments that were represented in the concerned area: estuary with channels and ox-bows; upstream, areas occupied by brackish waters where Gryphaea griphoides banks developped; still farther upstream, freshwaters sided by humid forests and low mountain subtropical forests under warm temperate and rainy conditions, as well as not far away, seasonally dry environments (low density tree or shrub cover, or steppe).

The most Portuguese village in Portugal: tradition in the age of its technical reproducibility

Ethnographic film is often associated with many European countries’ past as colonial powers and the way these countries used film to depict African, American and Asian territories and populations they once ruled. However, ethnographic film also has a European tradition of its own, closely interlaced with the history of ethnography and anthropology as autonomous sciences and with the desire of scholars to represent local, regional and national cultural identities. This paper presents a Portuguese attempt of this sort dating from 1938, when the authoritarian regime organized a national contest to determine which would be Portugal’s most “authentic” village – something other European countries also did. As part of this metonymic contribution to the construction of Portugal’s national identity as an agrarian utopia, a short documentary was shot, sponsored by the same official propaganda office that had organized the contest. In this film, the viewer’s gaze is made to coincide with the one of the national jury visiting the final selection of 12 villages and to whose benefit local scholars had organized all sorts of colourful peasant traditions hoping to cause the strongest impression. The film makes a strong case for the importance of ethnographic film as a relevant instance not only of the iteration of existing European national cultures, but also of the construction of so many of Europe’s national identities and traditions. Suffice to say that even today the village of “Monsanto”, which won the 1938 contest, is still referred to as “Portugal’s most Portuguese village”.

Le pouvoir royal et les villes portugaises au Moyen Age

pp. 15-28

The compliance function in banking: Perspective and future in the age of globalization

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Can the complex mixture of sediment contaminants cause endocrine disruption on a benthic fish? A case study with Solea senegalensis

Pollution in coastal ecosystems is a serious threat to the biota and human populations there residing. Anthropogenic activities in these ecosystems are the main cause of contamination by endocrine disruption compounds (EDCs), which can interfere with hormonal regulation and cause adverse effects to growth, stress response and reproduction. Although the chemical nature of many EDCs is unknown, it is believed that most are organic contaminants. Under an environmental risk assessment for a contaminated estuary (the Sado, SW Portugal), the present work intended to detect endocrine disruption in a flatsfish, Solea senegalensis Kaup, 1858, and its potential relationship to organic toxicants. Animals were collected from two areas in the estuary with distinct influences (industrial and rural) and from an external reference area. To evaluate endocrine disruption, hepatic vitellogenin (VTG) concentrations in males and gonad histology were analysed. As biomarkers of exposure to organic contaminants, cytochrome P450 (CYP1A) induction and the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity were determined. The results were contrasted to sediment contamination levels, which are overall considered low, although the area presents a complex mixture of toxicants. Either males or females were found sexually immature and showed no significant evidence of degenerative pathologies. However, hepatic VTG concentrations in males from the industrial area in estuary were superior than those from the Reference, even reaching levels comparable to those in females, which may indicate an oestrogenic effect resulting from the complex contaminant mixture. These individuals also presented higher levels of CYP1A induction and EROD activity, which is consistent with contamination by organic substances. The combination of the results suggest that the exposure of flatfish to an environment contaminated by mixed toxicants, even at low levels, may cause endocrine disruption, therefore affecting populations, which implies the need for further research in identification of potential EDCs, their sources and risks at ecosystem scale.

In what extent can toy premiums promote healthy eating habits?: A study with school-age children

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Cyberscience 2.0 – research in the age of digital social networks [Michel Nentwich, René König]

Recensão sobre o livro Cyberscience 2.0 – Research in the Age of Digital Social Networks, Frankfurt, Campus Verlag, 2012, 238 pp. ISBN: 978-3-593-39518-0

Adaptation as a part of system resilience. insights from fish producers organizations in Portugal

Complex problems of globalized society challenge its adaptive capacity. However, it is precisely the nature of these human induced problems that provide enough evidence to show that adaptability may not be on a resilient path. This thesis explores the ambiguity of the idea of adaptation (and its practice) and illustrates the ways in which adaptability contributes to resilience of social ecological systems. The thesis combines a case study and grounded theory approach and develops an analytical framework to study adaptability in resource users’ organizations: from what it depends on and what the key challenges are for resource management and system resilience. It does so for the specific case of fish producers’ organizations (POs) in Portugal. The findings suggest that while ecological and market context, including the type of crisis, may influence the character of fishers’ adaptation within POs (i.e. anticipatory, maladaptive and reactively adaptive), it does not determine it. Instead, it makes agency even more crucial (i.e. leadership, trust and agent’s perceptions in terms of their impact on fishers’ motivation to learn from each other). In sum, it was found that internal adaptation can improve POs’ contribution to fishery management and resilience, but it is not a panacea and may, in some cases, increase system vulnerability to change. Continuous maladaptation of some Portuguese POs points at a basic institutional problem (fish market regime), which clearly reduces fisheries resilience as it promotes overfishing. However, structural change may not be sufficient to address other barriers to Portuguese fishers’ (PO members) adaptability, such as history (collective memory) and associated problematic self-perceptions. The agency (people involved in structures and practices) also needs to change. What and how institutional change and agency change build on one another (e.g. comparison of fisheries governance in Portugal and other EU countries) is a topic to be explored in further research.