Los yacimientos de vertebrados pleistocenos a mayor altitud de España se encuentran en el Pirineo Aragonés. Los osos y bucardos fósiles del Pirineo.

Durante el verano de 2015 se realizaron campañas de prospecciones y excavaciones paleontológicas en los Pirineos. Aquí os presentamos una breve reseña con los resultados preliminares obtenidos en dichas campañas.

Los hallazgos casuales de restos fósiles en cuevas pirenaicas por el Centro de Espeleología Aragonés (CEA) durante sus trabajos de prospección espeleológica, estimuló el interés por iniciar la recolección y estudio sistemático de dichos fósiles por parte del Grupo Aragosaurus de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Durante las campañas paleontológicas se han prospectado diversas cavidades situadas en la Sierra de Secús, Barranco Jardín, Los Lecherines, la Sierra de Tendeñera y el Serrato Gallisué. En dichas zonas se han encontrado o se ha confirmado la presencia de ocho nuevos yacimientos paleontológicos, algunos de ellos cercanos a los 2000m, lo que les convierte en los de mayor altitud de España. 

Además se ha continuado la excavación de yacimientos en los que se había trabajado previamente, como en la cueva de la Brecha del Rincón. La realización de estas campañas ha estado bajo la dirección de los aragosaureros Raquel Rabal-Garcés y Víctor Sauqué, además se ha contado con la ayuda otros miembros del grupo Aragosaurus, Diego Castanera, Julia Galán, Carmen Núñez y Gloria Cuenca, de Ricardo García-Gonzalez del IPE (Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología), de Philippe Fosse (CNRS Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) y de los espeleólogos Mario Gisbert (CEA) y Laureano Gómez (Guardia Civil de Montaña). Además este trabajo no hubiera sido posible sin la ayuda del resto de miembros del equipo de espeleología (Sergio Burguete, Jorge Sevil, Gabriel Plana, Jorge Tello, Jorge Burguete, Marcos Pastor, José Ignacio Ansó, Dani Ferrer, José Luis Asensio, José Luis Montañés y Manel Trepat). La campaña del 2015 fue financiada gracias a las becas de investigación del IEA (Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses).

El estudio de los restos faunísticos recuperados en estos yacimientos ha constatado la presencia de numerosos restos de bucardos fósiles (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica), osos pardos fósiles (Ursus arctos) y el antepasado del oso de las cavernas (Ursus deningeri). Además en la cueva de los Bucardos se han recuperado dos esqueletos de bucardo prácticamente completos, estos esqueletos son los más completos a nivel mundial. Por otro lado a partir de dataciones realizadas con C14 se comprobó que tenían una antigüedad comprendida entre los 5500 y 3500 años antes del presente. Otros restos de bucardos fósiles hallados en la misma cueva eran mucho más antiguos entre 50 y 40 mil años. Esta datación nos indica que la presencia de bucardos en el Pirineo oscense es más antigua a la anteriormente propuesta por diversos autores. 

Por otra parte, se ha ampliado el registro de osos del Pirineo con la recuperación de restos de Ursus deningeri (Pleistoceno Medio) en la recientemente descubierta cueva de la Brecha del Rincón y restos óseos de osos pardos (Ursus arctos) en otras cavidades. 

Este trabajo ha sido liderado por Víctor Sauqué, Raquel Rabal-Garcés, Ricardo Gacía-González y Mario Gisbert. El trabajo ha sido publicado en la prestigiosa revista Lucas Mallada y lo podéis encontrar disponible en la página web del IEA (Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses).
http://revistas.iea.es/index.php/LUMALL


“Sauqué, V., Rabal-Garcés, R., García-González, R., Gisbert, M. (2015). Bucardos y osos fósiles del Pirineo: recuperación de restos paleontológicos, catalogación y datación de los yacimientos del Pleistoceno-Holoceno de las cavidades el Pirineo oscense. Lucas Mallada. Revista de Ciencias, (17), 247-289.”

Professor Palaeontology. University Portsmouth

The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences wishes to appoint a
Professor in Palaeontology. The School delivers the only single
honours Palaeontology undergraduate degree in the UK and has an
excellent reputation for its research in this area. Candidates will
have a substantial international research profile as evidenced by
publications in leading journals and a track record of attracting
research funding. You will provide vision and strategic leadership and
develop close interdisciplinary research collaborations with members
of the Biodiversity and Evolution research group which also includes
staff from the School of Biological Sciences
(http://www.port.ac.uk/school-of-earth-and-environmental-sciences/research/biodiversity-and-evolution/). 

We particularly wish to encourage applications from those with
expertise in the use of environmental change proxies to interpret
modern and past environments, and/or cladistics and phylogeny.
Candidates should be passionate about teaching and research, and
possess the appropriate dynamism, expertise and qualifications to
contribute to the academic development of our undergraduate and
postgraduate Palaeontology programme. You will be expected to
enthusiastically integrate your research specialisms into your
teaching, thus contributing to the University's strategy for
research-informed teaching. Responsibilities will also include active
participation in the School’s fieldwork programme (local and
overseas).

Researchers from the School formed an important part of the
University’s submission to REF 2014, with over 70% of our research
outputs in the earth systems and environmental sciences area being
judged to be either world leading or internationally excellent. The
research group has benefitted from substantial investment by the
University in new laboratories and capital equipment. The successful
candidate will have direct access to a wide range of modern analytical
instrumentation, including two new Zeiss Evo SEMs, laser ablation and
solution ICPMS and MC-ICPMS, ICP-OES, XRD, XRF as well as sample
preparation for solid and dissolved samples in a range of dedicated
new and clean labs. In addition, our Institute of Marine Sciences
houses a state-of-the-art aquarium and sea water system for culturing
experiments at a range of conditions. Recent acquisitions of μCT and
X-ray microscope machines within the university offer potential for
advanced imaging and chemical analysis of palaeontological specimens.
All of our facilities benefit from excellent specialist technical
support. The School is committed to gender equality and to obtaining
an Athena SWAN Bronze Award later this year. 

Prospective candidates may wish to seek informal discussions with the
Head of School, Professor Rob Strachan:
e-mail rob.strachan@port.ac.uk
For detailed information about the vacancy, please select this
link:ZZ600886 - Professor of Palaeontology.docx

Virtual Paleontology

We would like to draw your attention to the upcoming Paleontological Society Short Course on 'Virtual Paleontology', which will be held on Saturday 24th September, the day before GSA 2016, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

There will be a wide range of speakers covering topics such as computed tomography, surface scanning, 3-D modeling, and the storage and dissemination of digital datasets. See the following page for full details:

http://paleosoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PS-short-course-2016.pdf

The Short Course will take place in Mile High Ballroom 4AB at the Colorado Convention Center, beginning at 9:00 AM. Attendance is free and registration is not required.

Sorex runtonensis: la última musaraña descrita en Atapuerca

La Sima del Elefante (TE, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, España) es uno de los yacimientos con cronologías más antiguas asociadas al hallazgo de restos humanos en el continente europeo. Junto con técnicas radiométricas más precisas, los pequeños mamíferos han ayudado a datar los niveles más antiguos de TE (7-14) entre hace 1.1 y 1.5 millones de años. Las musarañas (Mammalia, Soricidae) han jugado un rol fundamental en este aspecto, habiendo sido descritas hasta ahora cuatro especies: Asoriculus gibberodon, Beremendia fissidens, Crocidura kornfeldi y Sorex (Drepanosorex) margaritodon.Tenemos el placer de presentar la quinta y última especie de sorícido descrita en el yacimiento: Sorex runtonensis, una musaraña de dientes rojos de amplia distribución en Europa durante el Pleistoceno. Este nuevo hallazgo ha sido publicado en la prestigiosa revista Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, en un artículo liderado por nuestro aragosaurero Juan Rofes (CNRS-MNHN, Paris), en el que han participado también otros componentes del Grupo. Este el primer registro de la especie en la Península Ibérica, de la que se han identificado cerca de 200 ejemplares en el yacimiento.

Una serie de rasgos morfológicos y morfométricos permitieron a los autores asignar los especímenes de TE, primero al grupo runtonensis-subaraneus, y luego a la especie S. runtonensis, distinguiéndolos de las varias otras especies del Pleistoceno de tamaño similar, como Sorex bor, S. prealpinus, S. casimiri, y S. hunsheimensis. La naturaleza polimórfica de S. runtonensis y S. subaraneus no permite una distinción confiable entre ambos. Un estudio morfogeométrico detallado sería necesario para establecer o rechazar una sinonimia, en cuyo caso positivo el nombre S. runtonensis tendría prioridad por ser más antiguo.

Sorex runtonensis habitó en Europa durante todo el Pleistoceno y posiblemente hasta los inicios del Holoceno, como población relicta en Polonia. La especie alcanzó su apogeo durante el Pleistoceno Temprano, extendiéndose desde Rusia occidental hasta el norte de la Península Ibérica. La muestra de TE es de esta época y los especímenes presentan algunos rasgos primitivos propios del Pleistoceno Temprano. Esto concuerda con la asociación de pequeños mamíferos de edad pre-Jaramillo (>1.1 Ma) que domina la Unidad Faunística 1, la más antigua de todo el registro fósil de Atapuerca.

La especie S. runtonensis, del Paleártico occidental, ha sido propuesta como representante de biotopos en mosaico, con tendencia a la aridez y la apertura, por su semejanza con la reciente S. tundrensis, del Paleártico oriental. A la luz de esto, y dada la alta proporción relativa del taxón en el yacimiento, las reconstrucciones paleoambientales hechas hasta ahora para los niveles más antiguos de TE deberán revisarse para presentar un panorama más diverso ecológicamente de lo que hasta ahora se había supuesto.

La cita completa es:
Rofes, J., Moya-Costa, R., Bennàsar, M., Blain, H.-A., Cuenca-Bescós, G., 2016. Biostratigraphy, palaeogeography and palaeoenvironmental significance of Sorex runtonensis Hinton, 1911 (Mammalia, Soricidae): First record from the Iberian Peninsula. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 459: 508-517. DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.07.021

Link Internet: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018216302760

Postdoctoral position on Biotic consequences of temperature-related stresses across temporal scales

We seek a motivated and talented researcher for a Postdoc position in
the DFG-funded project on “Biotic consequences of temperature-related
stresses across temporal scales (TRS-data)”. The position is temporary
for 36 months (TV-L E13) and is anticipated to start in November 2016.
Place of work is the GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander
University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.

This project is one of eight projects embedded in the interdisciplinary,
multi-institutional Research Unit FOR 2332 TERSANE: Temperature-Related
Stresses as a Unifying Principle in Ancient Extinctions. The research
unit combines high-resolution geological field studies with
meta-analyses, physiological studies and sophisticated analysis of
fossil occurrence data on ancient hyperthermal events to reveal the rate
and magnitude of warming, potential causes, impact on marine life, and
the mechanisms which led to ecological change and extinction.
Geochemistry, analytical palaeobiology and physiology comprise our main
toolkits. More information on TERSANE is available at:
https://www.gzn.fau.de/palaeoumwelt/projects/tersane 

The successful candidate will be involved in (1) meta-analyses
on the synergetic effects of warming, ocean acidification, and hypoxia
on the performance of extant marine organisms; (2) the analysis of
primary fossil occurrence data to evaluate the physiological and
biogeographic selectivity of the end-Permian and Early Jurassic
extinctions; (3) the assessment of ancient rates of climate and
environmental changes from local sections and global data considering
the effects of temporal scaling; and (4) integration of research
findings in individual projects to evaluate the commonality of patterns
and eco-physiological selectivity of extinctions as visible in paleo-
and extant data. Applicants are expected to participate in the weekly
informal seminar, annual workshops and international summer schools with
others members of the research unit.


Mandatory requirements are:

·         PhD degree in geosciences or biology

·         Profound background in paleobiology

·         Advanced knowledge of statistics and R programming

·         Ability to work as part of a team

·         Fluent in English

Desirable are:

·         Background in invertebrate palaeontology

·         Experience in meta-analyses

Please submit you application in electronic form (including curriculum
vitae, list of publications, research statement; keyword "TRS-data") by
11 Sep 2016 to

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kiessling (chair)

E-mail: Wolfgang.kiessling@fau.de 

Nuevas icnitas de dinosaurios del Barremiense en Teruel

  Los aragosaureros acabamos de publicar un nuevo artículo sobre unas varios yacimientos icnitas de dinosaurios de la Formación Mirambel en el entorno de Ladruñán (Teruel). Es la primera vez que se describen icnitas en esta formación que permiten documentarlas en facies transicionales del Barremienses ibérico

La publicación forma parte de un volumen de la revista New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. El volumen está dedicado el periodo Cretácico y lleva por título: "Cretaceous Period: Biotic Diversity and Biogeography". A lo largo del mismo pueden verse trabajos sobre temáticas muy variadas, desde trabajos más sedimentológicos a otros paleontológicos sobre grupos tan variados como ostrácodos, forminíferos, crustáceos, nanoplancton calcáreo etc.

Los vertebrados y dinosaurios ocupan una parte importante del volumen y hay varias publicaciones sobre material de la Península Ibérica. Por nuestra parte, hemos aportado nuestro granito de arena con una publicación sobre los yacimientos de icnitas de dinosaurios de la Fm. Mirambel, descubiertos en las campanas de prospección del año 2011.  De esta forma hemos descrito nuevas huellas de dinosaurios atribuidas a alguno de los principales grupos: terópodos, ornitópodos y saurópodos.

El modo de conservación es variado, las hay en forma de contramoldes, huellas verdaderas, subhuellas, algunas de las icnitas tienen una conservación excelente como la de terópodo de la fotografía. Es de destacar que los yacimientos con icnitas de la Fm. Mirambel están dominados por huellas de terópodos mientras que los yacimientos con restos osteológicos de la misma formación están dominados por ornitópodos, siendo los restos de terópodos muy escasos.

La referencia completa es: Castanera, D., Martínez-Díez, I., Moreno-Azanza, M. Canudo, J.I., Gasca, J.M. 2016. An overview of the Lower Cretaceous dinosaur tracksites from the Mirambel Formation in the Iberian Range (NE Spain). New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Cretaceous Period: Biotic diversity and Biogeography. Khosla, A., Lucas, S.G. (eds.), 71, 65-74.



Os dejamos el resumen

Up to now, the ichnological vertebrate record from the Barremian Mirambel Formation (NE Spain) has remained completely unknown despite the fact that osteological findings have been reported in recent years. Here we provide an overview of 11 new dinosaur tracksites found during a fieldwork campaign in the year 2011. The majority of these tracksites (seven) preserve small- to medium-sized tridactyl tracks here assigned to indeterminate theropods. Only one footprint presents enough characters to classify it as Megalosauripus isp. Ornithopod tracks identified as Caririchnium isp. and Iguanodontipodidae indet. and sauropod tracks are recorded at two tracksites. The footprints are preserved in a variety of paleoenvironmental conditions and thus display different kinds of preservation (true tracks, shallow undertracks, natural casts and undertrack casts). The ichnological record from the Mirambel Formation seems to be theropod dominated. This is a clear discrepancy with the osteological record identified in this formation, which shows a predominance of ornithopod dinosaurs.

Assistant Director of the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota

 The Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology invites applications for an Assistant Director. The Museum of Geology consists of two distinct but interrelated components: the public museum, and the James E. Martin Paleontology Research Lab. The successful candidate will be responsible for the overall administrative duties associated with the public floor of the Museum of Geology. These duties include managing the gift shop, gift shop accounts, and 10-12 student workers. This position also is responsible for managing museum operating budgets and making all purchases for the gift shop and museum, which includes both product and advertisements. In addition to hiring and managing student workers, this position may oversee volunteer workers. This position also maintains museum exhibits and coordinates marketing and educational outreach for the museum.

A bachelor’s degree in Geology or related field is required. Knowledge of geology and paleontology at a level to assist visitors and train student workers is required. Bookkeeping skills to keep records on museum budgets, placing orders, making purchases, inventory and pricing museum store stock, and keeping the cash register functioning properly also are required, as is the ability to work with the media relations office to design promotional materials and keep the Museum of Geology webpage up to date. 

Established in 1885, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a science and engineering research university located in Rapid City, South Dakota. South Dakota Mines is a public university offering bachelor\'s, master\'s, and doctoral degrees in engineering and science. Known for our academic rigor, we maintain a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Our students benefit from immersive learning experiences including undergraduate research, co-ops/internships, and numerous nationally competitive engineering teams. Our graduates have a 98% placement rate and an average starting salary of over $63,000. Our Research Programs are concentrated in four areas: energy and environment; materials and manufacturing; STEM education; and underground science. South Dakota Mines is a growing university that enrolls over 2800 students from 47 states and 46 countries.

Rapid City is in the Rushmore Region of South Dakota. The state\'s second largest city (with an urban population of 72,638 and metropolitan population of 141,431) is nestled at the foot of the beautiful Black Hills. Mount Rushmore, the Badlands National Park and Crazy Horse Memorial are all within an hour of the University. Rapid City enjoys a relatively mild climate and offers year-round recreational opportunities, including, hiking, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, fishing, and hunting, to name a few. For more information about South Dakota Mines and Rapid City, visit: www.sdsmt.edu and http://visitrapidcity.com/.

South Dakota Mines is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package including paid medical and life insurance for our employees, as well as medical, dental and vision coverage for spouses and dependents; retirement plans; paid holidays; and a generous vacation and sick day allowance. Individuals interested in this position must apply online at http://www.sdsmt.edu/employment. Human Resources can provide accommodation to the online application process and may be reached at (605) 394-1203. Review of applications will begin July 29, 2016, and will continue until the position is filled. Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Postdoctoral Position: The interplay between Global Climate, Monsoons dynamics and the India-Asia collision

The Institute of Earth and Environmental sciences offers to join an interdisciplinary and international group of PhDs, postdocs and researchers focusing their expertise on solving one of the most fascinating question of Earth Sciences today: the interplay between global climate evolution, monsoonal dynamics and the India-Asia collision during the still enigmatic Paleogene greenhouse to icehouse transition.

This project is in the framework of the European Research Council (ERC) project MAGIC: “Monsoons in Asia caused Greenhouse to Icehouse Change?”

The primary goal will be to collect and identify fossil pollen assemblages from exceptional well-dated sedimentary archives from Central Asia and the Tibetan Plateau. The samples that you will work with are expected to contain a Laurasian flora ranging from humid to arid assemblages. Central to your research will be to record mountain uplift, sea retreat, aridification and monsoonal intensification as well as major global climate events such as the Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) or the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM).

The palynologic database produced will be used to reconstruct of past environments and geographies to ultimately calibrate geochemical, biomarker and sedimentologic proxies, to establish paleobiogeographies as well as constrain climate and vegetation models in collaboration with other scientists involved in the project.

Employment could start on October 1, 2016.

The position is for 40 hours of work per week (100 %). The salary is determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TV-L 13; Ost). This is a temporary position limited to a term of 24 months in accordance with Section 2 Para 1 of the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Law (WissZeitVG).

Desired skills and experience

PhD degree in Earth and/or Environmental Sciences or associated fields
Independent research experience after their PhD
Expertise in paleo-palynology (or be willing to extend on basic knowledge)
Additional expertise in climate and vegetation proxies and modeling will be appreciated

Applicants should send their application materials, including CV, interest letter and email address of 2 referees by 19.07.2016 at the latest, either by mail to Universitaet_Potsd-id5xzp5-873291@jobs.researchgate.net ) with the subject line,

“Postdoctoral Position: The interplay between Global Climate, Monsoons dynamics and the India-Asia collision“

More information can be found here:

http://potsdam-earthscience.de