Excavations in caves in northern Spain have revealed hominin fossils that range in age from the early Pleistocene to the Holocene.The caves are in the Sierra de Atapuerca.
One site was found to contain the world’s largest collection of Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils, from at least 28 individuals4 dated to over 300,000 years ago.
The DNA has baffled scientists as the bones share a number of morphological features with fossils classified as Homo heidelbergensis and also show distinct Neanderthal-derived traits. This Sima de los Huesos hominin seems closely related to the lineage of Denisovans, an eastern Eurasian sister group to Neanderthals, from southwest Siberia.
The fossils were found in the 1990s but this news only came out in Dec 2013.
Info from Nature letter.See another write up in Nature .
December 22, 2013
December 14, 2013
Brazil cave snail Habeas
In Brazil, a new genus of snails has been found in a limestone cave threatened by quarrying. Three new species were found and Luiz Ricardo Simone of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo has named the genus Habeas.
One of the snails is Habeas corpus. A Habeas corpus in legal terms is a writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or into court, mainly to investigate lawfulness of his restraint.
In the case of the snail it is an attempt to conserve the cave and surroundings from quarrying. The cave is in the Caatinga, which is a type of desert vegetation, in Bahia, northeast Brazil.
See photos on this snail blog .
Reference:
Simone, L.R.L. (2013). Habeas, a new genus of Diplommatinidae from Central Bahia, Brazil (Caenogastropoda), with description of three new species. — Journal of Conchology 41: 519–525.
Abstract.
One of the snails is Habeas corpus. A Habeas corpus in legal terms is a writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or into court, mainly to investigate lawfulness of his restraint.
In the case of the snail it is an attempt to conserve the cave and surroundings from quarrying. The cave is in the Caatinga, which is a type of desert vegetation, in Bahia, northeast Brazil.
See photos on this snail blog .
Reference:
Simone, L.R.L. (2013). Habeas, a new genus of Diplommatinidae from Central Bahia, Brazil (Caenogastropoda), with description of three new species. — Journal of Conchology 41: 519–525.
Abstract.
Cave invertebrates in Texas on endangered species act
The news items describes how 3 species of cave invertebrates in a cave in Texas have had their habitat saved, by being listed on the Endangered Species act. This is important news for caves/cavers worldwide.
Also it is relevant in our fight to save Gunung Kanthan in Malaysia from being destroyed by Lafarge. Kanthan hill and cave are home to endemic species, in particular the trapdoor spider Liphistius kanthan. See also letters to the media.
The Texas news item can be seen on Commondreams.org , 22 Oct 2013. I've reproduced it here in case the original source goes.
“Protecting aquatic habitat for these tiny animals will help safeguard the special natural history of Texas for generations to come,” said Tierra Curry, a conservation biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
The animals — Comal Springs riffle beetles, Comal Springs dryopid beetles and Peck’s cave amphipods — were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1997, after which the Center and allies filed a series of lawsuits to gain protected habitat for the animals, including subsurface areas.
The habitat areas set aside for the animals overlap, consisting of 39 acres of surface habitat and 139 acres of subsurface habitat for the Comal Springs dryopid beetle; 38 surface acres and 138 subsurface acres for the Peck’s cave amphipod; and 54 acres of protected surface habitat for the Comal Springs riffle beetle.
All three of the freshwater invertebrates are found nowhere in the world except four Texas springs, where they are threatened by groundwater pumping from the Edwards Aquifer.
Groups that filed suit to gain habitat protection for the species were the Center for Biological Diversity, Citizen’s Alliance for Smart Expansion and Aquifer Guardians in Urban Areas.
Also it is relevant in our fight to save Gunung Kanthan in Malaysia from being destroyed by Lafarge. Kanthan hill and cave are home to endemic species, in particular the trapdoor spider Liphistius kanthan. See also letters to the media.
The Texas news item can be seen on Commondreams.org , 22 Oct 2013. I've reproduced it here in case the original source goes.
Rare Cave-dwelling Creatures in Texas Hill Country Gain Protected Habitat Under Endangered Species Act
SAN ANTONIO - October 22 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized “critical habitat” protection today for three rare invertebrates in Comal and Hays counties, Texas. The designation protects 169 acres of habitat for the cave-dwelling animals, which include two beetles and a crustacean. The protected habitat includes subsurface areas that scientists have identified as critical to the animals’ survival.“Protecting aquatic habitat for these tiny animals will help safeguard the special natural history of Texas for generations to come,” said Tierra Curry, a conservation biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
The animals — Comal Springs riffle beetles, Comal Springs dryopid beetles and Peck’s cave amphipods — were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1997, after which the Center and allies filed a series of lawsuits to gain protected habitat for the animals, including subsurface areas.
The habitat areas set aside for the animals overlap, consisting of 39 acres of surface habitat and 139 acres of subsurface habitat for the Comal Springs dryopid beetle; 38 surface acres and 138 subsurface acres for the Peck’s cave amphipod; and 54 acres of protected surface habitat for the Comal Springs riffle beetle.
All three of the freshwater invertebrates are found nowhere in the world except four Texas springs, where they are threatened by groundwater pumping from the Edwards Aquifer.
Groups that filed suit to gain habitat protection for the species were the Center for Biological Diversity, Citizen’s Alliance for Smart Expansion and Aquifer Guardians in Urban Areas.
November 12, 2013
Chobar & Mahendra caves, Nepal
In 1987 I went to Nepal for the first time. There are not many caves in Nepal, but one of the most famous is just outside Kathmandu. This is Chobar Cave in a gorge of the same name.
Chobar village is about 9 km southwest of Kathmandu. The village overlooks the Bagmati River. The Jal Binayak temple is at the mouth of the Chobar Gorge and you can cross the Bagmati River here. The suspension bridge was made in Scotland more than 100 years ago.
There are various legends about the gorge and caves. One legend says the chasm was cut by Manjushri's sword (Manjushree).All the water from Kathmandu Valley drains through this gorge.
The main cave is/was called Sparrow Pigeon Cave
This is a 1997 view of the entrance, and you can see a bird flying in the entrance.Since my visit, a team of French cavers mapped the caves in 2007.
At the time I was in Nepal, the only show cave was Mahendra Gupha. Mahendra Gupha is located north of Pokhara, the area is known as Batulechaur. I don't have any photos of the cave, but this is one of Mahendra Gorge
The cave was electrically lit but there were only half a dozen lights so I was glad of my torch. The cave is about 240 m long with 2 entrances. The main one has steps leading down to a wide arch. The main passage runs north-south and ends in breakdown. The cave is developed below coarse conglomerate and is horizontal. There is a stream on the left of the main passage.
In 1979 according to Gebauer the roof was covered with stalactites but none remain - they've all been sold. There are 2 small Siva linga. The 2nd entrance is small and muddy. The cave was rather disappointing.
There are some photos of Mahendra Cave here. The area is interesting geologically, as it is carbonaceous Holocene conglomerates, not real limestone!
Refs:
GEBAUER, H Daniel (1983) CAVES OF INDIA AND NEPAL, 166p.
PRICE, Liz (1988) Cave hunting in Nepal. Cerberus Spel. Soc. Vol 17, No 6, p93-94.
Chobar village is about 9 km southwest of Kathmandu. The village overlooks the Bagmati River. The Jal Binayak temple is at the mouth of the Chobar Gorge and you can cross the Bagmati River here. The suspension bridge was made in Scotland more than 100 years ago.
There are various legends about the gorge and caves. One legend says the chasm was cut by Manjushri's sword (Manjushree).All the water from Kathmandu Valley drains through this gorge.
 |
| Chobar Gorge |
The main cave is/was called Sparrow Pigeon Cave
At the time I was in Nepal, the only show cave was Mahendra Gupha. Mahendra Gupha is located north of Pokhara, the area is known as Batulechaur. I don't have any photos of the cave, but this is one of Mahendra Gorge
The cave was electrically lit but there were only half a dozen lights so I was glad of my torch. The cave is about 240 m long with 2 entrances. The main one has steps leading down to a wide arch. The main passage runs north-south and ends in breakdown. The cave is developed below coarse conglomerate and is horizontal. There is a stream on the left of the main passage.
In 1979 according to Gebauer the roof was covered with stalactites but none remain - they've all been sold. There are 2 small Siva linga. The 2nd entrance is small and muddy. The cave was rather disappointing.
There are some photos of Mahendra Cave here. The area is interesting geologically, as it is carbonaceous Holocene conglomerates, not real limestone!
Refs:
GEBAUER, H Daniel (1983) CAVES OF INDIA AND NEPAL, 166p.
PRICE, Liz (1988) Cave hunting in Nepal. Cerberus Spel. Soc. Vol 17, No 6, p93-94.
November 9, 2013
Rising Star Expedition, Johannesburg South Africa
News of a new expedition to look for human ancestor fossils in South Africa -
The Rising Star Expedition will be delving into a cave of the same name outside Johannesburg in South Africa. They will try and recover recently found fossils that are thought to be of a possibly new hominid species.
See reports
Rising Star Expedition launched from University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 6 Nov 2013
Excavation of Human Ancestor Fossils Begins in South African Cave in National Geographic Daily News, 6 Nov 2013.
In recent years new finds mean that the earlier thoughts on hominid/human evolution are being revised. See the Georgia hominid skull report.
You can follow the expedition progress here .
*************
2015 update on the finds, see my blog Homo naledi, a new species of human ancestor from South Africa .
The Rising Star Expedition will be delving into a cave of the same name outside Johannesburg in South Africa. They will try and recover recently found fossils that are thought to be of a possibly new hominid species.
See reports
Rising Star Expedition launched from University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 6 Nov 2013
Excavation of Human Ancestor Fossils Begins in South African Cave in National Geographic Daily News, 6 Nov 2013.
In recent years new finds mean that the earlier thoughts on hominid/human evolution are being revised. See the Georgia hominid skull report.
You can follow the expedition progress here .
*************
2015 update on the finds, see my blog Homo naledi, a new species of human ancestor from South Africa .
October 20, 2013
New hominid skull from Georgia
In October 2013 it was announced that a complete hominid skull had been discovered in Georgia.
From The Guardian , 17 October:
The discovery of a complete hominid skull and other fossil remains in Dmanisi, Georgia, suggests that the earliest members of the Homo genus – currently split into half a dozen distinct species – actually belonged to a single species: Homo erectus. These early human ancestors probably just had a wide range of physical appearances, say researchers in the journal Science. The skull is 1.8m years old and has a small braincase, a long face and large teeth, a combination of features not previously seen in other early Homo fossils.
Click on the above link to see a short video.And read more on this link.
The skull, along with stone tools and animal bones have been dated at 1.8 myo. This fossil is the only intact skull ever found of a human ancestor that lived in the early Pleistocene. Bones were found from five individuals. Animal bones include those from now extinct large cats.
The bones are said to be early forms of Homo erectus, the early relative of modern humans. Now it seems that they left Africa earlier than previously thought.
Abstract from Science 18 Oct 2013 - A Complete Skull from Dmanisi, Georgia, and the Evolutionary Biology of Early Homo .
From The Guardian , 17 October:
The discovery of a complete hominid skull and other fossil remains in Dmanisi, Georgia, suggests that the earliest members of the Homo genus – currently split into half a dozen distinct species – actually belonged to a single species: Homo erectus. These early human ancestors probably just had a wide range of physical appearances, say researchers in the journal Science. The skull is 1.8m years old and has a small braincase, a long face and large teeth, a combination of features not previously seen in other early Homo fossils.
Click on the above link to see a short video.And read more on this link.
The skull, along with stone tools and animal bones have been dated at 1.8 myo. This fossil is the only intact skull ever found of a human ancestor that lived in the early Pleistocene. Bones were found from five individuals. Animal bones include those from now extinct large cats.
The bones are said to be early forms of Homo erectus, the early relative of modern humans. Now it seems that they left Africa earlier than previously thought.
Abstract from Science 18 Oct 2013 - A Complete Skull from Dmanisi, Georgia, and the Evolutionary Biology of Early Homo .
June 21, 2013
Logging and deforestation
I'm posting this here as it is important news.
Nasa: Malaysia sees 115% jump in deforestation
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia saw a 115% increase in deforestation during the first three months of 2013, according to a forest tracking tool developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) researchers.
Malaysia's figure was the highest among five countries where deforestation was detected, followed by Nepal (114%), Mexico (92%), Argentina (72%), and Madagascar (51%).
Nasa's Quarterly Indicator of Cover Change, a satellite-based tool that underpins environment watchdog Mongabay.com's Global Forest Disturbance Alert System, noted the jump earlier this month.
Christopher Potter, a senior research scientist at the Nasa Ames Research Center, told the environment watchdog that Malaysia has a deforestation hotspot on the western coastal area of Perak.
"Many areas in Sarawak have been detected with forest cover change over the past two years," Potter, told The Star Online.
Perak DAP head Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham revealed that there had been many complaints of logging in the Manjong district of Perak, including Segari and his own Parliamentary constituency of Beruas.
"The logging is carried out at odd hours in the middle of the night, which is very suspicious. However, we don't know if it's illegal. I cannot verify the legality of this timber logging, so I cannot lodge a police report," he told The Star Online.
Ngeh, who is also Sitiawan assemblyman, said that he had tried to raise the issue during the state assembly sitting, but he and other Opposition assemblymen had "hardly been given time" to ask their questions.
He said he would bring it up in Parliament.
"However, (Perak Mentri Besar) Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir has to answer this question. Is this logging legal or not?" he said.
Zambry and Perak state government exco member Dr Muhammad Amin Zakaria could not be reached for comment.
The World Bank had previously estimated that trees in Malaysia are being cut down at roughly four times the sustainable rate.
The Malaysian Nature Society expressed concern over the statistics, and promised to review the information.
"We will cross-reference with our sources on the ground... We are and remain opposed to the clearing of any natural forests in Malaysia," said MNS communications head Andrew Sebastian.
Read:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)