International symposium

Evolution and Paleoenvironment

of Early Modern Vertebrates

during the Paleogene

In the framework of the PalEurAfrica network research project (see http://www.paleurafrica.be), we are happy to invite you to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) for an international symposium on the evolution and paleoenvironment of early modern vertebrates. This symposium will gather specialists who work on macro- and micropaleontology, bio- and isotope stratigraphy, paleoenvironment, paleogeography, and geology of Paleogene vertebrate bearing sites.

This international meeting will also celebrate the memory of one of our PalEurAfrica partners, Gregg Gunnell (1954 – 2017), who died tragically and unexpectedly in the middle of his career, having made significant contributions to our understanding of Paleogene vertebrate evolutionary history.

The meeting will take place in the conference rooms of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, located in the center of the city of Brussels next to the European parliament. (http://www.naturalsciences.be).

Please find more information about how to reach the RBINS here.

As we are united by a common scientific interest – Paleogene vertebrates and their environments – talks shall be presented unopposed in a single venue, the main auditorium (150 seats) of the RBINS.

At least three invited speakers will be scheduled for plenary sessions. Prof. Dr. Hesham M. Sallam from Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center is scheduled for a conference on recent results from research into the Paleogene vertebrate faunas of the Fayum depression, Egypt.

The Chief Editor of the international journal Geobios, Dr. Gilles Escarguel, offered us the opportunity to publish papers dedicated to the general theme of the PalEurAfrica congress in a thematic volume (i.e., part of the regular series of the journal). There are no fees if the rules are respected. Eight to twelve papers are needed to edit the volume. The submission deadline is set at December 31, 2019. After a complete review the volume is estimated for printing Autumn 2020.

Authors instructions are available on:
www.journals.elsevier.com/geobios.

An icebreaker party will take place on the evening of September 10th 2019 in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

A congress dinner will be organized, for which the price should be limited to 35 EUR.

A guided tour of the RBINS exhibitions will be organized during the meeting.

A second visit of exhibitions will be organized at the renovated Royal Museum for Central Africa (Tervuren), which is only at 14 km from RBINS.

Richard Smith & Thierry Smith (Leaders) – Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium.

Ninety five percent of the persons who returned the completed pre-registration form marked their intention to attend the field trip. Therefore, after requesting permission for access, we are happy to announce that we will visit the vertebrate localities of Maret (middle Paleocene, MP1-5), Dormaal (earliest Eocene, MP7), and Hoogbutsel-Boutersem (early Oligocene, MP21) in eastern Belgium.

Outcrop section at Boutersem-TGV in the early Oligocene Boutersem Sand Member of the Borgloon Formation (MP-21).

Outcrop section at Maret with the marls of Gelinden sandwiched between the middle Paleocene Heers Formation (MP1-5) and the late Paleocene Hannut Formation.

The sunken path of Dormaal along which the fluvial deposits of the earliest Eocene Tienen Formation are exposed (MP7).

Annelise Folie (Curator of paleontology collections) – Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium.

Of the 38 million specimens housed at RBINS three millions are in the paleontology division (http://collections.naturalsciences.be/). Among these are famous Paleogene collections, such as the mammals of Hainin and Dormaal (European MP reference levels), the Thanetian champsosaurs of Erquelinnes, the Ypresian crocodiles, turtles, and birds, Casier’s Lutetian sharks, and Leriche’s Rupelian fishes. For access to collections, please contact annelise.folie@naturalsciences.be.

Skeleton of Champsosaurus dolloi Sigogneau-Russell, 1979 from the latest Paleocene (Thanetian) of Erquelinnes.

Leaf imprint of Quercus loozi Saporta and Marion, 1877 from the middle Paleocene (Selandian) Heers Formation of Gelinden.

Lectotype dentary of primate Teilhardina belgica (Teilhard de Chardin, 1927) from the earliest Eocene (Ypresian) of Dormaal.

Skull of carangid fish Belgocaranx luypaertsi Taverne et al, 2006 from the early Oligocene (Rupelian) of the Boom Clay.