scholarly journals Mollusc Shells from Neolithic Contexts in the Lake Eyasi Basin, Northern Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 1086-1101
Author(s):  
Musa S. Mwitondi ◽  
Albert S. Mjandwa ◽  
Pastory M. Bushozi
Keyword(s):  
Settlement Patterns ◽  
Food Supplement ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Great Role ◽  
Mollusc Shell ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Northern Tanzania ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Archaeological Excavations ◽  
Mollusc Shells

The study of the Neolithic period in the Lake Eyasi Basin was dominated by attempts to formulate the area’s chronology, mobility, settlement patterns, subsistence, and cultural capabilities of Neolithic people as attested by domesticated animals, pottery, and lithic artefacts. Occasionally, studies on molluscs were mentioned, but rarely described in detail. Neolithic sites across the Lake Eyasi Basin have yielded remains of both terrestrial (gastropods) and freshwater mollusc shells (mussels). The abundance of mollusc shell remains in the archaeological records of the Lake Eyasi Basin have played a great role in chronological settings, mobility and community integrations, studies of settlement patterns, and other analyses. Mollusc remains have often been widely interpreted as a food supplement to other reliable food resources such as meat, vegetables and fish. Archaeological excavations and detailed analysis of the shells from Mumba rock shelter, Jangwani 3 and Laghangasimjega 2 have shown that molluscs played different roles. They were effectively used in tool manufacturing, as practical implements for handling objects, as scraping tools, as harpoons for fishing weapons, and sometimes for symbolism and in rituals. Terrestrial and freshwater molluscs coexisted in the Lake Eyasi Basin and were utilised equally by the Neolithic people during the Mid-Holocene period. Keywords: Mollusc shells; Neolithic; Lake Eyasi Basin; Northern Tanzania

scholarly journals A re-evaluation of the occurrence of freshwater molluscs in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K.N. De Kock ◽  
C.T. Wolmarans
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Mollusc Species ◽  
Trematode Parasites

Most of the previous records of the freshwater molluscs from the Kruger National Park date back prior to and up to 1966. On account of several droughts between 1966 and 1995 it was decided to do a survey of the freshwater mollusc population in 1995 to evaluate the effect of these droughts. The traditional mollusc intermediate hosts were also screened for trematode parasites to establish whether or not they were infected. No infected molluscs were found. Eight of the 19 species reported up to 1966 were not found during the 1995 survey. Three new mollusc species were collected in 1995. The consequences of the drought are clearly visible when the species diversity found in the dams in the 1995 survey, is compared to what was previously recorded.

The age of the Hartman moraine and the Campbell beach of Lake Agassiz in northwestern Ontario

1982 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 1933-1937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Nielsen ◽  
W. Brian McKillop ◽  
James P. McCoy
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Hard Water ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Effect ◽  
Lake Agassiz ◽  
Red Clay ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Northwestern Ontario ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc

Fluctuations in the level of Lake Agassiz are dated at two sites in northwestern Ontario. A radiocarbon date on a modern shell sample indicates dates on freshwater molluscs from the area are about 440 ± 100 years (GSC-3281) too old due to the hard-water effect. An adjustment of 400 years to two fossil freshwater mollusc dates of 11 400 ± 410 (GSC-3114) and 10 400 ± 100 years BP (GSC-2968) makes them compatible with radiocarbon dates on wood from deposits in other parts of the Lake Agassiz basin. The two new dates indicate the beginning of the low-water Moorhead Phase of Lake Agassiz started about 11 000 years BP. The high-water Emerson Phase started when the water level rose to form the Upper Campbell beach approximately 10 000 years BP. The red clay widely distributed throughout northwestern Ontario was deposited during the Emerson Phase when the ice margin lay along the Hartman, Dog Lake, and Marks moraines.

scholarly journals Rezultati arheološke prospekcije 2017. godine na prahistorijskom lokalitetu Butmir i njegovo stanje danas / Results of the archeological prospection on the site of Butmir from 2017

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-48
Author(s):  
Adnan Kaljanac ◽  
Dženan Brigić
Keyword(s):  
Modern Architecture ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Cultural Layer ◽  
National Monument ◽  
Iron Slag ◽  
Cultural Layers ◽  
The University ◽  
Archaeological Excavations

Preventive archaeological excavations on the national site Butmir continued during 2017 with the same goal, to determine the actual area of distribution of the archaeological potential on the site. These excavations have been conducted on the area around Hotel Hills, by a consortium consisting of the Institute of Archaeology at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Sarajevo and the Association “Društvo arheologa 1894” (Association of Archaeologists 1894). The implemented methods of research were the same as for the previous excavation, which combined machine-dug and hand-dug test trenches. Bore holing was also used to determine the depth of geological and potential archaeological layers, which would serve as a basis for getting clearer and wider results on the distribution of archaeological potential. Using the listed methods, there have been excavated 32 machine-dug test trenches whose length goes from 3 to 20 m, 3 hand-dug test trenches, and 7 boreholes. It has been determined that cultural layers from the ancient and prehistoric periods exist between 0.60 and 0.90 m. In trenches 1-6 there have been found a significant amount of pottery and traces of metallurgy from the prehistoric period. Trench number 3 provided the most significant results – a large amount  of pottery and one bowl with remains of iron slag. Trenches 6 to 15 showed a deeper cultural layer and potential settlement layer which resulted in excavating hand-dug trenches with specifically prehistoric remains that have been reliably determined to the Neolithic period. Nevertheless, the national monument Butmir is not the same as at the time of discovery, and the area for potential new archaeological excavations has been significantly shrunk because of modern architecture and infrastructure. Having that in mind, previous excavations have determined that the present Neolithic Butmir settlement contains findings from an area excavated during the Austro-Hungarian period and a smaller part of the marginal area of the Neolithic tells where the central part of the settlement has been found.

Prehistoric Cyprus: fieldwork and research, 2003–2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 81-108
Author(s):  
Angelos Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Settlement Patterns ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Detailed Survey ◽  
The Bronze Age

The aim of this overview is to present a detailed survey of the major fieldwork and relevant research on the Neolithic and Bronze Age of Cyprus that took place between 2003 and 2020. This presentation is not meant to be exhaustive, as almost two decades of excavations, surface surveys and publications cannot be covered fully in a review of this length. The following discussion is divided geographically and chronologically, starting with the Neolithic period and moving through to the end of the Bronze Age. It focuses on settlement patterns, aspects of chronology and the roles of mining and seafaring, via fieldwork, conferences, research projects and their subsequent publications.

The freshwater molluscs of Serbia: Annotated checklist with remarks on distribution and protection status

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5003 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-64
Author(s):  
VANJA MARKOVIĆ ◽  
VUKAŠIN GOJŠINA ◽  
BORIS NOVAKOVIĆ ◽  
MILENKA BOŽANIĆ ◽  
KATARINA STOJANOVIĆ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Danube River ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Melanoides Tuberculata ◽  
Invasive Biology ◽  
Regional Trends ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Mollusc Species ◽  
Local Endemic ◽  
Annotated Checklist

We present a checklist of 86 valid freshwater mollusc species of Serbia (65 gastropods and 21 bivalves) belonging to 19 families (15 gastropods and four bivalves). The list is based on our latest research and includes data from published sources and personal communications. The most diverse family among gastropods is Planorbidae (16 species), while Sphaeriidae are most diverse within the bivalves (10 species). Ten species are local endemics (all of them gastropods), while eight are introduced species (three gastropods and five bivalves). The Danube River and its smaller tributaries harbour the most diverse gastropod community, with a total of 61 species (41 gastropods and 20 bivalves). The snail Theodoxus transversalis (Pfeiffer, 1828) and the bivalve Unio crassus Philipson, 1788 are listed as EN (endangered) on the global (IUCN) level, while the snail Plagigeyeria gladilini Kuščer, 1937 and the bivalves Pseudanodonta complanata (Rossmässler, 1835) and Sphaerium rivicola (Lamarck, 1818) are considered as VU (vulnerable) species. Of those IUCN taxa, only U. crassus is listed as protected on the national level (along with 12 mostly local endemic gastropod species). In comparison with the previous checklist of gastropods by Karaman & Karaman (2007), a total of seven species are added here: Belgrandiella serbica Glöer 2008, Bythinella istoka Glöer & Pešić 2014, B. nonveilleri Glöer 2008, B. pesterica Glöer 2008, Acroloxus lacustris (Linnaeus, 1758), Melanoides tuberculata (O.F. Müller, 1774) and Armiger crista (Linnaeus, 1758). In view of global and regional trends in taxonomy, ecology and invasive biology, an even richer diversity of the Serbian freshwater malocofauna can be expected.  

scholarly journals Freshwater mollusc diversity in the Kruger National Park: a comparison between a period of prolonged drought and a period of exceptionally high rainfall

Koedoe ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
K.N. De Kock ◽  
C.T. Wolmarans ◽  
L.H. Du Preez
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Freshwater Snail ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Prolonged Drought ◽  
Positive Effect

Most of the previous records of the freshwater molluscs from the Kruger National Park date back to 1966 and earlier. On account of several droughts between 1966 and 1995, a survey was done in 1995 to evaluate the effect of these droughts on the mollusc population. As a result of extensive rainfall between 1995 and 2000 another survey was conducted to establish the effect of a period of exceptionally high rainfall on the species’ diversity of the mollusc population. With the exception of three habitats, an increase in mollusc diversity was recorded for all the other habitats previously surveyed. One of the invader freshwater snail species, Aplexa marmorata, collected in only one habitat in 1995, was found in seven habitats located mainly in the south during the 2001 survey. Another interesting finding was that juvenile specimens of Lanistes ovum, of which large specimens were present prior to 1966 but none found in 1995, were present in the Sirheni Dam in 2001. From this study the positive effect of the high rainfall on the species’ diversity is highly evident.

scholarly journals The current status of freshwater molluscs in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.T. Wolmarans ◽  
K.N. De Kock
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Current Survey ◽  
Mollusc Species ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Alien Invader

Surveys regarding the freshwater mollusc population of the Kruger National Park commenced before 1966 and was repeated in 1995, 2001 and recently in 2006. During this period the park was exposed to several droughts as well as floods, all of which could have had some influence on the various habitats in the park. Industrial developments and urbanisation near some of the major rivers outside the park, but which flow through the park, could also have a detrimental effect on the species diversity of the freshwater molluscs. The recent survey in 45 habitats included several dams and rivers. The survey was done to determine the current status of the mollusc species diversity. By comparing it with previous surveys, an attempt was made to establish the overall health of freshwater mollusc habitats. From the results it is clear that there was a drastic decrease in the mollusc species diversity in five of the habitats. Although there was a slight change in the species composition in some of the major rivers there was no difference in the number of species collected in these habitats. Tarebia granifera, an alien invader mollusc, was found in several rivers and dams. Gyraulus costulatus, Melanoides victoriae and Eupera ferruginea, which could not be found during the survey of 2001, were collected during the current survey.

scholarly journals Freshwater molluscs of the Zrmanja and Krupa Rivers (Croatia) – the role of these rivers as a refuge of threatened and endemic species

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luboš Beran
Keyword(s):  
Endemic Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Underground Waters ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Distributional Information ◽  
Mollusc Species ◽  
Balkan Region ◽  
Mollusc Assemblages

The Balkan region is inhabited by hundreds of endemic species of freshwater molluscs but the information on their distribution, as well as that on the distribution of more common and widespread species, is still insufficient; most areas have no complete inventories of their mollusc faunas. The Zrmanja is one of the largest rivers in the Adriatic part of Croatia. Its freshwater molluscs were studied in the last decade, resulting in a substantial body of distributional data. The main objective of this study was to summarise and analyse the recent distributional information on its freshwater molluscs, with special reference to endemic or threatened species. In total 33 freshwater mollusc species were found in the Zrmanja River and its tributaries at 73 sites. The middle section of the Zrmanja River and its largest tributary, the Krupa River, were the richest studied parts. Dalmatinella fluviatilis Radoman, Tanousia zrmanjae (Brusina) and Islamia zermanica Radoman, endemic to the Zrmanja catchment area, were found in the middle and lower sections of the river. Their occurrence is scattered and limited in area; T. zrmanjae is probably on the verge of extinction. The occurrence of the endemic Belgrandiella kusceri (Wagner), Hadziella sketi Bole and Kerkia sp. in springs or underground waters and an abundant population of Unio elongatulus C. Pfeiffer in the Zrmanja and Krupa Rivers is also noteworthy. The area can be regarded as an important part of the Balkan region, one of world’s hotspots of global biodiversity. Although it is protected, there are still anthropogenic factors that are negatively affecting or may affect the mollusc assemblages.

scholarly journals Species diversity and distribution of freshwater molluscs of Javakheti Highlands (Republic of Georgia)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ani Bikashvili ◽  
Nino Kachlishvili ◽  
Levan Mumladze
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Republic Of Georgia ◽  
Rrna Sequence ◽  
16S Rrna Sequence ◽  
Freshwater Molluscs ◽  
Freshwater Mollusc ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
The Republic ◽  
First Time

The diversity and distribution of freshwater molluscs is poorly studied in the Republic of Georgia, due to the scarcity of field studies during the last 50 years. Here, we present the results of the first concerted investigation of freshwater mollusc biodiversity in the Javakheti Highlands, in the southern, mountainous region of Georgia. In total, we were able to collect 22 species from 42 sampling localities, including different kinds of freshwater habitats. Amongst the 22 collected species, 12 were recorded for the first time from Javakheti. From the newly-recorded species, Bathyomphalus contortus is a new country record, whose identity is supported by 16S rRNA sequence data.

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