脊椎动物古病理学研究现状及其中国中生代化石记录

中国长江流域沿岸的洞穴和裂隙堆积物中常含有属种丰富的更新世哺乳动物群, 其中小哺乳动物化石由于标本数量多且演化速率快, 因此在第四纪生物地层对比方面具有重要的作用。本文系统研究了产自长江下游南岸的安徽繁昌癞痢山东裂隙的鼠科化石, 包括: Apodemus cf. A. asianicus、Micromys minutus、Chiropodomys cf. C. primitivus、Vandeleuria sp.、Niviventer cf. N. preconfucianus、Leopoldamys sp.、Berylmys cf. B. bowersi 和 Rattus sp., 共计 8 属 8 种, 其中绝灭种和现生种的比例分别为 37.5%和 25%。依据化石属种的形态差异和演化水平, 东裂隙鼠科动物群的性质比安徽繁昌人字洞和重庆巫山龙骨坡都要明显进步, 比湖北建始龙骨洞的鼠科组合也显得稍进步, 兼具早—中更新世的特点, 但更偏向早更新世, 其地质时代很可能为早更新世晚期。此外, 本文还初步建立了长江流域早更新世鼠科动物群的层序, 从早到晚依次为: 安徽繁昌人字洞(距今约 220–256 万年)和重庆巫山龙骨坡(距今约 220–250 万年)—湖北建始龙骨洞(距今约 120–160 万年)—安徽繁昌癞痢山东裂隙(估计距今约 78–120 万年)。

An overview of vertebrate paleopathology and Mesozoic vertebrate paleopathological records of China

Palaeopathology is a relatively new and interdisciplinary subject, involving pathology, biology, physical anthropology, ar-chaeology, and other fields. Over the past few years, more and more Mesozoic vertebrate paleontological records have been studied. Information found on fossilized bones, through the research of destruction, volume change, deformation, hyperplasia and tumor, has attracted increasing attention around the world. Diseases such as fractures, scratches and infections, vertebral fusion, arthritis, and dental disease have been reported in dinosaurs (including aves), squamates, and mammal-like reptiles from China. The current study of specimens with palaeopathological characteristics has more potential for further discussion and research in China. This paper introduces the major research methods and international progress of palaeopathology based on the skeletal palaeopathological records of the Mesozoic vertebrate fossils from China, analyzing the pathogenetic princi-ples, potential behavioral information, and effects of these lesions on animal survival and ecology. An overview of the re-search methods of pathology and potential future directions (e.g., using pathology to study the morphological function and social behavior of vertebrates) is presented.