Paramesopsocidae,a new Mesozoic psocid family (Insecta: Psocodea “Psocoptera”: Psocomorpha)

Paramesopsocus lu n. gen., n. sp. and Paramesopsocus adibi n. sp. are respectively described from the Early Cretaceous amber of Lebanon and from the Late Jurassic limestone of Karatau (Kazakhstan). They are placed within the suborder Psocomorpha, and in the Mesozoic extinct family Paramesopsocidae n. fam. A cladistic phylogeny for Psocomorpha is given including our fossil taxa. The discovery of these new taxa demonstrates the necessity of a deep cladistic redefinition of the currently admitted major subdivisions of this suborder.     

福建禾口盆地早白垩世禾口组的类三角蚌：兼论Trigonioididae的分类

讨论Trigonioididae的分类和记述产于福建宁化禾口盆地下白垩统禾口组的Trigonioides(s.s.)elegans sp.nov., Trigonioides(s.s.) quadratus Gu et Ma.这两种的主要区别在于Tri-gonioides (s.s.) elegans sp.nov. 的前部壳面放射脊精致且由壳顶延伸至前缘附近,但Trigoni-oides (s.s.) quadratus Gu et Ma的前部壳面放射脊多隐伏或消失.化石产出层位可能与朝鲜南部霞山洞组相当.     

Protist-like inclusions in amber, as evidenced by Charentes amber

The mid-Cretaceous amber of France contains thousands of protist-like inclusions similar in shape to some ciliates, flagellates and amoebae. The sheer abundance of these inclusions and their size variation within a single amber piece are not concordant with true fossil protists. French amber is coniferous in origin, which generally does not preserve well protists without cell walls. Thus, it would be surprising if French Cretaceous amber had preserved millions of protists. Here, we present a survey of the protist-like inclusions from French amber and attempt to elucidate their origins.Diverse Cretaceous ambers (from Spain, Germany and Lebanon), also derived from conifer resins, contain thousands of protist-like inclusions. In contrast, Tertiary ambers and modern resins are poor in protist-like fossils. This suggests these inclusions originated from early Cretaceous plant resins, probably secreted with the resin by trees that did not survive after the Cretaceous (such as the Cheirolepidiaceae). A review of the recent literature on amber microfossils indicates several protist-like inclusions that are unlikely to have a biological origin have already been described as real fossil protists. This is problematic in that it will bias our understanding of protist evolution.     

Smithian (Early Triassic) ammonoids from Tulong, South Tibet

Intensive sampling of the Tulong Formation in South Tibet has facilitated the construction of a highly-resolved middle and late Smithian ammonoid succession. The new biostratigraphical sequence comprises the middle Smithian Brayardites compressus beds, Nammalites pilatoides beds, and the Nyalamites angustecostatus beds followed by the late Smithian Wasatchites distractus beds and Glyptophiceras sinuatum beds. This faunal succession correlates very well with that of other Tethyan sequences such as the Salt Range (Pakistan), Spiti (India), Oman and South China. The Smithian faunal sequence from Tulong contains several taxa with broad geographic distribution (e.g., Owenites, Paranannites spathi, Shigetaceras, Wasatchites), thus enabling correlation with faunal successions from areas outside the Tethys (e.g., USA, British Columbia, Arctic Canada, South Primorye, Siberia). Early Smithian ammonoid faunas are almost absent in Tulong because of a preservation bias (absence of carbonate rocks). Five new ammonoid genera (Brayardites, Nammalites, Nyalamites, Shigetaceras, Tulongites) and six new species (Brayardites crassus, Brayardites compressus, Prionites involutus, ?Subflemingites compressus, Tulongites xiaoqiaoi, Urdyceras tulongensis) are described.     

PISIDIIDAE FROM EARLY CRETACEOUS HEKOU FORMATION OF HEKOU BASIN, NINGHUA, FUJIAN

This paper describes three new species of Pisidiidae, Pisidium (P.) zhushutangense, Sphaerium(S.) pyrum and Sphaerium (S.) fujianense, assoeiated with very abundant Plicatounio (P.) naktongensis Kobayashi et Suzuki, Plicatounio (P.) fujianensis Gu et Ma and Trigonioides (T.) quadratus Gu et Ma from the Lower Cretaceous upper Hekou Formation of Zhushutang, Hekou Basin, Ninghhua, Fujian. In Japan, the last two species, Sphaerium (S.) pyrum and Sphaerium (S.) fujianense, or their affinis coexist with each other in the upper Wakino Subgroup, the lower Wakamiya and upper Wakamiya Formations, and the lower Inakura Formation, Yamaji Shale, which very probably can be correlated with the upper Hekou Formation yielding these two species.The distinction between Pisidium and Sphaerium is summarized in Table I.     

Reinvestigation of conchostracans (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from the Permian–Triassic transition in Southwest China

Sedimentary deposits of the Permian–Triassic transition are well-exposed in numerous outcrops of South China. Depending on the palaeogeographic positions of the sections, their lithofacies vary from fully marine, shallow marine, lagoonal, lacustrine, and fluvial to alluvial. In the present study, conchostracans (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) were newly collected from the continental deposits of the Kayitou and Jialingjiang formations around the Kangdian Highland elevated by the Emeishan Basalt in the southern Sichuan, western Guizhou, and northeastern Yunnan provinces. The conchostracan fauna of the Kayitou Formation is composed of Pseudestheria chatangensis, Euestheria fuyuanensis, and Euestheria sp. aff. E. gutta. These species occur in varying lithofacies types of different sections. In particular, the late Permian Pseudestheria chatangensis occurs in grey siltstones interbedded with pebbly sandstones, which are interpreted as lacustrine deposits. Euestheria fuyuanensis and Euestheria sp. aff. E. gutta were obtained from yellowish to greenish–grey clay- and siltstones, interpreted as coastal plain deposits. In comparison to other regions, occurrences of Euestheria gutta are indicative of an early Induan to Olenekian (Early Triassic) age. The fossil record of Euestheria fuyuanensis is so far restricted to a few occurrences in the Kayitou Formation of Southwest China and, therefore, using this species for long-distance biostratigraphic correlation requires further investigation. The distribution of late Permian pseudestheriid and Early Triassic euestheriid species in the respective sections possibly depends on the local lithofacies and, therefore, a diachronous age of the Kayitou Formation within the study area can be assumed. Additionally, Magniestheria sp. aff. M. mangaliensis and Magniestheria sp. aff. M. subcircularis were recorded in the Jialingjiang Formation, which represents a lithostratigraphic unit considered as late Early Triassic (Olenekian). Further investigations of both taxonomy and the real stratigraphic ranges of the conchostracan species as well as cross-correlations with other age data are recommended, in order to better constrain the position of the Permian–Triassic boundary and the specific timing of the terrestrial end-Permian mass extinction in continental deposits of Southwest China.     

An analysis of the mole rats (Mammalia: Rodentia) from Langebaanweg (Mio-Pliocene, South Africa)

A study of the taphonomy and age profiles of the mole rat population from Langebaanweg ‘E’ Quarry was undertaken in order to see if these subterranean rodents had been accumulated by predation (coprocoenosis hypothesis) or as a result of drowning in their burrows during a flood event (catastrophocenosis hypothesis). Previous research has cited the bathyergids as being the most common rodent at Langebaanweg, however, a comprehensive study of new micromammal material indicates that murids, rather than mole rats, dominate most of the assemblages. The concentration of mole rat remains in many of the fossil-bearing levels at Langebaanweg is, nevertheless, still extremely high compared to other fossil sites or predation assemblages in the area. A taphonomic examination of mole rat incisor surfaces indicates that digestion occurs on between 44% and 54% of incisors in the different assemblages, and this, together with the degree of digestion suggests that category 1 and category 2 predators had been responsible for the accumulation of the fossil mole rat assemblages. The absence of rounding, polishing or weathering on the fossils indicates that there has been little or no transport by water, and that burial of the bones was rapid. Breakage and damage to the anterior portion of many of the mandibles made it impossible to accurately assess the age of the older mole rats, and the majority of mandibles could provide only a minimum age of the animal at the time of death. The age profile indicates that very young individuals are missing from the assemblages. This allows for refutation of the previously made suggestion that flooding was responsible for the death of the majority of Langebaanweg mole rats and also introduces the possibility that Bathyergus hendeyi may have been a social animal, unlike extant bathyergids which are solitary.     

中国的琥珀研究新进展——序 言

文中简述了中国的琥珀研究历史,并简要介绍了本专辑的内容.本专辑呈现了近年来我国学者对克钦琥珀内含物研究的部分新进展,包括了来自14个研究单位的26位作者的13篇论文,涵盖了植物、脊椎动物、腹足类和昆虫等类群.     

阜新含煤盆地早白垩世植物组合及其意义

本文报道了阜新盆地含煤地层中的植物化石和植物群特征,对植物化石在垂直方向上的变化规律进行了讨论。     

冀北滦平盆地三岔子剖面土城子组和大北沟组孢粉组合及其意义

冀辽一带的土城子组和大北沟组对中国北方侏罗系-白垩系划分对比具有重要的意义.关于它们的时代目前还存在不同的看法,相关的孢粉地层学研究也比较粗略.本文研究了冀北滦平县井上村三岔子剖面土城子组和大北沟组的孢粉组合,共观察统计到50属28种及若干未定种.土城子组Classopollis-Cooksonites-Ephedri...     

辽西义县组孢粉植物群指示的古气候条件

迄今为止,在辽西北票义县地区的下白垩统义县组二段沉积层中,已发现孢粉化石62属,82种,藻类化石3种。本文对产于不同地点沉积层中的孢粉化石进行了系统研究和总结。根据孢粉母体植物形态和生态特征、生长的气候环境和干湿度环境,对义县组二段的孢粉植物群进行了植被类型、气候带类型和干湿度类型的统计和划分,认为义县组二段沉积时期,其孢粉植被类型为针叶林,所处的气候环境为湿润的亚热带一暖温带。由于植被成分中存在落叶阔叶植物和旱生植物,推测气候环境存在季节性变化,间有干旱一半干旱气候条件。     

浙江东部馆头组一些坚叶杉新种

本文报道的Pagiophyllum属4新种,是在对它们的角质层构造进行了研究的基础上建立的,标本产自浙东新昌县苏秦村附近的馆头组,共生的植物化石尚有Ruffordia goepperti, Zamiophyllum buchianum, Pseudofrenelopsis parceTflogoso, P. papillosa, Cupressinocladus elegans等;另在苏秦村南面镜岭的相当层位中还找到双壳类化石Plicotounio(P.)zheijiangensts。这些化石都表明馆头组的地质时代为早白垩世。     

Late Carboniferous-Early Permian Tetrapod Ichnofauna from the Khenifra Basin, Central Morocco

In terms of cumulative thickness and areal extent, the Khenifra Basin is one of the most important outcrops of Late Palaeozoic red-beds in central Morocco. Macro- and microfloral remains near the centre of the 1800 m-thick succession of interbedded conglomerates, sandstones, and mudstones are considered to be of middle to late Early Permian age. Here we give the first comprehensive analysis of the vertebrate ichnofossil record from the study area, based on 17 specimens of isolated footprints and incomplete step cycles collected at three localities that are lithostratigraphically equivalent to the plant-bearing horizons. The tetrapod ichnofauna comprises tracks of the plexus Batrachichnus Woodworth - Limnopus Marsh, Ichniotherium sphaerodactylum (Pabst), Dimetropus Romer and Price, and Dromopus Marsh which can be referred to temnospondyl, diadectomorph, synapsid (“pelycosaurian”) and early sauropsid trackmakers. This clearly Euramerican footprint assemblage, including the first occurrences of Ichniotherium and Dimetropus from outside Europe and North America, indicates a Late Carboniferous to Early Permian age of the fossiliferous strata. Judging from the relatively diverse ichnofauna and flora, the Khenifra Basin must have represented a well-established terrestrial ecosystem during that period. Its habitat could be specially important for the understanding of the phylogeny and dispersal of early tetrapods, inasmuch as we are able to report on an extremely rare type of diadectomorph footprint hitherto known only from the Early Permian of central Germany.     

辽宁中华弓鳍鱼(Sinamia)一新种

记述了辽宁西部九佛堂组和义县组中华弓鳍鱼一新种:辽宁中华弓鳍鱼Sinamia liaoningensis,并与该属的其他种进行了比较.新材料具有中华弓鳍鱼科的3个定义特征:单一的顶骨,三对额外肩胛骨和膜质翼耳骨短并与顶骨等长,无疑应归入该科.新种的后眶下骨较小,背鳍长大,鳞片菱形,因此,归入中华弓鳍鱼属.辽宁中华弓鳍鱼在以下几个方面不同于中华弓鳍鱼的5个已知种:体型短粗,吻骨较短,鼻骨近四方形,围眶骨较多(6),前鳃盖骨强烈弯曲,背鳍条较少(18),尾鳍条较多(16),臀鳍鳍基起点到鱼体背缘的鳞列较多(32),鳞片后缘不具锯齿,尾鳍具有纤维状的角质鳍条.