Early Permian bioevent in the fusulinacean fauna of South China

Analysis of a large database of the stratigraphic distribution of fusulinacean Foraminifera reveals an Early Permian event of significant decline of species diversity in South China. Data from Late Carboniferous to Early Permian sections without apparent unconformity in southwest China were evaluated to determine if the apparent pattern of species disappearance was caused by bias in fossil preservation associated with Early Permian sea-level changes. Statistical analysis suggests that the Early Permian event started in the Late Sakmarian with a significant drop of species diversity in the Robustoschwagerina ziyunensis Zone and continued through the Pamirina darvasica Zone of the Artinskian and into the Brevaxina dyhrenfurthi Zone of the Early Kungarian, resulted in a total loss of about 40% species diversity in the fusulinacean fauna. The Early Permian event is the most extensive bioevent in the history of fusulinacean Foraminifera at the species level although it is less significant at the generic level. Because a similar faunal change has been found among the fusulinacean assemblages in North America and in various regions of Tethys, this event may represent a major faunal turn-over in response to the Early Permian changes in sea level and could be of a global nature. Previous recognition of this event was hampered by Early Permian unconformities in North America and other regions of Tethys.     

Triassic/Jurassic carbonates from the Hochfelln Mountain (Northern Calcareous Alps)—its facies, silicified fauna and implications for the end-Triassic biotic crisis

A suite of Early Mesozoic (Late Triassic, Norian to Early Jurassic) calcareous beds was studied from the Hochfelln Mountain in the Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA, South Germany). The Hauptdolomit Group consists of thick peritidal deposits and is overlain by basin deposits of the Rhaetian Kössen Formation and Rhaetian reefoidal limestone with corals. Unlike many other sections in the Tethys realm, coral growth seems to continue into the Jurassic or starts again relatively early within the Early Jurassic. Silicified corals and other marine invertebrates are present in the calcareous, micritic Hochfelln Beds. A re-examination of previously collected ammonite material indicates the presence of Coroniceras sp. which suggests an Early Sinemurian age for the Hochfelln Beds. Abundant sponge spicules (spiculites) suggest that sponges were the source for the silicification. The site produced one of the most diverse Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) gastropod faunas of the NCA (25–30 species, some undescribed). The relatively diverse Early Sinemurian gastropod fauna and coral growth indicate rapid recovery from the end-Triassic biotic crisis.     

Early-Middle Pleistocene leaves of extinct and extant Proteaceae from western Tasmania, Australia

Fossil leaves of six species of Proteaceae which are no longer native to Tasmania occur in Early Pleistocene sediments at Regatta Point, western Tasmania, Australia. These species probably became extinct during the Early or Middle Pleistocene as the direct or indirect result of glacial/interglacial cycles. Only one extinct species of Proteaceae is known from younger sediments. Leaves of another four species which can be confidently assigned to extant Tasmanian species, and from an extant genus also occur in these sediments. Another extant species occurs in Early Pleistocene sediments at the Huskisson/Marionoak Divide, western Tasmania, and another extant species occurs in Early-Middle Pleistocene sediments at Regatta Point. These fossils imply that the number of species and of genera of Proteaceae in western Tasmania has not increased since the Early Pleistocene, and may have declined. More species of Banksia and Telopea and at least as many species of Orites occurred in Early Pleistocene western Tasmania than now occur in that region. The presence of extant species in the Early Pleistocene suggests that the turnover time of many proteaceous species is of the order of millions of years. Two new species, Telopea strahanensis and Orites truncata , are proposed.     

Ungulates from Atapuerca TD6.

The ungulates from unit 6 of Gran Dolina (TD6) in the Sierra de Atapuerca (northern Spain) are studied. They include Stephanorhinus etruscus, Equus cf. altidens, Sus scrofa, Dama nestii? vallonetensis, Cervus elaphus, Eucladoceros giulii, Cervidae indet. and Bovini cf. "Bison voigtstedtensis." The taxonomy and stratigraphical distribution of most of these taxa are not universally accepted. S. etruscus, D. n.? vallonetensis, E. giulii and "B. voigtstedtensis" are late Early and early Middle Pleistocene elements. S. scrofa and C. elaphus range from the late Early Pleistocene to Recent. The fauna indicates a late Early or earliest Middle Pleistocene age, which fits the latest Early Pleistocene age suggested by palaeomagnetism. The faunal assemblage does not indicate extreme climatic conditions. The virtual absence of "glacial" taxa from the Spanish Early and Middle Pleistocene suggests that glaciations did not have a great impact on the fauna, suggesting that climate was no impediment to a continuous human occupation of Spain from the late Early Pleistocene onwards.     

Hypoplasia and health status: a comparison of two lifestyles

Enamel hypoplasia was recorded for the primary and permanent teeth of Natufians (terminal Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherers) and Early Arabs (Subsistence farmers). Minimal hypoplasia was found in the primary teeth of the Natufians, but in the Early Arab population, 31% of upper first primary molars showed enamel defects. In the permanent teeth, the Early Arab population again showed a significantly higher frequency of hypoplasia, with all teeth affected. In the Natufians, only later developing teeth showed enamel defects. These findings suggest that health status in the Early Arab population was poor throughout life, affecting pregnant mothers, their foetuses, young infants and children. These results confirm other studies that have shown deterioration in health status of early agriculturalists relative to hunter- gatherers. Comparisons of these findings with those of recent populations indicate that health status in the Natufians was comparable to that of modern populations with subsistence diets and mediocre health care. Health status in the Early Arab population was comparable to that of modern populations suffering from severe malnutrition and chronic disease.     

Early Permian brachiopod faunas from Peninsular India: Their Gondwanan relationships

The Early Permian (Late Asselian? to Aktastinian?) brachiopod faunas of Peninsular India are revised in terms of current taxonomy. Genera such as Semilingula, Arctitreta, Etherilosia, Strophalosia, Aulosteges, Bandoproductus, Cyrtella, Neospirifer, Crassispirifer, Tomiopsis and Gilledia confirm the Gondwanan aspect of the faunas and a close relationship, at the generic level, to the Early Permian brachiopod faunas of Western Australia. Peninsular Indian Early Permian brachiopod faunas belong to a complex of Gondwanan and peri‐Gondwanan faunas from Oman and the Pamirs in the West to Australasia in the east. This distribution implies relative freedom of migration for the faunas along the northern margin of Gondwana during the Early Permian.     

La séquence mésolithique et néolithique du Trou Al’Wesse (Belgique) : résultats pluridisciplinaires

The site of Trou Al’Wesse has been interpreted as a site of possible contact between Mesolithic and Neolithic populations, given the discovery of Neolithic ceramics and Mesolithic tools in stratum 4. However, recent excavations have also revealed the presence of three Early Mesolithic facies overlain by a Neolithic layer, while a Late Mesolithic presence is suggested for a fourth facies at the base of the terrace slope. Lithic and faunal analyses, as well as spatial analysis of the stratigraphic position of material recovered, indicate a clear separation of Mesolithic and Neolithic occupations. We present a new interpretation of the sequence of Holocene human occupations at Trou Al’Wesse in light of these data, arguing that the site was regularly occupied during the Early Mesolithic, forming a palimpsest of these visits, followed by an occupational hiatus and then reoccupation during the Late Mesolithic. The Early Neolithic is a separate occupation clearly unrelated to the Early Mesolithic underlying it, but ongoing fieldwork may recover data concerning the Final Mesolithic and its relation to the Early Neolithic at the site.     

Cathaya (Pinaceae) pollen from Mio-Pliocene sediments in the Himi area,central Japan

This paper describes the pollen morphology of Cathaya from well-dated Mio-Pliocene sediments in the Himi area of Toyama Prefecture in central Japan. The geological distribution of the genus shows that it was present around the study area and in northern Japan from at least the Middle Miocene to the Early Pleistocene. The genus flourished in the Early Pliocene when the climate was warm, and became extinct in Japan in or after the Early Pleistocene because of climatic deterioration.     

Jurassic mountain building and Mesozoic-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Northern Calcareous Alps as proven in the Berchtesgaden Alps (Germany)

New data from the Berchtesgaden Alps result in a reconstruction of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic geodynamic history of the Northern Calcareous Alps. The closure of the western part of the Neotethys Ocean started in the late Early Jurassic and is evidenced by the onset of thick clay-rich sediments in the outer shelf area (=Hallstatt realm). The Middle to early Late Jurassic contraction is documented by the migration of trench-like basins formed in front of a propagating thrust belt. Due to ophiolite obduction, these basins propagated from the outer shelf area, forming there the Bajocian to Oxfordian Hallstatt Mélange, to the Hauptdolomit/Dachstein platform area, where the Oxfordian Rofan and Tauglboden Mélanges were formed. The basins were separated by nappe fronts forming structural highs. This scenario mirrors syn-orogenic erosion and deposition in an evolving thrust belt. Active basin formation and nappe thrusting ended around the Oxfordian/Kimmeridgian boundary, which was followed by the onset of carbonate platforms on structural highs prograding towards the former basins in latest Oxfordian to Early Tithonian time. Underfilled basins remained between the platforms. Rapid deepening around the Early/Late Tithonian boundary was induced by extension due to mountain uplift and resulted in the reconfiguration of the platforms and basins related to normal and probably strike-slip faults. Erosion of the uplifted nappe stack including obducted ophiolites caused final drowning and demise of the platforms in the Berriasian. The remaining Early Cretaceous basins were filled up with molasse sediments including siliciclastics until Aptian. Around the Early/Late Cretaceous boundary again extension and strike-slip movements started, followed by Eocene thrusting and Miocene strike-slip movements with block rotations. These younger tectonic movements destroyed the Triassic to Early Cretaceous palaeogeography and arranged the modern block configuration. The described Jurassic to Early Cretaceous history corresponds with that of the Western Carpathians, the Dinarides, and the Albanides, where (1) age dating of the metamorphic soles prove late Early to Middle Jurassic inneroceanic thrusting followed by late Middle to early Late Jurassic ophiolite obduction, (2) Kimmeridgian to Tithonian shallow-water platforms formed on top of the obducted ophiolites, and (3) latest Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sediments show postorogenic character. Therefore, we correlate the Jurassic geodynamic evolution of the Northern Calcareous Alps with the closure of the western part of the Neotethys Ocean.     

Effects of Phosphorus Nutrition and Light Intensity on Growth and Development of the Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

The vegetative growth and fruiting of two cowpea cultivars,Adzuki and Early Ramshorn, were studied in controlled environmentexperiments, using two light intensities and three P levelsin sand and in soil media. The higher light intensity reducedplant height, but improved plant growth in terms of increasedbranching, leaf area, plant size and seed yield. High lightintensity delayed flowering, but increased blossom and pod numbers. Increasing levels of applied P enhanced growth, blossom andfruit numbers, as well as leaf numbers and area and earlinessof flowering. Generally, Early Ramshorn plants grew faster andproduced heavier seeds than Adzuki plants, especially at highP. However, Adzuki plants produced greater numbers of flowers,pods and seeds than did Early Ramshorn plants. Under high lightintensity, Adzuki produced the greatest number of seeds at theintermediate P level in sand culture, and this number was greaterthan that produced by Early Ramshorn at the highest P level. In Adzuki, P nutrition did not markedly modify the adverse effectof low light intensity on pod set and mature pod number, anindication of a lower external P requirement and/or higher efficiencyof P utilization than in Early Ramshorn. Phosphorous generallyincreased growth rate and yield and could thus be used to offsetsome of the adverse effects of low light intensity especiallyon Early Ramshorn as well as to hasten growth and maturation.The results obtained with soil culture were similar to thosewith sand culture.     

我国中生代的Margaritiferidae和它的演化

对我国中生代珍珠蚌科内的属、种进行了较系统的修订，归并了１科、１亚属、１０种，并据这些属、种纵向、横向的分布情况及其壳形、壳饰、内部构造等特征，进一步探讨了它们的起源和演化规律。     

广西崇左三合大洞的早更新世猪属新材料

系统记述了广西崇左三合大洞早更新世堆积中出土的与巨猿伴生的小猪(Sus xiaozhu)和裴氏猪(S.peii)。三合大洞是小猪在我国境内至少为第12个产地,也是目前最靠南的产地。小猪在三合大洞的发现进一步证实了小猪的繁盛时期是早更新世,繁盛地区在广西。三合大洞是裴氏猪在我国境内至少第9个产地, 也是裴氏猪在我国境内目前最靠南的记录。裴氏猪在三合大洞的发现同样证实了裴氏猪的繁盛时期是早更新世, 繁盛地区也在广西。虽然小猪的时代分布从早更新世早期起并可能延续到晚更新世早期, 裴氏猪的时代分布从早更新世早期到中更新世早期, 但是迄今发现的小猪与裴氏猪同时产出的层位均为早更新世地层, 而三合大洞是迄今我国境内第6个小猪和裴氏猪伴生的早更新世地点。小猪和裴氏猪也经常出现在巨猿产地, 三合大洞是迄今它们共生的第5个地点。小猪和裴氏猪在三合大洞的出现指示三合地区在早更新世具有近水的森林和灌丛环境。     

Early Miocene gastropod and ectothermic vertebrate remains from the Lesvos Petrified Forest (Greece)

The Lesvos Petrified Forest (western Lesvos, Greece) has long been famous for its plant fossils. Recently, one proboscidean (from the Gavathas locality) and seven micromammalian species (from the Lapsarna locality) were described; these were the first animals to be found in the Early Miocene subtropical forest. For the first time, a fauna of gastropods and ectothermic vertebrates from the Lapsarna locality is now available. This fauna derives from lacustrine sediments under the pyroclastic material that contains the petrified plants. Based on fragmented mollusc remains, isolated fish pharyngeal teeth and utricular otoliths (lapilli), fragmented amphibian vertebrae and a tooth-bearing element, and reptile fragmented dentaries, teeth, osteoderms and vertebrae, the presence of eight freshwater and three terrestrial gastropod species, three freshwater cyprinid species, and two amphibian and five reptile taxa has been confirmed. Stratigraphical and radiometric data suggest an age older than 18.4 ± 0.5 Ma (latest Early Miocene), in good agreement with the faunal composition. This paper is the first report of the concurrent presence of three cyprinid fish species in a Greek Early Miocene locality, as well as the first documentation of an Early Miocene proteid amphibian in southeastern Europe. The present findings represent one of the best-documented Early Miocene gastropod and fish faunas in the Aegean/southern Balkans, thus adding to our knowledge of Early Miocene amphibians and reptiles from that region and providing valuable information on the local subtropical ecosystem.     

Victims of the Early Toarcian anoxic event: the radiation and extinction of Jurassic Koninckinidae (Brachiopoda)

The significant mass extinction attributed to the Early Toarcian anoxic event had a severe impact on the phylum Brachiopoda. Beyond a serious decrease of species diversity, the extinction of the orders Spiriferidina and Athyridida is connected with this episode. The order Athyridida was represented by the family Koninckinidae in the Early Jurassic. The stratigraphical and geographical distribution of the three Early Jurassic koninckinid genera ( Koninckella, Koninckodonta, Amphiclinodonta ) shows a definite radiative pattern. The number of their nominal species increased from 2 to 17 from the Sinemurian to Early Toarcian; in the same time interval, their area increased from the Alpine region to the whole Mediterranean and the NW-European domains. This radiative evolution can be explained as the result of different factors: (1) morphological adaptation to muddy bottoms, (2) fundamental changes in the current pattern in the Tethys/Laurasian Seaway, and, possibly, (3) utilization of methane-based chemosynthesis as alternative food source. The radiation of koninckinids, leading from the cryptic habitats of the Tethyan rocky floors to the extensive muddy bottoms of the open European shelves, was abruptly terminated by the anoxic event in the Early Toarcian Falciferum Zone. The main causes of the extinction might be: (1) the excessive warming of Tethyan deep waters by thermohaline circulation, (2) the anoxic event, which was not survived by the spire-bearers, handicapped by their stiff, calcareous spiralia. Brachiopoda, Early Jurassic, Europe, extinction, Koninckinidae, radiation, Tethys.     

陕西大荔一早更新世哺乳动物群

陕西大荔县洛河下游后河村附近游河组之上黄褐色砂砾层中,发现一个很有意义的动物群.动物群中含有典型的第四纪哺乳动物化石,如似三门马 (Equus cf. sanmeniensis)、平额象 (Archidiskodon planifrons)、奥米加鼢鼠 (Myospalaxomegodon) 和复齿拟鼠兔 (Ochotonoides complicidens) 等.经过对动物群特点、岩相古地理及古气候的分析,并与华北、华南及欧洲同期对比,该动物群在时代上介于狭义泥河湾期与游河期之间,名为后河村期.     

The oldest higher true crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura): insights from the Early Cretaceous of the Americas

Despite the extensive fossil record of higher crabs (Eubrachyura) from Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic rocks worldwide, their Early Cretaceous occurrences are scarce and fragmentary, obscuring our understanding of their early evolution. Until now, representatives of only two families of eubrachyuran‐like crabs were known from the Early Cretaceous: Componocancridae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov., both monospecific lineages from the Albian (~110–100 Ma) of North and Central America, respectively. The discovery of Telamonocarcinus antiquus sp. nov. (Telamonocarcinidae) from the early Albian of Colombia, South America (~110 Ma), increases to three the number of known Early Cretaceous eubrachyuran‐like families. The ages and geographical distributions of the oldest eubrachyuran‐like taxa (i.e. Componocancridae, Telamonocarcinidae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov.) suggest that the oldest higher true crabs might have originated in the Americas; that they were already morphologically diverse by the late Early Cretaceous; and that their most recent common ancestor must be rooted in the Early Cretaceous, or even the Late Jurassic.     

东海陆架西南部台北坳陷新近纪孢粉植物群演替

对东海陆架西南部台北坳陷13口钻井孢粉分析表明,本地区新近纪植物群经历了3个发展阶段,即：1)早中新世早期松科花粉优势期;2)早、中中新世阿丁枫科花粉繁盛期;3)晚中新世至早上新世草本被子植物发展期。各时期孢粉植物群在横向上几乎没有大的区别,表明新近纪整个坳陷内构造与沉积环境及其变迁具有很好的一致性。植物群演替反映古气候从早中新世早期的湿润温凉到早、中中新世的暖湿,最后(晚中新世至早上新世)又趋温凉的变化历程。     

Paleocene reefs on the Maiella Platform Margin, Italy: An example of the effects of the cretaceous/tertiary boundary events on reefs and carbonate platforms

Summary Reef facies, reef types and their biotic associations in the Maiella platform margin (central Italy) provide qualitative evidence for a significant reef decline across the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary, and indicate two phases of reef recovery during the Paleocene. Rudists dominated the reef community until the latest Cretaceous. A significant sea-level fall around the time of the K/T boundary is documented by a truncation surface associated with emersion. During sea-level highstands in the Danian to Early Thanetian and, more extensively, during the Late Thanetian, coral-algal patch-reefs grew along the platform margin and top. Already in the Danian to Early Thanetian, the reef communities were more diverse and the constructional types more evolved than previously known from this time. Differences between the Danian to Early Thanetian coral association, the Late Thanetian association, and Late Cretaceous coral faunas may have ecological or evolutionary causes. Repeated emergence produced a complex diagenetic history in the Danian to Lower Thanetian limestones. All Paleocene reefs were displaced by gravitative redeposition. Coral-algal reefs are less important in the Early to mid Eocene, when alveolinid foraminifera dominated on the Maiella shelf. Reefs on the Maiella platform diversified and attained large sizes in the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene, as known from other Mediterranean platforms. The external controls on the Late Cretaceous to Oligocene evolution and demise of reef communities that are most easily demonstrated with our data are sealevel fluctuations and climate change. We propose that the change in reef biota and reef types across the K/T boundary and during the Early Tertiary were important causes of the parallel changes in platform growth style.     

A new holocrinid (Articulata) from the Paris Biota (Bear Lake County,Idaho, USA) highlights the high diversity of Early Triassic crinoids

After the end-Permian crisis and the extinction of their four Paleozoic subclasses, crinoids rapidly recovered. This group is classically believed to have radiated from a small surviving clade and to have diversified during the Middle and Upper Triassic from two lineages. Nevertheless, recent findings suggested that several lineages of crinoids had already diversified during the Early Triassic, and that their diversity has been overlooked. Here we describe a new form of holocrinid, Holocrinus nov. sp., from the earliest Spathian (Early Triassic) of southeastern Idaho (USA). So far, the exceptional completeness of sampled specimens, with skeletal elements of arms and stem in connection, is unique for the Early Triassic. They show that derived morphological features had already evolved ∼1.3 million years after the Permian–Triassic boundary, supporting the scenario of a rapid Early Triassic diversification of crinoids.