Study of the Histology of Leafy Axes and Male Cones of Glenrosa carentonensis sp. nov. (Cenomanian Flints of Charente-Maritime,France) Using Synchrotron Microtomography Linked with Palaeoecology

We report exceptionally well-preserved plant remains ascribed to the extinct conifer Glenrosa J. Watson et H.L. Fisher emend. V. Srinivasan inside silica-rich nodules from the Cenomanian of the Font-de-Benon quarry, Charente-Maritime, western France. Remains are preserved in three dimensions and mainly consist of fragmented leafy axes. Pollen cones of this conifer are for the first time reported and in some cases remain connected to leafy stems. Histology of Glenrosa has not previously been observed; here, most of internal tissues and cells are well-preserved and allow us to describe a new species, Glenrosa carentonensis sp. nov., using propagation phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography, a non-destructive technique. Leafy axes consist of characteristic helically arranged leaves bearing stomatal crypts. Glenrosa carentonensis sp. nov. differs from the other described species in developing a phyllotaxy 8/21, claw-shaped leaves, a thicker cuticle, a higher number of papillae and stomata per crypt. Pollen cones consist of peltate, helically arranged microsporophylls, each of them bearing 6–7 pollen sacs. The new high resolution tomographic approach tested here allows virtual palaeohistology on plants included inside a dense rock to be made. Most tissues of Glenrosa carentonensis sp. nov. are described. Lithological and palaeontological data combined with xerophytic features of Glenrosa carentonensis sp. nov. suggest that this conifer has been adapted to survive in harsh and instable environments such as coastal area exposed to hot, dry conditions.     

A new Oligocene Calocedrus from South China and its implications for transpacific floristic exchanges

? Premise of the Study: Calocedrus is among the genera with a typical eastern Asian-western North American disjunct distribution today. The origin of its modern distribution pattern can be better understood by examining its fossil record. ? Methods: The present article reports for the first time a new fossil species of this genus based on compressed material from the Oligocene Ningming Formation of Guangxi, South China, in its present major distribution area in eastern Asia. ? Key Results: Calocedrus huashanensis sp. nov. is most similar to the two extant eastern Asian species, C. macrolepis and C. formosana, in gross morphology of foliage shoots and bears a close resemblance to the latter in cuticle structure. It shows a general similarity to the North American fossil representatives of the genus in alternately branched foliage shoots but is clearly different from the European Paleogene species characterized by oppositely branched leafy shoots. ? Conclusions: This discovery provides new evidence for the floristic exchange of this genus between eastern Asia and North America before the Oligocene (most likely in the Eocene), presumably via the Bering land bridge. The flattened leafy shoots and dimorphic leaves with thin cuticle, open stomatal pits, and shallowly sunken guard cells of the present fossils suggest a rather humid climate during the Oligocene in the Ningming area, South China.     

甘肃酒泉盆地下白垩统Pseudofrenelopsis(掌鳞杉科)的发现及其意义

记述甘肃酒泉盆地早白垩世地层中发现的两种掌鳞杉科植物化石Pseudofrenelopsis dalatzensis(ChowetTsao,1977)Cao ex Zhou和P.gansuensissp.nov.。其中,归入P.dalatzensis的标本无论是小枝形态还是表皮构造都与产于吉林延吉盆地大砬子组的模式标本一致。定为新种的标本小枝较粗,可能只有一枚叶;节间角质层厚25—30μm,表面没有乳突和表皮毛,气孔器和表皮细胞均规则成行排列;气孔器圆形或椭圆形,较大,整体下陷。副卫细胞通常5—7个,少数可达8—9个。保卫细胞仅部分保存。已发现的Pseudofrenelopsis均分布于北半球,时代限于早白垩世,且多为早白垩世晚期,其中P.dalatzensis在模式标本产地与丰富的被子植物共生,应为早白垩世Aptian到Albian期。该种在酒泉盆地中沟组的出现说明该组的时代最高可到Aptian或Albian期。已有资料还表明,Pseudofrenelopsis主要生活于有季节变化、盐度较高或较干旱的环境中,这与酒泉盆地早白垩世沉积物和其他门类的化石所指示的环境特征相符合。     

Frenelopsis (Coniferales: Cheirolepidiaceae) And Related Male Organ Genera From The Lower Cretaceous Of Spain

Vegetative plant remains and microsporangiate cones, related to the fossil genera Frenelopsis and Classostrobus respectively, were studied in three localities from the Lower Cretaceous of the Pyrenees and Iberian Ranges (Spain). Sterile remains belong to three different species: F. Rubiesensis Barale, F. Ugnaensis sp. nov. and F. Turolensis sp. nov. The male cones Classostrobus ugnaensis sp. nov. and C. Turolensis sp. nov. are associated with the two latter species respectively, and C. Turolensis is found in connection with F. Turolensis . Internodes of F. Ugnaensis display small hemispherical papillae and long conical hairs covering the entire cuticle surface, while F. Turolensis has a strip of hairs near the leaf margin, in addition to more massive outer stomatal papillae and higher stomatal density. The tiny cones of C. Ugnaensis bear microsporophyll cuticles capped with vermiculate flattened papillae and a fringe of marginal hairs, while C. Turolensis has a central area of microsporophylls covered by long conical hairs. Sedimentological and taphonomic analyses show that the assemblages studied belong to a wide spectrum of habitats. These indicate that Spanish Lower Cretaceous frenelopsids were xeromorphic plants, able to adapt to helophytic and riparian habitats, and grew in brackish coastal marshes and fluvio–lacustrine freshwater environments.     

中国齿棘圆属一新种(弹尾目:圆科)(英文)

本文记述了中国圆科齿棘圆属一新种,南京齿棘圆Arrhopalitesnanjingensissp.nov.。该圆的许多形态特征与A.octacathus相近,但可根据围肛附器等结构的不同将二者区分。     

A new Tertiary Ginkgo (Ginkgoaceae) from the Wuyun Formation of Jiayin, Heilongjiang, northeastern China and its paleoenvironmental implications

The living fossil Ginkgo, a relict of a once dominant gymnosperm, existed and flourished early in the Mesozoic, but only a vague outline of its evolutionary history in the Tertiary has been unveiled. Here we describe a new species, Ginkgo jiayinensis sp. nov., from the Wuyun Formation of Jiayin, China, which is another well-established Tertiary species based on leaf fossils besides G. adiantoides. The most remarkable feature of the new species is the amphistomatic leaves, likely representing a distinct evolutionary line of the genus in this time interval. Ginkgo jiayinensis is similar to the co-occurring G. adiantoides and extant G. biloba in the lower cuticle, but the two latter species clearly differ in having hypostomatic leaves. Ginkgo biloba is used as the nearest living equivalent (NLE) species for both G. adiantoides and G. jiayinensis in reconstructing paleo-CO(2), as it has been used for other fossil species with either hypostomatic or amphistomatic leaves. The two Tertiary species are almost identical in stomatal index in abaxial cuticles (8.4 and 8.5, respectively), showing no strong differences in response to atmospheric CO(2). Amphistomatic G. jiayinensis would therefore have used a different ecological strategy from that of G. adiantoides of the same bed.     

A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS ARRHOPALITES (COLLEMBOLA: SMINTHURIDAE) FROM CHINA

Abstract A new species, Avhopalites nanjingensis sp. nov., is described from Nanjing, China. It shares some features with A. octacathus , but is characterised by its special subanal appendages and cir-cumanal seta C₁.     

Fissuroderes, a new genus of Kinorhyncha (Cyclorhagida) from the deep sea and continental shelf of New Zealand and from the continental shelf of Costa Rica

Specimens of Kinorhyncha collected by RV Sonne from the continental shelf off the coast of Costa Rica and from the deep sea East of New Zealand as well as by RV Kaharoa in the Firth of Thames are identified as five new species of a new genus Fissuroderes gen. nov. which is distinguished from all other kinorhynch genera by a ring-like cuticle in the first trunk segment and a cuticle with midventral and lateral articulations resulting in two sternal plates and one tergal plate in segments 2-10. Fissuroderes higginsi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species of Fissuroderes by a laterodorsal spine in segment 2 and the lack of a lateroventral spine in segment 8. Fissuroderes rangi sp. nov. is recognized from all other species by the lack of a ventrolateral spine in segment 2, the lack of a lateroventral spine in segment 5, an extremely elongate spinose tergal extension of segment 11 and a prominent midventral spinose process of the sternal plates in segment 11. Fissuroderes papai sp. nov. is identified by the short spinose process of the sternal plate of segment 11. Only Fissuroderes thermoi sp. nov. possesses bilobed sternal plates in segment 11 and a short conical tergal extension. Fissuroderes novaezealandia sp. nov. differs from F. higginsi sp. nov. in the lack of a laterodorsal spine in segment 2, the lack of an accessory spine in a lateral position in segment 8, the lack of a sublateral spine in segment 10, the existence of a lateroventral spine in segment 8 and in the lack of a subdorsal type 2-gland cell outlet in segment 2. The former species differs from F. papai sp. nov. in the lack of a lateroventral spine in segment 8, the lack of longitudinal indentations in the posterior part of the trunk cuticle of each segment and in the existence of an elongate spinose tergal extension of segment 11 and of many fine hairs on the surface of the cuticle. Fissuroderes is included into the Echinoderidae which is suggested to enclose also the genera Echinoderes and Cephalorhyncha. Echinoderes nybakkeni Higgins, 1988 is now combined as Cephalorhyncha nybakkeni (Higgins, 1988) comb. nov.     

Taxonomy,morphology and phylogeny of Late Cretaceous spirulid coleoids (Cephalopoda) from Greenland and Canada

Abstract: Groenlandibelus rosenkrantzi from the Maastrichtian of Greenland has long been thought to constitute an early representative of spirulid coleoids. This study shows that this view must be reassessed, at least in part. A re‐investigation of the types and of material recorded subsequently has revealed that none of these specimens is conspecific with the holotype of G. rosenkrantzi. Cyrtobelus birkelundae gen. nov, sp. nov. differs from the type of G. rosenkrantzi in having lower chambers and in lacking an apically elongated sheath. The longiconic phragmocone of G. rosenkrantzi has more features in common with the presumed spirulid genus Naefia. A specimen described in detail by J. A. Jeletzky in the mid 1960s as ‘G. rosenkrantzi’ is designated holotype of C. birkelundae sp. nov., which means that internal phragmocone features are still unknown in G. rosenkrantzi. Cyrtobelus hornbyense gen. nov, sp. nov. from the Campanian of western Canada constitutes the first record of early spirulids from the northeast Pacific, being based on seventeen extraordinarily well‐preserved phragmocones. This species differs from C. birkelundae sp. nov. only in the width of the siphuncular tube. The presence of a caecum, a nacre‐less conotheca that represents the continuation of the protoconch conotheca, conothecal flaps that anchor the mural parts of the septa, and a thin investment‐like sheath are characters shared only with Recent Spirula. In particular, the unusual protoconch architecture of Cyrtobelus gen. nov. challenges a phylogenetic origin within bactritoid‐like coleoids.     

Antlered richardiid flies: new species of Richardia (Tephritoidea: Richardiidae) with antler‐like genal processes

Within Richardiidae, Richardia infestans, from Colombia, is the only known species to have genal processes, which are structures formed by the extension of the cuticle on the lateral margin of the gena. In the present work, six new species, with different patterns of antler‐like genal processes, are described. An identification key and illustrations are provided. Richardia bella sp. nov. , R. modesta sp. nov. and R. vitta sp. nov. are recorded from Costa Rica; R. advena sp. nov. is recorded from Costa Rica and Panama; R. simplex sp. nov. is recorded from Panama; and R. ornatella sp. nov. is recorded from Ecuador.     

Computer-based studies of diffusion through stomata of different architecture

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The influence of stomatal architecture on stomatal conductance and on the developing concentration gradient was explored quantitatively by comparing diffusion rates of water vapour and CO(2) occurring in a set of three-dimensional stoma models. The influence on diffusion of an internal cuticle, a sunken stoma, a partially closed stoma and of substomatal chambers of two different sizes was considered. METHODS: The study was performed by using a commercial computer program based on the Finite Element Method which allows for the simulation of diffusion in three dimensions. By using this method, diffusion was generated by prescribed gas concentrations at the boundaries of the substomatal chamber and outside of the leaf. The program calculates the distribution of gas concentrations over the entire model space. KEY RESULTS: Locating the stomatal pore at the bottom of a stomatal antechamber with a depth of 20 microm decreased the conductance significantly (at roughly about 30 %). The humidity directly above the stomatal pore is significantly higher with the stomatal antechamber present. Lining the walls of the substomatal chamber with an internal cuticle which suppresses evaporation had an even stronger effect by reducing the conductance to 60 % of the original value. The study corroborates therefore the results of former studies that water will evaporate preferentially at sites in the immediate vicinity to the stomatal pore if no internal cuticle is present. The conductance decrease affects only water vapour and not CO(2). Increasing the substomatal chamber increases CO(2) uptake, whereas transpiration increases if an internal cuticle is present. CONCLUSIONS: Variation of stomatal structure may, with unchanged pore size and depth, profoundly affect gas exchange and the pathways of liquid water inside the leaf. Equations for calculation of stomatal conductance which are solely based on stomatal density and pore depth and size can significantly overestimate stomatal conductance.     

An Unusually Diverse Llandovery (Silurian) Diplograptid Fauna from the Southern Urals of Russia and Its Evolutionary Significance

This vesiculosus Biozone assemblage of chemically-isolated graptolites from the Orenburg District of Russia was obtained from limestones associated with pillow lavas of the Sakmara Formation of Silurian–Early Devonian age. It comprises 30 species, of which 24 are described. Nine are new, one is a new subspecies, and eight are left under open nomenclature. The assemblage is unique in its diversity of minute biserial graptolites referable to the genera ' Glyptograptus ', Normalograptus , Sudburigraptus , and Metaclimacograptus ; and is unusual in that well-preserved graptolite faunas are rare at this stratigraphical level, which is fixed by the occurrence of Cystograptus vesiculosus (Nicholson) s.l. and Paraclimacograptus innotatus (Nicholson). The following new forms are described: ' Glyptograptus ' tamariscus praecursor subsp. nov., G. mazovoensis sp. nov., G. nikitini sp. nov., G. pavlinovi sp. nov., G. telarius sp. nov., G. zimai sp. nov., Normalograptus legrandi sp. nov., N. melchini sp. nov., N. sobolevskayae sp. nov., and Metaclimacograptus bjerreskovae sp. nov. Five evolutionary lineages are defined within the ' Glyptograptus ' tamariscus (Nicholson) plexus, modifying and extending the pioneer work of Packham (1962). The diverse ' Glyptograptus ' faunas are considered to be a replacement for the Normalograptus fauna which peaked in the late Ordovician and early Silurian. Metaclimacograptus , although reasonably diverse in its speciation, exhibits a conservative style of evolution with little fundamental change throughout the Llandovery. It is suggested that cortical bandages have species-specific dimensions and micro-features. Some problematical micro- and ultrastructural features are described, notably fibrillar textures, parallel to the fusellar margins, in several species.     

中国太宇谷蛾属分类研究(鳞翅目,谷蛾科)(英文)

记述中国太宇谷蛾属Gerontha Walker10种,其中有4新种:拟华太宇谷蛾G.similihoenei sp.nov.,喙太宇谷蛾G.rostriformis sp.nov.,梯缘太宇谷蛾G.trapezia sp.nov.,褶太宇谷蛾G.rugulosa sp.nov.和3新纪录种:暹罗太宇谷蛾G.siamensis Moriuti,1989(图7,17～18)、清迈太宇谷蛾G.nawapuriensis Moriuti,1989(图8,19)、钻太宇谷蛾G.borea Moriuti,1977(图9,20).首次发现和报道了弯茎太宇谷蛾Gerontha flexura Huang et al .(图6,15-16)和暹罗太宇谷蛾G.siamensis Moriuti的雌性个体.文中给出了所有中国种的检索表.研究标本保存于南开大学生命科学学院昆虫标本室.     

INTRAMARGINAL VEINED LAURACEAE LEAVES FROM THE ALBIAN–CENOMANIAN OF CHARENTE-MARITIME (WESTERN FRANCE)

Abstract:  Eucalyptolaurus depreii gen. et sp. nov. is proposed for angiosperm leaves newly collected from uppermost Albian – lowermost Cenomanian of Charente-Maritime (western France). They consist of simple, narrow, elongate laminas with entire margins and intramarginal veins. The epidermal cells of adaxial cuticle shows small, rounded, blunt papillae outward that protrude inward and fuse together as rolls along and parallel to the margins, while the adaxial cuticle bears brachyparacytic stomatal apparatus that exhibit sunken guard cells and hair bases consisting of a thick-walled pore surrounded by radially arranged differentiated cells. Resin bodies occur inside the mesophyll. These characters closely resemble the lauroid taxa ' Myrtophyllum ' and Pandemophyllum from the Cenomanian of the Czech Republic and Dakota (USA) respectively. The narrow angle of basilaminar secondaries and the whole suite of features in the guard cells (sunken guard cells embedded into subsidiary cells and stomatal ledges) strongly support close affinity with the Lauraceae. From the Cenomanian lauraceous reproductive organs and their related leaves already showed high disparity and diversity. In addition they displayed a broad ecological range from freshwater floodplains to brackish swamps. This combined to high diversity of reproductive organs suggest ecological radiation of Lauraceae by the Cenomanian.     

中国锥羽蛾属研究及三新种记述(鳞翅目,羽蛾科)

锥羽蛾属Gillmeria全世界已记录13种,除G.omissalis(Fletcher)分布于澳大利亚外,其余12种均分布在全北区,而G.pallidactyla(Haworth)在巴西也有记录.我国原记录有4种,本文记述8种,包括3新种和中国1新纪录种.新种为:楔锥羽蛾G cuneiformis sp.nov.,点斑锥羽蛾G.fuscata sp.nov.和佛坪锥羽蛾G.fopingensis sp.nov.新纪录种环锥羽蛾G.ochrodactyla(Denis &Schiffermüller).文中给出了中国锥羽蛾属的分种检索表,并提供了成虫图和外生殖器特征图.研究标本及模式标本分别保存在南开大学生物系昆虫标本室和中国科学院动物研究所昆虫标本馆.     

中国驼背蚱属的分类研究及二新种记述（直翅目:枝背蚱科）（英文）

记述分布于中国的驼背蚱属Gibbotettix昆虫9种, 其中包括2新种, 即宽顶驼背蚱Gibbotettix lativertex sp. nov. 及贵州驼背蚱Gibbotettix guizhouensis sp. nov., 提供了驼背蚱属分种检索表及种类分布。宽顶驼背蚱近似于红河驼背蚱G. hongheensis Zheng, 1992及壶瓶山驼背蚱G. hupingshanensis Fu et Zheng, 2003, 贵州驼背蚱近似于宽顶驼背蚱, 模式产地分别为湖南桑植和贵州道真。模式标本保存于陕西师范大学动物研究所昆虫标本室。根据新种特征, 对该属属征进行了修订。     

Fossil Woods From Williams Point Beds, Livingston Island, Antarctica: A Late Cretaceous Southern High Latitude Flora

The wood flora from Williams Point, Livingston Island, contains 12 wood types of gymnosperm and angiosperm origin. Recent collections of material have increased the biodiversity of a postulated species-rich vegetation. The gymnosperm wood can be readily assigned to four form-genera: Araucarioxylon Kraus, Araucariopitys Jeffrey, Podocarpoxylon Gothan and Sahnioxylon Bose and Sah. This indicates a diversity of coniferous araucarian and podocarp trees alongside woods of uncertain affinity ( Sahnioxylon ; Bennettitales). Two angiosperm morphotypes are assigned to the organ genera Hedycaryoxylon Su¨ss (Monimiaceae) and Weinmannioxylon Petriella (Cunoniaceae). The remaining four taxa of angiosperm wood cannot be confidently placed in extant families as they exhibit features that suggest relationships with the Magnoliidae, Hamamelidae and Rosidae. This paper presents the first comprehensive taxonomic revision of the wood flora from Livingston Island and discusses the palaeoecology that prevailed at a latitude of about 60 degrees south during the Late Cretaceous. Newly described taxa are Araucarioxylon chapmanae sp. nov., Araucariopitys antarcticus sp. nov., Podocarpoxylon chapmanae sp. nov., P. verticalis sp. nov., P. communis sp. nov., Weinmannioxylon ackamoides sp. nov., Antarctoxylon livingstonensis gen. et sp. nov., A. multiseriatum gen. et sp. nov., A. heteroporosum gen. et sp. nov. and A. uniperforatum gen et sp. nov.     

New species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphenobaiera</Emphasis> Florin (Ginkgoales) from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia

Two new species of Sphenobaiera from the Baisa locality and Chernovskoe coal mine (Lower Cretaceous, Transbaikalia) are described. The cuticle of these plants inhabiting different environments differs significantly. Leaves of S. starukhiniae sp. nov. have a very thin cuticle, almost not sunken, open, nonprotected stomata, while the leaves of S. vitimica sp. nov. have relatively thick and strong cuticle, well-developed papillae overhang the sunken stomata. Guard cells of both species usually have fine radial striations. Apparently, the first plant dwelt in wet habitats, and the second, in the areas with a temporary shortage of water. This reconstruction is confirmed by sedimentological data, coal-bearing sediments (where S. starukhiniae sp. nov. was found) formed in swampy areas, carbonate deposits (S. vitimica sp. nov. was collected in marls of the Baisa locality), in the droughty one. It is not improbable that the cuticular features revealed of these two species contributed to more efficient water exchange and allowed plants to exist in these different environments.     

Aspects of permian palaeobotany and palynology,VII. the majonicaceae,a new family of late permian conifers

On the basis of rich vegetative and fertile material from the Val Gardena Formation in the Dolomites and the Vicentinian Alps, coniferous remains have been studied in detail with the aid of cuticle analysis. Except the genus Ortiseia Florin, three other natural genera can be distinguished: Majonica nov. gen, Dolomitia nov. gen. and Pseudovoltzia Florin. Within both Majonica and Dolomitia a single species is recognized, Majonica alpina nov. sp. and Dolomitia cittertiae nov. sp., respectively. Within Pseudovoltzia two species can be recognized: P. liebeana (Geinitz) Florin and P. sjerpii nov. sp.The genera Majonica, Dolomitia and Pseudovoltzia are associated with ovuliferous fructifications and Majonica even with polliniferous cones and bisaccoid bitaeniate pollen grains.A new family—the Majonicaceae—is proposed to include the genera Majonica, Dolomitia and Pseudovoltzia. The family is characterized by a peculiar organization of the ovuliferous dwarf-shoots, i.e. the places of ovule-attachment on the lateral fertile scales varying from explicitly laterally situated to more or less shifted to the adaxial side of the dwarf-shoot.