江苏北部始新统戴南组、三垛组孢粉植物群及古生态环境

该文通过对苏北—南黄海盆地高邮凹陷和海安凹陷16口石油探井中戴南组及上覆三垛组690块岩心样品的孢粉分析研究,建立了始新世三个孢粉植物组合,它们分别是早始新世Ulmipol-lenites-Inaperturopollenites-Pterisisporites组合(称第一孢粉组合,分布于戴南组一段至二段的Ⅰ亚段)、早始新世Taxodiaceaepollenites-Caryapollenites组合(称第二孢粉组合,分布于三垛组一段Ⅰ亚段)和中始新世晚期Nitrariadites-Retitricolpites-Euphorbiactes组合(称第三孢粉组合,分布于三垛组二段Ⅱ亚段)。讨论了这三个组合的特征和所属时代,提出了与以往戴南组、三垛组众多研究者将其归于渐新世的不同意见。文章还简要地阐述了各孢粉植物群的生态环境。对新发现的13个种作了描述,其中8新种,2未定种,对2种作了重新组合。     

Studies in Neotropical paleobotany. XIII. An Oligo-Miocene palynoflora from Simojovel (Chiapas, Mexico)

A plant microfossil assemblage of 24 identified and five unknown pollen and spore types is reported from the early Miocene La Quinta Formation near Simojovel, Chiapas, Mexico. The taxa group into seven paleocommunities representing versions of the modern mangroves (Pelliciera, Rhizophora), swamp and lowland riparian forest (Ceratopteris, Crudia, Pachira), tropical rain forest (Selaginella, cf. Antrophyum, Pteris, Sphaeropteris/Trichipteris, cf. Aguiaria, Crudia, Guarea, Pachira), lower montane rain forest (Alfaroa/Oreomunnea, possibly Eugenia), evergreen cloud forest [Picea, Pinus, Podocarpus, Ericaceae (possibly Cavendishia/Vaccinium)], evergreen seasonal forest (Hymenaea, Ilex, possibly Eugenia), and tropical deciduous forest (Cedrela). Elements of arid and high-elevation habitats were absent or few, and northern temperate elements (Picea, Pinus?) were few or rare. Paleoelevations are estimated at 1000–1200 m (present average 2000 m, maximum 3004 m), MAT (mean annual temperature) at least as warm as the present 24°C, and annual rainfall near the present ∼2500 mm but more evenly distributed. The La Quinta (Simojovel) and other Tertiary floras from the region reflect a trend toward higher altitudes, more seasonal rainfall, cooling tempertures, increased introduction of cool-temperate elements from the north after ∼15 Ma (million years), and increased introduction of tropical elements from the south after completion of the isthmian land bridge ∼3.5 Ma ago.     

Lunulichnus Tuberosus Ichnogen. and Ichnosp. Nov. from the Early Eocene Wasatch Formation,Fossil Butte National Monument,Wyoming: An Arthropod-Constructed Trace Fossil Associated with Alluvial Firmgrounds

A new trace fossil, Lunulichnus tuberosus, is described from fluvial deposits of the Wasatch Formation (early Eocene) at Fossil Butte National Monument, southwestern Wyoming, USA. L. tuberosus are straight, vertical to obliquely oriented, unlined cylindrical burrows with pronounced crescent-shaped wall sculptings. In situ examples of these trace fossils are most commonly preserved as sand-filled casts emanating from the erosional bases of fluvial channel sandstone bodies into underlying floodplain mudstone/siltstone beds. L. tuberosus is interpreted as the dwelling trace of a stream-dwelling decapod crustacean. Excellent preservation of fine detail, particularly their diagnostic crescent-shaped wall sculptings, support the hypothesis that L. tuberosus were excavated in firm substrata subjacent to fluvial erosional surfaces. As such, they are interpreted as constituents of alluvial Glossifungites trace fossil assemblages.     

伊朗卡尚地区始新世沟鞭藻类

文章简要报道了伊朗卡尚地区库姆组首次发现的沟鞭藻类。计6属6种。根据沟鞭藻化石组合面貌,并结合介形虫和钙质超微化石组合。探讨了含沟鞭藻化石的地层时代．推测其沉积环境为正常浅海大陆架环境。     

中国江西始新统的Palibinia——兼论北半球古近纪干旱气候形成机制

报道江西临江镇晚始新世临江组内发现的含Palibinia植物群。详细记述了Palibinia属的研究历史,其地质、地理分布以及其命名问题。从其叶形态、伴生的蒸发岩以及植被的分异度等确认Palibinia为旱生植物,并对其所代表的干旱气候形成机制予以探讨。文中描述了该植物群中的6种主要植物化石,特别是对Palibinia及Nelumbo二属的代表给以较详尽的描述和讨论。     

壮鼠化石在中国的首次发现

在我国北京长辛店和内蒙古四子王旗发现了壮鼠亚科的化石：杨氏东方壮鼠Eosischyromysyoungi新属种。它的齿冠较低,齿脊亦较低,齿尖较明显等特点表明它比北美目前已知的壮鼠都原始。这是壮鼠亚科化石在亚洲首次发现,扩大了壮鼠亚科的分布范围。特别是由于它比较原始,可能它出现的时代较早,进一步确认长辛店组的时代为中始新世晚期。     

河南卢氏盆地的中兽化石

记述了河南卢氏盆地的中兽科化石材料,命名了强中兽属一新种———李氏强中兽(Harpagolestesleeisp.nov.)。该种P4后附尖非常发育、向颊侧突出;M2的原尖长,前端偏于舌侧、后端偏于颊侧,冠面轮廓近于长方形。报道了东方强中兽(Harpagolestesorientalis)的第一件下颌标本,并对该种的特征进行了补充和修订。描述的一个厚中兽未定种(Pachyaenasp.)可能是该属已知最晚的代表。还鉴定出两件Mongolestes属的标本及一件属种未定的中兽科化石。     

记内蒙古新发现的始新世恐角目(哺乳动物纲)化石

记述了采自内蒙古二连盆地努和廷勃尔和始新世的Uintatherium sp．和Gobiatherium mirificum两件较破碎的下颌标本。Uintatherium sp．下颌粗壮,下颌突明显,下门齿双叶形,m3下后附尖很小且紧靠下三角座,下次小尖膨大,不与下跟座后脊分离,不具下次小尖脊和下内尖脊。新标本的产出层位在脑木根组的顶部,时代为早始新世早期,是目前已知最早的Uin- tatherium的代表。Gobiatherium mirificum标本产自阿山头组底部,其下颌水平支长且浅,无下颌突,整个下颌显得纤细,m3下后附尖和下后尖距离较远,下后附尖有一脊延伸到下后脊。到目前为止,在内蒙古该种仅分布在阿山头组。     

Middle Eocene habitat shifts in the North American western interior: A case study

There has been great interest in the global warming events that heralded the onset of the Eocene and particularly the response of mammalian faunas to these events. However, little information is available on the subsequent deterioration of tropical habitats in the interior of North America after these major warming episodes. The decline of tropical habitats is thought to have begun during the middle Eocene in the interior of North America, but until now, no studies have been able to document the details of this event. Recent fossil collection and stratigraphic studies from sites in southwestern Wyoming and northeastern Utah that span the middle Eocene offer a unique opportunity to evaluate changes in habitat in the western interior. Using a discriminant function analysis, habitats were reconstructed for a sequence of eight stratigraphically controlled middle Eocene assemblages. Adaptive profiles (diets, substrate use, and body masses) of fossil mammal communities were statistically compared to those of extant faunas from a variety of Neotropical habitats. Previously published magnetostratigraphic data from Utah provided a means to correlate our stratigraphic sections to the geomagnetic polarity time scale and the oxygen isotope record. The discriminant model shows that there was a significant change in the mammalian community ecology near the end of the late middle Eocene that is likely reflective of a habitat shift. When correlated to the time scale and oxygen isotope record, this key transition from forested habitats typical of the tropical early Eocene to more open woodlands began about 42 million years ago in this region of the Rocky Mountains.     

滇西保山地区丁家寨组生物群的时代

首次系统描述保山地区丁家寨组的类化石,详细讨论丁家寨组所产类和腕足类动物群及孢粉植物群的时代和性质,提出丁家寨组的时代应与华南早二叠世的紫松阶相当,即相当于国际上的Ａｓｓｅｌｉａｎ阶至Ｓａｋｍａｒｉａｎ阶。确认丁家寨组不存在不同时代化石的再沉积混杂或大量化石时代倒置的异常现象。丁家寨组出现特提斯型Ｅｏｐａｒａｆｕｓｕｌｉｎａ动物类;腕足类组合属介于西澳区和泰马区之间的过渡动物群,西澳区的色彩较浓;     

Eocene Bird and Mammal Tracks from the Karaj Formation,Tarom Mountains,Northwestern Iran

A long continuous trackway of a shorebird (cf. Charadriipeda) and a suite of possible Pantodonta (?Corophydon) or Dinocerata tracks are reported from the Eocene Karaj Formation. Fossil footprints are still rare in Iran, described only from two Jurassic and three Tertiary sites. Thus the current record, the third in the Teritary, adds to a sparse record and increases the diversity of known track types.     

金龙鱼(Scleropages:Osteoglossomorpha)化石的首次发现

金龙鱼化石的鳞片和骨骼碎片在过去时有报道,但鉴定并非十分可靠,因为在骨舌鱼科鱼类中这些鳞片和骨骼十分相似.首次记述了保存完美的金龙鱼化石,标本产于湖南湘乡下湾铺组和湖北松滋洋溪组,确立为骨舌鱼科金龙鱼属一新种:中华金龙鱼Scleropages sinensis sp.nov..新种与现生金龙鱼(Scleropages)在头部骨骼、尾骨骼、各鳍的形状和位置以及具有网状鳞片等方面极为相似,因而归入该属.然而,新种在以下特征上不同于金龙鱼的现生种:鼻骨无纹饰,鼻骨上的感觉管显露于沟内,感觉管联合不经过顶骨,翼耳骨侧向加厚,眶前骨上的感觉孔大,眼眶后的眶下骨不完全覆盖前鳃盖骨上支,其宽高比例为0.75而非现生种的1-1.2,前鳃盖骨后下角变尖,鳃盖骨后下缘凹形、下端变尖,匙骨背突长大,脊椎46-48,椎体横突短小,胸鳍十分长大,上下两端的尾鳍条和内部鳍条等长.亚洲的现生种发现于各种河流和小溪中,比较喜欢水草茂盛的静水环境,一般游弋于表层水中,以鱼虾、昆虫等为食,新种中华金龙鱼也应该有相似的生长环境和食性.新种似具有性二形性,雄鱼体形略纤细,头部略大,口裂更深.中华金龙鱼化石的发现,说明金龙鱼属(Scleropages)和骨舌鱼属(Osteoglossum)在早始新世以前就已经分化,这对解释骨舌鱼类的跨洋分布具有十分重要的意义.     

Taxonomic status of purported primate frontal bones from the Eocene Pondaung Formation of Myanmar

Two isolated cranial fragments from the late middle Eocene Pondaung Formation of central Myanmar have previously been interpreted as frontal bones of the amphipithecid primate Amphipithecus mogaungensis. Aside from a few maxillary fragments, these specimens provide the only potential source of information currently available regarding the cranial anatomy of Amphipithecidae. Were this taxonomic attribution correct, these specimens would indicate that amphipithecids retained numerous primitive skull features, including the absence of a postorbital septum, the retention of a voluminous olfactory chamber, and strong separation between the forebrain and the orbital fossa. However, several anatomical details observable on these specimens are incompatible with their attribution to any primate and strongly suggest that they cannot be ascribed to Mammalia. Particularly problematic in this regard are the extreme thickness of the dermal bone, the odd structure of the alleged "frontal trigon," and the mediolateral orientation and uniquely robust construction of the descending process of the frontal bone (which partially segregates the orbital and temporal fossae). Because these isolated elements can no longer be attributed to Amphipithecus, the anatomical, phylogenetic, and behavioral inferences regarding amphipithecid paleobiology that have been drawn from these specimens can no longer be sustained.     

日本九州西部赤崎组和中甑组始新世哺乳动物:初步结果及其与亚洲陆相哺乳动物分期的对比(英文)

日本已知时代最早的古近纪哺乳动物化石产自九州西部熊本县天草(Amakusa)地区始新世地层赤崎(Akasaki)组以及鹿儿岛县甑岛(Koshiki Islands)相当层位的中甑(Nakakoshiki)组。初步研究显示这两个组产出的哺乳动物分异度较高,包括9个目的至少18种动物。赤崎动物群有3种trogosine裂齿类、2种冠齿兽科全齿类、1种等脊貘科奇蹄类、2种dichobunoid偶蹄类、1种下齿兽科踝节类、1种西瓦兔猴科灵长类、1种未定食虫类以及2种可能的梳趾鼠类。中甑动物群包括1种冠齿兽科全齿类、2种小型雷兽科奇蹄类、1种高冠的下齿兽科踝节类、2种啮齿类和1种细齿兽科食肉类。这两个日本哺乳动物组合很接近早-中始新世界线。由于出现了trogosine裂齿类和雷兽,它们的时代要晚于伯姆巴动物群,极有可能与亚洲大陆阿山头期哺乳动物群相当。这两个动物群还包含了在亚洲大陆没有发现过的几个新种,并具有独特的哺乳动物组合。     

Traditional knowledge and genetic diversity ofopuntia pilifera (cactaceae) in the tehuacán-cuicatlán valley, Mexico

Traditional Knowledge and Genetic Diversity of Opuntia pilifera (Cactaceae) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, Mexico. Economic Botany 59(4)366-376, 2005. Most studies of the genusOpuntia have focused on economically important species, and therefore more knowledge concerning the genetic diversity among wild and locally managedOpuntia species is needed for an expanded use of cacti in the future. The present study is part of ongoing ethnobotanical work in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley of Mexico and focuses on six traditionally classified forms ofOpuntia pilifera used as food by the indigenous Popoloca people in San Juan Atzingo. Traditional knowledge of how to distinguish these forms based on fruit flavor, color, size, and number of spines on the fruits and cladodes is preserved in the local community. Genetic fingerprinting with 129 AFLPs did not correlate with this traditional morphological classification of 67 cacti. Yet, these AFLPs distinguished the analyzed 67Opuntia pilifera cacti easily from the out-group comprising 17 wildOpuntia velutina.