西藏南部聂拉木志留纪笔石新材料

聂拉木是西藏南部志留纪含笔石地层(石器坡组)的主要产地。近期在该地亚来村新发现一批笔石标本,包括Normalograptus sp.、Glyptograptus sp.、Campograptus lobiferus、C. cf. lobiferus、C. cf. obtusus、C.? circularis、Lituigraptus cf.convolutus、Rastrites cf.perfectus、Stimulograptussedgwickii、Streptograptus sp.和Torquigraptus decipiens。该组合面貌确定其属于志留系兰多维列统埃隆阶上部Lituigraptusconvolutus带至Stimulograptus sedgwickii带。这一新材料的发现,使西藏南部的志留纪地层得以作全球对比。     

塔中隆起上奥陶统凯迪阶良里塔格组生物群及其古生态特征

塔中隆起区的良里塔格组含菌藻类微生物岩、植物类的钙藻、原生动物中的有孔虫、后生动物中的海绵、珊瑚、苔藓虫、介形类、三叶虫、腹足类、腕足动物、棘皮动物等化石门类。根据其生物成分的埋葬学特征,分为原地或近源成分占优势的群落和远源异地成分占优势的组合,群落和组合的类型展布受水深、水动力、坡折带地貌等因素控制。     

江西玉山祝宅上奥陶统下镇组蓝细菌化石及其古环境意义

江西玉山祝宅上奥陶统下镇组发育一层珊瑚生物层,是扬子板块奥陶纪以珊瑚为主的生物碳酸盐岩建造的典型代表,其形成的水深一直缺乏有效的限定。本文研究首次在该珊瑚层中发现蓝细菌,包括Girvanella和Rothpletzella。蓝细菌生活的水体深度不超过50 m,从而将该珊瑚生物层形成时的水体深度限定在50 m以内。珊瑚生物层的下伏灰岩地层产出大型腕足动物,但属种单调,不产任何珊瑚。本文研究在该层灰岩中发现的蓝细菌Hedstroemia和Garwoodia,是两个典型的潟湖相蓝细菌,因此推测该层灰岩中珊瑚的缺失不是因为水太深,而是因为环境的局限。该剖面下部有一套与页岩互层的灰岩,以前被认为是深水相的,但这次在其中发现了蓝细菌Acuasiphonoria,因此也应该是浅水相的。     

湘西中-上奥陶统大田坝组喇叭角石科鹦鹉螺动物群及其个体发育*

中-晚奥陶世是鹦鹉螺类演化历史上的一个多样性爆发时期,其中喇叭角石科鹦鹉螺是该时期全球广布的重要类群。文中对产自湘西地区多个中-上奥陶统剖面的喇叭角石科鹦鹉螺进行了系统古生物学研究,特别对产自其中3个奥陶纪地层剖面的鹦鹉螺类进行了详细参数测量和形态分析,在此基础上开展了分类学研究,共描述了鹦鹉螺类2属6种(含1新种),包括Lituites lii Yü,Lituites ningkiangense Lai,Lituites anhuiense Qi,Lituites evolutus Fang,Chen and Zhang(sp.nov.),Cyclolituites hubeiensis Liu and Xu,Cyclolituites lynnensis(Kjerulf)。为了探讨Lituites的个体发育规律,文中在详细测量、统计了多块保存完整的标本的相关数据之后,采用了个体发育研究中的纵向分析方法,对Lituites的壳体扩大率和旋卷壳体部分的松紧程度进行了线性拟合分析,结果表明Lituites的发育阶段可以分为幼年期、快速生长期和成熟期三个阶段:幼年期主要对应旋卷壳体阶段,发育速度较缓慢;快速生长期为直壳阶段,生长速度较快;成熟期对应近住室部分的最后1—2个气室,具有隔壁变厚、气室变密等特征,指示个体完全成熟。     

浙赣地区上奥陶统砚瓦山组的牙形刺及其地层意义*

描述产自浙江常山205国道剖面上奥陶统砚瓦山组的牙形刺,主要有Baltoniodus alobatus,B.variabilis,Periodon aculeatus,Dapsilodus viruensis,Scabbardella altipes和Panderodus gracilis等,可归入Baltoniodus alobatus带。浙赣地区奥陶系砚瓦山组自建立以来都被归入瀚江期,并与宝塔组对比。本文根据当前的发现并结合以前报道的砚瓦山组牙形刺化石,认为砚瓦山组自下而上可识别出Pygodus anserinus,Baltoniodus alobatus和Hamarodus brevirameus(=Hamarodus europaeus)等带,其时代应归为桑比早期至凯迪早期,并可与华南扬子区的庙坡组大部(或大田坝组)至宝塔组对比。其中,Pygodus anserinus带和Baltoniodus alobatus带见于浙江常山、江山地区,Hamarodus brevirameus带则见于江西武宁。在常山黄泥塘金钉子剖面,砚瓦山组底部为Pygodus anserinus带;在常山205国道剖面则见Baltoniodus alobatus带;但在江西武宁地区,砚瓦山组从底部起,几乎全都归为Hamarodus brevirameus带。因而,砚瓦山组在江西武宁与浙江常山等地之底界并不一致,有明显的穿时现象。本文牙形刺生物地层研究还表明,晚奥陶世古滕贝格的δ13 C的正偏移事件(GICE)在常山地区的起始时间不会早于B.alobatus带。     

新疆塔里木柯坪地区上奥陶统凯迪阶串管海绵类化石及其滤食选择性探讨北大核心

奥陶纪是串管海绵早期演化的一个关键阶段,记录了该类群的首次大规模辐射演化事件(属级分类单元达15个)。然而,现有大部分奥陶系串管海绵的报道来自澳大利亚东部和北美等地,在中国至今仅发现了两个属,与前述地区相比研究程度偏低。早期研究主要基于形态学特征对串管海绵进行系统分类描述,对其滤食策略知之甚少,因此制约了对此类海绵在奥陶纪底栖生态系统作用的相关探讨。本文系新疆塔里木柯坪地区奥陶纪串管海绵的首次系统古生物学报道,详细描述凯迪阶(上奥陶统)印干组中保存完好的阔室丛花海绵(Corymbospongia amplia)化石的形态学特征,并通过研究标本外壁微孔孔径的大小分布,探讨其滤食选择性。海绵外壁微孔孔径的分析表明:小型和微型浮游生物可能是其食物的主要来源,而多细胞浮游动物因个体尺寸大于海绵外壁微孔,不能被阔室丛花海绵捕获。本研究为奥陶纪串管海绵古生态学及其地球生物学意义的探讨提供了进一步的依据。     

塔里木柯坪羊吉坎剖面柯坪塔格组下段(上奥陶统)遗迹化石及其古环境意义

塔里木板块柯坪山系的柯坪塔格组下段可对比为上奥陶统,属浅海偏快速碎屑岩沉积相带。羊吉坎剖面距柯坪塔格组底界之上约20—30m的中—厚层细砂岩和粉砂岩局部薄层中赋存遗迹化石,本文鉴定为5属9种,包括Cruziana rouaulti Seilacher,1970,Cruzianaichnosp.,Rusophycus biloba Vanuxem,1842,Rusophycus didymus Salter,1856,Rusophycus cf.eutendorfensis Linck,1942,Chondrites ichnosp.,Gordia marina Emmons,1844,Planolites montanus Richter,1937,Thalassinoides horizontalis Myrow,1995。其中Planolites与Chondrites为穿相分子,Cruziana与Rusophycus为Cruziana遗迹相的典型分子,Thalassinoides与Gordia在早古生代也可见于Cruziana遗迹相,因此该段遗迹化石组合可归于Cruziana遗迹相。羊吉坎剖面柯坪塔格组下段极浅海带的浑浊水体环境导致大多数时间段中壳相生物丰度偏低,可推测这些遗迹化石的造主多是分异度低的机会种群,它们在相对很短的时间段栖居活动于海底表面,随机形成遗迹化石密集的薄层。     

皖北地区寒武系芙蓉统炒米店组中上部的索克虫类三叶虫*

塔里木盆地塔中台地奥陶系海百合茎化石丰富。本文通过研究塔中35井上奥陶统良里塔格组和桑塔木组岩芯中的海百合与其共生生物的关系, 讨论了海百合化石的古生态。在塔中35井上奥陶统取芯中识别出7种海百合茎类型: 圆圆茎、星星茎、星圆茎、椭圆圆茎、星椭圆茎、圆角星星茎和不规则星茎, 根据茎板形态划分为五射茎板组(Pentameri)、椭圆茎板组(Elliptici)、圆茎板组(Cyclici)、特殊茎板组(Varii)四种组合类型; 统计了海百合茎化石各种切面的大小和百分含量; 结合岩性分析了每段地层的沉积环境。研究发现, 在局限泻湖环境下, 蓝细菌–四分珊瑚为主的生物组合中不见海百合化石碎片; 仅见腹足类和介壳类化石的细砂屑滩中, 偶见细小的海百合茎化石; 在开阔海环境中, 海百合广泛与苔藓虫、管孔藻、粗枝藻等共生。在海百合–苔藓虫组合中, 海百合茎板的类型最丰富多样, 五射茎板组、椭圆茎板组、圆茎板组、特殊茎板组等四种茎板组合类型都存在; 在管孔藻–海百合组合中, 海百合茎板主要为圆茎板类型, 粗大、密集, 海百合茎碎片含量最高; 在海百合–粗枝藻组合中, 海百合茎板的数量减少、大小变小, 但茎板的类型比较丰富, 四种茎板组合类型都有。由此认为, 塔中台地上奥陶统沉积期, 海百合生长的首选环境为开阔台地, 并受水动力能量和水体清洁度控制: 水动力能量高, 水体清洁, 海百合繁盛; 水动力能量低, 水体动荡浑浊, 海百合可以生存; 水动力能量低、较为动荡、微生物席发育的环境, 不利于海百合生存。     

新疆轮南油田上奥陶统良里塔格组生物类群和古生态地层学*

南疆塔里木板块北部轮南油田在上奥陶统良里塔格组沉积期显示大致由东向西加深的陆表海缓坡地貌,19口钻井岩芯灰岩中可鉴定出钙质微生物Renalcis、Girvanella、Wetheredella、Garwoodia、Phacelophyton yushanensis、Hedstroemia?和Halysis;钙藻类Vermiporella、Dasyporella、Plexavaria和Solenopora;后生动物类型含海绵、珊瑚、苔藓虫、三叶虫、腕足动物、棘皮动物、腹足类、介形类等。不同钻井之间的古生态地层单元对比显示生物礁和灰泥丘主要发育于轮南油田西部井区,而东部井区则多为台内碎屑滩相沉积;海底地貌差异,特别是向西水深加大可视为控制轮南油田良里塔格组生态组合展布的主要因素。     

新疆准噶尔盆地周边晚石炭世的珊瑚*

新疆北部准噶尔盆地周边石炭系广泛出露, 其中上石炭统发育海相火山—沉积序列, 包括西准噶尔地区的哈拉阿拉特组、阿腊德依克赛组, 东准噶尔地区的石钱滩组以及盆地南部的祁家沟组、奥尔吐组等。本文研究在上述各地层的灰岩层或夹层、碎屑岩中获得的四射珊瑚9属17种和床板珊瑚2属3种, 对石钱滩组中的3个新种进行了详细的系统古生物学描述。上述珊瑚化石的地质时代主要为巴什基尔期至莫斯科期。在珊瑚动物群的组成上, 哈拉阿拉特组中新发现Caninophyllum属分子, 结合盆地东、西部共同产出的床板珊瑚Cystodendropora 属分子, 说明整个准噶尔盆地周边的动物群面貌大致类似, 而西准噶尔地区的化石丰度、分异度显著低于盆地东部和东南部。综合前人资料, 目前在准噶尔盆地周边发现的珊瑚化石有约一半为地方性分子。本文认为研究区珊瑚化石的分布和组成特征与晚石炭世准噶尔洋走向封闭或半封闭的演化趋势密切相关。     

新疆准噶尔盆地周边晚石炭世的珊瑚*

新疆北部准噶尔盆地周边石炭系广泛出露, 其中上石炭统发育海相火山—沉积序列, 包括西准噶尔地区的哈拉阿拉特组、阿腊德依克赛组, 东准噶尔地区的石钱滩组以及盆地南部的祁家沟组、奥尔吐组等。本文研究在上述各地层的灰岩层或夹层、碎屑岩中获得的四射珊瑚9属17种和床板珊瑚2属3种, 对石钱滩组中的3个新种进行了详细的系统古生物学描述。上述珊瑚化石的地质时代主要为巴什基尔期至莫斯科期。在珊瑚动物群的组成上, 哈拉阿拉特组中新发现Caninophyllum属分子, 结合盆地东、西部共同产出的床板珊瑚Cystodendropora 属分子, 说明整个准噶尔盆地周边的动物群面貌大致类似, 而西准噶尔地区的化石丰度、分异度显著低于盆地东部和东南部。综合前人资料, 目前在准噶尔盆地周边发现的珊瑚化石有约一半为地方性分子。本文认为研究区珊瑚化石的分布和组成特征与晚石炭世准噶尔洋走向封闭或半封闭的演化趋势密切相关。     

Ordovician Calcified Algae and Cyanobacteria, Northern Tarim Basin Subsurface, China

Boreholes between Kuqa and Korla, in the northern Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, penetrated Ordovician marine limestones at depths of 5–6.2km. From three boreholes 54 out of a total of 170 limestone samples contain calcified algae, cyanobacteria and associated Microproblematica. Calcified cyanobacteria (GirvanellaBotomaella, ?Subtifloria) account for 37 per cent of occurrences; green algae (Dasyporelleae and Vermiporella) 28 per cent; Microproblematica (NuiaBevocastriaRothpletzellaHalysis) 20 per cent; and ‘solenoporaceans’ 15 per cent GirvanellaNuia are common in the Early Ordovician deposits, and ‘solenoporaceans’ are abundant in the Mid‐Ordovician. Dasyporelleae and Vermiporella are most abundant in Mid–Late Ordovician samples. Calcified cyanobacteria are common throughout the limestone succession, but particularly in the Mid Ordovician part. MoniliporellaContextaPlexaTexturata, and Villosoporella, hitherto placed in the supposed red algal family Moniliporellaceae Gnilovskaya, are here regarded as dasycladalean green algae. Despite some omissions, this Tarim flora broadly resembles others from Kazakhstan, Baltica and North America, indicating the generally cosmopolitan nature of Ordovician calcified algae and cyanobacteria.     

Depositional facies and cyclic patterns in a subtidal-dominated ramp during the Early-Middle Ordovician in the western Tarim Basin (NW China)

Due to a long-term transgression since the Early Cambrian, an extensive shallow-water carbonate platform was developed in the entire Tarim Basin (NW China). During the deposition of the Yingshan Formation (Early-Middle Ordovician), a carbonate ramp system was formed in the intrashelf basin in the Bachu-Keping area of the western basin. Four well-exposed outcrop sections were selected to investigate their depositional facies, cycles, and sequences, as well as the depositional evolution. Detailed facies analyses permit the recognition of three depositional facies associations, including peritidal, semi-restricted subtidal, and open-marine subtidal facies, and eleven types of lithofacies. These are vertically arranged into meter-scale, shallowing-upward peritidal, semi-restricted subtidal, and open-marine subtidal cycles, in the span of Milankovitch frequency bands, suggesting a dominant control of Earth’s orbital forcing on the cyclic sedimentation on the platform. On the basis of vertical facies (or lithofacies) and cycle stacking patterns, as well as accommodation changes illustrated graphically by Fischer plots at all studied sections, six third-order depositional sequences are recognized and consist of lower transgressive and upper regressive parts. In shallow depositional settings, the transgressive packages are dominated by thicker-than-average, shallow subtidal cycles, whereas the regressive parts are mainly represented by thinner-than-average, relatively shallow subtidal to peritidal cycles. In relatively deep environments, however, the transgressive and regressive successions display the opposite trends of cycle stacking patterns, i.e., thinner-than-average subtidal cycles of transgressive packages. Sequence boundaries are mainly characterized by laterally traceable, transitional zones without apparent subaerial exposure features. Good correlation of the long-term changes in accommodation space inferred from vertical facies and cycle stacking patterns with sea-level fluctuations elsewhere around the world suggests an overriding eustatic control on cycle origination, platform building-up and evolution during the Early-Middle Ordovician, although with localized influences of syndepositional faulting and depositional settings.     

Ramp morphology controlling the facies differentiation of a Late Ordovician reef complex at Bachu,Tarim Block,NW China

A carbonate ramp in the shallow‐marine northwestern part of the Central Tarim Uplift, Bachu, NW China, exhibits an extraordinary Late Ordovician reef complex along the Lianglitag Mountains, exposed for a distance of about 25 km. Seven localities within the ‘Middle Red Limestone’ of the Upper Member of the Lianglitag Formation (Katian, Late Ordovician) illustrated the changes in biofacies and lithofacies: northern, seaward‐directed patch reefs are replaced towards the south by coeval grain banks. The patch reef units are dominated by microbial and calcareous algal components. The reefs at the northernmost locality are knoll‐shaped, kalyptra‐shaped or irregularly shaped with sizes of individual reefs increasing from about 2 m in height and diameter. Stratigraphically upward, reefs notably expand to larger structures by several mounds coalescing; they are generally about 10 m thick and tens of metres in lateral extent. The maximum thickness of the main patch reef is more than 30 m, and its diameter is around 100 m. The reefal units turn into biostromes with gentler relief southward and still further south grade into banks composed of peloids and coated grains. The southernmost locality is still a shallow‐water bank, and the coastline is not documented in the study area. The present evidence indicates that the Late Ordovician palaeo‐oceanography provided a number of environments for the optimal growth of carbonate build‐ups; microbial‐calcareous algal communities could thrive in areas where the innovative metazoan reef frameworks consisting of corals and stromatoporoids did not play a significant role. The ramp morphology, especially changes in water depth, controlled the configuration of the reef complex.     

The palaeoecology of the Upper Ndolanya Beds at Laetoli,Tanzania

The palaeoecology of the fauna from the Ndolanya Beds, Laetoli, Tanzania, has been analysed to reconstruct the environment of this 2.6 Ma site. Community profiles have been constructed in relation to three variables that carry ecological meaning: body weight, locomotor adaptations and feeding preferences. Comparing the similarities and differences in the structure of the fossil faunas with those of modern environments allows us to draw inferences about palaeoenvironmental conditions, and this is based on a comparative dataset of 15 modern environments (44 localities) covering a wide range of climatic and ecological conditions across Asia, Africa and Central America. In addition, 16 fossil sites in East and South Africa have been analysed in the same way, and both sets of comparative data have been used as the basis for comparison with an ecological diversity analysis of the fauna from the Upper Ndolanya Beds. The Ndolanya fauna is characterized by a predominance of medium to large sized terrestrial and herbivorous species.There is evidence of taphonomic bias that eliminated many of the smaller species. A comparison of multivariate analyses of 23 selected modern localities conducted both with and without the small species included, indicates that the loss of these species does not adversely influence the results of an ecological diversity analysis. The evidence suggests that at the time of the deposition of the Ndolanya Beds the Laetoli region was a semi-arid bushland. This is considerably drier and more open than is suggested for the earlier Laetolil Beds.     

Upper Ordovician bryozoans from the Xiazhen Formation of Yushan,northeastern Jiangxi,East China

The bryozoan fauna from the Xiazhen Formation (Katian, Upper Ordovician) of northeast Jiangxi Province, southeast China is reported here. Seventeen species of bryozoans belonging to fifteen genera and four orders are identified: Homotrypa yushanensis, Homotrypa sp., Prasopora yushanensis, Trematopora sp., Monotrypella sp., Rhombotrypa sp., Orbignyella sp., Constellaria jiangxiensis, Constellaria sp., Stictopora nicholsoni, Trigonodictya parvula, Ptilodictya ensiformis, Stictoporella sp., Pseudopachydictya sp., Nematopora sp., Arthrostylidae sp. indet., and Chasmatoporidae sp. indet. Four of these genera have been reported previously but nine genera (Trematopora, Monotrypella, Rhombotrypa, Orbignyella, Trigonodictya, Ptilodictya, Stictoporella, Pseudopachydictya, and Nematopora), one rhabdomesine and one fenestrate are found for the first time in the Late Ordovician strata of South China. Our palaeogeographical analysis suggests that the bryozoan association is typical for the Katian, which is mostly widespread in Laurentia, Siberia, Baltica and Mediterranean, and displays palaeobiogeographical relationships to the Laurentia–Siberia Province.