淮北地区新元古代后生植物化石新材料

淮北元古界金山寨组最近发现了一批毫米－厘米级宏体碳质压膜化石,这些带状化石具有明显的固着器和营养体的分化,部分标本保存了紧密排列的横纹构造。根据这些特点,可以确定这些碳质压膜是后生植物化石,它们是新元古代早期生命多细胞化的可靠证据。     

贵州凯里生物群中的宏观藻类化石丘尔藻(Chuaria)及其意义

丘尔藻Chuaria Walcott,1899是宏观藻类中研究最早、延续时限最长的一类宏观藻类化石,它是新元古代赵家山生物群、淮南生物群及西陵峡动物群的代表分子之一.寒武纪第3世凯里生物群中Chuaria化石的产出,不仅是其最年青的代表,也是凯里生物群中宏观藻类组合中较为重要的分子之一.凯里生物群中Chuaria化石呈...     

生命的历程系列讲座(十一) 神秘的埃迪卡拉生物群

<正>埃迪卡拉生物群因发现于南澳大利亚埃迪卡拉山前寒武纪晚期的庞德砂岩而得名,是已知最古老的具有复杂体型结构的生物组合,主要生活在5.75亿年前至5.41亿年前的海洋中,是宏体生物的演化过程中最为独特的化石生物群,它们为软躯体,化石以印痕或铸型方式保存于碎屑岩中。多数学者认为埃迪卡拉生物群可能是后生动物的早期代表,是后生动物出现后的一次适     

黔东北新元古代陡山沱期宏体藻类的固着器特征及其沉积环境意义

产于贵州江口新元古界陡山沱组上部黑色碳质泥岩和硅质泥岩中的宏体生物群,多数为发育固着器的固着底栖生物。宏体藻类固着器的形态和保存方式可提供生物群生活环境和埋藏环境的信息。黔东北陡山沱期宏体生物群生活于相对平静、较为清澈的水体之中,固着基底为富含水份的粥性基底。可能与洋流有关的水流事件将宏体藻类折断或“连根”拔起;水流事件之后,沉积物将宏体藻类的遗体掩埋于还原性较强的环境之中,新生的和水流事件未致死亡的宏体生物在新的沉积物表面上继续生长。     

贵州埃迪卡拉纪瓮安生物群化石含量的统计分析

贵州瓮安埃迪卡拉纪陡山沱组（635-551Ma）上磷矿段保存了大量精美的磷酸盐化微体球粒化石,它们主要由多细胞藻类、疑源类和处于不同发育阶段的多种动物胚胎化石组成,此外还包括少量后生动物的幼、成体化石。本文以贵州瓮福磷矿陡山沱组上磷矿段灰白色球粒状白云质磷块岩为研究对象,在总结瓮安生物群中不同生物化石的鉴别特征基础上,定量统计采自该层位的两组岩石样品（WA—I和WA-r1）的酸处理砂样中的所有化石。统计结果表明,瓮安陡山沱组该磷块岩中化石质量和岩石中磷酸盐组分质量成正线性相关,两个样品中化石占全部磷酸盐组分的质量百分比均在10％左右,其中多细胞藻类和疑源类化石占全部化石含量均少于10％。这一结果客观地反映了瓮安生物群的化石丰度,证实了保存在瓮安陡山沱组上磷矿段灰色富氧含磷埋藏相中的瓮安生物群主要由动物胚胎化石组成的特征。     

黔东北江口陡山沱组庙河生物群中的革辛娜藻Gesinella Steiner et al.,1992

贵州江口埃迪卡拉纪的江口庙河生物群是一个极为重要的早期后生生物群,不仅含有大量的宏观藻类化石,还发现了可靠的、重要的动物化石。宏观藻类化石数量丰富,保存完整,类型多样,提供了早期后生植物研究的极好材料。本文研究的江口庙河生物群中的大量碳质压模保存的湖南革辛娜藻Gesinella hunanensis,与产于湖南留茶坡组的模式标本相比,整体形态特征虽然一致,两者却存在一些差异,如江口的Gesinella hunanensis叶状体表面较光滑,碳膜厚度从基部向上逐渐变薄,边缘较中部厚,未见乳状突起及侧枝,但可见明显的碳膜压叠现象;叶状体周期性生长明显,一个生长周期形成的叶状体中部较宽,两端较窄;宽度从几个毫米至几十毫米,变化较大;固着结构分为须根状和盘状两种形态,固着器与叶状体之间为加厚的固着蒂,固着蒂之上的叶状体边缘呈波状。与带状棒形藻Baculiphyca taeniata明显不同,尽管整体均呈棒状,但度量相差一个数量级以上,且具独特的周期性生长方式,碳膜中部薄且时有叠压现象、而端部和边缘厚的特征显示其叶状体可能是中空的囊状,与Baculiphyca taeniata的叶状体碳膜极厚乃至保存为块状的特征明显不同。研究结果表明Gesinella hunanensis的形态趋于多样性,证实了Gesinella hunanensis与Baculiphyca taeniata是完全不同的另一类宏观藻类。     

湖北三峡地区纽芬兰统岩家河组的宏体藻类化石北大核心

文中报道湖北宜昌纽芬兰统岩家河组小壳化石Ⅰ、Ⅱ组合之间的宏体藻类化石:中华细丝藻属Sinocy-lindra,崆岭藻属Konglingphyton,约克那斯藻属Yuknessia和文德带藻属Vendotaenia。通过对宏体藻类化石研究,表明它们无论从保存形式还是形态特征上看,带有庙河生物群的色彩,同时与牛蹄塘生物群和澄江生物群可能也有一定的联系,这为研究宏体藻类的辐射、演化提供了化石依据。     

湖北三峡地区纽芬兰统岩家河组的宏体藻类化石

文中报道湖北宜昌纽芬兰统岩家河组小壳化石Ⅰ、Ⅱ组合之间的宏体藻类化石:中华细丝藻属Sinocy-lindra,崆岭藻属Konglingphyton,约克那斯藻属Yuknessia和文德带藻属Vendotaenia。通过对宏体藻类化石研究,表明它们无论从保存形式还是形态特征上看,带有庙河生物群的色彩,同时与牛蹄塘生物群和澄江生物群可能也有一定的联系,这为研究宏体藻类的辐射、演化提供了化石依据。     

寒武纪早期岩家河生物群:研究进展和展望*

埃迪卡拉纪-寒武纪转换时期动物的起源、演化和"寒武纪大爆发"一直是国际古生物学界研究的热点问题,其中寒武纪早期小壳化石群与埃迪卡拉纪化石群和寒武纪早期澄江化石库之间的内在关系是古生物学界研究的难题,其主要原因是寒武纪早期与小壳化石群伴生的宏体动、植物化石的缺乏。发现于峡东地区的寒武纪早期岩家河生物群填补了这一缺失环节,该生物群包含宏体动物、宏观藻类、小壳化石、球形化石(可能的胚胎化石)、微古植物和蓝菌类等化石,部分宏体化石显示了从埃迪卡拉纪向寒武纪过渡色彩。化石保存方式有碳质膜、黄铁矿化、磷酸盐化、硅化。因此对岩家河生物群生物多样性和埋藏学进行综合研究,将可提供纽芬兰世(梅树村期)碳酸盐台地—碳酸盐台地内部的局部凹陷盆地相的一个较完整的生物景观图,对探索"寒武纪大爆发主幕"前夕生物的辐射、演化模式及保存机制具有重要的科学意义。     

陕南早寒武世宽川铺生物群沉积环境及埋藏机制研究

陕南早寒武世宽川铺生物群三维立体保存了大量结构精美的磷酸盐化胚胎及小壳化石,为后生动物演化及化石胚胎学的研究提供了珍贵的实证材料。目前的研究主要集中在化石分类学及演化生物学上,而对沉积环境及埋藏机制的研究却很少涉及。文中通过对大量野外岩石照片、岩石薄片、小壳化石SEM照片的综合研究后认为,宽川铺生物群不是原地埋藏的产物,而是事件沉积的结果。该研究对于探讨宽川铺生物群化石的埋藏环境及保存机制具有一定的意义。     

Species relationships in the genus Vasconcellea (Caricaceae) based on molecular and morphological evidence

Validity of the taxa currently recognized in the genus Vasconcellea was analyzed by investigating morphological and molecular data from 105 specimens of this genus and six specimens of the related genus Carica. Taxon identification of these specimens was compared with clustering in two phenetic dendrograms generated with 36 morphological characters and 254 amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers. Moreover, cytoplasmic haplotypes were assessed using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of one mitochondrial and two chloroplast DNA regions. Results show that the morphological data set, containing mainly vegetative characteristics, merely reveals external resemblance between specimens, which is not directly associated with genetic relationships and taxon validity. Phenotypic plasticity and intercompatibility between several species are likely to confuse morphological delimitation of the taxa. Based on the results of our study, several specimens that could not be identified with the currently used identification key (1) could be attributed to a known taxon, which should be extended to include a higher range of morphological variability or (2) could be hypothesized to be of hybrid origin. Because of the high intraspecific variation within V. microcarpa and V. × heilbornii, revision of these taxa is recommended.     

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melampsora</Emphasis> species on poplars in China

Many species of Melampsora on Populus have been reported in China, based on morphological characteristics of both uredial and telial states, and on host species, but their morphology and taxonomy are still poorly defined. In this study, 196 specimens representing Melampsora species on poplars and collected from various areas of China were used for morphological observations. The morphological characteristics of urediniospores and teliospores were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. The specimens could be classified into five groups based on their morphology. For the sequencing of the nuclear large subunit rDNA (D1/D2), 5.8S rDNA and their internal transcribed spacers, ITS1 and ITS2 region, 54 specimens were selected from the specimens used in morphological observations. These specimens were separated into six clades by phylogenetic analyses of the D1/D2 and ITS regions. Correlations among morphological groups and phylogenetic clades based on these results suggest a revision of these species. In particular, no evidence to discriminate specimens of M. acedioides, M. magnusiana, and M. rostrupii was found from either morphological characteristics or sequence analysis.Contribution no. 185 Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba, Japan     

Detection of invasive and cryptic species in marine mussels (Bivalvia,Mytilidae): A chromosomal perspective

Marine mussels illustrate a stunning variability in shape and color. Such variability, added to the scarcity of reliable morphological characters for their identification, can mislead recognition prompting the assignation of specimens of a single species to different ones or incorporate specimens belonging to different taxa into a single one. DNA barcoding is widely used for species identification; however, as this method relies on the previous morphological identification of the specimens, some of the DNA sequences stored in DNA databases are incorrectly assigned to a given species. In view of this uncertainty, further criteria beyond morphological characters and DNA sequences in databases are required to more reliably and accurately identify marine mussels. In this work we mapped ribosomal RNA and histone gene clusters to chromosomes of four species of marine mussels and compared them with those from another eight marine mussel taxa. Specimens of these twelve taxa were also DNA barcoded. Our results clearly demonstrated that the chromosomal analysis of marine mussels could shed light on their identification and, therefore, solve contradictions posed by morphological and molecular data.     

Taxonomic study of the Burmoniscus ocellatus complex (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) in Japan shows genetic diversification in the southern Ryukyus, southwestern Japan

To clarify the taxonomic status of the Burmoniscus ocellatus complex in Japan, we carried out morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses of specimens collected from Yonagunijima, Iriomotejima, Ishigakijima, and Miyakojima Islands of the southern Ryukyus and from Okinawajima Island of the central Ryukyus in southwestern Japan. Observations of the holotypes of Aphiloscia iriomotensis ( Nunomura, 1986 ), Ap. ishigakiensis ( Nunomura, 1986 ), and Ap. yonakuniensis ( Nunomura, 1986 ), in addition to the specimens newly collected from the five islands, indicated that these specimens belong to the genus Burmoniscus. Analyses of five morphological characters of 268 specimens collected from the five islands showed that the body size of Okinawajima specimens is distinctly smaller than those of the specimens from the southern Ryukyus. The ranges of the five morphological characters tended to overlap among the specimens from Yonagunijima, Iriomotejima, Ishigakijima and Miyakojima Islands; these morphological characters were congruent with those of 6. ocellatus (Verhoeff, 1928). The phylogenetic analyses were based on three regions of mitochondrial DNA-COI, 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA-and indicated that the specimens collected from the southern Ryukyus constitute a monophyletic group, which is clearly distinct from the clade composed of the Okinawajima specimens. These results strongly suggest that Ap. iriomotensis, Ap. ishigakiensis, and Ap. yonakuniensis are synonymous with B. ocellatus, a species widely distributed in the southern Ryukyus. On the other hand, the species from Okinawajima Island in the central Ryukyus is considered to be an undescribed Burmoniscus species, which is closely related to but clearly distinct from S. ocellatus.     

无菌容器湿润保存昆虫标本的方法

无菌容器湿润保存制作的昆虫标本虫体柔软 ,形态特征完好 ,克服了传统法制作的昆虫标本脆硬及易断的现象 ,适合于形态分类学研究。同时 ,也为昆虫学交叉学科提供了一种“天然”的试验材料。但此法不适于研究机构的野外综合考察及博物馆的较多昆虫标本保存 ,也不适用于鳞翅目、双翅目等类昆虫标本的制作保存。     

辽宁省牛膝菊属(Galinsoga Ruiz. et Pav.)植物的补充研究

牛膝菊（Galinsoga parviflora Cav.）和粗毛牛膝菊（Galinsoga quadriradiata Ruiz. et Pav.）为辽宁省两种重要入侵植物,目前国内文献对这两种植物的形态描述有混淆。根据沈阳农业大学植物标本室收藏的标本并比对采集于沈阳市附近的标本,作者明确这两种牛膝菊属植物的主要区别在于冠毛：前者的舌状花无冠毛或冠毛为细短毛,管状花的冠毛羽筛状,先端钝;后者的舌状花和管状花的冠毛均呈羽筛状,先端尖。该性状差异可为准确鉴别该属杂草提供形态学依据。     

Hipposideros caffer (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in Zimbabwe: morphology and echolocation calls

The results of this study of morphological variation and variation in echolocation calls indicate that only specimens with narrow lateral nasal inflations (= Hipposideros caffer ) have been reported from Zimbabwe to date. In both Zambia and Mocambique, single localities yielded both specimens with narrow or wide lateral nasal inflations (nominally, H. caffer and H. ruber , respectively). There are significant differences in echolocation calls between one site in Zimbabwe and another near the Zimbabwe South Africa border that are not paralleled by significant morphological differences.     

Human remains of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis from the pleistocene deposit of Santa [corrected] Croce Cave, Bisceglie (Apulia), Italy

The paper deals with a Neanderthal human femur, recovered during excavations in Santa [corrected] Croce Cave, Bisceglie. The cave also yielded Mousterian lithic industry and fauna indicating a paleoclimate condition with dry-warm tendency and savannah landscape. Metrical, morphometrical, and morphological analysis, and the comparison with Neanderthal specimens show that the femur belonged to an adult individual. It particularly shows great affinities with the analogous specimens from La Ferrassie 1 and 2, Spy 2, and Fond de Forêt, which are similar in size and, above all, show similar archaic morphological traits.     

Phylogeny of Acomys spinosissimus (Rodentia, Muridae) from north Malawi and Tanzania: evidence from morphological and molecular analysis

New specimens of Acomys spinosissimus from northern Malawi and southern Tanzania were subjected to morphological, molecular (cytochrome b mitochondrial gene) and cytogenetical analysis in order to establish the phylogenetic position of these populations among A. spinosissimus, as well as their relationships with other species (A. subspinosus and A. wilsoni). The monophyly of the spinosissimus clade is supported by morphological and molecular phylogenies. Cytogenetics and morphology, but not the cytochrome b phylogeny show the possible existence of two sibling species within spinosissimus. Incongruences are noted between molecular and morphological trees, especially concerning the position of the Transvaal specimens. Two different biogeographic scenarios for the origin and dispersal of A. spinosissimus are discussed in the light of available palaeontological data.