Radiolaria and planktonic foraminifera from Sarama composite section of the Kannaviou Formation (Campanian,Upper Cretaceous,Cyprus)

Radiolarians and planktonic foraminifers were studied from a series of continuous outcrops of the Upper Cretaceous (upper Campanian) Kannaviou Formation near Sarama Village (southwestern Cyprus). The composite study section has a narrow stratigraphic interval that covers the upper Campanian, with a total thickness of more than 70 m. The Amphipyndax tylotus (radiolarian) Zone is found within the study section. According to foraminiferal data the studied interval corresponds to the middle-upper Campanian age (from Contusotruncana plummerae Zone to the lower part of Gansserina gansseri Zone).     

Phaeodarian Radiolaria from the Upper Cretaceous beds of central Japan

Upper Cretaceous Phaeodarea (Radiolaria) were recovered from the Shoya Formation, which crops out 100 km northwest of Tokyo, central Japan. The Shoya Formation consists of about 600 m-thick marine sedimentary rocks, represented by alternating beds of sandstone and mudstone, which are overlain by about 10 m of Phaeodarian-bearing siliceous mudstone. The latter is assigned to the Upper Cretaceous (late Campanian to early Maastrichtian) based on the associated Polycystine Radiolarian fossils. In spite of the poor general preservation of nearly all Phaeodarian specimens as recrystallized quartz infillings, three new Phaeodarian species, Challengeranium cretaceum, Challengeron paleotriangulum, and Medusetta fossilis, were identified on the basis of their shape and ornamentation. Our finding, together with two other very recent reports of fossil Phaeodarians clearly document that the origin of Phaeodarian Radiolarians can be extended back to at least the Upper Cretaceous.     

Unusual assemblages of Late Cretaceous silicoflagellates from the Canadian Archipelago

Devon and Ellef Ringnes islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago contain well-preserved Santonian through early Campanian silicoflagellates. These occur in three unusual assemblages, which comprise three biostratigraphic zones. The oldest, the Vallacerta tumidula Partial Range Zone of Santonian age, contains an extremely variable microflora that includes species of the poorly-known genus Variramus, two new species of Cornua, and a new genus Umpiocha. The Schulzyocha ruppelii Range Zone of early Campanian age includes several species of the new genus Schulzyocha, reflecting quadrate silicoflagellate skeletal morphologies that lack a basal structure. The youngest assemblage includes the poorly-known species Cornua trifurcata, the nominative taxon of the C. trifurcata Partial Range Zone (proposed by McCartney et al., in press c; emended herein), which allows a correlation with a silicoflagellate-bearing sequence from the Horton River area, Northwest Territories of Canada. This report presents information on 24 silicoflagellate taxa, proposes 2 new genera, Schulzyocha and Umpiocha, and describes 13 new species and 1 new combination. All of these new taxa disappear by the top of the Campanian Cornua trifurcata Partial Range Zone. These assemblages reveal a new history of silicoflagellate evolution prior to the late Campanian, the period from which most of our prior knowledge about Cretaceous silicoflagellates was derived. The assemblages show progressive change from skeletons with highly variable morphologies to more stable silicoflagellate skeletal geometry. Two important Corbisema species, C. apiculata and C. archangelskiana, appear to be derived from separate lines within Cornua in the latest Santonian and early Campanian. The important Cretaceous genus Lyramula makes its first appearance at the beginning of the Campanian.     

Integrated stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment of the Cenomanian-Lower Turonian (Upper Cretaceous) of northern Westphalia, North Germany

Summary The present study provides an integrated stratigraphy of the Lower Cenomanian-Lower Turonian of the northwestern Münsterland Basin, Westphalia. This is important to establish a standard section allowing an interregional correlation as well as an interpretation of single environmental conditions, their changes through time and their geographical extent. Numerous sections have been investigated in northern Westphalia, in addition to data from other profiles in North Germany. Macrofossils and thin-sections have been sampled, stable isotope and gamma ray data have been obtained from a part of the sections. Investigation of the sedimentary sequence is based on a analysis of events. Many events are diachronous, whereas others are difficult to define and do not show a wide geographic distribution. For ecological or sedimentological reasons, correlation is not possible. The discussion of events leads to a compound picture of the evolution of the depositional sequence, allowing the reconstruction of palaeo-environmental changes. Sea-level changes and their influence on the fauna is discussed. During maximal sea-level rising, macrofossils occur more frequently for ecological reasons, however, some macrofossil accumulations are lag deposits. Some biostratigraphical problems find their origin in a tectonic separation leading to different habitats. The local tectonics was caused by the intial phase of transpression of the Osning Zone, that can be traced down to the Lower Cenomanian. A correlation of the Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary Event (CTBE) in Westphalia (Lengerich), Colorado (USA) and England (Eastbourne), is possible due to very dense sampling of carbon-isotopes (δ¹³C). In Westphalia, definition of the stage boundary is possible by correlation of carbon isotope curves only. A sequence from the upper Middle Cenomanian, up to the lower Upper Cenomanian, is investigated concerning the controlling factors of biogenic sedimentation. The cyclicity of lithology is investigated by Fast Fourier Trans-formation. It can be shown that sedimentation is forced by orbital cycles, mainly by the precession cycle of the Milankovitch band (P1 and P2, 18 500 and 22 300 years, respectively). This confirms the primary origin of the marlstone-limestone couplets that are obvious in the field. Calculation of sedimentation rates is based on these data. There is a high variability of sedimentation rates, maybe due to a strong variation of productivity in this epicontinental environment. Dedicated to the memory of Jost Wiedmann (1931–1993)     

Titanosaur eggshells from the Tremp Formation (Upper Cretaceous,Southern Pyrenees,Spain)

Hundreds of megaloolithid eggshells have been found at the Costa de la Coma site (Tremp Fm, South-Central Pyrenees, Spain), the microstructural features (spherulitic eggshell units, thickness, ornamentation and pore system) of which agree with the Megaloolithus oogenus diagnosis. Comparisons with other megaloolithids from the Tremp Basin, southern France and South America, however, showed that these eggshells share many features with the South American oospecies Megaloolithus patagonicus. A cladistic analysis of the qualitative eggshell features of the main dinosaur taxa was performed. The results grouped the Costa de la Coma eggshells with Megaloolithus patagonicus, forming a clade separated from other megaloolithids, and revealed a polytomy of megaloolithids (associated with sauropods) and spheroolithids (associated with hadrosaurs). The finding of Megaloolithus cf. patagonicus in the Tremp Fm agrees with skeletal evidence provided by four indeterminate titanosaur forms from the Formation's late Cretaceous deposits. Other Megaloolithus oospecies of the Tremp Fm may belong to hadrosaurs, the skeletal remains of which are also abundant in the Tremp Basin.     

Radiolarians of the family neosciadiocapsidae from the Turonian-Santonian of the Perapedhi Formation,southern Cyprus

Paleontological Journal - Abundant radiolarians of the family Neosciadiocapsidae Pessagno (order Nassellaria) are examined, 11 new species, including Coniforma quasiantiochensis sp. nov.,...     

On the finding of ornithomimid dinosaurs (Saurischia, Ornithomimosauria) in the Upper Cretaceous beds of Tajikistan

Fragmentary remains of ornithomimids (Ornithomimidae indet.) from the Lower Santonian (Upper Cretaceous) Kansai locality in northwestern Fergana (Tajikistan) are described, and the composition of its dinosaurian assemblage is updated.     

A new oviraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu,Inner Mongolia

Abstract: A new oviraptorid is described on the basis of a partial forelimb collected from the Upper Cretaceous redbeds of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia. Machairasaurus leptonychus, gen. et sp. nov. is diagnosed by slender, weakly curved manual unguals, reduced flexor tubercles, penultimate phalanges that are subequal in length to the preceding phalanges, and short, robust manual digits. Machairasaurus is found to be a member of the Ingeniinae, along with Ingenia yanshini, Heyuannia huangi, Conchoraptor gracilis, and Nemegtomaia barsboldi. Machairasaurus exhibits unusual proportions of the manus, suggesting that the manus was not primarily used to grasp prey. Instead, Machairasaurus and other oviraptorids are likely to have fed largely on plant material. The recognition of a previously unknown oviraptorid at Bayan Mandahu provides further evidence that the Bayan Mandahu dinosaur assemblage is distinct from that found at the Djadokhta Formation exposures at Bayn Dzak, Tugriken Shireh, and Ukhaa Tolgod. Given that these localities are separated by just a few hundred kilometres and represent similar palaeoenvironments, marked differences in the fauna suggest that the Bayan Mandahu Formation of Inner Mongolia is not coeval with the known Djadokhta localities in Mongolia.     

Dinoflagellate cyst biostratigraphy of the Coniacian–Santonian (Upper Cretaceous): New data from the English Chalk

Results are presented here for the first chalk-based, high-resolution quantitative study of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) from the entire Coniacian–Santonian Chalk successions in east Kent and on the Isle of Wight. The lithostratigraphy and dinocyst records (137 taxa) of seven sections are presented, and the stratigraphic ranges of taxa are constrained relative to stage and zonal boundaries, located using extensive macrofossil data. Results are integrated with a previous complementary study of the Isle of Wight Santonian to test and refine existing dinocyst bioevent schemes. Sixteen dinocyst events are proposed as a sequence of biostratigraphic datum levels for the lower Coniacian to uppermost Santonian which, based on average sedimentation rates, represent an average temporal resolution of around 360 kyr. The event stratigraphy forms a basis for the first high-resolution correlation study of quantitative dinocyst data from the Upper Cretaceous of NW Europe. A new genus Culversphaera Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher gen. nov. is proposed with the new combination Culversphaera velata Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher gen. et comb. nov. Five new species: Ellipsodinium membraniferum Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher sp. nov., Senoniasphaera macroreticulata Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher sp. nov., Senoniasphaera whitenessii Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher sp. nov., Xenascus spinatus Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher sp. nov. and X. yunii sp. nov., and the new subspecies S. protrusa congrensa Prince, Jarvis, Pearce et Tocher subsp. nov. are described.     

Paleoazolla,a new heterosporous fern from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina

Megaspore and microspore massulae of Paleoazolla patagonica gen. et sp. nov. are described from the Upper Cretaceous of La Colonia Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina. The new fern possesses megaspore complexes with three to four glochidiate floats attached directly to the megaspore; a columella-like structure appears to be absent. The megaspore wall consists of a two-layered exine that is smooth to irregularly perforate, a two-layered perine with a spongy, densely packed endoperine, and a loosely organized exoperine. Infrafilosum hairs cover the exoperine. Microspore massulae are irregular in size and shape and bear multibarbed glochidia that generally have anchor-shaped tips. A comparison with other azollaceous and salviniaceous genera, particularly Azolla, is provided, together with a discussion of some evolutionary trends within the family.     

First titanosaur (Saurischia,Sauropoda) axial remains from the Uberaba Formation,Upper Cretaceous,Bauru Group,Brazil

The Adamantina and Marília formations are considered to be the richest vertebrate-bearing units in the Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous, Brazil. In contrast, the fossil content from the Uberaba Formation, which only outcrops in Minas Gerais State, is scarce and poorly understood. In this essay the first taxonomically informative titanosaur remains unearthed from this unit are reported. They comprise anterior caudal vertebrae from two different individuals corresponding to a probably basal titanosaur (CPP-360) and a derived titanosaur (CPP-217). Although these remains can be clearly distinguished from other titanosaurs on the basis of their unique association of characteristics like the presence of mildly procoelous centra, lateral pits in the anterior caudal vertebrae, and prezygapophyses with a dorsal protuberance in anterior caudals in CPP-360 and the presence of strongly developed prespinal, spinopostzygapophyseal and centropostzygapophyseal laminae in CPP-217, more complete materials are needed to propose them new names.     

Tylerianthus crossmanensis gen. et sp. nov. (aff. Hydrangeaceae) from the Upper Cretaceous of New Jersey

A fossil flower with affinities to the modern families of the saxifragalean complex is described. Fossils were collected at Old Crossman Pit, Raritan Formation, New Jersey, USA. These sediments are dated on the basis of palynology as Turonian (Upper Cretaceous, ~90 million years before present). Fossils are charcoalified and preserved with exceptional three- dimensional detail. The characters observed in these flowers, when compared with those of extant flowers of several families of the saxifragalean complex, suggest a close relationship with extant members of the Saxifragaceae and Hydrangeaceae. Hypotheses on the origin of petals and staminodes and a possible mechanism of pollination are discussed. This new taxon provides additional characters in the floral morphology of the fossil saxifragoids and extends their geographical distribution in the Cretaceous to North America.     

The tiny horned dinosaur Gobiceratops minutus gen. et sp. nov. (Bagaceratopidae, Neoceratopsia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia

A new horned dinosaur, Gobiceratops minutus gen. et sp. nov. (Bagaceratopidae, Neoceratopsia), from the Upper Cretaceous Baruungoyot Formation of the Khermin Tsav locality (southern Mongolia) is described based on a 3.5-cm-long skull. The nasal included in the orbital border suggests relationship between the new taxon and Bagaceratops rozdestvenskyi. It is proposed that, unlike other neoceratopsian families, the family Bagaceratopidae is of Paleoasiatic origin.     

江西晚白垩世大型兽脚类恐龙牙齿（英文）

描述了江西晚白垩世南雄组产出的两颗大型兽脚类恐龙牙齿。这两颗牙齿的齿冠高度分别为91和76 mm左右。较小牙齿近似圆锥形,齿冠基部比率为0.72,与典型的暴龙类牙齿相似。较大牙齿横向侧扁,齿冠基部比率约为0.47,舌侧和唇侧表面近乎平坦,前后缘冠面基部发育明显的纵向褶皱,区别于已发现的暴龙科、鲨齿龙科和棘龙科成员的牙齿。江西大型兽脚类恐龙牙齿的发现对于全面了解华南地区南雄组多样化的脊椎动物群组成具有一定的意义。     

The first known chamopsiid lizard (Squamata) from the Upper Cretaceous of Europe (Csehbánya Formation; Hungary,Bakony Mts)

The Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Iharkút terrestrial vertebrate locality, in Hungary, has yielded several lacertilian taxa since its discovery in 2000. One of these is represented by a left mandible fragment and two dentary fragments. The characters observed on these remains support assignment to the family Chamopsiidae (Scincomorpha). Moreover, the remains belong to a new genus and species, Pelsochamops infrequens n. g. n. sp. Pelsochamops is the first known occurrence of chamopsiids outside North America and adds another scincomorphan lizard to the Iharkút fauna. It represents an additional evidence for dispersal routes between North America and Europe.     

Hoof-Like Unguals,Skin, and Foot Movements Deduced from Deltapodus Casts of the Galve Basin (Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous,Teruel, Spain)

Galve (Teruel, Spain) is a town in the interior of a synclinal fold with Upper Jurassic marine limestones along its flanks, and, in its core, Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous continental and shoreline sediments crop out. The core sediments cover an area about 8 km², and contain a concentration of sites with footprints, bones, and eggshells of dinosaurs. The footprints are both shafts and natural casts. Some casts are attributed to stegosaurs (Deltapodus). The Deltapodus casts are characterized by features that allow us to make direct observations on the skin formed by polygonal scales, and ellipsoidal “hooves,” as well as deductions on the movement of the limbs during walking. According to the opinion of some authors, dinosaur footprints are indicators of the motion of their limbs and sometimes of the whole body. So far, results have been deduced from theropod, ornithopod, and sauropod footprints. This article shows the results obtained from analis of the aforementioned Deltapodus casts, i.e., forelimb movement similar to that of the forelimbs of sauropods, and the rigid structure of the autopodial part of the hind limb.     

Integrated quantitative biostratigraphy of the latest Tortonian-early Messinian Pissouri section (Cyprus): An evaluation of calcareous plankton bioevents

A quantitative study was performed on planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils of the astronomically dated Late Miocene Pissouri section (Cyprus). Our results confirm the reliability of well-known planktonic foraminiferal events as Catapsydraxparvulus LO (Last Occurrence), sinistral coiling change of Globorotaliascitula, Globorotaliamiotumida group FRO (First Regular Occurrence), Globorotalianicolae FO (First occurrence) and LO, sinistral coiling change of Neogloboquadrinaacostaensis and also of several important calcareous nannofossil events (Amaurolithusprimus FO, Amaurolithusdelicatus FO, Reticulofenestrarotaria FO and FCO). Integrated planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton data contribute to an enhanced time resolution of the Tortonian - early Messinian interval in the Levantine basin, and contribute to detailed correlations throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. In addition, we compare methodologies commonly used in calcareous plankton biostratigraphy, and shortly outline sources of bias that can influence the results of stratigraphic studies.     

Coral-rudist bioconstructions in the Upper Cretaceous Haidach section (Gosau Group; Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria)

Summary In the area of Haidach (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria), coral-rudist mounds, rudist biostromes, and bioclastic limestones and marls constitute an Upper Cretaceous shelf succession approximately 100 meters thick. The succession is part of the mixed siliciclasticcarbonate Gosau Group that was deposited at the northern margin of the Austroalpine microplate. In its lower part, the carbonate succession at Haidach comprises two stratal packages that each consists, from bottom to top, of a coral-rudist mound capped by a rudist biostrome which, in turn, is overlain by bioclastic limestones and, locally, marls. The coral-rudist mounds consist mainly of floatstones. The coral assemblage is dominated by Fungiina, Astreoina, Heterocoeniina andAgathelia asperella (stylinina). From the rudists, elevators (Vaccinites spp., radiolitids) and recumbents (Plagioptychus) are present. Calcareous sponges, sclerosponges, and octocorals are subordinate. The elevator rudists commonly are small; they settled on branched corals, coral heads, on rudists, and on biolastic debris. The rudists, in turn, provided settlement sites for corals. Predominantly plocoid and thamnasteroid coral growth forms indicate soft substrata and high sedimentation rates. The mounds were episodically smothered by carbonate mud. Many corals and rudists are coated by thick and diverse encrustations that indicate high nutrient level and/or turbid waters. The coral-rudist mounds are capped byVaccinites biostromes up to 5 m thick. The establishment of these biostromes may result from unfavourable environmental conditions for corals, coupled with the potential of the elevator rudists for effective substrate colonization. TheVaccinites biostromes are locally topped by a thin radiolitid biostrome. The biostromes, in turn, are overlain by bioclastic limestones; these are arranged in stratal packages that were deposited from carbonate sand bodies. Approximately midsection, an interval of marls with abundantPhelopteria is present. These marls were deposited in a quiet lagoonal area where meadows of sea grass or algae, coupled with an elevated nutrient level, triggered the mass occurrence ofPhelopteria. The upper part of the Haidach section consists of stratal packages that each is composed of a rudist biostrome overlain by bioclastic wackestones to packstones with diverse smaller benthic foraminifera and calcareous green algae. The biostromes are either built by radiolitids,Vaccinites, andPleurocora, or consist exclusively of radiolitids (mainlyRadiolites). Both the biostromes and the bioclastic limestones were deposited in a low-energy lagoonal environment that was punctuated by high-energy events.In situ-rudist fabrics typically have a matrix of mudstone to rudistclastic wackestone; other biogens (incl. smaller benthic foraminifera) are absent or very rare. The matrix of rudist fabrics that indicate episodic destruction by high-energy events contain a fossil assemblage similar to the vertically associated bioclastic limestones. Substrata colonized by rudists thus were unfavourable at least for smaller benthic foraminifera. The described succession was deposited on a gently inclined shelf segment, where coral-rudist mounds and hippuritid biostromes were separated by a belt of bioclastic sand bodies from a lagoon with radiolitid biostromes. The mounds document that corals and Late Cretaceous elevator rudists may co-occur in close association. On the scale of the entire succession, however, mainly as a result of the wide ecologic range of the rudists relative to corals, the coral-dominated mounds and the rudist biostromes are vertically separated.     

Crocodylomorph eggs and eggshells from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group), Upper Cretaceous of Brazil

Abstract: Compared with crocodylomorph body fossils, the record of fossil crocodiloid eggs is scarce and poorly understood, a gap partially attributed to their typically thin eggshell, which is not conducive to preservation. A remarkable new association of well‐preserved eggs and eggshells from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous) is described and compared to other known materials, while the significance of their unique oological features is discussed. These eggs constitute a new ootaxon, Bauruoolithus fragilis oogen. et oosp. nov., diagnosed by the following characteristics: elongate and elliptical egg with blunt ends; length‐to‐diameter ratio of 1:0.55; outer surface slightly undulating; shell thickness ranging from 0.15 to 0.25 mm; pore openings elliptical or teardrop‐shaped, ranging from 30 to 80 μm in diameter; and shell units wider than higher, with the interstices forming an obtuse triangle. Specimens of Bauruoolithus also show only slight signs of extrinsic degradation that, coupled with the evidence that some of them constitute hatched eggs, suggests that the egg‐laying taxon had a different pattern of egg incubation, in which the hatchling could break through the rather thin eggshell relatively easily and that the extrinsic degradation of the eggshell was not necessary. This contrasts with the pattern of incubation for all other known crocodylomorphs and crocodiloid eggs, where extrinsic degradation is a key component of the hatching process.