Early scale development in Heterodontus (Heterodontiformes; Chondrichthyes): a novel chondrichthyan scale pattern

In two species of Heterodontus, H. portusjacksoni and H. galeatus, the first scales to develop form two opposing rows along the caudal fin axis on both the left and right sides of the fin. The opposing rows originate from an initial scale located on either side of the posterior tip of the caudal fin, with subsequent scales erupting in a posterior to anterior direction along the tail axis. These scale rows may strengthen tail movements, providing aeration in the egg case, but are lost later in ontogeny. Development of subsequent body scales shows a more irregular origin and arrangement, from anterior to posterior, to cover the dorsal and ventral lobes of the caudal fin. Although the early developmental pattern of the scale associated with the Heterodontus caudal fin has not been previously described, several chondrichthyan taxa, including chimeroids, likewise possess ordered rows of flank scales early in ontogeny that are subsequently lost. These ordered scales contrast with previous suggestions that chondrichthyan scale development is entirely random. Instead, regulated and sequential development of scales may be a plesiomorphic character for both chondrichthyans and osteichthyans, with the less organized arrangement in later ontogenetic stages being a derived condition within Chondrichthyes.     

The phylogenetic placement of Chondrichthyes: inferences from analysis of multiple genes and implications for comparative studies

Elasmobranch fishes (sharks and rays) have proven valuable for inferring general and specific properties of molecular evolution through comparative studies with crown group vertebrates because they are the most ancient group of gnathostomes. Recent studies have questioned the conventional phylogenetic placement of sharks in the vertebrate tree, however. In this paper I review the importance of the basal position of Chondrichthyes for comparative biology and compile evidence from multiple, independent genes to evaluate the phylogenetic placement of sharks. The results suggests that alternative phylogenetic hypotheses of the relationships among the Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii and Sarcopterygii can not be refuted with available data, implying that the assumption of the basal placement of sharks in the vertebrate tree is suspect. Resolving the phylogeny of basal vertebrates is important for testing hypotheses about the evolution of vertebrates, and the current lack of a robust phylogeny limits evolutionary inferences that can be gained from comparative studies that include sharks and rays.     

The youngest record of Carcharopsis (Chondrichthyes) from the Pennsylvanian of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,China

A chondrichthyan tooth having a serrated edge, from the Late Pennsylvanian of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, was identified as Edestus sp. [Cheng, Z., Lucas, S.G., Zidek, J., 1996. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte 1996 (11), 701-707]. Because of the lack of bilateral symmetry, the tooth does not belong to Edestus or any other known edestoid. It is too incomplete for a definite identification, but its features are consistent with Carcharopsis, which also has serrated teeth, and not with any other described late Paleozoic chondrichthyan genus. If it is Carcharopsis, it is the latest occurrence of the genus, which was previously known only from the Mississippian and the Early Pennsylvanian.     

Pseudooneotodusi a histological study of an Ordovician to Devonian vertebrate lineage

Detailed histological investigations have shed new light on the nature of Pseudooneotodus Drygant, 1974 (?Arenig/ljanvirn - Emsian). The genus has generally been interpreted as a conodont and is represented by squat phosphatic cones. These conodont dements show a differentiation into a lamellar cap, indistinguishable from vertebrate enamel, which is underlain by a spherulitic basal tissue with several characters indicative of dentine. The presence of these two issues in the elements of a conodont argues persuasively for the. vertebrate classification of the cladc, and illustrates that at least some conodonts have a hard tissue complex which is histologically indistinguishable from those of other primitive vertebrates. These observations have potentially important implications for conodont classification and the stratigraphic first appearances of vertebrate hard tissues.     

The westernmost tarsier: A new genus and species from the Miocene of Pakistan

As the closest living sister group of anthropoids, tarsiers (Family Tarsiidae) are an important group in primate evolution. However, their fossil record is poor: only four species have been described, two from the Eocene of China and two from the Miocene of Thailand. All are from outside the range of the living species, which occur only on islands off Southeast Asia. Here, we describe a new fossil tarsier from Pakistan, a significant range extension. This record consists of two lower molars, an upper molar, and a lower premolar found in the Miocene Manchar Formation (∼18–16 Ma [millions of years ago]) of Sindh Province, southern Pakistan. The Pakistani tarsier is morphologically distinct from all living and fossil tarsiers, but most similar to the middle Miocene Thai species Tarsius thailandicus. Though living tarsiers have traditionally been classified in a single genus, a recent revision proposed a division into three genera, which is strongly supported by molecular data. The Pakistani species is not referable to any of these genera, and we create for it and T. thailandicus a new tarsiid genus. This discovery broadens our understanding of the geographic range and morphological diversity of Miocene tarsiers and helps to put the living tarsiers into their evolutionary context.     

The oldest evidence of a sauropod dinosaur in the western united states and other important vertebrate trackways from grand staircase‐escalante national monument,Utah

Recent discoveries of abundant fossil footprints from the new Grand Staircase‐Escalante National Monument of southern Utah, have important implications for the spatial and temporal distribution of Mesozoic vertebrates in Triassic and Jurassic time. Since the monument's creation in 1996, fossil footprints have been reported from at least seven formations in the Mesozoic (Triassic‐Cretaceous) within the monument. By far the most significant of these discoveries are sauropod and theropod tracks from the upper part of the Middle Jurassic Entrada Sandstone and a large Apatopus trackway from the Late Triassic Chinle Formation. Tracks in the Entrada Sandstone are found at the same stratigraphic level as those in the Moab megatracksite, and so considerably extend this large ichnological complex. A wide‐gauge sauropod trackway (cf. Brontopodus) from this unit represents the first reported from the Entrada Sandstone, and so is the oldest known from the western United States. This trackway also reveals a tail trace, which is the first reliable record of a sauropod tail trace.     

新疆塔里木盆地北部晚奥陶世中期介形类

本文记述的介形类化石采自塔里木盆地北部柯坪地区大湾沟剖面坎岭组,共计8属14种。其中包括2新种和3未定种。Thrallella.Octonaria,Predarwinula三属为本介形类组合最为重要且最具特色的分子。据此推测,坎岭组时代为晚奥陶世中期(Caradocian)。     

湘西—鄂西中-晚奥陶世头足类动物群*

提要湘西–鄂西地区具有中–晚奥陶世连续过渡、出露良好的地层序列,并产出大量头足类化石。我们选择了位于该地区的湖北宜昌陈家河剖面和湖南桃源茅草铺剖面开展头足类研究工作,采集化石标本1000余块,鉴定出了24属46种。本文描述了其中6个新种,归属于3目3科5属。在中–晚奥陶世头足类动物群研究基础上,本文在湖北宜昌陈家河剖面宝塔组和临湘组自下而上识别出Sinoceras chinense带和Richardsonoceras simplex带两个头足类化石带;在湖南桃源茅草铺剖面牯牛潭组、大田坝组和宝塔组下部识别出4个头足类化石带,自下而上分别是Proterovaginoceras incognitum带、Ancistroceras undulatum带、Cyclolituites带以及Sinoceras chinense带。在此基础上,结合前人已发表的数据,本文厘定了中扬子地区牯牛潭组到宝塔组的5个头足类化石带,自下而上分别是:Proterovaginoceras incognitum带、Meitanoceras–Ancistroceras带、Lituites–Cyclolituites带、...     

重庆城口大塘口下奥陶统红花园组和湄潭组下部的几丁虫

文中图示和描述了重庆城口大塘口奥陶系红花园组和湄潭组下部营盘段的几丁虫计 6属, 17种。其中包括 7个未定种和 3个新种 (Conochitinadatangkouensissp. nov., C. wengxigouensissp. nov., Rhabdochitinachenk ouensesp. nov. )。讨论了几丁虫的地理和地层分布特点及其与笔石生物带的关系,阐明了红花园组和湄潭组下部营盘段不同笔石带(A. filiformis, D. bifidus和A. suecicus笔石带)中几丁虫的组合特征,并与国外同期地层几丁虫组合进行了对比。     

吉林浑江地区早奥陶世亮甲山组的大型短粗壳内角石类

对产自吉林浑江大阳贫早奥陶世亮甲山组的大型粗壳内角石类进行系统进行,共描述２科３属３７种和１个科属未定标本,其中１新属、３新种和２未定种。首次报道Ｐｉｌｏｃｅｒａｔｉｄａｅ科分子（Ｐａｒａｃａｓｓｉｎｏｃｅｒａｓ ｄａｙａｎｇｃｈａｅｎｓｅ ｇｅｎ．ｅｔ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．）在东亚的首次发现。提出角石类内体管构造的４个类型。详细讨论Ｍａｎｃｈｕｒｏｃｅｒａｓ和Ｍａｎｃｈｕｒｃｅｒａｉｄａｅ科的地理分布     

The late Sandbian – earliest Katian (Ordovician) brachiopod immigration and its influence on the brachiopod fauna in the Oslo Region, Norway

Bulk samples of brachiopods from the middle and upper parts of the Arnestad Formation and the entire Frognerkilen Formation in the Oslo Region demonstrate major vertical changes in the Sandbian to Katian amphicratonic fauna of this part of the Baltic Province. The main influx of new taxa occurred in the upper part of the Arnestad Formation (uppermost Sandbian), and in the succeeding Frognerkilen Formation (basal Katian). Faunal change is initially reflected in an increase in diversity and not as a replacement of the previously incumbent genera, which remain throughout the studied sequence. The majority of the new genera migrated from the East Baltic Region or through this region from Avalonia, while the marginal Laurentian taxa first occupied the Scandinavian part of Baltica. Six taxa migrated from Laurentia, three from Avalonia, two from Gondwana and one apparently originated on the South China palaeoplate. The faunal shifts and immigration of brachiopods appear to have been in response to an initial transgression together with the movement of Baltica into more warm temperate latitudes, but the diverse faunas developed both against a background of subsequent regression and in response to an offshore shift of biofacies. The new amphicratonic fauna was thus generated by faunal shifts from elsewhere in the Baltic Province to the marginal environments of the Oslo Region together with more exotic elements from neighbouring continents and microcontinents.     

河北秦皇岛地区奥陶纪奇壁角石科分子的发现及意义

奇壁角石科（Ａｌｌｏｔｒｉｏｃｅｒａｔｉｄａｅ）分子在我华北东部属首次发现。它产于马家沟组下部。界于Ｄｅｆｏｒｍｏｎ－ｃｅｒａｓ－Ｐｅｒｉｐａｔｏｃｅｒａｓ与Ｐｏｌｙｄｅｓｍｉａ－Ｗｕｔｉｎｏｃｅｒａｓ－Ｅｏｓｉｏｔｅｌｕｓ组合带之间偏下。奇壁角石科是Ｆｌｏｗｅｒ,Ｒ．Ｈ．１９９５年创立的,至今科内已建立６属１３种和３个相似种。但以往所描述标本绝大多数仅保存有部分内体管,对其它特征所知甚少。文中描     

上扬子区奥陶系Nemagraptus gracilis 笔石带的几丁虫

作者系统描述了在重庆城口廖子口和宜昌分乡普溪河奥陶系庙坡组Nemagraptusgracilis笔石带中发现的几丁虫化石,共7属9种。由于此前对该层位的几丁虫研究较少,因此本次所发现的几丁虫化石具有重要的生物地层意义。     

峡东地区上奥陶统高庙坡组球节子类及其它多节类三叶虫

系统描述湖北宜昌和秭归新滩晚奥陶世庙坡组球接子类及多节类三叶虫动物群中的１４种,分属于９属、７科、。根据化石保存状态、挤压变形以及个体发育特征,对前人所报道的产于本组的有关三叶早作了大量归并、转移和重新厘定,新的材料支持解释Telephiana longicephala的性双形现象。Ａtractopyge系首次在庙坡组中发现,以往它在三峡地区只见于临湘组。文中还将新疆的一个保留命名种Ｌonchodomas cf.yohi重新命名为Ｌonchodomas zhangi sp.nov.。     

新疆库鲁克塔格上奥陶统杂土坡组叶月贝动物群的发现*

叶月贝腕足动物群是晚奥陶世海洋较深水底域中一个重要的底栖壳相动物群。文中首次报道了在新疆东南部库鲁克塔格地区却尔却克山上奥陶统杂土坡组发现的叶月贝动物群,包括腕足动物5属5种(含两个未定种),分别为:Apatobolus cf.plicatus,Lingulellasp.,Foliomena xinjiangensis,Kassinella(Kassinella)cf.tchingisensis和Eoplectodonta sp.。壳相化石与笔石共同产出,保存在深灰色泥岩中,推测大致相当于BA5甚至稍深的底域环境。在同一条剖面上,叶月贝动物群曾报道于层位稍高的银屏山组[上奥陶统凯迪阶(Katian)上部],二者之间可能存在分类学和古生态学的联系。叶月贝腕足动物群在塔里木板块的持续发育为深入开展这一古板块的古地理重建提供了依据。