Giant deer: Origin, evolution, role in the biosphere

This monograph is devoted to the study of the giant deer or megacerines (tribe Megacerini, family Cervidae, order Artiodactyla) of the Late Cenozoic of Eurasia. Special attention is paid to megacerines of Inner Asia. This region, which is connected with the origin and early stages of historical development of megacerines, is key to gaining an insight into their evolution and phylogeny, place in the food chain, and effect on the biogeocoenoses. Based on the revision of fossil materials from the Upper Miocene-Lower Pleistocene of Russia, Mongolia, and Tajikistan, new data from Tuva, and analysis of an evolution, phylogeny, ecogenesis, diversity dynamics, stages of historical development, and place of megacerines in biogeocoenoses, their role in the maintenance of homeostasis of the biosphere and changes in environments are shown and certain basic principles of macroevolution and evolution of the biosphere are discussed.     

A new species of Megacerini (Cervidae, Artiodactyla) from the Late Miocene of Taralyk-Cher, Tuva (Russia), and remarks on the relationships of the group

A new species of a megacerine deer, Praesinomegaceros venustus, from the Taralyk-Cher locality in the Tuva region on the south of Eastern Siberia, Russia, is described. P. venustus nov. sp., the oldest known megacerine, occurred in Asia in the Late Turolian, about 7 Ma. The early history of megacerines is discussed. The existence of the phyletic lineage Cervavitus-Praesinomegaceros-Sinomegaceros in Asia is confirmed.     

Historical development and geographical distribution of giant deer (Cervidae,Megacerini)

The origin, trends in adaptatiogenesis and ecogenesis of megacerines reviewed. The major phylogenetic lineages are described, the main evolutionary events are dated and compared with changes in environments. It is shown that the major evolutionary changes in megacerines developed against a background of considerable changes in environments, which corresponded to global climatic and great regional landscape-climatic events.     

Late Triassic palynofloras in the Sichuan Basin,South China: Synthesis and perspective

Mesozoic strata are well developed and exposed continuously across the Sichuan Basin, South China. In particular, the Upper Triassic strata yield diverse and abundant spore-pollen fossils, providing a significant reference for the study of palaeoenvironmental variations across the Triassic–Jurassic transition where mass extinctions were occurring. In this paper, we summarize the major progress on Late Triassic palynological studies in this basin. To date, 151 genera (454 species) of sporomorph fossils have been reported from the Late Triassic strata in the Sichuan Basin. Three palynological assemblages are distinguished for the Late Triassic in the Sichuan Basin. Late Triassic vegetation in the Sichuan Basin shows a remarkable predominance of ferns, followed by conifers and cycads/ginkgophytes, and conifers show a distinct increase in abundance in the latest Triassic. In general, the Late Triassic palaeoclimate in the Sichuan Basin was tropical-subtropical, humid and warm. A synthesis of the data shows that the Late Triassic did not have a constant palaeoclimate in the Sichuan Basin, several climatic events are recognized: two warm and humid climate events in Norian-Rhaetian time, coupled with a cooler and drier condition in the latest Late Triassic. Further investigations in higher resolution at more continuous sections in the Sichuan Basin are needed to better understand the Late Triassic vegetation response, climate changes, as well as palaeoecosystem variations across the Triassic–Jurassic boundary.     

甘肃榆中晚更新世哺乳动物化石

本文记述了甘肃榆中上苦水大沟发现的几种哺乳动物化石：Microtusgregalis,Ochotonasp.,Felistigris,Equusprzewalskii,Coelodontaantiquitatis,Cervus（Sika）sp.,Antilopinaegen.indet.,Ovisnahoor,Bovinaegen.indet..含化石地层的时代应为晚更新世中晚期。这是甘肃中部地区新发现的一个层位确切、化石门类较多的第四纪哺乳动物群。     

云南中新世杉科化石木研究

利用光学显微镜和扫描电镜首次对云南省楚雄州晚中新世石灰坝组石鼓村层的钙化木材进行了解剖学研究.鉴定出两种类型的木材:柳杉型落羽杉型木(Taxodioxylon cryptomeripsoides Schonfeld)和杉木型落羽杉型木(Taxodioxylon cunninghamioides Watari).二者分别与现代柳杉属和杉木属具有最接近的亲缘关系.根据这两种杉科化石木现存最近亲缘种的生态环境,并综合其他资料,推测该地区在晚中新世为温暖湿润的亚热带气候环境.     

A systematic overview of fossil osmundalean ferns in China: Diversity variation,distribution pattern,and evolutionary implications

The order Osmundales is a unique fern taxon with extensive fossil records in geological past. Diverse osmundalean fossils have been reported from China, ranging in age from the Late Palaeozoic to the Cenozoic. Most of them are based on leaf impressions/compressions, but permineralized rhizomes are also well documented. In this study, we provide a systematic overview on fossil osmundalean ferns in China with special references on diversity variations, distribution patterns, and evolutionary implications. Fossil evidence indicates that this fern lineage first appeared in the Late Palaeozoic in China. The Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic interval was the radiation stage. From the Late Jurassic onward, fossil diversity declined rapidly. Cenozoic osmundalean taxa are represented by the relict species of Osmunda. Geographically, osmundalean fossils are found from both the Northern and Southern phytoprovinces of China, though variations are documented for geographical ranges. The Chinese fossil records cover almost all important stages for the macroevolution of the Osmundales, and contribute to further understanding of evolutionary processes of this peculiar fern lineage.     

新疆哈密地区晚泥盆世疑源类化石的发现及地质意义

从新疆哈密地区石城子北剖面7件样品获得分异度较高、有机质壁显著炭化保存的疑源类化石,根据其形态特征,共鉴定出14个形态属和15个形态种(其中8个未定种,3个比较种)。结合国内外古生代晚泥盆世已知疑源类组合进行比较,清楚表明当前获得的疑源类组合代表了晚泥盆世海洋微体浮游植物群面貌。我国涉及晚古生代疑源类生物地层的调查研究相对薄弱,而有关晚泥盆世疑源类化石的发现和报道更为匮乏,当前疑源类化石的发现,填补和丰富了新疆乃至国内晚泥盆世疑源类化石研究资料。该发现佐证了关于卡拉麦里洋在早石炭世闭合的认识;作为基础食物链的海洋微体浮游植物是重要成烃生物,晚泥盆世疑源类的保存预示研究区域具有石油、天然气勘察的前景。     

Arachnids from the Carboniferous of Russia and Ukraine,and the Permian of Kazakhstan

New finds of Late Palaeozoic arachnids, based on three well-preserved carapaces from the Carboniferous of Russia and Ukraine and one complete, albeit poorly preserved, specimen from the Permian of Kazakhstan, are described. The spider genus Arthrolycosa is reported from the Late Carboniferous (Late Pennsylvanian: Kasimovian–Gzhelian) of Chunya in the Tunguska Basin of Siberia; it is the first find of a spider outside the Carboniferous tropics. Another fossil assigned to the same genus comes from the Late Carboniferous (Early Pennsylvanian: Bashkirian) of Kamensk–Shakhtinsky in the Donets Basin of Russia; it is probably the oldest fossil spider known. A thelyphonid (whip scorpion) carapace is described from the Late Carboniferous (Late Pennsylvanian: Kasimovian) of the adjacent Lugansk Province of the Donets Basin of Ukraine.     

安徽淮南晚新生代鬣狗类化石(英文)

记述了安徽淮南地区晚新生代洞穴、裂隙堆积中发现的鬣狗化行。材料系2003年至2006年间由本文作者之一(金昌柱)等在淮南市八公山区进行地层古生物调查时,于大居山老洞、西裂隙及大顶山裂隙的堆积物中采集到的。与鬣狗伴生的其他哺乳动物属种多样,并具有一定的地质断代意义。大居山老洞有Pliopentalagus huainanensis、Kowalskia sp.、Nan- nocricetus mongolicus等,西裂隙有Sericolagus sp.、Mimomys sp.、Equus sanmeniensis等,大顶山裂隙则有Lepus sp.、Ailuropoda sp.、Homotherium ultima等。所发现的鬣狗化石包括Adcrocuta extmta、Chasmaporthetes lunensis和Crocuta crocuta三种其中Crocuta crocuta至少包括三个个体;其他两种则只有一个个体。淮南的鬣狗种类跨越了晚中新世至晚更新世。Adcrocuta eximia为欧亚大陆晚中新世的特有种,为鬣狗科中朝食骨方向演化的类群;体型和前臼齿主尖与晚中新世较原始的属种(如Hyaenictitherium)相比,都有壮大的趋势。Chasmaporthetes地理分布最广,除欧亚大陆有多处化石记录外,还出现于北美洲的晚上新世至中更新世动物群中。修长的肢骨与尖利的颊齿表明了其擅长奔跑的能力和主动猎食的习性。该属在淮南的出现突出反映了一种相对开阔的古地理环境。Crocuta crocuta在大居山西裂隙与大顶山裂隙中都有发现。斑鬣狗分布于中国多处的中-晚更新世地点,包括台湾的澎湖列岛。在前臼齿的形态上,C.crocuta与Pachycrocuta相似,比A.eximia的宽大,具有更为进步的特征。这说明在早更新世晚期至中更新世早期,Crocuta极可能完全取代了Pachycrocuta。迄今在安徽Pachycrocuta仅发现于和县与繁昌的洞穴堆积中,由于目前确定高分辨率的洞、裂隙堆积物的地层年代较为困难,安徽的有关动物群足否记录了这个替代事件有待于进一步工作。淮南的鬣狗化石至少涉及了两个不同时期的动物群:一为Adcrocuta eximia所代表的晚中新世动物群,二为Crocuta所代表的晚上新世-更新世动物群。Chasma- porthetes lunensis的出现对于年代的确定并无太大帮助,但具有草原习性的Chasmaporthetes却为动物群的古生态环境分析和重建提供了一些证据。     

Stratigraphy and geologic history of a southeastern salt marsh basin,North Inlet,South Carolina,USA

Forty seven vibracores and fifteen radiocarbon dates have beenobtained to outline the Holocene history of the North Inlet saltmarsh basin. Marsh deposits date from about 3500 years BP and havetransgressed over a Late Pleistocene beach-ridge terrain that waspartly eroded by Late Holocene tidal channel meandering. Marsh mudalso has prograded southward over shallow subtidal estuarine Macomamuds which date from about 4500 years BP and which are stillaccumulating in adjacent Winyah Bay. The southward migration of themarsh environment probably is due to the southward migration ofboth North Inlet and the mouth of Winyah Bay. The stratigraphy ofthe North Inlet basin offers no evidence for Late Holocene sea-level oscillations.Application of this model of marsh history to the study long-term ecosystem succession driven by slowly rising sea level isdiscussed.     

安徽上新五褶兔两新种及淮南上新五褶兔化石(英文)

近年,作者在安徽淮南大居山陆续发现了数量很多的上新五褶兔化石,其中包括保存较完整的数十个头骨及上百个下颌骨,均产自新洞、无名洞及铁四局洞穴、裂隙堆积,分别记述为大居山上新五褶兔Pliopentalagus dajushanensis sp.nov.和安徽上新五褶兔Pl.anhuiensis sp.nov.两新种。淮南地区的晚新生代洞穴和裂隙堆积十分发育,其中常含有丰富的脊椎动物化石,而且在时、空分布上有一定的规律。区内洞穴和裂隙堆积垂直分布至少有6个水平层,最高的第6层海拔高度为160 m(如大居山老洞),第5层(如大居山新洞、无名洞)及第4层(如大居山铁四局洞穴)的海拔高度分别为130 m和90 m,属于新近纪,常含有丰富的上新五褶兔化石;第3层为第四纪早期(如大居山西裂隙),未见上新五褶兔,代之出现丝绸兔(Sericolagus sp.),第2层为中更新世(如大顶山西裂隙),出现野兔(Lepus sp.)。迄今为止,安徽淮南地区共发现了3种上新五褶兔化石,即淮南上新五褶兔Pl.huainanensis (金昌柱,2004)、大居山上新五褶兔Pl.dajushanensis sp.nov.及安徽上新五褶兔Pl. anhuiensis sp.nov.,至少涉及了3个不同地质时期的动物群:一为Pl.huainanensis,Kowalskia neimengensis,Adcrocuta eximia等代表的老洞晚中新世动物群,二为Pl.dajushanensis sp.nov.和Promimomys asiaticus等代表的新洞早上新世动物群,三为Pl.anhuiensis sp.nov.和Kowalskia yinanensis所代表的晚上新世动物群。淮南地区发现的3种上新五褶兔地史分布较连续,演化特征明显,它们构成上新五褶兔连续的进化系列。从晚中新世至晚上新世,淮南大居山上新五褶兔体型从小变大;p3较原始的釉岛状后内褶沟逐渐向舌侧开放(晚中新世种Pl. huainanensis的后内褶沟均为釉岛状,早上新世种Pl.dajushanensis为83.9%,晚上新世种Pl. anhuiensis为33.3%);p4-m2的前外褶沟逐渐退化,其下跟座舌侧的釉质层越来越变细。依性状分析,安徽发现的3种上新五褶兔化石与日本琉球奄美黑兔(Pentalagus furnessi)具有密切的亲缘关系,但从日本奄美黑兔的p4-m2完全缺失前外褶沟、颊齿褶沟釉质层的褶曲异常复杂等衍生性状看,上新五褶兔和奄美黑兔的系统演化关系较为复杂,尚有待发现更多早更新世的材料进一步探讨。     

Liverwort fossils from the Late Triassic of Baiyin City,Gansu Province,and their geological significance

Although liverworts are widely distributed around the world with a large number of extant species, reliable fossil records are relatively rare. Here, we report a new species, Ricciopsis baojishanensis Han and Yan, n. sp. (Ricciaceae) and an unnamed species, Hepaticites sp. from the Late Triassic Nanying’er Formation in Baojishan Basin, Baiyin City, Gansu Province, Northwest China. The generic designation is based on detailed comparison of the gross morphology with related fossil and extant species. The new species is characterized by its rosette-forming thallus, dichotomous branching, ribbon-like segments and entire margins. The current fossils represent the first record of liverwort from the Late Triassic in Baojishan Basin, Gansu Province. Based on the different fossil records of the Ricciaceae, we suggest that these taxa were widely distributed during Late Triassic to Oligocene worldwide, mainly in warm temperate and tropical environments, similar with their current distribution. The discovery of the present fossils indicates that the climate of Baojishan Basin in Late Triassic is warmer and more humid than that of today.     

Late Late Cambrian Trilobites From Near Birch Inlet, South-Western Tasmania

The first late Late Cambrian basinal-facies trilobites to be described from Tasmania are from a succession exposed 8.5 km west of Birch Inlet, south-western Tasmania. Twenty-one taxa are described; the six agnostoid species include a new species of Leiagnostus, L inletensis. The polymeroids include five new species: Hedinaspis uniformis, Proceratopyge longa, Niobella birchensisSkljarella expansa and Ivshinaspis reticulata.SkljarellaIvshinaspis are described for the first time from Australia. The specimens are preserved in siltstone belonging to a basinal facies; the fauna has more in common with those of the South-East China Faunal Province than with the shallow-water carbonate-facies faunas from northern Australia. The fauna is of late Late Cambrian age (Payntonian–earliest Datsonian) on the north Australian biostratigraphic scale. The Birch Inlet fauna is correlated with those of the Siyangshan Formation of Zhejiang, the Guoziguonen Formation of Xinjiang and the Shengjiawan Formation of Hunan. There are similarities with late Late Cambrian faunas from Nevada, Kazakhstan and New Zealand. K ey words : Trilobita, Late Cambrian, Tasmania, basinal facies, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography.     

Upper Maastrichtian depositional environments and sea-level history of the Kopet-Dagh Intracontinental Basin, Kalat Formation, NE Iran

The Kopet-Dagh Basin is located in northeastern Iran and southern Turkmenistan. The Late Maastrichtian Kalat Formation caps the Cretaceous interval in this Basin. Based on eight measured stratigraphic sections, the depositional environments and the sea-level history of the Kalat Formation have been interpreted. Petrographic and field observations led to identification of four major carbonates (A–D) and two siliciclastic lithofacies types. Carbonate rocks were deposited on a ramp setting within three zones including restricted and semi-restricted lagoons, bars, and open marine environments, while the siliciclastics were deposited at the shoreline. Sequence stratigraphic analysis identified two depositional sequences in the western and eastern parts and three depositional sequences in the central parts of the study area. Comparing the sea-level curve of Late Maastrichtian time in the Kopet-Dagh Basin with the global sea-level curve for the same time interval, there are some geometrical similarities and differences. The variations in the Basin are related to regional tectonic settings and sediment loading of the study area. Reconstructions of depositional environment during eight time slices of the Late Maastrichtian are presented. These results could be used for comparison with other localities worldwide and provide additional data for Late Cretaceous paleogeographic reconstructions.     

Modern human cranial diversity in the Late Pleistocene of Africa and Eurasia: Evidence from Nazlet Khater,Peştera cu Oase,and Hofmeyr

The origin and evolutionary history of modern humans is of considerable interest to paleoanthropologists and geneticists alike. Paleontological evidence suggests that recent humans originated and expanded from an African lineage that may have undergone demographic crises in the Late Pleistocene according to archaeological and genetic data. This would suggest that extant human populations derive from, and perhaps sample a restricted part of the genetic and morphological variation that was present in the Late Pleistocene. Crania that date to Marine Isotope Stage 3 should yield information pertaining to the level of Late Pleistocene human phenotypic diversity and its evolution in modern humans. The Nazlet Khater (NK) and Hofmeyr (HOF) crania from Egypt and South Africa, together with penecontemporaneous specimens from the Pe?tera cu Oase in Romania, permit preliminary assessment of variation among modern humans from geographically disparate regions at this time. Morphometric and morphological comparisons with other Late Pleistocene modern human specimens, and with 23 recent human population samples, reveal that elevated levels of variation are present throughout the Late Pleistocene. Comparison of Holocene and Late Pleistocene craniometric variation through resampling analyses supports hypotheses derived from genetic data suggesting that present phenotypic variation may represent only a restricted part of Late Pleistocene human diversity. The Nazlet Khater, Hofmeyr, and Oase specimens provide a unique glimpse of that diversity. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Woman of the house: gender, architecture, and ideology in Dorset prehistory

The role of women in Paleoeskimo households has rarely been examined. Careful application of analogies to Inuit culture reveal that there are both similarities and differences in how Late Dorset and Inuit gender roles are expressed in household organization. On an ideological level, Late Dorset women probably had a similar role to that of women in Inuit society, as the soul of the house and an important intermediary between hunters and the souls of the animals they hunted. On a day-to-day basis, however, Late Dorset women seem to have shared more of their labor as members of dual family households than did Inuit women, as members of nuclear family units. The increased importance of small, trapped game such as foxes and rabbits during Late Dorset times (Darwent 2001) may have contributed to the need for shared labor. Finally, women, in their role as keepers of the hearth, were important in maintaining community ties at seasonal aggregation sites dominated by long houses and external hearth rows.     

吉林延边珲春北山发琬的旧石器

吉林珲春市北山旧石器地点于2002年发现.该地点位于图们江的冲积盆地内,石制品发现于其黄色亚粘土层内和地表.石制品共52件,包括砸击石核、锤击石片、石叶和工具(使用石片、刮削器、尖状器和矛形器);原料以黑曜岩为主,占86.5%.根据第四纪地层堆积年代推断,石器地点的时代为晚更新世晚期,即旧石器时代晚期的偏晚阶段.     

Permineralized Callixylon woods from the Late Devonian Cleveland Shale of Ohio, U.S.A. and that of Kettle Point, Ontario, Canada

Two permineralized woods are described in this paper, one from the Late Devonian Cleveland Shale of Ohio, USA and the other from the Late Devonian Huron Shale of Kettle Point, Ontario, Canada. Both samples of wood are satisfactorily preserved with primary and secondary xylem but without cortex and bark. Both are identified as Callixylon. They differ in specific characters from each other and from other described species. Hence two new species are designated, Callixylon beckii and Callixylon huronensis, respectively, to accommodate them in the class Progymnospermopsida (Progymnospermophyta) under the group Archaeopteridales.     

内蒙古宝格达乌拉晚中新世副竹鼠化石(英文)

描述了1996-2007年间在内蒙古阿巴嘎旗晚中新世宝格达乌拉组采集的副竹鼠化石。材料包括下颌骨1件、牙齿14枚和肢骨4件,分别采自该组的2个地点。根据标本较大的尺寸、形态特征,以及颊齿的釉质曲线高度,宝格达乌拉材料被归入三趾马层副竹鼠Pararhizomys hipparionum Teilhard de Chardin Young,1931。Pararhizomys是一类具高冠、脊形和冠面构造简单颊齿的啮齿动物。该属目前发现的化石地点少,材料也不多,主要集中于中国北方和蒙古高原周缘,其地史分布为晚中新世早期至上新世中期。与鼢鼠类(siphneids)和鼠平类(arvicolids)一样,Pararhizomys属的颊齿有由低冠到高冠发展的趋势,具体表现为牙齿侧面釉质曲线(dentine tract)由平直、远离内外两侧谷底到起伏、接近甚至超过内外两侧谷底。为方便比较,本文为釉质曲线的高度设立"H"指数,即从每侧最深谷的谷底和釉质曲线的最高处取平行于冠面的平行线,此两平行线之间的垂直距离为"H"。H值越大,表明齿冠越低,反之则齿冠越高。尽管目前发现的副竹鼠标本不多,但似乎可以看到从早期到晚期,其颊齿的个体有从小变大,釉质曲线高度H值逐渐减小,即齿冠逐渐增高的趋势。由于Pararhizomys的牙齿形态多少与竹鼠类的低冠竹鼠Brachyrhizomys和竹鼠属Rhizo-mys及拟速掘鼠属Tachyoryctoides有相似之处,故常被与Brachyrhizomys和Rhizomys一起归入竹鼠科(Rhizom yidae),但该属的牙齿不具中脊和下中脊,褶沟少,一般为2-3个,与上述三属有明显的不同。本文对下门齿所作的切片观察也表明,Pararhizomys的釉质层结构与Brachyrhizomys,Rhizomys和Tachyoryctoides者相差甚远,其内层(PI)明显增厚,釉柱和釉柱间质(IPM)的排列方式存在明显差别。颊齿的冠高、冠面形态,以及下门齿的釉质层结构,似乎都表明了Pararhizomys属不大可能归入竹鼠科或速掘鼠科(Tachyorictoididae)。而下门齿釉质层切片显示了Brachyrhizomys与Rhizomys有着高度相似的釉质结构,进一步证明了两者有较接近的亲缘关系。地理分布上,Pararhizomys与Tachyoryctoides属只发现于古北区,伴生的哺乳动物显示了其可能适应偏冷、干旱的草原环境,而Brachyrhizomys和Rhizomys主要局限于东洋区,共生的哺乳动物多能适应温暖、湿润的树林环境。