奇虾类前附肢化石在河北唐山地区寒武系馒头组的发现

奇虾类是寒武纪海洋中的大型捕食动物,广泛发现于世界各地的寒武纪地层,但是多为前附肢或口器的标本。我国扬子地台云南、贵州一带的寒武纪特异埋藏动物群中都发现了奇虾化石,如澄江动物群、牛蹄塘动物群、关山动物群、凯里动物群等。但在华北地台,寒武纪特异埋藏动物化石目前为止只有零星报道,包括一些大型双瓣壳节肢动物、古蠕虫类等。本文描述一枚发现于河北省唐山市丰润区左家坞一带馒头组(毛庄期)紫红色页岩中的奇虾类前附肢化石,可能代表了一个新类型。这枚化石的发现丰富了奇虾类的古地理分布,也为在华北地台边缘地区寻找特异埋藏动物化石提供了线索。     

早寒武世带网状鳞片的蠕形海生动物

前言寒武纪早期动物爆发性演化事件是地质历史中的一个重大不解之谜,达尔文对此曾给予极大的注意但深感费解(Mayr,1982;Conway Morris,1987)。近三十余年来,世界各地前寒武纪晚期地层内陆续发现了许多软躯干后生动物化石。这些化石资料表明后生动物在寒武纪之前早已出现了(Chen,1988;Glaessner,1984)。由于早期动物由软躯干所组成,极难成为化石。到了寒武纪时,地层中化石     

远古的胚胎

两批中国科学家几乎同时地在中国南方晚震旦世陡山沱期（距今约５．８亿年）的磷酸盐岩地层中发现了确凿的古老动物化石。其保存程度的完善为世所罕见,不仅保存了动物卵和胚胎的形态细节,而且组成动物和动物胚胎的细胞构造也保存得相当清楚。这些来自前寒武纪地层的化石...     

小壳化石型化石在奥陶纪、志留纪的分布规律及其保存特征

小壳化石型(Small Shelly Fossils-style)化石作为产出于寒武纪以后,个体微小、原生或次生矿化(以磷酸盐化为主)的后生动物遗骸,常常以微体内核(microsteinkern)形式保存。它们的保存与寒武纪小壳化石的保存方式相同,可能都与古海洋的环境变化存在密切的联系,为古环境研究提供重要的线索。本文在综合整理已有文献基础上,分析了自寒武纪以后,此类型化石组合的地史分布及物种变化规律,可看出与寒武纪小壳化石组合相比,虽然此类化石组合在全球多地均有记录,但数量及物种多样性均显著下降,其物种组成以软体动物、棘皮动物为主。同时,文中结合云南永善地区发现的志留纪小壳化石型化石组合,与寒武纪小壳化石进行对比,总结了此类化石的保存特征,为从微观角度研究早古生代时期生命演化及其埋藏模式提供了又一重要线索。     

奇特的恐龙足迹化石遗址保护

正恐龙骨骼化石是恐龙死亡后留下的遗骸,而恐龙足迹化石则是恐龙活着的时候留下的生活痕迹,而且还不会像有些骨骼化石那样在埋藏前被水流或其他介质搬运。因此,恐龙足迹化石在探讨恐龙生活习性、复原古环境方面起着不可替代的作用。另一方面,一个动物一生只有一副骨架,但是,它可以留下很多足迹。这就使得我们有更多的机会了解恐龙曾经的存在。足迹化石是研究古动物生活习性、生存环     

不同生活方式的物种对快速沉积埋藏事件的反应——来自寒武纪早期澄江生物群中的证据

云南寒武纪澄江生物群是布尔吉斯页岩型化石宝库之一,以精美的软躯体化石保存为典型特征,展示了寒武纪早期后生动物多样性面貌,为建立动物谱系演化关系和探讨早期生态结构提供了难得的研究材料.文中以澄江生物群中常见的4类不同生活方式的物种(底栖潜穴型以Cricocosmia jinningensis,Mafangscolex s...     

埃迪卡拉纪高家山生物群球状化石新材料

埃迪卡拉纪晚期高家山生物群的多门类骨骼化石组合,在后生动物起源及早期生命演化方面具有极其重要的意义。在对高家山生物群中的研究中,新发现了大量的磷酸盐化球状化石,包括单体球类、二分球类及三分球类等。这些磷酸盐化球状化石在形态结构方面与"瓮安生物群"、"宽川铺生物群"中报道的球状化石有着一定的相似性。高家山生物群中球状化石新材料的发现不仅丰富了高家山生物群的多样性,为早期生命演化提供了可靠的材料,也揭示了前寒武纪-寒武纪生物之间可能存在着一定的连续性。     

山东的恐龙化石

<正>我国地大物博,拥有丰富的古生物化石资源,它们的形成年代上自前寒武纪、下至第四纪,分布在全国各地,其中最引人注目的莫过于种类众多的恐龙化石了。截至到2022年4月,来自中国古动物馆的统计数据,我国根据骨骼化石命名的恐龙共计338种（包括无效种）,而且这个数字还保持每年10种的高速增长。此外,我国还发现命名了60余种恐龙足迹化石和70余种恐龙蛋化石。不过,关于恐龙属种数目和无效种的认定,不同学者观点有所不同;这里选用的数字以及下文中提到的属种问题仅为本文作者依据可掌握的资料而提出的个人观点。     

动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发：来自中国的化石证据北大核心

近30年来,中国埃迪卡拉纪—寒武纪发现了包括瓮安生物群和澄江动物群在内一系列重要化石群,为揭示动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发过程提供了全球独一无二的古生物学证据。文中全面而简洁地介绍发现于华南埃迪卡拉纪—寒武纪的所有化石群和重要动物化石发现,总结其中特异化石群保存类型和埋藏环境。其中,陡山沱型磷酸盐化胚胎化石群、庙河型宏体碳质膜化石群和牛蹄塘型海绵动物群,以及陡山沱组硅化的动物休眠胚胎化石和宽川铺动物群中"rsten"型化石均是全球这一时期华南独有的特异埋藏化石群。从时空两方面对化石群进行综合分析认为,动物可靠的最早化石记录发现于埃迪卡拉纪早期,成冰纪及其以前的动物化石均存在疑问。动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发经历了从浅水逐步向深水迁移,以及阶段性辐射和灭绝的过程。首先动物经历了在埃迪卡拉纪早期的隐形微体动物早期演化阶段,之后经过以埃迪卡拉型生物为代表的大型复杂化演化阶段,在寒武纪初期发生以梅树村动物群为代表的两侧对称动物和生物骨骼矿化的大爆发,并随后又被以澄江动物群为代表的寒武纪动物群所替代,在筇竹寺期达到了动物造型和生态系统复杂化的高峰。     

动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发:来自中国的化石证据

近30年来,中国埃迪卡拉纪—寒武纪发现了包括瓮安生物群和澄江动物群在内一系列重要化石群,为揭示动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发过程提供了全球独一无二的古生物学证据。文中全面而简洁地介绍发现于华南埃迪卡拉纪—寒武纪的所有化石群和重要动物化石发现,总结其中特异化石群保存类型和埋藏环境。其中,陡山沱型磷酸盐化胚胎化石群、庙河型宏体碳质膜化石群和牛蹄塘型海绵动物群,以及陡山沱组硅化的动物休眠胚胎化石和宽川铺动物群中"rsten"型化石均是全球这一时期华南独有的特异埋藏化石群。从时空两方面对化石群进行综合分析认为,动物可靠的最早化石记录发现于埃迪卡拉纪早期,成冰纪及其以前的动物化石均存在疑问。动物的起源和寒武纪大爆发经历了从浅水逐步向深水迁移,以及阶段性辐射和灭绝的过程。首先动物经历了在埃迪卡拉纪早期的隐形微体动物早期演化阶段,之后经过以埃迪卡拉型生物为代表的大型复杂化演化阶段,在寒武纪初期发生以梅树村动物群为代表的两侧对称动物和生物骨骼矿化的大爆发,并随后又被以澄江动物群为代表的寒武纪动物群所替代,在筇竹寺期达到了动物造型和生态系统复杂化的高峰。     

Ectogenesis and the case against the right to the death of the foetus

Ectogenesis, or the use of an artificial womb to allow a foetus to develop, will likely become a reality within a few decades, and could significantly affect the abortion debate. We first examine the implications for Judith Jarvis Thomson’s violinist analogy, which argues for a woman’s right to withdraw life support from the foetus and so terminate her pregnancy, even if the foetus is granted full moral status. We show that on Thomson’s reasoning, there is no right to the death of the foetus, and abortion is not permissible if ectogenesis is available, provided it is safe and inexpensive. This raises the question of whether there are persuasive reasons for the right to the death of the foetus that could be exercised in the context of ectogenesis. Eric Mathison and Jeremy Davis have examined several arguments for this right, doubting that it exists, while Joona Räsänen has recently criticized their reasoning. We respond to Räsänen’s analysis, concluding that his arguments are unsuccessful, and that there is no right to the death of the foetus in these circumstances.     

On the diversity of the Cladocera in the tropics

The mythical concept of an impoverished tropical cladoceran fauna is refuted. On a planetary scale, around half of the cladoceran species presently known occur exclusively in the tropics-subtropics, often with considerable restriction to particular geographical subzones. On a regional (political) scale, the situation is often unclear because of the continued fragmentary nature of studies, and because political units are not a good basis for biogeographical comparisons. At the finest level of resolution (lake-perlake comparisons), there appears to be an upper limit of c. 50 cladoceran species per individual lake. No significant difference between lakes in the temperate zone and in the tropics could be established here. Daphnia is largely absent from the tropics, but is replaced by more Sidids, Moinids, and Bosminids, such that the average cladoceran community in the limnetic zone of a tropical lake is not characterized by less species but rather by lower population densities. This, in turn, is considered a consequence of higher prevalent predation levels in the tropics.     

Tubular networks in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human,the monkey,the cat and the dog

Summary A tubular network was found in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human, the monkey (Macaca mulatta), the cat and the dog. These tubules are arranged in close groups in the vicinity of the synaptic lamellae and the invaginated dendrites. According to the form, diameter, density of the tubules and to the consistence of the network formed by them one can distinguish at these places an initial type (type I), a transitory (type II) and a vesicular one (type III). In the the type III branching, bizarre forms are frequent. The diameter of all the tubules reaches 500–600 Å, their density and walls being the same as in the synaptic vesicles.Similar networks also occur in the axons of the visual receptor cells of the monkey.

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Zusammenfassung In den Endigungen der Photorezeptorzellen von Mensch, Affe (Macaca mulatta), Katze und Hund kommen aus Tubuli bestehende Komplexe vor. Organellenartig in geschlossenen Gruppen angeordnet, liegen sie in Nähe der synaptischen Lamellen und der invaginierten Dendriten. An diesen Stellen kann man nach Form, Durchmesser, Dichte und Konsistenz der von den Tubuli gebildeten Komplexe drei Typen unterscheiden: 1. einen initialen (Typus I), 2. einen Übergangstypus (Typus II) und 3. einen vesiculären Typus (Typus III). In letzterem kommen häufig verzweigte, bizarre Formen vor. Der Durchmesser sämtlicher Tubuli erreicht 500–600 Å. Ihre Dichte und ihre Wand gleicht denen der synaptischen Vesikel.Ähnliche Komplexe fanden wir auch in den Axonen der Photorezeptorzellen vom Affen.

     

Assessing the Physiological State of the Fucoids from the Barents Sea Littoral by the End of the Polar Night

Methods of amperometry and potentiometric titration were used to follow dark respiration (DR) and apparent photosynthesis (AP) in the fucoids Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol, Fucus vesiculosus L., and F. serratus L. from the Barents Sea littoral by the end of the 40-day-long polar night. The macroalgae were shown to manifest species-specific low rates of photosynthesis and respiration. However, in spite of their low photosynthetic status due to the effects of subzero temperature and prolonged low or zero illumination, the macroalgae have been able to restore DR and AP to the initial level already by the day 9; the ability to restore AP depended on the level of illumination. The study of the changes in the carbonate–bicarbonate system in the light and darkness demonstrated that the macroalgae grown in darkness, in contrast to those grown in twilight, could absorb bicarbonate in darkness; however, they lost this capacity after two-day-long illumination at an irradiance of 7 mol/(m² s). Bicarbonate uptake in darkness and the capacity to restore the systems of photosynthesis and respiration in fucoid cells are discussed in the context of algal energy metabolism under the polar night conditions.     

Arranging the elements of the potassium channel: the T1 domain occludes the cytoplasmic face of the channel

The voltage-gated potassium channel is currently one of the few membrane proteins where functional roles have been mapped onto specific segments of sequence. Although high-resolution structures of the transmembrane portions of three bacterial potassium channels, the tetramerization domain and the cytoplasmic ball are available, their relative spatial arrangement in mammalian channels remains a matter of ongoing debate. Cryo-electron microscopic images of the six transmembrane voltage-gated Kv channel have been reconstructed at up to 18 Å resolution, revealing that the T1 domain tetramerizes and is suspended below the transmembrane segments. However, the resolution of these images is insufficient to reveal the location of the third piece of the puzzle, the inactivating ball domain. We have used the aberrant interactions observed in a series of chimæric channels to establish that an assembled T1 domain restricts access to the cytoplasmic face of the channel, suggesting that the N-terminal ball and chain may be confined in the space between the T1 domain and the transmembrane portion of the channel.     

Feeding the vertebrate retina from the Cambrian to the Tertiary

The retina of the vertebrate eye is metabolically active and requires nutritive support. During the last 540 million years it has evolved into forms as complicated and nutritionally demanding as those found in avian or primate eyes. Diffusion from the choroid is generally able to supply the metabolic needs of thin retinae. However, when the thickness exceeds the limits of diffusion, structures are needed to supplement the vascular supply from the choroid. These supplemental nutritive devices include the choroidal gland, the falciform process and preretinal vascular plexus of fish, the conus papillaris of lizards, the pecten oculi of birds, the intraretinal vessels of mammals and a few novel systems that remain difficult to classify. These vascular systems are among the most variable features of the vertebrate eye. Here, we review classical and recent findings regarding such retinal nutrition systems, propose a three category classification for them based on histologic origins and speculate on the evolutionary forces which drove their development.     

Observations on the permeability of the choriocapillaris of the eye

Summary The choriocapillaris is a fenestrated capillary bed located posterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. It serves as the main source of supply to the photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and other cells of the outer retina. The permeability of these capillaries to intravenously injected ferritin (MW — approx. 480,000; mol. diam. 11 nm) was examined in the mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig, each of which is characterized by a different type of retinal vascularization. In all three species, the bulk of the ferritin remained in the capillary lumina, where it appeared to be blocked at the level of the diaphragmed fenestrae. Some ferritin was present in endothelial cell vacuoles. The results confirm previous work on the rat choriocapillaris and indicate that the barrier function of the choriocapillary endothelium is present even among species in which the retinal circulation differs significantly.Supported by NIH grant EY03418