Geological summary of the Busidima Formation (Plio-Pleistocene) at the Hadar paleoanthropological site, Afar Depression, Ethiopia

The Hadar paleoanthropological site in Ethiopia preserves a record of hominin evolution spanning from approximately 3.45 Ma to 0.8 Ma. An angular unconformity just above the ca. 2.95 Ma BKT-2 complex divides the sediments into the Hadar Formation (ca. 3.8-2.9 Ma) and the Busidima Formation (ca. 2.7-0.15 Ma). The unconformity is likely a response to a major tectonic reorganization in the Afar Depression, and activation of the As Duma fault near the Ethiopian Escarpment (west of Hadar) created a half-graben in which the Busidima Formation was deposited. The pattern and character of sedimentation in the region changed dramatically above the unconformity, as cut-and-fill channel conglomerates and silt-dominated paleosols that comprise the Busidima Formation stand in sharp contrast to the underlying deposits of the Hadar Formation. Conglomerate deposition has been related to both the perennial, axial paleo-Awash and ephemeral, escarpment-draining tributaries. Overbank silts have yielded fossils attributed to early Homo and Oldowan stone tools. Numerous tuffaceous deposits exist within the Busidima Formation, but they are often spatially limited, fine-grained, and reworked. Recent work on the tephrostratigraphic framework of the Busidima Formation at Hadar has identified at least 12 distinct vitric tephras and established the first geochemical-based correlations between Hadar and the neighboring project areas of Gona and Dikika. Compared to Gona and Dikika, where Busidima Formation sediments are exposed over large areas, the highly discontinuous sediments at Hadar comprise less than 40 m in composite section and are exposed over an area of <20 km², providing only snapshots into the 2.7-0.15 Ma window. The stratigraphic record at Hadar confirms the complex depositional history of the Busidima Formation, and also provides important details on regional stratigraphic correlations and the pattern of deposition and erosion in the lower Awash Valley reflective of its tectonic history.     

Early and Middle Jurassic Sporo-Pollen Assemblages of Qiquanhu Coal-Field of Turpan Xinjiang

One hundred and thirteen species of spores and pollens belonging to 58 genera were found from 66 core samples taken from two boreholes of the Early and Middle Jurassic deposits in the Qiquanhu coal-field of the Turpan Basin, Xinjiang have been investigated in this paper. Two of the species are described as new. Three sporo-pollen zones from lower to upper are described as follows: Sporo-pollen zone Ⅰ (equivalent bed: Badaowan Formation) . The pteridophytic spores are slightly more abundant than the gymnospermous pollen in this assemblage. The most abundant spores are Cyathidites minor, C. australis and Undulatisporites pflugii, U. taenus and so on. The second important fern spores are Osmundacidites, Lycopodiumsporites, Apiculatisporis and Duplexisporites. The most important gymnospermous genus is Cycadopites which ranks highest in the assemblage and includes C. nitidus and C. typicus.The other gymnospermous pollen include Classopollis, Pinuspollenites, Protoconiferus Piceites. Besides, there are a few pollen grains of Taeniaesporites and Chordasporites surviving from the Late Triassic in this assemblage. The present assemblage may be compared with the Early Jurassic sporopollen assemblage from the Daling Formation of the North-East Guangxi. Therefore, the Badaowan Formtion may be referred to Early Jurassic in age, probably Early Lias. Sporo-pollen zone Ⅱ (equivalent bed: Sangonghe Formation) In this assemblage the gymnosperms are predominant.Of them, Podocarpidites and Pinuspollenites increase obviously, and Quadraeculina and Protoconiferus are common. Few surviving elements are observed. The most abundant spores are those of Cyathidites, and the particularly abundant pollens are those of Cycadopites, This assemblage may be compared with the Late Lias sporo-pollen assemblage from the Fuxian Formation of the Northern Shangganning Basin. Therefore, the Sangonghe Formation should belong to Early Jurassic, probably Late Lias in age. Sporo-pollen zone Ⅲ (equivalent bed: Xishanyao Formation). The contents of the spores and pollens are almost equal in this assemblage. Cyathidites and Cycadopites are the most important spores and pollen. Osmundacidites and Quadraeculina are common. Neoraistrickia, Lycopodiumsporites and Eucommiidites troedssonii are present. Ancient striate bisaccate pollen disappears. The characteristics of this assemblage show some resemblances to those of the Middle Jurassic Yanan Formation in Chongxin county of Gansu province. So the Xishanyao Formation should belong to Middle Jurassic.     

Chancelloriid sclerites from the Lower Cambrian (Meishucunian) of eastern Yunnan,China, and the early history of the group

Chancelloriids are a group of enigmatic sessile animals that are covered with sclerites shaped as rosettes of spines, producing an appearance like that of a barrel cactus. They are known only from Cambrian rocks. Isolated sclerites of chancelloriids are widespread in small shelly faunas, but they have proven difficult to treat taxonomically due to the variation within and between individual animals. We report on large samples of chancelloriid sclerites from the Meishucunian (pre‐trilobitic Lower Cambrian) of eastern Yunnan Province, China, including material from the Dahai Member of the Zhujiaqing Formation (the Zhujiaqing section, Dahai, Huize County) and the Shiyantou Formation (the Xiaotan section, Yongshan County). The material from the Dahai Member appears to come from a single species, Chancelloriella irregularis. Statistical analysis of morphotype co‐occurrences in different samples suggests that several species are represented in the material from the Shiyantou Formation, which we herein tentatively place in four species, Allonnia erromenosa, Allonnia tetrathallis, Archiasterella charma sp. nov. and Archiasterella cf. pentactina. We suggest therefore that careful study of large collections of isolated chancelloriid sclerites permits the identification of different species, opening the possibility of their use in evolutionary or stratigraphical studies. In particular, in South China, it seems that Chancelloriella irregularis is characteristic of rocks of the Paragloborilus subglobosus – Purella squamulosa Assemblage Zone and the Watsonella crosbyi Assemblage Zone, whilst Archiasterella and Allonnia first appear in the overlying Sinosachites flabelliformis – Tannuolina zhangwentangi Assemblage Zone. C. irregularis is thus amongst the oldest well‐characterized chancelloriids, and the irregularity and poor organization of its sclerites relative to those of younger forms support the hypothesis that chancelloriid sclerites are compound structures arising from the fusion of originally separate elements, perhaps homologous with sclerites of halkieriids and other coeloscleritophorans. The similarity between the arrangement of rays in a chancelloriid sclerite and the arrangement of bubbles in small bubble clusters suggests that in many cases, aspects of the form of chancelloriid sclerites are the result of simple physical processes.     

Plants of Leptostrobus Heer （Czekanowskiales） from the Early Cretaceous and Late Triassic of China, with Discussion of the Genus

Investigation of the Mesozoic seed plant Leptostrobus Heer from the Yangcaogou Formation of the Late Triassic and the Yixian Formation of the Early Cretaceous, Liaoning Province, China, provides new Insight Into Its general morphology and geographical distribution. The materials of L. cancer from the Yixian Formation described herein are later than all the past findings of this species and add to the record of L. cancer during the Early Cretaceous. Based on well-preserved specimens, the specific diagnosis Is slightly emended and the reconstructlon of L. cancer Is perfected. The materials from the Yangcaogou Formation of the Late Triassic are placed in L. spheericus, in addition, we review the history of investigation of the genus Leptostrobus since its establishment in 1876 and discuss the main characteristics of each species.     

中国新近纪几种稀有啮齿动物

30多年来,中国新近纪堆积物中发现了大量的小哺乳动物化石,但一些种类的材料很少,而且仅在个别地点出现,在动物群中常以未定属、种记述.详细描述了4种罕见的啮齿动物,其中3种,泗洪豪鼠(Sayimys sihongensis)、亚洲别齿始鼠(Apeomys asiaticus)和新来鼠(未定种)(Neocometes sp.)发现于江苏泗洪早中新世下草湾组,一种,细小云南始鼠(Yuneomys pusillus)产自云南禄丰晚中新世石灰坝组.与欧亚或北美有关材料的比较研究表明,江苏泗洪标本无法归入相关属的任何已知种,因此被确定了两个新种(S.sihongensis和A.asiaticus);禄丰原归入Leptodontomys pusillus的标本与该属的特征不符,被指定为新属Ynueomys.泗洪的A.asiaticus和Neocometes sp.分别代表该属在亚洲和中国的首次记录;它们与S.sihongensis在亚洲远东地区的出现,增加了我们对这些稀有动物地理分布和欧亚古生物地理关系的知识.禄丰的新属Yuneomys与共生的Plesieomys和Heteroeomys属同为丘齿型始鼠类,可能都属热带或亚热带森林型动物;在禄丰动物群中缺少脊齿型始鼠类,与华北动物群的组成不同,似乎表明华南和华北始鼠动物群在中新世期间已有明显的分异,进而支持这一时期亚洲出现了不同生态区系的设想.     

黔南独山地区泥盆系法门阶–石炭系杜内阶革老河组和汤粑沟组长身贝类新认知

本文描述了在黔南独山县其林寨剖面和黎家寨剖面上泥盆统革老河组和下石炭统汤粑沟组中发现的长身贝类化石共8属10种(含未定种)。其中,在革老河组中发现有3属4种:Productella? sp.、Yanguania dushanensis、Xinshaoproductusxinshaoensis和X.quadrata;汤粑沟组中有8属9种:Productella?sp.、Hunanoproductushunanensis、Spinocarinifera qilinzhaiensis sp. nov.、Yanguania dushanensis、Y.? sp.、Xinshaoproductus xinshaoensis、Tomiproductussp.、Ozora?sp.和Ericiatiakiangsuensis。总体而言,革老河组和汤粑沟组中的长身贝类在组成上主要以Productoidea超科中Productidae科的分子为主,Productellidae科和Echinoconchoidea超科中Sentosiidae科的分子各有1种。本文记述的Hunanoproductus和Xins...     

Palaeoecological analysis of a sclerobiont fauna on a single basibiont across the Valanginian of the Neuquén Basin,west‐central Argentina

Sclerobiont communities have proven their environmental and taphonomic value in extant and past settings; studies are beginning to quantify and evaluate their changes across time. Through the Valanginian of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina, trigonioids of the genus Steinmanella present an almost continuous record. Materials were collected from shales and shell beds across second‐order systems tracts (LST, TST and HST). Their sclerobiont communities were characterized and compared across systems tracts and facies. In addition, a link between them and coeval oyster mass occurrences (OMOs) was investigated, since studies on other local sclerobiont communities have consistently shown pronounced oyster dominance. Eleven sclerobiont taxa were found on Steinmanella (bryozoans, bivalves, foraminifers and polychaetes), of which oysters are usually strongly dominant but for the TST, in which their dominance is diminished. The sclerobiont community has a simple structure and interspecific relationships and competition for space seem to have had little importance. Few differences in richness, taxonomy and other parameters were found between facies. Across systems tracts, features of the sclerobiont communities are differentiated mostly from swings in relative abundance of taxa. The lowered oyster dominance in the TST may reflect a source–sink dynamics between OMOs (sources) and Steinmanella as sinks in shallower, soft substrate settings. Likely the sea‐level rise temporally drowned the oyster carbonate factory, resulting in decreased larvae emigration to the sinks and lowered oyster dominance during the TST.     

广西石栎林分类的研究

石栎林属于常绿阔叶林的一个群系组,在广西见有粤桂石栎林、华南石栎林、烟斗石栎林和长果石栎林4个群系。前者主要见于中亚热带地区山地,后三者分布在南亚热带范围的山地。文中主要论述其群落分类、种类组成和动态变化,为其科学管理提供基本资料和依据。     

Proterochampsa barrionuevoi (Archosauriformes: Proterochampsia) from the Late Triassic (Carnian) of Argentina and a phylogenetic analysis of Proterochampsia

Abstract: Restudy of skulls and available postcrania of the proterochampsian archosauriform Proterochampsa barrionuevoi from the Ischigualasto Formation (Upper Triassic, Carnian) in the San Juan Province, Argentina, confirms that the genus is diagnosed by autapomorphies that include dermal sculpturing consisting of prominent ridges and nodular protuberances, a large hook‐like lateral projection on the quadratojugal, an antorbital fossa restricted to a depression along the maxilla, lateral expansion of the premaxilla anterior to the premaxilla–maxilla contact, absence of a supratemporal fossa, exclusion of jugal from suborbital fenestra, basal tubera of parabasisphenoid facing ventrally and reaching laterally beyond the basipterygoid process, and a ventral lamina on the angular. Proterochampsa nodosa is a valid species distinguished from P. barrionuevoi by fewer cranial ridges with larger protuberances, relatively smaller supratemporal fenestrae and width of frontals between orbits less than that of the nasals. A phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of Proterochampsia consisting of Proterochampsa, Chanaresuchus bonapartei, Gualosuchus reigi, Tropidosuchus romeri and Cerritosaurus binsfeldi. A temporal separation between the two basal proterochampsians with earliest records in the Late Triassic (Proterochampsa and Cerritosaurus) and Chanaresuchus, Gualosuchus and Tropidosuchus in the Middle Triassic indicates hidden proterochampsian diversity in the Middle Triassic.     

New Ichnotaxa of Mammal and Reptile Tracks from the Upper Paleocene of Alberta

Only two vertebrate trackways are known from the Paleocene of western Canada and are among the few Paleocene vertebrate trackways known worldwide.

A natural cast trackway consisting of five prints (three pes, two manus) on a fallen block was found along the Red Deer River, near the town of Red Deer, Alberta, in 1927. The discoverers, Ralph Rutherford and Loris Russell, identified the strata the track block had fallen from as belonging to the Paskapoo Formation (upper Paleocene: middle Tiffanian). The trackway was attributed to a mammalian track-maker in two subsequent publications. However, the prints are more characteristic of a reptilian (crocodylian) track-maker.

A natural cast track-bearing block was discovered on Signal Hill in the city of Calgary during the preparation of a new residential subdivision in 1990. The large track-bearing block was found in a rock pile but is suspected to have originated from strata belonging to the Porcupine Hills Formation (Upper Paleocene: late Torrejonian), which was being excavated at the time. This large slab contains twelve prints (six pes, six manus) and is associated with extensive mud cracks. The mammalian affinity of the trackmaker was recognized by researchers from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.     

New fossil mantidflies (Insecta: Neuroptera: Mantispidae) from the Mesozoic of north‐eastern China

Abstract:  Three new genera and four new species of the extinct mantidfly subfamily Mesomantispinae (Insecta: Neuroptera: Mantispidae) are described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning and the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia: Archaeodrepanicus nuddsi gen. et sp. nov., A. acutus gen. et sp. nov., Sinomesomantispa microdentata gen. et sp. nov., (Yixian Formation) and Clavifemora rotundata gen. et sp. nov. (Jiulongshan Formation). The specimens described herein represent the first Mesozoic mantidfly compression fossils to have body parts preserved, including the specialized raptorial forelegs articulated to the prothorax anteriorly, an autapomorphy of the family. These new taxa further confirm the placement of the subfamily Mesomantispinae within the family Mantispidae; however, the monophyly of Mesomantispinae has not been confirmed, and it is likely that it will prove to be paraphyletic.     

Largest known specimen of the genus Dakosaurus (Metriorhynchidae: Geosaurini) from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Late Jurassic) of England,and an overview of Dakosaurus specimens discovered from this formation (including reworked specimens from the Woburn Sands Formation)

We report the largest known British specimen of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genus Dakosaurus discovered offshore from Chesil Beach, Dorset, England (Kimmeridge Clay Formation). This specimen is large toothed, which has extreme enamel spalling on the labial surface, enlarged carinae (‘carinal flanges’), carinal wear, macroziphodont denticles, and the crown retains much of its labiolingual width along most of its apicobasal length. This suite of morphologies is unique to Dakosaurus. All known Kimmeridge Clay Formation Dakosaurus specimens are isolated tooth crowns. A skull previously referred to Dakosaurus lacks all the cranial apomorphies of D. maximus and D. andiniensis, and cannot be referred to this genus. Furthermore, the vast majority of putative Dakosaurus tooth crowns from the ‘Potton Sands’ ( = Woburn Sands Formation) do indeed represent Dakosaurus (as well as two Plesiosuchus specimens), and they most likely originate from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation.     

Analytical treatment of pattern formation in the Gierer-Meinhardt model of morphogenesis

Summary We first perform a linear stability analysis of the Gierer-Meinhardt model to determine the critical parameters where the homogeneous distribution of activator and inhibitor concentrations becomes unstable. There are two kinds of instabilities, namely, one leading to spatial patterns and another one leading to temporal oscillations. Focussing our attention on spatial pattern formation we solve the corresponding nonlinear equations by means of our previously introduced method of generalized Ginzburg-Landau equations. We explicitly consider the two-dimensional case and find both rolls and hexagon-like structures. The impact of different boundary conditions on the resulting patterns is also discussed. The occurrence of the new patterns has all the features of nonequilibrium phase transitions.     

New observations on the skeletons of the earliest bryozoans from the Fenhsiang Formation (Tremadocian,Lower Ordovician), Yichang,China

The earliest unequivocal bryozoans occurred in the Fenhsiang Formation (upper Tremadocian, Lower Ordovician) of Yichang, South China, providing important clues about the early evolution of primitive bryozoans. In this study, SEM and EDAX were used to analyze the microstructure of the walls of two bryozoan genera, Nekhorosheviella and Orbiramus, from the Fenhsiang Formation. All walls of Nekhorosheviella and endozonal walls of Orbiramus show poor preservation in thin sections, with a granular appearance reflecting extensive neomorphism, whereas exozonal walls of Orbiramus are distinctly laminated. These preservational differences may reflect skeletal chemistry, particularly the magnesium content of the calcite. Phosphatic skeletal linings were found to be distributed unevenly in the autozooecia of Nekhorosheviella, but were absent in Orbiramus.     

The Role of Research in Fisheries Management: The Conservation of Dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Exploitation of Southern Bluefin Tuna in the Southern Ocean

This article uses two case studies to assess the role of research in policy formation and fishery management. One study focuses on measures to limit the mortality of dolphins taken when tuna are harvested in the eastern tropical Pacific. The other studies measures taken to limit harvests of Southern Bluefin Tuna. Both of these fisheries involve fugitive resources and transboundary resources spreading across both national exclusive economic zones and the high seas. Both fisheries were initially based on open access, but public policy has led to greater exclusive use through individual transferable quotas for Southern Bluefin Tuna and dolphin mortality limits. A number of policy conclusions are drawn.     

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.     

中国肯氏兽-山西鳄组合带的新发现之一:山西的肯氏兽类（英文）

近年来在山西省境内沿黄河一带采集到一些新的四足动物化石。在临县白道峪铜川组一段产出的化石中,至少有一种副肯氏兽和一种新的中国肯氏兽——白道峪中国肯氏兽(Sinokannemeyeria baidaoyuensis sp.nov.)。新种以其前额骨向前延伸到达鼻孔后凹一线的特征区别于其他中国肯氏兽。这一材料的长牙未被前颌骨完全包裹,可能是不正常发育所致。在柳林的二马营组地层中识别出不同于中国肯氏兽和副肯氏兽的第三个肯氏兽属。这些新发现增加了中国肯氏兽-山西鳄组合带的组分以及时代延限。     

Giants on the landscape: modelling the abundance of megaherbivorous dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation (Late Jurassic,western USA)

The ecosystem impact of megaherbivorous dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation would have depended on their abundance (number of animals per unit of habitat area) on the landscape. We constrain Morrison megaherbivore abundance by modelling dinosaur abundance in terms of carrying capacity (K), average body mass (ABM) and animal's energy needs. Two kinds of model are presented: ‘demand-side’ models that estimate K in terms of the aggregate energy demand of the dinosaur community, and ‘supply-side’ models that estimate K in terms of retrodicted primary productivity. Baseline values of K, ABM and energy needs for the models are further derived from comparisons with modern large herbivores, and from the composition of the megaherbivore fauna from a particular stratigraphic interval of the Morrison, but in all models a broad range of fractions and multiples of these baseline parameters are considered. ‘Best-guess’ estimates of Morrison megaherbivore abundance suggest an upper limit of a few hundred animals across all taxa and size classes per square kilometre, and up to a few tens of individuals of large subadults and adults.