Rhytidium rugosum (Bryophyta) colonized Scandinavia from at least two glacial refugial source populations

The Scandinavian post‐glacial history of the moss Rhytidium rugosum is traced on the basis of information from the nuclear markers ITS and gpd for 229 Scandinavian and 81 other specimens. Some haplotypes, groups or lineages identified in a NeighborNet split network are predominantly northern Scandinavian, whereas others are southern. With the distributions of individual haplotypes and the timing of the deglaciation in different parts of Scandinavia, this implies colonization from the south and from the north or north‐east. High haplotype and nucleotide diversity and the occurrence of certain private haplotypes in the north suggest that the species may have survived the Last Glacial Maximum in local refugia. Slightly higher numbers of private haplotypes in Scandinavia than in central or north‐eastern Europe also favour an explanation with at least some local glacial survival. Low diversity in the southernmost contiguous region of the Scandinavian mountain range is probably a result of recent land uplift and late colonization. The Scandinavian lowland regional populations probably represent remains of an earlier widespread population that became increasingly restricted to small and isolated areas when the vegetation closed during the post‐glacial period. Some of the lowland populations require extensive management to survive. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 179 , 635–657.     

Boselaphines (Artiodactyla, Ruminantia, Bovidae) from the Middle Siwaliks of Hasnot, Pakistan

In this paper, boselaphine material from several localities in the area of the Hasnot Pakistan, is described, identified, and discussed. Four species that belong to three different genera of the tribe Boselaphini have been found: Selenoportax vexillarius, S. lydekkeri, Pachyportax latidens and Eotragus sp. Eotragus sp. is reported for the first time from the Hasnot and consequently from other Upper Middle Siwalik sediments of Pakistan and equivalent strata of the world, extending the range of the genus from the Lower to the Middle Siwaliks. Reviewing the Siwaliks’ Selenoportax species, S. dhokpathanensis Akhtar and S. tatrotensis Akhtar are synonymized with S. lydekkeri and S. vexillarius, respectively.     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene pollen stratigraphy at Lago di Vico, central Italy

A new pollen record from Lago di Vico (core V1) provides fundamental new information towards reconstruction of flora and vegetation history in central Italy during the last 90 000 years. The chronological framework is secured by seventeen AMS¹⁴C dates, one⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar date and tephra analyses. At the base of the pollen record, i.e. shortly after the⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar date 87 000±7000 B.P., three phases with significant expansion of trees are recorded in close succession. These forest phases, which stratigraphically correspond to St Germain II (and Ognon?) and precede pleniglacial steppe vegetation, are designated by the local names Etruria I, Etruria II and Etruria III. During the pleniglacial, a number of fluctuations of angiosperm mesophilous trees suggest the presence of tree refugia in the area. The lowest pollen concentration values are recorded at ca. 22 000 B.P. which corresponds with other pollen records from the region. The late-glacial is characterized by an expansion in the arboreal pollen curves that is less pronounced, however, than in other pollen profiles from Italy. The Holocene part of the profile is consistently dominated by deciduous oak pollen. No major changes in arboreal pollen composition are recorded but several marked and sudden declines of the tree pollen concentration suggest that the forest cover underwent dramatic changes. Clear evidence for human impact is recorded only when cultivated crops became important which dates to ca. 2630±95 B.P.     

黔北晚奥陶世Hirnantian期观音桥层四射珊瑚新资料及其地质意义

报道黔北毕节、仁怀和石阡地区晚奥陶世Hirnantian期观音桥层中首次发现的四射珊瑚Axiphoria,Bodophyllum,Dalmanophyllum,Leolasma,Brachyelasmaunicum(Neuman),Grewingkiaanguinea(Scheffen),结合前人报道的该层所产的Borelasma,Kenophyllum,Streptelasma,Ullernelasma等属,进一步表明黔北观音桥层四射珊瑚动物群与斯堪的纳维亚(Scandinavia)、中亚、阿尔泰地区同期珊瑚群关系密切。该动物群对阐明晚奥陶世四射珊瑚古地理关系具有重要意义。黔北观音桥层四射珊瑚十分丰富,总计有18属39种。文中共描述10属12种,其中1新属3新种,即AmplexobrachyelasmaHeetChengen.nov.,GrewingkiadensicolumnaHeetChensp.nov.,KenophyllumfossulatumHeetChensp.nov.,LeolasmaqianbeienseHeetChensp.nov.。     

The Mio-Pliocene European primate fossil record: dynamics and habitat tracking

We present here a study of European Neogene primate occurrences in the context of changing humidity. We studied the differences of primate localities versus non-primate localities by using the mammal communities and the ecomorphological data of the taxa present in the communities. The distribution of primates is influenced by humidity changes during the whole Neogene, and the results suggest that the primates track the changes in humidity through time. The exception to this is the Superfamily Cercopithecoidea which shows a wider range of choices in habitats. All primate localities seem to differ from non-primate localities in that the mammal community structure is more closed habitat oriented, while in non-primate localities the community structure changes towards open-habitat oriented in the late Neogene. The differences in primate and non-primate localities are stronger during the times of deep environmental change, when primates are found in their preferred habitats and non-primate localities have faunas better able to adapt to changing conditions.     

记贵州关岭生物群中的大型鱼龙Shastasaurus

贵州关岭三叠纪法郎组瓦窑段除产出大量保存完整的海百合化石外,还产出多门类海生爬行动物化石。迄今为止,关岭生物群已报道的中-大型鱼龙类有6属6种,包括邓氏贵州鱼龙(Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae)、蔡胡氏典型鱼龙(Typicusichthyosaurus tsaihuae)、梁氏关岭鱼龙(Guanlingsaurus liangae)、亚洲杯椎鱼龙(Cymbospondylus asiaticus)、美丽盘江龙(Panjiangsaurus epicharis)和卧龙岗卡洛维龙(Callawayia wolonggangense)。一些种属的存在长期以来争议较大,目前多数观点倾向将Cymbospondylus asiaticus和Panjiangsaurus epicharis归并于Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae,将Typicusichthyosaurus tsaihuae归并于Guanlingsaurus liangae。Guanlingsaurus以具有较短的吻部和较多的荐前椎数目而与Guizhouichthyosaurus有明显的不同(Maisch et al.,2006)。虽然Maisch et al.(2006)对G.tangae进行了重新研究,但他们的研究重点是头部骨骼,有限的头后骨骼信息来自一具未经充分修理的骨架(GNP-d41),一些特征未能清晰揭示。头后骨骼材料的缺乏限制了对该种分类位置的判断(Maisch et al., 2006)。在中、晚三叠世大型鱼龙中,肩带和腰带骨骼的形态、前肢和后肢骨骼的特征常具有非常重要的系统分类学意义。本文通过对关岭生物群的一具保存完整的大型鱼龙骨骼化石的详细研究,对Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae的归属进行了重新修订。研究标本(IVPP V 11853)产于贵州省关岭县新铺乡法郎组瓦窑段。修理后的骨架全长5.2 m,以腹面向上保存,尾部后部以右侧面向上保存。除前、后肢部分残缺外,其他部位均保存完整,肩带骨骼和腰带骨骼均原位保存。头骨背腹向压扁,仅右侧角的上颞骨有部分破损。新材料的头后骨骼特征表明该种应该属于萨斯特鱼龙科(Shastasauridae)的萨斯特鱼龙属(Shastasaurus)。Shastasaurus是一个广为人知的晚三叠世大型鱼龙化石属,最初建立于美国加利福尼亚州的Shasta地区,包括5个种(Merriam,1895,1902,1908)。由于建立这些种的化石材料均保存不好,尤其是模式种仅建立于几块背椎、背肋和两块耻骨之上,导致有关萨斯特鱼龙属和萨斯特鱼龙科的一些特征定义不明确。后人倾向于将已建立的种进行归并,即将Shastasaurus alexandrae、S.altispinus和S.osmonti划归模式种S.pacificus,将S.careyi另归入Shonisaurus sp.。虽然萨斯特鱼龙类的其他属,如Shonisaurus、Besanosaurus、Metashastasaurus、Pessosaurus等,在加拿大、墨西哥、意大利、瑞士等地的中、晚三叠世地层中被陆续发现和报道,但除美国加利福尼亚州的材料外,其他地区发现的萨斯特鱼龙属的化石均未得到广泛认可。本文将G.tangae归入萨斯特鱼龙属主要依据对该种模式标本(Gmr 009)的重新观察和对该种一新材料(IVPP V 11853)头后骨骼的深入研究。两骨架的头后部分尤其是前肢和肩带均表现出与已知的萨斯特鱼龙属各种的极大相似性,具体包括:椎体稍短;颈肋近端双头;尾椎腹侧Y型人字骨发育;锁骨细长,中部向后弯;乌喙骨斧状,中部收缩形成前后缘不对称的"茎";肩胛骨呈宽的镰刀状,前缘强烈外展;肱骨、桡骨、尺骨均较短;肱骨和桡骨前缘具凹缺;桡骨明显大于尺骨,桡骨后缘和尺骨前缘略凹入;相对较大的桡腕骨等。腰带和后肢特征与萨斯特鱼龙类其他属差别不大。除头后骨骼特征外,关岭材料的头骨特征也与萨斯特鱼龙属惟一的一个保存有部分头骨骨骼的S.alexandrae的特征大体相符,如具有大的、前后略拉长的眼眶,相对较窄的颊部,横向伸展的鼻骨和额骨的接触面,颞孔稍小于眼眶等。同时,通过与萨斯特鱼龙类其他各属化石的对比研究发现,虽然一些研究者认为萨斯特鱼龙属的荐前椎数目在55个左右,且指(趾)骨为3指(趾),但鉴于已经发现同属于萨斯特鱼龙类的Shonisaurus、Besanosaurus、Metashastasaurus等属或者具有超过60的荐前椎数,或者指(趾)骨为4指(趾),同时迄今为止尚无完整的萨斯特鱼龙属的化石标本被发现,有关其荐前椎数目和指(趾)骨列数仅是推测,因此基于中国贵州关岭的标本,本文认为萨斯特鱼龙属很可能具有超过60的荐前椎数,同时指骨(趾骨)是4指(趾)。在观察和对比了众多产于关岭的大型鱼龙骨骼化石的基础上,将邓氏贵州鱼龙、亚洲杯椎鱼龙和美丽盘江龙重新厘定为邓氏萨斯特鱼龙,并对该种的头后骨骼特征进行了详细描述。这是萨斯特鱼龙属的分子第一次在中国被确认,为了解该属鉴定特征和古地理分布提供了新的信息。     

湖北安陆新的恐龙蛋类型的发现及其意义

本文记述的恐龙蛋化石标本,采自湖北省江汉盆地公安寨组下部.蛋化石保存完好.在普通光学显微镜和扫描电镜下观察,蛋壳的显微结构完整,清晰可见.根据钙质蛋壳基本结构单位的形态及排列特征,笔者建立了—新属,新种——Dendroolithus wangdianensis gen. et sp. nov.,代表恐龙蛋类一个新科——Dendroolithidae fam. nov.此外,残存的卵壳膜纤维化石的发现,将为进一步研究恐龙蛋卵壳膜的结构和氨基酸组成提供宝贵材料.     

山顶洞人与现代华北人头骨非测量性特征比较及中国更新世晚期人类演化的一些问题

山顶洞人化石是迄今在东亚地区发现的数量最为丰富、保存状态最为完好的更新世晚期人类化石。多年来,山顶洞人作为东亚地区更新世晚期人类的代表,在研究东亚地区现代蒙古人种及美洲印第安人起源方面发挥着重要作用。随着对现代人起源与演化研究的深入,学术界对更新世晚期人类演化及现代人群形成过程的许多细节及演化机制予以了越来越多的注意,提出了现代人群出现时间及现代人群分化时间的概念。一些研究对山顶洞人的演化程度及其在东亚地区现代人群形成上的作用也提出了不同看法。为了深入探讨这些问题,本文对12项颅骨非测量特征在山顶洞人与现代中国人的表现情况进行了对比研究。发现有8项特征在山顶洞人与现代中国人之间具有不同的表现,作者认为山顶洞人在颅骨特征表现上较现代中国人具有更多的原始性。在此基础上,作者就更新世晚期人群内部变异、现代人群特征标准等问题进行了讨论。     

Where are the Caribs? Ancient DNA from ceramic period human remains in the Lesser Antilles

The identity and history of the indigenous groups who occupied the Lesser Antilles during the ceramic periods remain highly controversial. Although recent archaeological evidence has challenged hypotheses concerning the organization of human groups in this region, more biological data are needed to fully inform the discussion. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first palaeogenetic data for Late Ceramic groups of the Guadeloupe archipelago, yielding crucial information concerning the identities of these groups. Despite the generally poor DNA preservation in the tested remains, we were able to retrieve Hypervariable Region 1 sequences from 11 individuals and mitochondrial single-nucleotide polymorphisms from 13 individuals. These novel data provide interesting preliminary results in favour of a common origin for all Saladoid Caribbean communities, i.e. the first ceramic groups of the region, as well as for a local continuity between the Saladoid and post-Saladoid groups. A combination of the genetic data obtained and several pieces of cultural evidence allows us to propose that two different groups inhabited the Guadeloupe archipelago during the Late Ceramic period, with the possible occupation of the La Désirade and Marie-Galante islands by groups affiliated with the Taíno communities. The working hypotheses proposed here appear consistent with recent archaeological evidence.