Review of the genus Hippidion Owen, 1869 (Mammalia: Perissodactyla) from the Pleistocene of South America

This review of Hippidion is based on a multivariate analysis of the foot, and some morphological characteristics of the skull and dentition. We recognize only one genus ( Hippidion ) including all the hippidiform horses, with three different species: H. principale, H. devillei and H. saldiasi. The latter species is stratigraphically and geographically restricted to the period from 13000 to 8000 years BP in the southern part of South America. Hippidion principale and H. devillei have a large geographical distribution (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Perú, Uruguay, Brazil) through the Upper Pliocene-Upper Pleistocene. Both species show some morphometric variations across their geographic range; these features may result from the environmental characteristics.     

Eucampia Index as an indicator of the Late Pleistocene oscillations of the winter sea-ice extent at the ODP Leg 119 Site 745B at the Kerguelen Plateau

A new paleoenvironmental proxy, Eucampia Index, was used to trace the Late Pleistocene oscillations of winter ice extent at ODP Leg 119, Site 745B (59° 35.71 S and 85° 51.60 E) on the Kerguelen Plateau. The index is calculated as the ratio of winter terminal to intercalary valves of the diatom Eucampia antarctica sensu lato. During the early Brunhes the winter sea-ice edge was positioned south from Site 745. It started expanding northward, closer to the site location soon after 0.4 Ma and progressed in a manner of a several wide oscillations. For approximately the last 0.1 Ma the winter sea-ice edge oscillated less and retained similar range of oscillations. The ice edge oscillated in periods which correspond closely to that of Milankovitch oscillations of Earth obliquity, although the significance of individual periods appears to vary in time.     

Reconstructing the Pleistocene geography of the Aphelocoma jays (Corvidae)

Understanding historical distributions of species and evolving lineages has been a topic of considerable interest, yet methods used to date have not provided detailed, quantitative distributional hypotheses. Here, we present a technique based on models of species’ ecological niches and Pleistocene climate reconstructions that provides such hypotheses, providing the example of reconstructions for the Aphelocoma jays. We demonstrate in general a greater degree than expected of stability in jay species’ distributional areas back through at least the most recent glaciation event, and that existing patterns of genetic differentiation may date to before the Late Pleistocene glaciations. More generally, the method offers the potential for reconstructing historical distributions of species or lineages, and providing a detailed geographic framework for addressing many biogeographic and systematic questions.     

Preservation of in situ reef framework in regions of low hurricane frequency: Pleistocene of Curaçao and Bonaire, southern Caribbean

Luxuriant fringing reefs along the southwestern shores of the Caribbean islands of Curaçao and Bonaire (12°N), located outside the most frequent hurricane tracks, are rarely affected by major storms. Consequently, reef growth and long-term preservation are potentially optimal and distinct from reefs experiencing greater hurricane frequency. Hurricane Lenny (November 1999) took an unusual west-to-east track, bisecting the Caribbean Basin north of these islands, but generated heavy waves (3-6  m) that severely damaged reefs along the normally leeward shores. Massive coral colonies >100 years old were toppled, but even at the most severely damaged sites, 82–85% of colonies remained in growth position. Late Pleistocene (125  ka) elevated reefs in the Lower Terrace of Curaçao record even higher proportions of corals in growth position (93%), possibly reflecting a low hurricane frequency during the Pleistocene highstand. In comparison, coeval Pleistocene reefs in regions that today experience a high hurricane frequency (Great Inagua Island and San Salvador, Bahamas) have lower proportions of corals preserved in growth position (79% and 38%, respectively). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that reefs in regions experiencing very low hurricane frequency, like the southern Caribbean, are more likely to be preserved with corals in primary growth position in comparison to regions with higher hurricane frequency.     

中国北方黄土地层中的哺乳动物群及在磁性地层中的位置

本文研究了中国黄土地层中有确切层位的哺乳动物化石记录,并进行了生物地层学与磁性地层学对比,将黄土地层中的动物化石归纳成如下哺乳动物群：早更新世（2．50─0．73Ma）：午城动物群（2．50─1．20Ma）、公王岭动物群（1．20─1．10Ma）和阳郭动物群（1．10─0．90Ma）、中更新世（0．73─0．13Ma）：陈家窝子动物群（0．73─0．40Ma）;晚更新世（0．13─0．01Ma）：柔远─靖远动物群（0．13─0．01Ma）;全新世（0．01Ma─Rec）:半坡动物群。结果表明：早更新世许多森林习性的化石动物虽然反映出气候较第三纪的寒冷,但比后期温暖湿润。中更新世出现了较多的草原、干旱草原习性的动物,气候更为寒冷干旱,森林逐渐减少或消失,草原或干旱草原得到发展;晚更新世出现的沙鼠、跳鼠等动物,表明气候更加寒冷、干旱,部分地区甚至沙化。     

山东淄博第四纪裂隙动物群

简要记述产自山东淄博孙家山裂隙群的主要哺乳动物化石,将之分为A、B、C三个动物群。A动物群时代与周口店第18地点相当,为早更新世早期;B动物群时代与周口店第9地点相当,为早更新世晚期;C动物群则可能与周口店第1地点中上部层位的时代相当,为中更新世中晚期。分析不同种类的生态类型并依据最小个体数的统计结果,认为早更新世早期本区为相对温湿的草原环境,附近可能有荒漠化现象;早更新世晚期气候较为温湿,无荒漠化现象;中晚更新世主要为林缘—灌丛环境,气候更为湿润。A动物群是华北地区早更新世早期特有的动物群,略具南北过渡区的特征;B动物群初具现代动物区系的面貌;C动物群基本与现代动物区系一致。     

关于徐州白云洞与南京汤山第1地点的哺乳动物化石

白云洞位于江苏省徐州市九里区九里山的白云寺内,产有中国鬣狗,三门马,李氏野猪,葛氏斑鹿,肿骨鹿等9个种类,其地质时代大体上与汤山第一地点或北京人动物群同时,为中更新世晚期。     

贵州盘县大洞更新世灵长类化石

本文记述贵州盘县大洞中－晚更新世洞穴堆积中的猴类化石,数量不多,被归入短尾猴（Ｍａｃａｃａａｒｃｔｏｉｄｅｓ）,熊猴（Ｍ．ｃｆ．ａｓｓａｍｅｎｓｉｓ）和疣猴亚科（Ｃｏｌｏｂｉｎａｅ）本研究为南方洞穴堆积单个灵长类牙齿的鉴定积累一些资料,同时也扩大了贵州省猴类化石的分布。     

陕西乾县的旧石器

石制品八件,发现于陕西乾县大北沟黄土之下砂砾粘土层中,和更新世晚期的哺乳类化石伴存。另外由大北沟附近地表拾到一件手斧,和蓝田平梁的大尖状器相似,推测为旧石器时代的文化遗物。     

周口店地区仓鼠材料的重新观察

经重新鉴定,周口店地区第四纪期间共有4属7种仓鼠,包括大型种类Allocricetus ehiki、A. teilhardi sp. nov. 及Cricetinus varians和小型种类Cricetulus longicaudatus, C. barabensis griseus, C. b. obscurus, C. cf. migratorius, Phodopus sp.其中A. ehiki-A. teilhardi sp. nov.,C. varians-现生种“C.”triton及小型仓鼠可能分别和中国新第三纪晚期的Sinocricetus, Kowalskia等有较密切的亲缘关系。