New trace fossil evidence for eurypterid swimming behaviour

We describe a recently discovered trace fossil from a eurypterid Konservat‐Lagerstätte in the upper Silurian Tonoloway Formation of Pennsylvania, and formally describe contemporaneous traces from the Williamsville Formation Lagerstätte of Ontario. The traces from both localities are assigned here to Arcuites bertiensis igen. et isp. nov. Based on comparisons with previously described eurypterid trackways, neoichnological experiments, and the co‐occurrence with eurypterid remains, Arcuites is interpreted as having been made by the swimming leg (sixth prosomal appendage) of swimming juvenile to adult eurypteroid eurypterids, and represents the first unambiguous trace fossil evidence for eurypterid swimming behaviour. The morphology of Arcuites indicates that eurypteroid eurypterids swam using drag‐based rowing, whereby the animal propelled itself forward by moving its oar blade‐like swimming paddles in an in‐phase backstroke. Arcuites morphology also indicates that the eurypteroid swimming appendage had a greater degree of movement than was previously suggested, and a revised rowing model is proposed. Differences in the abundance of A. bertiensis in the Tonoloway and Williamsville formations suggest a bathymetric control on eurypterid swimming behaviour and trace production. The association of Arcuites with eurypterid body fossils in both units indicates that these Lagerstätten were autochthonous assemblages and provides additional evidence for eurypterid inhabitation of shallow subtidal marine environments in the late Silurian.     

A proposed new global stratotype for Aeronian Stage of the Silurian System: Hlásná Třebaň section,Czech Republic

The current Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP ) for the Aeronian Stage (Llandovery Series, Silurian System), on Trefawr track in the Llandovery area of Wales, is an inadequate marker for precise, global, correlation. The International Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy has, therefore, undertaken the selection of a new GSSP for this level. The lowest occurrence of the graptolite Demirastrites triangulatus , 1.38 m above the base of the black‐shale succession of the ?elkovice Formation at the Hlásná T?ebaň section in Central Bohemia, is proposed to mark the base of the Aeronian Stage. The section, which fulfils all formal requirements for stratotype of a chronostratigraphical unit, should be considered as a candidate for the new GSSP . An abundant, well‐preserved, diverse graptolite fauna occurs through the section along with common chitinozoans, which indicate that the Spinachitina maennili Biozone spans the boundary interval. The section comprises the lower–middle Aeronian (D. triangulatus–Lituigraptus convolutus graptolite biozones) along with underlying Rhuddanian (Akidograptus ascensus–Coronograptus cyphus biozones) and Hirnantian strata. Several graptolite genera of primary importance in global correlation (Demirastrites , Petalolithus , Rastrites and Campograptus ) first appear in the lower part of the triangulatus Biozone. The structurally simple section is somewhat condensed, but there is a uniform succession of black shale without any evidence of disconformity in the broad boundary interval. The C_org isotope record exhibits a minor positive excursion just above the base of the triangulatus Biozone, whereas TOC and N isotope and elemental geochemical records provide evidence for uninterrupted sedimentation under stable, anoxic conditions.     

The gnathobasic spine microstructure of recent and Silurian chelicerates and the Cambrian artiopodan Sidneyia: Functional and evolutionary implications

Gnathobasic spines are located on the protopodal segments of the appendages of various euarthropod taxa, notably chelicerates. Although they are used to crush shells and masticate soft food items, the microstructure of these spines are relatively poorly known in both extant and extinct forms. Here we compare the gnathobasic spine microstructures of the Silurian eurypterid Eurypterus tetragonophthalmus from Estonia and the Cambrian artiopodan Sidneyiainexpectans from Canada with those of the Recent xiphosuran chelicerate Limulus polyphemus to infer potential variations in functional morphology through time. The thickened fibrous exocuticle in L. polyphemus spine tips enables effective prey mastication and shell crushing, while also reducing pressure on nerve endings that fill the spine cavities. The spine cuticle of E. tetragonophthalmus has a laminate structure and lacks the fibrous layers seen in L. polyphemus spines, suggesting that E. tetragonophthalmus may not have been capable of crushing thick shells, but a durophagous habit cannot be precluded. Conversely, the cuticle of S. inexpectans spines has a similar fibrous microstructure to L. polyphemus, suggesting that S. inexpectans was a competent shell crusher. This conclusion is consistent with specimens showing preserved gut contents containing various shelly fragments. The shape and arrangement of the gnathobasic spines is similar for both L. polyphemus and S. inexpectans, with stouter spines in the posterior cephalothoracic or trunk appendages, respectively. This differentiation indicates that crushing occurs posteriorly, while the gnathobases on anterior appendages continue mastication and push food towards and into the mouth. The results of recent phylogenetic analyses that considered both modern and fossil euarthropod clades show that xiphosurans and eurypterids are united as crown-group euchelicerates, with S. inexpectans placed within more basal artiopodan clades. These relationships suggest that gnathobases with thickened fibrous exocuticle, if not homoplasious, may be plesiomorphic for chelicerates and deeper relatives within Arachnomorpha. This study shows that the gnathobasic spine microstructure best adapted for durophagy has remained remarkably constant since the Cambrian.     

Pattern of some Silurian bioevents

The best‐known Silurian bioevent occurred at the end of the Wenlock: the lundgreni event, together with the nassa‐ludensis crisis, was established among planktic graptolites. The East Baltic data show several peaks of high diversity (especially triangulatus, turriculatus, scanicus zones) and three levels of low diversity of graptolites (antennularius, radians, ludensis zones). These are more or less coincident with sea‐level changes. Energetic innovation of the shallow shelf corals started in the early Silurian. The late Wenlock regression seems not to affect them seriously but the late Silurian decline coincides with the aridization of the climate and a regression of the shelf seas. The Agnatha had strong radiations in the Wenlock (ludensis Zone) and Ludlow (leintwardinensis Zone), the fishes in the Pridoli. Many Silurian vertebrates were long‐ranging and extinction rate was relatively low; only at the late leintwardinensis level and in the latest Ludlow did considerable extinctions occur.     

Silurian trace fossils in carbonate turbidites from the Alexander arc of southeastern Alaska

Early to Late Silurian (Llandovery‐Ludlow) body and trace fossils from the Heceta Formation of southeastern Alaska are preserved in the oldest widespread carbonates in the Alexander terrane. These fossils represent the earliest benthos to inhabit diverse shallow and deep subtidal environments in the region and are important indicators of early stages in benthic community development within the evolving Alexander arc. The ichnofossils are particularly significant because they add to a small but growing body of knowledge about trace fossils in deep‐water carbonates of Paleozoic age.

Carbonate turbidites that originated along a deep marine slope within the arc yield a low‐diversity suite of trace fossils consisting of five distinct biogenic forms. Simple burrows (Planolites, two forms), ramifying tunnels (Chondrites), and tiny cylindrical burrows (?Chondrites) represent the feeding activities (fodinichnia) of pre‐turbidite animals that burrowed in the lime mud before the influx of coarser sediment deposited by turbidity currents. These trace fossils are associated locally with cross‐cutting burrows created as domichnia (Palaeophycus). Rarer hypichnial burrows and endichnial traces were created by post‐turbidite animals that fed soon after the deposition of coarse detritus from turbidity flows.

Trace fossils in these deposits reflect much lower diversity levels than in Paleozoic siliciclastic turbidites. This difference may represent unfavorable environmental conditions for infaunas, differential preservation, or significant paleogeographic isolation of the Alexander terrane during the Silurian. Greater utilization of trace fossils in terrane analysis may help to resolve this issue and provide new data for reconstructing the paleogeography of circum‐Pacific terranes.     

塔里木盆地西北缘志留系塔塔埃尔塔格组上段的遗迹化石

通过对塔里木盆地柯坪地区志留系塔塔埃尔塔格组上段遗迹化石的研究,识别出8属8种。根据组成、产状、分布规律及其围岩沉积特征,划分为2种不同沉积环境条件下的遗迹组合,即(1)Thalassinoides-Maca-ronichnus遗迹组合,主要组成分子有Thalassinoides suevicus,Macaronichnus segregatis和Rhizocorallium ganx-iensis等,形成于高氧高能的砂坪沉积环境;(2)Scoyenia-Beaconites遗迹组合,常见组成分子有Scoyenia gracilis,Beaconites antarcticus,Planolites vulgaris,Palaeophycus wutingensis和Monocraterioncf.tentaculatum,形成于混合坪-泥坪沉积环境。     

川南布拖县乌科志留纪早期介形类丽足介目(Myodocopida)

乌科剖面位于四川布拖县乌科乡境内。在此剖面的石门坎组上碎屑岩段中产有相当丰富的介形类丽足介目,特别是球茎介科的化石。经研究、鉴定,初步划分出2个属和6个种,其中包括3个新种(Entomozoe bispinosa sp.nov.,E.suboblongasp.nov.,E.wukeensis sp.nov.),1个比较种和2个未定种。在分析上述属、种,特别是相关种的地质、地理分布特征的基础上,并参考其他门类化石(如腕足类动物群)和岩石性质,提出石门坎组上碎屑岩段可能要低于笔石M.crispus带上部,大致相当于志留纪兰多维列世特列奇期早期。Entomozoe和球茎介科的最早代表推测是产自石门坎组上碎屑岩段Entomozoe的那些分子,如E.suboblongasp.nov.,而非E.tuberosa(Jones),1861(或其亲缘种E.aff.tuberosa)(Siveter et al.,1990,2006)。文中还就上述丽足介目动物群的生态环境进行了分析,指出石门坎组上碎屑岩段可能是在陆棚浅水到相对较深水、能量较低的、温暖的开阔海环境下沉积的。     

扬子台地西北缘志留纪笔石Oktavites spiralis (Geinitz, 1842)发育过程研究

Oktavites spiralis(Geinitz,1842)是志留系特列奇阶(Telychian)的笔石带化石,其形态特征明显,在全球范围内广泛分布,地层对比意义较强。然而,该种宽泛的化石定义以及缺乏居群变异研究,造成了对该化石延限的争议,不利于地层的精确对比。笔者对产自陕西紫阳、岚皋地区特列奇阶Oktavites spiralis带至Cyrtograptus lapworthi笔石带的45个Oktavites spiralis不同发育阶段的幼体标本进行研究,建立了较完整的发育序列,从而对该种的始部特征有了更为深入的了解,增加了描述的精确性。同时,通过始部特征的对比研究,可将Oktavites spiralis和与之共生的Oktavites contortus(Perner,1897)明确区分为2个独立的种。此外,对Oktavites spiralis和Oktavites contortus发育过程的研究,也可成为该属进一步精确厘定的主要依据之一。     

陕南川北志留系特列奇阶宁强组礁相中的微生物岩和钙藻

分布于扬子区西北缘宁强-广元地区志留系宁强组以约三千米厚的浅水相泥页岩,海相红层夹灰岩为特征,部分灰岩层段中发育生物礁,通过对礁灰岩的微相分析表明,菌藻类可通过四种方式参与造礁过程;1）叠层石;2）凝块岩;3）核形石;4）钙藻碎屑堆积,其中以叠层石和凝块岩最为常见,它们对灰泥基质起显著的粘结作用。而核形石和钙藻相对较少,有的叠层石出现于礁顶相并作为后生动物骨架岩造礁衰减的标志。     

华东志留纪最早期的华夏正形贝动物群及其宏演化意义

志留纪最早期的腕足动物群在文献中很少记录,与标准笔石相伴者更为稀罕。江西玉山志留系底部因发现Akidograptus ascensus带的笔石而确定该处盛产志留纪初期（鲁丹早期）、多样性较高的腕足动物群。根据组成、性质与层位,它与浙江江山、常山、淳安、余杭等7个地点的同期组合可统一命名为华夏正形贝动物群（Cathaysiorthis Fauna）。它包含了不同群集,都产自细碎屑岩（如泥岩）中,其分布主要受海水深度和距华夏古陆远近的控制。这个动物群生长在奥陶纪大灭绝后的残存期,文章探讨了它的残存特征。研究揭示,奥陶纪末大灭绝对腕足动物演化的一个实质性的贡献在于制约了奥陶纪占优势的A组（正形贝／扭月贝大类群：发育铰合面、窗齿型铰齿、正扭型主突起和简单腕器官）的繁盛态势,滋生了B组（五房贝／无洞贝大类群：发育后转面、弓齿型铰齿和复杂腕器官但缺失正扭型主突起）在志留纪的优势,造成腕足动物宏演化历程中的一次重大转折。文中提出“优势替代滞后型式（Pattern of lag of dominance replacement）”,专指A组类群的优势被B组类群替代的时间不是紧跟在奥陶纪末大灭绝之后,而是距大灭绝结束约4Ma之后。文中描记新属华夏正形贝（Cathaysiorthis gen．nov．）。