This report is about the first record of non-avian dinosaur eggs in the Hefei Basin,Anhui Province,China.Based on the combination of elongated egg body,linear ridges on the outer surface and two structure layer,the eg...This report is about the first record of non-avian dinosaur eggs in the Hefei Basin,Anhui Province,China.Based on the combination of elongated egg body,linear ridges on the outer surface and two structure layer,the eggs can be referred to Elongatoolithidae.The gradual boundary between the cone and the column layers as well as the relative thin eggshell(less than 1 mm)indicates its affinity within Elongatoolithus.The eggs are identified as Elongatoolithus oosp.,as they were severely compressed and experienced erosion on both inner and outer surfaces.The discovery of egg fossil in the Hefei Basin offers evidence for stratum comparison in this region and supplements the diversity of egg fossils in Anhui.Meanwhile,this discovery also enriches the paleogeographic distribution of elongatoolithids.展开更多
The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and on...The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and one taxon previously unknown from China.Among them 5 genera are Oligocene holdovers and 11 genera/species are known to make their first appearances in Early Miocene,indicating an Early Miocene age for the Gucheng Fauna.The absence of Oligocene survivors such as Tataromys,Yindirtemys,Eucricetodon and Tachyoryctoides,which usually occur in the Xiejian age of Early Miocene,and the presence of newcomers Protalactaga,Megacricetodon and Gobicricetodon,that made their first appearance only in the Shanwangian age of late Early Miocene,suggest that the Gucheng Fauna is of a later age of Early Miocene.The new species,Sinolagomys guchengensis,showing more derived morphology than in S.ulunguensis,seems to support an assessment of the fauna in Shanwangian age.Thus,the Gucheng Fauna may belong to late Early Miocene Shanwangian,partially equivalent to MN 3/4 of the European land mammal zonation.Ecological analysis of the fauna indicates that the palaeoecological condition of the Gucheng area might still be a predominantly arid shrub-steppe in late Early Miocene.展开更多
Small shelly fossils(SSFs)have long been recognized as important to the studies of both metazoan evolution and the onset of biomineralization during the Cambrian radiation.The marked decline in the occurrence,diversit...Small shelly fossils(SSFs)have long been recognized as important to the studies of both metazoan evolution and the onset of biomineralization during the Cambrian radiation.The marked decline in the occurrence,diversity and abundance of SSFs in the middle to late Cambrian,when compared with the early Cambrian,has often been regarded as a result of the closure of a phosphatization window.Despite this,there have been numerous and consistent reports of SSFs from the middle Cambrian and younger deposits.To identify possible factors influencing SSF preservation,five microfacies including bioclastic limestone,flat-pebble conglomerates with bioclasts,hummocky cross-stratified grainstone with bioclasts,bioclastic grainstone in hardgrounds and glauconite bioclastic wackstone-packstone,from Cambrian Series 2 to Miaolingian in North China are compared to assess how differences in lithology impact the preservation potential of SSFs.Our results,based on 35,161 SSF specimens from deposits across six sections,suggest that there are still abundant and diverse SSFs in the middle Cambrian of North China preserved in ways not exclusively reliant on the presence of phosphate and that SSF preservation can be linked to the differences in microfacies in the early to middle Cambrian of North China.展开更多
Evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBLFs) are widely distributed in East Asia and play a vital role in ecosystem stability. The occurrence of these forests in East Asia has been a subject of debate across various discipli...Evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBLFs) are widely distributed in East Asia and play a vital role in ecosystem stability. The occurrence of these forests in East Asia has been a subject of debate across various disciplines. In this study, we explored the occurrence of East Asian EBLFs from a paleobotanical perspective. By collecting plant fossils from four regions in East Asia, we have established the evolutionary history of EBLFs. Through floral similarity analysis and paleoclimatic reconstruction, we have revealed a diverse spatio-temporal pattern for the occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia. The earliest occurrence of EBLFs in southern China can be traced back to the middle Eocene, followed by southwestern China during the late Eocene-early Oligocene. Subsequently, EBLFs emerged in Japan during the early Oligocene and eventually appeared in central-eastern China around the Miocene. Paleoclimate simulation results suggest that the precipitation of wettest quarter(PWet Q, mm) exceeding 600 mm is crucial for the occurrence of EBLFs. Furthermore, the heterogeneous occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia is closely associated with the evolution of the Asian Monsoon. This study provides new insights into the occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia.展开更多
This article aims to correct some common misconceptions on the nature and origin of fossils in Europe between the fourteenth and the early eighteenth century.Building upon recent scholarship,I argue that the possibili...This article aims to correct some common misconceptions on the nature and origin of fossils in Europe between the fourteenth and the early eighteenth century.Building upon recent scholarship,I argue that the possibility of a world older than a few thousand years was largely acceptable throughout this period,and that explanations for the formation of fossils(notably,marine fossils)that required long timescales were mainstream.Until c.1300,fossils of marine creatures were normally seen as the remains of actual fish and shells brought inland by a succession of partial or global inundations,or by local telluric upheavals.Alongside,aborted spontaneous generations caused by astrological forces or slow geological revolutions gained ground in the following centuries.It was only in the late 1600s that fossils began to be widely regarded as physical evidence of a global inundation in historical times,in support of a young Earth and of the literal truth of the Bible.展开更多
The paper deals with the new phaeophycean fossils in the Early Cambrian from Chengjiang Biota at Ercai Village of Haikou, Kunming, Yunnan, Southwest China. Three new taxa, Punctatiopsis latifolia gen. et sp. nov., P. ...The paper deals with the new phaeophycean fossils in the Early Cambrian from Chengjiang Biota at Ercai Village of Haikou, Kunming, Yunnan, Southwest China. Three new taxa, Punctatiopsis latifolia gen. et sp. nov., P. simplex gen. et sp. nov. and Vendotaenia cf. antiqua Gnilovskaya axe described here in detail. These new findings show that the Chengjiang Biota is high in species diversity of fossil algae and might offer new evidence for a better understanding of the Cambrian explosive biological evolution. The fossil genus described here is found to have a close relationship with the living Punctatia based on similar morphology. The results suggest that the Chengjiang Biota in Haikou area of Kunming was living in an intertidal and subtidal seawater environment.展开更多
We propose a simple statistical approach for using Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis （DIVA） software to infer biogeographic histories without fully bifurcating trees. In this approach, ancestral ranges are first optimiz...We propose a simple statistical approach for using Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis （DIVA） software to infer biogeographic histories without fully bifurcating trees. In this approach, ancestral ranges are first optimized for a sample of Bayesian trees. The probability P of an ancestral range r at a node is then calculated as P（rY） = ∑t^n=1 F（rY）t Pt where Y is a node, and F（rY） is the frequency of range r among all the optimal solutions resulting from DIVA optimization at node Y, t is one of n topologies optimized, and Pt is the probability of topology t. Node Y is a hypothesized ancestor shared by a specific crown lineage and the sister of that lineage ＂x＂, where x may vary due to phylogenetic uncertainty （polytomies and nodes with posterior probability 〈 100%）. Using this method, the ancestral distribution at Y can be estimated to provide inference of the geographic origins of the specific crown group of interest. This approach takes into account phylogenetic uncertainty as well as uncertainty from DIVA optimization. It is an extension of the previously described method called Bayes-DIVA, which pairs Bayesian phylogenetic analysis with biogeographic analysis using DIVA. Further, we show that the probability P of an ancestral range at Y calculated using this method does not equate to pp＊F（rY） on the Bayesian consensus tree when both variables are 〈 100%, where pp is the posterior probability and F（rY） is the frequency of range r for the node containing the specific crown group. We tested our DIVA-Bayes approach using Aesculus L., which has major lineages unresolved as a polytomy. We inferred the most probable geographic origins of the five traditional sections of Aesculus and ofAesculus californica Nutt. and examined range subdivisions at parental nodes of these lineages. Additionally, we used the DIVA-Bayes data from Aesculus to quantify the effects on biogeographic inference of including two wildcard fossil taxa in phylogenetic analysis. Our analysis resolved the geographic ranges of the parental nodes of the lineages of Aesculus with moderate to high probabilities. The probabilities were greater than those estimated using the simple calculation ofpp＊F（rY） at a statistically significant level for two of the six lineages. We also found that adding fossil wildcard taxa in phylogenetic analysis generally increased P for ancestral ranges including the fossil＇s distribution area. The AP was more dramatic for ranges that include the area of a wildcard fossil with a distribution area underrepresented among extant taxa. This indicates the importance of including fossils in biogeographic analysis. Exmination of range subdivision at the parental nodes revealed potential range evolution （extinction and dispersal events） along the stems ofA. californica and sect. Parryana.展开更多
For a long time, paleontologists have been focusing on hard parts of organisms during different geological periods while soft parts are rarely reported. Well-preserved plant cells, if found in fossils, are treated onl...For a long time, paleontologists have been focusing on hard parts of organisms during different geological periods while soft parts are rarely reported. Well-preserved plant cells, if found in fossils, are treated only as a rarity. Recent prowess in research on fossil cytoplasm indicates that plant cytoplasm not only has excellent ultrastructures preserved but also may be a quite commonly seen fossil in strata. However, up to now there is no report of plant cell fossils in China yet. Here plant cell fossils are reported from Huolinhe Coal Mine （the early Cretaceous）, Inner Mongolia, China. The presence of plant cytoplasm fossils in two cones on the same specimen not only provides further support for the recently proposed hypothesis on plant cytoplasm fossilization but also marks the first record of plant cytoplasm fossils in China, which suggests a great research potential in this new area.展开更多
A biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossils from the CM3D06 Co-rich ferromanganese crust from the Magellan seamounts in the northwestern Pacific enabled estimation of depositional age. The bio-imprinting of ca...A biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossils from the CM3D06 Co-rich ferromanganese crust from the Magellan seamounts in the northwestern Pacific enabled estimation of depositional age. The bio-imprinting of calcareous nannofossils and other fossil species suggests six age ranges for the nannofossils： late Cretaceous, late Paleocene, （early, middle, late） Eocene, middle Miocene, late Pliocene, and Pleistocene. Gas chromatography （GC） and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） were used to test the Co-rich crusts, and a variety of molecular fossils were detected, such as chloroform bituminous ＂A＂ , n-alkane, isoprenoid and sterol. Peak carbon and molecular indices （such as C23-/C24＋, CPI, Pr/Ph, Pr/nC17, Ph/nCxs and j13C） indicate that the parent organic matter is dominated by marine phytoplankton and thallogen whereas there is little input of terrestrial organic matter. Researches on calcareous nannofossils, molecular fossils and molecular organic geochemistry data reveal that the Paleocene/Eocene （P/E） global event is recorded in the cobalt- rich crusts from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. A succession of biomes can be observed near the 85 mm boundary （about 55 Ma）, i.e., the disappearance of the late Cretaceous Watznaueria barnesae and Zigodicus spiralis, and Broisonia parka microbiotas above the P/E boundary, and the bloom of Coccolithus formosus, Discoaster multiradiatus, Discoaster mohleri and Discoaster sp. below the boundary. Typical parameters of molecular fossils, such as saturated hydrocarbon components and carbon-number maxima, Pr/Ph, Pr/C17, Ph/C18, distribution types of sterols, Ts/Tm ratios and bacterial hopane, also exhibit dramatic changes near the P/E boundary. These integrated results illustrate that the biome succession of calcareous nannofossils, relative content of molecular fossils and molecular indices in the cobalt-rich crusts near the 85 mm boundary faithfully record the P/E global event.展开更多
Based on the analysis of trace fossils collected from the typical outcrop of the Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in the Kalpin area, ten ichnospecies of six ichnogenus were identified in the upper member of the Wus...Based on the analysis of trace fossils collected from the typical outcrop of the Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in the Kalpin area, ten ichnospecies of six ichnogenus were identified in the upper member of the Wusongger Formation, with most of them being found for the first time. The trace fossils are described seriatim. The ichnospecies are mainly represented by such common trace fossils as Ophiomorpha nodosa, Helminthopsis hieroglyphica, Helminthopsis ichnosp., Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites vulgaris, Planolites montanus, Palaeophycus striatus, Palaeophycus curvatus, Cochlichnus anguineus and Rituichnus elongatum. The trace fossils are of high diversity and low abundance, and can be diagnosed as the Cruziana ichnofacies. They can be interpreted as having formed in a shallow water environment.展开更多
Fossils of Orsten-type preservation represented by the crustacean Skaracarida and Phosphatocopida were found in western Hunan, South China in 2005, including the important phosphatocopid species Vestrogothia spinata b...Fossils of Orsten-type preservation represented by the crustacean Skaracarida and Phosphatocopida were found in western Hunan, South China in 2005, including the important phosphatocopid species Vestrogothia spinata based on exquisitely preserved soft-bodied specimens that allow the first growth stage to be reestablished. The taxonomy of Vestrogothia spinata is revised employing the character of a two-divided limb stem of the mandible. A new foundation for the phylogeny of the Phosphatocopina using mandible characters related to crustacean appendages is postulated. Vestrogothia spinata has only previously been found from Sweden.展开更多
Twenty-three ichnotaxa have been found in the Silurian and Carboniferous turbidites of the Tianshan orogenic belt and the Triassic turbidites of the East Kunlun-West Qinling orogenic belt of northwestern China. They a...Twenty-three ichnotaxa have been found in the Silurian and Carboniferous turbidites of the Tianshan orogenic belt and the Triassic turbidites of the East Kunlun-West Qinling orogenic belt of northwestern China. They are Acanthorhaphe isp., ?Arthrophycus isp., Aulichnites parkerensis, Chondrites isp., C. intricatus, C. targionii, Cochlichnus anguineus, coprolite, Dendrotichnium haentzscheli, Helminthopsis isp., Helminthopsis abeli, H. hieroglyphica, H. cf. irregularis, Imbrichnus isp., Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis, Laevicyclus rotaeformis, Lophoctenium tianshanensis, Megagrapton isp., Micatuba verso?, Muensteria isp., Neonereites, Palaeophycus, and Zoophycos caudagalli, two of which, namely, Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis and Lophoctenium tianshanensis, are new ichnospecies. The described trace fossils can be grouped into five ichno-assemblages: the Aulichnites-Imbrichnus ichno-assemblage representing turbidity current deposits of a restricted anoxic deep-sea basin, the Lophoctenium ichno-assemblage showing the deep-sea or ocean environments relevant to a plate subduction, the Zoophycos-Helminthopsis ichnoassemblage representing the upper-middle turbidity fan deposits of a pelagic and hemipelagic environment, the Megagrapton-Chondrites ichno-assemblage representing the middle-lower turbidity fan deposits of an oceanic archipelago and the Kunlunichnus ichno-assemblage indicating bathyal turbidity current deposits.展开更多
This paper gives a summary of the fossil data from the Sinian Doushantuo' an Lantian Formation in the Xiuning area, Anhui Province, China, and reports the genital butt structure comparable to that of some modern a...This paper gives a summary of the fossil data from the Sinian Doushantuo' an Lantian Formation in the Xiuning area, Anhui Province, China, and reports the genital butt structure comparable to that of some modern advanced algae and the fossil structure comparable to the dehiscence of sporangia as well as the ontogenetic phenomenon occurring possibly from the formation of embryos by zygote germination to the production of sessile benthonic algal adults. This phenomenon furnishes a useful clue to the further study of the life history of alternate generations in advanced algae and provides megafossil evidence for the sex differentiation of metaphytic algae.展开更多
In order to depict the distribution of diatom fossils in surface sediments and to establish a reliable reference data for further paleoenvironmental study in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and its adjacent wat...In order to depict the distribution of diatom fossils in surface sediments and to establish a reliable reference data for further paleoenvironmental study in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and its adjacent waters, the diatom fossils from 34 surface sediment samples and their relationship with environmental variables were analyzed by principal component analysis and redundancy correspondence analysis. The diversity and abundance of diatom fossils were analyzed. Some annual average parameters of the overlying water (salinity, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, depth, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphate and dissolved inorganic silicate) were measured at each sampling site. A total of 113 diatom taxa and one silicoflagellate species were identified in the investigation area. Diatom fossils were better preserved in fine sediments. The absolute abundance of diatom fossils did not significantly diff er between inshore and off shore areas, the species diversity decreased from inshore to off shore. This may be because high nutrients and low salinity promoted the growth of more brackish species in coastal waters. The diatom taxa were divided into three groups, on the basis of their response and indication to environmental changes. For example, Actinocyclus ehrenbergii and Cyclotella stylorum were dominant in coastal waters (Group 1 and Group 3) with high nutrients and low salinity;the relative abundances of Paralia sulcata and Podosira stelliger were significantly higher in off shore sites (Group 2, average 39.5%), which were characterized by high salinity and deep water. Four environmental variables (salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, temperature and water depth) explained the composition and distribution of diatom taxa independently ( P< 0.05), this finding can be applied in further paleoenvironmental reconstruction research in this area.展开更多
We describe new material of three-dimensionally phosphatized small shelly fossils Acanthocassis and Xinlispina gen.nov.from the Fortunian Stage（early Cambrian） of southern Shaanxi and northern Sichuan Provinces.The ...We describe new material of three-dimensionally phosphatized small shelly fossils Acanthocassis and Xinlispina gen.nov.from the Fortunian Stage（early Cambrian） of southern Shaanxi and northern Sichuan Provinces.The new materials allow description of the delicate morphology of these skeletons, and also their skeletogenesis.Acanthocassis and Xinlispina have comparable morphological features： a main branch and radially arranged sub-branches.They differ from each other in many details, e.g., the presence of a single central branch only in Xinlispina, and the presence of small nodes only in Acanthocassis.Acanthocassis cannot be a naked anthopolyp or hydropolyp because of the more-or-less stiffened cuticle and the absence of a mouth.Acanthocassisand Xinlispina differ from coeval sponge spicules and chancelloriid sclerites and rosettes of crossed pedicellariae of echinoderms, and might be cuticular ornaments of animals of unclear affinities.They occur in the first small shelly fossil assemblage zone, and could be adopted as auxiliary fossils for biostratigraphic correlation in southern China.展开更多
Because the cytoplasm of a plant normally degrades after the death of the plant, finding cytoplasm in a plant body after a prolonged period of time, especially in fossil plants, is unexpected. Recent work on several 1...Because the cytoplasm of a plant normally degrades after the death of the plant, finding cytoplasm in a plant body after a prolonged period of time, especially in fossil plants, is unexpected. Recent work on several 100-Myr-old plant fossils from Kansas, USA indicates, however, that cells and their contents can be preserved. Most of the cells in these fossil plants appear to be in a state of plasmolysis, and these fossil cells bear a strong resemblance to laboratory-baked cells of extant plant tissues. Based on a comparison with extant material plus biophysical and biochemical analyses of the cytoplasm degrading process, a new hypothesis for cytoplasm preservation in nature is proposed： high temperature, a concomitant of commonly seen wildfires, may preserve cytoplasm in fossil plants. This hypothesis implies that fossilized cytoplasm should be rather common and an appropriate substance for research, unlike previously thought. Research on fossil cytoplasm closely integrates paleobotany with biochemistry, biophysics, as well as fire ecology, and invites inputs from these fields to paleobotany to interpret these provocative findings.展开更多
Recent paleobotanical investigations in Vietnam provide a good opportunity to improve our understanding of the biodiversity and paleoclimatic conditions in the geological past of Southeast Asia.Palms(Arecaceae)are a d...Recent paleobotanical investigations in Vietnam provide a good opportunity to improve our understanding of the biodiversity and paleoclimatic conditions in the geological past of Southeast Asia.Palms(Arecaceae)are a diverse family of typical thermophilous plants with a relatively low tolerance for freezing.In this study,we describe well-preserved fossil palm leaves from the Oligocene Dong Ho Formation of Hoanh Bo Basin,northern Vietnam.Characters of the fossil leaves,such as a fan-shaped costapalmate lamina,an unarmed petiole,a costa slightly enlarged at the base that then tapers distally into the blade,and well-preserved amphistomatic leaves with cuticles,suggest that they represent a new fossil species,which we herein designate Sabalites colaniae A.Song,T.Su,T.V.Do et Z.K.Zhou sp.nov.Together with other paleontological and palaeoclimatic evidence,we conclude that a warm climate prevailed in northern Vietnam and nearby areas during the Oligocene.展开更多
Based on the analysis of the characteristics of the fossils (mollusks, Radiolaria, planktonic and benthic Foraminifera and Ostracoda) found in the four loess profiles located respectively at Heishigou and Beizhuang Vi...Based on the analysis of the characteristics of the fossils (mollusks, Radiolaria, planktonic and benthic Foraminifera and Ostracoda) found in the four loess profiles located respectively at Heishigou and Beizhuang Villages on Daheishan Island in the Miaodao Islands in the Bohai Straits, and Daweijia and Yujiawaizi Villages in Jinzhou County, Liaodong Peninsula, the distribution and abundance variation of the fossils in vertical profiles are studied, the source of coastal loess is probed and the relationship between loess deposition and paleoclimatic environment as well as sea-level changes is discussed.展开更多
文摘This report is about the first record of non-avian dinosaur eggs in the Hefei Basin,Anhui Province,China.Based on the combination of elongated egg body,linear ridges on the outer surface and two structure layer,the eggs can be referred to Elongatoolithidae.The gradual boundary between the cone and the column layers as well as the relative thin eggshell(less than 1 mm)indicates its affinity within Elongatoolithus.The eggs are identified as Elongatoolithus oosp.,as they were severely compressed and experienced erosion on both inner and outer surfaces.The discovery of egg fossil in the Hefei Basin offers evidence for stratum comparison in this region and supplements the diversity of egg fossils in Anhui.Meanwhile,this discovery also enriches the paleogeographic distribution of elongatoolithids.
文摘The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and one taxon previously unknown from China.Among them 5 genera are Oligocene holdovers and 11 genera/species are known to make their first appearances in Early Miocene,indicating an Early Miocene age for the Gucheng Fauna.The absence of Oligocene survivors such as Tataromys,Yindirtemys,Eucricetodon and Tachyoryctoides,which usually occur in the Xiejian age of Early Miocene,and the presence of newcomers Protalactaga,Megacricetodon and Gobicricetodon,that made their first appearance only in the Shanwangian age of late Early Miocene,suggest that the Gucheng Fauna is of a later age of Early Miocene.The new species,Sinolagomys guchengensis,showing more derived morphology than in S.ulunguensis,seems to support an assessment of the fauna in Shanwangian age.Thus,the Gucheng Fauna may belong to late Early Miocene Shanwangian,partially equivalent to MN 3/4 of the European land mammal zonation.Ecological analysis of the fauna indicates that the palaeoecological condition of the Gucheng area might still be a predominantly arid shrub-steppe in late Early Miocene.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2023YFF0803600)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42302009,42072003,and W2441016)+3 种基金HYZ thanks the Shaanxi Province postdoctoral research project and China Scholarship Council(202306970031)We also thank the Department of Science and Technology of Shaanxi Province(2022TD-11)TPT also acknowledges the Swedish Research Council(VR2017-05183 and VR2021-04295)This is also a contribution to the project of Theory of Hydrocarbon Enrichment under MultiSpheric Interactions of the Earth(THEMSIE04010106).
文摘Small shelly fossils(SSFs)have long been recognized as important to the studies of both metazoan evolution and the onset of biomineralization during the Cambrian radiation.The marked decline in the occurrence,diversity and abundance of SSFs in the middle to late Cambrian,when compared with the early Cambrian,has often been regarded as a result of the closure of a phosphatization window.Despite this,there have been numerous and consistent reports of SSFs from the middle Cambrian and younger deposits.To identify possible factors influencing SSF preservation,five microfacies including bioclastic limestone,flat-pebble conglomerates with bioclasts,hummocky cross-stratified grainstone with bioclasts,bioclastic grainstone in hardgrounds and glauconite bioclastic wackstone-packstone,from Cambrian Series 2 to Miaolingian in North China are compared to assess how differences in lithology impact the preservation potential of SSFs.Our results,based on 35,161 SSF specimens from deposits across six sections,suggest that there are still abundant and diverse SSFs in the middle Cambrian of North China preserved in ways not exclusively reliant on the presence of phosphate and that SSF preservation can be linked to the differences in microfacies in the early to middle Cambrian of North China.
基金supported by National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFF0800800)National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.32225005)+3 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Nos.42072024,42320104005,42372033)the Young and Middle-aged Academic and Technical Leaders of Yunnan(No.202305AC160051)Basic Research Project of Yunnan Province(No.202401AT070222)the 14th Five-Year Plan of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Nos.XTBG-1450101,E3ZKFF7B).
文摘Evergreen broad-leaved forests(EBLFs) are widely distributed in East Asia and play a vital role in ecosystem stability. The occurrence of these forests in East Asia has been a subject of debate across various disciplines. In this study, we explored the occurrence of East Asian EBLFs from a paleobotanical perspective. By collecting plant fossils from four regions in East Asia, we have established the evolutionary history of EBLFs. Through floral similarity analysis and paleoclimatic reconstruction, we have revealed a diverse spatio-temporal pattern for the occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia. The earliest occurrence of EBLFs in southern China can be traced back to the middle Eocene, followed by southwestern China during the late Eocene-early Oligocene. Subsequently, EBLFs emerged in Japan during the early Oligocene and eventually appeared in central-eastern China around the Miocene. Paleoclimate simulation results suggest that the precipitation of wettest quarter(PWet Q, mm) exceeding 600 mm is crucial for the occurrence of EBLFs. Furthermore, the heterogeneous occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia is closely associated with the evolution of the Asian Monsoon. This study provides new insights into the occurrence of EBLFs in East Asia.
文摘This article aims to correct some common misconceptions on the nature and origin of fossils in Europe between the fourteenth and the early eighteenth century.Building upon recent scholarship,I argue that the possibility of a world older than a few thousand years was largely acceptable throughout this period,and that explanations for the formation of fossils(notably,marine fossils)that required long timescales were mainstream.Until c.1300,fossils of marine creatures were normally seen as the remains of actual fish and shells brought inland by a succession of partial or global inundations,or by local telluric upheavals.Alongside,aborted spontaneous generations caused by astrological forces or slow geological revolutions gained ground in the following centuries.It was only in the late 1600s that fossils began to be widely regarded as physical evidence of a global inundation in historical times,in support of a young Earth and of the literal truth of the Bible.
文摘The paper deals with the new phaeophycean fossils in the Early Cambrian from Chengjiang Biota at Ercai Village of Haikou, Kunming, Yunnan, Southwest China. Three new taxa, Punctatiopsis latifolia gen. et sp. nov., P. simplex gen. et sp. nov. and Vendotaenia cf. antiqua Gnilovskaya axe described here in detail. These new findings show that the Chengjiang Biota is high in species diversity of fossil algae and might offer new evidence for a better understanding of the Cambrian explosive biological evolution. The fossil genus described here is found to have a close relationship with the living Punctatia based on similar morphology. The results suggest that the Chengjiang Biota in Haikou area of Kunming was living in an intertidal and subtidal seawater environment.
基金a National Science Foundation (USA) grant made to Xiang(DEB-0444125)supported by a NSF grant funded to D.E.Soltis (DEB-0090283)
文摘We propose a simple statistical approach for using Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis （DIVA） software to infer biogeographic histories without fully bifurcating trees. In this approach, ancestral ranges are first optimized for a sample of Bayesian trees. The probability P of an ancestral range r at a node is then calculated as P（rY） = ∑t^n=1 F（rY）t Pt where Y is a node, and F（rY） is the frequency of range r among all the optimal solutions resulting from DIVA optimization at node Y, t is one of n topologies optimized, and Pt is the probability of topology t. Node Y is a hypothesized ancestor shared by a specific crown lineage and the sister of that lineage ＂x＂, where x may vary due to phylogenetic uncertainty （polytomies and nodes with posterior probability 〈 100%）. Using this method, the ancestral distribution at Y can be estimated to provide inference of the geographic origins of the specific crown group of interest. This approach takes into account phylogenetic uncertainty as well as uncertainty from DIVA optimization. It is an extension of the previously described method called Bayes-DIVA, which pairs Bayesian phylogenetic analysis with biogeographic analysis using DIVA. Further, we show that the probability P of an ancestral range at Y calculated using this method does not equate to pp＊F（rY） on the Bayesian consensus tree when both variables are 〈 100%, where pp is the posterior probability and F（rY） is the frequency of range r for the node containing the specific crown group. We tested our DIVA-Bayes approach using Aesculus L., which has major lineages unresolved as a polytomy. We inferred the most probable geographic origins of the five traditional sections of Aesculus and ofAesculus californica Nutt. and examined range subdivisions at parental nodes of these lineages. Additionally, we used the DIVA-Bayes data from Aesculus to quantify the effects on biogeographic inference of including two wildcard fossil taxa in phylogenetic analysis. Our analysis resolved the geographic ranges of the parental nodes of the lineages of Aesculus with moderate to high probabilities. The probabilities were greater than those estimated using the simple calculation ofpp＊F（rY） at a statistically significant level for two of the six lineages. We also found that adding fossil wildcard taxa in phylogenetic analysis generally increased P for ancestral ranges including the fossil＇s distribution area. The AP was more dramatic for ranges that include the area of a wildcard fossil with a distribution area underrepresented among extant taxa. This indicates the importance of including fossils in biogeographic analysis. Exmination of range subdivision at the parental nodes revealed potential range evolution （extinction and dispersal events） along the stems ofA. californica and sect. Parryana.
基金This project is supported by the Jiangsu Planned Project for Postdoctoral Research FundsChina Postdoctoral Science Foundation （No. 2005037746）, K.C+1 种基金Wong Post-doctoral Fellowships, State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy （Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS） （No. 053103）NSFC Program （Nos. 40632010 and J0630967）.
文摘For a long time, paleontologists have been focusing on hard parts of organisms during different geological periods while soft parts are rarely reported. Well-preserved plant cells, if found in fossils, are treated only as a rarity. Recent prowess in research on fossil cytoplasm indicates that plant cytoplasm not only has excellent ultrastructures preserved but also may be a quite commonly seen fossil in strata. However, up to now there is no report of plant cell fossils in China yet. Here plant cell fossils are reported from Huolinhe Coal Mine （the early Cretaceous）, Inner Mongolia, China. The presence of plant cytoplasm fossils in two cones on the same specimen not only provides further support for the recently proposed hypothesis on plant cytoplasm fossilization but also marks the first record of plant cytoplasm fossils in China, which suggests a great research potential in this new area.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41076072 and 40676025)
文摘A biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossils from the CM3D06 Co-rich ferromanganese crust from the Magellan seamounts in the northwestern Pacific enabled estimation of depositional age. The bio-imprinting of calcareous nannofossils and other fossil species suggests six age ranges for the nannofossils： late Cretaceous, late Paleocene, （early, middle, late） Eocene, middle Miocene, late Pliocene, and Pleistocene. Gas chromatography （GC） and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） were used to test the Co-rich crusts, and a variety of molecular fossils were detected, such as chloroform bituminous ＂A＂ , n-alkane, isoprenoid and sterol. Peak carbon and molecular indices （such as C23-/C24＋, CPI, Pr/Ph, Pr/nC17, Ph/nCxs and j13C） indicate that the parent organic matter is dominated by marine phytoplankton and thallogen whereas there is little input of terrestrial organic matter. Researches on calcareous nannofossils, molecular fossils and molecular organic geochemistry data reveal that the Paleocene/Eocene （P/E） global event is recorded in the cobalt- rich crusts from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. A succession of biomes can be observed near the 85 mm boundary （about 55 Ma）, i.e., the disappearance of the late Cretaceous Watznaueria barnesae and Zigodicus spiralis, and Broisonia parka microbiotas above the P/E boundary, and the bloom of Coccolithus formosus, Discoaster multiradiatus, Discoaster mohleri and Discoaster sp. below the boundary. Typical parameters of molecular fossils, such as saturated hydrocarbon components and carbon-number maxima, Pr/Ph, Pr/C17, Ph/C18, distribution types of sterols, Ts/Tm ratios and bacterial hopane, also exhibit dramatic changes near the P/E boundary. These integrated results illustrate that the biome succession of calcareous nannofossils, relative content of molecular fossils and molecular indices in the cobalt-rich crusts near the 85 mm boundary faithfully record the P/E global event.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41072102)the National Basic Research Program of China(No.2012CB214804)
文摘Based on the analysis of trace fossils collected from the typical outcrop of the Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in the Kalpin area, ten ichnospecies of six ichnogenus were identified in the upper member of the Wusongger Formation, with most of them being found for the first time. The trace fossils are described seriatim. The ichnospecies are mainly represented by such common trace fossils as Ophiomorpha nodosa, Helminthopsis hieroglyphica, Helminthopsis ichnosp., Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites vulgaris, Planolites montanus, Palaeophycus striatus, Palaeophycus curvatus, Cochlichnus anguineus and Rituichnus elongatum. The trace fossils are of high diversity and low abundance, and can be diagnosed as the Cruziana ichnofacies. They can be interpreted as having formed in a shallow water environment.
基金supported by the NationalNatural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.40772008 and 40572003)the Research Fund for DoctoralProgram of High Education(Grant No.20060001059)State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy,Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology,ChineseAcademy of Sciences(Grant No.083101)
文摘Fossils of Orsten-type preservation represented by the crustacean Skaracarida and Phosphatocopida were found in western Hunan, South China in 2005, including the important phosphatocopid species Vestrogothia spinata based on exquisitely preserved soft-bodied specimens that allow the first growth stage to be reestablished. The taxonomy of Vestrogothia spinata is revised employing the character of a two-divided limb stem of the mandible. A new foundation for the phylogeny of the Phosphatocopina using mandible characters related to crustacean appendages is postulated. Vestrogothia spinata has only previously been found from Sweden.
文摘Twenty-three ichnotaxa have been found in the Silurian and Carboniferous turbidites of the Tianshan orogenic belt and the Triassic turbidites of the East Kunlun-West Qinling orogenic belt of northwestern China. They are Acanthorhaphe isp., ?Arthrophycus isp., Aulichnites parkerensis, Chondrites isp., C. intricatus, C. targionii, Cochlichnus anguineus, coprolite, Dendrotichnium haentzscheli, Helminthopsis isp., Helminthopsis abeli, H. hieroglyphica, H. cf. irregularis, Imbrichnus isp., Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis, Laevicyclus rotaeformis, Lophoctenium tianshanensis, Megagrapton isp., Micatuba verso?, Muensteria isp., Neonereites, Palaeophycus, and Zoophycos caudagalli, two of which, namely, Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis and Lophoctenium tianshanensis, are new ichnospecies. The described trace fossils can be grouped into five ichno-assemblages: the Aulichnites-Imbrichnus ichno-assemblage representing turbidity current deposits of a restricted anoxic deep-sea basin, the Lophoctenium ichno-assemblage showing the deep-sea or ocean environments relevant to a plate subduction, the Zoophycos-Helminthopsis ichnoassemblage representing the upper-middle turbidity fan deposits of a pelagic and hemipelagic environment, the Megagrapton-Chondrites ichno-assemblage representing the middle-lower turbidity fan deposits of an oceanic archipelago and the Kunlunichnus ichno-assemblage indicating bathyal turbidity current deposits.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant No.49472084
文摘This paper gives a summary of the fossil data from the Sinian Doushantuo' an Lantian Formation in the Xiuning area, Anhui Province, China, and reports the genital butt structure comparable to that of some modern advanced algae and the fossil structure comparable to the dehiscence of sporangia as well as the ontogenetic phenomenon occurring possibly from the formation of embryos by zygote germination to the production of sessile benthonic algal adults. This phenomenon furnishes a useful clue to the further study of the life history of alternate generations in advanced algae and provides megafossil evidence for the sex differentiation of metaphytic algae.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41506142)the NSFC-Shandong Joint Fund for Marine Science Research Centers(No.U1606404)the Sino-Australian Centre for Healthy Coasts of National Key Research and Development Plan(No.2016YFE0101500)
文摘In order to depict the distribution of diatom fossils in surface sediments and to establish a reliable reference data for further paleoenvironmental study in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and its adjacent waters, the diatom fossils from 34 surface sediment samples and their relationship with environmental variables were analyzed by principal component analysis and redundancy correspondence analysis. The diversity and abundance of diatom fossils were analyzed. Some annual average parameters of the overlying water (salinity, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, depth, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphate and dissolved inorganic silicate) were measured at each sampling site. A total of 113 diatom taxa and one silicoflagellate species were identified in the investigation area. Diatom fossils were better preserved in fine sediments. The absolute abundance of diatom fossils did not significantly diff er between inshore and off shore areas, the species diversity decreased from inshore to off shore. This may be because high nutrients and low salinity promoted the growth of more brackish species in coastal waters. The diatom taxa were divided into three groups, on the basis of their response and indication to environmental changes. For example, Actinocyclus ehrenbergii and Cyclotella stylorum were dominant in coastal waters (Group 1 and Group 3) with high nutrients and low salinity;the relative abundances of Paralia sulcata and Podosira stelliger were significantly higher in off shore sites (Group 2, average 39.5%), which were characterized by high salinity and deep water. Four environmental variables (salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, temperature and water depth) explained the composition and distribution of diatom taxa independently ( P< 0.05), this finding can be applied in further paleoenvironmental reconstruction research in this area.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41072012 and 41102003)the State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (113115 and 20132107)+2 种基金the Key Project of Central University Fund (CHD2012ZD017)College Students’ Innovative Entrepreneurial Training Program (201410710144 and 201410710105)The Ninth "Challenge Cup" Competition of College Students’ Extracurricular Academic and Technological Achievements, Chang’an University
文摘We describe new material of three-dimensionally phosphatized small shelly fossils Acanthocassis and Xinlispina gen.nov.from the Fortunian Stage（early Cambrian） of southern Shaanxi and northern Sichuan Provinces.The new materials allow description of the delicate morphology of these skeletons, and also their skeletogenesis.Acanthocassis and Xinlispina have comparable morphological features： a main branch and radially arranged sub-branches.They differ from each other in many details, e.g., the presence of a single central branch only in Xinlispina, and the presence of small nodes only in Acanthocassis.Acanthocassis cannot be a naked anthopolyp or hydropolyp because of the more-or-less stiffened cuticle and the absence of a mouth.Acanthocassisand Xinlispina differ from coeval sponge spicules and chancelloriid sclerites and rosettes of crossed pedicellariae of echinoderms, and might be cuticular ornaments of animals of unclear affinities.They occur in the first small shelly fossil assemblage zone, and could be adopted as auxiliary fossils for biostratigraphic correlation in southern China.
基金the Royal Society K. C. Wong FellowshipsChina Postdoctoral Science Foundation （No. 2005037746）+3 种基金 State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy （Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS, No. 053103） Jiangsu Planned Project for Postdoctoral Research Funds, National Natural Science Foundation of China Program （No. 40632010 and No. J0630967） Sigma Xi Society the Deep Time RCN for their financial support.
文摘Because the cytoplasm of a plant normally degrades after the death of the plant, finding cytoplasm in a plant body after a prolonged period of time, especially in fossil plants, is unexpected. Recent work on several 100-Myr-old plant fossils from Kansas, USA indicates, however, that cells and their contents can be preserved. Most of the cells in these fossil plants appear to be in a state of plasmolysis, and these fossil cells bear a strong resemblance to laboratory-baked cells of extant plant tissues. Based on a comparison with extant material plus biophysical and biochemical analyses of the cytoplasm degrading process, a new hypothesis for cytoplasm preservation in nature is proposed： high temperature, a concomitant of commonly seen wildfires, may preserve cytoplasm in fossil plants. This hypothesis implies that fossilized cytoplasm should be rather common and an appropriate substance for research, unlike previously thought. Research on fossil cytoplasm closely integrates paleobotany with biochemistry, biophysics, as well as fire ecology, and invites inputs from these fields to paleobotany to interpret these provocative findings.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(31800183,41922010,42002020,41661134049)Yunnan Basic Research Projects(202001AU070137,2019FB026)+2 种基金Chinese Academy of Sciences"Light of West China"Program(2020000023)the CAS 135 program(2017XTBG-T03)Project“Study,collection of fossil woods in Vietnam for exhibition in System of Vietnam National Museum of Nature”(CT0000.01/19-21).
文摘Recent paleobotanical investigations in Vietnam provide a good opportunity to improve our understanding of the biodiversity and paleoclimatic conditions in the geological past of Southeast Asia.Palms(Arecaceae)are a diverse family of typical thermophilous plants with a relatively low tolerance for freezing.In this study,we describe well-preserved fossil palm leaves from the Oligocene Dong Ho Formation of Hoanh Bo Basin,northern Vietnam.Characters of the fossil leaves,such as a fan-shaped costapalmate lamina,an unarmed petiole,a costa slightly enlarged at the base that then tapers distally into the blade,and well-preserved amphistomatic leaves with cuticles,suggest that they represent a new fossil species,which we herein designate Sabalites colaniae A.Song,T.Su,T.V.Do et Z.K.Zhou sp.nov.Together with other paleontological and palaeoclimatic evidence,we conclude that a warm climate prevailed in northern Vietnam and nearby areas during the Oligocene.
文摘Based on the analysis of the characteristics of the fossils (mollusks, Radiolaria, planktonic and benthic Foraminifera and Ostracoda) found in the four loess profiles located respectively at Heishigou and Beizhuang Villages on Daheishan Island in the Miaodao Islands in the Bohai Straits, and Daweijia and Yujiawaizi Villages in Jinzhou County, Liaodong Peninsula, the distribution and abundance variation of the fossils in vertical profiles are studied, the source of coastal loess is probed and the relationship between loess deposition and paleoclimatic environment as well as sea-level changes is discussed.
