内蒙古霍林河煤田内蒙古拟刺葵(新种)Phoenicopsis (Phoenicopsis) neimengensis sp.nov.的首次发现

笔者首次发现了内蒙古霍林河煤田霍林河组(K1h)茨康类拟刺葵属拟刺葵亚属的一个新种—内蒙古拟刺葵(Phoenicopsis(Phoenicopsis)neimengensis sp.nov.)。该新种以表皮构造下气孔式,上表皮细胞未见乳突,下表皮普通表皮细胞发育中央乳突,气孔器副卫细胞多发育乳突,孔缝不定向等特征区别于拟刺葵属已知种。新种的研究对于了解拟刺葵属(Phoenicopsis)的分类,以及恢复古地理、古气候有重要作用。     

宁夏盐池地区宁夏拟刺葵(新种)的首次发现

宁夏盐池地区中侏罗统延安组井下发现大量茨康类拟刺葵属叶片压型化石,根据其叶部形态学和表皮构造特征建立宁夏拟刺葵(新种)Phoenicopsis(Windwardia)ningxiaensis sp.nov.He。该新种以叶脉稀疏,每枚叶片仅叶脉2～4条,表皮细胞壁直,上表皮气孔带内气孔器单列,下表皮气孔带内气孔器3或4列,上、下表皮普通表皮细胞均无乳突,副卫细胞强烈乳突为特征,区别于属内其他已知各种。当前新种的表皮构造特征反映中侏罗世气候以温暖、潮湿为主。     

黑龙江嘉荫晚白垩世银杏属(Ginkgo)新材料

报道了产自黑龙江嘉荫晚白垩世太平林场组的两种银杏化石:具毛银杏(Ginkgo pilifera Samylina)及太平银杏(新种)(Ginkgo taipingensis sp.nov.)。新种以双面气孔式、上表皮具一定数量的气孔、普通表皮细胞垂周壁厚而弯曲、平周壁具毛状体散布以及下表皮普通表皮细胞垂周壁弯曲等特征,区别于其他已知银杏化石种。     

新疆乌鲁木齐郝家沟晚三叠世似管状叶属(Solenites)植物新发现

笔者在新疆乌鲁木齐晚三叠世郝家沟组首次发现了茨康类似管状叶属一新种—郝家沟似管状叶(Solenites haojiagouensis sp.nov.)。该种以普通表皮细胞细长,不发育毛基乳突,气孔器纵向松散排列或呈单列等特征区别于似管状叶属已知种。由于似管状叶属以往仅在侏罗纪—白垩纪地层发现,当前新种的发现是中国晚三叠世似管状叶属的首次记录。新种的研究将为了解似管状叶属的分类以及恢复新疆地区晚三叠世古地理、古气候、古环境提供新的数据。     

福建永安下白垩统坂头组枝脉蕨属一新种Cladophlebis yonganensis sp.nov.

对福建永安市下白垩统坂头组保存较好的真蕨类营养叶化石枝脉蕨Cladophlebis进行了叶片形态及角质层微细构造特征的分析, 该化石至少二次羽状分裂, 末二次羽轴粗, 小羽片小, 全缘, 排列紧密, 中脉明显, 侧脉密集, 多数一次分叉; 上表皮无气孔器, 细胞轮廓不清晰, 偶见表皮毛; 下表皮具气孔器, 呈纵向带状排列; 表皮细胞长方形或呈条带状; 垂周壁加厚, 较直; 平周壁波状突起; 气孔器近圆形, 具明显拱盖, 保卫细胞弱角质化, 副卫细胞分化不明显.对当前化石小羽片解剖学特征的分析填补了该属植物化石叶片角质层微细构造特征的空白, 进一步将其与现生紫萁Osmunda joponsica以及部分真蕨类化石的表皮特征进行对比, 结合宏观形态和角质层特征的分析及其与相似种类的比较, 将永安的标本命名为一新种, 永安枝脉蕨Cladophlebis yonganensis Dai et B. N. Sun, sp. nov., 并且推断当前化石代表了某一类已经灭绝的真蕨类植物.      

甘肃永昌乌拉尔世Sphenopteris(楔羊齿)新记录: 兼论晚古生代Sphenopteris多样性及古地理演化*

Sphenopteris(楔羊齿属)叶化石在全球晚古生代地层中广泛出现,但该属的系统分类位置及演化特征仍有待深入探讨,而且只有极少数种的表皮及气孔微细构造得到揭示。笔者在甘肃永昌乌拉尔统山西组中发现了2种形态保存较好且具有角质层的楔羊齿,分别是 Sphenopteris yongchangensis sp. nov.(永昌楔羊齿—新种)和Sphenopteris nystroemii (弱楔羊齿)。前者小羽片呈扇形,基部连合,侧脉分叉1次,气孔作椭圆状且为两面生; 后者小羽片呈梭形且顶端钝圆,侧脉分叉1次并达缘,气孔分布于脉间区。经对比,文中报道的2种楔羊齿可能属皱羊齿目(Lyginopteridales)。此外,统计了Sphenopteris在晚古生代的269个化石记录,结合该属的形态学、解剖学特征和分布记录,探讨了其多样性演化和古地理分布,结果表明: 宾夕法尼亚亚纪至乌拉尔世,Sphenopteris广泛分布于全球中低纬度地区,呈现出高度变异和分化; 自晚泥盆世至二叠纪,Sphenopteris型叶化石在中国自华南向华北迁移演化,说明其多样性特征不仅与湿润气候密切相关,而且与其古地理分布相耦合。     

关于新疆准噶尔盆地中侏罗世奥勃鲁契夫银杏(Ginkgo obrutschewii Seward)叶表皮构造的讨论

通过对新疆准噶尔盆地白杨河地区中侏罗世奥勃鲁契夫银杏(Ginkgo obrutschewii Seward)模式产地及其邻区该种叶化石表皮构造的研究,笔者认为应以采自白杨河模式产地的化石材料作为认定该种主要特征的依据。尽管G.obrutschewii的外部形态和叶表皮构造可能具有一些变异特征,但综合而言,该种叶表皮构造主要特征似应为:表皮气孔器特征通常为下气孔式,上下表皮细胞均普遍发育强度不同的角质化丘状或低缓的乳状突起,垂周壁略直或微弯;气孔器单唇式,保卫细胞近孔缝处唇状加厚强烈,副卫细胞通常强烈角质化,表面常发育瘤状或团块状角质化加厚。目前对该种叶化石的采集及其表皮构造的研究尚不充分,相关研究有待进一步深入。近年来,俄罗斯学者归于本种的产于新疆福海的银杏叶片化石,及其对本种叶表皮构造特征的补充等,尚值得商榷。     

云南腾冲上新统垂丝紫荆（比较种）Cercis cf．racemosa Oliv．表皮微细构造研究

本文研究了产于滇西腾冲上新世芒棒组一种被子植物叶型化石垂丝紫荆（比较种）Cercis cf．racemosa Oliv．，归于豆科紫荆属。揭示了该种叶表皮构造特征：上表皮无气孔器，表皮细胞为多边形，垂周壁平直；下表皮具环列型气孔器，表皮细胞为多边形，垂周壁平直；上下表皮有相同类型的毛基，毛基的根部由多细胞组成，毛基部的细胞特化成辐射状。该化石表皮微细构造的分析为恢复腾冲上新世古环境提供了古植物证据。     

海拉尔地区五九盆地早白垩世拜拉一新种

Baiera叶部化石是欧亚大陆中生代植物群中的常见分子,广泛分布于晚三叠世-早白垩世地层中.本文根据首次发现于内蒙古海拉尔地区五九盆地下白垩统大磨拐河组的多块保存完好角质层的Baiera叶部压型标本的形态学和表皮构造研究,建立了一个新种-两叉状拜拉(新种)(Baiera bifurcata sp.nov.).     

云南腾冲上新统垂丝紫荆(比较种)Cerciscf.racemosa Oliv.表皮微细构造研究

本文研究了产于滇西腾冲上新世芒棒组一种被子植物叶型化石垂丝紫荆(比较种)Cerciscf.racemosaOliv.,归于豆科紫荆属。揭示了该种叶表皮构造特征:上表皮无气孔器,表皮细胞为多边形,垂周壁平直;下表皮具环列型气孔器,表皮细胞为多边形,垂周壁平直;上下表皮有相同类型的毛基,毛基的根部由多细胞组成,毛基部的细胞特化成辐射状。该化石表皮微细构造的分析为恢复腾冲上新世古环境提供了古植物证据。     

C NMR, micro-FTIR and fluorescence spectra, and pyrolysis-gas chromatograms of coalified foliage of late Carboniferous medullosan seed ferns, Nova Scotia, Canada: Implications for coalification and chemotaxonomy

The cuticles and cuticle-free compressions of three Carboniferous medullosan seed-fern leaf species (Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, Neuropteris ovata var. simonii and Alethopteris lesquereuxii) were analyzed by elemental, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), micro-FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) and coal petrographic techniques. The 13C NMR spectra of the cuticle-free compressions and the associated whole coal (high volatile A/B bituminous coal rank) are generally similar and consist of a large aromatic carbon peak, a smaller aliphatic carbon peak and a shoulder on the aromatic peak, representing phenolic carbons. In contrast, the ¹³C NMR spectra of the cuticles from the same leaves have a predominant peak for aliphatic carbons and a much smaller aromatic carbon peak. This difference in aromaticity between the cuticles and the cuticle-free compressions is also reflected in the higher atomic H/C ratios of the cuticles. Micro-FTIR spectra of the cuticles show oxygenated functional groups (carboxyl and ketone) similar to those in modern cuticles but their most characteristic feature is very strong bands in the aliphatic stretching region. The cuticle-free compressions (mainly vitrinite), in turn, show the absence or significant reduction in oxygenated functional groups, reduction in aliphatic stretching bands and, usually, increased absorbance of aromatic out-of-plane deformation in the 700–900 cm⁻¹ region. Fluorescence spectra for the cuticles from all three species show a great similarity with a λ_max at 580–590 nm, probably reflecting a similardegree of coalification, which is consistent with the similar vitrinite reflectance (R_r) and H/C and O/C ratios of the cuticlefree compressions.These results indicate that leaf cuticle-free compressions, which were initially cellulose rich ( 90% cellulose and hemicellulose, < 10% lignin), can alter, during peatification and coalification, to a macromolecular structure similar to that of coalified wood (initially 50% cellulose and hemicellulose, 30%–50% lignin). Thus, a lignin-enriched structure is not a prerequisite for the formation of the macromolecular structure of vitrinite. In addition, the micro-FTIR spectra reveal the complexity of the molecular structure in coalified seed-fern leaves. The micro-FFIR data reveal some significant differences among the cuticles that may be of chemotaxonomic value. Clearly, a combination of macro- and micro-techniques offers a better basis for the interpretation of the molecular structure of pre-macerals and their alteration during peatification and coalification. Also, the data presented in this paper provide important new information that extends the data from morphological and cuticular taxonomic studies of some seed ferns. The data are encouraging preliminary advances in the chemotaxonomy of medullosan seed fern species.Pyrolysis-gas chromatography (PY-GC) data for the cuticles of three seed-fern leaves indicate distinct chemical signatures for the two neuropterid leaves as compared to the Alethopteris leaf. This perhaps indicates a chemotaxomic factor, or it could be related to the greater thickness of the cuticle of Alethopteris. Mass spectrometric data are needed to identify individual components in the PY-GC chromatograms.     

The Insect Oviposition Firstly Discovered on the Middle Jurassic Ginkgoales Leaf from Inner Mongolia,China

Although the evidence of insect oviposition on plant organs has been reported from the late Paleozoic to the Miocene, record from the middle Jurassic is still blank. This paper reports a significant evidence of insect oviposition on plant leaf from the middle Jurassic for the first time. The ovipositional scar is distributed on the abaxial surface of Sphenobaiera leaf（Ginkgoales） from the middle Jurassic Daohugou Formation of Inner Mongolia, China. A new ichnospecies Paleoovoidus venustus sp. nov. is described. The scar is elliptic to oval, arranged in longitudinal rows between leaf veins with almost regular distance, with its long axis paralleling to the leaf venation. This discovery adds new information to the morphology of insect endophytic oviposition probably produced by Odonata existed in a terrestrial ecosystem ~165 Ma ago. The new materials also provide important data for the study of insect reproductive biology, plant-insect interaction and coevolution, as well as understanding the paleoclimate and palaeoenvironment during that time in northeast China.     

Dispersed angiosperm cuticles: Their history, preparation, and application to the rise of angiosperms in Cretaceous and Paleocene coals, southern western interior of North America

Cuticle — the decay-resistant outer layer of leaves and young stems — provides a reliable means of identifying fossil plant remains and reflects the vegetative adaptations of plants to climate and other environmental parameters. The study of dispersed angiosperm cuticles originated prior to World War II and has focused on the origin and paleoecology of coal. Activity in dispersed cuticles reached a high point during the 1950s and 1960s with the study of Tertiary lignites in central Europe, then subsided in central Europe as workers from other regions expanded the technique to other time-periods and geographic regions. Data from dispersed cuticles augment data from palynomorphs because dispersed cuticles originate from a different generation of the vascular plant life cycle and have different taphonomic histories. Because the analysis of dispersed angiosperm cuticles is unfamiliar to many geologists, methods for the analysis and preparation of dispersed angiosperm cuticles are detailed in an appendix.Dispersed cuticle assemblages from coals in the upper Albian Longford Member of the Kiowa Formation and the Maastrichtian-Paleocene Raton Formation of the Southern Western Interior provide new constraints on the times that angiosperms entered coal swamps and rose to dominance. The Kiowa assemblages indicate that angiosperms first entered coal swamp environments by the late Albian, while the Raton assemblages indicate that angiosperms dominated primary productivity in some subtropical coal swamps by the late Maastrichtian. Angiosperms in Kiowa coals probably comprised pioneer species in conifer-dominated vegetation; the most common family of angiosperms was Chloranthaceae. Angiosperms in upper Maastrichtian Raton coals comprised the dominant seed plants to the exclusion of conifers; magnoliid dicots and monocots were the dominant taxa and comprised diverse genera and families. Evidence from palynology and types of preserved cuticle indicates that ferns were subordinate to seed plants in biomass in Raton coals, in contrast to some described assemblages from the Northern Western Interior. Paleocene coals from the Raton Basin show the loss of many Cretaceous angiosperm taxa as well as the appearance of new taxa, including conifers belonging to Taxodiaceae. However, these Taxodiaceae were evergreen and subordinate in abundance to angiosperms. Vegetational patterns shown by Cretaceous-Paleocene coals of the Southern Western Interior contrast with those of more northerly regions and indicate a poleward gradient in the timing of angiosperm dominance in coal swamps.     

Reconstructed tree fern Alethopteris zeilleri (Carboniferous,Medullosales)

From a smaller open-pit area in the roof shale of the basal Cantabrian coal seam in Sydney Coalfield, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, large amounts of the pteridosperm foliage Alethopteris zeilleri (Ragot) were found. This foliage is associated with abundant, naked medullosalean axes and dichotomies of varying sizes, up to 0.80-m long, cauline structures 0.90 m and 1.3 m long, detached ovules assigned to Pachytesta incrassata Brongniart, rare male-pollen organs of the type Dolerotheca Halle, rooted tree ferns in life position, and one specimen each of a juvenile medullosalean frond and root mantle. The fossils are compression/impression-preserved, and the foliage yielded thickly cutinized cuticles with unoriented cells (57–103 by 27–57 μm) in intercostal fields. Ultimate rachises, and abaxial surfaces (excluding costal fields) show a mixture of simple and complexly-branched trichomes, and two different structural bases. These, together with fractal dimensionality of curvatures of anticlinal walls in intercostal fields, have taxonomic potential for alethopterids.The finds suggest reconstructing A. zeilleri (Ragot) as a tree, 5–7 m high, that bore both P. incrassata Brongniart and Dolerotheca-type fructifications. Its habitat was low-land coastal plains in the Pennsylvanian coal swamps of ancestral Sydney Coalfield.     

滇西新近纪植物气孔、碳同位素组成与古环境分析

对滇西腾冲新近纪两种被子植物叶片及其现存对应种的气孔参数和碳同位素组成的综合分析表明:当时的大气CO2浓度略高于现在水平;化石种的碳同位素分馏值高于现存对应种,但水分利用效率低于现存对应种;这证明当时的气候条件比当前更为温暖湿润。受新生代全球气候变冷和喜马拉雅运动的影响,该盆地一方面受印度洋季风的影响增强,干湿季节交替明显;另一方面受地形地貌影响,沿袭了温暖湿润的气候条件。      

A New Material of Lindera (Lauraceae) of the Late Pliocene from Tengchong, Yunnan and the Genus' Biogeography Significance

Lindera is a large genus of graceful, pleasantly scented and common native trees and shrubs of southern China and neighboring regions of SE Asia. There is a well-documented Cenozoic fossil record not only in these regions but also from elsewhere. A new fossil leaf record has been found in diatomite beds from the Upper Pliocene Mangbang Formation of Tuantian, Tengchong County, Yunnan. The leaves are identified and assigned to Lindera acuminatissima K. Q. Dao et B. N. Sun sp. nov., by comparing their leaf architecture and epidermal characteristics with those of 51 extant Lauraceae species and with 15 known fossil Lindera taxa. The specimens have well-preserved cuticles, with typical leaf architecture and epidermal characteristics of the Lauraceae, including entire leaf margin, intramarginal veins, basal ternate acrodromous primary veins, one-cell trichome base, paracytic stomatal apparatus, sunken guard cells, subsidiary hardly staining cells and presence of oil cells. These characteristics are consistent with Lindera sect. Daphnidium but are different from reported fossil and extant species of Lindera. The cuticles of Lindera are fragile and delicate with only three Lindera fossils reported based on this tissue. In terms of paleobiogeography, the fossil record indicates that Lindera is distributed in high- to mid-latitude regions of the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene northern hemisphere. Coincidentally, the records of Lindera located on both sides of the Bering Land Bridge possibly support the hypothesis that ancient plants extended via transcontinental exchanges through the Bering Corridor. In the Eocene, ancient Lindera spread to Europe through the Northern Degeer Route and the Southern Thulian Route. At the same time, ancient Lindera spread into Central Asia. Climatic changes and tectonization since the Neogene prevented the propagation of Lindera throughout Asia, North America and Europe, and hence the distribution areas have just regressed to the low-latitude regions in Asia and North America. From the Paleogene to the Neogene, Lindera has changed its distribution by surviving extreme climate changes. Quaternary glaciations ultimately led to Lindera becoming extinct in Europe. The new record from Tengchong, Yunnan, with its lower latitude located in tropical and subtropical regions, indicates that Lindera has lived in those regions since the late Pliocene.     

Phylogeny, diet, and habitat of an extinct ground sloth from Cuchillo Curá, Neuquén Province, southwest Argentina

Advancements in ancient DNA analyses now permit comparative molecular and morphological studies of extinct animal dung commonly preserved in caves of semiarid regions. These new techniques are showcased using a unique dung deposit preserved in a late glacial vizcacha (Lagidium sp.) midden from a limestone cave in southwestern Argentina (38.5° S). Phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial DNA show that the dung originated from a small ground sloth species not yet represented by skeletal material in the region, and not closely related to any of the four previously sequenced extinct and extant sloth species. Analyses of pollen and plant cuticles, as well as analyses of the chloroplast DNA, show that the Cuchillo Curá ground sloth browsed on many of the same herb, grass, and shrub genera common at the site today, and that its habitat was treeless Patagonian scrub-steppe. We envision a day when molecular analyses are used routinely to supplement morphological identifications and possibly to provide a time-lapse view of molecular diversification.