A new,richly fossiliferous member comprised of tidal deposits in the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation,northwestern Madagascar

A new member of the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Maevarano Formation is proposed to accommodate a distinctive succession of strata exposed along the shores of Lac Kinkony in northwestern Madagascar. The new Lac Kinkony Member overlies fully terrestrial sandstones of the Anembalemba Member of the Maevarano Formation, and is capped by marine dolostones of the Berivotra Formation. In the stratotype section, the base of the Lac Kinkony Member consists of siltstone interbeds that host networks of Ophiomorpha. Siltstone facies pass up-section to distinctive white sandstones packed with dolomitic mud matrix that exhibit rhythmic clay drapes, flaser and wavy bedding, and oppositely-oriented ripples developed on the toes of larger foresets. Thin flat interbeds of microgranular dolostone and claystone comprise the uppermost facies of the Lac Kinkony Member, and a laterally traceable ravinement bed mantled by cobbles of rounded dolostone marks the contact with the superjacent Berivotra Formation. Deposits of the Lac Kinkony Member are interpreted to represent siliciclastic and carbonate tidal flats dissected by tidally-influenced rivers. Vertebrate fossils are abundantly preserved in these coastal deposits, and are locally concentrated in microfossil bonebeds that have the potential to yield thousands of small identifiable specimens. In addition to many taxa already known from the Maevarano Formation, the Lac Kinkony Member has yielded a wealth of phyllodontid albuloid fish skull elements, the distal humerus of a new frog taxon, five vertebrae representing two new snakes, a tooth of a possible dromaeosaurid, and a complete skull of a new mammal. The discovery of several new vertebrate taxa from this new member reflects the fact that it samples a previously unsampled nearshore, peritidal paleoenvironment in the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar.     

西藏仲巴地区白垩纪末期—始新世早期海相地层

西藏仲巴县北部地区出露有晚白垩世至古近纪的海相地层 ,本次工作新测制了卓勒剖面 ,并对原错江顶剖面上部地层做了再次研究。地层中化石丰富 ,据有孔虫化石研究结果重新厘定曲下组时代为古新世早期、加拉孜组上段属始新世早期 ,认为该区白垩 /古近纪界线位于曲贝亚组与曲下组之间。在这一界面上 ,古新世磨拉石直接覆于晚白垩世的陆棚碳酸盐台地沉积之上 ,其间存在沉积间断 ,为弧前盆地演化后期的重大沉积转变。古新世早期曲下组为近海相磨拉石沉积 ,古新世晚期至始新世早期加拉孜组为残留海盆沉积。加拉孜组顶部为该区最高海相地层 ,其上为冈底斯群的磨拉石不整合覆盖。冈底斯群的时代应晚于始新世中期。     

西藏岗巴晚白垩世有孔虫动物群与海平面变化

西藏南部岗巴地区上白垩统的有孔虫动物群十分丰富，经鉴定共有52属130种。根据岩性，该地区上白垩统可以划分出三个最基本的岩石地层单位：冷青热组、岗巴村口组及宗山组。依据其中有孔虫的形态结构、生态环境、系统演化及地史分布等特征，可以划分出五个主要的有孔虫动物群，Rotalipora动物群，Whiteinella-Helvetoglobotruncana动物群，Dicarinella-Marginotruncana动物群，Globotruncana-Globotuncanita动物群及Orbitoides-Omphalocyclus动物群。这五个有孔虫动物在晚白垩世相继绝灭，其绝灭与古水深有着十分密切的关系，主要是受海平面变化的影响。     

Age Assignment of the Lycoptera- bearing Bed

In the Yanliao area, the occurrence of the Nestoria-Keratestheria fauna and the Eoparacypris- Luanpingella-Darwinula assemblage in the Dabeigou Formation s.s., a Rb-Sr isochron age of 145.2 Ma for the Baiqi Formation and a complete stratigraphic sequence-all this proves that the Lycoptera-bearing bed overlies the Upper Jurassic. The Jehol fauna comprises the primitive Trigonioidids fauna, Eosestheria fauna, Lycoptera fauna et al., and their own laws of evolution expound that they belong to Cretaceous faunas. The associations of Eosestheria with Yanjiestheria, Lycoptera with Eosestheria, and Kuntulunia with Yanjiestheria as well as the occurrence of early angiosperms and sporo - pollen in the Fuxin Formation and its equivalents also demonstrate that the Lycoptera-bearing, bed should be assigned to the Cretaceous. The confirmation of the existence of Aucellina in the Jixi Group and the correlation of Trigonioidids and Cypridids with those in the equivalent strata of Japan and Western Europe have also been     

中国晚白垩世陆相红层与恐龙蛋化石群序列及其地层学意义

中国的恐龙蛋化石埋藏丰富,分布广泛。迄今为止,已报道有14个省(区)发现恐龙蛋化石。尤其在浙江天台盆地、山东莱阳盆地、广东南雄盆地以及河南西峡和淅川盆地等晚白垩世陆相红层中发现大量的恐龙蛋化石,同时也发现大量共生的恐龙等脊椎动物化石。中国恐龙蛋化石具有数量大、种类多、保存好、分布广、时代跨度大等特点,因此恐龙蛋可以作为中国白垩纪陆相地层划分与对比的重要化石之一。本文在建立天台盆地赖家组和赤城山组的岩石地层、年代地层和恐龙蛋生物地层层序框架的基础上,重点对比讨论了我国几个主要含恐龙蛋沉积盆地的恐龙蛋类群组合序列及其对应的地层关系。同时,对我国周边相邻地区如蒙古、韩国和印度以及其他各个大陆发现的恐龙蛋化石进行了初步对比讨论。天台恐龙蛋化石群与我国其他几个主要的恐龙蛋化石群之间存在一定的差距。相比较而言,天台恐龙蛋化石群和南雄恐龙蛋化石群组合特征鲜明,前者主要以网形蛋类和蜂窝蛋类为主,后者以长形蛋类为优势类群,结合天台盆地陆相红层中多个凝灰岩夹层获得的98～91Ma和南雄盆地67Ma的同位素年龄,据此,天台恐龙蛋化石群代表了晚白垩世早期的恐龙蛋组合,而南雄恐龙蛋化石群则代表了晚白垩世晚期的恐龙蛋组合。天台恐龙蛋化石群与莱阳恐龙蛋化石群明显不同,莱阳盆地的主要蛋化石类型——圆形蛋类和椭圆形蛋类在天台盆地至今没有被发现。但莱阳恐龙蛋化石群与南雄恐龙蛋化石群比较相似,如莱阳盆地金刚口组以椭圆形蛋类为主,含有少量的长形蛋类,而南雄盆地以长形蛋类为主,含有少量的椭圆形蛋类,其中金刚口椭圆形蛋、薄皮椭圆形蛋、长形长形蛋和安氏长形蛋等2属4种蛋化石在两个盆地均有发现。此外,在莱阳盆地王氏群中下部的将军顶组还发现了相对原始的网形蛋类。综合以上分析,莱阳恐龙蛋化石群大致介于晚白垩世早期的天台恐龙蛋化石群和晚白垩世晚期的南雄恐龙蛋化石群之间,更接近于南雄恐龙蛋化石群,时代应为晚白垩世中晚期。天台恐龙蛋化石群与西峡恐龙蛋化石群非常相似,在科一级分类单元中,至少有巨型长形蛋类、蜂窝蛋类和棱柱形蛋类等6个蛋科在两个盆地中均有发现,尤其是巨型长形蛋科仅在天台和西峡两个盆地中有化石记录,其中西峡巨型长形蛋这一蛋种同时产于西峡盆地走马岗组、赵营组和天台盆地的赤城山组。西峡盆地发现的其他一些蛋化石也可以归入到天台盆地新建立的一些蛋化石类型中。据此推断,走马岗组和赵营组与赤城山组的层位可能大致相当。虽然我们对西峡盆地已报道的部分恐龙蛋化石进行了初步厘定,但鉴于西峡盆地大量恐龙蛋化石的形态学和分类学尚存在较多的问题,两盆地的详细对比还有待于进一步的研究。天台恐龙蛋化石群与淅川盆地的恐龙蛋化石组合差别很大,相应的淅川盆地的恐龙蛋类群与相邻的西峡盆地的差别也较大,此外,在淅川盆地高沟组发现有树枝蛋类,这一类蛋化石在天台盆地未发现,据此推测淅川盆地的时代应晚于天台盆地和西峡盆地。相比较而言,淅川盆地的蛋化石组合与莱阳和南雄恐龙蛋化石群有一定的相似性,都含有长形蛋类、圆形蛋类和椭圆形蛋类等,因而,淅川盆地的马家村组和寺沟组的层位被认为可能与莱阳盆地的金刚口组和南雄盆地的坪岭组相当。综上分析,我们可以初步建立我国晚白垩世恐龙蛋化石群的组合序列及其对应的地层层序和时代框架,从下至上至少包含了4个恐龙蛋化石群:1)天台恐龙蛋化石群,赋存层位为天台群中上部的赖家组和赤城山组,时代约为晚白垩世早期(塞诺曼期土伦期);2)西峡恐龙蛋化石群,赋存层位为走马岗组、赵营组和六爷庙组,晚白垩世早中期(土伦期桑顿期);3)莱阳恐龙蛋化石群,赋存层位为王氏群中上部的将军顶组和金刚口组,晚白垩世中晚期(科尼亚克期坎潘期);4)南雄恐龙蛋化石群,赋存层位为南雄群园圃组和坪岭组,晚白垩世晚期(坎潘期马斯特里赫特期)。此外,随着研究工作的继续和深入,有望建立起包括早白垩世恐龙蛋化石群在内的白垩纪恐龙蛋化石群的组合特征序列,为进一步划分与对比我国白垩纪地层提供更多的基础资料。     

Late Cretaceous Foraminiferal Faunas from the Saiqu “mélange” in Southern Tibet

As one of the mélanges in the southern side of the Yarlung-Zangbo suture zone, the Saiqu mélange in southern Tibet is important for understanding the evolution of the Neo-Tethys ocean. The age of the Saiqu mélange, however, has been debated due to the lack of reliable fossil evidence in matrix strata. Based on lithological similarities with platform strata in southern Tibet and limited fossils from exotic blocks, previous studies variously ascribed the Saiqu mélange to be Triassic in general, Late Triassic, or Late Cretaceous. Here we reported planktonic foraminiferal faunas from the matrix strata of the Saiqu mélange. The new fossils yield a Late Cretaceous age, which is so far the best age constraint for the mélange. Regional stratigraphic correlation indicates that the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (CORBs) in Saiqu may be time equivalent to the CORBs of the Zongzhuo Formation in neighboring regions. Thus the Saiqu mélange should be correlated to the Upper Cretaceous Zongzhuo Formation rather than the Triassic Xiukang Group, as previously suggested.     

藏南江孜地区早白垩世甲不拉组钙质超微化石的特征及其地层意义

藏南江孜一带的侏罗纪—白垩纪海相地层被划分为维美组和甲不拉组。通过偏光显微镜和扫描电镜观察和分析,发现甲不拉组黑色页岩中含有保存较为完好的钙质超微化石。研究区的生物丰度和分异度偏低,经鉴定以椭圆球石科(Ellip-sagelosphaeraceae)生物群为主,数量相对丰富,但属种比较单调。超微化石指示甲不拉组为早白垩世沉积的产物。结合菊石和双壳类化石,认为甲不拉组地层时代属于早白垩世贝利阿斯期至凡兰吟期(Berriasian-Valanginian)。这一发现标志着西藏特提斯东部早白垩世地层中钙质超微化石的存在。甲不拉组早白垩世钙质超微化石的发现,为该地区海相地层的时代划分、对比提供了新的资料,也为寻找海相侏罗纪—白垩纪地层界线指示了目标。     

藏南江孜地区早白垩世甲不拉组钙质超微化石的特征及其地层意义

藏南江孜一带的侏罗纪—白垩纪海相地层被划分为维美组和甲不拉组。通过偏光显微镜和扫描电镜观察和分析,发现甲不拉组黑色页岩中含有保存较为完好的钙质超微化石。研究区的生物丰度和分异度偏低,经鉴定以椭圆球石科（Ellip-sagelosphaeraceae）生物群为主,数量相对丰富,但属种比较单调。超微化石指示甲不拉组为早白垩世沉积的产物。结合菊石和双壳类化石,认为甲不拉组地层时代属于早白垩世贝利阿斯期至凡兰吟期（Berriasian-Valanginian）。这一发现标志着西藏特提斯东部早白垩世地层中钙质超微化石的存在。甲不拉组早白垩世钙质超微化石的发现,为该地区海相地层的时代划分、对比提供了新的资料,也为寻找海相侏罗纪—白垩纪地层界线指示了目标。     

The fossil vertebrates from Lano (Basque Country, Spain); new evidence on the composition and affinities of the Late Cretaceous continental faunas of Europe

A newly discovered fossil locality at Lano (Basque Country) has yielded a vertebrate assemblage of probably Maastrichtian age comprising fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. It considerably enlarges our knowledge of the Late Cretaceous continental faunas of Europe, hitherto based on a much less complete record. Some taxa are recorded for the first time in Europe, and the fauna also contains the oldest known representatives of some groups (amphisbaenians, salamandrids). The Lan assemblage reveals an original fauna comprising both forms related to Asian and North American groups and elements with Gondwanan affinities.     

西藏第三纪有孔虫生物地层及地理环境

西藏南部海相第三系自下而上划分为:基堵拉组、宗浦组和遮普惹组。基堵拉组的归属直接关系到白垩——第三系的界线问题。以往在证据不充分的情况下将基堵拉组归于白垩系。本次工作在该组中找到了具时代意义的化石,有双壳类、介形虫、有孔虫等。通过化石群的研究确定了基堵拉组属于古新世丹宁早期。白垩—第三系界线应位于宗山组与基堵拉组之间。通过基堵拉组的横向对比得出了该组在空间上穿时的结论。浮游有孔虫动物群的发现确定了本区最高海相层为遮普惹组上段,时代属于始新世晚期。 西藏第三纪有孔虫类型丰富。据动物群的古生态研究得出了不同时代的有孔虫生物相:丹宁期为Rotalia生物相和Textularia生物相;朗德期为Miscellanea生物相和Ranikotbalia生物相;伊普尔期至路坦丁期包括Orbitolites生物相、Assilina生物相及冈底斯有孔虫生物相;普里亚波期以Globigerina生物相为特征。据有孔虫生物相的特征及氧碳稳定同位素的测试结果综合得出了西藏南部第三纪包括两次海侵旋回,即古新世和始新世旋回。二者又分别包括两回次一级的旋回,即古新世的丹宁期旋回和朗德期旋回;始新世的伊普尔期至路坦丁期旋回和普里亚波期旋回。     

Detrital-zircon record of major Middle Triassic–Early Cretaceous provenance shift,central Mexico: demise of Gondwanan continental fluvial systems and onset of back-arc volcanism and sedimentation

New stratigraphic and petrographic data and zircon U–Pb geochronology from sandstones and volcanic rocks in the states of Queretaro and Guanajuato in central Mexico indicate an important provenance change between Late Triassic and latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous time. The Upper Triassic El Chilar Complex consists of pervasively deformed, deep-marine olistostromes, and debris-flow deposits of arkosic and subarkosic composition. Detrital-zircon populations range from latest Palaeoproterozoic (1.65 Ga) to Middle Triassic (240 Ma), all predating the depositional age of the strata. The detrital-zircon populations are similar to those previously reported from turbidites of the Potosi fan complex of north-central Mexico and interpreted as derived from Grenville and Pan-African (Maya block) basement and Permo-Triassic arc of continental Mexico directly to the east of the basin. A single sample with a dominant Proterozoic population at ～1.65–1.30 Ga was likely derived either from the Rio Negro-Juruena province of the Amazonian craton or from a local source in the Huiznopala Gneiss, and indicates that El Chilar strata were likely deposited in the proximal part of a submarine-fan system separate from the Potosi fan.

Uppermost Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous strata of the San Juan de la Rosa Formation unconformably overlie the El Chilar Complex and likewise consist of deep-marine olistostromes, slump deposits, debris-flow deposits, and proximal fan-channel fills, but are volcanogenic litharenites with abundant felsic and vitric volcanic lithic fragments. Detrital-zircon populations are dominated by Early Cretaceous grains (150–132 Ma) with no known sources in eastern Mexico. Abundant young grains indicate a maximum depositional age of ～134 Ma (Valanginian–Hauterivian). The San Juan de la Rosa Formation is overlain by deepwater carbonates with interbedded siliciclastic beds of the Peña Azul Formation, which contains detrital-zircon ages as young as ～130 Ma, indicating possible equivalence with similar strata of the Las Trancas Formation, with a maximum depositional age of ～127 Ma and lying to the east in the Zimapan Basin, now part of the Sierra Madre Oriental fold and thrust belt. Decreasing content of volcaniclastic strata eastward indicates a volcanic source to the west. Upper Cretaceous marine strata in the Mineral de Pozos area to the northwest in the state of Guanajuato contain litharenites with a maximum depositional age near 92 Ma, and are thus part of a younger depositional system.

Composition and detrital-zircon content of the Upper Triassic and Lower Cretaceous successions in central Mexico indicates an important shift from Gondwanan continental sediment sources in the Triassic to western volcanic sources, probably on the edge of the newly opened Arperos basin, by the end of the Jurassic. This important sediment-dispersal change records the break-up of Pangea and concomitant development of arc-related sedimentary basins on the western edge of Mexico.     

内蒙古固阳盆地下第三系的发现及其地质意义

在区域地层划分与对比中, 内蒙古固阳盆地缺少下第三系.本次研究在前人划分的早白垩世李三沟组中, 识别出一套杂色碎屑岩系, 重点对这套地层特征、沉积层序、古生物组合、成岩性及构造样式等特征展开了研究, 发现该套地层不整合于早白垩世地层之上, 具有胶结松散、成岩性差、构造样式简单(以断块运动为主)、孢粉组合以被子植物花粉和草本植物花粉为主等特征.在生物组合、成岩性及构造样式等方面与早白垩世李三沟组明显不同.根据生物组合特征, 其形成时代应为老第三纪的渐新世.      

大别造山带北缘中生代地层格架厘定

大别山北麓陆相中生代地层发育 ,由于缺乏可靠生物化石证据 ,地层的划分和对比直到现在仍然存在巨大分歧 ,这制约了造山带研究的深入。根据对发现的火山岩碎屑和 K- Ar同位素年代学数据 (10 3.6— 138.3Ma)研究 ,表明凤凰山组、周公山组和毛坦厂组同属于早白垩世 ,并且可能是同期异相产物 ;覆盖在毛坦厂组之上的黑石渡组亦为早白垩世。根据地层接触关系、同位素年龄数据和岩相对比 ,三尖辅组以中侏罗世为主 ,可能跨早、晚侏罗世 ,与防虎山组和圆筒山组为同期异相。已有的石榴石重矿物分析和孢粉研究支持上述结论。地层接触关系表明白大畈组为早白垩世火山岩。     

中亚与亚洲中部晚白垩世的陆生脊椎动物组合对比

通过对前人建议的26个生物地层标志化石存在与否的简约分析,中亚与亚洲中部晚白垩世的陆生脊椎动物组合的相对层位得到了更清楚的揭示。此区最古老的组合是乌兹别克斯坦克孜勒库姆沙漠的Khodzhakul组合(早塞诺曼期),其次为蒙古戈壁沙漠东部BaynShire组的下部和上部的组合(塞诺曼期至桑顿期)。中国内蒙古二连达布苏动物群与中亚的土伦期—桑顿期动物群属于同一类群,因为它们均具龟鳖类Khunnuchelys,前者时代可能为桑顿期。三个中亚的组合(Bissekty、Yalovach和Bostobe组合)中有两个地方性的鳄形类(Kansajsuchus和Tadzhikosuchus)和一个出现于戈壁沙漠的鳄形类(Shamosuchus)化石。戈壁沙漠的坎潘期至马斯特里赫特期组合与北美同期动物群为同一类群。Djadokhta组与BarunGoyot组的坎潘期脊椎动物组合具有高度的地方性,并反应了半干旱的古环境。产自Nemegt组的组合生存于比较潮湿的环境。在组成上,这一组合与其他河流相沉积环境(Bissekty、二连达布苏以及北美Judithian期和Lancian期的组合)相似。具顶饰的鸭嘴龙Saurolophus的存在,支持了Nemegt组合为马斯特里赫特期时代。戈壁沙漠的这三个组合(Djadokhta、Barun Goyot和Nemegt组合)被归为一类,因为它们共同拥有地方性的龟类Mongolemys和兽脚亚目的小驰龙类。亚洲中部和北美的坎潘期至马斯特里赫特期组合与亚洲更加古老的组合不同在于存有暴龙科、肿头龙亚目和鸭嘴龙科。在中亚,由于地区性的海侵,这一时间段内的陆生脊椎动物组合多不清楚。     

The Gondwanan Carboniferous-Permian Boundary Revisited: New Data from Australia and Argentina

The identification and correlation of the Carboniferous-Permian (Gzhelian-Asselian) boundary within the sedimentary sequences of Gondwana has always been a topic of debate. Type latest Carboniferous and earliest Permian marine sequences are characterised by warm tropical faunas and come from the Uralian Region of Russia and Kazakhstan. Faunas include conodonts and fusulinid foraminiferids which are prime tools for correlation. Such faunal groups are absent from most Gondwanan sequences where reliance for correlations must be placed primarily on brachiopods, bivalve molluscs and palynology. The Western Australian marine sequences, with their contained ammonoids, provide a pivotal link for the dating and correlating of Early Permian Gondwanan sequences with those of the type regions and their palynostratigraphical record is essential for trans-Australian correlations and correlations elsewhere throughout Gondwanaland.New data from the fully cored DM Tangorin DDHl bore hole, drilled in the Cranky Corner Basin, New South Wales, Australia, reveals a sequence of descending faunal zones. The stratigraphically highest zone with Eurydesrna cordaturn, encompasses the Late Sakmarian (Sterlitamakian). The middle zone with Torniopsis elongata, Sulciplica c r a m and Trigonotreta tangorini straddles the Sterlitamakian-Tastubian boundary, with the palynomorphs Pseudoreticulatispora pseudoreticulata high in the zone and Granulatisporites confluens low in the zone. An impoverished fauna with Trigonotreta nov., low in the Granulatisporites confluens Zone, is probably of latest Asselian or Tastubian age.Significant new data from Argentina has revealed marine faunas from below the occurrence of Granulatisporites confluens. These are considered to be of Asselian age. Outcrops of the Tupe Formation, with a marine fauna, at La Herradura Creek in the western Paganzo Basin, San Juan Province, are best regarded as being of mid to late Asselian age. The Tupe Fauna has been recognised as the Tivertonia jachalensis-Streptorhynchus inaequiornatus Zone. Previously, this fauna was considered to be of Late Carboniferous or Stephanian age. Three faunal associations are known from the Rio del Peii6n Formation, Rio Blanco Basin, La Rioja Province. The middle assemblage with Tivertonia, Costaturnulus, Kochiproductus and Trigonotreta, appears to correlate well with the Tupe Formation fauna. The lower assemblage, with Streptorhynchus, Etherilosia, Costaturnulus, Trigonotreta and a punctate spiriferid, as well as indeterminate productids, probably of Early Asselian age. The youngest assemblage includes a species ofRhynchopora that is close to Rhynchopora australasica from the latest Asselian-early Tastubian of Western Australia. The marine biostratigraphical data from Argentina has enabled a much greater understanding of the earliest Permian marine faunas to be achieved - a story that is apparently absent from the other cold and cool temperate regions of Gondwana.     

羌塘盆地侏罗纪末—早白垩世沉积特征与地层问题

羌塘盆地侏罗纪末至早白垩世地层包括扎窝茸组、雪山组、白龙冰河组和索瓦组上段，目前对它们的划分、对比和相互间关系的认识不一。笔者根据各组的含义和时代依据，指出各地层组为岩石地层单元，目前资料尚不足以作进一步年代学划分。通过全面统计各组的分布情况，分析各组的沉积特征，发现白龙冰河组为陆棚相，仅见于盆地北西部；索瓦组上段为海湾泻湖相，见于盆地中部；雪山组和扎窝茸组为河流一三角洲相，见于北东部。为此，认为各地层组是盆地内同期异相沉积，作为上下关系处理是不妥的，据此又提出了新的地层对比方案，认为盆内最高海相层位应该跨入了下白垩统，海水最终是向北西方向逐步退出盆地的。     

中国白垩纪叶肢介生物地层学

叶肢介是一种淡水甲壳类动物,个体不大,一般在几毫米到两厘米之间,软体有点像虾,具有很多附肢,雌雄异体,外裹一对几丁质壳瓣,形似蚌壳,但不如后者的钙质壳那么厚实坚硬。叶肢介从泥盆纪开始出现,中生代时其演化中心从欧洲迁移到了东亚,白垩纪它们的分异和演化达到顶峰,到了新生代则进入衰亡阶段。叶肢介化石一般出现在陆相地层中,由于它数量多、演化快、分布广泛,近年来已成为中国和邻近地区中生代非海相生物地层划分和对比研究的重要手段之一。中国大陆白垩系主要是陆相沉积,按古地理和生物地理区系,早白垩世可以划分为西南湖群和东北、东南、西北两个大区,前者出现的是直线叶肢介(Orthestheria)动物群,后者则是东方叶肢介(Eosestheria)和延吉叶肢介(Yanjiestheria)动物群;晚白垩世在西南湖群出现的是华美叶肢介(Aglestheria)动物群,在东北松花湖水系出现的是真瘤模叶肢介(Euestherites)动物群,在华中和东南沿海云梦泽水系出现的是薄壳叶肢介(Tenuestheria)动物群。链叶肢介(Halysestheria)是联系它们相互对比的共同分子;晚白垩世早期的线叶肢介(Nemestheria)动物群则在上述3个区系都有分布,甚至在西北喀什地区的塞诺曼期海陆交互相沉积和美国德克萨斯州同期海相地层的陆相夹层中都有发现的记录,它是将中国陆相白垩系与国际海相标准划分联系起来的重要证据。关于中国白垩纪的叶肢介动物群和有关陆相地层的划分对比,产东方叶肢介的义县组以前放在上侏罗统顶部或做为侏罗系-白垩系过渡层处理,这次按全国地层表将东方叶肢介群归入早白垩世。     

西藏江孜-浪卡子一带的侏罗-白垩纪界线地层

侏罗系/白垩系界线是显生宙所有系级界线中存在问题最多的一个。西藏南部出露有良好的侏罗-白垩纪地层,本次工作在喜马拉雅地层区的康马隆子地层分区开展了海相侏罗系/白垩系的界线研究。江孜地区的界线地层被划分为维美组和甲不拉组;浪卡子地区的甲不拉组之下发育一套含大量火山岩层的火山－沉积地层,被称为桑秀组。该地层分区的地层系统由下至上为：维美组浅灰色厚层状粗-细粒石英砂岩;桑秀组黑色页岩、安山岩和玄武岩;以及甲不拉组黑色页岩、硅质泥页岩夹砂岩和砂质灰岩。维美组中含化石稀少,仅在江孜地区发现零星菊石Haplophylloceras、Himalayites等。桑秀组下部页岩和粉砂岩中找到少量菊石化石,属于Spiticeras、Berriasella、Haplophylloceras的一些种,和富集成层的双壳类Inoceramus everesti等。江孜甲不拉组下部化石丰富,划分为Spiticeras-Berriasella下组合和Himalayaites-Haplophylloceras上组合。本研究区的生物地层可与聂拉木地区的菊石化石组合对比。通过生物地层学对比,江孜-浪卡子地区的维美组时代为晚侏罗世Tithonian期,江孜地区甲不拉组下部和浪卡子地区的桑秀组均属于下白垩统。桑秀组下部的页岩段与江孜甲不拉组的最下部地层相当,上部火山岩的同位素年龄为133 Ma。据此,桑秀组的时代为Berriasian至Hauterivian期,侏罗系/白垩系的界线位于该组之底,以Virgatosphinctes、Aulocosphinctes的消失和Spiticeras的出现为标志。侏罗纪末期西藏特提斯海区普遍形成大规模海退,表现为维美组和门卡墩组顶部砂岩的同期沉积。     

中国主要块体奥陶纪达瑞威尔期（Darriwilian）晚期—凯迪期（Katian）早期海相红层及其构造意义

根据中国主要块体奥陶纪达瑞威尔期地层学、古生物学和岩石学的特点,本文主要论述了中国9个块体,其中包括5个主要块体（扬子克拉通、中朝克拉通、塔里木克拉通、拉萨地块和喜马拉雅北坡）中达瑞威尔晚期—凯迪期早期海相红层的分布、岩性特征和古动物群。它们的岩性特征：如红色灰岩;古生物群特征：如牙形石Pygodus serra动物群,P.anserinus动物群和Hamarodus europaeus动物群,珊瑚Yohophyllum动物群,以及头足类Sinoceras chinense动物群均十分相似或相同。这就充分阐明,中华古陆块群（包括扬子、中朝和塔里木克拉通等）与冈瓦纳古陆北缘古陆块群（包括拉萨地块和喜马拉雅北坡等）之间的关系十分密切,可能在此之前它们同属于冈瓦纳古陆。这对于阐明中华古陆块群与冈瓦纳古陆之间的关系具有重要意义。此外,还将海相红层分为两类：陆棚红层和大洋红层。陆棚红层主要见于寒武纪至三叠纪,大洋红层主要见于白垩纪至现代。     

青海曲麻莱盆地红层JScJ7zfzneDfspDrffPs（希指蕨孢）的发现及其意义

青海南部沱沱河地区陆相红层分布广泛,确定这些红层的时代对认识青藏高原的形成过程具有重要意义。由于红层中化石稀少,因此,这些地层的形成时代长期以来未有定论。曲麻莱盆地是沱沱河盆地东部的一个次级盆地,在该盆地红层之中部灰色钙质泥岩中获得了相当数量的孢粉化石,其中希指蕨孢子居绝对优势,据此确定含化石的地层地质时代属晚白垩世。...