A remarkable new genus of basal snakeflies (Insecta: Raphidioptera: Priscaenigmatomorpha) from the Early Cretaceous of China

Chrysoraphidia relicta gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) of the Yixian Formation, Liaoning Province, China. Its venation is characterized by a mixture of character states that occur mainly in the Neuroptera and Raphidioptera. The assignment of Chrysoraphidia gen. nov. to Raphidioptera is supported by the presence of its distinct pterostigma and the configuration of the wing vein ‘subcosta anterior’. It is interpreted as the first record of a group of basal snakeflies (Priscaenigmatomorpha) from the Cretaceous of Asia, hitherto known only from the Early Jurassic of Europe.     

Early Cretaceous Tectonics and Evolution of the Tibetan Plateau

Selected geological data on Early Cretaceous strata, structures, magmatic plutons and volcanic rocks from the Kunlun to Himalaya Mountains reveal a new view of the Early Cretaceous paleo-tectonics and the related geodynamic movement of the Tibetan Plateau. Two major paleo-oceans, the Mid-Tethys Ocean between the Qiangtang and Lhasa blocks, and the Neo-Tethys Ocean between the Lhasa and Himalayan blocks, existed in the Tibetan region in the Early Cretaceous. The Himalayan Marginal and South Lhasa Seas formed in the southern and northern margins of the Neo-Tethys Ocean, the Central Tibet Sea and the Qiangtang Marginal Sea formed in the southern and northern margins of the Mid-Tethys Ocean, respectively. An arm of the sea extended into the southwestern Tarim basin in the Early Cretaceous. Early Cretaceous intensive thrusting, magmatic emplacement and volcanic eruptions occurred in the central and northern Lhasa Block, while strike-slip formed along the Hoh-Xil and South Kunlun Faults in the northern Tibetan region. Early Cretaceous tectonics together with magmatic K2O geochemistry indicate an Early Cretaceous southward subduction of the Mid-Tethys Oceanic Plate along the Bangoin-Nujiang Suture which was thrust ~87 km southward during the Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic. No intensive thrust and magmatic emplacement occurred in the Early Cretaceous in the Himalayan and southern Lhasa Blocks, indicating that the spreading Neo-Tethys Oceanic Plate had not been subducted in the Early Cretaceous. To the north, terrestrial basins of red-beds formed in the Hoh-Xil, Kunlun, Qilian and the northeastern Tarim blocks in Early Cretaceous, and the Qiangtang Marginal Sea disappeared after the Qiangtang Block uplifted in the late Early Cretaceous.     

中国南方首次发现的基干禽龙类化石新属种

广西壮族自治区扶绥县那派盆地早白垩世新隆组中产有包含蜥脚类、兽脚类、鸟脚类、疑似鹦鹉嘴龙类的恐龙动物群,但鸟脚类的属种鉴定尚不能进一步确认.最近发现于那派盆地新的鸟脚类肠骨、坐骨化石材料,显示出基干禽龙类的典型形态,其特征又不同于该类群其他已知属种,应代表禽龙类一新属新种,被命名为广西那派龙Napaisaurus gu...     

Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous Northern Qaidam Basin, NW China: Implications for the earliest Cretaceous intracontinental tectonism

Formation of Mesozoic western China, which was dominated by tectonic amalgamation along its southern margin and associated intracontinental tectonisms, holds a key for interpreting the succedent Cenozoic evolution. This paper presents new data including lithology, sedimentary facies, stratigraphic contact, seismic interpretation and paleo-structures within the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous strata in the northern Qaidam Basin, NW China. These data all account for a contractional tectonic deformation in the earliest Cretaceous. The South Qilian Shan, according to the sedimentary features and provenance analysis, reactivated and exhumated during the deformation, controlling the deposition of the Lower Cretaceous sequences. A simplified model for the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous paleogeography and tectonics of the northern Qaidam Basin is accordingly proposed. The results also support a ∼25° clockwise rotation of the Qaidam Basin since the Early Cretaceous and a more accurate Mesozoic evolution process for the basin. This earliest Cretaceous deformation, associated with the reactivation of the South Qilian Shan at the time, are part of the intracontinental tectonisms in central Asia during the Mesozoic, and probably driven by both the closure of the Mongol-Okhostk Ocean to the north and the collision of the Lhasa and the Qiangtang blocks to the south.     

A Basal Titanosauriform from the Early Cretaceous of Guangxi, China

Based on a partial postcranial skeleton collected from the Lower Cretaceous Napai Formation of Guangxi, China, we erect a new sauropod taxon, Fusuisaurus zhaoi gen. et sp. nov. The holotype specimen consists of the left ilium, left pubis, anterior caudals, most of the dorsal ribs and distal end of the left femur. Fusuisaurus zhaoi is diagnosed by a unique combination of character states among the known sauropods. It displays several synapomorphies of Titanosauriformes but lacks many derived features seen in other titanosauriforms, suggesting that the new taxon represents the basalmost known titanosauriform and providing new evidence that Titanosauriformes originated from Asia. A size comparison suggests that Fusuisaurus zhaoi is among the largest Early Cretaceous sauropods, providing an important addition to the Early Cretaceous Chinese sauropod diversity.     

A Megatheropod Tooth from the Early Cretaceous of Fusui,Guangxi, Southern China

A nearly complete right maxillary or left dentary tooth（NHMG 10858） from the Lower Cretaceous Xinlong Formation of the Napai Basin, Fusui County, Guangxi, southern China, is described. The tooth is large in size, with a CBL of 37 mm. Given the geological age and its crown morphology, including the size, it is most likely that the tooth belongs to a carcharodontosaurid. The recovered specimen represents one of the largest theropod teeth hitherto reported from the Early Cretaceous of Asia.     

Kinematic analysis of sinistral cataclastic shear zones along the northern margin of the Mino Belt, central Japan

In this paper, cataclastic shear zones along the northern margin of the Mino Belt, central Japan are described, and the significance of the shearing in the tectonic evolution of SW Japan is examined. The Mino Belt in SW Japan is composed of accretionary complexes of Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. Field investigation revealed that remarkable cataclastic shear zones trending east to northeast run along the northern margin of the Mino Belt. Closely spaced cleavage is developed in these shear zones. Lineation on the cleavage plunges at shallow to moderate angles. Deformation structures (e.g. composite planar fabric and asymmetric structure of clasts) in the sheared rocks clearly indicate a sinistral sense of shear. The shearing ceased by latest Cretaceous time, because the sheared rocks are overlain by unsheared Upper Cretaceous volcanic rocks. The sinistral shearing may be closely related to Cretaceous sinistral movement along the eastern margin of Asia. Sinistral shearing along the northern margin of the Mino Belt can be considered as a key for re-examining the tectonic development of SW Japan.     

An Ichthyornis-like bird from the earliest Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of European Russia

Ornithuromorph birds (the clade which includes modern avian radiation) first appeared in the Early Cretaceous in Asia and achieved a great diversity during the latest ages of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian). The evolutionary history of orithuromorphs during the first 17 MYAs of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian ages) remains very poorly known, as the fossil record for this time interval is largely restricted to several isolated finds of the classic avian genus Ichthyornis in North America. Here we describe an isolated distal tibiotarsus of an evolutionary advanced bird, morphologically similar to Ichthyornis, from the middle Cenomanian of Saratov Province, European Russia. This is the first documentation of an Ichthyornis-like bird in the Old World. The find further constitutes only the second pre-Campanian record of the Late Cretaceous Ornithuromorpha in Eurasia, the second record of Cenomanian birds in Russia. This discovery shows that Ichthyornis-like birds enjoyed a wide geographical distribution as early as the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. Given that the earliest and the most primitive ornithuromorph birds are known from Asia, the new find supports a Eurasian origin for Ichthyornithidae.     

A New Basal Titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new dinosaur of Early Cretaceous age was recently discovered from the Mazongshan area of northwestern Gansu Province, China. The new dinosaur represents a new genus and species of Sauropoda, and is among the most basal members of Titanosauria. Its finding also suggests that titanosaurs might have originated in Asia no later than the Early Cretaceous.     

Two Early Cretaceous fishes discovered from the most northern area of China: implications for the palaeobiogeography of the Jehol Biota

From a newly discovered Early Cretaceous fossil site at the Sanlianhe Coal Mine in Tahe County, Heilongjiang Province, the most northern area in China, two freshwater fossil fish had been recovered. This paper reports their classifications and implications regarding the palaeobiogeography of the Jehol Biota. The fish assemblage consists of Yanosteus sp. (Acipenseriforms) and Sinamia sp. (Amiiformes). Both are important members of the well known Jehol Biota, and their occurrence supports the correlation of the Yiliekede Formation at Sanlianhe Coal Mine site with the Jiufotang Formation of West Liaoning. The remains of the Yanosteus sp. from this locality is the first known record of the genus other than in the Yan‐Liao area of China, and the specimens of Sinamia sp. is quite similar to what may be a new species of Sinamia from West Liaoning. The new fossil site represents the most northern site that is undoubtedly part of the extent of the Jehol Biota as currently understood. The northern Great Xing'an Range area is an important region that may link correlations between the Early Cretaceous continental biotas of China, Mongolia and Russia. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

太行山阜平杂岩中麻棚-赤瓦屋岩体的时代、侵位深度及构造意义

中生代岩浆活动在太行山北段形成了一系列花岗岩体,其中的麻棚-赤瓦屋岩体侵位于穹窿状的阜平杂岩中,具有贫硅、富碱、高铝的钙碱性I型花岗岩特征。岩体分带明显,由边部向核部可以划分为石英闪长岩、花岗闪长岩、似斑状花岗岩3个相带,它们的锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄分别为126.4±2.4 Ma、125.4±2.0 Ma和126.2±2.0 Ma,在误差范围内一致,指示岩体在早白垩世期间快速侵位、结晶。各相带样品的角闪石全铝平均值分别为1.018、0.880和0.871,对应的角闪石平均结晶压力分别为0.183、0.118和0.114 GPa,均值为0.141 GPa,对应的侵位深度约5 km,明显小于区域内元古界至侏罗系的地层厚度,表明在岩体侵位之前,阜平杂岩就已经具有穹窿状构造特征。结合相关资料,估计太行山早白垩世以来的平均隆升速率为0.07~0.08 km/Ma。     

New apatite fission track evidence from the northern Qiangtang terrane reveal two‐phase evolution of central Tibet

The growth of central Tibet remains elusory, albeit important in evaluating different topographic growth models accounting for the Tibetan Plateau development. Thermochronological records in the northern Qiangtang terrane (QT) provide valuable information for investigating the cooling and exhumation history in central Tibet. New apatite fission track data, assisted by inverse thermal modelling, reveal two stages of accelerated cooling. The Early Cretaceous cooling is related with refrigeration of the QT and exhumation probably induced by crustal shortening. The Eocene‐Oligocene renewed cooling reflects the far‐field contraction after the onset of the India‐Asia collision and Cenozoic crustal shortening deformation in the QT, coupled with thermal relaxation and transient lithospheric removal. Our data support models indicating that Cretaceous crustal shortening produced a thickened crust in the QT, whereas the present‐day elevation was established during Eocene‐Oligocene due to crustal shortening, continental subduction and lithospheric delamination.     

兴蒙造山带的基底属性与构造演化过程

为了解兴蒙造山带基底属性和多个构造体系演化与叠加历史,系统总结了近年来在基础地质研究中取得的新成果,并利用这些成果讨论了兴蒙造山带的基底属性与演化历史.兴蒙造山带是指我国东北地区古生代构造作用影响的地区,这些地区也遭受了中生代构造作用的叠加与改造.兴蒙造山带主要由微陆块和其间的造山带组成.虽然传统上认为属于前寒武纪结晶基底的地质体主要已解体为古生代和早中生代,但随着新太古代和古元古代地质体的相继发现,以及新生代玄武岩中幔源古元古代橄榄岩包体的发现,可以判定兴蒙造山带内微陆块应具有古老的前寒武纪基底,并且壳幔是耦合的.微陆块内部地壳增生以垂向增生为主,且主要发生在新元古代和中元古代,以及次要的新太古代和古生代.相反,陆块间造山带或岛弧地体的陆壳则以侧向增生为主,且主要发生在新元古代和古生代.额尔古纳地块与兴安地块的拼合发生在早古生代早期;兴安地块与松嫩地块的拼合发生在早石炭世晚期;松嫩地块与佳木斯地块的拼合发生在早古生代晚期,中生代早期又经历了裂解与再闭合的构造演化过程;华北克拉通北缘增生杂岩带与北方微陆块群的最终拼合发生在晚二叠世-中三叠世,古亚洲洋的最终闭合发生在中三叠世,且为剪刀式闭合.晚古生代晚期蒙古-鄂霍茨克大洋板块南向俯冲作用的发生以及早中生代(三叠纪-早侏罗世)的持续南向俯冲,控制了大兴安岭-冀北-辽西地区的岩浆活动,蒙古-鄂霍茨克大洋的闭合发生在中侏罗世,晚侏罗世-早白垩世主要表现为闭合后的伸展环境.古太平洋板块中生代的俯冲起始时间为早侏罗世,晚侏罗世-早白垩世早期东北亚陆缘主要表现为走滑的构造属性和陆缘地体从低纬度到高纬度的构造就位过程,早白垩世晚期-古近纪岩浆作用的向东收缩揭示了古太平洋板块的持续俯冲和俯冲板片的后撤过程,古近纪晚期日本海的打开标志着东北亚陆缘从活动陆缘已经转变为沟-弧-盆体系,并且标志着东亚大地幔楔的形成.     

A new bird track,Koreanaornis lii ichnosp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Hekou Group in the Lanzhou-Minhe Basin,Gansu, Northwest China,and implications for Early Cretaceous avian diversity

There are a growing number of Early Cretaceous avian tracks and trackways from around the world, with Asia (China and Korea) having the largest reported number and diversity of Mesozoic avian traces to date, and these new discoveries are increasing the Early Cretaceous avian ichnodivesrity of Laurasia. Here we report on a new Lower Cretaceous avian track locality in the Guanshan area, Yongjing County, Gansu Province, northwest China, and on a novel ichnospecies of Koreanaornis, Koreanaornis lii ichnosp. nov. Koreananornis lii is distinct from other Koreanaornipodidae in that it possesses a consistently wider digit divarication than previously described tridactyl tracks, and possess a short, small, posteromedially oriented hallux that displays a different orientation than that seen in Koreanaornis hamanensis. The lack of linear and angular data reported for digit I traces of many avian ichnotaxa has the potential to give misleading results in multivariate statistical analyses. Also, the wide divarication of Koreanaornis lii causes the ichnotaxon to not group with other Koreanornipodidae in multivariate analyses, but with Ignotornidae. Despite the results of the analyses, K. lii is morphologically distinct from these ichnotaxa. The results demonstrate that relying solely on multivariate statistical analyses without careful examination of footprint morphology will result in erroneous ichnospecies groupings. While new vertebrate ichnotaxa discoveries from Asia may support the hypotheses of the presence of a unique and endemic Asian vertebrate ichnofauna during the Cretaceous, the recent discovery of skeletal remains interpreted to be of a volant wading bird from the Early Cretaceous, and recent reports of tracks from volant avians, could suggest that flighted avians of the shore- and wading bird ecotypes could have had a Laurasian-wide distribution during the Early Cretaceous. However, strong convergence in foot morphology of shore- and wading birds suggests that avian ichnotaxa found in both present-day Asia and North America may have been made by birds endemic to eastern and western Laurasia during the Early Cretaceous.     

内蒙古热河生物群化石分布特征及其古气候、古环境意义

热河生物群是分布于亚洲东部早白垩世的著名古生物化石群,地质时代距今120~131 Ma. 早期研究认为,热河生物群主要分布于中国冀北、辽西等地区. 直到20世纪80年代内蒙古地区开展专题区域地质研究,才陆续发现了许多新的热河生物群化石分布区域和重要的化石产地. 通过对内蒙古自治区东、西部白垩纪热河生物群分布特征及地层对比研究,明确了内蒙古热河生物群分布区域、产出层位、组合差异及古气候和古环境演变规律,进一步理清了内蒙古地区白垩纪沉积古地理、古气候和古环境演变与热河生物群辐射演化的制约和协同关系.     

尼雄地区早白垩世磁铁矿伸展成矿地质背景及成矿模型

尼雄地区早白垩世磁铁矿以成矿岩体及矿床研究偏多,忽略围岩时代及其成矿地质背景分析。尼雄早白垩世磁铁矿可分为矽卡岩型和热液脉型,而达及藏布地区热液脉型磁铁矿与基性岩脉密切相关,通过共生辉长岩岩脉锆石U-Pb年龄(120.1±1.7 Ma)限定热液脉型磁铁矿成矿时代约120 Ma,与已经确定成矿时代的矽卡岩型铁矿成矿时代一致,指示尼雄矿田两种类型磁铁矿受控于相同的地质背景。通过尼雄岩体碎屑岩围岩(原上二叠统敌布错组)碎屑锆石测年,获得其沉积时代介于130～120 Ma之间,故将上二叠统敌布错组重新厘定为下白垩统则弄群。结合区域地层及岩浆岩新资料,认为冈底斯中部则弄群火山岩与侵位于其中的岩体构成一个早白垩世火山-侵入杂岩体系,其与尼雄矿田早白垩世磁铁矿密切相关。该早白垩世火山-侵入杂岩地球化学特征及尼雄附近浅表层次构造共同指示冈底斯中部在早白垩世处于伸展构造背景。最后,依据伸展构造背景新认识建立了尼雄地区早白垩世磁铁矿成矿地质模型。     

白垩纪四足动物足印的生物地层学、生物年代学与遗迹相

从全球范围来看,白垩纪四足动物的足印多数是非鸟恐龙与鸟类留下的痕迹;少量足印来自翼龙、鳄鱼、龟、哺乳动物和其他四足动物。白垩纪的足迹化石以东亚(尤其是中国和朝鲜)和北美西部的最为人所知。南美(主要是阿根廷和巴西)也有一定数量广泛分布的足迹化石,欧洲、非洲与澳大利亚的白垩纪足迹组合则鲜为人知。以白垩纪四足动物的足印记录为基础,我们对两个全球足印生物年代重新进行了检查。早白垩世生物年代以蜥脚类与鸟脚类的足迹为特征。晚白垩世生物年代中的蜥脚类足迹较少,但是鸭嘴龙、暴龙和角龙的足迹增多了。另外,白垩纪足印化石的记录中记载了许多重要的生物地层学信息,如北美白垩纪中期蜥脚类恐龙的消失,以及白垩纪末恐龙的绝灭。越来越多来自东亚的白垩纪足印记录使我们对更精细的地方性白垩纪足印生物年代学有了初步印象。因此,以地方性四足恐龙(包括鸟类)遗迹属的地层分布为基础,可以识别出三个或四个足印生物年代。种类丰富并具有地方性特色的东亚的白垩纪鸟类动物的遗迹群,可能指示白垩纪时东亚存在着一个独特而繁盛的鸟类动物群。以足印化石为基础的这一假说有待进一步的验证。     

Structural Evolution and Hydrocarbon Potential of the Upper Paleozoic Northern Ordos Basin, North China

The hydrocarbon potential of the Hangjinqi area in the northern Ordos Basin is not well known, compared to the other areas of the basin, despite its substantial petroleum system.Restoration of a depth-converted seismic profile across the Hangjinqi Fault Zone(HFZ) in the eastern Hangjinqi area shows one compression that created anticlinal structures in the Late Triassic, and two extensions in ~Middle Jurassic and Late Early Cretaceous, which were interrupted by inversions in the Late Jurassic–Early Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous, respectively.Hydrocarbon generation at the well locations in the Central Ordos Basin(COB) began in the Late Triassic.Basin modeling of Well Zhao-4 suggests that hydrocarbon generation from the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian coal measures of the northern Shanbei Slope peaked in the Early Cretaceous, predating the inversion in the Late Cretaceous.Most source rocks in the Shanbei Slope passed the main gas-migration phase except for the Hangjinqi area source rocks(Well Jin-48).Hydrocarbons generated from the COB are likely to have migrated northward toward the anticlinal structures and traps along the HFZ because the basin-fill strata are dipping south.Faulting that continued during the extensional phase(Late Early Cretaceous) of the Hangjinqi area probably acted as conduits for the migration of hydrocarbons.Thus, the anticlinal structures and associated traps to the north of the HFZ might have trapped hydrocarbons that were charged from the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian coal measures in the COB since the Middle Jurassic.     

Sedimentary response to the intracontinental orogenic process: insight from the anatomy of a small Mesozoic basin in western Yanshan,northern North China

ABSTRACT

The intra-continental orogeny and tectonic evolution of the Mesozoic Yanshan fold-thrust belt (YFTB) in the northern North China Craton (NCC) have been strongly debated. Here, we focus on the Shangyi basin, located in the centre of the YFTB. An integrated analysis of sedimentary facies, palaeocurrents, clast compositions, and detrital zircon dating of sediments was adopted to determine the palaeogeography, provenance, basin evolution, and intra-continental orogenic process. The Shangyi basin comprises the well-exposed Early–early Middle Jurassic Xiahuayuan Formation and the Longmen Formation, and the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Tuchengzi Formation. Based on the 18 measured sections, five facies associations – including alluvial fan, fluvial, delta, lacustrine, and eolian facies – have been identified and described in detail. The onset of the Shangyi basin was filled with fluvial, deltaic, and lacustrine deposits controlled by the normal fault bounding the northern basin, corresponding to the pre-orogeny. In the Middle Jurassic, the cobble–boulder conglomerates of alluvial fan, as molasse deposits, were compatible with the syn-orogeny of the Yanshan movement, which played a critical role in northern North China and even East Asia. After the depositional break in the Middle–Late Jurassic, the Shangyi basin, controlled by the normal fault present in the north of the basin, re-subsided and quickly expanded southward with thick sedimentation, which is correlative with the post-orogeny. Combined with A-type granites, metamorphic core complexes, mafic dikes, and rift basins of the Late Jurassic–early Early Cretaceous present in the northern NCC and Mongolia, significant extension was widespread in the northern NCC and even in northeast Asia. Moreover, vertical changes of provenance indicate that the Taihang Mountain and the Inner Mongolia palaeo-uplift (IMPU) present at the west and north of the basin, respectively, experienced uplift twice in the Middle–Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, resulting in a regional depositional break.     

藏南早白垩世火山岩屑砂岩对印度大陆北缘火山事件的约束

藏南古错地区早白垩世以出现一套火山岩屑砂岩为特征。通过系统的岩石学、地球化学及物源区综合分析表明,砂岩中的火山岩岩屑来源于同期的印度大陆北缘的板内火山作用。侏罗纪晚期,砂岩物源来自于稳定的被动大陆边缘,早白垩世Barremian期砂岩物源来自于被动大陆边缘和火山弧的双重供应,随地层变新火山物质的输入逐渐增加,至Albian早期达到顶峰。随后,火山物质输入终止,砂岩基本消失,取而代之的是一套黑色页岩。古错砂岩物源区的变化反映了印度大陆北缘在早白垩世存在一次强烈的板内火山作用,可能与印度大陆与澳大利亚大陆、南极大陆的裂解有关。