Morphology and phylogenetic origin of the spinicaudatan Neodiestheria from the Lower Cretaceous Dalazi Formation,Yanji Basin,north-eastern China

The spinicaudatan Neodiestheria Chen is an important component of the diverse Early Cretaceous Yanjiestheria fauna in eastern Asia. Examination under a scanning electron microscope of newly collected and well-preserved specimens of Neodiestheria dalaziensis Chen from the Albian Dalazi Formation of Zhixin, Jilin Province, north-eastern China, has revealed morphological features of the carapace not recognized previously, namely that puncta are not only evenly distributed on growth bands near the umbo and gradually merge into a punctate fine reticulation and dense radial lirae on each growth band in the upper-middle part of the carapace, but also occur on growth lines and within the lumina of a fine reticulum, and between radial lirae on growth bands in the middle and lower parts of the carapace. Growth bands in anteroventral, ventral and posteroventral parts of the carapace are also ornamented with transversely elongate large pits (depressions) surrounded by swellings, appearing as a large reticulum superimposed over fine reticulation and radial lirae. These ontogenetically developing morphological patterns on the growth bands of the juvenile stage of the carapace indicate that Neodiestheria is closely related phylogenetically to Triglypta Wang.     

Revision of the conchostracan genus Estherites from the Upper Cretaceous Nenjiang Formation of the Songliao Basin and its biogeographic significance in China

The diagnosis of Estherites corrugatus from the basal part of the Coniacian Second Member of the Nenjiang Formation in Nenjiang County, north-east China is revised following the application of a new preparation technique to some of the carapaces and an examination of specimens under a scanning electron microscope, both of which revealed morphological features on the carapace that had not been recognized previously. Restudy of the type species of the two subgenera Estherites (Euestherites) and Estherites (Parestherites) also revealed details of carapace features not seen hitherto. These indicate that they should be separated from Estherites. As a result, Euestherites is upgraded to genus level and Parestherites is placed in synonymy. The importance of Estherites and Euestherites is considered in the context of Late Cretaceous assemblages of these crustaceans and the three conchostracan provinces (South-West, South-East and North China) that are recognized to have been present in China during the Turonian–Santonian period.     

Morphological restudy of the type species of Xibeiestheria (Spinicaudata) from the lower Aptian,northwestern China

The fossil clam shrimp genus Xibeiestheria Wang in Shen et al., 1982, a component of the well-known Early Cretaceous Yanjiestheria fauna, was originally described from the lower Aptian Jingchuan Formation of Yanchi County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of northwestern China. The morphological re-examination under an SEM of the holotype of the type species Xibeiestheria pora Wang in Shen et al., 1982 has revealed new taxonomic features not previously recognized. These include: (1) growth lines with serrated lower margins, having a row of small pores; (2) widely spaced radial lirae intercalated cross bars on growth bands in the dorsal part of the carapace; (3) fine reticulum occurring within coarse reticulation on growth bands in the middle part of the carapace; (4) puncta radially aligned along the widely spaced radial lirae on growth bands in the lower part of the carapace.     

Geochronology of Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna and Gigantopithecus in Guangxi Province, southern China

Pleistocene faunas from south China are difficult to subdivide based on the long temporal ranges of many taxa and a reduced number of genera in comparison to faunas from temperate north China. In south China, the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna is a very general one and includes a relatively stable suite of genera that apparently persisted for long periods of time. These attributes have made constraining its time range difficult. Application of electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth enamel constrains the ages well where uranium uptake was minor. Where uranium uptake into teeth was significant, an approach combining ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U isotopic analysis also yields excellent ages. Previous estimates of early, middle and late Pleistocene time ranges previously determined by biostratigraphic seriation for the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna are confirmed in all cases but are made more precise with our approach, including specific time ranges for certain archaic taxa. Absolute dating also yields an extended time range for Gigantopithecus blacki of 1200 to 310 ka.     

A history of the ‘Zambian copper flower', Becium centraliafricanum (B. homblei)

This contribution is a short history of the Zambian copper flower, Becium homblei (recently renamed B. centraliafricanum that has attracted attention as a plant associated with Cu-rich soils. It has a peculiar discontinuous distribution in Central Africa which has been explained in terms of biotype depletion. A field investigation into the ecology of the species shows that it is able to tolerate soil Cu concentrations of up to 15,000 μg/g (ppm), and soil nickel concentrations of nearly 5000 μg/g. B. homblei is also found on areas where soil metals are in trace quantities, and where soil bases, particularly Ca, are low. In spite of its tolerance to a wide range of edaphic conditions, the distribution of the species is very restricted in Zimbabwe, and this is almost certainly due to severe interspecific competition with a closely related species, B. obovatum, which is common on soils not unusually enriched in heavy metals. Pioneering work on geobotanical prospecting by use of Becium homblei was carried out by the late G. Woodward and others in the 1950s and 1960s. This species was used successfully for geobotanical prospecting for Cu. This present report is a brief history of these pioneering studies     

Revision of the Clam Shrimp Genus Magumbonia from the Upper Jurassic of the Luanping Basin,Hebei, Northern China

The diverse clam shrimp Nestoria-Keratestheria fauna is widely distributed in the Dabeigou Formation in northern Hebei and eastern Inner Mongolia of China. Its important component genus Magumbonia from the Dabeigou Formation in the Luanping Basin, northern Hebei, China, is revised on the basis of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination of the type species M. jingshangensis Wang, 1984, which revealed morphological features not recognized previously. These include coarse reticulation on the umbo and prominent growth lines ornamented with densely spaced, small tubercles and fine lirae.     

吉林省大布苏国家重点化石产地的猛犸象-披毛犀动物群

猛犸象-披毛犀动物群是晚更新世时期北半球最具代表性的典型哺乳动物群,该动物群的化石在中国东北地区广泛分布,其演化、发展乃至灭绝与古人类文明的发展有密切的关系。综述猛犸象-披毛犀动物群的概况,从动物组合、古地理分布、古生态环境等方面介绍了该生物群之全貌。以吉林省大布苏国家重点化石产地为例,对该产地出土的猛犸象-披毛犀动物群化石标本进行了最新的统计(分属6目13科21属23种),对其化石组合特征进行了分析,并对在东北地区深入开展该动物群研究的意义进行了探讨。     

Dimorphism in Placenticeras mintoi from the Upper Cretaceous Bagh Beds, central India

The Upper Cretaceous Bagh Beds yield many biota of which ammonoids are particularly well known. Previously Bagh ammonoids were grouped into many genera and species within several families. The present study, however, shows that failure to recognize dimorphism and a wide range of interspecific variation within the single genus Placenticeras perhaps results in taxonomic oversplitting. Specific dimorphism in P. mintoi has been established.     

Early Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera from the Tethys: the large, many-chambered representatives of the genus Globigerinelloides

This paper deals with the taxonomic revision of the Early Cretaceous large, many-chambered planispiral planktonic foraminifera, historically assigned to the genus Globigerinelloides or alternatively assigned in the 1990s to the genera Globigerinelloides Cushman and ten Dam, Biglobigerinella Lalicker, Blowiella Krechmar and Gorbachik and Alanlordella BouDagher-Fadel. In a previous paper we demonstrated that the morphological and microstructural features used in the literature for distinguishing Blowiella from Globigerinelloides have value only at species level, and the former genus was thus invalidated (being the junior synonym). Moreover, the Late Aptian specimens assigned to Biglobigerinella by some authors, based on the presence of twin last chamber(s), are also included in Globigerinelloides because individuals sharing the same features (number of chambers, growth rate, size of umbilicus, and a finely perforate wall) may or may not possess twin last chamber(s). Meanwhile, Moullade et al. questioned the taxonomic value of Alanlordella, erected by BouDagher-Fadel to accommodate planispiral taxa possessing a macroperforate wall. All the species analysed here possess a finely perforate wall and consequently cannot be assigned to this taxon.The large species of Globigerinelloides retained here, with six or more chambers in the outer whorl, are G. algerianus Cushman and ten Dam, G. aptiensis Longoria, G. barri (Bolli, Loeblich and Tappan) and G. ferreolensis (Moullade).In the sections studied, Globigerinelloides aptiensis was first found close to the Barremian/Aptian boundary, even though this species was recorded in Spain (Rio Argos) in the mid Upper Barremian; very rare, small, seven-chambered individuals here assigned to Globigerinelloides ferreolensis are recorded in the Lower Aptian (just below and within the Selli Level, OAE1a), while a few specimens belonging to Globigerinelloides barri occur in the Globigerinelloides ferreolensis Zone (Upper Aptian). Globigerinelloides aptiensis and G. ferreolensis range up to the Ticinella bejaouaensis Zone while Globigerinelloides barri disappears at the top of the Globigerinelloides algerianus Zone; finally, Globigerinelloides algerianus obviously spans the eponymous total range zone.From an evolutionary point of view, two lineages within the many-chambered Globigerinelloides have been recognized. In the first, already known in the literature, Globigerinelloides aptiensis gave rise to G. ferreolensis, which evolved into G. algerianus; the latter in turn gave rise to Pseudoplanomalina cheniourensis as the final evolutionary member. In the second lineage Globigerinelloides barri originated from G. blowi.     

Biotic effects of environmental catastrophes at the end of the Cretaceous and early Tertiary: Guembelitria and Heterohelix blooms

In this study we report similar biotic response patterns in planktic foraminiferal assemblages, whether in association with volcanism, impacts or climate change at the end of the Cretaceous and early Tertiary. During and after each type of catastrophe two groups dominate high stress assemblages: (1) the small Guembelitria species, which are interpreted as having thrived in eutrophic surface waters where other species rarely survived; and (2) the low oxygen tolerant small Heterohelix species, which thrived at times of an expanding oxygen minimum zone associated with high nutrients and a stratified water column. The ecosystem collapse appears to be primarily the result of high macro- and micronutrient influx (from impacts, volcanism and erosion) leading to eutrophication and phytoplankton blooms (i.e., primary producers) that result in toxic conditions for foraminifera. Once nutrients decrease due to consumption by phytoplankton, the first opportunistic foraminifera, the Guembelitria, appear and graze on phytoplankton, rapidly reproduce (heterochronic acceleration) and increase populations exponentially. With nutrient depletion Guembelitria populations rapidly decrease leading to ecologic niches for other generalists and ecosystem recovery. Small low O₂ tolerant heterohelicid populations mark this second stage, followed by small trochospiral and planispiral species. With further environmental recovery, increasing competition, niche development, and restoration of a well-stratified watermass, oligotrophic conditions are restored opening habitats for large, highly specialized species and a return to normal diverse assemblages. Such highly stressed ecological successions are observed in association with mantle plume volcanism in the Indian Ocean, Andean volcanism in Argentina and shallow inland seas in Egypt and Madagascar during the late Maastrichtian, the K-T impact, volcanism during the early Danian, and intense upwelling and climate extremes. We present a simple model to explain the ecological succession and recovery phases that follow major biotic perturbations.     

A late-glacial transition from Picea glauca to Picea mariana in southern New England

Picea is an important taxon in late-glacial pollen records from eastern North America, but little is known about which species of Picea were present. We apply a recently developed palynological method for discriminating the three Picea species in eastern North America to three records from New England. Picea glauca was dominant at  14,500–14,000 cal yr BP, followed by a transition to Picea mariana between  14,000 and 13,500 cal yr BP. Comparison of the pollen data with hydrogen isotope data shows clearly that this transition began before the beginning of the Younger Dryas Chronozone. The ecological changes of the late-glacial interval were not a simple oscillation in the position of a single species' range, but rather major changes in vegetation structure and composition occurring during an interval of variations in several environmental factors, including climate, edaphic conditions, and atmospheric CO₂ levels.     

Evidence for geographic variation in the diets of late Pleistocene and early Holocene Bison in North America, and differences from the diets of recent Bison

During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, Bison was widely dispersed across North America and occupied most regions not covered by ice sheets. A dietary study on Bison paleopopulations from Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, and Texas was performed using two methods that relate dental wear patterns to diet, mesowear analysis and microwear analysis. These data were compared to a mixed sample of extant Bison from the North American central plains, extant wood Bison from Alberta (Canada) and a variety of other modern ungulates. Mesowear relates macroscopic molar facet shape to levels of dietary abrasion. The mesowear signature observed on fossil Bison differs significantly from the hyper-abrasive grazing diet of extant Bison. Tooth microwear examines wear on the surface of enamel at a microscopic scale. The microwear signal of fossil samples resembles to modern Bison, but the fossil samples show a greater diversity of features, suggesting that fossil Bison populations regularly consumed food items that are texturally inconsistent with the short-grass diet typical of modern plains Bison. Mesowear and microwear signals of fossil Bison samples most closely resemble a variety of typical mixed feeding ungulates, all with diets that are substantially less abrasive than what is typical for modern plains Bison. Furthermore, statistical tests suggest significant differences between the microwear signatures of the fossil samples, thus revealing geographic variability in Pleistocene Bison diets. This study reveals that fossils are of value in developing an understanding of the dietary breadth and ecological versatility of species that, in recent times, are rare, endangered, and occupy only a small remnant of their former ranges.     

The peculiar taphonomy of the streamlined late Campanian ammonite Metaplacenticeras subtilistriatum from northern Hokkaido, Japan

The peculiar taphonomy of the late Campanian ammonite Metaplacenticeras subtilistriatum is reconstructed on the basis of stratigraphic occurrence within the Hakobuchi Formation of northern Hokkaido (Japan), as well as of host rock and patterns of fragmentation. The species' taphonomy is closely linked to its streamlined, oxyconic shell with flat flanks and a smoothly tapered venter. Such shells were accumulated, together with numerous pebbles, by bottom currents (>0.25–0.5 m/s), in such a way that ventral portions of some shells fractured by collision with pebbles. Small holes and depressions in the external shell surface, presumably formed during compaction after final burial, are restricted to phragmocones. On this evidence, it is suggested that this species was nektobenthic, lived in a shallow environment (shoreface–inner shelf) where its streamlined shell allowed it to align with prevailing currents, similar to a wind vane.     

Notes on non-marine bivalve Trigonioides (Trigonioides?) from the mid-Cretaceous Goshoura Group, Kyushu, Japan

Trigonioides goshourensis n. sp. and Trigonioides amakusensis Kikuchi and Tashiro occur in the late Albian Eboshi Formation of the Goshoura Group in Kyushu, Japan. These Albian species are characterized by three radial pseudocardinal teeth on the thick and wide hinge plate, and are probably ancestors of Cenomanian species of Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) with four radial pseudocardinal teeth. This chronological relation may be important for the correlation of non-marine Cretaceous strata in East Asia. In addition, the habitat of T. amakusensis is interpreted as estuarine tidal flats under brackish water conditions, although Trigonioides is generally a freshwater bivalve genus.     

青海湖裸鲤内脏发光细菌的分离和鉴定

2009-2013年,从青海湖裸鲤内脏器官中共分离获得6株发光细菌,编号依次为Q1、Q2、Q3、Q4、Q5、Q6.这6株发光细菌细胞壁革兰氏染色均为阴性,细胞为杆状,大小为(0.5~0.8)μm×(1.0~1.5)μm,具有单极生鞭毛,有运动性.氧化酶和接触酶均呈阳性反应,能发酵葡萄糖产酸;吲哚试验和V-P试验均为阳性反应,能分泌淀粉酶、明胶酶、DNA酶,能将硝酸盐还原为亚硝酸盐.最适生长温度为20~25℃,最适生长pH为8.5~9.0.16S rDNA基因序列分析结果表明,6株发光菌与其亲缘关系最近的属为Vibrio(弧菌属),该属内和此次实验的6株发光菌亲缘关系最近的种Vibrio anguillarum(鳗弧菌)的16S rDNA序列相似值为99.57%.Biolog GenⅢ鉴定结果显示,该实验的6株发光菌在有氧条件下,在提供的71种碳源中,只能利用其中的30种,其中,糖类12种,氨基酸类5种,羧酸类4种,聚合物类2种,其他类7种.结合6株发光菌的形态学特征、生理生化特性、Biolog Gen III鉴定结果和分子生物学特性,将菌株鉴定为Vibrio anguillarum.该菌所具有的发光特性为首次报道.     

Occurrence of Cordaitales from lower Gondwana sediments of Ib-River Coalfield, Orissa, India: An Indian scenario

The Ib-River Coalfield in Orissa State is a part of Mahanadi Master Basin. Recent extensive investigations were conducted in this Coalfield to locate fossiliferous beds in the Lower Gondwana deposits and as a result a large cache of plant fossils were recovered from Lower Permian sediments (Barakar Formation) exposed in Jurabaga and Lajkura Collieries. The complete flora includes 23 genera representing nine orders viz., Lycopodiales, Equisetales, Sphenophyllales, Filicales, Cordaitales, Coniferales, Ginkgoales, Cycadales and Glossopteridales. Only the Cordaitales, represented by four genera i.e., Noeggerathiopsis, Cordaites, Euryphyllum and Kawizophyllum are discussed in this paper. Cordaitalean leaves are described for the first time from this coalfield; the remaining plant groups will be considered in a subsequent publication. Cordaitalean leaves attributable to Noeggerathiopsis hislopii, Noeggerathiopsis minor, Euryphyllum whittianum, Euryphyllum maithyi, Kawizophyllum dunpathriensis and Cordaites sp. constitute about 13.90% (111 specimens) of the total plant assemblage collected from this Coalfield. Of the cordaitaleans, N. hislopii is most abundant (47.75%; 53 specimens) followed by E. whittianum (40.54%; 45 specimens). A summary of the distribution of Cordaitales throughout the Indian Gondwana is also presented. Floristic composition varies stratigraphically at the two Barakar exposures (Lajkura and Jurabaga Collieries). Cordaitales are preserved only in the lowermost (4th) horizon (lower floral zone). Strata in these collieries have been assigned to the lower and upper Barakar Formation based on floristic content and an Early Permian (Artinskian) age is assigned.     

The occurrence of bothriodontines (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) in the Paleogene of Asia with special reference to Elomeryx: Paleobiogeographical implications

Anthracotheriid remains from several Paleogene localities of central and eastern Asia have been re-examined. Several fossil remains attributed to the genera Bothriodon, Brachyodus and Hyoboops can be referred to Elomeryx which extends the geographical distribution of the genus to the whole area of Asia. These results demonstrate the role that Asia played in the biogeographical history of mammals and further support the proposed origin of North American Elomeryx from an Asian ancestor.     

Eutrephoceras subplicatum (Steinmann, 1895) is a junior synonym of Eutrephoceras dorbignyanum (Forbes in Darwin, 1846) (Cephalopoda, Nautiloidea) from the Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation of Chile

Nautilus subplicatusSteinmann, 1895 is a latest Cretaceous species of nautiloid which is common in southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and the Antarctic Peninsula and which is best assigned to the genus EutrephocerasHyatt, 1894. Nautilus dorbignyanusForbes in Darwin, 1846 and Nautilus valenciennii Hupé in Gay, 1854 are here considered to be senior synonyms which later authors have apparently overlooked. The type material of these two taxa is reillustrated. On the basis of this and additional material it is demonstrated that only a single nautiloid species occurs in the Quiriquina Formation of late Maastrichtian age. For this we propose to use N. dorbignyanus as the oldest available name.     

Kumamotoa, an early Late Cretaceous non-marine bivalve, from Fujian, south China

The non-marine bivalve species Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) quadratus Gu and Ma is described from the Fourth Member of the Hekou Formation in western Fujian, southeastern China. This species previously was regarded to belong to the subgenus Trigonioides (s.s.), which is restricted to the Early Cretaceous. Herein, it is included into the subgenus Kumamotoa. It is compared to Cenomanian (early Late Cretaceous) species from Japan and Korea such as Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) mifunensis Tamura, Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) matsumotoi Kobayashi and Suzuki and Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) paucisulcatus Suzuki. The age of the Fourth Member of the Hekou Formation is discussed.