扬子克拉通古元古代变质演化——来自黄陵穹窿石榴斜长角闪岩的证据

为探讨扬子克拉通古元古代变质作用特征及其形成的构造背景,对黄陵穹窿北部石榴斜长角闪岩开展了岩相学、地球化学和年代学研究。结果表明,石榴斜长角闪岩中主要矿物有石榴子石、斜长石、角闪石、单斜辉石、石英、钛铁矿等,其中保留有3个阶段的不同变质期次的矿物组合,进变质矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿,峰期矿物组合为石榴子石+角闪石+斜长石+单斜辉石+石英+钛铁矿,退变质矿物组合为石榴子石+角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿。石榴斜长角闪岩原岩为亚碱性玄武岩,属于拉斑系列,Mg^#较低,表明其原岩经历了一定程度的分异作用。使用传统地质温压计计算不同变质阶段的温压条件分别为：进变质阶段,t=596～625℃,p=0.70～0.82 GPa;峰期变质阶段,t≈760℃,p≈1.35 GPa;退变质阶段,t=692～738℃,p=0.68～0.74 GPa,并建立了一条顺时针的p-t轨迹,显示出先升温升压至峰期阶段,随后发生近等温减压的过程。这一p-t轨迹体现了汇聚板块边缘俯冲-碰撞的构造背景,对石榴斜长角闪岩中的锆石进行U-Pb定年,获得了2 008±11 Ma的谐和年龄,并结合该...     

喜马拉雅东构造结高压麻粒岩PT轨迹、锆石U-Pb定年及其地质意义

喜马拉雅东构造结出露了一套基性高压麻粒岩,其峰期矿物组合为石榴石+单斜辉石+石英+金红石+斜长石,利用相平衡计算其峰期温压条件为904℃、1.37GPa,利用锆石U-Pb定年方法确定其变质年龄为20.7±2.3Ma。角闪斜方辉石麻粒岩为其第一阶段退变产物,其变质矿物组合为斜方辉石+角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿+磁铁矿,温压条件为压力小于0.6GPa,温度为720~760℃。角闪岩相退变矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿+磁铁矿,温度小于745℃,压力小于0.6GPa。在角闪斜方辉石麻粒岩中变质锆石获得的定年结果为9.38±0.22M,根据锆石中角闪石+斜长石+石英的矿物包体特征,确定该年龄代表角闪岩相退变质年龄。据此,确定了喜马拉雅东构造结基性高压麻粒岩的PTt轨迹为顺时针2阶段折返过程,即第一阶段发生在20Ma左右的由高压麻粒岩相到角闪岩相退变阶段,第二阶段发生在9Ma左右的从角闪岩相深度折返到地表的阶段,计算得到其折返速率分别为2.4mm/y和2.3mm/y,这2个阶段的折返与目前通常认为的青藏高原2个主要抬升阶段是基本一致的。     

苏鲁构造杂岩带乳山地区（石榴）斜长角闪岩P-T演化轨迹及其地质意义——来自岩石学、矿物化学及相平衡模拟的约束

大量来自于华北陆块的高压变质岩被发现发育于苏鲁构造杂岩带中，给俯冲带上盘物质如何卷入陆-陆俯冲碰撞作用的研究带来新的契机.通过对乳山地区（含榴）斜长角闪岩进行岩石学、矿物化学及相平衡模拟的研究，发现其保留有3个不同变质演化阶段的矿物组合，峰前矿物组合为粗粒石榴子石+斜长石+角闪石+石英+钛铁矿；峰期矿物组合由石榴子石+单斜辉石+斜长石+角闪石+石英+钛铁矿组成，为典型高角闪岩相矿物组合；峰后退变质阶段矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石+石英+石榴子石+钛铁矿，发育有典型的“白眼圈”结构.相平衡模拟与温压计算表明，乳山午极石榴斜长角闪岩峰前变质阶段的P-T条件分别为P=6.4~7.0 kbar、T=610~640℃，表明其俯冲至30 km左右的地壳深度；峰期变质阶段P-T条件分别为P=9.3~10.0 kbar、T=700~730℃，表明其已俯冲至36~40 km的地壳深度，峰后退变质阶段P-T条件分别为P=5.2~5.8 kbar、T=680~710℃.锆石U-Pb定年结果表明乳山午极石榴斜长角闪岩原岩时代为1 734±24 Ma，龙角山水库斜长角闪岩变质时代为1 849±28 Ma，研究表明二者均来源于华北构造岩片.结合前人研究资料，推测乳山地区石榴斜长角闪岩原岩可能经历三叠纪俯冲作用并发生变质；其与杂岩带中来自华南的构造岩片发生混杂，共同构成华北-华南板块间宽约80~100 km的构造杂岩带.      

北天山西部温泉岩群中石榴角闪岩的岩石学和变质作用P-T轨迹研究

北天山西部温泉岩群中新发现的石榴角闪岩对于研究中亚造山带的形成与演化具有重要意义。详细的岩相学和相平衡模拟的结果表明,石榴角闪岩的变质演化过程可以划分为三个阶段:(1)升温升压进变质阶段,以石榴子石中包裹绿帘石为特征,矿物组合为石榴子石+角闪石+斜长石+石英+钛铁矿+绿帘石,峰期变质条件为700℃/9. 6kbar,可能发生的变质反应为角闪石+绿帘石+石英→石榴子石+斜长石+水;(2)近等温降压退变质阶段,以石榴子石周围发育由"斜长石+石英+角闪石"组成的"白眼圈"结构为特征,可能发生的变质反应为石榴子石+石英+水→角闪石+斜长石;(3)降温降压退变质阶段,以石榴子石发育绿泥石化为特征。结合前人研究成果,推测石榴角闪岩形成于晚奥陶世古亚洲洋俯冲消减的环境中。     

河南鲁山太华变质杂岩前寒武纪变质作用

太华变质杂岩("太华群")出露于华北克拉通中部造山带南缘,包括自西北向东南依次出露的华山、洛宁、鲁山、舞钢等四个出露区。鲁山地区太华变质杂岩中的斜长角闪岩类,变质演化历史记录得相对最为全面,其中普遍保留了三个阶段的变质矿物组合。第一阶段变质矿物组合(M1)为进变质组合,以石榴子石变斑晶中的包裹体矿物组合(石英+斜长石+角闪石±单斜辉石±钛铁矿)为代表,形成于约710℃/7.8kbar的条件下。第二阶段变质矿物组合(M2)为变质高峰期组合,以石榴子石变斑晶和基质矿物组合(角闪石+斜长石+石英±单斜辉石±钛铁矿)为代表,形成于约730~810℃/8.1~11.7kbar的条件下。第三阶段的矿物组合为退变质组合,以环绕石榴子石变斑晶发育的后成合晶矿物组合(石英+斜长石+角闪石±单斜辉石±钛铁矿)为代表,形成的温度与压力条件约为730~740℃/3.5~5.7kbar。这些斜长角闪岩类记录了顺时针变质作用P-T轨迹,其中包含近等温降压的退变质过程,其中变质峰期变质条件达高角闪岩相到麻粒岩相过渡区。二次离子质谱(SIMS)探针锆石U-Pb定年表明,变质锆石年龄介于1.93~1.87Ga之间。结合其他学者发表的资料,推测华北中部造山带的中段和南段似乎在~1.95Ga即已开始了俯冲-碰撞的造山过程,而且该造山过程几乎延续了150Myr之久。     

北淮阳带东段铁冲石榴斜长角闪岩的变质演化和P-T轨迹

北淮阳带位于大别碰撞造山带北部,相对于南部三叠纪超高压变质带来说,通常被认为是一个相对低级变质的构造岩石单位。以商(城)-麻(城)为界,分为西段和东段。本文对北淮阳带东段新发现的铁冲古生代变质的石榴斜长角闪岩开展了岩相学、矿物化学和热力学研究。结果表明,该类岩石具有石榴子石+斜长石+单斜辉石+切尔马克闪石±石英、低硅角闪石+斜长石+石榴子石+榍石+钛铁矿、普通角闪石+斜长石+榍石+钛铁矿等变质阶段矿物组合。其中,前三个变质阶段温压范围依次为648～719℃/1.0～1.3 GPa,660～686℃/0.71～0.90 GPa,607～647℃/0.27～0.48 GPa。因此,显示近等温减压的顺时针变质P-T轨迹。结合已发表的355±5 Ma峰期变质时代,首次证明北淮阳带东段存在高压变质作用以及石榴斜长角闪岩形成于晚古生代俯冲-碰撞环境。     

喜马拉雅造山带中段亚东地区石榴角闪岩的成因：岩石学和锆石U- Pb年代学

喜马拉雅造山带中段出露的基性麻粒岩是理解印度大陆前喜马拉雅期演化历史和新生代碰撞造山作用的理想研究对象。本文对亚东多庆湖地区的石榴角闪岩进行了岩石学、全岩主微量元素地球化学和锆石U- Pb年代学研究,揭示了其原岩类型和新生代的变质作用过程。石榴角闪岩的原岩很可能为新元古代(~890 Ma)的玄武岩,具有E- MORB型岩石的地球化学特征。石榴角闪岩具有三期矿物组合：① 进变质矿物组合可能为石榴子石+角闪石+斜长石+钛铁矿+石英,即石榴子石核部及其中包裹体;② 峰期矿物组合为石榴子石+角闪石+斜长石+黑云母+石英,即石榴子石边部和基质矿物;③ 退变质矿物组合为角闪石+斜方辉石+斜长石+黑云母+石英,包括退变质域和石榴子石边部的后成合晶矿物。矿物温压计和相平衡模拟表明,石榴角闪岩进变质、峰期和退变质条件分别为609~621℃和0. 59~0. 65 GPa、805~845℃和0. 91~1. 04 GPa、825~840℃和0. 61~0. 68 GPa,经历了峰期高压麻粒岩相的变质作用。锆石U- Pb年代学研究表明,石榴角闪岩的峰期变质时间为34. 8~20. 3 Ma,退变质时间为18. 1~17. 7 Ma,可能经历了一个较长期的部分熔融过程。本文研究认为,亚东石榴角闪岩是印度板块向欧亚板块长期俯冲、地壳增厚成因的基性麻粒岩,原岩可能与Rodinia超大陆拼合相关;其以加热埋藏、近等温降压为特征的顺时针P- T轨迹指示了喜马拉雅造山带中段的大喜马拉雅岩系上部构造层位经历了长期持续的地壳增厚和高温麻粒岩相变质作用,以及早中新世(21~17 Ma)相对快速的减压抬升和随后(17 Ma之后)相对缓慢的折返至地表的演化过程。     

东喜马拉雅构造结石榴角闪岩变质作用P-T-t轨迹:相平衡模拟与锆石年代学

东喜马拉雅构造结南迦巴瓦杂岩由多种类型的高级变质岩组成,包括片岩、片麻岩、大理岩、石榴角闪岩和基性麻粒岩。石榴角闪岩呈透镜状产出在片麻岩中,可见不连续分布的规模不等的浅色体。石榴角闪岩由石榴石、角闪石、黑云母、斜长石、石英、金红石、钛铁矿和榍石组成,石榴石变斑晶可见由浅色矿物组成的"白眼圈"。岩相学、矿物化学和相平衡模拟表明石榴角闪岩经历了一条顺时针型的P-T演化轨迹,可划分为两个阶段:(Ⅰ)升温升压的进变质阶段,由石榴石和斜长石斑晶记录,峰期矿物组合为石榴石+角闪石+黑云母+斜长石+石英+金红石+钛铁矿。运用石榴石变斑晶边部和斜长石变斑晶边部成分在视剖面图上的投点确定出峰期温压条件为~11.5kbar、790℃,达到了高压麻粒岩相条件,并经历了部分熔融,产生至少9%的熔体;(Ⅱ)降温降压的退变质阶段,由石榴石边部"白眼圈"冠状体记录。运用平均温压法计算冠状体中黑云母+斜长石+角闪石+石榴石组合的形成温压条件为~7kbar、~750℃。该阶段金红石消失,熔体结晶,并与早期矿物发生回反应。在石榴石角闪岩的锆石中获得了从29.2Ma到10.2Ma的连续变质年龄。由于锆石通常在熔体结晶过程中生长,因此确定该组年龄代表石榴石角闪岩退变质年龄。本文和以前的研究结果表明,南迦巴瓦杂岩中的高温和中温麻粒岩相亚单元具有相似的降温降压P-T轨迹,但高温单元具有较高的变质压力条件,表明其俯冲到了更大的深度。     

胶北地块斜长角闪岩的岩石学与年代学研究

胶北地块位于华北克拉通东部陆块,胶-辽-吉活动带的南端.胶北地区荆山杂岩中存在一组与高压基性麻粒岩密切共生的斜长角闪岩,是构成前寒武纪变质基底的重要组成部分.岩石学矿物学研究表明,斜长角闪岩记录了3个阶段的变质作用:峰期变质矿物组合（M1）为角闪石1+斜长石+榍石,根据NCKFMASHTO体系的成分视剖面图和角闪石压力计估算出温度条件T=660~715 ℃,压力条件P=0.65~0.71 GPa;其后经历了退变质作用（M2）,矿物组合为角闪石2+绿帘石+斜长石+绿泥石+钠长石,估算温压条件为537~630 ℃/0.41~0.58 GPa;晚期发生前绿片岩相退变质作用（M3）,其矿物组合为钠长石+葡萄石+绿泥石+方解石,其温压条件 < 400 ℃/0.35 GPa.斜长角闪石的CL图像显示其具有较弱的阴极发光效应和弱震荡环带,Th/U比值相对较小（0.06~0.43）,锆石形态和内部结构指示锆石形成于深熔作用过程,21个锆石的LA-ICP-MS定年研究的结果表明,斜长角闪岩记录的最老206Pb/238U年龄为2 075±25 Ma,上交点年龄为1 845±23 Ma（MSWD=0.35）,该组年龄记录了斜长角闪岩峰期变质作用时代的上限.斜长角闪岩在原岩形成以后,可能曾经历麻粒岩相变质作用,并记录了在胶-辽-吉带~1.85 Ga碰撞闭合过程中的深熔事件,此后经历了角闪岩相变质作用,及其二次退变质作用,终结于前绿片岩相的变质温压条件.      

西藏羌塘中部猫耳山石榴角闪岩的岩石学、地球化学及年代学研究

青藏高原腹地羌塘地体中部猫耳山增生杂岩内保留有早古生代变质记录，对研究冈瓦纳大陆北缘的早古生代构造格架和演化具有重要意义。猫耳山石榴角闪岩呈透镜状产出于斜长角闪岩内，主要由石榴石、角闪石、单斜辉石、斜长石、白云母、黝帘石、绿泥石、榍石和钛铁矿组成。石榴角闪岩的全岩地球化学分析表明其具有俯冲带上(SSZ型)蛇绿岩特征，与区域内寒武-奥陶纪蛇绿岩残片一致。根据岩相学、矿物化学、相平衡模拟以及锆石定年结果，得出石榴角闪岩的成因及变质过程如下：(1)石榴角闪岩原岩为～477Ma的特提斯洋蛇绿岩残片；(2)在394～383Ma发生麻粒岩相变质过程，峰期变质温压条件为～900℃、～1.55GPa,矿物组合为石榴石+角闪石+透辉石；(3)早期的折返导致其降温降压至～800℃、～1.0GPa,矿物组合为石榴石+角闪石+透辉石+斜长石；(4)进一步的角闪岩相退变质发生于358～348Ma,矿物组合为角闪石+斜长石+透辉石+钛铁矿，在石榴石周围和港湾处形成斜长石+角闪石的后成合晶结构。石榴角闪岩的P-T-t演化轨迹结合区域蛇绿岩和岩浆岩记录，指示早古生代特提斯洋壳俯冲、泥盆纪特提斯洋弧后扩张和石炭纪特提斯...     

Palaeoecology and taxonomy of Pentoxylales from the Albian of Antarctica

Reproductive pentoxylalean material from the Albian Triton Point Formation, Fossil Bluff Group of Alexander Island, Antarctica is the youngest record of this group globally. Leaves are referred to Taeniopteris daintreei McCoy, ovulate reproductive organs to Carnoconites cranwelli Harris, and stem material to Pentoxylon sp. Occurring in leaf litter layers on palaeosol surfaces the sedimentology suggests that pentoxylalean plants grew upon areas of the floodplain distal to the river channel, where they covered the forest floor in a similar habit to modern brambles. The forest floor was shared with Equisetales and liverworts, an abundance of ferns [Cladophlebis Brongniart, Gleichenites Goeppert, Phyllopteroides Medwell, Sphenopteris (Brongniart) Sternberg], as well as angiosperms. Bennettitales, Ginkgoites Seward and Nilssonia Brongniart were rare within these communities, as were coniferous trees.     

Bird and dinosaur footprints in the Woodbine Formation (Cenomanian), Texas

The ichnofauna of the Woodbine Formation (Cenomanian), Denton County, Texas includes bird and dinosaur tracks. A new bird trackway,Magnoavipes loweiichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., appears to represent the largest bird tracks known from the Mesozoic. A theropod trackway,Fuscinapedis woodbinensisichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., is characterized by long digits of uniform width and pointed small claws. Six hadrosaurid trackways,Caririchnium protohadrosaurichnosichnosp. nov., are the oldest hadrosaurid tracks associated with skeletal elements. They include one isolated small footprint, a medium sized quadrupedal, and five large bipedal hadrosaurid trackways.     

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.     

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.     

Taxonomy and affinity of Early Mesoproterozoic megascopic helically coiled and related fossils from the Rohtas Formation, the Vindhyan Supergroup, India

A well preserved assemblage of compressed, straight, circular to sinuously coiled megascopic and helical carbonaceous fossils and other varied megascopic morphoforms are known from the Early Mesoproterozoic Rohtas Formation, Semri Group within Vindhyan Supergroup exposed in Katni district of central India. These megascopic remains are preserved as impressions, compressions, partially mineralized remains, and/or epi-relief. Some of the forms are typical filamentous empty sheaths and others are trichomes, with cell like entities under various stages of degradation. This study, based on fresh collections and also of the topotype material of the helically coiled megascopic fossils, straight forms and related fossilized remains occurring as epi-relief from Katni indicate that the two morphotaxa are distinct entities and possibly appear to be prokaryotes. Grypania spiralis and Katnia singhii are most likely of cyanobacterial origin. Spirally coiled and circular fossils, with epi-relief, and which probably represents a tissue grade organism, are considered as Spiroichnus beerii Mathur, 1983. Linear sheet-like carbonaceous solitary form has been placed in the morphotaxon Proterotainia and described as P. katniensis n. sp. Certain rare circular, carbonaceous forms are considered as Chuaria sp. A few circular disc-like forms found in the assemblage are treated as dubiofossils.     

Timing and magnitude of tetrapod extinctions across the Permo-Triassic boundary

A review of the tetrapod (amphibian and amniote) record across the Permo-Triassic boundary (PTB) indicates a global evolutionary turnover of tetrapods close to the PTB. There is also a within-Guadalupian tetrapod extinction here called the dinocephalian extinction event, probably of global extent. The dinocephalian extinction event is a late Wordian or early Capitanian extinction based on biostratigraphic data and magnetostratigraphy (the extinction precedes the Illawara reversal), so it is not synchronous with the end-Guadalupian marine extinction. The Russian PTB section documents two tetrapod extinction events, one just before the dinocephalian extinction event and the other at the base of the Lystrosaurus assemblage. However, generic diversity across the latter extinction remains essentially the same despite a total evolutionary turnover of tetrapod genera. The Chinese and South African sections document the stratigraphic overlap of Dicynodon and Lystrosaurus. In the Karoo basin, the lowest occurrence of Lystrosaurus is in a stratigraphic interval of reversed magnetic polarity, which indicates it predates the marine-defined PTB, so, as previously suggested by some workers, the lowest occurrence of Lystrosaurus cannot be used to identify the PTB in nonmarine strata. Correlation of the marine PTB section at Meishan, southern China, to the Karoo basin based primarily on magnetostratigraphy indicates that the main marine extinction preceded the PTB tetrapod extinction event. The ecological severity of the PTB tetrapod extinction event has generally been overstated, and the major change in tetrapod assemblages that took place across the PTB was the prolonged and complex “replacement” of therapsids by archosaurs that began before the end of the Permian and was not complete until well into the Triassic. The tetrapod extinctions are not synchronous with the major marine extinctions at the end of the Guadalupian and just before the end of the Permian, so the idea of catastrophic causes of synchronous PTB extinctions on land and sea should be reconsidered.     

Properties of the aftershocks sequences of the 2000 and 2002 earthquakes in Aksehir-Afyon graben,west-central Anatolia,Turkey

The b-value of the Gutenberg–Richter’s frequency–magnitude relation and the p-value of the modified Omori law, which describes the decay rate of aftershock activity, were investigated for more than 500 aftershocks in the Aksehir-Afyon graben (AAG) following the 15 December 2000 Sultandagi–Aksehir and the 3 February 2002 Çay–Eber and Çobanlar earthquakes. We used the Kandilli Observatory’s catalog, which contains records of aftershocks with magnitudes ≥2.5. For the Çobanlar earthquake, the estimated b-values for three aftershock sequences are in the range 0.34 ≤  b ≤ 2.85, with the exception of the one that occurred during the first hour (4.77), while the obtained p-values are in the range 0.44 ≤ p ≤ 1.77. The aftershocks of the Sultandagi earthquake have a high p-value, indicating fast decay of the aftershock activity. A regular increase of b can be observed, with b < 1.0 after 0.208 days for the Çay–Eber earthquake. A systematic and similar increase and decrease pattern exists for the b- and p-values of the Çobanlar earthquakes during the first 5 days.     

Revision of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus from Cretaceous deposits in north-east China

The diagnoses of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus are revised following a re-examination of their type species under a scanning electron microscope. In Cratostracus each growth line has a serrated lower margin. Radial lirae branch into smaller ridges that merge with each other to give the upper part of each growth band in the ventral region of the carapace a slightly undulating surface. Cross-bars are present between these lirae. In Porostracus the radial lirae on the growth bands near the umbo are long and relatively widely spaced. There is a fine reticulum between them in the umbonal part of the carapace and cross-bars on the ventral surface. The ornament of Porostracus indicates that it can be assigned to the family Halysestheriidae rather than to the Afrograptidae, in which it has been placed previously. Morphological analysis of most of the species of the two genera and closely related Orthestheria (Migransia) under the scanning electron microscope is required before their stratigraphic potential can be fully realized.