Fourier Analysis Applied to Mimomys (Arvicolidae, Rodentia, Mammalia) First Lower Molars – Biochronological Implications

Fourier analysis was used in this study to help a specific determination of some Mimomys (Arvicolidae, Rodentia, Mammalia) species. Several Pliocene and Pleistocene Central and Western European Mimomys species first lower molar contours have been decomposed by Complex Discrete Fourier Transform. Inter- and intra-specific comparisons have been performed on the harmonics obtained from the decomposition and some problematic specimens have been classified.     

中国东北、韩国东南和日本西南部早白垩世非海相与海相地层对比,非海相软体动物的生物年代学和古地理意义

根据非海相与海相,特别是共同的海相和非海相软体动物化石的对比,并结合放射性同位素测年,中国东北黑龙江东部和辽宁西部,韩国东南部庆尚盆地,日本西南部内带岐阜县北部牧户/庄川地区和外带四国德岛和物部地区早白垩世地层得到了对比,产自这些地层的非海相软体动物的时代也因此受到了约束。著名的中国东北含煤地层龙爪沟和鸡西群,盛产热河生物群/动物群的热河群的时代均为欧特里沃期/巴列姆期阿普特期,它们的上覆地层桦山群和孙家湾组为阿尔必期。韩国西南部新洞群和除金洞组以外的河阳群为阿普特期阿尔必期,不整合于新洞群之下的卯谷组主要为欧特里沃期。日本西南部内带的牧户/庄川地区的手取群和外带德岛和物部地区的物部川群均为欧特里沃期阿尔必期。Cuniopsis kihongi,Nakamuranaia leei,Koreanaia cheongi和Trigonioides(Wakinoa)tetoriensis的时代为欧特里沃期早巴列姆期。Viviparus onogoensis,Unio ogamigoensis,Myrene(Mesocorbicular)tetoriensis及Tetoria(Tetoria)yokoyami为欧特里沃期阿普特期。Arguniella cf.quadrata,A.cf.ventricosa,Sphaerium(Sphaerium)anderssoni,Probaicalia vitimensis和Pr.gerassimovi为欧特里沃期/巴列姆期阿普特期。Nakamuranaia chingshanensis,Plicatounio(Plicatounio)multiplicatus,Sphaerium(Sphaerium)coreanicum和Micromelania?katoensis为阿普特期阿尔必期。Nippononaia sinensis,Nip.tetoriensis,Nip.ryosekiana和Trigo-nioides(Wakinoa)wakinoensis是阿普特期的标志。Trigonioides(Trigonioides)quadratus,T.(T.)heilongjiangensis,Plicatounio(Plicatounio)naktongensis,Unio longus与Sphaerium(Sphaerium)chintaoense为晚阿普特期阿尔必期或阿尔必期的标志化石。我国东北、韩国东南和日本西南部非海相,特别是淡水软体动物接近的相似性表明这三地区在早白垩世时相连,并处于同一水系。但是,在欧特里沃期阿尔必期期间,这一陆块的东部,即频临古太平洋的日本西南部的外带因地势低而多被海水覆盖,在牧户/庄川和黑龙江东部存有遭受海侵的浅而窄的海湾,凡兰吟期,特别是欧特里沃期/巴列姆期之前,中国东北韩国东南部日本西南部陆块为受造山运动引起的隆起和沉降活动影响的高低不平的高原,经受了广泛而长期的剥蚀。多数含有包括熔岩和凝灰岩在内的火山岩,并与北东北北东方向的断裂带近于平行分布的非海相白垩纪盆地直至欧特里沃期/早巴列期(有些地区可能稍早(凡兰吟期))(134～126Ma),即华北克拉通破坏的高峰期(130～120Ma)才形成。这一现象表明,这些盆地受断裂,特别是伴随有强烈火山喷发和时而局部海侵的沿着古太平洋西北缘和郯庐断裂带的构造运动的控制。     

Integrated Radiolaria,benthic foraminifera and conodont biochronology of the pelagic Permian blocks/tectonic slices and geochemistry of associated volcanic rocks from the Mersin Mélange,southern Turkey: Implications for the Permian evolution of the northern Neotethys

Blocks and tectonic slices within the Mersin Mélange (southern Turkey), which are of Northern Neotethyan origin (Izmir–Ankara–Erzincan Ocean (IAE)), were studied in detail by using radiolarian, conodont, and foraminiferal assemblages on six different stratigraphic sections with well‐preserved Permian succesions. The basal part of the Permian sequence, composed of alternating chert and mudstone with basic volcanics, is assigned to the late Asselian (Early Permian) based on radiolarians. The next basaltic interval in the sequence is dated as Kungurian. The highly alkaline basic volcanics in the sequence are extremely enriched, similar to kimberlitic/lamprophyric magmas generated at continental intraplate settings. Trace element systematics suggest that these lavas were generated in a continental margin involving a metasomatized subcontinental lithospheric mantle source (SCLM). The middle part of the Permian sequences, dated by benthic foraminifera and conodont assemblages, includes detrital limestones with chert interlayers and neptunian dykes of middle Wordian to earliest Wuchiapingian age. Higher in the sequence, detrital limestones are overlain by alternating chert and mudstone with intermittent microbrecciated beds of early Wuchiapingian to middle Changhsingian (Late Permian) age based on the radiolarians. A large negative shift at the base of the Lopingian at the upper part of section is correlated to negative shifts at the Guadalupian/Lopingian boundary associated with the end‐Guadalupian mass extinction event. All these findings indicate that a continental rift system associated with a possible mantle plume existed during the late Early to Late Permian period. This event was responsible for the rupturing of the northern Gondwanan margin related to the opening of the IAE Ocean. When the deep basinal features of the Early Permian volcano‐sedimentary sequence are considered, the proto IAE oceanic crust formed possibly before the end of the Permian. This, in turn, suggests that the opening of the IAE Ocean dates back to as early as the Permian.     

Magnetostratigraphy and revised chronology of the late Miocene mammal localities of Samos,Greece

The late Miocene mammalian record in Samos Island, Greece, is extremely important for the Eurasian Neogene mammalian history and chronology. However, due to the mixed nature of old fossil collections and controversies on the stratigraphic position of fossil quarries, great confusion has arisen concerning the recognition of distinct faunal assemblages, their age(s) and biostratigraphic significance. This paper presents the magnetostratigraphy of the late Miocene continental deposits of the fossiliferous Mytilinii Basin, Samos Island, Greece. Old and new sites are stratigraphically controlled with accuracy and correlated with each other. The magnetostratigraphy of seven individual sections, covering the entire Mytilinii Formation, provides good correlation with the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS). These results, as well as the relocation and precise litho- and magnetostratigraphic correlation of the old and new mammal localities, combined with new and reviewed paleontological data and thorough studying of the numerous radiometric dates, allowed us to define five biostratigraphic horizons. Their correlation with, and implications to the European Neogene mammal chronology ages and zones make up the following discussion and provides a modified determination of the middle Turolian (MN 12) boundaries.Abbreviations GPTS Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale - IPGP Institute de Physic du Globe de Paris - MGL Musée Cantonal de Géologie, Lausanne - MNHA Museum of Natural History of the Aegean, Samos - BMNH Natural History Museum of London - Q quarries - Fm Formation     

Character, Age and Ecology of the Hezheng Biota from Northwestern China

1 Introduction In recent years, field works in the Hezheng area resulted in an explosive growth of new knowledge of Chinese mammalian faunas of the Late Cenozoic. A continuous sedimentary sequence from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene is developed and exposed in the Linxia Basin, Gansu Province, which contains a large number of mammal fossils. The Hezheng area comprises almost the whole Hezheng County, the western half of Guanghe County, the southern half of Dongxiang County, Linxia C…     

Integrated Upper Carnian to Lower Norian biochronology and implications for the Upper Triassic magnetic polarity time scale

We summarize the ammonoid, conodont and halobiid biochronology of the Upper Carnian to Lower Norian, based on a discussion of data in the Alps, Sicily, Balkans, Turkey, Himalayas and Timor. With this integrated biostratigraphic scale, the Pizzo Mondello section (Sicily) can be recalibrated and the Carnian-Norian boundary more precisely located there. As a result, the magnetostratigraphy of this section is now in good agreement with previous results from Turkey, although the latter series are more condensed. Cross-correlation of available magnetostratigraphic data from marine Tethyan sections allow us to construct a composite Upper Carnian to Upper Norian geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS). This GPTS leads us to question previously proposed magnetobiostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic correlations within the Upper Triassic Newark non-marine sedimentary sequence.     

Maeotian mammalian localities of Eastern Paratethys: Magnetochronology and position in European continental scales

The Maeotian of Eastern Paratethys corresponds to the interval of the magnetochronological scale from the base of the subchron C4Ar2n to upper parts of the Chron C4n (9.6–7.5 Ma). Fission-track dates of Maeotian deposits are in general agreement with paleomagnetic chronology. In the continental stratigraphic scale of Western Europe this interval corresponds to zones MN10 (save the lowermost parts), MN11, and MN12 (upper part). Taking into account age estimates of MN zones boundaries established in Western Europe, the East European mammalian localities of Ukraine and Moldova can be stratified as follows: MN10, Raspopeni, Grebeniki, Novaya Emetovka 1, ?lower bed of Ciobruci; MN11, Novaya Emetovka 2; MN12, Cimislia, Ciobruci upper bed, Cherevichnoe, Tudorovo, Dzedzvtakhevi, and sites in the lower Pontian deposits. The faunal criteria used to distinguish MN zones in Western Europe cannot be completely applied to sites of the Eastern Paratethys because of paleozoogeographic distinctions between West and East European provinces. Specific criteria of zone boundaries definitions should be developed for the East European province.     

Refined Early to Middle Miocene diatom biochronology for the middle- to high-latitude North Pacific

Abstract   Refined numerical ages of the diatom biohorizons of the Early to Middle Miocene (11–18 Ma) period in the Neogene North Pacific are presented based on the direct correlation between biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy at Site 887 on the Patton–Murray Seamount in the northeastern Pacific. Sampling intervals of 0.02–0.04 my allowed the determination of the ages of the biohorizons to be more precise than previous studies. The secondary biohorizons established in the northwestern Pacific have been proven to be useful also in the northeastern Pacific, and are linked to magnetostratigraphy directly for the first time. The refined diatom biochronology established in this study will provide a vital basis for the study of the Neogene marine sediments of the middle- to high-latitude North Pacific, which rarely yield calcareous microfossils. Denticulopsis praedimorpha var. prima n. var. is described.