中国辽宁义县早白垩世燕鸟一新种

辽宁锦州义县早白垩世义县组发现了一种新型燕鸟(Yanornis)化石.该新型化石具有燕鸟的典型特征,如齿骨直且约占头骨全长的2/3、每侧约含20枚牙齿,颈椎细长,异凹型.愈合荐椎包括9枚脊椎,前肢约为后肢长的1.1倍.近端脚趾较其它趾节长和粗壮.然而,该新型化石部分特征又不同于燕鸟的模式种——马氏燕鸟(Yanornis martini),如其肱骨三角肌脊强烈发育,约为肱骨长度的一半.尺骨、桡骨及手部近等长,均长于肱骨.耻骨联合部较短,与尾综骨等长,不到耻骨长度的1/6.腓骨较长,约为股骨长度的4/5,约为胫跗骨长度的2/3.跗跖骨较短并完全愈合,不及胫跗骨长度一半.根据该新型化石的独特性及其与义县鸟、松岭鸟和马氏燕鸟的特征对比,笔者建立了燕鸟一新种——国章燕鸟(Yanornis guozhangisp.nov.).此外,国章燕鸟(新种)颈部还保存有3条鱼化石,这一特殊现象为研究燕鸟的生活习性和发育模式提供了重要信息.     

A New Enantiornithes (Aves) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new bird from the early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China is described. This new species, Grabauornis lingyuanensis, shares several synapomorphies with the Enantiornithes. The specimen is relatively well preserved. The skeletal morphology of Grabauornis bears close resemblance to that of other Chinese members of this clade. The brachial index （the ratio between the lengths of humerus and ulna） is 0.95, which is close to the average for enantiornithine birds. It indicates that Grabauornis was a rather good flyer, and the presence of an alula in the wing further testifies to this.     

A New Specimen of Liaoceratops yanzigouensis (Dinosauria:Neoceratopsia) from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China

A new specimen of basal neoceratopsian dinosaur Liaoceratops yanzigouensis is described. The specimen comes from the Lujiatun Bed of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Beipiao City of western Liaoning Province, and is represented by a very well preserved three-dimensional partial skull and mandible. It is also the smallest among the three specimens of L. yanzigouensis, and several features in the new specimen, such as the short preorbital length and the round rostroventral orbital rim, can be ontogenetically-related. The superb exposure of the palatal complex may be caused by the removing of its brain by a small predator in the contemporary Jehol Biota.     

A New Troodontid (Theropoda: Troodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning, China

A specimen collected from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China, represents a new genus and species of troodontid theropod. The new taxon is named and described on the basis of the holotype and the only known specimen, which comprises an articulated skeleton with the presacral vertebral, shoulder girdle and forelimbs missing as preserved. Diagnostic features of the new species include nasals that are sinusoid in lateral view, absence of a passage connecting the antorbital and maxillary fenestrae, relatively large teeth, plate-like chevrons forming a band along most of the length of the tail, and a long neck between the femoral head and shaft. The temporal constraints of the three paravian groups (Troodontidae, Dromaeosauridae and Aves) combined with the character distributions among the earliest known troodontids indicate a rapid evolution at the base of the Troodontidae.     

中国辽西早白垩世义县组始无齿翼龙新材料

根据新材料,对始无齿翼龙的特征进行了修订：中部颈椎体没有神经棘;肱骨三角嵴的长度与肱骨长度之比率约为0．2．5：翼掌骨的长度与第二翼指骨的长度几乎相等;第二翼指骨与第一翼指骨的长度之比率约为0．76。始无齿翼龙的新标本与正型稍微不同,可能由个体发育所引起。     

A Dichocarpum-like Angiosperm from the Early Cretaceous of China

The Yixian Formation (the Early Cretaceous) of China has yielded a diverse group of early angiosperms, revealing the charm of angiosperms from the formation is far from finishing. Here we report a fossil angiosperm, Nothodichocarpum gen. et sp. nov, with physically connected female parts, male parts, branches, and leaves with pinnate reticulate venation from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China. In addition to the previous reports, this report underscores the diversity of angiosperms in the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation and earlier origin of angiosperms. The morphological variations in the reproductive parts in different stages allow us to infer the development of this early angiosperm. This fossil plant demonstrates a unique character assemblage that sheds new light on the origin and evolution of carpels.     

辽西早白垩世早期热河生物群沉积环境及古地理综合研究

辽西地区早白垩世早期义县组以产出精美的热河生物群而闻名于世,热河生物群研究的每一个重要进展都引起国内外科学家的极大关注。然而热河生物群产出的古地理环境和盆地沉积特征的研究由于受到后期构造破坏和风化作用的影响,难以开展详细的野外工作,研究程度较低。本次系统的野外沉积学工作表明,辽西地区义县组6个沉积层形成于被动大陆边缘向前陆盆地演化过程中的各个阶段,区域沉积环境属于冲积扇-辫状河-曲流河-湖泊沉积体系。从老公沟层到金刚山层经历了沉积环境的频繁变化,岩相类型和岩石组合频繁更替,碎屑供给充分,快速沉积的演化过程,最终完成了盆地充填。全部沉积环境可进一步分为河流和湖泊两大类。河流沉积相在义县组各沉积层的早期占据主体部分,每一盆地构造演化旋回的沉积阶段都是从洪积扇到河流相开始的,并受当时的地质、地理和气候条件的差异分别向淡水湖泊沉积和咸水湖沉积演化。在以河流沉积为主的盆地充填阶段主要由洪(冲)积扇组合、洪泛平原组合和湖岸平原-三角洲组合三种组合模式构成。湖泊沉积主要由静水深湖沉积模式和半咸水湖的(膏盐)碳酸盐沉积模式构成。     

A New Troodontid Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China

A new troodontid dinosaur,Daliansaurus liaoningensis gen.et sp.nov.,is erected based on a nearly complete specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Beipiao City,Liaoning Province,China.This well preserved skeleton provides important new details of the anatomy for Liaoning troodontids,and gives new insight into their phylogenetic relationships and evolution.Daliansaurus is distinguished from other troodontids by an enlarged ungual on pedal digit IV,which is approximately the same size as the sickle-shaped second ungual,and is differentiated from other Liaoning troodontids by a number of characters of the skull,manus,pelvis,and hindlimb.A phylogenetic analysis recovers Daliansaurus within a subclade of Liaoning troodontids that also includes Sinovenator,Sinusonasus,and Mei.We erect a name for this group—Sinovenatorinae—and argue that it reflects a localized radiation of small-bodied troodontids in the Early Cretaceous of eastern Asia,similar to previously recognized radiations of Liaoning dromaeosaurids and avialans.As more Liaoning theropods are discovered,it is becoming apparent that small,feathered paravians were particularly diverse during the Early Cretaceous,and future work is needed to clarify how this diversity arose,which species coexisted,and how these numerous species partitioned niches.     

New genera and species of bark-gnawing beetles (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of Western Liaoning,China

Two new genera from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, northeastern China are described and illustrated. Paracretocateres gen. nov. (type species P. bellus, sp. nov.) and Yixianteres gen. nov. (type species Y. beipiaoensis sp. nov.) are assigned to the subfamily Lophocaterinae based on the state of the procoxae which are not projecting, the transverse procoxal cavities, and the exposed protochantins. The new taxa broaden the diversity of this family and provide further morphological characters for phylogenetic studies of Trogossitidae. They also provide evidence that lophocaterines well-diversified prior to the trogossitines and their biologies may have been similar to extant forms.     

An Early Cretaceous Avialian Bird, Shenzhouraptor sinensis from Western Liaoning, China

This paper describes an avialian bird from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Yixian county, western Liaoning, China, which is named as Shenzhouraptor sinensis by Ji et al. on July 15, 2002. Shenzhouraptor sinensis is characterized by no teeth in its mouth, the forelimbs longer than the hindlimbs, a long tail with more than 23 caudal vertebrae, U-shaped wishbone, and remiges longer than the total length of ulna and manus. It is certain that the new avialian bird is really capable of powerful flight, representing a missing link between theropod dinosaurs and birds.     

A New Ctenochasmatid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province

Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen, et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different from any known pterosaurs with skulls preserved from western Liaoning Province and its peripheral areas in that the anterior part of the mandibular symphysis is expanded, being widest between the fourth alveolus of each side. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is assigned to Ctenochasmatidae based on the following characters: the rounded anterior end of the lower jaw is spatulated and dorsoventrally flattened and marked heterodonty in the dentition is absent. It differs from other ctenochasmatid pterosaurs in having relatively small number of teeth. Liaoxipterus is distinguished from some ornithocheirids, which have expanded anterior parts of the mandibular symphyses, such as Anhanguera piscator,Coloborhynchus robustus in which the teeth of the new pterosaur are not as variable.     

On the Lower Cretaceous in Yixian County of Jinzhou City, Western Liaoning, China

Traditionally, the lacustrine deposits in Yixian County of Western Liaoning have been assigned to either “the Dakangpu Bed” of the Yixian Formation or the Jiufotang Formation. However, a 206Pb/238U age of 126.47±0.87 Ma is newly obtained from the tuff sample (06051) of the lacustrine deposits in the Baitaigou fossil site of Potaizi village, Yixian County, indicating that the lacustrine deposits in Potaizi area are approximately equivalent to the Wumingshan volcanics of the Sihetun Bed of the Yixian Formation in Beipiao. From our new dating data have arisen some new problems: Where could we find the Jiufotang Formation in Yixian County? How widely distributed is the Jiufotang Formation in Western Liaoning? Could the traditionally named Jiufotang Formation somewhere in Western Liaoning be the synchronous deposits of other litho-units (e.g. the Yixian Formation) in different facies? Could some lacustrine deposits somewhere in Western Liaoning have been assigned to the Jiufotang Formation?     

A Novel Angiosperm from the Early Cretaceous and Its Implications for Carpel‐Deriving

The Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous) of China is famous for its fossils of early angiosperms, and these fossils have shed otherwise unavailable light on the evolution of angiosperms. The seeds in Archaefructus and Nothodichocarpum are inserted along the dorsal of the fruits while those in Sinocarpus are along the ventral of the fruits, suggesting different Bau‐plans and pathways deriving the carpels in these plants of the Early Cretaceous. Adding further fossil evidence, here we report a novel fossil angiosperm, Neofructus lingyuanensis gen. et sp. nov, with its seeds inserted on both ventral and dorsal sides of the fruits documented through light microscopic and SEM observations, suggesting a novel way forming gynoecium in the Yixian Formation. These fossil angiosperms indicate that angiosperm gynoecia in the Yixian Formation (the Barremian to Aptian) are derived in obviously different ways, implying an evolutionary scenario for angiosperms quite different from formerly assumed.     

辽西早白垩世义县组燕子沟辽角龙(Liaoceratops yanzigouensis)新材料

报道了一件产自辽西北票地区早白垩世义县组陆家屯层中的燕子沟辽角龙(Liaoceratops yanzigouensis)化石标本。该标本保存了燕子沟辽角龙的一些典型特征:前颌齿3颗;较大的三角形的眶前窝,外颧骨不发育;前齿骨上翘呈钩状;下颌后腹缘的边棱脊发育,并在其后部发育瘤状结节。根据对化石的CT扫描和三维图像重建,笔者对燕子沟辽角龙吻骨的形态特征进行了补充,包括吻骨前缘呈龙骨脊状,后侧发育一棱柱状纵脊等。此外,首次对燕子沟辽角龙的头后骨骼进行了描述,其中,股骨第四转子的特征可能对基干新角龙类的分类有一定意义。     

New data on Early Cretaceous odonatans (Stenophlebiidae,Aeschnidiidae) from northern China

Liaostenophlebia yixianensis gen. et sp. nov., a new stenophlebiid damsel-dragonfly, is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, northern China. It is the third Chinese damsel-dragonfly belonging to the family Stenophlebiidae to be described. Liaostenophlebia gen. nov. differs from the other genera of Stenophlebiidae in having Ax2 shifted just above MAb, a transverse and narrow Hal, a more curved anterior side of the hypertriangle, and a broader cubital-anal area. Sinostenophlebia zhanjiakouensis Hong, 1984 was previously attributed to Stenophlebiidae and hardly compares with other genera within this family. A check of the plates of the type species (Sinostenophlebia zhanjiakouensis Hong, 1984) suggests that Sinostenophlebia Hong, 1984 should be a member of the family Aeschnidiidae and it is very likely that this genus is a junior synonym of Leptaeschnidium Pritykina, 1977. The new data increases the diversity of both Stenophlebiidae and Aeschnidiidae in the Lower Cretaceous of China.     

New Eoenantiornithid Bird from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning, China

1 Introduction Enantiornithes were the most blooming branch among the early birds and had distinct diversities. They flourished in the Early Cretaceous (Kurochkim, 1985; Chiappe, 1991; Sanz and Bonaparte, 1992; Boles, 1995; Elzanowski, 1995), and become extinct at the end of the Late Cretaceous. Lots of the birds have been reported in western Liaoning, China (Sereno and Rao, 1992; Zhou, 1995; Hou, 1996, 1997; Sanz and Chiappe, 1996; Sanz et al., 1997; Hou and Chen, 1999; Hou et al., 1…     

New fossil species of the Venicoridae (Heteroptera: Pentatomomorpha) from the Lower Cretaceous of Northeast China

Specimens of the Venicoridae (Heteroptera) occur in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in northeastern China. We describe a new genus and two new species Halonatusivena shii gen. et sp. nov. and Halonatusivena nervosus sp. nov. from this formation. The veins of the membrane are distinctive; the edges of veins are not simple but resemble an irregular stain, with a reduced vasiform structure previously unknown in the Heteroptera. Remarkably, the antennae of one of the specimens of Halonatusivena shii exhibit morphological abnormality. An identification key for the known species of the Venicoridae is provided.     

New Material of Pterosaur Sinopterus （Reptilia： Pterosauria） from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation, Western Liaoning, China

1 Introduction The Jiufotang Formation is one of the most fossil- productive Early Cretaceous deposits of China. It overlies the famous Yixian Formation from which many important taxa were found (Ji et al., 2004; Chang et al., 2003; Zhou et al., 2003). In addition to other vertebrates, pterosaurs, the first flying reptiles in Earth history, are also abundant in the Jiufotang Formation. At present, nine species belonging to five genera have been reported from the Jiufotang Formation. The…     

New Azhdarchid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Western Liaoning

A nearly complete skeleton with a lower jaw of pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of western Liaoning is described and assigned to a new genus, Eoazhdarcho gen. nov.. The new genus is characterized by a relatively small size,the ratio of the length to width of the middle series cervical vertebrae approximately 3.5 and the ratio of humeral length to femoral length approximately 0.96. The humerus of Eoazhdarcho shows great resemblances to that of previously described Azhdarchidae, so it is assigned to the family Azhdarchidae.     

辽宁省四合屯下白垩统义县组的兽脚类足迹化石和可能的造迹者

记述了辽宁省四合屯下白垩统义县组三个半恐龙足迹,归入似鹬龙足迹（亦译为跷脚龙足迹）一未定种（Grallator isp.）。这是义县组恐龙足迹化石的首次描述。该行迹至少由3个造迹者所造。从足迹推断恐龙体长1.51m,属于义县组兽脚类恐龙较为普遍的体长范围。重建了尾羽鸟(Caudipteryx)和中华龙鸟(Sinosauropteryx)的足部,前者的足迹轮廓与似鹬龙足迹未定种的吻合度超过后者。根据化石记录,似鹬龙足迹类型可能广泛存在于义县组的各种中小型兽脚类（驰龙类与伤齿龙类除外）中。