内蒙古鄂托克旗早白垩世龟类化石一新种

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世地层中产有丰富的龟类化石,本文记述了鄂托克旗查布一带泾川组的一件龟类背甲,其近六边形的第3椎盾宽为长的2倍且其前侧缘长约为后侧缘长的1.7倍、第8对肋板在中线处相接、第1上臀板宽大、侧棘发达等组合特征,表明其不同于中国龟属Sinemys的已知种,被命名为查布中国龟(新种)Sinemys chabuensis sp.nov.。龟类在鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世恐龙动物群中具有较高的分异度,志丹群泾川组和罗汉洞组中各发现至少2个种的龟类,它们既有继承性又有差异性,为研究中国龟类(sinemydids)的演化提供重要依据。     

辽西早白垩世-新梳颌翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽宁省西部下白垩统九佛堂组的一近乎完整的梳齿颌翼龙类下颌，确立了一新属新种：短颌辽西翼龙Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen.et sp.nov．短颌辽西翼龙以它前部扩张的下颌缝合部，左右第四齿槽间的距离最宽等特征不同于发现于辽西及其周边地区任何具有头骨保存的翼龙类，基于其扁宽的下颌吻端，牙齿大小分异小及短的下颌缝合部，把它归入梳齿翼龙类，短颌辽西翼龙以其较少的牙齿数目区别于其他梳齿颌翼龙，     

辽宁西部一新的帆翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽西朝阳九佛堂组一具有部分头骨的不完整骨架,命名一新的帆翼龙——赵氏龙城翼龙（新属新种）。头骨和牙齿形态显示龙城翼龙与宽齿帆翼龙的关系要比与其他翼龙的关系密切,龙城翼龙是目前辽西九佛堂组中发现的唯一的帆翼龙类。帆翼龙科原仅一属种,发现于英国早白垩世地层中,辽西早白垩世新帆翼龙的发现,不但扩大了其地理分布,也证明辽西是晚侏罗世至早白垩世翼龙辐射、分异的重要地区。这对研究翼龙的起源和演化有重要意义。     

辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世一新的无齿翼龙化石

采自辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世九佛堂组的一翼龙化石被记述。化石材料是一接近完整骨架的无齿的翼龙，带有一不完全的头骨。作者将其归于翼手龙类(Pteroclactyloidea)，并建一新属、新种一无齿吉大翼龙(Jidapterus edentus gen．et sp．nov．)。     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世原角龙类化石的发现及其意义

根据采自内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯杭锦旗一件恐龙不完整头骨新材料的形态学特征,鉴定其为原角龙未定种(Protoceratops sp.),产出地层为下白垩统.这是原角龙属化石在早白垩世地层中的首次报道,也是该类恐龙在鄂尔多斯地区的首次记录.该化石的发现,扩大了原角龙化石在我国的地理分布范围,也丰富了鄂尔多斯地区恐龙动物群的内容.     

辽宁西部早白垩世朝阳翼龙科 (Chaoyangopteridae)化石一新种

中国辽宁西部早白垩世翼龙类化石非常丰富,其上部的九佛堂组翼龙类组合以含有丰富的无齿的古神翼龙科、朝阳翼龙科等进步类型而与下部的义县组翼龙类组合相区别。本文描述了辽宁西部建昌盆地九佛堂组一新的大型翼龙类化石,其以上下颌无齿、吻端指数为3.7、前颌骨背支细长且封闭鼻眶前孔背缘、很大的鼻眶前孔后端超过上下颌关节位置、轭骨的上颌骨突基部宽大而应被归入朝阳翼龙科(Chaoyangopteridae)神州翼龙属(Shenzhoupterus)。其以较大的体形(翼展2.05 m)、平直的上下颌咬合面、轭骨的眶后骨突较泪骨突长且基部略宽、第4～7颈椎长度依次减小等特征,区别于朝阳神州翼龙(Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis),而被命名为三亚神州翼龙(新种)(Shenzhoupterus sanyainus sp. nov.)。这是辽宁西部早白垩世翼展最大且不具牙齿的翼龙类属种,它的发现丰富了九佛堂组翼龙类组合内容,对认识朝阳翼龙科的骨骼形态与生态习性亦具有积极意义。     

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。     

甘肃永靖盐锅峡早白垩世翼龙足迹的发现及意义

甘肃永靖盐锅峡恐龙足迹1号化石点中保存有翼龙足迹, 该足迹是我国翼龙足迹的首次发现.翼龙足迹为四足行走, 行迹宽.前脚为不对称三趾型, 趾行式, 其中Ⅱ趾最短, Ⅳ趾最长, 足迹外偏, 偏角大, Ⅳ趾与行迹交角为160°~ 180°.后脚外形为近长方形, 四趾型, Ⅱ、Ⅲ趾较Ⅰ、Ⅳ趾长, 行式, 脚长为宽的3倍, 足迹外偏, 偏角30°.足迹特征表明该翼龙足迹属于一新种.沉积特征表明翼龙足迹产于湖岸环境.      

记中国辽西一新的古神翼龙类化石

根据一具有头骨和下颌保存的几乎完整骨架,建立古神翼龙类一新属新种:季氏华夏翼龙。华夏翼龙的头骨形态显示它处于中国翼龙和古神翼龙的过渡阶段。从华夏翼龙头骨的形态(低的头骨脊)看,显示了它与中国翼龙的关系要比与具有高的头骨脊的古神翼龙密切。中国翼龙相对低长的头骨显     

中国早白垩世翼龙动物群及其多样性对比

中国西北和东北地区发育中生代河湖相沉积的陆相盆地,其中赋存丰富的脊椎动物化石群,包括天山北部准噶尔盆地的乌尔禾翼龙动物群、天山南部吐哈盆地的哈密翼龙动物群和辽西热河生物群富含翼龙化石。乌尔禾和哈密翼龙动物群都发现于下白垩统吐谷鲁群中,两者的繁盛时间大致相当,这两个动物群的翼龙个体数量巨大,但是物种多样性很低。乌尔禾翼龙动物群的化石多保存在半深湖环境沉积的细砂岩和粉砂岩中,化石保存较为完整,主要为正常死亡;哈密翼龙动物群的化石富集保存在滨浅湖环境事件沉积的风暴岩中,大都经过了大型风暴的短距离搬运和快速埋藏,骨架分散,但几乎所有单个骨骼完整。东北地区的热河生物群翼龙种类众多,共生包括鱼类、两栖类、恐龙等其他爬行类、鸟类和哺乳类等脊椎动物,生物多样性极为丰富,大多保存在半深湖-深湖环境形成的页岩中,骨架多为完整保存,是火山爆发事件导致其集群死亡,并被火山灰快速埋藏,与新疆的动物群面貌明显不同。根据天山南北的翼龙动物群初步对比,乌尔禾翼龙动物群的主要优势类群准噶尔翼龙类,在天山北部的准噶尔盆地及相邻的蒙古西部地区都有分布,与天山南部的哈密翼龙动物群中已知唯一翼龙类群哈密翼龙完全不同,两者亲缘关系很远。因此认为在中生代,天山的隆升就已经达到了一定的高度,并对翼龙的南北迁徙交流形成了有效的地理阻隔。依据中国东北和西北地区早白垩世翼龙动物群对比,认为辽西及相邻周边地区由于华北克拉通破坏,导致大量火山活动,造成了生态环境的多样性和生物种类的快速更替,从而形成了热河生物群独有的极高的生物多样性,而缺少火山活动、环境相对单一的西北陆相盆地,虽然翼龙类具有数以千万计的庞大居群,但是物种多样性很低。华北克拉通破坏导致的辽西地区频繁而强烈的火山活动,是形成中国西北和东北早白垩世生物多样性差异的重要原因。     

First record of Early Cretaceous pterosaur from the Ordos Region,Inner Mongolia,China

A new dsungaripterid pterosaur, Ordosipterus planignathus gen. et sp. nov., is established on the incomplete articulated lower jaws from the Lower Cretaceous Luohandong Formation in Otog Qi, Ordos Region, Inner Mongolia, China. It differs from other dsungaripterids mainly by having broad and low dentary at and just behind the mandibular symphysis, flat dentary dorsal plane forming the distinct lateral ridge with the curved dentary lateral side, and lower alveoli arranged along the dentary dorsolateral margin with wide spacing that increases from rostral to caudal. It represents the first diagnostic pterosaur from the Ordos Region in Inner Mongolia, and further enlarges the geographical distribution of the family Dsungaripteridae from northwestern China (together with western Mongolia) to central North China.     

A new pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Santana Formation (Cretaceous) of Brazil

A partial skull comprising fused maxilla/premaxilla and palate of a ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Santana Formation of the Araripe Basin in NE Brazil is named as the new genus and species Unwindia trigonus gen. et sp. nov. on account of its long slender rostrum, isodonty with raised dental alveoli and dentition of seven tooth pairs restricted to the portion of the rostrum anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra. Unwindia is assigned to the Ctenochasmatoidea, and is probably basal within the clade.     

A New Hadrosauriform Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Gansu Province, China

A new basal hadrosauriform dinosaur, Xuwulong yueluni gen. et sp. nov., is reported based on an articulated specimen including a complete cranium, almost complete axial skeleton, and complete left pelvic girdle. The specimen is recovered from the Early Cretaceous Yujingzi Basin in the Jiuquan area, Gansu Province of northwestern China. Xuwulong is among the most basal members of hadrosauriform dinosaurs, and distinguished by its unique lower jaw in having a V-shaped rostral end of the dentary in lateral view and a mandibular articular surface which levels with mid-height of the dentary ramus, as well as an enlarged and downturned prepubic process. Including Xuwulong, three basal hadrosauriforms have been discovered from the Early Cretaceous Xinminpu Group in the Mazongshan area, making it an important area to study the origin and early evolution of duck-billed dinosaurs.     

A New Species of Cathayornis from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China and Its Stratigraphic Significance

An incomplete postcranial avian skeleton is described from the Lower Cretaceous Jingchuan Formation of Otog Banner of western Inner Mongolia and referred to a new species of Cathayornis, C. chabuensis sp. nov. This is the first report of a Cathayornis from outside Liaoning Province. The new discovery indicates that Cathayornis coexisted with Otogornis genghisi, and a more detailed comparison between these two enantiornithine genera shows that Otogornis represents a more primitive genus than Cathayornis. Our analyses further indicate that Cathayornis is an arboreal bird. The discovery of a Cathayornis from this region also confirms that the avian fossil-bearing Jingchuan Formation is comparable to the Jiufotang Formation of the upper Jehol Group in western Liaoning, and should be referred to the middle-late Early Cretaceous.     

A new ‘primitive’ family of thrips from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber (Insecta, Thysanoptera)

A new family of thrips, Moundthripidae, is described on the basis of a new genus and species, Moundthrips beatificus, from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber. This taxon has plesiomorphic prognathous mouthparts, a unique type of wing venation and the main apomorphies of the Thysanoptera of the legs and mouthpart structures, suggesting that they were acquired very early during the evolution of this order.     

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.     

Sauropod Teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Luohandong Formation of Ordos Basin, Inner Mongolia

The Early Cretaceous Zhidan Group in the northern Ordos Basin, Inner Mongolia, yielded a large number of tetrapods, including turtles, choristoderes, crocodyliforms, psittacosaurs, stegosaurs, theropods and birds. Well-preserved sauropod teeth have been found in the Luohandong Formation, a middle-upper unit of the Zhidan Group. The large V-shaped wear facet, low slenderness index value, labial grooves, lingual ridge and concavity on the tooth crown suggest that these teeth are from titanosauriforms. Moreover, the presence of the prominent bosses on the lingual side of the tooth crown indicates these teeth should be identified as Euhelopus teeth further. The existence of Euhelopus in Ordos Basin (Inner Mongolia), Shandong Province and western Liaoning Province shows some connections about vertebrate faunas during Early Cretaceous in these areas. Other tetrapod groups such as turtles (Sinemys, Ordosemys), choristoderes (Ikechosaurus), psittacosaurs (Psittacosaurus) and birds (Cathayornis) provide more evidences for this viewpoint.     

A new Osmylidae (Insecta,Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation in Brazil

Cratosmylus magnificus gen. et sp. nov., type genus and species of the new osmylid subfamily Cratosmylinae, is described from the Lower Cretaceous of the Crato Formation, Brazil. The relationships of this taxon remain uncertain within the Osmylidae, mainly due to the lack of phylogeny of the whole family. Nevertheless, it shares with the Mesozoic subfamily Saucrosmylinae the Rs curved and bent anteriorly distally, even in a more pronounced state, i.e. Rs touching R1 in its distal part.