Paleoecology of Inoceramus amakusensis Nagao et Matsumoto, 1940 (Bivalvia) in a Late Cretaceous shallow clastic sea: The Himenoura Group, Kyushu, Japan

The taphonomic features and paleoecology of this species were investigated focused on vertically embedded individuals of articulated Inoceramus amakusensis Nagao et Matsumoto. In the Hinoshima Formation, Himenoura Group of Kyushu, Japan, this Santonian (Late Cretaceous) inoceramid bivalve characteristically occurs in incised-valley fill siliciclastic marine deposits. Modes of I. amakusensis occurrence and preservation, from in situ (= occurrence in life position) to allochthonous shell fragments, are strongly affected by its paleoecology and depositional environments. Several I. amakusensis (up to 25 cm in shell height) were recovered from bioturbated sandstones associated with storm-influenced deposits. Their commissural planes are almost perpendicular to the bedding plane, with the anterior face oriented downward and the posteroventral portion extending upward. Furthermore, I. amakusensis is morphologically comparable to endobyssate mytilid bivalves today. These results suggest that this Cretaceous species was an orthothetic sand sticker at least during mid-ontogeny that preferentially inhabited a well-oxygenated, nearshore seafloor. I. amakusensis was distributed in various depositional environments and has been regarded as a recliner in offshore muddy substrate. However, the present discovery suggests that it was also well adapted, with an upright life position, to high-energy shallow clastic environments characterized by high sediment supply.     

The Baganuur coal deposit, Mongolia: depositional environments and paleoecology of a Lower Cretaceous coal-bearing intermontane basin in Eastern Asia

The investigations involved geophysical, sedimentological, palynological, chemical and mineralogical studies, supported by field-based infrared spectrometry. The Baganuur Basin, Central Mongolia, is among the rift or pull-apart-basins, which subsided at the boundary between the Jurassic and the Lower Cretaceous in East Asia. During the Berriasian, peat accumulation began in the area under study in Central Mongolia. The palynoflora is akin to the Siberian palynological province. Based on the phytoclast assemblages and the ratios of total sulfur content to total organic content, marine transgressions into this intermontane basin may be ruled out. The coal interseam sediments were laid down prevalently under neutral to slightly alkaline conditions; only in some carbonaceous sediments, the pH of intrastratal solutions was lowered. Suboxic to anoxic conditions persisted during almost the entire Lower Cretaceous period in the Baganuur Basin. Based on the distribution of fining- and coarsening-upward sequences and the organic matter, the basin fill has been subdivided into seven depositional units (A: fluvial–swamp, B: fluvial–lacustrine, C: deltaic–fluvial, D: fluvial, E: fluvial–deltaic–lacustrine/floodplain (?), F: lacustrine–deltaic–swamp, G: swamp–fluvial). A conspicuous change in the fluvial–lacustrine regime and an increase in the sediment supply may be observed at the boundary between depositional units B and C. A strong uplift triggered the onset of an intensive delta sedimentation. Lithoclasts, heavy minerals (e.g., apatite, zircon, garnet, anatase, brookite, epidote, sphene, tourmaline) and phyllosilicates (e.g., kaolinite, smectite, mica, chlorite) attest to a mixing of detrital material. One provenance area was abundant in acidic plutonic rocks as shown by the granitic lithoclasts, the other in volcanic rocks, which produced the vitroclastic debris deposited as tephra fallout. Post-depositional alteration of the siliciclastic interseam sediments was favored by a distinctive facies association of transmissive and sealing horizons. It led to a re-deposition of Ca, U and Sr in the siliciclastics. Post-depositional alteration of the organic material converted it into lignite to subbituminous C coal.     

松辽盆地深层侏罗系-下白垩统生物组合和沉积环境

本文描述了松辽盆地探井揭露的深层地层序列及其所产的5个牛物门类化石组合特征.9个孢粉组合是Monosulcites-Cyathidites组合、Pinaceae-Cyathidites-Osmundaeidites组合、Classopollis-Piceites组合、Lophotriletes-Cicatricosisporites组合、Paleoconiferus-Lygodiumsporites组合、Cyathidites-Leiotriletes-Clavatipollenites组合、Cicatricosisporites-Leiotriletes-Polyporopollenites组合、Leiotriletes-Schizaeoisporites-Classopollis组合和Trilobosporites-Cyathidites-Tricolpollenites组合.3个藻类组合是Vesperopsis-Australisphaera组合、Balmula granorugosa组合和Vesperopsis zhaodongensis组合.2个介形类组合是Cypridea unicostata-Limnocypridesadscondida组合和Mongolocypris limpida-Paracandona planiuscula组合.4个植物组合是Elatocladus submanchurica-Ginkgoites orientalis组合、Acanthopteris gothani-Pterophyllum组合、Sphenopteris johnstrupii-Coniopteris nympharum组合和Platanus septentrionalis-Protophyllum undulaturn组合.3个大孢子组合是Minerisporites sp.组合、Ricinospora leavigata-Galamospora sp.组合和Arcellites组合.还介绍了叶肢介、轮藻、双壳类和鱼类化石的产出情况.结合同位素资料认为：大庆群时代为中侏罗世,火石岭组可能为贝里阿斯期,沙河子组为凡兰吟期-欧特里夫期,营城组为欧特里夫期-巴列姆期,登娄库组为巴列姆期-阿普第期早期,泉头组一-二段为阿普第-阿尔卑期,并对各组沉积环境进行了初步分析.     

松辽盆地上白垩统陆相遗迹化石及其沉积环境

松辽盆地上白垩统中含有丰富的遗迹化石,通过对该盆地20余口取心井岩心的详细观察,发现了6大类动物遗迹化石15属20种。根据这些遗迹化石的分布规律,在松辽盆地上白垩统中划分出5种遗迹化石组合：（1）Scoyenia遗迹组合,主要成分有Scoyenia gracilis、Skolithos和Planolites,偶见停息迹化石,反映的是遭受周期性暴露的极浅水环境;（2）Skolithos遗迹组合,主要以Skolithos和Cylindricum十分发育为特征,分异度小,丰度高,反映的是高能动水环境。（3）Arenicolites遗迹组合,主要以Arenicolites和Polykladichnus大量发育为特征,还见有Skolithos、Planolites、Thalassinoides和逃逸迹等化石,分异度较高,反映了水流能量较低的浅水环境;（4）Planolites遗迹组合,以密集分布的Planolites十分发育为特征,分异度小,丰度高,见有少量指示缺氧环境的Chondrites化石,反映了水体较平静的还原环境;（5）Fuersichnus遗迹组合,主要由Fuersichnus、Glockeria、Gordia、Megagrapton和Planolites等遗迹分子构成,反映了相对平静的深水环境。     

New fossil anurans from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group of Hyogo Prefecture,Western Honshu,Japan

We describe two well-preserved and articulated fossil anurans excavated from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group in Hyogo Prefecture, Western Honshu, Japan, as new taxa on the basis of unique combinations of character states. We performed a phylogenetic analysis that included these new taxa, as well as Mesozoic and archaic anurans. This analysis strongly supports the monophyly of each of the two new taxa, both of which are placed in more derived positions than extant leiopelmatids or Liaobatrachus from the Lower Cretaceous in China. Anuran specimens from the Tetori Group of Japan are not assigned to the two new taxa, suggesting that at least three anuran taxa were present in Japan during the Early Cretaceous. These Japanese representatives are not closely related to known fossil anurans from Eastern Eurasia, unlike recently described Cretaceous lizards from these two regions.     

西藏尼玛一带上白垩统竟柱山组的厘定及其意义

西藏尼玛县城西-色林错一带发育一套山间河湖相的红色碎屑岩系,属红色磨拉石建造.该红色碎屑岩系底部不整合于下白垩统及其以下层位之上.其时代归属尚不统一,有划归为上三叠统巫嘎群,有划归为古近系始新统牛堡组.2000~2002年作者在尼玛县城西、双湖区南措折乡宋我日分别测制了剖面,2002年又在尼玛县城西剖面补采样品,获得丰富的孢粉化石.根据所含孢粉组合特征及时代,将其划归上白垩统竟柱山组.     

松辽盆地北部上白垩统油页岩地球化学特征及沉积环境初探

松辽盆地北部上白垩统油页岩属中一差油页岩;有机质类型以Ⅰ型为主,Ⅱ.型为辅,处于低成熟一成熟阶段.生物标记化合物都含有丰富的正构烷烃、类异戊二烯型烷烃、萜类化合物和甾类化合物.正构烷烃呈前高后低的单峰型分布,nC₂₃、nC₂₇为主峰碳,重烃组份占绝对优势,OEP值为1.02～6.63,具有明显的奇碳数优势.Pr/Ph比值为0.13～1.37,多数小于0.6,具植烷优势,伽马蜡烷含量较高,油页岩沉积环境为咸化还原环境且盐度较高.萜烷丰度顺序为五环三萜烷>三环萜烷,三环萜烷中C₂₀、C₂₁和C₂₃,丰度相对较高,且C₂₀、C₂₁和C₂₃多呈倒“V”形分布,C₂₃相对富集.甾类化合物主要成份为规则甾烷C₂₇、C₂₈和C₂₉,ααα20RC₂₇、C₂₈和C₂₉甾烷多数呈几乎对称的“V”形分布,C₂₉ >C₂₈ >C₂₇.甾萜烷分布特征反映其原始有机母质构成中既有丰富的菌藻类等低等水生生物,又有一定比例的陆生高等植物混合输入.     

西藏尼玛一带上白垩统竞柱山组的厘定及其意义

西藏尼玛县城西-色林错一带发育一套山间河湖相的红色碎屑岩系，属红色磨拉石建造。该红色碎屑岩系底部不整合于下白垩统及其以下层位之上。其时代归属尚不统一，有划归为上三叠统巫嘎群，有划归为古近系始新统牛堡组。2000～2002年作者在尼玛县城西、双湖区南措折乡宋我日分别测制了剖面，2002年又在尼玛县城西剖面补采样品，获得丰富的孢粉化石。根据所含孢粉组合特征及时代，将其划归上白垩统竟柱山组。     

Tetrapods from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian–Maastrichtian) Bauru Group of Brazil: a reappraisal

An updated, annotated list of all tetrapods from the Adamantina, Uberaba and Marília formations (Bauru Group), which constitute some of the best studied Upper Cretaceous units in Brazil, is presented. Tetrapod diversity in the Bauru Group is remarkable, including an admixture of typically austral Gondwanan taxa (e.g., abelisaurids, notosuchians) and boreal Gondwanan forms (e.g., carcharodontosaurids). Of note is the absence of Laurasian taxa in the upper portion of the Bauru Group. With the exception of some turtles, an anuran, mesoeucrocodylians and one titanosaur, most taxa from the Bauru Group are based on fragmentary and isolated bones, and as such many specimens can be identified only to a higher taxonomic level. Fishes, turtles, anurans, mesoeucrocodylians, dinosaurs, birds and mammals from the Adamantina and Marília formations resemble the latest Late Cretaceous vertebrate faunas from southern South America, except for the absence of ornithischian dinosaurs.     

Taphonomy of a Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes,Baurusuchidae) from the Adamantina Formation (Upper Cretaceous,Bauru Basin), Brazil: Implications for preservational modes,time resolution and paleoecology

Upper Cretaceous vertebrate accumulations from the Adamantina Formation are known due to their high taxonomic diversity. On the other hand, taphonomic analyses still are rare, limiting the understanding of processes related to the biostratinomic and fossildiagenetic histories of this lithostratigraphic unit. In 2005, fossils were collected from an outcrop located at Jales municipality, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. From this outcrop, a well-preserved Baurusuchus was recovered, which displays a peculiar set of taphonomic signatures. This paper identifies and interprets taphonomic features of a specimen of Baurusuchus (Crocodyliformes, Baurusuchidae; UFRJ DG 418-R) from the Adamantina Formation (Upper Cretaceous of the Bauru Basin), in Jales municipality, state of São Paulo. Brief taphonomic comparisons with other specimens previously studied (crocodiles and dinosaurs) and a lithofaciological analysis of the outcrop were undertaken in order to enhance the knowledge of the stratigraphy and paleoenvironment and improve the time resolution for the Adamantina Formation in the region of Jales. Furthermore, paleoecological data were interpreted based on the taphonomic analysis.The fossil is composed of an articulated segment of vertebral column, ribs, part of the pelvic girdle and gastralia. There is no hydraulic equivalence between both the specimen of Baurusuchus and the size of quartz grain predominant in the fossiliferous layer, suggesting death in situ or short transport as a “water carcass”. Teeth marks identified on the pubes were assigned to a small/juvenile baurusuchid crocodyliform or a theropod dinosaur. The repositioning of some elements (ribs and dorsal osteoderms) is suggestive of mummification. Desiccation marks were observed and attributed to the stage 1 of weathering. These features suggest subaerial exposure of the carcass prior to burial, however, probably after the mummification. On the other hand, the subaerial exposure was short, because the individual was not fully disarticulated. Furthermore, the degrees of articulation and preservation of the specimen nullify the hypothesis of reworking.Lithofaciological and taphonomic analyses suggest a well-drained floodplain as the burial environment and an arid or semi-arid climate in the region of Jales outcrop. In addition, the taphonomic signatures seem to indicate a time resolution about 10⁰–10⁴ years for the layer where the crocodyliforms were collected, but it seems to have, within this time limit, temporal-mixing among terrestrial crocodiles and dinosaurs collected from the same layer, suggesting time-averaging in this outcrop.     

Martinsonella,an early Late Cretaceous non-marine bivalve subgenus,and a new species from Kumamoto,Japan

The new non-marine bivalve species Nippononaia (Martinsonella) tamurai sp. nov. is described from the Upper Formation of the Mifune Group in Kumamoto Prefecture, Southwest Japan. The specimens originally were identified as Plicatounio (Plicatounio) B sp. by Tamura (1990). The subgenus Nippononaia (Martinsonella) previously was only reported from China, and this is the first record from Japan. The Upper Formation of the Mifune Group is of Late Cenomanian to Early Turonian age, as indicated by ammonites. “Nippononaia” (?) obsoleta Hase, 1960 from the Shiohama Formation of Yamaguchi, Japan, and Plicatounio (s.l.) A sp. of Tamura (1990) from strata northeast of Geoncheonri, South Korea, are re-assigned to Nippononaia (Martinsonella). These occurrences may be of significance for the inter-regional correlation of non-marine Cretaceous strata.     

The carinate bird Ichthyornis from the Upper Cretaceous of Mexico

A well-preserved right humerus collected from the upper Austin Group at Ejido Piedritas in Coahuila, Mexico is referable to the carinate bird Ichthyornis. This occurrence extends the known distribution of Ichthyornis to the southwest, and is among a younger (Coniacian-Campanian) group of specimens, recovered generally to the south of older (Cenomanian-Turonian) Ichthyornis specimens. The southward shift in occurrence of Ichthyornis may accord with the withdrawal of subtropical marine biota from the Western Interior Seaway of North America during the Late Cretaceous.     

A new genus of Tanyderidae (Insecta: Diptera) from Myanmar amber,Upper Cretaceous

A new genus and species, Similinannotanyderus lii gen. et sp. nov., is described from Myanmar amber. It differs from other genera of Tanyderidae based on special characters of wing venation and male genitalia. This new taxon broadens the diversity of Tanyderidae in the Cretaceous, and its morphological characters enhance our understanding of the development and evolution of the primitive crane flies.     

对西藏岗巴上白垩统的新认识

在前人研究的基础上对岗巴地区上白垩统的划分做了厘定 ,进一步建立了晚白垩世的 1 2个浮游有孔虫化石带。根据岩性特征及化石带的研究 ,上白垩统被划分为赛诺曼期至土仑早期的冷青热组 ;土仑中期至三冬期的岗巴村口组和康潘期至马斯特里赫特期的宗山组。该区赛诺曼期与土仑期的界线位于冷青热组上部 ,以 H elvetoglobotruncana praehelvetica的初现为标志。     

Aturoidea (Nautilida) from the Upper Cretaceous Sada limestone in Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan

The first specimen of Aturoidea to be recorded in East Asia has been found in the Upper Cretaceous Sada limestone in Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. The specimen is one of the few representatives from the Upper Cretaceous, along with species known from Libya, Angola, and India. The specimen is very similar to A. mathewsonni from the Paleocene deposits in California. However, we describe the specimen as A. cf. mathewsonni, as it slightly differs from A. mathewsonni in the shape of the lateral lobe of the suture. The finding reveals that Aturoidea had already lived in waters around East Asia in the Late Cretaceous.     

Dinosaur footprint assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation,Khorat Group,northeastern Thailand

The Khok Kruat Formation is the upper part of the Khorat Group, which consists of upper Lower Cretaceous non-marine sedimentary rocks in northeastern Thailand. Many dinosaur footprints have been known from the upper Lower Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) Khok Kruat Formation at the Huai Dam Chum (Tha Uthen) site, northeastern Thailand. Approximately 600 tracks occur in thin mudstone layer of the northern part of the outcrop at the Huai Dam Chum track site. Two types of footprints, small-sized theropod and crocodylomorph are imprinted with mud cracks and ripple marks on the thin mud layer. Most of footprints are referred to cf. Asianopodus, and are imprinted by small-sized theropoda, probably ornithomimosauria. Theropod tracks are mainly separated into two groups, Group A and Group B. From ichnological viewpoints, the small-sized theropod track assemblage indicates the herd behaviour and its idiosyncratic group composition. In particular, the histogram of size-frequency measurements of Group A shows the anomalous bimodal distribution. We consider that there are two hypotheses; the first one is due to the male-female difference, and the second is a result of the different growing stage.     

Fukuititan nipponensis, A New Titanosauriform Sauropod from the Early Cretaceous Tetori Group of Fukui Prefecture,Japan

<正>A titanosauriform dinosaur:Fukuititan nipponensis gen.et sp.nov.is erected based on the incomplete skeleton.It is characterized by elongated asymmetric tooth crown with a weak or absent labial groove and without lingual concavity;stalk-like epipophysis of cervical vertebra;the transverse width of the proximal end of the humerus approximately 32%of the humerus length;metacarpal longer,approximately 48%of the radius and the distal end of the ischia slightly expanded.It represents the first relatively complete titanosauriform skeleton found from Japan.The discovery of Fukuititan indicates that the diversity and geographical distribution of Titanosauriformes are much higher than the previous thought.     

松辽盆地北部上白垩统地层颜色变化及其沉积环境指示意义

通过颜色指数的方法对松辽盆地北部上白垩统地层颜色进行了统计分析,将地层颜色变化特征与古气候、介形虫演化、古地貌恢复和物源分析等方面的研究证据进行对比,得到了地层颜色变化的影响因素。时间上,从上白垩统青山口组底部至嫩江组四段顶部存在两个明显的颜色变化旋回,主要受气候变化的影响,从嫩江组五段底部至明水组地层颜色表现为复杂频繁的突变特征,受强烈构造活动的作用。空间上,嫩江组三、四段氧化色地层主要分布于盆地东部、东北部,主要受沉积体系分布控制,证实了松辽盆地北部嫩江组三段主物源来自东部、东北部,及嫩三段至嫩四段主物源转向北部的变化。分析得出地层的颜色指数主要受沉积介质浓度和水体扰动情况两个因素作用,可以有效地反映所在时间和空间内的沉积环境变化,可在区域性研究中替代孟塞尔颜色标定法,为古气候、盆地沉积演化和古地貌恢复的分析提供证据。     

Cretaceous rudist-bearing platform carbonates from the Lycian Nappes (SW Turkey): Rudist associations and depositional setting

Lycian Nappes (in SW Turkey) lie between the Menderes Massif and Bey Dağları carbonates and comprise thrust sheets (nappes piles) of Paleozoic-Cenozoic rocks, ophiolitic and tectonic mélanges and serpentinized peridodites. This study focuses on identification of rudists and their palaeoenvironmental features observed within the Cretaceous low grade metamorphic successions (dominated by recrystallized limestones) from the Tavas and Bodrum nappes. The study is based on fifteen stratigraphic sections measured from Tavas, Fethiye, Köyceğiz, Bodrum, Ören and Bozburun areas. The Lower Cretaceous successions with rudists are very sparse in the Lycian Nappes and a unique locality including a Berriasian epidiceratid-requieniid assemblage is reported so far. A new requieniid-radiolitid assemblage was found within the pre-Turonian (?Albian-?Cenomanian) limestones. Four different Late Cretaceous rudist assemblages were firstly identified as well: 1) Caprinid-Ichthyosarcolitid assemblage (middle-late Cenomanian); 2) Distefanellid assemblage (late Turonian); 3) Hippuritid-Radiolitid assemblage (late Coniacian-Santonian-Campanian); 4) Radiolitid-Hippuritid assemblage (‘middle’-late Maastrichtian). Microfacies data and field observations indicate that the rudists lived in the inner and outer shelves of the Cretaceous carbonate platform(s) in this critical part of the Neotethys Ocean. Rudists formed isolated patchy aggregations in very shallow palaeoenvironments and deposited as shell fragments particularly on the outer shelf environment, which is characterized by higher energy and platform slope characteristics.     

Palynostratigraphy and palynofacies indications of depositional environments and source potential for hydrocarbons: the mid Cretaceous Nahr Umr and lower Mauddud formations, Iraq

Palynomorphs recovered from core and cuttings samples from five boreholes in the East Baghdad Oilfield indicate a mid Albian–early Cenomanian age-range for the Nahr Umr Formation and the lower part of the overlying Mauddud Formation. Two palynomorph zones and four types of palynofacies have been identified. The latter are interpreted to indicate delta-top swamp and marsh, silty–muddy deltaic, inner silty and carbonate-rich platform, and limestone-platform environments. The palynofacies of the two types of platform accumulations suggest that these are potential sources of biogenic methane and condensates, and may yield more liquid hydrocarbons in areas where the formations are at greater depths than within the region studied.