Intact theropod dinosaur eggs with embryonic remains from the Late Cretaceous of southern China

In spite of tremendous discoveries of dinosaur eggs and nests over the world, dinosaur embryonic remains are rare. Until today, dinosaur embryos associated with eggshells are only known in about 20 cases, most of which were recovered from broken or crushed eggs. Here we report intact dinosaur eggs in a partial clutch with preserved embryonic remains in eggs from the Upper Cretaceous Nanxiong Formation of Ganzhou in the southern Jiangxi Province of China. Based on macro- and microscopic features of eggs and eggshells, these eggs were identified as Elongatoolithus sp., and possibly belong to oviraptorosaurs. A CT scanning topography revealed that all the eggs contain accumulations of embryonic bones, including possible femur and tibia. Our discovery suggests that dinosaur embryos might be preserved more than we have recognized, because intact eggs potentially confine embryonic remains.     

Oviraptorosaurian Eggs (Dinosauria) with Embryonic Skeletons Discovered for the First Time in China

Two elongatoolithid dinosaur eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province and the embryonic skeletons they bear are described. They represent the first oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons in China and provide the first example that an oospecies can be correlated to certain dinosaur taxon/taxa. The two eggs are the same as the pair of the eggs inside a female oviraptorosaurian pelvis from the same horizon of the same area in both macro- and micro-structures of the egg shells, and can he referred to the oospecies, Macroolithus yaotunensis Zhao, 1975. The morphology of the preserved part of the embryonic skeletons indicates that they may have been laid by an oviraptorid, Heyuannia huangi from Guangdong Province or a closely related oviraptorosaurian, which may have been lived in the Ganzhou area too in the Late Cretaceous. The embryonic skeletons of the two eggs are not in the same developing stage. In one of the eggs, the postzygapophysis of the preserved vertebrae are well ossified, indicating that it was just hatched.     

Description and Phylogenetic Position of Dinosaur Eggshells from the Luanchuan Area of Western Henan Province, China

Here, we examine 145 dinosaur eggshells from a new fossil locality in the Qiupa Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of the Luanchuan area in western Henan Province, China. The eggshells display elongatoolithid macro- and microstructures, including ridges and nodes on the outer surface, two ultrastructural layers, and an undulatory boundary between the mammillary and continuous layers. A phylogenic analysis shows that the Luanchuan eggshells belong to the ooclade Elongatoolithidae. Within Elongatoolithidae, the thickness ratio of the mammillary layer to the entire eggshell, and the porosity of the Luanchuan eggshells are comparable to the oogenera Macroolithus and Elongatoolithus. There is no direct evidence for the taxonomic identity of the Luanchuan eggshells; however, they were likely laid by oviraptorids based on their phylogenetic position and their similarities with known oviraptorid eggs.     

Statistical Approach for Classification of Dinosaur Eggs from the Heyuan Basin at the Northeast of Guangdong Province

The Zhutian and Dafeng formations (Upper Cretaceous) of the Heyuan Basin in northeastern Guangdong Province, China, have produced thousands of dinosaur eggs. Macromorphological features (egg diameter, egg shape, outer surface texture, and shell thickness) of 461 eggs were analyzed using non-destructive techniques and subjected to statistical analyses in order to assess their diversity and taxonomic affinities. Three types (1, 2 and 3) of eggs were discerned based on shape and outer surface morphology. Type 1 eggs are spherical to ellipsoidal in shape and have a rough surface. Three subtypes (Type 1-A-1, 1-A-2, and 1-B) are apparent from scatter plots and cluster analyses of egg diameters and shell thickness. Type 2 eggs are elongate with linear ornamentation on the surface, and are comparable to eggs that belong to the oofamily Elongatoolithidae. Type 3 eggs are elongate with a smooth surface, and are assigned to the oofamily Prismatoolithidae. Macromorphological features of the various egg types suggest that Type 1 could have been laid by ornithischian, sauropod or therizinosaur dinosaurs, Type 2 by oviraptorids, and Type 3 by troodontids. This study represents the first comprehensive statistical analysis of macrofeatures of dinosaur eggs, and reveals taxonomic diversity in the dinosaurs that were laying eggs in the Upper Cretaceous Heyuan area heretofore unrecognized in skeletal remains.     

Cambrian Fossil Embryos from Western Hunan,South China

The exquisitely preserved fossil embryos of Markuelia recovered from the limestones of the Middle Cambrian Haoqiao Formation and Upper Cambrian Bitiao formation in western Hunan, South China are described and illustrated in detail for the first time.A new species Markuelia elegans sp.nov.is established based mainly on embryos from the Upper Cambrian.A few of animal's resting eggs,which are comparable with those of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation,have been also found in the Upper Cambrian of western Hu...     

Distribution and Characteristics of Dinosaur Eggs in China

正China is one of the most prolific countries for dinosaur material in the world,from skeletons to footprints and eggs.At present,China has documented more than 160kinds of dinosaur,35 genera and 39 ichnospecies of dinosaur footprints,and 17 genera and 44 oospecies of dinosaur eggs.The dinosaur eggs in China are mainly distributed in Xinjiang,Inner Mongolia,Ningxia,Gansu,     

The carbon isotopic characteristics of dinosaur eggshell fossils in Late Cretaceous from Xixia Basin and their significance

This paper studies the Late Cretaceous dinosaur eggshell fossils from the Xixia Basin,Henan Province,by icroscopy and carbon isotope method.Careful observation under microscope revealed that all dinosaur eggshell fossils consist of primary calcite and secondary calcite.The content of the former is about 60.5% and the latter 39.5% according to image analysis.The δ13C values of secondary carbonate mineral filling within the dinosaur eggs in the strata range from-5.63‰ to -5.68‰,with an average value of -5.64‰,the δ^13 C values of sixteen dinosaur eggshell fossils are in the range from-5.88‰ to -7.79‰,Then we calculated the δ^13 C values of primary carbonate minerals,ranging from-6.03‰ to-9.19‰.Bsed on the δ^13C values of the primary carbonate ,the ancient food type and food proportion of dinosaurs were deduced.The dinosaru‘s food proportions of C3 plant and C4 plant are 61% and 39%,respectively.Finally,it is inferred that the palaeoclimate in the Xixia Basin should be a warm-sub-humid-sub-arid climate in the subtropical zone of the Xixia Basin.     

New Maikhanellid Shells and Siphogonuchitid Spicule Bundles from the Cambrian Fortunian Stage of South China

Maikhanellids are a distinct group of Cambrian Fortunian small shelly fossils by the cap-shaped profiles and scaly shell ornamentation. According to the individual shell shape and ornamentation feature types of 50 maikhanellids fossils which were collected from Xixiang botia, we confirmed the family Maikhanellidae content of six genera, which are Maikhanella, Ramenta, Purella, Ramentoides, Yunnannopleura and Mediata. Unlike the halkieriid animals whose shells and spicules are articulated on different body parts, maikhanellids were presumably yielded by siphogonuchitid spicules penetrating the intermediate matrix (the "spicule shell" hypothesis), and this is the reason that some researchers treated maikhanellids and co-occurring siphogonuchitids as synonyms. The affinities of Maikhanellids and siphogonuchitids remain debatable. Here, we report three dimensionally phosphatized maikhanellid shells and siphogonuchitid spicule bundles from the Cambrian Fortunian small shell faunas of South China. They differ from all the previously reported maikhanellids and siphogonuchitids, and may represent new types. The intact and smooth surface underneath the partially preserved scales of the shells challenges the "spicule-shell" hypothesis. The present siphogonuchitid spicules differ from the maikhanellid scales in size, morphology, and .arrangement pattern, thus the spicules might not be derived from the shells. Whether the shells and spicule bundles were articulated on different body parts of the same animals remains unknown.     

Enantiornithine Bird with Diapsidian Skull and Its Dental Development in the Early Cretaceous in Liaoning, China

A Iarge number of enantiornithine birds are discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufutang Formation in western Liaoning, China. They are all small-sized birds with a few small teeth. The enantiornithine bird from the Jiufutang Formation in the Shangheshou area, Chaoyang, Liaoning Province reported in this paper is the largest individual known in all enantiornithine birds of the Early Cretaceous. However, its teeth possess a feature of pseudoheterodont. Some different development stages of the new teeth substitute the earlier stages and the stages of development are preserved in this specimen. This development pattern is similar to that of Archaeopteryx and alligator but not dinosaur. A well-developed postorbital was also preserved in the skull, which was a diapsidian skull like that of Confuciusornis. Additionally, the distinctive preservation of its prefrontal distinguishes it from other enantiornithine birds of the Early Cretaceous.     

Octoradiate Spiral Organisms in the Ediacaran of South China

Shales of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation of South China contain a new disc-shaped macrofossil, Eoandromeda octobrachiata, characterized by eight spiral arms that were probably housed within an outer membrane. Although the presence of eight radiating structures entails a resemblance to cnidarian octocorals as well as to ctenophores, direct homologies with these extant groups are unlikely. Instead we bring attention to the helicospiral morphology of newly reported embryos from the Doushantuo Formation, suggesting that the long-sought adults of the Ediacaran embryonic metazoans have finally been found.     

First record of dinosaur trackway from Tibet,China

Three sauropod trackways comprise eight tracks that resemble Brontopodus tracks have been found at the Morong track site in Changdu Prefecture, Tibet, China. These wide- (or sub-wide)-gauge tracks suggest that there was a large sauropod, possibly a member of Titanosauriformes, in Changdu Prefecture during the Early-Middle Jurassic. The sauropod fauna from Changdu Prefecture, Tibet not only has elements in common with the sauropod fauna from the Sichuan Basin, but may include more diverse faunal components.     

A probable crouching theropod dinosaur tracefrom the Tuchengzi Formation in Chichengarea,Hebei Province,China

A probable theropod dinosaur crouching trace and associated tracks from the Tuchengzi (Houcheng) Formation of Siliang Mountain, Chicheng County, Hebei Province, China are the largest theropod tracks currently known from the formation. Although the crouching trace lacks manus and tail marks, the traces are interpreted as made by a crouching theropod because they include a left metatarsal impression and associated ischial, and possibly pubic, callosity traces. This represents the third known example of an asymmetric crouching position adopted by a theropod.Key words： crouching theropod trace;Therangospodus isp.;cf. Megalosauripus isp.;Tuchengzi Formation;Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary     

New perleidid fishes from the Middle Triassic strata of Yunnan Province

Three new genera and species of perleidid fishes from the Middle Triassic strata of Yunnan Province, i.e., Fuyuanperleidus dengi gen. et sp. nov., Luopingperleidus sui gen. et sp. nov., and Diandongperleidus denticulatus gen. et sp. nov., are described in this paper. Fuyuanperleidus dengi is distinguishable from other perleidids by the shape of the maxilla, the big teeth, the ornamentation of the skull bones, maxilla fused with the first infraorbital and the deepened flank scales. Luopingperleidus sui is distinguishable from other perleidids by the following features: the triangular main branchiostegal rays, four horizontal rows of deepened flank scales anterior to the pelvic fin, and three anal scales. Diandongperleidus denticulatus is distinguishable from other perleidids by the following features: the anterior border of some anterior fin rays of both the paired fins and the dorsal and anal fins bearing denticles, and posterior strongly serrated scales. The new discoveries not only add to the diversity of perleidid fishes in South China, but also shed new light on the radiation of Triassic perleidid fishes in the world.     

The discovery of a new family Sunopteridae fam. nov. (Insecta: Protorthoptera) from Shaanxi Province,China

The fossil specimens discussed in this paper were collected from the grayish green mudstone and shale in the upper part of Lower Member of Middle Triassic Tongchuan Formation (T2t) in Shaanxi Province, China. Venationary feature correlation with old families and taxonomic discussion show that, among them, one specimen can be assigned to a new family - Sunopteridae fam. nov., which includes a new genus and species and can be referred to Order Protorthoptera Handlirsch, 1906 in taxonomic position, thus belonging to a new member of the Tongchuan Entomoassemblage of Shaanxi Entomofauna (belonging to Shaanxi Biota). The discovery of the new family and its new genus and species has certain reference values as follows: ① The discovery of the new family and its new genus and species fills firstly the vacancy in the protorthopterous field of China; ② In the meantime, it fills also the gaps of the valuable Middle Triassic protorthopterous fossil specimens between Late Carboniferous and Late Triassic Epochs in the world; ③ Judging from venationary features and taxonomic position, especially in the course of the formation of the merged vein of M and Cu, it formed a new unique and particular style of merged vein M+Cu. It not only is unique and simple, but also can be distinguished from the above mentioned 10 old families, thus providing important taxonomic evidence.     

卡杨公路面上湾段线路优化浅析

工程区受地质构造运动影响强烈,属高山峡谷地貌,地质条件复杂。发育面上湾崩坡积体,原设计方案采用明线通过,受特大暴雨、开挖等影响,地质条件发生变化;通过定性、定量分析得出在暴雨、地震工况下不满足安全要求。为规避其对公路的不良地质影响,改线采用隧道洞内小角度交岔口设计,将大断面交岔口段分为护壁区、减跨区、扩挖区,并分别进行开挖支护参数设计,结构简单经济易施工,并得以成功实施,希望本文为今后类似工程的处理提供一些经验和参照意义。     

强夯法施工实践中加固深度问题浅析

在论述和分析强夯加固深度研究现状和影响因素的基础上, 建立量纲统一的加固深度公式: , 并对其运用范围进行了讨论。     

遵义县城北某小区岩溶勘察与治理

在岩溶勘察工作实践中,结合工程实际情况,在勘察与复查工作的基础上,通过稳定性评价分析,进行危险性分区,将治理与勘察相结合,治理过程进一步揭露溶洞发育及分布状态,达到治理目的。     

顺层蠕动边坡变形破坏机理及稳定性动态分析

本文以阜新海州露天矿边坡为例, 分析了边坡变形规律和破坏机制。在弱层流变试验的基础上, 建立了弱层流变力学模型, 通过确定加速蠕变阶段来临的极限应变量和应变速率, 建立了弱层长期强度的时间效应方程, 对于不同边坡工况进行了动态稳定性评价, 为采取抗滑措施控制蠕动边坡的变形破坏发展提供了科学依据。最后提出了一个边坡加速蠕变阶段来临的预测预报方法, 分析结果和实测资料较为一致。     

陕北地区水资源需求综合预测及对策研究

通阐述水资源需求量在区域经济社会发展中作用的基础上,归纳了区域水资源综合需求预测的方法和模型.针对陕北地区水资源现状及经济社会发展的趋势,合理选择了预测方法,并构建了指标体系,综合预测了陕北地区未来经济社会发展水资源需水量,为区域经济良性发展提供了保障.     

锦屏二级水电站引水工程区地应力场初步研究

本文以区域构造应力场的地质力学分析为基础, 结合声发射(AE)法对引水区探洞大理岩定向岩样的地应力实验测定, 对该区地应力场进行了初步研究, 比较了地质力学宏观分析与应力量测结果之间的关系, 探讨了AE法测定地应力存在的问题。