Oldest amber species of Palaeoaphididae (Hemiptera) from Baikura (Taimyr amber)

Ambaraphis baikurensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Palaeoaphididae) is described from the mid-Cretaceous (Albian–lower Cenomanian) of northern Siberia (Taimyr amber, Baikura locality) on the basis of wing morphology, which is most similar to that of aphids of the genus Ambaraphis Richards, 1966, previously reported only from Campanian Canadian amber. The new species primarily differs by pterostigma shape. The composition of the Baikura fauna supports assigning it to the Albian–lower Cenomanian Ognevka Formation.     

Kimmeridgian protoglobigerinids (Foraminifera) from Crussol (SE France)

A detailed investigation of the protoglobigerinids from the Kimmeridgian section of the Montagne de Crussol, SE France is presented. This monotonous succession of predominantly carbonate beds represents peri-platform hemipelagic deposits, well dated by ammonites. Three species were determined in thin sections and in isolated forms after extraction by acetolysis. Favusella? parva (Kuznetsova) is the most common species occurring in almost the entire succession from the Orthosphinctes to the Beckeri zones. Favusella hoterivica (Subbotina) has been retrieved less frequently from the Platynota to the Beckeri zones, and it is its oldest occurrence. The rare Globuligerina bathoniana (Pazdrowa) occurs only in the Late Kimmeridgian. Based on our study and the review of the literature a palaeogeographical map was plotted, showing that most of the protoglobigerinid occurrences are in deep water facies of the northern margin and central part of the Tethys. These records demonstrate the presence of Globuligerina bathoniana, G. oxfordiana (Grigelis), Favusella hoterivica, F.? parva and Compactogerina stellapolaris (Grigelis) in the Kimmeridgian.     

The enthalpy of transformation of Ca(OH)2-I (portlandite) to Ca(OH)2-II (EuI2 structure) by low-temperature DSC

 Thermodynamic properties of high-pressure minerals that are not recoverable from synthesis experiments by conventional quenching methods (“unquenchable” phases) usually are calculated from equation of state data and phase diagram topologies. The present study shows that, with cryogenic methods of recovery and sample treatment, phases with a suitable decomposition rate can be made accessible to direct thermodynamic measurements. A set of samples of Ca(OH)₂-II has been synthesized in a multianvil device and subsequently recovered by cooling the high-pressure assembly with liquid nitrogen. Upon heating from liquid nitrogen to room temperature, the material transformed back to Ca(OH)₂-I. The heat effect of this backtransformation was measured by differential scanning calorimetry. A commercial differential scanning calorimeter (Netzsch DSC 404), modified to allow sample loading at liquid nitrogen temperature was used to heat the material from −150 to +200 °C at rates varying between 5 and 15 °C min⁻¹. The transformation started around −50 °C very gradually, and peaked at about 0 °C. To obtain a baseline correction, each sample was scanned under exactly the same conditions after the backtransformation was complete. Because of the relative sluggishness, onset and offset temperatures were not well defined as compared to fast (e.g., melting) reactions. To aid in integration, the resulting signals were successfully fitted using a generic asymmetric peak model. The enthalpy of backtransformation was determined to be ΔH =−10.37 ± 0.50 kJ mol⁻¹. From previous in situ X-ray diffraction experiments, the location of the direct transformation in P-T space has been constrained to 5.7 ± 0.4 GPa at 500 °C (Kunz et al. 1996). With the reaction volume known from the same study, and assuming that ΔC _p of the transformation remains negligible between the conditions of our measurements and 500 °C, our result gives an estimate of the entropy of transition and the P-T slope of the reaction curve. To a first approximation, the values ΔS = −16.00 ± 0.65 J(mol · K)⁻¹ and dP/dT = 0.0040 ± 0.0002 GPa/K have been determined. These results need to be refined by equation of state data for Ca(OH)₂-II. Received: 30 December 1999 / Accepted: 10 April 2000     

黝锡矿的119Sn和57Fe穆斯堡尔谱研究

本文收集了我国南方4个产地的黝锡矿样品,使用电子探针、X射线衍射、~(119)Sn、~(57)Fe穆斯堡尔谱等测试方法测试。X射线衍射结果,黝锡矿的晶胞参数为:a=5.4531(5)?,c=10.7470(7)?,四方晶系,空间群I42m。4个不同产地的黝锡矿的Sn、Fe穆斯堡尔谱测量表明:锡的I·S值为1.34—1.49mm/s,Q·S值为0.36—0.50mm/s,为四面体的Sn~(4+);铁的I·S值为0.588—0.596mm/s,Q·S值为2.900—2.911mm/s,为四面体的Fe~(2+)。Sn、Fe离子仅占据一种结晶学位置。这些黝锡矿富Zn,Zn以类质同象置换Fe。     

Incidence of piscine erythrocytic necrosis (PEN) andGlugea hertwigi (Weissenberg) in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax mitchill) in selected Massachusetts streams

Smelt (Osmerus mordax) from six rivers along the coast of Massachusetts were examined for the microsporidianGlugea hertwigi and piscine erythrocytic necrosis (PEN), a viral blood disease. Of the 485 smelt sampled, 13.4% were affected byGlugea. Incidence ranged from 18.0% in the Town River to 0% in the Parker River. PEN was observed in all river systems. Incidence ranged from 97% in the Jones to 61% in the Parker River. Individual intensity of infection was low, with the majority of fish having less than 1% of their erythrocytes affected. The highest intensity for an individual specimen was 4.68%.     

The Northwestern (Maghreb) boundary of the Nubia (Africa) Plate

A study of the present compressional deformation of the Northwestern (Maghreb) Nubia (Africa) margin is derived from the analysis of more than 20,000 km of seismic profiles. In the western part the compression is distributed in a large zone with on-land compression in Algeria, mainly strike-slip deformation on the Algerian margin and folds and strike-slip faulting in Eastern Spain. In the middle of the Algerian margin, around Algiers, the evidences of compression become more obvious. In this area a ridge trending N–S that is interpreted as a middle to late Miocene spreading center interacted with the transpressional margin that trends E–W. North of the location of the Boumerdes–Zemmouri earthquake the oceanic crust is deformed by blind thrusts up to 60 km from the coast. These thrusts are south dipping and with the northward dipping thrusts located onshore form a wedge that maybe a positive flower structure at a crustal scale related to the right-lateral transpression of the margin. In the eastern part of the Northwestern (Maghreb) Nubia (Africa) Deformed Belt, off eastern Algeria and Tunisia, the deformation is more intense but limited to the north by the continental slope. Large late Miocene Tortonian folds are cut by the Messinian erosional surface but the present deformation is also evident. It is suggested that the deformation with a double vergence may be followed up to the north of Sicily. After the docking (18 Ma) of the Kabylies to the Africa Plate, the crust has been thinned and the Algerian Basin opened during the middle-late Miocene with an E–W direction. From the late Miocene to the Present the margin has been rethickened by transpression and uplifted.     

A golden age for ectoparasitoids of Embiodea: Cretaceous Sclerogibbidae (Hymenoptera,Chrysidoidea) from Kachin (Myanmar), Charentes (France) and Choshi (Japan) ambers

Sclerogibbid wasps are obligate parasitoids of webspinners (Embiodea). Both groups have a particularly scarce geological record and are known since the Cretaceous: there are only four species of webspinners known from Burmese amber, and only two sclerogibbids were described from Barremian Lebanese and Cenomanian Burmese ambers. Here we report transferred genus from Aptian Choshi (Japan) amber and new sclerogibbids from Cenomanian Burmese and Charentese (France) ambers. The taxa described from Burmese amber are: Burmasclerogibba aptera gen. et sp. nov., Cretosclerogibba gen. nov. (with C. antennalis sp. nov., C. contractocollis sp. nov., C. neli sp. nov. and C. rasnitsyni sp. nov.) and Edrossia vetusta gen. et sp. nov. The first European fossil sclerogibbid Gallosclerogibba alnensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Charentese amber. The holotype of Chosia yamadai Fujiyama, from Choshi amber, is re-described; it appears to be the oldest Laurasian sclerogibbid. The significant abundance and variety of Burmese sclerogibbid wasps (60% of fossil species known worldwide), as proxy of their hosts, were probably caused by the protection granted to them by the silk webs and possibly by the limited predation from ornithuromorph birds or crown-group ants. While all three extant sclerogibbid genera have apterous females, genera with winged females (Cretosclerogibba and Edrossia) dominated in Burmese amber. Small silk galleries from hosts may have favored the preservation of wings in females of Cretaceous sclerogibbids. Most new species described in the present paper, in addition to C. yamadai, are characterized by a very slender neck and a very long frontal process concealing the antennal toruli. These characters disappeared in extant species. We suggest that this loss was caused by a change in the fauna of predators, penalizing species with long neck and rostrum.     

Asteroid (4) Vesta: I. The howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) clan of meteorites

The howardite, eucrite and diogenite (HED) clan of meteorites are ultramafic and mafic igneous rocks and impact-engendered fragmental debris derived from a thoroughly differentiated asteroid. Earth-based telescopic observation and data returned from vestan orbit by the Dawn spacecraft make a compelling case that the asteroid (4) Vesta is the parent asteroid of HEDs, although this is not universally accepted. Diogenites are petrologically diverse and include dunitic, harzburgitic and noritic lithologic types in addition to the traditional orthopyroxenites. Diogenites form the lower crust of Vesta. Cumulate eucrites are gabbroic rocks formed by accumulation of pigeonite and plagioclase from a mafic magma at depth within the crust, while basaltic eucrites are melt compositions that likely represent shallow-level dikes and sills, and flows. Some basaltic eucrites are richer in incompatible trace elements compared to most eucrites, and these may represent mixed melts contaminated by partial melts of the mafic crust. Differentiation occurred within a few Myr of formation of the earliest solids in the Solar System. Evidence from oxygen isotope compositions and siderophile element contents favor a model of extensive melting of Vesta forming a global magma ocean that rapidly (period of a few Myr) segregated and crystallized to yield a metallic core, olivine-rich mantle, orthopyroxene-rich lower crust and basaltic upper crust. The igneous lithologies were subjected to post-crystallization thermal processing, and most eucrites show textural and mineral-compositional evidence for metamorphism. The cause of this common metamorphism is unclear, but may have resulted from rapid burial of early basalts by later flows caused by high effusion rates on Vesta. The observed surface of Vesta is covered by fragmental debris resulting from impacts, and most HEDs are brecciated. Many eucrites and diogenites are monomict breccias indicating a lack of mixing. However, many HEDs are polymict breccias. Howardites are the most thoroughly mixed polymict breccias, yet only some of them contain evidence for residence in the true regolith. Based on the numbers of meteorites, compositions of howardites, and models of magma ocean solidification, cumulate eucrites and their residual ferroan mafic melts are minor components of the vestan crust.     

Thoracican cirripedes (Crustacea) from the Hauterivian (Lower Cretaceous) of Hannover,northern Germany

Diverse thoracican cirripedes from the Hauterivian of the Hannover district of northern Germany are described, including seven species, belonging to five genera. Of these, a new genus belonging to the Scalpellidae, Jaegerscalpellum, includes one Hauterivian species, J. elegans sp. nov., an Aptian species, J. comptum (Withers, 1910) and an Albian species, J. politum (Darwin, 1851) are also referred to it. A new Cretiscalpellum, C. mutterlosei sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian, and C. matrioni sp. nov. is described from the Middle Albian of France. The oldest record of the Unilatera Gale, 2018, Pedupycnolepas pulcher sp. nov. is described from the Hauterivian; this displays typical shell structure of the group, retained by living Verrucidae. Finally, four species of Zeugmatolepadidae, subfamily Martillepadinae, are recorded from the Hauterivian, including Martillepas hausmanni (Koch and Dunker, 1836), M. decoratus sp. nov., M. auriculum sp. nov. and Etcheslaepas borealis (Collins, 1990). The Hauterivian fauna from Hannover shows affinities both with Late Jurassic and later Cretaceous (Aptian-Cenomanian) forms, and includes the earliest scalpellids, unilateran (Pedupycnolepas) and Cretiscalpellum species known. It constrains the age of the Cretaceous cirripede evolutionary radiation to the earliest Cretaceous.     

Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) sea lilies (Echinodermata, Crinoidea) from Poland

Valanginian strata in central epicratonic Poland have recently yielded crinoids, not previously recorded from the area. The fauna comprises isocrinids (Balanocrinus subteres, B. gillieroni, “Isocrinus?” lissajouxi), millericrinids (Apiocrinites sp.) and comatulids (Comatulida indet.). For comparison, a few samples of isocrinids from Valanginian strata of Hungary (Tethyan province) were also analysed. The isocrinids, cyrtocrinids and roveacrinids (sensu Rasmussen 1978 inclusive of Saccocoma sp.) were already known from the Valanginian of the southernmost Tethyan regions of Poland (Pieniny Klippen Belt and Tatra Mountains). The current study demonstrates their occurrence in central epicratonic Poland, and suggests that many Jurassic to Cretaceous stalked crinoid taxa (mainly isocrinids) predominated in the shallow-water settings of this area. Thus, the hypothesis of migration (at least from mid-Cretaceous onwards) to deep-water areas, as a response to an increase of the number of predators during the Mesozoic marine revolution, seems not to be universally applicable.     

Arsenite adsorption on galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS)

Arsenite, As(III), sorption on galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS) was investigated as a function of solution composition and characterized using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Adsorption conformed to a Langmuir isotherm except at the highest surface loadings, and it was not strongly affected by changes in ionic strength. Arsenite sorbed appreciably only at pH > ∼5 for PbS and pH ∼4.5 for ZnS, behavior distinct from its adsorption on other substrates. Arsenite adsorption on PbS and ZnS resulted in the conversion from As-O to As-S coordination. Arsenite does not adsorb through ligand-exchange of surface hydroxyl or sulfhydryl groups. Rather, it forms a polynuclear arsenic sulfide complex on ZnS and PbS consistent with the As₃S₃(SH)₃ trimer postulated by Helz et al. (1995) for sulfidic solutions. This complex was unstable in the presence of oxidizing agents and synchrotron light—it quickly converted to As(V), which was largely retained by the surface. These data illustrate the complexity of As(III) adsorption to even simple sulfide minerals.     

Early Triassic (Late Griesbachian) gastropods from South China (Shanggan, Guangxi)

An Early Triassic (Griesbachian) gastropod fauna is reported from South China (Shanggan, Guangxi) and consists of four species: Bellerophon abrekensis, Wannerispira shangganensis Kaim & Nützel sp. nov., Naticopsis sp., and Palaeonarica guangxinensis Kaim & Nützel sp. nov. The taxon Wannerispira Kaim & Nützel nom. nov. replaces Pagodina Wanner non Van Beneden. This is the first report of Bellerophon abrekensis from China. Previously, it was only known from its type locality in Far East Russia. Wannerispira shangganensis sp. is the first certain Triassic report of the Permian subfamily Neilsoniinae and represents a holdover taxon. The neritimorph Palaeonarica is reported for the first time from the Early Triassic and this is the oldest occurrence of this genus. Compared with other Griesbachian gastropods, the present material is relatively well preserved so that the taxonomy rests on rather firm ground. Very few nominal taxa have been reported from the Griesbachian and therefore the present report presents substantial additional information about gastropods from the aftermath of the end-Permian mass extinction event. The gastropod association from Shanggan shares one species with Primorye, Far East Russia (B. abrekensis). Two species, W. shangganensis and P. guangxinensis, closely resemble specimens reported from the Griesbachian of Oman. This could suggest that Griesbachian gastropod faunas of the Tethys were rather homogenous although the data are still scarce.     

First record of a weevil (Coleoptera: Nemonychidae) from the Lower Cretaceous (Wealden) of southern England

A new weevil, Oxycorynoides bucklowae sp. nov. is described from the lower Barremian Upper Weald Clay Formation of south Surrey, UK. The new species differs from other species of the nominative subgenus in the large body size; large, elongate eyes; and distinctly curved rostrum. It approaches but is also distinguished from the Berriasian-Hauterivian Oxycorynoides mongolicus Zherikhin, 1986 and O. gurvanensis Legalov, 2010 from Mongolia by the long metaventrite from the former species, and by the short rostrum from the latter.     

Optical Dating Equivalent Dose (De) Comparison of Global Standardised Growth Curve (gSGC) and Single-aliquot Regenerative-dose (SAR) Methods for Quartz Grains

Optical dating is a method of measuring the time since the sample was buried from last thermal event or light exposure. Samples such as quartz and feldspar grains are the most commonly used sediment of measurement. Single-Aliquot Regenerative-dose (SAR) method has become the most acceptable procedure for obtaining the equivalent Dose (D_e) of a sample. The Standardised Growth Curve (SGC) method provides a possible procedure for measuring a large number of samples; the limitation is that the growth curve fitted by different samples or even different aliquots is divergent. The global Standardised Growth Curve (gSGC) method improves the shortage by normalizing the dose response curves using one regenerative dose OSL signal. The gSGC provides a possible method for obtaining the D_e value of the sample efficiently and quickly. However, due to the radiation dose rate, operating procedures and instrument error and the selected regenerative-dose normalized dose value, etc., each laboratory should develop their own gSGC which has unique parameters. This study established the gSGC curve and measurement process of our laboratory, and then compared the consistency of the equivalent Dose (D_e) values from gSGC and SAR methods. In gSGC procedure, the D_e value of an aliquot can be estimated from the nature signal, one regenerative dose signal and their corresponding test dose signal. It will speed up the optical dating measurement rate of our laboratory and provide reference to establish gSGC in other laboratories. It is found that in the low dose range (0~100 Gy) the obtained D_e values were well consistent by gSGC and SAR methods. There were obviously differences in the higher dose range (>100 Gy) compared to the SAR results. It may be due to the insufficient number of older samples used to fit gSGC in this study. It is necessary to gradually accumulate more samples to improve the gSGC parameters in the future work. For some aliquots, individual quartz grains do not follow the global standardised growth curve, which leads to some deviations of D_e from gSGC. However, these two methods could obtain the similar average De value when multiple aliquots measuring.     

Classification of artificial (man-made) ground

The legacy inherited from anthropogenic processes needs to be addressed in order to provide reliable and up-to-date ground information relevant to development and regeneration in the urban environment. The legacy includes voids as well as anthropogenic deposits (artificial ground). Their characteristics derive from former quarrying and mining activities industrial processes creating derelict ground, variably consolidated made ground, and contaminated groundwater and soils. All need to be systematically assessed to inform the planning process and provide the basis for engineering solutions. Site-specific investigation needs to be conducted on the back of good quality geoscientific data. This comes from ‘field’ survey, remotely sensed data interpretation, historical maps, soil geochemical sampling, and geotechnical investigation. Three-dimensional and, in the future, four dimensional, characterization of superficial deposits is required to reach an understanding of the potential spatial lithological variability of artificial ground and the geometry of important surfaces, i.e. the boundary conditions. The classification scheme for artificial ground outlined in this paper and adopted by the British Geological Survey, will help in achieving this understanding.     

Famennian Fusulinina (Foraminifera) from the Holy Cross Mountains (central Poland)

Calcareous foraminifers representing 9 species and 5 genera were investigated in two Famennian sections located in the south‐western part of the Holy Cross Mountains (HCM), central Poland. They constitute redeposited material that, together with crinoids and calcareous algae, comprise the dominant component of limestone turbidite beds intercalated with deep‐marine marly sediments. The calcareous material was redeposited from an unknown carbonate platform located probably to the south of the HCM area. The first appearance data of foraminifers, mainly from the quasiendothyrid group, correlated to the Standard Conodont Zonation, indicate a diachronous appearance of the same species in different parts of Europe due to a migration delay from the foraminiferal evolutionary centre located in the south‐eastern shelves of Laurussia in the neighbouring areas. As a result, the Moravian foraminiferal zonation, where index taxa appeared in similar stratigraphic intervals, was chosen as the most applicable to the stratigraphy in the central Polish area. The Quasiendothyra communis–Eonodosaria evlanensis Interzone, the Quasiendothyra communis–Quasiendothyra regularis Zone and Quasiendothyra kobeitusana–Quasiendothyra konensis Zone were distinguished, respectively, in the HCM sections. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.