Upper Triassic stratigraphy and paleobiogeography of Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands)

The thorough study of the Upper Triassic reference section located at the Tikhaya River in the central part of Kotel??nyi Island and characterized by uniform clayey lithology and containing diverse cephalopod, molluscan, and radiolarian assemblages made it possible to specify its structure and paleontological characteristic and establish for the first time the upper Anisian Sirenites yakutensis Zone. It is shown that different Late Triassic faunal groups are represented by mixed dominant Boreal and subordinate Tethyan elements. Such proportions are observable through the entire section beginning from the lower Carnian to upper Norian layers. The peculiar taxonomic composition of Late Triassic radiolarian and cephalopod assemblages provides grounds for attributing the region to an autonomous paleobiochore (New Siberian subprovince). The occurrence of both Siberian and Canadian elements in the Late Triassic faunas emphasizes the specific position of this paleobiochore determined by wide connections between basins at that time.     

Aptian-Albian coaliferous sediments of Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands): New data on the section structure and ignimbrite volcanism

The Aptian-Albian sediments of Kotel’nyi Island are represented by a terrigenous coaliferous complex with the apparent thickness of approximately 700 m. The upper two thirds of their section enclose ignimbrites and rhyolitic ash tuffs. The integral thickness of volcanics is 170 m. A new sequence composed largely of acidic volcanics and sedimentary rocks is defined in the upper part of the Cretaceous section. The K-Ar age estimated for ignimbrite glasses is 110–107 ± 2.5 Ma, which corresponds to the first half of the Albian. The fossil flora list is added by several previously unknown forms. The macroflora of Kotel’nyi Island is similar to its Albian counterpart from the Kolyma-Indigirka region and allows Cretaceous sediments from the lower part the Kotel’nyi Island section to be dated back to the Aptian (?)-Albian (except for the terminal Albian). The palynological characteristic of rocks immediately contacting the dated volcanics appeared to be untypical of Albian sediments of Siberia and similar to that of the Late Neocomian palynocomplexes. This is partly explained by erosion and reworking processes. The examined continental sediments accumulated in post-orogenic extension settings. They constitute the lower strata of the Aptian(?)-Tertiary post-orogenic complex filling riftogenic depressions in the New Siberian Islands and Laptev Sea.     

Paleogene-Neogene sediments of Bel’kov Island (New Siberian Islands): Characteristics of sedimentary cover in the eastern Laptev shelf

This work is aimed at characterizing the 40-m-thick Paleogene-Neogene sedimentary sequence of Bel’kov Island, which was accumulated in the marginal part of a fluvial plain. On the basis of the plant megafossils and spore-pollen data, the studied sediments were formed in the Late Eocene-Early Miocene with a probable sedimentation gap at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. It was substantiated that the Paleogene-Neogene sediments were developed as a continuous cover over the entire area of Bel’kov Island. Later, they were eroded away from the island, but presumably preserved on the Bel’kov Horst and Zarya Strait. This suggests that the pre-Quaternary seismic complex, which continuously covers the Bel’kov Horst, also has Late Eocene-Early Miocene age. Selective dating of nonrounded detrital zircons from Lower Miocene conglomerates allowed us to substantiate the transportation of sediments from the Verkhoyansk-Kolyma Fold System along the Bel’kov-Svyatoi Nos Graben. The crystalline basement similar to the Ust’-Lena inlier was likely exposed on the East Laptev Horst and served as the source of metamorphic detritus, including zircons dated within 1850–2000 Ma.     

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.     

Campanian-Maastrichtian radiolarians from the Malokuril’skaya Formation,the Shikotan Island

The results of radiolarian analysis confirm the Campanian-Maastrichtian age of the Malokuril’skaya Formation in the Shikotan Island. The Campanian-Maastrichtian age of the formation is implied simultaneously by radiolarians and inoceramids. The studied Campanian and Campanian-Maastrichtian radiolarian assemblages include abundant specimens representing genus Prunobrachium, characteristic of which was bipolar distribution in cold-water to temperate basins. The new occurrence site of prunobrachids is established at the latitude of 43°N, the Far East of Russia.     

U/Pb dating of detrital zircons from late Palaeozoic deposits of Bel’kovsky Island (New Siberian Islands): critical testing of Arctic tectonic models

Detrital zircon U/Pb ages provide new insights into the provenance of Upper Devonian–Permian clastic rocks of Bel’kovsky Island, within the New Siberian Islands archipelago. Based on these new data, we demonstrate that Upper Devonian–Carboniferous turbidites of Bel’kovsky Island were derived from Grenvillian, Sveconorwegian, and Timanian sources similar to those that fed Devonian–Carboniferous deposits of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago and Wrangel Island and were probably located within Laurentia–Baltica. Detrital zircon ages from the lower Permian deposits of Bel’kovsky Island suggest a drastic change in provenance and show a strong affinity with the Uralian Orogen. Two possible models to interpret this shift in provenance are proposed. The first involves movement of these continental blocks from the continental margin of Laurentia–Baltica towards the Uralian Orogen during the late Carboniferous to Permian, while the second argues for long sediment transport across the Barents shelf.     

First Record of Protorosaurid Reptile (Order Protorosauria) from the Middle Triassic of China

A new genus and species of the family Tanystropheidae, Dinocephalosaurus orientalis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a nearly complete skull. This is the first record of the order Protorosauria from China. It also represents the only known occurrence of Tanystropheidae outside Europe, the Middle East and North America. Dinocephalosaurus is quite similar to Tanystropheus from Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland. Primarily it is distinguished from Tanystropheus in the shape of the premaxilla, maxilla, jugal and parietal. Although the family Tanystropheidae is now referred to the order Protorosauria, the new material from China indicates that the archosauromorph affinities of tanystropheids need further investigation. The discovery of Dinocephalosaurus provides new clues for the study of the evolution and radiation of Protorosauria and Tanystropheidae. It is also important for the study of the eastern Tethyan Fauna and the paleobiogeographical relationship between Europe and southern China in the Triassi     

Upper Devonian depositional system of Bel’kov Island (New Siberian Islands): An intracontinental rift or a continental margin?

The archipelago of New Siberian Islands situated on the northeastern continental shelf of Eurasia is considered a part of an exotic terrane that collided with Siberia in the Early Cretaceous. Bel’kov Island is located close to the inferred western boundary of this terrane and thus should demonstrate attributes of its localization at the margin of the Paleozoic oceanic basin. The Upper Devonian section on Bel’kov Island is a continuous sequence of deepwater terrigenous rocks, which indicates a tendency toward deepening of the basin previously revealed on adjacent Kotel’ny Island. The lowermost Upper Devonian unit on Bel’kov Island is represented by thin Domanik-like strata resting on the Middle Devonian carbonate platform. The main body of the Upper Devonian sequence, more than 4 km in total thickness, is made up of gravity-flow sediments including turbidites, clay and block diamictites, and olistostromes in the upper part of the section, which accumulated at the slope of the basin or its rise. At many levels, these sediments have been redeposited by along-slope currents. The uppermost unit of organogenic limestone is evidence for compensation of the trough. According to conodont assemblages, the deepwater terrigenous rocks were deposited from the early Frasnian to the early Tournaisian. This time is known for extensive rifting in the eastern Siberian Platform. The data obtained allowed us to reconstruct a NNW-trending Late Devonian rift basin on the Laptev Sea shelf similar to other rifts at the eastern margin of the Siberian Platform.     

Late Cretaceous palynoflora from the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (Islands of Hvar and Šćedro), southern Croatia

This paper provides the first palynological data from four Upper Cretaceous localities from the Islands of Hvar and Šćedro (southern Croatia), in the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. Studied material represents palynomorphs produced by coastal vegetation and transported to the shallow marine platform areas. Determined vegetation includes diverse hygrophilous, understory vegetation, range of evergreen needle trees attributable to Pinaceae and Podocarpaceae, as well as Araucarian conifers; ginkgo, cycads and/or bennettites. Flowering plants were likely represented by herbaceous forms. The palynoflora is generally indicative of a temperate, warm and humid climate. The occurrence of the Normapolles group with the presence of Plicapollis sp. and Pseudoculopollis sp. point to Turonian or probable Turonian–Coniacian age, and represent the southernmost record of occurrence within the Normapolles palynological province. Dominance of angiosperms and low abundance of ferns suggests an early-Late Cretaceous age. These findings are supported by the micropaleontological analyses and previously determined age of the sauropod dinosaur footprints described on the Island of Hvar. Based on the paleobotanical and palynological data, the dinosaur diet probably included araucarian conifers, ginkgo and angiosperms, and ferns to a lesser extent.     

Middle Triassic pteridosperms (Pinophyta) of the Timan–Pechora basin

The collection of fossil plants sampled by geologists from VNIGRI at the end of the 20th century from Triassic continental sections drilled by many wells and cropping out in several natural localities and stored at the Museum of Petroleum Geology and Paleontology of the same institute was critically revised. The use of the epidermal method for the study of plant remains with consideration of recent publications dedicated to continental sections of Central Europe made it possible to substantially broaden the taxonomic composition of the Triassic flora and first specify the composition of its pteridosperm representatives. Unlike the Triassic floras of Western Europe, the pteridosperms the Pechora region appeared to be relatively diverse. They number 37 species of 11 genera, which are confined to the upper part of the Triassic sequence: Anguran and Naryan-Mar formations and their analogs. The Middle Triassic, mainly, Ladinian, age of these formations is reliably substantiated both by paleontological (vertebrate and palynological) data and by results of the comparative analysis of the Anguran–Naryan-Mar taphofloras and coeval European type floras dated back to the Anisian–Ladinian by marine faunal remains. The stratigraphic significance of pteridospermous plant remains becomes undoubted for continental sections of the Timan–Pechora basin, while the genera Scytophyllum, Kalantarium, and Kirjamkenia may be considered with respect to their diversity and abundance as representing orthostratigraphic taxa.     

Mid-Cretaceous Tuor-Yuryakh Section of Kotelnyi Island,New Siberian Islands: How Does the Probable Basement of Sedimentary Cover of the Laptev Sea Look on Land?

The model of geological structure of sedimentary cover of the Laptev Sea accepted by most geologists suggests that the lower seismic complex of the cover begins by the Aptian–Albian sedimentary rocks. They can be studied in natural outcrops of Kotelnyi Island. The section of the Tuor-Yuryakh Trough, which exposes the lower part of the Cretaceous complex, is described in the paper. It is composed of continental coaliferous rocks ~100 m thick. The marking beds divide it into five members, which are traced along the western wall of the trough at the distance up to 3 km. The spore–pollen complexes and plant megafossils indicate that almost the entire visible section of the mid-Cretaceous is Albian. Only its lower part no more than 14 m thick can probably belong to the Aptian. Marine facies with Albian foraminifers were found 15 m above the bottom of the Cretaceous complex. The section of the Cretaceous rocks is underlain by the Lower Jurassic marine clays and siltstones. The foraminifer assemblages of this part of the section are typical of the upper Sinemurian–Pliensbachian and fossil bivalves indicate late Sinemurian age of the host rocks. The hiatus ~70 Ma duration has no expression in the section and this boundary can de facto be substantiated only by microfossils. This vague contact between the Lower Jurassic and mid-Cretaceous rocks does not correspond to geophysical characteristics of the bottom of the lower seismic complex of the cover of the eastern part of the Laptev Sea. The latter is described as the most evident seismic horizon of the section of the cover, suggesting unconformable occurrence of the lower seismic complex on a peneplenized surface of lithified and dislocated rocks. This is mostly similar to the bottom of the Eocene sediments, which were observed on Belkovsky and Kotelnyi islands. The paper discusses possible application of our land results for interpretation of the shelf seismic sections of the Laptev Sea. It is concluded that local reasons are responsible for a vague boundary between the Lower Jurassic and mid-Cretaceous sequences in the section studied. Our observations support ideas on possible Aptian–Albian age of the rocks of the basement of the lower seismic complex; however, it is proposed to use also the previously popular idea on the Eocene age of the lower seismic complex of sedimentary cover of the eastern part of the Laptev Sea as one of the possible working scenarios.     

Discovery of the Late Triassic (Middle Carnian–Rhaetian) radiolarians in the volcano-sedimentary sequences of the Kocali Complex,SE Turkey: Correlation with the other Tauride units

The Kocali Complex in SE Turkey includes pelagic sediments (pelagic limestones, cherts, etc.), basic volcanic rocks of oceanic crust origin together with platform-derived sediments. Its depositional age was previously assigned as Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous. In order to study the radiolarian contents of volcano-sedimentary sequences in this complex, six stratigraphic sections have been measured mainly at the NE and NW Adiyaman city.Radiolarian faunas from these stratigraphic sections reveal that the age of these sequences ranges from middle Carnian to Rhaetian. Based on these data, the depositional age of the complex is older than the previously assigned. Lithological characteristics (widespread Triassic basic volcanic rocks associated with pelagic sediments) and radiolarian contents of these sequences have close similarities with the sequences of the Alakircay Nappe of the Antalya Nappes in western and central Taurides.Based on taxonomic studies, 99 taxa have been determined of which one genus (Adiyamanium) and four species (Monocapnuchosphaera kocaliensis, Paronaella speciosa, Ferresium okuyucui and Adiyamanium crassum) are described as new.     

New Genus and Species of Rhyacophilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

One new genus with a new fossil species,Declinimodus setulosus gen.et sp.nov.which was found in the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou,Inner Mongolia,China,are described and illustrated.The new species is assigned to the Rhyacophilidae according to buttonshaped of the 2nd segment of maxillary palp,and the forked R1 （in the forewing,located near apex）.These new discovery are the earliest fossil records of Rhyacophilidae,which providing important evident for the study of the origin and early evolution of Trichoptera.     

Two New Wasps (Hymenoptera: Stephanoidea: Ephialtitidae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Two new species of wasps belonging to the family Ephialtitidae,Praeproapocritusflexus sp.nov.and Proapocritus parallelus sp.nov.,from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of southeastern Inner Mongolia,China,are described and illustrated.Praeproapocritus vulgates Rasnitsyn ＆ Zhang,2010 and six species of Proapocritus,P.densipediculus,P.sculptus,P.longantennatus,P.formosus,P.atropus,and P.elegans,all described by Rasnitsyn and Zhang in 2010,are first record from the Middle Jurassic of China.These two new findings supplement the morphological understanding of ephialtitids in the Middle Jurassic of China and broaden the diversity of ephialtitids in their by-gone ecosystems.     

New specimens of Stenocybus acidentatus (Therapsida: Dinocephalia) from the Middle Permian Dashankou Fauna of China

The basal dinocephalian clade Stenocybusidae was known from two incomplete specimens representing one generus,Stenocybus,from Dashankou fanua in Yumen,Gansu Province of China.The holotype of Stenocybus acidentatus is laterally compressed,making some characters unclear.Here we describe two new specimens of Stenocybus acidentatus from the same locality,an anterior portion of skull with articulated jaws,and a right dentary with nearly complete dentition.They show some detailed features on the morphology of the premaxilla,maxilla,nasal,external nares and dentary.The phylogenetic relationship between Stenocybus acidentatus and the relatively large Sinophoneus yumenensis is still difficult to determine,and needs more new complete material and further evidences.     

Two New Fossil Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Xyelidae, Xyelinae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Two new genera with two new species of sawflies, Cathayxyela extensa gen. et sp. nov. and Aequixyela immensa gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of southeastern Inner Mongolia, China, are assigned to the subfamily Xyelinae （Hymenoptera, Xyelidae）. Cathayxyela gen. nov. can be distinguished by the third antennal article longer than the head; mesoprescutum and mesoscutellum nearly equal in length; the forewing with Sc meeting C before the junction of 1-M and 1- Rs; a weak and narrow pterostigma; and 3-Cu at least 1.5 times longer than the lm-cu. Aequixyela gen. nov. is characterized by the third antennal article nearly as long as the head; the forewing with Rs＋M approximately equal to 2-Rs in length; 2m-cu inclined toward the wing base and nearly reaching the middle of cell 3rm; lm-cu as long as the 2-Cu and 3-Cu; and the cell 2cua of regular hexagonal shape.     

Triassic and Jurassic radiolarians from sedimentary blocks of ophiolite mélange in the Avala Gora area (Belgrade surroundings, Serbia)

Blocks of cherty rocks and Aptychus Limestone embedded into ophiolite mélange south of Avala Gora (Serbia) contain radiolarians of different ages. We distinguished here Late Jurassic (middle Oxfordianearly Tithonian), Middle-Late Jurassic (Bathonian-early Tithonian), and Middle Triassic (early Ladinian) radiolarian assemblages. The respective stratigraphic data suggest that the ophiolite mélange was formed after the early Tithonian.     

The Composition of Melt Inclusions in Minerals from Tephra of the Soil–Pyroclastic Cover of Simushir Island (Central Kuril Islands)

The compositions of approximately 70 naturally quenched melt inclusions in olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and plagioclase phenocrysts from tephra of the soil–pyroclastic cover of Simushir Island (Central Kuril Islands) were studied. The concentrations of the major rock-forming components, H₂O, S, and Cl were analyzed in inclusions. The reconstructed melts contain 48.6–78.4 wt % SiO₂, 0.3–8.26 wt % MgO, and 0.12–1.72 wt % K₂O. The concentration of S and Cl in the melts changes regularly with increasing SiO₂ content: from 0.14 to ~0.02 wt % S and from ~0.05 to ~0.28 wt % Cl. The content of H2O in parental melts is 4.2–4.5 wt %.     

Tectonic Setting of the Middle–Upper Cambrian Sediments of Bolshevik Island and Troynoy Island (Russian Arctic): a Case of Clastic Rocks from Metaterrigenous Complexes

Geotectonics - The new data on the tectonic setting and conditions for the Middle‒Late Cambrian deposits formation in the southern part of the North Kara terrane, presented in our research,...