A New Species of Rhodoleia (Hamamelidaceae) from the Upper Pliocene of West Yunnan, China and Comments on Phytogeography and Insect Herbivory

In Europe, fossil fruits and seeds of Rhodoleia (Hamamelidaceae) have been described from the Upper Cretaceous to the Miocene, whereas no fossil record of Rhodoleia has been reported in Asia, where the modern species occur. Herein, 21 fossil leaves identified as Rhodoleia tengchongensis sp. nov. are described from the Upper Pliocene of Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The fossils exhibit elliptic lamina with entire margins, simple brochidodromous major secondary veins, mixed percurrent intercostal tertiary veins, and looped exterior tertiaries. The leaf cuticle is characterized by pentagonal or hexagonal cells, stellate multicellular trichomes, and paracytic stomata. The combination of leaf architecture and cuticular characteristics suggests that the fossil leaves should be classified into the genus Rhodoleia. The fossil distributions indicate that the genus Rhodoleia might originate from Central Europe, and that migrated to Asia prior to the Late Pliocene. Additionally, insect damage is investigated, and different types of damage, such as hole feeding, margin feeding, surface feeding, and galling, are observed on the thirteen fossil leaves. Based on the damage frequencies for the fossil and extant leaves, the specific feeding behavior of insects on Rhodoleia trees appears to have been established as early as the Late Pliocene. The high occurrence of Rhodoleia insect herbivory may attract the insect-foraging birds, thereby increasing the probability of pollination.     

Plant–Arthropod Associations from the Lower Miocene of the Most Basin in Northern Bohemia (Czech Republic): A Preliminary Report

Terrestrial plants and insects currently account for the majority of the Earth's biodiversity, and approximately half of insect species are herbivores. Thus, insects and plants share ancient associations that date back more than 400 Myr. However, investigations of their past interactions are at the preliminary stages in Western Europe. Herein, we present the first results of our study of various feeding damage based on a dataset of nearly 3500 examined plant specimens from the Lower Miocene of the Lagerst?tte Bílina Mine in the Most Basin, Czech Republic. This site provides a unique view of the Neogene freshwater ecosystems. It has long been studied by scientists working in different branches of sedimentology, paleobotany, and paleozoology. The fossils are preserved in three characteristic horizons overlaying the coal seam (Clayey Superseam Horizon, Delta Sandy Horizon, and Lake Clayey Horizon), reflecting paleoenvironmental changes in a short time period of development. The trace fossils are classified as functional feeding groups or “guilds”, without searching for a direct cause or a recent analog host relation. Approximately 23% of specimens of dicotyledonous plant leaves were found to be damaged and associated with some leaf “morphotypes”. Deciduous plant–host taxa, and those with a chartaceous texture typical of riparian habitats, were frequently damaged, such as Populus, recorded with two species Populus zaddachii and Populus populina (57.9% and 31% herbivory levels, respectively), followed by Acer, Alnus, and Carya, averaging almost 30% of damaged leaves/leaflets. There has been evidence of 60 damage types (DT) representing all functional feeding groups recorded at the Bílina Mine, including 12 types of leaf mines and 16 gall-type DT. In total, Lower Miocene of the Lagerst?tte Bílina Mine exhibits a high level of external foliage feeding types (23.7%), and a low level of more specialized DT, such as galls (4.3%) and leaf mines (<1%). A broader comparison based on DT of the main sedimentary environments shows significance supporting different biomes by frequency of damage levels and DT diversities.     

A comparison of terpenoid and leaf fossil vegetation proxies in Paleocene and Eocene Bighorn Basin sediments

Plant-derived terpenoids, long recognized as biomarkers, can help reveal the major taxonomic groups of land plants present in ancient environments, even if rocks and sediments do not preserve plant macro- or microfossils. Previous studies have used simple di- to triterpenoid ratios to reconstruct floral changes in the geologic past, but few have compared terpenoid ratios with estimates of floral composition from fossils. Further, reconstructions have not taken into account differences in biomarker production (i.e. concentration relative to leaf biomass) between different types of plants. Here, we have examined terpenoids from early Cenozoic fluvial rocks from the Bighorn Basin (Wyoming, USA), where fossil flora has been studied in detail. We analyzed the distributions of diterpenoids, triterpenoids and n-alkanes from leaf wax in a total of 43 samples from 15 stratigraphic horizons of late Paleocene (63 Ma) to early Eocene (53 Ma) in age. In nearly all samples, triterpenoids, derived from angiosperms, were significantly lower in abundance than conifer-specific diterpenoids, a finding that contrasted with plant fossil evidence for the same rocks. This suggests that di- to triterpenoid ratios severely underestimate the abundance of angiosperms in paleovegetation. Angiosperms dominated n-alkane production among modern plants, and we propose a new paleovegetation proxy based on the ratio of diterpenoids (conifers) to n-alkanes (angiosperms), corrected for lipid production estimated from extant vegetation. Using diterpenoids and alkanes, we infer the composition of paleovegetation to be similar to that inferred from plant fossils. Although the approach works well for the Bighorn Basin, we stress the new paleovegetation proxy will need to be evaluated for other time periods, communities, paleogeography and depositional environments with pollen or megafossil data available.     

从树轮纤维素δ13C序列看树木生长对大气CO2浓度变化的响应

在新疆昭苏树轮碳同位素组成研究的基础上，初步分析了近280a以来云杉内外CO2浓度比（Ci/Ca)，云杉内部CO2浓度（Ci)和水分利用效率（A／g)的变化，结果表明，在整个分析时段内Ci/Ca相对恒定在0．52左右，暗示树木生长对大气CO2浓度升高的基本响应策略；Ci和A/g都有较明显的升高趋势，说明可能有更多的碳被固定在树木之中，进一步分析表明，它们的这种趋势与大气CO2浓度变化有关，从另一个侧面证明了人类活动释放的碳有一部分被树木吸收。     

The geological history of insect-related plant damage

Biological damage to plants is commonly found from the Devonian but occurs most commonly from the Cretaceous. Damage inflicted on plants whilst they were alive may trigger a pathological response involving the growth of abnormal tissues. Much of the damage is caused by arthropods, particularly insects. Whilst some damage is non-taxon specific, such as simple feeding traces, other damage, such as leaf mines, galls or bark boring, may reveal the co-evolution of host specific taxa and the timing of such interactions. Damaged plants, particularly from the Cretaceous and Tertiary are described and illustrated. The geological history of the evolution of insect-related plant damage is briefly reviewed. Increased variety in the pathological response of plants is seen from the Cretaceous with the evolution of the angiosperms and diversification of numerous insect groups.     

新疆吐哈盆地东北缘早二叠世安加拉植物群及古气候条件

地处吐哈盆地东北缘的哈密天山乡二道沟一带下二叠统依尔希土组产出大量植物化石,经鉴定有5属13种。该植物群以科达类为主,几乎全为安加拉植物区的常见分子,建立了Angaropteridium-Noeggerathiopsis-Nephropsis组合,经对比确定其时代为早二叠世。利用植物群组成及植物化石叶相统计分析,推断吐哈盆地早二叠世处于相对温暖湿润、具有明显波动的温带气候,存在着周期性的干-湿转变及年度的季节性变化。     

中国晚侏罗世多瘤齿兽类哺乳动物的发现及其意义

多瘤齿兽是一类已绝灭的哺乳动物,其以后部牙齿上有很多小瘤(小的隆起,或者小尖)来适于咀嚼植物为特征。总的来说,它们的门齿和臼齿与那些啮齿类相似,但在演化时间上多瘤齿兽比新生代的啮齿类早的多。多瘤齿兽是杂食者,或者说是成功开拓了其它脊椎动物无法开拓的植食生境的植食者(可以树叶、种子、蕨类、裸子植物,再加上蠕虫和昆虫为食)。由于它们多种食性和运动方式,多瘤齿兽成为中生代数量最多的哺乳动物,几乎占侏罗纪和白垩纪时期所有哺乳动物种类的一半。它们的支系是哺乳动物历史上生存时间最长的支系,出现于170 Ma前,大约绝灭于35 Ma。但是,因为多瘤齿兽具有很多独特的、高度特化的牙齿和头骨特征,古生物学家们长期困惑于它们的进化起源。最近,中国辽西发现了一件产自晚侏罗世髫髻山组的多瘤齿兽类哺乳动物。由于其牙齿上发育明显的纹饰,如很多小的脊、沟、凹槽等,新发现的哺乳动物被命名为皱纹齿兽(Rugosodon)。另一方面,由于与皱纹齿兽亲缘关系最近的哺乳动物产自西欧的侏罗纪地层,因此其种名被命名为欧亚皱纹齿兽(Rugosodon eurasiaticus)。新发现为晚侏罗世时期欧洲和亚洲的哺乳动物具有高度的相似性提供了最新的证据。皱纹齿兽是一种夜行的哺乳动物,生活于气候温和的湖滨,与长羽毛的恐龙近鸟龙、翼龙类达尔文翼龙、大量节肢动物、其它几种哺乳动物共同生活于一起。根据与现生哺乳动物的比较,并依据欧亚皱纹齿兽手部比例、末端指节的形态等,推论欧亚皱纹齿兽很可能是地栖哺乳动物,或者说地栖比攀爬的可能性更大。这一发现对于研究多瘤齿兽早期的演化、食性分异、运动适应起源等具有重要的科学意义。     

论大灭绝后的幸存类型、复活效应与避难所

大灭绝后生物的幸免实质上是对灾变恶化环境的忍耐和适应生存。幸存分子能提供大灭绝规模和残存机制的部分信息。历次大灭绝后的残存与复苏有不同的形式,不同生物类群和同一类群中的不同生物对大灭绝事件更有不同的应对策略。在识别奥陶纪末大灭绝后3种幸存类型(“扩增幸存型”、“减缩幸存型”和“复活型”)的基础上,文中进一步指出,“减缩幸存型”的研究有助于理解“复活型”的含义。复活效应的识别应建筑在较高质量的化石记录基础上,但实践中寻找真正的复活生物却非易事。复活分类单元并不一定反映大灭绝的强度,其数量是受许多条件限制的;不同的大灭绝事件对不同门类(或类群)的冲击程度不一样,其复活表现形式也各不相同;并非每次大灭绝、每种生物类别都发育复活分子的。因此,复活效应和复活生物在大灭绝过程中的意义比过去想象的小得多。分析复活现象须掌握全球、而非局部地区的资料。在灾变时期,典型、常见分子是识别一个动物群的标志,而稀有分子更有助于复活效应的研究。史前避难所包含古地理、古生态、古环境和宏演化四方面因素,其识别和确定需寻找尽可能多的证据。史前“减缩幸存型”研究可能会给当今生物界研究一个有益的启示,即“濒危种”不一定完全陷入“穷途末路”之境地,而是仍有续生(或复活)的可能。     

A fossil palm leaf impression from ∼11.2 Ma old,Siwalik deposits of Kangra Valley,Himachal Pradesh

We report here, a fossil palm leaf from Lower Siwalik sediments, tied to nearby palaeomagnetically dated 11.2 Ma old beds exposed in the Baner Khad, near Ranital, Himachal Pradesh. The palm fossil leaf impression has been placed in the genus Palmacites sp. (Family: Arecaceae) based on its diagnostic features such as large palmate leaf without hastula and costa (midrib), showing coriaceous texture, leaflets diverging from the base of the lamina with prominent midrib and parallel venation. This finding may indicate presence of tropical to subtropical climatic conditions in the Himalayan foothills around Kangra Valley in the Middle Miocene time.     

A new amber deposit from the Cretaceous (uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian) of southwestern France

A Cretaceous amber deposit has recently been discovered in a quarry of Charente-Maritime (southwestern France), at Cadeuil. This paper presents the sedimentary and palaeoenvironmental settings of the uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian series including the amber deposit. A preliminary analysis of the amber samples reveals diverse fossil arthropods (a few mites and at least 20 insect families within 9 orders), as well as numerous micro-organisms, mainly algae and mycelia. A myceloid colony of bacteria, a flagellate algae and four especially well preserved insects are illustrated (Diptera Dolichopodidae, Diptera Chironomidae, Hymenoptera Parasitica, and Heteroptera Tingidae). The abundance of the limnic micro-organisms is discussed in terms of bloom events. Their relative scarcity in almost all the amber pieces containing fossil arthropods is attributed to differences in the origin of resin: production along trunk and branches for amber with arthropods; production by aquatic roots for amber rich in algae. The absence of pollen and spores in amber is attributed to differences in the respective periods of resin and palynomorph production, which may be related to a seasonal climate during the Albian-Cenomanian transition in Western Europe.     

Chemical characterization of Lower Devonian vascular plants

Vegetative remains of three coalified Lower Devonian vascular plants (Zosterophyllum, Psilophyton, Renalia) were analyzed using flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The distributions of pyrolysis products are compared with those from younger vascular plant fossil xylem (Cordaixylon, Callixylon) and cuticle (Pachypteris). The likelihood of the chemical preservation of characteristic higher plant macromolecules (e.g., lignin and cutan) in the Lower Devonian plant fossils is considered in light of this comparison and associated thermal maturity assessments. Reflectance values from vitrinite-like macerals, which may not be vitrinite sensu stricto in the Lower Devonian host rocks for the fossils selected for this study, are shown to provide a reasonable assessment of the thermal maturity of these early vascular plant fossils. Although lignin altered through burial maturation is the most likely source of the prominent alkylphenols and aromatic hydrocarbons in the Lower Devonian tracheophyte flash pyrolysates, a contribution from thermally modified tannins cannot be ruled out. Comparison of the highly aliphatic pyrolysates from the Zosterophyllum and Psilophyton axes with that of a thermally mature fossil gymnosperm leaf revealed that cutan was an important component in the Devonian plant remains. This is the earliest chemical evidence for the presence of cutan in vascular plants.     

Exceptional preservation of Upper Carboniferous (lower Westphalian) fossils from Edlington,Doncaster, South Yorkshire,UK

A new fossil‐bearing, Upper Carboniferous (lower Westphalian) locality in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK, is reported and an account of the fossils is presented. The diverse flora and fauna consists of plants, bivalves, arthropods (primarily xiphosurans), tentaculitids (microconchids), fish scales, shark egg capsules and coprolites. Fossils are preserved in siderite nodules and shales, and display excellent preservation and detail. Previous collecting of Carboniferous fossils in the Doncaster area has been minimal. The discovery of this locality addresses this deficit and is of further importance as such localities in the UK are diminishing in number with the cessation of coal‐mining and the reclamation of mine dumps, further demonstrating the importance and recognition of the Edlington site. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

兰州盆地渐新统化石山杨（Populus davidiana Dode）数据化初探

本文试用平台式扫描仪和GetData Graph Digitizer软件相结合的方法,对产于兰州盆地渐新统二维形态的化石山杨（Populus davidiana Dode）叶片进行数字化,获得其叶相的主要基本参数数据。然后用Golden Software Grapher软件对数据进行检验,重建的化石形态与原叶片宏观特征吻合程度很好。这表明：对于二维形态的叶化石,利用相关软件获取图形数据是一种可行的方法,这也可为叶片化石形态定量化分析和重建3D化石图像用于博物馆展览和科普宣传提供基础的数据。     

Evidence of Insect-plant Interactions From the Upper Gondwana Sequence (Lower Cretaceous) in the Rajmahal Basin, India

The present paper reports significant evidence of insect-plant interactions in the Upper Gondwana sequence (Early Cretaceous) from various localities of the Rajmahal Formation in the Rajmahal Basin of Jharkhand State, India. This evidence is among the first Early Cretaceous evidence of phytophagy and is recognised by various types of feeding traces namely continuous marginal, discontinuous marginal and non-marginal. These traces may indicate herbivory of pinnate leaves ofPtilophyllurn (Bennettitales) and these herbivores may have assisted the plants in pollination. Additional evidence for a plant-insect relationship is on the lamina o f Phyllopteroides pinnae (Osmundaceae) which was used for ovipostional sites containing oval egg impressions that occur along the veins in the leaf lamina. Further, the evidence of insect galls recognised on a Nipaniophyllurn (Pentoxylales) leaf surface indicates that the lamina was used as a shelter habitat for insect larvae. These galls show some similarity with extinct leaf galls reported on Glossopteris (Glossopteridales) leaves recorded from the Permian of Kashmir Himalaya, India as well as on galls on Sophora (Fabaceae) and Eomangferophyllum (Anacardiaceae) leaves from the Neogene flora of India. Similar spherical leaf galls are induced by Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) and Hymenoptera (Pteromalidae) on leaves of modern Anadenanthera peregrina from Brazil. The present findings from the Upper Gondwana Sequence of India reveals that these types of insect-plant relationships existed during the Gondwana time and continued up to the recent, perhaps having a role in the co-evolution of present flora and fauna.     

Biomolecular Preservation of Miocene Fossil Liquidambar from Tiantai, China and Clarkia, USA: Implications for Palaeoenvironmental Study

Biomolecular characteristics of fossil Liquidambar from the Miocene Shengxian Formation, Tiantai, Zhejiang province in eastern China and Miocene Clarkia sediment, Idaho, U.S.A., are obtained by means of Pyrolysis-Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis (Py-GC-MS). Their modern equivalent (Liquidambar formosana) collected from Nanjing, eastern China, is also analyzed for comparison. The total ion chromatograms (TIC) of modern L. formosana leaves shows abundant pyrolysates of lignin, polysaccharide, aliphatic acid, and amino acid. However, only one polysaccharide molecule, i.e., levoglucosan, is retained in fossil Liquidambar leaves from the two Miocene sites with the Tiantai specimen possessing higher intensity. As expected, some lignin pyrolysates including benzene, phenol, guaiacol, vinylphenol and their derivatives, are detected in Miocene Tiantai L. miosinica. However, the lignin components with large molecular weight other than benzene and phenol compounds, are absent in Miocene Clarkia L. pachyphyllum. Abundant pristene and homologous series of n-alk-1-ene/n-alkane pairs with a long retention time are shown in pyrograms of both Tiantai and Clarkia fossils. Based upon our Py-GC-MS data, the molecular preservation in these Liquidambar leaf samples can be ranked as the following (from high to low quality respectively): modern sample >Tiantai sample >Clarkia sample. Vinyl phenol, an important compound, is present in modern and Tiantai Liquidambar leaves, while absent in Clarkia sample, implying that vinyl phenol may be sourced from lignin for Liquidambar leaves. Our data support the hypothesis of in situ polymerization for the origin of long-chain homologous series of n-alk-1-ene/n-alkane pairs as leaf alteration products. Our data have implications of the impact of leaf degradation toward biases for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction using stable carbon isotope of fossil plants, and suggest the importance of evaluating molecular preservation of fossil leaf tissues prior to the application of carbon isotope compositions of fossil leaves.     

Ostracods: The ultimate survivors

Ostracods are tiny crustacean arthropods just a few millimetres long, with a bivalved carapace made of calcium carbonate that covers the whole body, and into which the animal can retreat from the world outside. Because of their diminutive size they are largely overlooked as fossils, but they have a fascinating history. Silent witnesses to life in the seas since the time of trilobites, they have a fossil record extending back to the Early Ordovician, and possibly the Cambrian. Ostracods have survived nearly 500 million years of Earth history including the ‘big five’ mass extinctions of the Phanerozoic Eon; they are true survivors. They are almost perfectly adapted for the aquatic environments in which they live, and can be found from the ocean abyssal plains to damp leaf litter. The ostracod carapace is a triumph of biological engineering that has been re‐configured into myriad different morphologies according to environment. Streamlined and agile species plough through the ocean water column, sometimes reaching a ‘giant’ size of a centimetre in length, whilst their tinier sea bottom cousins make elaborately ornamented carapaces to withstand the pressures of living at the seabed, or shape their carapaces into forms that facilitate burrowing into sediment. Ostracods are key components of aquatic ecosystems. As primary consumers they are food for larger animals both in seabed and planktonic habitats, and they recycle much of the organic detritus produced by larger animals and plants. Delve into the history of ostracods and it is possible to find pioneers who triumphed in the plankton, early colonisers of terrestrial aquatic ecosystems, and ostracods that literally conquered the land. And in more recent times, ostracods have even hitched rides on rockets into space.     

云南罗平中三叠世安尼期生物群的发现及其意义

本文介绍了云南罗平地区新发现的罗平生物群的产出层位、生物面貌、保存特征、古地理位置及其研究意义。该生物群产于关岭组二段薄层泥晶灰岩中,地层对比和化石鉴定表明其时代为中三叠世安尼期,以鱼类为主,伴生有爬行类、两栖类（？）、棘皮动物、节肢动物（甲壳类、昆虫等）、双壳类、腹足类以及植物化石;化石保存完好,分布广泛,埋藏方式独特。罗平生物群无论在丰度、分异度及化石保存上都极为罕见和独特,对研究埋藏学、古生态学、古地理以及三叠纪海洋生物尤其是海生爬行类都具有极为重要的意义。     

贵州关岭生物群中发现完美的植物化石

关岭生物群是指贵州关岭一带以大量海生爬行动物和海百合为特色的多门类化石群［１］，现已成为中国重要的化石宝库之一，但以往一直没有植物化石的报道。近些年来，笔者等在该地产海生爬行动物的同一层位中首次发现较多的植物化石，经鉴定为CtenozamitessarraniZeiller和Equisetitesare－naceus（Jaeger）Bronn．。这些植物化石的发现不仅增添了关岭生物群的组成内容，而且为海生爬行动物时代的确定提供了新的证据。植物化石产于关岭县新铺乡小凹组（原称“瓦窑组”）近底部。小凹组主要系一套海相不纯碳酸盐岩沉积，由灰、深灰、灰黑色…     

A New Arthropod, Guangweicaris Luo, Fu et Hu gen. nov. from the Early Cambrian Guanshan Fauna, Kunming, China

The Guanshan Fauna is a soft-bodied fauna dominated by arthropods （including trilobites, trilobitoides, Tuzoia, Isoxys, and bradorids） in association with priapulids, brachiopods, anomalocaridids, vetulicoliids, sponges, chancellorids, and echinoderms. This paper reports and describes a new arthropod from the yellowish green mudstone at the lower part of the Wulongqing Formation, Canglangpuan Stage, Lower Cambrian in Kunming, Yunnan, China. The stratigraphic and geographic distribution, classification, fossil preservation, life style of this new arthropod and comparisons with other fossil arthropods are also discussed in details. The discovery and research of the non-mineralized arthropod, Guangweicaris Luo, Fu et Hu gen. nov. from the Guanshan Fauna adds new members to the taxonomic list and provides new information to the evolution of early arthropods. Furthermore, this study would shed new light into the ＂Cambrian Explosion＂ and the evolution of early life.