Fossil Association from the Lower Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation in the Yangtze Gorges Area, Hubei, South China

Apart from previously reported Small Shelly Fossils (SSFs), a macroscopic fossil assemblage, comprising abundant algae, cone-shaped tubular fossil forms, and probable impressions of a megascopic metazoan, comes from the Lower Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area of western Hubei Province, south China. The visible fossils are preserved in thin-laminated siltstone or muddy siltstone intercalated between 8–15 mm-thick carbonate deposits, probably representing sedimentary settings of a constrained local depression in the shallow water carbonate platform during the Early Cambrian Meishucunian Stage. The macroscopic fossil association provides significant fossil evidence about the evolution of life from the late Precambrian to the ‘Cambrian explosion’ interval.     

Small shelly fossils from the early Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation,Yichang, Hubei,China

Abundant data have been acquired on the lower Cambrian small shelly fossils (SSFs) of the Yangtze platform during the last three decades, demonstrating that these fossils are an important piece of evidence for the Cambrian radiation and are useful biostratigraphic tools for correlating the lower Cambrian. Here we report SSF associations from the Yanjiahe Formation in the Three Gorges area, South China. The Yanjiahe Formation is well exposed near the Yanjiahe village, and its 40-m-thick sequence can be subdivided on the basis of lithology into five stratigraphic intervals (beds). Small shelly fossils occur mainly in Beds 2 and 5, but abundant SSFs were discovered in thin sections of siliceous–phosphatic nodules from Bed 3 for the first time. No skeletal fossils were discovered in the basal siliceous rock interval (Bed 1), but the negative δ¹³C_carb excursion and the occurrence of the acritarch Micrhystridium regulare indicate that it belongs to the basal Cambrian. The SSF associations are somewhat similar to those of East Yunnan, and can be differentiated into three biozones (in ascending order): the Anabarites trisulcatus–Protohertzina anabarica assemblage zone (Bed 2), the Purella antiqua assemblage zone (Bed 3), and the Aldanella yanjiaheensis assemblage zone (Bed 5). The occurrence of A. yanjiaheensis in Bed 5 probably indicates that Bed 5 belongs to Cambrian Stage 2, but the Stage 2/Stage 1 boundary is uncertain since Bed 4 lacks fossils. SSF biostratigraphy indicates that the Yanjiahe Formation is pretrilobitic Meishucunian in age (equivalent to the Nemakit–Daldynian to Tommotian of Siberia, Terreneuvian). Five SSF genera occur in Bed 2, more than six genera in Bed 3, and twenty-three genera in Bed 5. The stepwise increase in generic diversity through the Yanjiahe Formation is comparable with the global diversity increase through the Nemakit–Daldynian to early Tommotian interval.     

三峡地区寒武系纽芬兰统岩家河组小壳化石研究进展

埃迪卡拉纪—寒武纪转换时期小壳化石的突然出现是世人瞩目的重要演化事件之一,它见证了动物的爆发式快速演化过程,标志着以两侧对称动物为特征的寒武纪生态系统的开始。湖北三峡地区寒武系纽芬兰统岩家河组处于幸运阶—第二阶这一关键层段,是研究上述问题的理想地区之一。岩家河组小壳化石研究最近取得的进展,为寒武系纽芬兰统幸运阶/第二阶界线的标定,和寒武纪早期软体动物和刺胞动物的演化及个体发育提供了重要的化石依据,本文对其进行了总结。全球界线层型剖面和点位(GSSP)寒武系第二阶底界划分标志的Watsonella crosbyi和Aldanella attleborensis在岩家河组第5段底部的同时出现,意味着岩家河组第5段已归属寒武系第二阶。这两类软体动物化石均广泛分布于华南、蒙古、西伯利亚和北美等大陆碳酸盐岩相寒武系第二阶地层中,它们均是定义寒武系第二阶底界的有力竞争者。另外,W.crosbyi壳顶下方一对肌肉附着结构的发现提供了重要的软组织结构信息,证实了W.crosbyi为内腹型壳,归属为未扭曲的软体动物太阳女神螺类。新发现六方锥石类Septuconularia yanjiaheensis具侧向压扁、两辐射对称的、14个等大锥面的围鞘,是迄今所描述的六方锥石类中锥面数最多的类型。根据横肋疏密程度,围鞘由下向上可分为三部分,可能代表胚胎期、幼年期和成年期不同的生长阶段。Septuconularia显然由寒武系幸运阶Hexaconularia通过扇面扩增演变而来,证明Hexaconularia可能是Arthrochites和Septuconularia之间的中间过渡类型。新发现的橄榄蛋类Octapyrgites elongatus与幸运阶Olivooides和Quadrapyrgites十分相似,围鞘由方形的壳顶区和波纹状倒宝塔形的远顶区组成。然而Octapyrgites只有8个口折叶,有别于具12个口折叶的Quadrapyrgites。通过与幸运期水母类多种对称方式对比,发现在寒武系第二阶橄榄蛋类数量减少和五辐射对称骨状壳类缺失,表明在幸运期/第二期转换时期,底栖固着型的刺胞动物水母类多样性发生了明显衰落,甚至部分绝灭,而同期的两侧对称动物则迅速辐射演化。     

Dinomischus from the Middle Cambrian Kaili Biota, Guizhou, China

Dinomischus is a rare solitary epifaunal suspension feeder. The over-all morphology of Dinomischus consists of a conical calyx surrounded with elongate bracts and an elongate stem. Visceral mass and stomach sac are evident in the body cavity. Dinomischus is interpreted as a primative ancestor of living entoprocts based on similarities in morphology and mode of life. Previously, Dinomischus is only known in two localities： the mid-Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale Biota and the Early Cambrian Chengjiang Biota. A single specimen of Dinomischus cf. D. isolatus Cowry Morris, 1977 from the Kaili Biota, Guizhou, China is reported here. The discovery of Dinomischus in the Kaili Biota extends its geographical range and indicated that the rare Dinomischus could tolerate deeper water settings during the Middle Cambrian.     

Fossil Association from the Lower Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation in the Yangtze Gorges Area, Hubei, South China

Apart from previously reported Small Shelly Fossils (SSFs), a macroscopic fossil assemblage, comprising abundant algae, cone-shaped tubular fossil forms, and probable impressions of a megascopic metazoan, comes from the Lower Cambrian Yanjiahe Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area of western Hubei Province, south China. The visible fossils are preserved in thin-laminated siltstone or muddy siltstone intercalated between 8–15 mm-thick carbonate deposits, probably representing sedimentary settings of a constrained local depression in the shallow water carbonate platform during the Early Cambrian Meishucunian Stage. The macroscopic fossil association provides significant fossil evidence about the evolution of life from the late Precambrian to the ‘Cambrian explosion’ interval.     

Fossil coniferous wood from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in western Liaoning,NE China: New material and palaeoclimate implications

The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, one of the most important Mesozoic lagerstätten in East Asia, is especially well-known for occurrences of fossil feathered dinosaurs and early angiosperms. However, the terrestrial biodiversity, especially the fossil wood record, is poorly known. In this study, several structurally preserved coniferous wood specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation are investigated, based on collections from the Heichengzi Basin in Beipiao of western Liaoning, Northeast China. Four species referred to four genera of fossil wood are described, including Taxodioxylon heichengziense sp. nov., Thujoxylon beipiaoense sp. nov., Sciadopityoxylon liaoningense Ding and Protocedroxylon shengjinbeigouense sp. nov. These new records enlarge the fossil wood diversity of the Yixian Formation up to 10 species in 9 genera, and provide further insights into the forest vegetation composition of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Systematic analysis of the floral constitution indicates that the petrified forests of the Yixian Formation are dominated by conifers, represented by Araucariaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in the western Liaoning region. Palaeoclimatical analysis of the fossil wood assemblage implies that the western Liaoning region was dominated by a cool temperate, wet and seasonal climate with variable interannual water supply in the western Liaoning region during the Early Cretaceous.     

Kaili Biota: A Taphonomic Window on Diversification of Metazoans from the Basal Middle Cambrian: Guizhou, China

1 Introduction The Burgess Shale Biota was discovered in the Cambrian strata of western Canada by American paleontologist C. D. Walcott in 1909 (Walcott, 1911). The fauna contains more than 140 metazoan genera (Robison, 1991, Briggs et al., 1994), with a preservational range from hard skeletal parts, non-mineralized remains and internal soft-tissue and soft-body remains. Following that discovery up to 40 similar taphonomic locations have been found globally in Lower and Middle Cambrian …     

寒武系底部宽川铺生物群中的卵裂胚胎过程:来自化石薄片的证据

陕南寒武纪早期宽川铺生物群中保存的大量磷酸盐化动物胚胎化石为古生物研究开辟了一个新领域。目前已报道了囊胚期之后不同发育阶段的胚胎化石标本,并且初步建立了从光滑球形胚胎化石Olivooides到带有瘤刺的锥体化石Punctatus的发育序列,而对卵裂期的胚胎化石却鲜有报道。基于通过醋酸浸泡获得的多枚卵裂期、囊胚期及原肠胚期的三维化石标本,加上应用岩石切片技术获得的卵裂期胚胎化石的切片标本,共同见证了从单个卵细胞(Olivooides)经卵裂到囊胚、原肠胚的完整胚胎发育序列。新化石材料的发现,不仅填补了宽川铺生物群中卵裂期胚胎化石的空白,完善了从单个卵细胞(Olivooides)经卵裂到囊胚、原肠胚,再到孵化的锥形幼体(Punctatus)的完整胚胎发育序列,而且通过与贵州瓮安生物群中卵裂期细胞胚胎化石及一些现生的低等动物卵裂期胚胎的对比,对揭示Olivooides胚胎的卵裂过程和特点,探讨其亲缘关系,以及后生动物的早期演化提供了新的化石证据。     

New Localities and Palaeoscolecid Worms from the Cambrian (Stage 4, Series 2) Guanshan Biota in Kunming, Yunnan, South China

The Guanshan Biota from the Cambrian Stage 4 Wulongqing Formation is a typical Burgess-shale type Lagerst?tte that had witnessed the Cambrian explosion. Here we report two new localities of the Guanshan Biota, which is located at Baimei village, south of Kunming and Xinglong village, Wuding County, Yunnan Province respectively. Both localities produce soft-body fossils and several new taxa, e.g. a new species of palaeoscolecidans (Palaeoscolex xinglongensis sp. nov.) reported herein. The comparative study of the new species with similar form not only indicates that there is a diversification of palaeoscolecid species in Guanshan Biota, but also strengthens the ties between the older Chengjiang Biota and the younger Kaili Biota (and also the coeval Burgess Shale community). Three paleoecological features, including high diversity, little disparity and richness of palaeoscolecid worms, are summarized as a case study to represent the differences between Guanshan and Chengjiang Biota.     

贵州台江中寒武世凯里生物群古生态研究

凯里生物群是世界三大布尔吉斯页岩型生物群之一。本文通过古生物个体埋藏保存情况、古生物个体生态学、沉积学和地球化学等的研究和分析,认为凯里生物群中大部分分子是从异地搬运到陆棚环境埋藏的。同时,提出了凯里生物群的埋藏机理模式和生态复原图。     

湖北宜昌重要地质遗迹资源特征及发展模式探讨

本文系统总结了湖北宜昌地区省级及省级以上地质遗迹资源,认为该地区地质遗迹分布规律主要可概括为两个方面,一是受控于地形和河流的综合作用,以各类地貌景观遗迹为特点;二是各个地质时代地层剖面齐全,古生物化石产地聚集.其中可归类为世界级地质遗迹点为5个,均以"古生物化石"为核心,分别为三峡地区埃迪卡拉生物群、长阳寒武纪清江生物...     

湖北宜昌重要地质遗迹资源特征及发展模式探讨

本文系统总结了湖北宜昌地区省级及省级以上地质遗迹资源,认为该地区地质遗迹分布规律主要可概括为两个方面,一是受控于地形和河流的综合作用,以各类地貌景观遗迹为特点;二是各个地质时代地层剖面齐全,古生物化石产地聚集。其中可归类为世界级地质遗迹点为5个,均以“古生物化石”为核心,分别为三峡地区埃迪卡拉生物群、长阳寒武纪清江生物群、黄花场中奥陶统大坪阶“金钉子”、王家湾上奥陶统赫南特阶“金钉子”和远安三叠系南漳—远安动物群。立足于此,文中首次详细总结了这些地质遗迹点的化石代表、科学及科普意义,并从地质遗迹自身保护和应用方式、地质遗迹载体、地学研学、地质文化的传播和文创科普产品5个方面对古生物地质遗迹资源的发展模式进行了详细探讨,从而为宜昌地区全域地质遗迹开发和旅游提供新思路。     

Chitinozoans from the Fenxiang Formation (Early Ordovician) of Yichang, Hubei Province, China

Chitinozoans collected from upper Tremadocian to lower Floian strata of Chenjiahe section, Yichang, western Hubei, China comprise six species belonging respectively to the genera Euconochitina including a new species, Euconochitina fenxiangensis, Lagenochitina and Bursachitina, together with Desmochitina sp. and Eremochitina sp. The chitinozoan succession across the interval is correlated with relevant conodont and chitinozoan biozones and two new regional chitinozoan biozones, the Lagenochitina destombesi Biozone and the Euconochitina symmetrica Biozone are proposed based on their stratigraphic ranges in the Fenxiang to Honghuayuan formations in the Chenjiahe section.     

鄂西宜昌地区寒武系页岩测井评价及优质储层识别

中扬子地区下寒武统是我国页岩气勘探开发的热点层系,页岩测井是评价页岩气储层的重要手段。宜昌地区寒武系处于浅水陆棚相带,页岩中碳酸盐岩组分含量高,大量发育灰质条带和灰岩透镜体,岩性非均质性强,识别优质储层是页岩气评价的基础。本文利用常规测井、特殊测井以及岩心样品分析化验资料,综合分析了宜页1井寒武系水井沱组页岩岩性密度、自然伽马、电阻率、声波时差、补偿中子、核磁共振以及岩性扫描测井特征,获得了富有机质页岩测井的识别方法。研究显示：（1）宜页1井中水井沱组富有机质页岩厚度为68.3m,具有 “五高两低”的地球物理响应特征,水井沱组页岩自上而下,密度测井可划分为指状波动段、中部稳定段、下部低密度段“三段式”特征,电阻率测井可划分为尖峰状高电阻灰质泥岩段、电阻率千欧段,低电阻率含气页岩段;（2）富有机质页岩的密度与TOC呈较好的负相关性,随着深度增加、TOC含量增大,声波时差、补偿中子逐渐增大,元素测井上Si、S含量增加,Ca含量降低;（3）利用孔隙度曲线和U、Th/U等反映TOC的曲线叠合,以及U与RD、DEN、中子、AC的交汇图,可有效区分出优质页岩（TOC>2.0%）、贫有机质页岩和灰质页岩。     

New Fossil Beetles of the Family Ommatidae （Coleoptera： Archostemata） from the Jehol Biota of China

A new genus with one new species and five new species of genus Amblomma of fossil ommatids are described and illustrated： Euryomma tylodes gen. et sp. nov., Amblomma cyclodonta sp. nov., Amblomma miniscula sp. nov., Amblomma porrecta sp. nov., Amblomma eumeura sp. nov., and Amblomma protensa sp. nov. All of them were collected from the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China. A key to the species of Amblomma is given. The wide epipleural space shows that Euryomma may be a primitive genus in Ommatidae. Many different species of Amblomma occurred within the same sedimentary horizon in this area could be environmental changes caused by frequent volcanic activities during the deposition of the Yixian Formation.     

湖北宜昌白果园陡山沱组磷块岩地球化学特征研究

湖北宜昌地区白果园含磷岩系位于黄陵背斜西北部,属于宜昌磷矿的一部分;磷块岩形成于震旦纪陡山沱期大海侵时期,其富磷层位于陡山沱组樟村坪段。对白果园剖面进行地球化学方面研究,得出以下认识：（1）白果园磷块岩富集层主要为以P3O5与CaO构成的磷酸盐矿物、以CaO、CO2为特征的碳酸盐矿物和A12O3与SiO,构成的粘土矿物...     

湖北宜昌地区寒武系—下奥陶统的碳氧同位素记录

对宜昌地区寒武系和下奥陶统的碳酸盐碳、氧同位素进行测定,所得δ18O大 于－10‰且与δ13C不相关,表明研究区碳酸盐样品基本上保存了碳、氧同位素的初 始比值。δ18O在白云岩样品中呈现正漂移而在非白云岩样品中呈现负漂移,认为δ 18O反映海水古盐度变化,即δ18O随着古盐度升高而增大;δ13 C在缺氧沉积物中呈现负漂移,但负漂移的δ13C却不限于缺氧沉积物,推测δ13 C可能反映古海洋的初级生产力,即δ13C随着初级生产力的提高而降低。研究还指 出,由于Z值与δ13C密切正相关（相关系数为0.99）,综合运用δ18O和δ 13C的经典盐度公式不适用于研究区古盐度环境的重建。     

冀北承德地区热河生物群化石组合特征及其地质意义

冀北承德与辽西建昌-义县一带是热河生物群化石的命名地,产有丰富的无脊椎动物和脊椎动物化石,以及早期被子植物化石,是探讨鸟类,哺乳类和被子植物起源的重要地区,引起了国内外古生物学家的高度关注和各国媒体的广泛报道.冀北承德地区陆相晚期中生代地层的张家口组-大北沟组-大店子组的层位要低于辽西地区的义县组,时代也更老.该区所产珍稀无脊椎动物与珍稀脊椎动物化石的时代除义县期外要老于辽西义县组,这对探讨热河生物群的起源与演化,特别是软骨硬鳞鱼和真骨鱼类的演化,两栖类的系统分类,鸟类的起源,原始哺乳类的进化,以及被子植物的起源等都具有重大的理论意义.     

寒武纪早期澄江生物群小细丝海绵属新材料

文章描述了云南寒武纪早期澄江生物群小细丝海绵属一新种——螺旋小细丝海绵（Leptomitella spiralis sp. nov.）。新种 具有横向骨针束围绕海绵体呈螺旋状排列的典型特征，明显区别于属内其他种；此外，在外部形态和骨针类型上与属内其他种 也存在较大差异。新种的发现增加了Leptomitella种间形态结构的多样性，也为海绵动物的早期演化及寒武纪海绵动物辐射演 化研究提供新的化石资料。