Middle and Late Carboniferous Tetracoral Assemblages and Biogeography of China

China is rich in Middle and Carboniferous fossil corals. The coral faunas in different regions have varying characteristics and can be divided into distinct assemblages. The coral fauna in South China is dominated by the order Caninida and contains numerous endemic elements; that in North China has a lot of Middle Carboniferous corals which are monotonous in species, with Late Carboniferous solitary corals being predominant. The coral fauna in Junggar mainly contains large bi-zoned solitary caninids, while that in southern Khingan is similar to that in South China due to the presence of abundant tri-zoned compound corals. In northern Tibet the coral fauna is also similar to that in South China, but in southern Tibet it is of a cold-water type. Therefore, the Middle and Late Carboniferous coral geography of China can be divided into the Tethys, Boreal and Gondwana Realms.     

Late Olenekian Radiolarians from Bedded Chert of Ashio Terrane, Northeast Japan,and Faunal Turnovers in Western Panthalassa during Early Triassic

Late Olenekian assemblages in the western Panthalassa have been recovered from bedded radiolarian chert sequences of an accretionary complex, the Ashio belt. These faunas are documented and considered in terms of radiolarian diversity and faunal turnover during the latest Permian to Middle Triassic time. The fauna includes 30 radiolarians belonging to Spumellaria or Entactinaria, with two relicts from the Late Permian. This late Olenekian fauna is markedly different from Permian and Asisian faunas, respectively, and is herein named the Minowa fauna. Study of the literaure indicates that radiolarian provinces were significantly disconnected between the western Panthalassa and eastern Tethys during late Olenekian time. Furthermore, 121 of 143 species disappeared during late Olenekian time, and in turn 118 new species appeared in the western Panthalassa around the Olenekian-Anisian boundary. It is concluded that faunal turnover occurred at least three times between the latest Permian and Middle Triassic.The first turnover is the Poalaozoie-type radiolarian extinction at the Permain-Triassic boundary,the second is the diversification of spheroidal Spumellaria and Entactinaria between early and late Olenekian time, and the third is a faunal turnover from the Minowa fauna to the true Mesozoic-type radiolarian famas that are characterized by mulit0segmented Nassellaria.     

Triassic Scleractinian Corals in China: A Review of Present Knowledge

Scleractinian corals appeared during the Anisian period of the Triassic after the end-Permian mass extinction, which in Triassic were distinct from the Jurassic-Cretaceous scleractinian corals. The study on Triassic scleractinian coral fauna as a separate field is significant for exploring the development and evolution of modern corals and investigating environmental changes since the Mesozoic. The first Triassic coral in China was reported in 1925, and since then, nearly 25 articles dealing with taxonomy and 17 papers about fossil reports on Triassic scleractinian corals in China have been published, which refer to 60 genera and 312 species, 49 localities and 25 strata. In this paper, the history, taxonomy, localities, stratigraphic distribution, current research, and existing knowledge gaps of the Triassic scleractinian corals in China are reviewed. More specifically, the research findings of the Triassic scleractinain coral in China since 1925 are discussed; the species of the Triassic scleractian coral fossil reported in China, has been examined and its synonyms have been sorted out; the geographical distributions of the Middle and Late Triassic scleractinian corals in China are systematically treated; the Triassic coral biostratigraphy in China has been improved; and the stratigraphic ranges of existing genera and species are provided. The above conclusions are presented in the form of complete figures. At the same time, we analyzed shortcomings in current research and identified productive future research directions of the Triassic scleractinian corals in China.     

Geographic Distribution and Evolution of Changxingian Ammonoid Faunas of South China

Changxingian ammonoids are well developed in South China, including 154 species, 33 genera and 11 families. They are mainly distributed in the southern and northern subprovinces of the South China province but are rare in the middle. According to the development of the ammonoid zone and lithologic characteristics, the two subprovinces are subdivided into six endemic areas. The above-mentioneddistribution is controlled by such factors as palaeogeographic environment and sedimentary facies.The evolution of Changxingian ammonoids of South China is characterized by distinct evolutionary stages, and the whole evolutionary history of ammonites consists of alternate episodes of"explosive" radiation, slow and steady evolution and mass extinction. The alternation of mass extinction and"explosive" radiation usually occur at the boundaries of stages(or substages)."Explosive" radiation refers to rapid proliferation of new species(or genera) within a very short geologically negligeable period of time. The origin of species can be well explained by the concept of punctuated equilibria--a new concept of evolution. Mass extinction refers to rapid, large-scale demise of taxa within a very short period of time. The cause of such an extinction might be due to the inevitable replacement of the old forms by rapidly developing new ones and the environmental changes, in addition to the global sea-level changes, extraterrestrial impacts and geomagnetic reversal.     

Medusoid Fossils from the Sinian Xingmincun Formation of Southern Liaoning Province

Abundant medusoid soft-bodied metazoan fossils have been found in the Sinian Xingmincun Formation(with an isotopic age of 650 Ma) at Qipanmo, Qidingshan and Yangtun of the Dalian-Jinzhou area, southern Liaoning Province; in addition, a number of macroscopic algal fossils have been discovered for the first time in the Getun Formation overlying the Xingmincun Formation. Medusoid fossils include 3 genera and 6 species(all of which are new). Judging from their biological characters, these medusoid fossils are considered to have an intimate affinity with the Ediacara fauna in the terminal Precambrian of Australia, as their characters are close to each other. The authors suggest that these medusoids and the Edicara fauna might be the products of the same period. The discovery of the medusoid fauna in the Xingmincun Formation marks an important event in the evolution of the terminal Precambrian organisms in China, and it is of major practical significance in the study of the Sinian System of China and the correlation of the Sinian strata of northern and southern China.     

Inter-Regional Comparisons on the Quaternary Large Mammalian Faunas between China and Sub-Saharan Africa

The current and dominant theory about the origin of modern humans is the out-of-Africa hypothesis, which asserts that populations of Homo sapiens left Africa 100,000 years ago and replaced indigenous populations of humans in Eurasia. Many scholars equated the out-of-Africa dispersal of humans with paleoenvironmental changes. However, until now, few have paid special attention to the faunal data and whether or not faunal patterns are supportive of the popular theory. Recent comparative study of the Chinese fauna shows that the communication of faunas between Africa and East Asia could have occurred during the Neogene, but it was very limited during the Pleistocene. In the Chinese Quaternary fauna, only 16% of the genera are also present in the sub-Saharan African fauna. There is also no element among the dominant taxa of the Chinese Quaternary fauna which can be related to the African fauna. There is no reliable proof for the existence of Hippopotamus and Giraffa, as well as Panthera leo, during the Quaternary in China. Two controversial taxa are Acinonyx and Crocuta, about which there is still argument concerning their species identification in Eurasia. It is possible that both of the genera have co-specific taxa in Africa and Eurasia. Although the two genera are confined to Africa today, they did have a long evolutionary history in China. For the Out of Africa hypothesis for Homo sapiens, the implications of the limited faunal interchanges between China and Africa are not completely clear yet.     

ON TWO SKELETONS OF DICYNODONTlA FROM SINKIANG

Since the details of the Theromorpha-bearing beds of Sinkiang haveas yet not been fully outlined,we feel that it is too early to draw any reliablestratigraphical and pal(?)ntological conclusions now,but we mention the wealthof the fauna.The two specimens here described are all well preserved andnearly complete.According to the information supplied by Yuan,there arestill a considerable number of boxes unpacked.We hope to find more interest-ing finds so as to obtain a general view of the fauna in Sinkiang. pal(?)ntological seaking,the genera of the fauna so far recognizedare Dicynodon,Lystrosaurus and Chasmatosaurus(a Pelcosimia)(to be describedin the near future).No Cynodontia or other interesting forms are recorded.This strongly suggests that,as in the Karroo formation,Dicynodon andLystrosaurus also represent the most common and widely distributed animalsamong the other Theromorphan reptiles in Sinkiang. As far as the known forms in Sinkiang are concerned,no remarkableanatomical characters are found.All three genera are known in S.Africa.It therefore seems,that either a land connection between both existed or thatthe conditions between both during the Permo-Triassic time were extremelysimilar.     

Atrypid Brachiopods from the Upper Devonian Wangchengpo Formation (Frasnian) of southern Guizhou, China — Extinction Patterns in the Frasnian of South China

The Wangchengpo Frasnian section of Dushan County contains two atrypid brachiopod assemblages. The lower is characterized by the Atryparia （Costatrypa） dushanensis fauna that appears at the base of the Hejiazhai Member approximately in the falsiovalis to transitans conodont zones： the upper is characterized by the Radiatrypa yangi fauna, which appears in the Lujiazhai Member approximately correspondent with the hassi to Upper rhenana conodont zones. Atrypid brachiopods, together with other brachiopods from the Dushan section show that the Hejiazhai Member is of Frasnian age. Preliminary analyses of Frasnian atrypid brachiopods from sections of South China indicate that there are nine genera and subgenera including Atryparia （Costatrypa）, Kyrtatrypa, Spinatrypa, lsospinatrypa, Spinatrypina, lowatrypa, Desquamatia （Desquamatia）. Desquamatia （Seratrypa）, and Radiatr）pa. Atrypid species diversity did not change much through the Frasnian. On a regional scale in South China, most atrypid species went extinct prior to the Frasnian/Famennian boundary. At any specific locality or section, these atrypids became extinct about 20-40 m below the Frasnian/Famennian （F/F） boundary, within the linguiformis conodont Zone, marking this as the major extinction level. Three new atrypid species are described： Atryparia （Costatrypa） dushanensis, lowatrypa pseudobodini, and Radiatrypa yangi.     

New Quaternary Mammalian Faunas and Cave Deposits in the Zhoukoudian Area,Beijing

From 1985 to 1987, four new localities with abundant fossil mammals were dis-covered by Cao, Tian and others in the Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien) area, Beijing. They are theEast, West, Shangdian and Donglingzi caves. The East Cave fauna consists of 28 speices ofmammals and its age is middle Early Pleistocene. The East Cave assemblage shows that a tem-perature-falling event took place at around 1.20 Ma B.P. at Zhoukoudian. Sixteen species ofmammals were collected from the West Cave, which are mainly forms of late Early Pleistoceneage. The West Cave fauna represents a transitional fauna from the East Cave fauna (dry-cold)to the fauna (warm) at locality 9. The Shangdian Cave fauna is composed of four forms, beingMiddle Pleistocene in age. The Donglingzi Cave fauna contains 21 Late Pleistocene forms. Inthe cave two fossil horizons may be distinguished. The age of the lower horizon is early LatePleistocene, which is equivalent to that of the New Cave fauna; while the fauna of the upper ho-rizon may be correlated with the Upper Cave fauna.     

Early Eocene Radiolarian Fauna from the Sangdanlin, Southern Tibet: Constraints on the Timing of Initial India-Asia Collision

This is a new report on the early Eocene radiolarian fauna from the Sangdanlin section in the Gyirong region, along the southern margin of the Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone. The Sangdanlin section measured in this study is divided into three lithostratigraphic units from bottom to top: the Zongzhuo, Sangdanlin, and Zheya formations. Abundant radiolarian fossils were obtained from the Sangdanlin section and 54 species of 30 genera were identified and assigned as follows: Cryptamphorella conara-C. macropora the late Cretaceous Zone and Amphisphaera coronate, Buryella tetradica-Bekoma campechensis, and B.bidartensis-B. divaricata the Paleocene-early Eocene Interval Zones. The Paleocene–early Eocene radiolarian zones are comparable to the radiolarian zones RP4-RP8 in New Zealand. Based on the data of radiolaria and lithofacies, it is suggested that the Zongzhuo Formation should be deposited along the base of the north-facing, continental slope of the Greater Indian continental margin, and the Sangdanlin Formation should be a deep marine, sedimentary sequence located in a foreland basin. The early Eocene radiolarian fauna in the Sangdanlin Formation constrains the initial age of the India-Asia collision to no later than 53.6 Ma.     

扬子区奥陶纪、志留纪四射珊瑚分类、生物地层与生物古地理新认识

对扬子区中奥陶世至晚志留世四射珊瑚已发表的属种进行全面清理和厘定。现统计扬子区中奥陶世至晚志留世四射珊瑚约有117个属,其中以晚奥陶世和早志留世珊瑚属数最多。117个属中至少有30个属最早出现在扬子区中、晚奥陶世和早志留世地层。因此,扬子区被认为是奥陶纪、志留纪四射珊瑚起源中心之一。完善和修订扬子区中奥陶世至晚志留世四射珊瑚组合序列,使地层时代划分上均与国际通行标准(统、阶)接轨。尤其对扬子区早志留世Rhuddanian晚期,Aeronian早、晚期以及Telychian早、晚期四射珊瑚组合的重新建立和细分。最新资料表明晚奥陶世观音桥四射珊瑚动物群不但有更多的北欧同期的珊瑚分子,而且还产有北美标准属种Salvadorea,Brachyelasmasubregulare等说明两者也存在一定的联系。扬子区早志留世(Llandovery)的众多四射珊瑚属均为世界广布的,但也有许多地方性属(约有22个,占总数的23·4%)。就珊瑚生物古地理关系,它与同期的西伯利亚、哈萨克斯坦和澳大利亚珊瑚群较密切。     

扬子区奥陶纪和志留纪四射珊瑚的起源、扩散及生物古地理关系

摘 要　 提出扬子区是奥陶纪、志留纪四射珊瑚的起源中心。早古生代扬子区最早出现的四射 珊瑚约有30属‚包括穿孔珊瑚类 Calostylis‚Yohophyllum‚扭心珊瑚类 Briantelasma‚Tunguse 提出扬子区是奥陶纪、志留纪四射珊瑚的起源中心。早古生代扬子区最早出现的四射 珊瑚约有30属‚包括穿孔珊瑚类 Calostylis‚Yohophyllum‚扭心珊瑚类 Briantelasma‚Tunguse- lasma‚包珊瑚类 Amplexoides‚Synamplexoides‚十字珊瑚类 Eostauria‚Ceriaster‚Stauria 以及 珊瑚约有30属‚包括穿孔珊瑚类 Calostylis‚Yohophyllum‚扭心珊瑚类 Briantelasma‚Tunguse lasma‚包珊瑚类 Amplexoides‚Synamplexoides‚十字珊瑚类 Eostauria‚Ceriaster‚Stauria 以及 泡沫珊瑚类 Rhizophyllum 等。它们在扬子区中奥陶世和早志留世地层迅速繁衍‚尔后扩散至 欧洲、北美和其他地区。扬子区晚奥陶世四射珊瑚群与北欧同期珊瑚有较高的相似性;而该 泡沫珊瑚类 Rhizophyllum 等。它们在扬子区中奥陶世和早志留世地层迅速繁衍‚尔后扩散至 欧洲、北美和其他地区。扬子区晚奥陶世四射珊瑚群与北欧同期珊瑚有较高的相似性;而该 区早志留世（包括 Wenlockian 阶）珊瑚群的生物古地理关系与西伯利亚、哈萨克斯坦有紧密联 欧洲、北美和其他地区。扬子区晚奥陶世四射珊瑚群与北欧同期珊瑚有较高的相似性;而该 区早志留世（包括 Wenlockian 阶）珊瑚群的生物古地理关系与西伯利亚、哈萨克斯坦有紧密联 系。扬子区早志留世珊瑚群与澳大利亚东部、北美东部同期珊瑚也有一定的相似性。 区早志留世（包括 Wenlockian 阶）珊瑚群的生物古地理关系与西伯利亚、哈萨克斯坦 系。扬子区早志留世珊瑚群与澳大利亚东部、北美东部同期珊瑚也有一定的相似性。     

Brachiopod survival and recovery from the latest Ordovician mass extinctions in South China

South China contains many complete sections through the upper Ordovician and lower Silurian. Brachiopod data including 130 brachiopod genera, assigned to 13 orders and 27 superfamilies from mid-Ashgill through late Aeronian intervals reveal that brachiopod macroevolution before and after the latest Ordovician mass extinction shows important changes in the diversity, composition and stratigraphical distribution of the phylum. The following six intervals are recognized: (1) a faunal plateau before the latest Ordovician mass extinction (mid-Ashgill, Rawtheyan); (2) a survival–recovery interval following the first phase of the mass extinction (late Ashgill, Normalograptus extraordinarius Zone and lower Glyptograptus? persculptus Zone; Hirnantian); (3) first survival interval following the mass extinction (latest Ashgill, upper Glyptograptus? persculptus Zone; end Hirnantian); (4) a second survival interval after the mass extinction (earliest Llandovery, Parakidograptus acuminatus Zone; early to mid-Rhuddanian); (5) a recovery interval in the Silurian (early to mid-Llandovery; late Rhuddanian to early Aeronian); and (6) a radiation interval in the Silurian (mid-Llandovery; mid- to late Aeronian). Only near-shore, low-diversity, benthic assemblages (mainly BA2), characterized by Ordovician relicts with a few Lazarus taxa and progenitors, are known from the southern marginal area of the Upper Yangtze epicontinental sea during the early to mid-Rhuddanian. They were replaced by newly established Silurian brachiopod communities (mainly BA2–3) in the late Rhuddanian to early Aeronian. These are marked by many newly evolved endemic forms and new immigrants, expressing a clear recovery within the Brachiopoda, but the recovery interval of the major brachiopod groups was heterochronous. In China the typical Silurian brachiopod fauna was mainly composed of indigenous Atrypida, Pentamerida and Spiriferida with stropheodontids derived from elsewhere, such as Baltica and Avalonia, two apparent refugia in the survival interval. The Atrypida was the first major group of Brachiopoda to diversity in the late Rhuddanian. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

内蒙古西部额济纳旗及邻区中二叠统腕足类动物群的特征和时代

额济纳旗及其邻区中二叠统产丰富的腕足动物群,该动物群具有北方冷水动物和特提斯暖水动物混生的特点,划分为Spiriferella-Kochiproductus-Yakovlevia 组合,称为“哲斯动物群”。在生物古地理分区上,该区为北方生物大区和特提斯生物大区之间的过渡带,称为中蒙生物省。动物群的组成、丰度和分异度等特征在银-额（银根-额济纳旗）盆地的东西部有明显的差异：盆地西部北山地区海水较浅,腕足动物群丰度高,分异度略低,以个体较大、壳体较厚的冷水分子占优势,共生少量的双壳类和珊瑚;东部杭乌拉地区海水略深,腕足动物群丰度稍低,分异度较高,含有大量的小个体腕足,共生冷水型珊瑚和丰富的海百合类,世界广布分子和暖水分子超过一半。说明该腕足动物群在受纬度和温度控制的同时,也受水体深度的影响,在同一海盆的不同环境中表现出不同的特点。通过对该动物群的起源、区域分布特点和共生生物的分析,认为额济纳旗及其邻区的哲斯动物群的时限为罗甸期—孤峰期。     

晚奥陶世五峰期扬子海盆海平面变化旋回与古水体深度

通过晚奥陶世五峰期扬子海盆的古地理格局、岩性及生物群的纵向变化、Ce异常变化的旋回性和生物群对海水深度的指示作用的讨论, 认为扬子海盆晚奥陶世五峰期经历了5个旋回的海平面变化, 海水最浅为 50~ 80m(观音桥层 ), 海水最深约500m左右。     

贵州台江早—中寒武世凯里组的宏观藻类化石

本文描述了贵州寒武纪凯里组中的宏观藻类化石７属１２种,其中有６个新属１０个新种;Ｂｏｓｗｏｒｔｈｉａ ｓｉｍｕｌａｎｓ,Ｂ．ｇｙｇｅｓ,Ｅｏｌａｍｉｎａｒｉａ ｇｒａｎｄｉｓ ｇｅｎ。ｅｔ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ。,Ｅ．ｐｅｒｅｌｅｇａｎｓ ｇｅｎ。ｅｔ ｓｐ。ｎｏｖ．,Ｆ．ｖｅｉｎ ｇｅｎ．ｅｔ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｋａｉｌｉｐｈｙｔｏｎ ｓｉｍｕｌａｎｓ ｇｅｎ．ｅｔ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｐａｌａｅｏｓｐｉｎｅ     

滇黔北五峰组—龙马溪组页岩沉积环境和古气候地球化学特征

为研究奥陶大灭绝与该时期古环境和古地理的联系,对滇黔北地区五峰组—龙马溪组样品进行了有机碳（TOC）、主量元素、微量元素和碳同位素地球化学分析。结果表明,滇黔北地区五峰组—龙马溪组Ba/Al和Ni/Al值的变化在五峰组沉积时期相对稳定,从五峰组沉积时期开始逐渐增加,直到观音桥组沉积时期达到顶峰随之下降,在龙马溪组沉积时期又开始上升,随后逐渐减小并稳定下来,特别在赫南特阶观音桥组时期,生产力出现了跳跃性的波动,即表明奥陶纪末期古海水性质存在重大转变。V/Cr和U/Th比值总体显示出五峰组沉积时期表现为缺氧环境,观音桥组沉积时期表现为厌氧环境,龙马溪组表现为缺氧环境,U-Mo协变模式表明滇黔北地区五峰组沉积时期为强滞留海盆,龙马溪组属于半滞留海盆。化学风化值指数（CIA）表明滇黔北地区温度在五峰组早期就开始缓慢下降,观音桥时期区域温度降至冰期,龙马溪组早期又渐渐恢复,但从龙马溪组到观音桥组至五峰组时期气候处于极不稳定的状态。奥陶纪末期生命大灭绝是在极地冰川发育的背景下,洋流模式、强度及海水的理化性质的改变导致两者受海陆分布格局控制。     

内蒙古锡林浩特二叠系哲斯组腕足动物群特征及其意义

内蒙古锡林浩特克什克腾旗哈尔呼舒剖面哲斯组灰岩中发现了大量腕足化石,经鉴定计有22属42种,以长身贝亚目和石燕贝亚目为主,化石组合面貌具有典型的哲斯动物群特征。根据其与邻区的腕足生物地层对比,确定该腕足生物群时代为中二叠世Wordian期。哲斯动物群中凉水型分子共计10属26种,约占种级总量的61.9%,暖水型分子仅1种,约占种级总量的2.4%,体现了典型的凉水型动物群特征。古生物地理区划属于北方生物地理大区。此外,哲斯组碳酸盐岩中颗粒组合属于苔藓虫-棘皮动物-腕足动物组合,代表凉水沉积环境,也印证了哲斯动物群的凉水型特征。     

华南奥陶、志留纪腕足动物群的更替兼论奥陶纪末冰川活动的影响

地史时期大规模的生物群更替与全球大环境的灾难性变化密切相关 ,尽管这种更替在性质、延续时间及等级上各个时期不尽相同。奥陶、志留纪腕足动物群的更替提供了一个重要的实例。全球广布的晚奥陶世较深水叶月贝动物群 ( Foliomena Fauna)和其后浅、凉水的赫南特贝动物群 ( H irnantia Fauna)的灭绝 ,均受控于当时的冈瓦纳大陆冰川活动及其影响效应。志留纪早期 ,以正形贝目和扭月贝目占主导地位的晚奥陶世动物群被一大批新类型 (如无洞贝目、五房贝亚目和石燕目 )所替代 ,组成典型的志留纪动物群。     

关于奥陶系最上部赫南特(Hirnantian)亚阶全球层型的建议

在对鄂西宜昌王家湾和分乡、黔北桐梓红花园、黔东北松桃陆地坪 4条剖面的相关地层和主要门类化石做了新的无间断采集和重新鉴定笔石和腕足动物这两个重要化石门类的基础上 ,发现奥陶纪最末期—志留纪最早期的完整笔石序列与腕足动物等新的化石材料 ,初步了解奥陶纪末集群灭绝后生物幸存的基本特征。经过选择 ,特推荐宜昌王家湾公路旁穿越奥陶 -志留纪界线地层剖面作为建立国际赫南特亚阶的首位候选 (leading candidate)层型 ,并推荐桐梓红花园相关剖面作为辅助候选 (auxiliary candidate)层型。对建立全球赫南特亚阶界线层型的基本条件和国外相关剖面的优缺点作了分析。本文所识别的赫南特亚阶相当于两个笔石带 :下部 N ormalograptus ex-traordinarius- N.ojsuensis带和上部 N.persculptus带。典型的 H irnantia动物群的整体地质历程为奥陶纪最末期 ,相当于 N ormalograptus extraordinarius- N.ojsuensis带和 N.persculptus带的一部分。