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.     

An Ichthyornis-like bird from the earliest Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of European Russia

Ornithuromorph birds (the clade which includes modern avian radiation) first appeared in the Early Cretaceous in Asia and achieved a great diversity during the latest ages of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian). The evolutionary history of orithuromorphs during the first 17 MYAs of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian ages) remains very poorly known, as the fossil record for this time interval is largely restricted to several isolated finds of the classic avian genus Ichthyornis in North America. Here we describe an isolated distal tibiotarsus of an evolutionary advanced bird, morphologically similar to Ichthyornis, from the middle Cenomanian of Saratov Province, European Russia. This is the first documentation of an Ichthyornis-like bird in the Old World. The find further constitutes only the second pre-Campanian record of the Late Cretaceous Ornithuromorpha in Eurasia, the second record of Cenomanian birds in Russia. This discovery shows that Ichthyornis-like birds enjoyed a wide geographical distribution as early as the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. Given that the earliest and the most primitive ornithuromorph birds are known from Asia, the new find supports a Eurasian origin for Ichthyornithidae.     

A new species of Baikuris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Sphecomyrminae) in mid-Cretaceous amber from France

A new species of the extinct ant genus Baikuris Dlussky, 1987 (Formicidae: Sphecomyrminae) is described and figured from a male preserved in a piece of ∼100 Myr amber from Charentes, in southwestern France. Baikuris maximus sp. nov., is distinguished from other species notably by its larger size, its forewing with vein 2M+Cu absent and vein 3Cu tubular, and the presence of a subpetiolar process. The diagnosis of the genus is emended, and its distribution during the Cretaceous is briefly discussed.     

A new ornithischian dinosaur and the terrestrial vertebrate fauna from a bone bed in the Wealden of Ardingly,West Sussex

The Wealden Supergroup of south-east England has long been of interest to palaeontologists because of its diverse flora and fauna. The Supergroup is Early Cretaceous in age, occupying the time period immediately after the enigmatic end-Jurassic extinction. Wealden faunas therefore have the potential to be informative about the tempo and mode of post-extinction recovery, but due to lack of exposure in this densely populated part of southern England, are difficult to sample. In the summer of 2012, a number of ex situ fossiliferous blocks of sandstone, siltstone and limestone were discovered from building excavations at Ardingly College, near Haywards Heath in West Sussex. The sedimentology of the blocks indicates that they are from the Valanginian Hastings Group, and that Ardingly College is underlain by the Grinstead Clay Formation, rather than the Ardingly Sandstone Member. The blocks contain a diverse invertebrate fauna and flora, as well as vertebrate remains, which are found in a distinct sandstone horizon that probably represents the Top Lower Tunbridge Wells pebble bed. A tooth from an ornithschian dinosaur cannot be referred to any of the ornithischian taxa known from the Wealden Supergroup, and therefore represents a new taxon. Teeth of the crocodilian Theriosuchus extend the known range of this taxon in the Wealden, while teeth of an ornithocheird pterosaur confirm the presence of these animals in the skies above the Wealden sub-basins. Fusainized plant remains and the wing-case of a cupedid beatle indicate that wildfire was a ubiquitous feature of the Weald Sub-basin during the Valanginian.     

Mesomegaloprepidae,a remarkable new damselfly family (Odonata: Zygoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Mesomegaloprepus magnificus gen. et sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera) is described from more than 14 specimens in eight pieces of mid-Cretaceous (earliest Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) amber from Myanmar. Possible phylogenetic affinities with the Neotropical Latibasaliidae, Thaumatoneuridae, and Pseudostigmatinae are discussed, and a relationship with Pseudostigmatinae considered as possible, but because of conflicting evidence separate family status as Mesomegaloprepidae fam. nov. is tentatively preferred. The remarkable degree of homoplastic conflict in the wing venational similarities indicates that these represent relatively weak evidence for phylogenetic relationships. The palaeoecology, including sexual dimorphism in wing colouration, of the new taxon is discussed, and the large number of inclusions explained with possible breeding behaviour in association with water-filled tree holes (phytotelmata) of the amber tree, similar to extant Pseudostigmatinae. The position of all alleged fossil Thaumatoneuridae are discussed and revised: Eothaumatoneura ptychoptera Pongracz, 1935 from the Eocene Geiseltal locality is restored in Thaumatoneuridae. Cretaceous Euarchistigma and Paleogene Eodysagrion are tentatively retained as subfamilies Euarchistigmatinae and Eodysagrioninae in Thaumatoneuridae. Paleogene Dysagrioninae and Petrolestinae are removed from Thaumatoneuridae and attributed to a restored family Dysagrionidae, and Paleocene Latibasaliidae is transferred from Amphipterygoidea to Epallagoidea.     

Tectono-metamorphic evolution of the European continental margin involved in the Alpine subduction: New insights from Alpine Corsica,France

In Corsica, continental units (the Lower Units) affected by high-pressure metamorphism represent the remains of the European margin deformed during the Alpine orogeny. In order to document how Alpine deformation and metamorphism changed along the European margin involved in the Alpine subduction, we selected three key areas: the Corte, Cima Pedani, and Ghisoni transects. The three transects show a broadly similar lithostratigraphy. They are characterized by a Variscan basement intruded by Permo-Carboniferous metagranitoids, and by a sedimentary cover including Mesozoic carbonates and middle to late Eocene breccias and sandstones. The three transects recorded a similar deformation history with three deformation phases. Thermo-baric estimations, instead, reveal that each unit was exhumed along an independent retrograde path within the orogenic Alpine wedge. In particular, the lowest units of the Lower Units stack were exhumed along an isothermal path, whereas those located at upper structural levels experienced progressive heating.     

Burmadysagrioninae,a new subfamily (Odonata: Zygoptera: Dysagrionidae) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

A new subfamily, Burmadysagrioninae Zheng, Wang and Nel, subfam. nov., for the genus and species Burmadysagrion zhangi Zheng, Wang and Nel, gen. et sp. nov. is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. This is the third dysagrionid damselfly from the Mesozoic and the second one from Burmese amber. The new specimen has a unique discoidal cell with the anterior and posterior sides not parallel, and the basal side longer than the distal side, unlike the typical ‘sieblosiid-dysagrionine’ type. It differs from other dysagrionid damselflies by the presence of a simple wing venation, the vein IR1 originating below the pterostigma and a special discoidal cell.     

Syn-depositional continental rifting of the Southeastern Neo-Tethys margin during the Albian–Cenomanian: evidence from stratigraphic correlation

ABSTRACT

Albian–Cenomanian successions (Kazhdumi and Sarvak formations) represent remarkable variations in thickness, facies, fauna, and environments throughout the Zagros area. In the Coastal Fars (Charmu section), sedimentological and paleontological data evidence an intrashelf, with depths of 10s–100s m, surrounded by a shallow carbonate platform. Due to its depth, deposition of sequences in this setting has been controlled by eustatic sea-level changes rather than eurybathic changes, and several condensation episodes occurred related to marine transgressions. These observations are different from those in the adjacent sections in the Coastal Fars which recorded subaerial exposures instead. Combined with previous studies, this study denotes several intrashelf basins enclosed by a shallow carbonate platform on the southeastern margin of the Neo-Tethys during the Albian–Cenomanian. Development of intrashelf basins corresponds to basement faults in the Fars Salient. Likely, an extensional tectonic regime associated with a rifting event created horst–graben architecture by exerting extension along the basement faults and reactivating salt structures. Deposition on these troughs and highs led to the facies and thickness variations of the concomitant sequences. Development of several intrashelf basins on the southeastern margin of the Neo-Tethys indicates that syn-depositional continental rifting event could occur during the Albian–Cenomanian, prior to the tectonic inversion around the earliest Turonian.     

Notatudiadema and Aegyptiaris: Two new regular echinoids genera with two new species from the Cenomanian of north Sinai,Egypt

Revision of the Cenomanian echinoids deposited in the Cairo Geological Museum resulted in the erection of two new genera with two new species of regular echinoids. The first, Notatudiadema rekeibensis gen. and sp. nov. is established for specimens from the Cenomanian of Gabal El-Rekeib, southeast the Maghara massif, north Sinai to accommodate diadematoid echinoids having hemi-crenulate ambital and sub-ambital interambulacral tubercles with the adapical part of platform non-crenulate and the adoral one of same tubercle coarsely crenulate. The second is Aegyptiaris halalensis gen. and sp. nov., erected for material from the lower Cenomanian of Gabal El-Halal, northeast Sinai as an emiratiid echinoid with throughout polyporus ambulacra and extremely reduced adapical ambulacral tubercles. The functional morphology and paleobiology of these taxa are also discussed. A new family is established: family Monodiadematidae fam. nov.     

The ammonite fauna and genesis of a mid-Cretaceous siliceous oolite from the Alagoas Basin, Brazil

Acanthoceratid ammonites from near Maceió, in the State of Alagoas, provide evidence of a mid-Cretaceous marine incursion into the present onshore part of the Alagoas Basin. The ammonites Pseudocalycoceras sp. cf. P. harpax (Stoliczka, 1864) and Kamerunoceras sp. are assigned a late Cenomanian age. The rock is a siliceous oolite that occurs as derived nodules and fragments in late Cenozoic continental sediments. It is interpreted as an originally calcareous oolite formed in a near-shore, high-energy environment. Absence of primary cement suggests that silicification took place early in diagenesis. The silicified, and therefore more resistant material from the original Cenomanian sequence was reworked and redeposited with the Cenozoic sediments. The age, indicated by the ammonites, suggests that the original deposition was related to the global late Cenomanian—early Turonian sea-level rise.     

Devonian graptolites from southwestern Europe: a review with new data

Lower Devonian graptolite faunas have been recognized in the Normandy and southeastern regions of the Armorican Massif, France; the Pyrenees and Catalonian Coastal Ranges regions and northern Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain; the southern Hesperian Massif (Ossa Morena Zone) of the Iberian Peninsula; and from southeastern Sardinia, Italy. All but one the of the graptolite faunas collected throughout this large region are from Lochkovian age strata, representing the Monograptus uniformis, Monograptus praehercynicus, and Monograptus hercynicus biozones corresponding to the lower, middle and upper Lochkovian, respectively, and mostly represented by monospecific or low diversity assemblages. Although many individual sections contain representatives of two of the biozones, relatively few reveal all three. A single, poorly preserved faunule, collected in the Ossa Morena region of Spain from strata dated by brachiopods as Pragian–early Emsian may represent the only known graptoloid fauna of post-Lochkovian age. Almost all graptolites have been recovered from condensed successions of black shales and limestone nodules, similar to those of other proto-Tethyan (i.e. outer shelf, with dominantly pelagic faunas) regions such as Thuringia, Bohemia, the Carnic Alps and northwestern Africa. The two exceptions are an occurrence in a shallow-water, coarser clastic sequences at the Carteret locality in Normandy and in deep water turbidites on the island of Minorca. Graptolites are not known from any other thick, shallow water clastic sequences, although whether this is because of paleo environmental exclusion or simply lack of recovery to date is unknown. Other fossil evidence (e.g. chitinozoans), however, indicates continuous marine sedimentation from the Silurian to Devonian. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rajkanella hottingerinaformis n. gen., n. sp., a new larger benthic foraminifer from the middle-upper Cenomanian of Kosovo

A new larger benthic porcelaneous foraminifer of soritid affinity is described as Rajkanella hottingerinaformis n. gen., n. sp. from the middle-upper Cenomanian of Kosovo. It occurs in foraminiferal packstones and grainstones, in association with cuneolinids, rhapidionids, chrysalidinids, and other benthic foraminifers. Due to its general morphology and superficial chamber subdivision by exoskeletal elements, Rajkanella n. gen. can be compared with the early Paleogene genus Hottingerina Drobne, 1975, from which it mainly differs in its apertural features, ornamented test, and coiled adult stage. Further differences to coeval Pseudorhapydionina De Castro, 1971, Pseudorhipidionina De Castro, 1971, and to other comparable genera, are discussed. The discovery of Rajkanella hottingerinaformis in the middle-upper Cenomanian is a further witness of the significant radiation and blooming of increasingly complex porcelaneous foraminifers in inner platform, shallow-water depositional settings during that period.     

Neogastroplites meets Metengonoceras: morphological response of an endemic hoplitid ammonite to a new invader in the mid-Cretaceous Mowry Sea of North America

High levels of morphological variability have been attributed to various ecological and developmental mechanisms, including selection for ecological generalists in an unstable environment, inherent developmental plasticity, and the absence of competitors in an empty ecosystem. The late Albian–early Cenomanian hoplitid ammonite Neogastroplites of the Mowry Sea of North America, notorious for its extreme levels of intraspecific variability, is used as a test case of the idea that a lack of competitors promotes variability. The group responded to the invasion of a second ammonite, the engonoceratid Metengonoceras, into the Mowry Sea by spreading into a previously unoccupied region of morphospace, suggesting possible ecological character displacement and a release from constructional constraints. However, morphological variability did not decrease, as would be predicted by the competition model. The variability of Neogastroplites might instead result from environmental instability or developmental flexibility.     

Secular change in lifetime of granitic crust and the continental growth: A new view from detrital zircon ages of sandstones

U-Pb ages of detrital zircons were newly dated for 4 Archean sandstones from the Pilbara craton in Australia, Wyoming craton in North America, and Kaapvaal craton in Africa. By using the present results with previously published data, we compiled the age spectra of detrital zircons for 2.9, 2.6, 2.3,1.0, and0.6 Ga sandstones and modern river sands in order to document the secular change in age structure of continental crusts through time. The results demonstrated the following episodes in the history of continental crust:(1) low growth rate of the continents due to the short cycle in production/destruction of granitic crust during the Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic(2.9-23 Ga),(2) net increase in volume of the continents during Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic(2.3-1.0 Ga), and(3) net decrease in volume of the continents during the Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic(after 1.0 Ga). In the Archean and Paleoproterozoic, the embryonic continents were smaller than the modern continents, probably owing to the relatively rapid production and destruction of continental crust. This is indeed reflected in the heterogeneous crustal age structure of modern continents that usually have relatively small amount of Archean crusts with respect to the post-Archean ones. During the Mesoproterozoic, plural continents amalgamated into larger ones comparable to modern continental blocks in size. Relatively older crusts were preserved in continental interiors, whereas younger crusts were accreted along continental peripheries.In addition to continental arc magmatism, the direct accretion of intra-oceanic island arc around continental peripheries also became important for net continental growth. Since 1.0 Ga, total volume of continents has decreased, and this appears consistent with on-going phenomena along modern active arc-trench system with dominant tectonic erosion and/or arc subduction. Subduction of a huge amount of granitic crusts into the mantle through time is suggested, and this requires re-consideration of the mantle composition and heterogeneity.     

Bayeritheca hughesii gen. et sp. nov., a new Eucommiidites -bearing pollen organ from the Cenomanian of Bohemia

A new pollen organ, Bayeritheca hughesii gen. et sp. nov. with in situ Eucommiidites pollen grains, is described from the Cenomanian of Bohemia in Central Europe. It is based on a single lignified specimen which is the largest Eucommiidites -producing pollen structure described so far. It shows whorls of microsporangiate units attached to a massive main axis forming a cone-like structure. Each microsporangiate unit forms distally an angular head bearing trichomes and centrally arranged mucronate tubercles. The head is attached to a short stalk. Proximal sides of heads display radially arranged synangia. Each synangium contains an unknown number of pollen sacs with numerous Eucommiidites pollen grains.Bayeritheca is the only genus of Erdtmanithecales in which synangia instead of sporangia are found. Bayeritheca differs from Eucommiiditheca Friis & Pedersen in the whorled arrangement of microsporangiate units, which are densely spaced forming a cone-like structure. It differs from Erdtmanitheca Pedersen, Crane & Friis in the elongate shape of the whole organ, slender main axis, shorter pollen sacs, and different Eucommiidites pollen.     

关于大陆地壳消亡与再生循环过程的新认识——大别山新的区域地质资料和榴辉岩专题研究成果提出的启示

越来越多的区域地质资料显示，大别山UHP榴辉岩相变质的大陆岩石以及在片麻岩中发现的含有柯石英包裹体的锆石和含有绿辉石包裹体的石榴子石等重矿物可能却是一个已经熔融了的榴辉岩相大陆岩片遗留下来的残留体，它们被包裹在由变形、变质深成侵入体构成的正片麻岩之中。这些深成侵入体底辟在扬子陆块北缘新元古代低一中级变质的火山一沉积地层之下。依据上述区域地质事实，本文认为，大别山含有榴辉岩残留体的高级片麻岩不是一个“UHP变质地体”或“含有榴辉岩外来构造块体的混杂岩”，其原岩应该是一套由榴辉岩化大陆岩片熔融形成的深成岩浆底辟体。由此本文提出一个新的理论假说和构造模型，即深俯冲到地幔软流圈之中的大陆边缘在不同的深度发生了相应的HP-UHP榴辉岩相变质作用，随着与俯冲洋壳的断离，其在浮力的作用下快速底垫在仰；中大陆边缘之下并发生部分熔融，熔融体底辟并置换了造山带原有的根，后经过同结晶过程的变形和变质作用形成一套含有榴辉岩相残留体的，高级片麻岩本文称之为再生地壳。     

Late Palaeozoic 40Ar/39Ar ages of the HP-LT metamorphic rocks from the Kekesu Valley,Chinese southwestern Tianshan: new constraints on exhumation tectonics

abstract

Although numerous ages have been obtained for the Chinese southwestern Tianshan high pressure/ultrahigh pressure-low temperature (HP/UHP-LT) metamorphic belt in the past two decades, its exhumation history is still controversial. The poor age constraint was related to the appealing low metamorphic temperatures and excess Ar commonly present under HP/UHP conditions. This study aims to provide new age constraints on the orogen’s exhumation by obtaining ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar mica ages using the conventional step-heating technique, with emphasis on the avoidance of excess Ar contamination. From a cross section along the Kekesu Valley, four samples, three from the HP-LT metamorphic belt (TK050, TK051, and TK081) and one from the southern margin of the low pressure metamorphic belt (TK097), were selected for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating. Phengites from garnet glaucophane schist TK050 and the surrounding rock garnet phengite schist TK051 yield comparable plateau ages of 321.4 ± 1.6 and 318.6 ± 1.6 Ma, respectively, while epidote mica schist TK081 gives a younger plateau age of 293.3 ± 1.5 Ma. Considering the chemical compositions of phengites, mineral assemblages, and microstructures in the thin slices, we suppose that the former represents the time the HP rocks retrograded from the peak stage (eclogite facies) to the (epidote)-blueschist facies, whereas the latter reflects greenschist facies overprinting. Biotite and muscovite from two-mica quartzite TK097 give similar plateau ages of 253.0 ± 1.3 and 247.1 ± 1.2 Ma, interpreted to date movement on the post collisional transcrustal South Nalati ductile shear zone. By combining our new ages with published data, a two-stage exhumation model is suggested for the Chinese southwestern Tianshan HP/UHP-LT metamorphic belt: initial fast exhumation to a depth of about 30–35 km by ~320 Ma was followed by relatively slow (~1 mm year^–1) uplift to ~10 km by ~293 Ma.     

Zarafasaura oceanis, a new elasmosaurid (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from the Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco and the palaeobiogeography of latest Cretaceous plesiosaurs

Though the Maastrichtian Phosphates of Morocco have yielded very rich marine vertebrate assemblages, plesiosaurs remain very scarce in these strata. The only hitherto recognized taxon was Plesiosaurus mauritanicus Arambourg, 1952, regarded here as a nomem dubium. Here we describe a new genus and species of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, Zarafasaura oceanis, which represents the first valid elasmosaurid plesiosaur described from the latest Cretaceous of Africa, and the second one from this continent. A phylogenetic analysis of plesiosauroids indicates that Zarafasaura oceanis has close affinities with elasmosaurids from the Late Cretaceous of North America and Japan. Among its distinctive suite of characters, the general shape and organisation of its squamosal and palate are unique among elasmosaurids. This new taxon completes our understanding of Late Cretaceous plesiosaur palaeobiodiversity and palaeobiogeography, and shows that Maastrichtian plesiosaurs were characterized by a quite high degree of endemism. They were also highly diversified and distributed worldwide, which supports the hypothesis of a catastrophic extinction of plesiosaurs at the K/T boundary.     

2Passalopalpidae,a new family from the Cretaceous Burmese amber,as the possible sister group of Passalidae Leach (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

A new family of Scarabaeoidea is revealed from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (earliest Cenomanian, near 100 Ma), on a series of males and females, most in perfect condition. Passalopalpidae fam. nov., Passalopalpus cheni gen. et sp. nov., are probably extinct since a long time. Observations were made on the whole body (head, thorax, abdomen) and appendages (mouthparts, antennae, legs, wings). Most characters are remarkable and plesiomorphic, compared to Passalidae Leach, as well as to some other Scarabaeoidea. Morphological characteristics demonstrate that the fossil species is typically « passaloid », but that it cannot belongs to Passalidae. Passalopalpidae and Passalidae are clearly distinct families, with strong assumption to be sister groups. The systematic interpretation of the fossil could fill a historic gap: the sister group of Passalidae had been established previously never in a solid way. Passalids are Gondwanian, whereas passalopalpids lived on former eastern Laurasia. Vicariance of both taxa, each on one of the super-continents, seems to support recent hypotheses of phylogeny and paleobiogeography for Passalidae. Other preliminary notes are given on the morphology, biology and phylogenetic relationships of passalopalpids.