First recorded evidence in the fossil record of snipe flies (Diptera: Rhagionidae) in Cretaceous amber, France

Novelaria, a new genus of rhagionid of late Albian age with three new species, is the first record of this family from Charentes amber (southwestern France). The new genus is probably closely related to the recent genus Chrysopilus. However its relationship with the other fossils in amber is discussed. A key for separation of the new species is provided and the diversity of the family during the Cretaceous is also briefly discussed.     

滇中川街盆地中侏罗世弓鲛(软骨鱼类)化石新材料

云南禄丰县川街盆地中侏罗统产出弓鲛鱼类化石后甸弓鲛(Hybodus houtienensis Young)、新庄弓鲛(新种)(Hybodus xinzhuangensis Sun)、川街弓鲛(新种)(Hybodus chuanjieensis Sun)。后甸弓鲛(Hybodus houtienensis Young)是中国发现最早的弓鲛鱼类之一,正型标本为破碎的鳍棘,副型标本为一枚牙齿齿冠。依据在川街盆地相同层位发现的新化石材料,对后甸弓鲛副型标本进行了增补,补充了描述,建立了2个弓鲛新种:新庄弓鲛与川街弓鲛,丰富了"后甸弓鲛带"弓鲛类群,并讨论了弓鲛属的生物地层、生活的古环境和地理分布特征。     

A fossil aardvark (Mammalia, Tubulidentata) from the lower Pliocene of Chad

The Mission Paléoanthropologique Franco-Tchadienne (MPFT) found a new species of Orycteropodidae (Mammalia, Tubulidentata) in the Kollé fossiliferous sector, northern Chad. After Orycteropus abundulafus [Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20 (1) (2000) 205–209; Lehmann, T., Vignaud, P., Likius A., Brunet M., in press. A new Orycteropodidae (Mammalia, Tubulidentata) in the Mio-Pliocene of Northern Chad. Zool. J. Linnean Soc.], this specimen is the second complete skeleton of fossil aardvark found in the Djurab desert. It is the first complete representative of an Orycteropus species found in the Pliocene of Africa. In regard to the Miocene fossil aardvarks, this new taxon, Orycteropus djourabensis nov. sp., shows more affinities with the extant O. afer. The main differences are the larger teeth and the shorter hand in the fossil form. Kossom Bougoudi and Kollé represent a chronological series that gives a unique opportunity for studying the evolution of the African Tubulidentata around the Mio-Pliocene boundary (5.5-4 My). The new species is distinct from the older Chadian Orycteropodid from KB and it embodies the taxonomic turnover that took place within the order Tubulidentata around this boundary in Africa. Moreover, this new species is the oldest known Orycteropus species that clearly belongs to the modern forms including the extant aardvark.     

南极半岛西摩岛始新世拉揭塞塔组Teredolites遗迹化石研究

Teredolites遗迹化石是一类赋存于海相地层中的以木质基底为特征的钻孔遗迹组合,是由海相钻木类双壳动物(如船蛆、海笋等)寄生于漂浮或沉入海洋的树干中形成。Teredolites遗迹化石可指示浅海沉积环境,提供寄生木材的分类信息、古地理信息以及埋藏过程中的环境信息。本文研究了南极半岛西摩岛拉揭塞塔组顶部首次发现的一例Teredolites longissimus(Apectoichnus longissimus)遗迹化石,层位时代为晚始新世,根据木基底内保存的船蛆化石的发育特征和分布特征,确定本例为船蛆幼年群体对木基底的初期感染形成的钻孔遗迹。利用场发射扫描电镜(FESEM)和X射线能谱仪(EDS)对基底木化石和船蛆化石进行深入研究分析,将本例Teredolites遗迹化石的基底木化石定为裸子植物罗汉松科(Podocarpaceae)叶枝杉型木属未定种(Phyllocladoxylon sp.),证实了叶枝杉型木属在西摩岛上的分布延续至始新世晚期;船蛆化石内部赋存大量草莓状黄铁矿,其中粒径超过10 μm的草莓状黄铁矿占比达39.2%,最大粒径达到44 μm,粒径的统计和分析显示其形成于氧化水体沉积环境,证明始新世晚期南极半岛地区古海洋处于氧化海状态。     

Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) sea lilies (Echinodermata, Crinoidea) from Poland

Valanginian strata in central epicratonic Poland have recently yielded crinoids, not previously recorded from the area. The fauna comprises isocrinids (Balanocrinus subteres, B. gillieroni, “Isocrinus?” lissajouxi), millericrinids (Apiocrinites sp.) and comatulids (Comatulida indet.). For comparison, a few samples of isocrinids from Valanginian strata of Hungary (Tethyan province) were also analysed. The isocrinids, cyrtocrinids and roveacrinids (sensu Rasmussen 1978 inclusive of Saccocoma sp.) were already known from the Valanginian of the southernmost Tethyan regions of Poland (Pieniny Klippen Belt and Tatra Mountains). The current study demonstrates their occurrence in central epicratonic Poland, and suggests that many Jurassic to Cretaceous stalked crinoid taxa (mainly isocrinids) predominated in the shallow-water settings of this area. Thus, the hypothesis of migration (at least from mid-Cretaceous onwards) to deep-water areas, as a response to an increase of the number of predators during the Mesozoic marine revolution, seems not to be universally applicable.     

The oldest barnacle from the Caribbean is a rudist bivalve (Maastrichtian, Jamaica)

Four new specimens of Euscalpellum? coatesi Donovan and Davis-Strickland from the Maastrichtian of Jamaica are described; two of these occur in association with the right valve of the rudistid bivalve Chiapasella radiolitiformis (Trechmann). This demonstrates that E.? coatesi is not a barnacle, but rather represents an unusual preservational state of the left valve of C. radiolitiformis retaining only the cellular inner part of the shell.     

First Valanginian Polacanthus foxii (Dinosauria,Ankylosauria) from England,from the Lower Cretaceous of Bexhill,Sussex

A new partial skeleton of the armoured ornithischian dinosaur Polacanthus found in the Wadhurst Clay Formation (Valanginian stage) of Bexhill, Sussex is the oldest recorded occurrence of this taxon. Previous discoveries suggested that at least two armoured ornithischians occur in the Wealden succession: Polacanthus, which was mostly restricted to the Barremian, and Hylaeosaurus, which was recorded as present only in the Valanginian. The new discovery extends the stratigraphic range of Polacanthus into the Valanginian. Although these two taxa appear to be closely similar anatomically, their osteology now suggests they are not synonymous. The new specimen includes the first known jugal as well as a comparatively rare polacanthid plate/spine (splate) which probably comes from the shoulder (pectoral) area of these animals.     

云南临沧晚中新世一种水龙骨科植物化石的修订及其生物学意义

云南现代真蕨类植物资源丰富,蕨类植物多样性的地史起源,必须从化石记录入手。在云南临沧上中新统邦卖组植物化石采集中发现了槲蕨属1块不育叶和2块腐殖叶的新材料,这些标本为修订Drynaria propinqua Wen et al.,2013,以及揭示该种不育叶和腐殖叶的特征提供了新的材料。通过与槲蕨属国内外报道的化石种和现生种的详细比较,将其重新定名为Drynaria cf.propinqua。Drynaria cf.propinqua的发现,表明云南临沧晚中新世的气候与现今中国西南地区温暖湿润的气候类似,这些附生植物的生活习性表明,临沧地区复杂分层的森林生态系统至少在晚中新世已经确立。     

A diverse Rancholabrean vertebrate microfauna from southern California includes the first fossil record of ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii: Plethodontidae)

Analysis of late Pleistocene fossils recovered from near the Huntington Beach, California (USA), pier (site LACM 7679) has revealed a diverse fauna dating to approximately 40 ¹⁴C ka BP. Extinct megafauna (three genera) are present; however, a microfauna including three genera of fish, five genera of amphibians, twelve genera of reptiles, two genera of birds, and ten genera of small mammals dominates the assemblage in terms of diversity. Additional identification of seven genera of non-marine mollusks and various macro- and microscopic plant remains including grasses, three families of herbs, and seven genera of trees provides a wealth of information concerning the past ecology of what is currently a coastal dune field complex. During the Rancholabrean Period, the LACM 7679 locality was approximately 10 km inland from the Pleistocene coastline and contained lush riparian zones interspersed with coastal sage scrub, a few trees, and grasslands teeming with a variety of small and large animals.     

A new bourgueticrinid (Crinoidea) from the Castle Hayne Formation (Eocene) of southeastern North Carolina,USA

Cenozoic fossil stalked crinoids are poorly known. Based on a large, new collection of disarticulated columnals and cups, a new gracile bourgueticrinid, Democrinus simmsi species nov., is described from the Eocene Castle Hayne Formation as exposed at the Martin Marietta Quarry, New Hanover County, southeastern North Carolina (USA). The smooth, conical cup of D. simmsi commonly is widest at the oral surface, moderately flared orally in small (juvenile?) specimens, but tends to be subcylindrical in larger examples. The basals are at least 1.5 times the height of radials. Some columnals of mesistele and dististele have distinctly warty latera. This is the first nominal bourgueticrinid from the Paleogene of North America, despite their moderate diversity locally in the Paleogene of Eurasia. The small size of cups and disarticulated columnals of gracile bourgueticrinids are almost certainly a factor in our poor knowledge of their fossil record.     

New Taxa of Chrysomelidae (Insecta:Coleoptera)from Rovno Amber,Late Eocene

<正>Leaf beetles Chrysomelidae of Rovno amber,from the Late Eocene,are recorded and described. Chrysomelidae of Rovno amber are represented by three subfamilies:Galerucinae(Alticini),Chrysomelinae,and Eumolpinae.Two new genera and three new species of Alticini:Manobiomorpha Nadein,gen.nov.(type species Manobiomorpha eocenica Nadein,sp.nov.),Psyllototus Nadein,gen.nov.(type species Psyllototus progenitor Nadein,sp.nov.),and Crepidodera decolorata Nadein et Perkovsky,sp.nov.are described.A new chrysomeline genus and species Paleophaedon minutus Nadein gen.nov.et sp.nov.is described.Probable trophic association of Crepidodera decolorata sp.nov.,the taxonomic positions of Manobiomorpha gen.nov.and Psyllototus gen.nov., and the composition of leaf beetle faunas of Middle and Late Eocene of Europe are discussed.     

胡氏贵州龙新生个体形态学特征

本文观察并测量了中三叠世拉丁期兴义动物群中的12件包含胚胎的胡氏贵州龙化石及已产出的49个幼体胡氏贵州龙标本;对成年个体与新生个体的体长、肱骨长、股骨长与眼眶长径的特定性状比率关系进行了统计分析;展示了成年个体、胚胎及幼年个体的特征差异,首次描述了胡氏贵州龙新生个体形态学特征;定量刻画了胡氏贵州龙新生个体的头骨、颈椎、背椎、荐椎、尾椎和四肢,获得了更完整、精确的解剖学信息。新材料揭示胡氏贵州龙新生个体的头骨平均长度为8.56mm,肱骨明显短于股骨,肱股比例为1∶1.09。头部呈饱满的三角形,吻部短而钝,眼眶大而圆,具有独特的狭长型上颞孔。此外,研究发现胡氏贵州龙的生产方式为胎儿头部首先从母体产道产出,同时新生个体的吻-臀距稳定在31.04~32.26mm这个数值范围内,且该数值的变动与母体大小无直接联系。本次研究为胡氏贵州龙的生殖方式、个体发育、特别是异速生长研究提供了新的材料。     

An illustrated guide to the fossil barnacles (Cirripedia) from the Crags (Plio-Pleistocene) of East Anglia

The Plio-Pleistocene Crag deposits of East Anglia include a wealth of shelly remains, including barnacles, preserved variously as complete shells, their disarticulated plates and trace fossils. Herein, we present a field guide to these distinctive fossils, with diagnoses of all known taxa recorded from the Crags of East Anglia, supported by both line drawings and photographs. The known stratigraphic and geographic distribution within the study area are tabulated. Recognised species include the sessile barnacles Armatobalanus bisulcatus (Darwin), A. dolossus (Darwin), Balanus balanus (Linné), B. crenatus Bruguière, B. inclusus Darwin, Concavus concavus (Bronn), Chirona hameri (Ascanius), Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Linné), Conopea calceola (Ellis), Co. spongicola (Brown), Acasta undulata Darwin, Coronula barbara Darwin, Megatrema anglicum (G.B. Sowerby) and Verruca stroemia (Müller) (=14 species); two pedunculate forms, Scalpellum magnum Darwin and Lepas delicatula Withers; and the boring Rogerella isp. The greatest diversity of species is found in the Coralline Crag and Red Crag formations, both yielding 11 species, although only four are common to both. Barnacles are poorly represented in other Crag deposits.     

Trace fossil evidence from the Adigrat Sandstone for an Ordovician glaciation in Eritrea, NE Africa

Trace fossils are described here from the Adigrat Sandstone formation of hitherto uncertain Palaeozoic-Mesozoic age in south-central Eritrea. The formation is subdivided into a lower unit, the Adi MaEkheno Member, and an upper informal unit, Member 2. The formation was deposited on the locally mudcracked top of the glacigenic Edaga Arbi Beds, suggesting that these two rock units were formed in a very short time interval. The Adi MaEkheno Member and the lower part of Member 2 contain trace fossils Arthrophycus alleghaniensis (Harlan), Arthrophycus ?brongniartii (Harlan), Didymaulichnus lyelli (Rouault), Palaeophycus tubularis Hall, Taenidium isp., thin winding ridges, winding ridges and furrows, simple cylinders, and ‘stellate’ forms. A. alleghaniensis is distinctively of Ordovician–Silurian (?Early Devonian) age. The trace fossil association belongs to the Cruziana ichnofacies that indicates a shallow marine environment between the normal and storm wave bases. The trace fossil data and stratigraphic relationships indicate that the Adigrat Sandstone formation and the Edaga Arbi Beds in Eritrea are Ordovician–Silurian in age. The Edaga Arbi Beds are correlated with other Upper Ordovician (Hirnantian) glacial units in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, lending these beds the status of a marker unit in the Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy of the Horn of Africa. The Jurassic “Adigrat Sandstone” in central-west and eastern Ethiopia cannot be correlated with the Adigrat Sandstone formation in its type area and in Eritrea.     

Eutrephoceras subplicatum (Steinmann, 1895) is a junior synonym of Eutrephoceras dorbignyanum (Forbes in Darwin, 1846) (Cephalopoda, Nautiloidea) from the Maastrichtian Quiriquina Formation of Chile

Nautilus subplicatusSteinmann, 1895 is a latest Cretaceous species of nautiloid which is common in southern South America (Chile, Argentina) and the Antarctic Peninsula and which is best assigned to the genus EutrephocerasHyatt, 1894. Nautilus dorbignyanusForbes in Darwin, 1846 and Nautilus valenciennii Hupé in Gay, 1854 are here considered to be senior synonyms which later authors have apparently overlooked. The type material of these two taxa is reillustrated. On the basis of this and additional material it is demonstrated that only a single nautiloid species occurs in the Quiriquina Formation of late Maastrichtian age. For this we propose to use N. dorbignyanus as the oldest available name.     

Reconstructing the migration patterns of late Pleistocene mammals from northern Florida, USA

We used analyses of the strontium isotope (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) ratios of tooth enamel to reconstruct the migration patterns of fossil mammals collected along the Aucilla River in northern Florida. Specimens date to the late-glacial period and before the last glacial maximum (pre-LGM). Deer and tapir displayed low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that were similar to the ratios of Florida environments, which suggest that these taxa did not migrate long distance outside of the Florida region. Mastodons, mammoths, and equids all displayed a wide range of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. Some individuals in each taxon displayed low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that suggest they ranged locally, while other animals had high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that suggest they migrated long distances (> 150 km) outside of the Florida region. Mastodons were the only taxa from this region that provided enough well-dated specimens to compare changes in migration patterns over time. Pre-LGM mastodons displayed significantly lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios than late-glacial mastodons, which suggests that late-glacial mastodons from Florida migrated longer distances than their earlier counterparts. This change in movement patterns reflects temporal changes in regional vegetation patterns.     

A history of the ‘Zambian copper flower', Becium centraliafricanum (B. homblei)

This contribution is a short history of the Zambian copper flower, Becium homblei (recently renamed B. centraliafricanum that has attracted attention as a plant associated with Cu-rich soils. It has a peculiar discontinuous distribution in Central Africa which has been explained in terms of biotype depletion. A field investigation into the ecology of the species shows that it is able to tolerate soil Cu concentrations of up to 15,000 μg/g (ppm), and soil nickel concentrations of nearly 5000 μg/g. B. homblei is also found on areas where soil metals are in trace quantities, and where soil bases, particularly Ca, are low. In spite of its tolerance to a wide range of edaphic conditions, the distribution of the species is very restricted in Zimbabwe, and this is almost certainly due to severe interspecific competition with a closely related species, B. obovatum, which is common on soils not unusually enriched in heavy metals. Pioneering work on geobotanical prospecting by use of Becium homblei was carried out by the late G. Woodward and others in the 1950s and 1960s. This species was used successfully for geobotanical prospecting for Cu. This present report is a brief history of these pioneering studies