A new basal actinopterygian fish from the Late Ladinian of Monte San Giorgio (Canton Ticino, Switzerland)

A new taxon of Late Ladinian basal actinopterygian is described on the basis of a single specimen from the Meride Limestone (Kalkschieferzone) of Meride (Canton Ticino, Switzerland). The species is characterized by a single plate-like branchiostegal, a suboperculum larger than the operculum, a maxillary fixed and posteriorly expanded, a large and rectangular dermopterotic and a large triangular dermosphenotic; the scales are rectangular to rhomboidal, the lepidotrichia of median fins are segmented from their base and the caudal fin shows epaxial rays. These features resemble the condition of the Redfieldiiformes, a freshwater fish group, whose presence in Europe is still controversial, owing to poor preservation of specimens found so far.     

Facies, depositional environment, and palaeoecology of the Middle Triassic Cassina beds (Meride Limestone, Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland)

The Ladinian Cassina beds belong to the fossiliferous levels of the world-famous Middle Triassic Monte San Giorgio Lagerstätte (UNESCO World Heritage List, Canton Ticino, Southern Alps). Although they are a rich archive for the depositional environment of an important thanatocoenosis, previous excavations focused on vertebrates and particularly on marine reptiles. In 2006, the Museo Cantonale di Storia Naturale (Lugano) started a new research project focusing for the first time on microfacies, micropalaeontological, palaeoecological and taphonomic analyses. So far, the upper third of the sequence has been excavated on a surface of around 40 m², and these new data complete those derived from new vertebrate finds (mainly fishes belonging to Saurichthys, Archaeosemionotus, Eosemionotus and Peltopleurus), allowing a better characterization of the basin. Background sedimentation on an anoxic to episodically suboxic seafloor resulted in a finely laminated succession of black shales and limestones, bearing a quasi-anaerobic biofacies, which is characterized by a monotypic benthic foraminiferal meiofauna and has been documented for the first time from the whole Monte San Giorgio sequence. Event deposition, testified by turbidites and volcaniclastic layers, is related to sediment input from basin margins and to distant volcanic eruptions, respectively. Fossil nekton points to an environment with only limited connection to the open sea. Terrestrial macroflora remains document the presence of emerged areas covered with vegetation and probably located relatively far away. Proliferation of benthic microbial mats is inferred on the basis of microfabrics, ecological considerations and taphonomic (both biostratinomic and diagenetic) features of the new vertebrate finds, whose excellent preservation is ascribed to sealing by biofilms. The occurrence of allochthonous elements allows an insight into the shallow-waters of the adjoining time-equivalent Salvatore platform. Finally, the available biostratigraphic data are critically reviewed.     

云南罗平地区中三叠世龙鱼化石的发现

记述了龙鱼属一新种,即云南龙鱼Saurichthys yunnanensis sp. nov.。该种以具有长椭圆形的鳃盖骨、躯干部披6列鳞片为特征与其他种区别。化石产于云南省罗平县大凹子村中三叠世安尼期关岭组中。     

云南罗平地区中三叠世龙鱼化石的发现

记述了龙鱼属一新种,即云南龙鱼Saurichth ysyunnanensis sp.nov.。该种以具有长椭圆形的鳃盖骨、躯干部披6列鳞片为特征与其他种区别。化石产于云南省罗平县大凹子村中三叠世安尼期关岭组中。     

The Triassic of Monte San Giorgio in the World Heritage List of UNESCO: An opportunity for science, the local people and tourism

No abstract.  .     

New species of Saurichthys (Actinopterygii: Saurichthyidae) from Middle Triassic (Anisian) of Yunnan Province, China

Abstract: Saurichthys dawaziensis sp. nov., from the third member of the Gejiu Formation (Anisian of Middle Triassic) in the vicinity of Luoping, Yunnan Province, is a small to medium- sized saurichthyid fish. It is characterized by the efferent pseudobranchial arteries penetrating on the parasphenoid and the mandible sensory canal with a branch in the angular. The new species is more derived than the Lower Triassic species in having a relatively narrow postorbital region, short preopercular, single ossification of the sclerotic ring, small haemal arches between the pelvic fins and the anal fin without ossified spines, and in the absence of quadratojugal. It is more primitive than the Middle and Upper Triassic Saurichthys in having fringing fulcra and numerous segments in the unpaired fins, and the presence of both prae- and post-zygapophyses in the neural arches. Some anatomic changes related to the vertebral column and unpaired fins of the genus are also discussed.     

New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic of eastern Switzerland, and comments on the taxic diversity of actinistans

New coelacanth material from the Middle Triassic Prosanto Formation of the Ducan and Landwasser area near Davos in eastern Switzerland, Canton Graubünden, is described. A sub-complete individual is visible in ventral view, and shows details of its branchial apparatus. In particular, it possesses relatively large teeth on the ceratobranchials, and possible ossified hypobranchials. Few diagnostic characters are observable, and most of them are visible on the mandibles preserved in lateral view. This specimen shares characters with Ticinepomis peyeri, a smaller form from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio, whose holotype is re-described in part here. A second specimen, a fragmentary caudal skeleton shows the typical supplementary lobe of coelacanths, and meristic characters indicating probable close affinities with T. peyeri. We refer this material to Ticinepomis cf. T. peyeri. Because the new specimen is larger than the holotype, we refute the possible juvenile status of the small specimen from Monte San Giorgio. The new material of Ticinepomis from Canton Graubünden shows anatomical features not preserved on the holotype and allows the addition of new characters to a previously published data matrix of actinistians. A phylogenetic analysis is performed, which supports that Ticinepomis is nested among the Latimeriidae. The diversity of post-Palaeozoic coelacanths is assessed. The taxic diversity of observed occurrences shows a peak in the Early Triassic and a peak in the Late Jurassic, as detected in previous studies. When ghost lineages are included in the computation, the Late Jurassic peak is smoothened. By comparing the taxic diversity curves with the curve of average ghost lineage duration, we conclude that the Early Triassic peak of diversity was probably caused by a biological radiation, whereas the Late Jurassic peak of observed diversity is probably the result of a Lagerstätten effect.     

贵州安龙坡脚剖面中三叠世安尼期牙形石的发现及其意义

贵州安龙坡脚剖面新苑组位于扬子地台和右江盆地交汇处,为中三叠世台缘斜坡相沉积,在该组中上部发现了牙形石动物群,除少量分枝分子外,都归属于Neogondolella属,建立了4个牙形石带,自下而上分别为:Neogondolella bulgarica、Neogondolella bifurcata、Negondolella constricta、Neogondolella constricta cornuta(未见顶界)带。时代为中三叠世安尼中晚期,其特殊的古地理位置,对系统研究与对比罗平生物群、盘县动物群的古生态环境,以及区域地层对比、地层格架建立,探讨该时期盆地演化提供了基础资料。     

贵州边阳地区中三叠世的六射珊瑚化石

本文描述了贵州边阳地区中三叠统拉丁尼克期的六射珊瑚4属6种，其中1个已知种，1个亲近种，2个新种和2个未定种：Pinacophyllum spizzensis(Tornquist)，P．aff．yunnanense Wu，P．bianyangense sp．nov，Retiophyllia bianyangensis sp．nov．，Procydolites sp．，Margarosmilia sp．，丰富了世界中三叠世六射珊瑚研究的资料。迄今全世界缺乏早三叠世珊瑚，研究中三叠世珊瑚，对探讨中生代开始出现的六射珊瑚的发生和系统演化，古生代四射珊瑚与中生代珊瑚之间存在的关系，都有很重要的意义。     

Co-occurrence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neusticosaurus edwardsii</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N. peyeri</Emphasis> (Reptilia) in the Lower Meride Limestone (Middle Triassic,Monte San Giorgio)

A newly opened excavation in the Cassina beds of the Lower Meride Limestone (Monte San Giorgio UNESCO World Heritage List, Canton Ticino, Switzerland), has yielded a pachypleurosaurid (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) specimen which is identified as Neusticosaurus peyeri. The resulting co-occurrence of N. peyeri and N. edwardsii, the latter so far regarded as the sole species of the genus present in this horizon, challenges the hypothesis of a single anagenetic lineage in Neusticosaurus species from Monte San Giorgio. In addition, it leads to a reconsideration of the phylogenetic inferences about Neusticosaurus evolution in the Monte San Giorgio area. The stratigraphic distribution of the Neusticosaurus species in the Monte San Giorgio basin is updated on the basis of recent finds.     

A new Isochirotherium trackway from the Triassic of Vieux Emosson, SW Switzerland: stratigraphic implications

The footprint assemblage of Vieux Emosson, located at 2400 m altitude in the Swiss Alps, was first described in 1982. The assemblage was regarded as Late Ladinian or Carnian in age, but the dating was questioned because the taxa show few affinities with other Triassic assemblages. Here we describe a short trackway with shallow but well-preserved tracks referred to the ichnogenus Isochirotherium, showing affinities with Isochirotherium soergeli and Isochirotherium lomasi. The trackway is present on a piece of slab ex situ lying on a mass of fallen rocks, but the slab can be attributed with confidence to the same level as the main one previously mapped. Preliminary observations in situ and of the footprint casts made in 1979 and deposited in the Natural History Museum of Geneva suggest that none of these are attributable to dinosaurs and that the Vieux Emosson footprints are mainly “track preservation variations” of chirotherian tracks. The occurrence of the ichnogenus Isochirotherium favours an older age, probably Early or Middle Triassic, than previously suggested for the Vieux Emosson tracksite.     

云南中三叠世罗平生物群中海参骨片化石的发现

在云南罗平中三叠统关岭组第二段(安尼阶Pelsonian亚阶)中发现了少量海参骨片化石,对其中的1属1种进行了描述。该发现丰富了罗平生物群的内容,为探讨中国三叠纪海参骨片化石的分类及演化增加了新材料。同时对海参骨片化石的产出层位进行了沉积环境分析,得出该类海参生活在正常浅海陆棚环境。     

云南中三叠世罗平生物群中首次发现牙形石齿串

通过对云南罗平中三叠统关岭组二段产罗平生物群的大凹子剖面进行厘米级牙形石样品的精细采样、处理与鉴定分析, 发现了丰富的牙形石齿串, 并拼绘出一个较完整的牙形石多分子器官属(P₁、S₀、S₁、S_2/3和M).成对的片形Neospathodiform形态分子占据P₁位置; 单个指掌状的Cypridodelliform形态分子占据S₀位置; 成对的Enantiognathiform、Hindeodelliform与Cypridodelliform形态分子分别占据器官属的S₁、S₂、S₃和M位置.      

Extinction, survival and recovery of corals from the Triassic to Middle Jurassic time

Recognizing extinction events and determining their cause at the Triassic/Jurassic (T/J) transition and near the Pliensbachian–Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) boundary is a field of growing interest. We provide arguments for these events through a literature based new evaluation of coral diversity from Triassic to Dogger and a new palaeobiogeographical map. The T/J extinction of corals is clearly related to the breakdown of reef environments. Origination curves show that Hettangian (the lowest Jurassic stage) was not only a survival phase but already rather a recovery phase. Post-extinction evolution of reefs and their survival only in the northernmost margin of the Tethys support the hothouse hypothesis for the T/J extinction event. During Pliensbachian, many new taxa appear, but mostly solitary corals, not really framebuilders. Many of these taxa do not occur anymore during the following stages. The new increase in diversity is related to the development of Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) reefs.     

滇东罗平地区中三叠统中发现液态油苗

通过1∶5万区调填图,在云南罗平地区中三叠统关岭组二段薄层泥晶灰岩中首次发现液态油苗。该稠油显示主要分布在层间晶洞中,表现为干沥青及稠油共存状态。有机地球化学研究表明,氯仿沥青“A”的含量为67×10-6,有机质类型以腐泥型Ⅰ型为主。镜质体干酪根反射率R0为2.84%,Tmax=568℃,表明有机质处于高成熟阶段。液态油苗的显示对于进一步评价南盘江盆地的油气勘探前景具有重要的价值和意义。     

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.