中国辽西早白垩世义县组始无齿翼龙新材料

根据新材料,对始无齿翼龙的特征进行了修订：中部颈椎体没有神经棘;肱骨三角嵴的长度与肱骨长度之比率约为0．2．5：翼掌骨的长度与第二翼指骨的长度几乎相等;第二翼指骨与第一翼指骨的长度之比率约为0．76。始无齿翼龙的新标本与正型稍微不同,可能由个体发育所引起。     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世新的翼龙类化石

发现于内蒙古鄂托克旗召稍早白垩世罗汉洞组的一件不完整翼龙类下颌标本,以下颌愈合部长且平直、齿骨侧嵴发育、近圆形齿窝沿侧嵴之上的齿骨侧面上半部分自前向后呈直线排列、齿窝直径(2~2.5 mm)前后变化较小、相邻齿窝的间距约为齿窝直径的一半、下颌牙齿密度为3枚/cm等特征,可归入梳颌翼龙科(Ctenochasmatidae),且代表一新属种——郝氏鄂托克翼龙Otogopterus haoae gen.et sp.nov.。该化石是继鄂托克旗新召准噶尔翼龙科的平颌鄂尔多斯翼龙Ordosipterus planignathus之后在内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区发现的第2件确切翼龙类材料,丰富了这一地区早白垩世脊椎动物群的组成。该翼龙也是继甘肃庆阳环河翼龙Huanhepterus quingyangensis之后在鄂尔多斯盆地发现的第2种梳颌翼龙科化石,进一步扩大了鄂尔多斯盆地梳颌翼龙科的地理分布范围,同时表明鄂尔多斯盆地是继辽宁西部之后梳颌翼龙科在中国的又一重要分布区。     

记中国辽西一新的古神翼龙类化石

根据一具有头骨和下颌保存的几乎完整骨架,建立古神翼龙类一新属新种:季氏华夏翼龙。华夏翼龙的头骨形态显示它处于中国翼龙和古神翼龙的过渡阶段。从华夏翼龙头骨的形态(低的头骨脊)看,显示了它与中国翼龙的关系要比与具有高的头骨脊的古神翼龙密切。中国翼龙相对低长的头骨显     

辽宁西部早白垩世朝阳翼龙科 (Chaoyangopteridae)化石一新种

中国辽宁西部早白垩世翼龙类化石非常丰富,其上部的九佛堂组翼龙类组合以含有丰富的无齿的古神翼龙科、朝阳翼龙科等进步类型而与下部的义县组翼龙类组合相区别。本文描述了辽宁西部建昌盆地九佛堂组一新的大型翼龙类化石,其以上下颌无齿、吻端指数为3.7、前颌骨背支细长且封闭鼻眶前孔背缘、很大的鼻眶前孔后端超过上下颌关节位置、轭骨的上颌骨突基部宽大而应被归入朝阳翼龙科(Chaoyangopteridae)神州翼龙属(Shenzhoupterus)。其以较大的体形(翼展2.05 m)、平直的上下颌咬合面、轭骨的眶后骨突较泪骨突长且基部略宽、第4～7颈椎长度依次减小等特征,区别于朝阳神州翼龙(Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis),而被命名为三亚神州翼龙(新种)(Shenzhoupterus sanyainus sp. nov.)。这是辽宁西部早白垩世翼展最大且不具牙齿的翼龙类属种,它的发现丰富了九佛堂组翼龙类组合内容,对认识朝阳翼龙科的骨骼形态与生态习性亦具有积极意义。     

中国早白垩世翼龙动物群及其多样性对比

中国西北和东北地区发育中生代河湖相沉积的陆相盆地,其中赋存丰富的脊椎动物化石群,包括天山北部准噶尔盆地的乌尔禾翼龙动物群、天山南部吐哈盆地的哈密翼龙动物群和辽西热河生物群富含翼龙化石。乌尔禾和哈密翼龙动物群都发现于下白垩统吐谷鲁群中,两者的繁盛时间大致相当,这两个动物群的翼龙个体数量巨大,但是物种多样性很低。乌尔禾翼龙动物群的化石多保存在半深湖环境沉积的细砂岩和粉砂岩中,化石保存较为完整,主要为正常死亡;哈密翼龙动物群的化石富集保存在滨浅湖环境事件沉积的风暴岩中,大都经过了大型风暴的短距离搬运和快速埋藏,骨架分散,但几乎所有单个骨骼完整。东北地区的热河生物群翼龙种类众多,共生包括鱼类、两栖类、恐龙等其他爬行类、鸟类和哺乳类等脊椎动物,生物多样性极为丰富,大多保存在半深湖-深湖环境形成的页岩中,骨架多为完整保存,是火山爆发事件导致其集群死亡,并被火山灰快速埋藏,与新疆的动物群面貌明显不同。根据天山南北的翼龙动物群初步对比,乌尔禾翼龙动物群的主要优势类群准噶尔翼龙类,在天山北部的准噶尔盆地及相邻的蒙古西部地区都有分布,与天山南部的哈密翼龙动物群中已知唯一翼龙类群哈密翼龙完全不同,两者亲缘关系很远。因此认为在中生代,天山的隆升就已经达到了一定的高度,并对翼龙的南北迁徙交流形成了有效的地理阻隔。依据中国东北和西北地区早白垩世翼龙动物群对比,认为辽西及相邻周边地区由于华北克拉通破坏,导致大量火山活动,造成了生态环境的多样性和生物种类的快速更替,从而形成了热河生物群独有的极高的生物多样性,而缺少火山活动、环境相对单一的西北陆相盆地,虽然翼龙类具有数以千万计的庞大居群,但是物种多样性很低。华北克拉通破坏导致的辽西地区频繁而强烈的火山活动,是形成中国西北和东北早白垩世生物多样性差异的重要原因。     

辽宁西部一新的帆翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽西朝阳九佛堂组一具有部分头骨的不完整骨架,命名一新的帆翼龙——赵氏龙城翼龙（新属新种）。头骨和牙齿形态显示龙城翼龙与宽齿帆翼龙的关系要比与其他翼龙的关系密切,龙城翼龙是目前辽西九佛堂组中发现的唯一的帆翼龙类。帆翼龙科原仅一属种,发现于英国早白垩世地层中,辽西早白垩世新帆翼龙的发现,不但扩大了其地理分布,也证明辽西是晚侏罗世至早白垩世翼龙辐射、分异的重要地区。这对研究翼龙的起源和演化有重要意义。     

中国辽西早白垩世义县组一新的美颌龙类

报道了美颌龙类一新属新种:季氏北票颌龙(Beipiaognathus jiigen. et sp. nov.)。它不仅具有美颌龙科的鉴定特征,如扇形的背椎神经脊和强壮的第一指第一指节,而且具有不同于其他美颌龙类的独具特征:不具有小锯齿的锥形牙齿,较长的尺骨,长而强壮的第二指第一指节,以及较短的尾部。这一发现进一步揭示了美颌龙类具有相当高的分异度,为了解美颌龙类的解剖学特征提供了重要信息     

辽西义县组发现一新的翼手龙类化石

根据产自中国辽宁省西部早白垩世义县组上部、具有不完整头骨的翼手龙类骨架确立一新属新种：李氏始无齿翼龙Eopteranodon lii（gen．et sp．nov．）。从它窄长的头骨且其上、下颌尖长而没有牙齿，短的颈椎椎体上来看，显示了该翼龙与无齿翼龙类相似。始无齿翼龙的肱骨没有像其他无齿翼龙类那样具有弯曲的肱骨三角嵴，而且几乎所有的无齿翼龙类均个体较大。始无齿翼龙的个体较小，两翼展宽约为1．1m左右。腕骨没有愈合，肱骨三角嵴较平直以及第Ⅳ翼掌骨稍微长于尺骨显示了它的原始性，它代表一新的、较原始的、类似无齿翼龙的翼手龙类。     

辽西早白垩世-新梳颌翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽宁省西部下白垩统九佛堂组的一近乎完整的梳齿颌翼龙类下颌，确立了一新属新种：短颌辽西翼龙Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen.et sp.nov．短颌辽西翼龙以它前部扩张的下颌缝合部，左右第四齿槽间的距离最宽等特征不同于发现于辽西及其周边地区任何具有头骨保存的翼龙类，基于其扁宽的下颌吻端，牙齿大小分异小及短的下颌缝合部，把它归入梳齿翼龙类，短颌辽西翼龙以其较少的牙齿数目区别于其他梳齿颌翼龙，     

甘肃永靖盐锅峡早白垩世翼龙足迹的发现及意义

甘肃永靖盐锅峡恐龙足迹1号化石点中保存有翼龙足迹, 该足迹是我国翼龙足迹的首次发现.翼龙足迹为四足行走, 行迹宽.前脚为不对称三趾型, 趾行式, 其中Ⅱ趾最短, Ⅳ趾最长, 足迹外偏, 偏角大, Ⅳ趾与行迹交角为160°~ 180°.后脚外形为近长方形, 四趾型, Ⅱ、Ⅲ趾较Ⅰ、Ⅳ趾长, 行式, 脚长为宽的3倍, 足迹外偏, 偏角30°.足迹特征表明该翼龙足迹属于一新种.沉积特征表明翼龙足迹产于湖岸环境.      

Discovery of a New Pterosaur in Western Liaoning,China

The pterosaur from the Yixian Formation in Beipiao, Liaoning Province, ischaracterized by the medium-sized individual, short tail, presence of the gastralia, strongforelimbs, radius and ulna longer than wing-metacarpal, extremely narrow and elongatemetatarsals, degenerated and small phalanx V of hindlimb and so on. It must be a new genusand species, Eosipterus yangi gen. et sp. nov., in the early groups of the SuborderPterodactyloidea. This is the first record of pterosaurs found in Liaoning Province. The fossilprovides new evidence for further determining the nature and geological time of the JeholFauna and for studying the palaeogeography and palaeoenvironment.     

Dongbeititan dongi, the First Sauropod Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of Western Liaoning Province, China

We herein describe a partial postcranial skeleton of a sauropod dinosaur recovered from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group in the Beipiao area of western Liaoning Province, northeastern China. A suite of features it possesses, including the camellate internal structure of its presacral elements, the existence of pneumatocoels on the proximal ends of the dorsal ribs, and especially the medially deflected proximal portion of the femur, definitively establish the titanosauriform affinities of the specimen. It differs from other titanosauriforms in having a craniocaudally elongate coracoid with a squared cranioventral extreme and a long, smooth, and slightly convex acetabular edge of the pubis. It represents a new taxon, Dongbeititan dongi gen. et sp. nov. Comparative studies suggest that Dongbeititan is a basal titanosauriform, more derived than Euhelopus, Fusuisaurus, and Huanghetitan, but less derived than Gobititan and Jiutaisaurus. Dongbeititan represents the first sauropod dinosaur reported from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of western Liaoning Province.     

New Fossil Liverworts from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning, China

Sixteen liverwort specimens collected from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Huangbanjigou Village, Liaoning Province, China are studied in this work. The plants are thalloid and preserved in brown arenaceous mudstone as impressions. Based on examinations, the liverworts are assigned to two new genera and five new species: Riccardiothallus palmata sp. nov., Pallaviciniites stricta sp. nov., Pellites latithallus gen. et sp. nov., Conocephalumites hexagonites gen. et sp. nov. and Metzgerites multifidus sp. nov., belonging to five families and five genera. The fossil research indicates that the divergence of families, Aneuraceae and Metzgeriaceae, Pallaviciniaceae and Hymenophytaceae, Pelliaceae and Fossombroniaceae, was in the Lower Cretaceous (125 Ma). The research provides significant additions to the fossil liverwort records in Western Liaoning and offers fossil evidence for studying the classification and evolution of extant liverworts.     

New Azhdarchid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Western Liaoning

A nearly complete skeleton with a lower jaw of pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of western Liaoning is described and assigned to a new genus, Eoazhdarcho gen. nov.. The new genus is characterized by a relatively small size,the ratio of the length to width of the middle series cervical vertebrae approximately 3.5 and the ratio of humeral length to femoral length approximately 0.96. The humerus of Eoazhdarcho shows great resemblances to that of previously described Azhdarchidae, so it is assigned to the family Azhdarchidae.     

New Tapejarid Pterosaur from Western Liaoning, China

A new tapejarid pterosaur Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. The skull morphology of Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. appears transitional between the skulls of Sinopterus and Tapejara. The skull morphology （low crest） of Huaxiapterusjii indicates that Huaxiapterus is more closely related to Sinopterus than to Tapejara, which has a high crest. The relatively long and shallow skull of Sinopterus indicates that it is a primitive form. Huaxiapterus is more derived than Sinopterus but more primitive than Tapejara.     

Large-Sized Ankylosaur (Dinosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning, China

Two incomplete bones referred to ankylosaur scapulocoracoid and humerus are described, which were discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dachengzi Town, Kazuo County, Liaoning Province. Ankylosaur dinosaurs have ever been found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian, Fuxin and Sunjiawan Formations of western Liaoning. The occurrence of ankylosaurs within Jiufotang Formation improves our knowledge on the ankylosaur stratigraphic distribution. Based on the length of scapulocoracoid, the new dinosaur is estimated to exceed 6.0 meters long, representing the largest ankylosaur in western Liaoning.     

A New Species of Huaxiapterus （Pterosauria： Pterodactyloidea） from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning, China with Comments on the Systematics of Tapejarid Pterosaurs

A new species of tapejarid pterosaur, Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is erected on the basis of a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is characterized by a hatchet-shaped rectangular process on the premaxilla, whose short axis is perpendicular to the anterior margin of the premaxillae. Except for this process, other characters of the skull such as the breadth of the snout between the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra and the anterior margin of the premaxilla are similar to that of Huaxiapterus jii. Huaxiapterus and a second Chinese tapejarid, Sinopterus, share several unique cranial characters in common with Tapejara and these three genera appear to be more closely related to each other than to other azhdarchoids. The Chinese tapejarids （Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus） have relatively elongate skulls and weakly developed cranial crests and seem to be less derived than Tapejara, with its shorter, deeper skull and large cranial crest. Tupuxuarids （Tupuxuara and Thalassodromeus） have often been associated with tapejarids in the family Tapejaridae, but this relationship is controversial because some phylogenetic analyses have supported the pairing of tupuxuarids with Azhdarchidae. We propose that Tapejaridae be restricted to Tapejara, Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus.     

辽西朝阳地区下白垩统九佛堂组一新的离龙类

根据发现于辽宁省西部朝阳地区下白垩统九佛堂组的离龙类一具有头骨的不完整骨架，建立Simoedosauridae科中的一新属新种：朝阳辽西龙：Liaoxisaurus chaoyangensis gen．etsp．nov．。朝阳辽西龙的下颌缝合部短，小于下颌长度的20％，牙齿齿槽近似正方形，区别于任何已知的进步的离龙类。它吻部相对较短，占头骨总长的49．8％。     

Precious Fossil-Bearing Beds of the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Western Liaoning Province, China

Based on the subdivision into three members of the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning, this paper deals mainly with the division and correlation of precious fossil bird-and reptile-bearing beds of the formation in the Dachengzi, Chaoyang, Dapingfang-Meileyingzi and Fuxin-Yixian basins. Among them, the precious fossil-bearing beds in the Dachengzi Basin may be recognized as the Xidagou Bed of the second member and the Yangcaogoudonggou Bed of the third member; those in the Chaoyang Basin may be confirmed as the Shangheshou Bed of the second member and the Dongpochi Bed of the third member; those in the Dapingfang-Meileyingzi Basin are as the Lamagou Bed of the second member, the Huanghuagou Bed of the lower third member and the Yuanjiawa Bed of the upper third member; and those in the Fuxin-Yixian Basin are listed as the Tuanshanzi Bed of the second member and the Pijiagou Bed of the third member. Since these basins are distinctly separated and the bird and reptile fossils are mostly new genera and species, we have to use the associated fossil ostracod assemblages as index to correlate the Xidagou Bed with the Shangheshou Bed and the Lamagou Bed, and to correlate the Yuanjiawa Bed with the Yangcaogoudonggou Bed and the Pijiagou Bed. Primarily, we established the sequence of the precious fossil-bearing beds of the Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning. They are represented by, in ascending order, the Xidagou Bed of the second member, the Huanghuagou Bed of the lower third member, and the Yuanjiawa Bed of the upper third member. Obviously, this work has significance for the study on the time-space distribution and radiation of birds and dinosaurs during the period of the middle Early Cretaceous.     

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.