Comparative phylogeography of African rain forest trees: A review of genetic signatures of vegetation history in the Guineo-Congolian region

The biogeographic history of the African rain forests has been contentious. Phylogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of genetic lineages within species, can highlight the signatures of historical events affecting the demography and distribution of species (i.e. population fragmentation or size changes, range expansion/contraction) and, thereby, the ecosystems they belong to. The accumulation of recent data for African rain forests now enables a first biogeographic synthesis for the region. In this review, we explain which phylogeographic patterns are expected under different scenarios of past demographic change, and we give an overview of the patterns detected in African rain forest trees to discuss whether they support alternative hypotheses regarding the history of the African rain forest cover. The major genetic discontinuities in the region support the role of refugia during climatic oscillations, though not necessarily following the classically proposed scenarios. We identify in particular a genetic split between the North and the South of the Lower Guinean region. Finally we provide some perspectives for future study.     

Paläobiogeographische Analyse der tertiären Fischfauna von Neuseeland und Süd-Australien

Faunistic movements of bony fishes are investigated during the Tertiary of the Australian/New Zealandian region and are interpreted in respect to the disconnection of Australia and Antarctica and the initiation and development of the circumantarctic current. In early Eocene the New Zealandian fauna (tethyal origin) is principally different from the South Australian one (? southern Atlantic origin). In uppermost Eocene a break through of the Tasman Passage allows a first invasion of New Zealandian sublittoral fishes into the Great Australian Bight. Since Middle Oligocene these New Zealandian/ Indopacific sublittoral elements almost completely replace the original South Australian fauna and initiate an endemic evolution in this area. Faunistic exchange of deep sea fishes can be observed with some time delay since at least Middle Oligocene following the eastwards directed circumantarctic current. At the same time we realize a first invasion of mesopelagic fishes of northern Atlantic affinities to New Zealand. Simultaneously, a climax is evident for the development of the endemic sublittoral New Zealandian fauna. All these facts, mainly observed in south-east New Zealand, lead to the postulation of a colder current side branching from the circumantarctic current and running northwards along the south-eastern coast of New Zealand. The evolution of the relatively uniform Southern Ocean meso- and bathypelagic fauna is discussed as a function of the developement of the southern temperate climatic zone and the initiation of the circumantarctic current. Faunistic elements of these affinities are recognizeable since at least Lower Miocene. A number of selected ichthyological data, recent and fossil, are presented on biogeographic maps.     

广西南宁下泥盆统华南鱼类化石新发现及其地层和古地理意义*

笔者描述了广西南宁下泥盆统布拉格阶那高岭组下部盔甲鱼类的新发现,建立了华南鱼科2个新种——丘比特华南鱼(Huananaspis cupido sp. nov.)和梁氏亚洲鱼(Asiaspis liangi sp. nov.)。前者以头甲个体较小、不发育中背棘、两角末端超出头甲后缘等特征区别于属型种武定华南鱼(H. wudingensis),后者以头甲长大于宽、角向头甲侧后方延伸、角后缘发育锯齿、中背孔呈纵长椭圆形等特征区别于属型种宽展亚洲鱼(A. expansa)。广西南宁地区那高岭组具有可靠的地质时代证据,其中所产的徐家冲鱼类化石组合能够为华南地区早泥盆世地层的对比研究提供鱼类化石标准,而华南鱼属(Huananaspis)和亚洲鱼属(Asiaspis)在那高岭组的发现,丰富了华南鱼类的多样性,扩大了徐家冲鱼类组合的化石内容,并为云南武定坡松冲组与广西南宁那高岭组之间的对比提供了直接化石证据。广西南宁莲花山组与那高岭组过渡层中的徐家冲鱼类化石组合物种多样性最高,几乎涵盖了其他地区该组合的所有属种,说明广西南宁地区可能是盔甲鱼类辐射和扩散的中心之一。该地区早泥盆世布拉格期的古鱼类、早期维管植物和腕足动物均表现出显著的地方性色彩,可能跟华南海是一个半封闭的陆表海湾有关,即由于封闭海效应,鱼类在这个封闭的环境中独立演化,表现出很高的多样性和很强的土著性,最终在华南板块上形成一个独立的动物区系——“盔甲鱼—云南鱼”动物区系。     

Gondwanan dinosaur evolution and biogeographic analysis

Gondwanan dinosaurs, though less well-known than their Laurasian counterparts,are being discovered and described at an ever accelerating pace. Dinosaurs are known from every major Gondwanan landmass, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, India, Madagascar and New Zealand. Much of the Gondwanan dinosaur literature includes speculation on vicariant and dispersal events relating to the fragmentation of Gondwana during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. These prolific biogeographic hypotheses are often inconclusive, speculative in nature, and untestable with the data at hand. To formulate well-supported biogeographic hypotheses, resolved dinosaur phylogenies and sound hypotheses of Earth history are necessary. Other factors, such as taphonomy, depositional setting, and missing taxonomic, temporal and geographic data, also contribute to understanding dinosaur faunal compositions. Additional phylogenetic information, a continuation of the current exploration and discovery, and knowledge of recent advances in tectonic plate reconstructions are paramount to developing a well-supported view of Gondwanan dinosaur biogeography.     

中国兴蒙—新疆北部及邻区中泥盆世古生物地理区系

中国兴蒙—新疆北部及邻区中泥盆统发育，含丰富的动植物化石。根据门类生物群综合分析研究，将其古生物地理区划分出１个域，２个省，６个亚省（Ｉ旧世界域；Ｉ１哈萨克斯坦—蒙古—兴安省：Ｉ１１哈萨克斯坦—准噶尔亚省，Ｉ１２萨彦—阿尔泰亚省，Ｉ１３东蒙古—兴安亚省，Ｉ１４北天山来省；Ｉ２南天山省：Ｉ２１土尔克斯坦—阿赖亚省，Ｉ２２艾尔宾山—克孜勒塔格亚省）。哈萨克斯坦—蒙古—兴安省，以床板珊瑚类的土尔干槽珊瑚属广泛发育为主要特征；四射珊瑚以内板—角珊瑚动物群为代表；腕足类具明显的二分特征，早期属群与早泥盆世晚期特征相似，晚期以尖翼尖翼石燕动物群大量发育为主要特征；植物以原始鳞木植物群为特征。南天山省主要特征是全部为海相，没见陆相。床板珊瑚多为世界性分子，缺少土尔干槽珊瑚动物群分子；四射珊瑚以带珊瑚—魏得肯珊瑚动物群大量发育为特征；腕足类则以鹗头贝动物群大量发育为突出特征。此外，尚有丰富的层孔虫，它们与珊瑚多形成礁体。     

河南灵宝朱阳下寒武统辛集组软体动物群的发现

河南灵宝朱阳地区下寒武统辛集组中新发现的小壳动物化石包括软体动物群的软舌螺、单板类、双壳类和腹足类以及海绵骨针和齿形类。该动物群可与安徽淮南雨台山组、河南确山、叶县、宝丰及陕西洛南辛集组动物群对比，时代属早寒武世中期，与澳大利亚新南威尔士早寒武世中期软体动物群属同一生物地理区。软体动物有可能在中国云南开始出现，并迅速迁移至扬子浅海各地，后经某种渠道迁移到华北地台南缘，演化成新的动物群。     

Population Genetic Structure of the New Zealand Estuarine Clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Austrovenus stutchburyi</Emphasis> (Bivalvia: Veneridae) Reveals Population Subdivision and Partial Congruence with Biogeographic Boundaries

We examined the population genetic structure of the New Zealand endemic clam, Austrovenus stutchburyi, to determine (1) whether populations of this estuarine taxon are genetically subdivided and (2) if the locations of genetic boundaries were congruent with known biogeographic break points. We obtained sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase I for 372 A. stutchburyi from 29 New Zealand estuaries and conducted analyses to identify population genetic structure. We detected a pattern of genetic isolation by distance and identified six A. stutchburyi subpopulations, a greater number of subpopulations than reported for much of New Zealand’s open coast benthos. Although these data indicate that long distance dispersal may be less frequent in estuarine than in open coast taxa, partial congruence between genetic and biogeographic boundaries suggests that historical events and natural selection may also contribute to the observed population genetic structure.     

Differences in the crab fauna of mangrove areas at a southwest Florida and a northeast Australia location: Implications for leaf litter processing

Existing paradigms suggest that mangrove leaf litter is processed primarily via the detrital pathway in forests in the Caribbean biogeographic realm whereas herbivorous crabs are relatively more important litter processors in the Indo-West Pacific. To test this hypothesis, we used pitfall traps to collect intertidal crabs to characterize the crab fauna in a mangrove estuary in southwest Florida. We also tethered mangrove leaves to determine if herbivorous crabs are major leaf consumers there. We compared the results with previously published data collected in an analogous manner from forests in northeastern Australia. The crab fauna in Rookery Bay, Florida, is dominated by carnivorous xanthid and deposit-feeding ocypodid crabs whereas that of the Murray River in northeastern Australia is dominated by herbivorous grapsid crabs. No leaves tethered at five sites in the forests in Southwest Florida were taken by crabs. This contrasts greatly with reported values of leaf removal by crabs in Australian forests of 28–79% of the leaves reaching the forest floor. These differences in the faunal assemblages and in the fate of marked or tethered leaves provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that leaf litter is in fact processed in fundamentally different ways in the two biogeographic realms.     

Cretaceous sauropod diversity and taxonomic succession in South America

The South American sauropod dinosaurs fossil record is one of the world's most relevant for their abundance (51 taxa) and biogeographical implications. Their historical biogeography was influenced by the continental fragmentation of Gondwana. The scenery of biogeographic and stratigraphic distributions can provide new insight into the causes of the evolution of the sauropods in South America. One of the most important events of the sauropods evolution is the progressive replacement of Diplodocimorpha by the Titanosauriformes during the early Late Cretaceous. The fluctuation of the sea levels is frequently related to the diversity of sauropods, but it is necessary to take into account the geological context in each continent. During the Maastrichthian, a global sea level drop has been described; in contrast, in South America there was a significant rise in sea level (named ‘Atlantic transgression’) which is confirmed by sedimentary sequences and the fossil record of marine vertebrates. This process occurred during the Maastrichtian, when the hadrosaurs arrived from North America. The titanosaurs were amazingly diverse during the Late Cretaceous, both in size and morphology, but they declined prior to their final extinction in the Cretaceous/Paleocene boundary (65.5Yrs).     

中—新生代有孔虫古地理对西藏特提斯演变的动态响应

有孔虫化石资料是地质历史的真实记录,对不同地质时期古地理格局和生态环境的变迁具有动态响应。西藏特提斯构造带的演化、板块相对地理位置变迁等诸多问题一直是地学界关注的热点。研究西藏特提斯沉积盆地内有孔虫动物群的古生态特征和古地理分布,能够识别生物地理区系,进而恢复不同时期的大地构造演化格局。西藏地区中、新生代古生物地理区系的分化是西藏特提斯地质演变的具体反映。西藏南部早侏罗世产底栖大有孔虫Orbitopsella喜暖动物群,晚侏罗世出现双壳类Buchia喜冷动物群。由此推测,侏罗纪新特提斯洋扩张尤其是中大西洋的开张,将位于印度大陆北缘的特提斯喜马拉雅带,从早侏罗世较低纬度的温暖位置向南推移至较高纬度的低温地区。白垩纪中期Orbitolina有孔虫类群繁盛于特提斯北侧亚洲大陆的拉萨地块和羌塘盆地,但没有出现在印度大陆。这说明当时印度大陆已脱离冈瓦纳大陆向北漂移,受四周深水环境的阻隔,Orbitolina动物群未能向印度大陆扩散。此时深水环境中生活着浮游有孔虫Ticinella-Rotalipora动物群。Turonian晚期开始形成海退,拉萨地块的海洋环境基本消失。Coniacian-Campanian早期印度大陆北缘浮游有孔虫继续占优势,繁盛Marginotruncana-Globotruncana动物群。直至白垩纪末,印度和欧亚大陆之间的深海阻隔仍然存在,雅鲁藏布江缝合带两侧动物群一直存在根本性差异。印度大陆北缘发育着Orbitoides-Omphaloceclus 动物群,冈底斯南缘则以Lepidorbitoides-Pseudorbitoides动物群为特征。古新世Danian期生态环境发生变化,显示大印度与亚洲大陆发生初始碰撞(66~61 Ma)。Selandian期之后,缝合带两侧才出现相同的Miscellanea-Daviesina有孔虫类群,生物区系的分异基本结束。始新世早期缝合带两侧为完全相同的生物区系,共同发育底栖大有孔虫Nummulites-Discocyclina动物群。有孔虫古地理证据表明,大印度与欧亚大陆的初始碰撞在古新世早期发生,时间大致在Danian期,沿雅鲁藏布缝合带的深海演变为残留海环境。小个体货币虫Nummulites willcoxi和浮游有孔虫Globigerina ouachitaensis的存在,代表特提斯喜马拉雅最高海相沉积,时代属于始新世Priabonian晚期(35~34 Ma)。随后,特提斯喜马拉雅海封闭,海水完全退出西藏境内。     

A new lower Cambrian shelly fossil biostratigraphy for South Australia

Definition of early Cambrian chronostratigraphic boundaries is problematic with many subdivisions still awaiting ratification. Integrated multi-proxy data from well-resolved regional-scale schemes are ultimately the key to resolving broader issues of global correlation within the Cambrian. In Australia, early Cambrian biostratigraphy has been based predominantly on trilobites. Phosphatic shelly fauna have great potential as biostratigraphic tools, especially in pre-trilobitic strata because they are widespread and readily preserved, but they have remained underutilised. Here we demonstrate their value in a new biostratigraphic scheme for the early Cambrian of South Australia using a diverse shelly fauna including tommotiids, brachiopods, molluscs and bradoriids.Biostratigraphic data are derived from ten measured stratigraphic sections across the Arrowie Basin, targeting Hawker Group carbonates including the Wilkawillina, Wirrapowie and Ajax limestones and the Mernmerna Formation. The stratigraphic ranges of shelly fossils are predictable and repeatable across the Arrowie Basin, allowing three discrete shelly biozones to be identified, spanning Terreneuvian, Stage 2 to Series 2, Stages 3–4. The Kulparina rostrata Zone (new) and part of the overlying Micrina etheridgei Zone (new) are pre-trilobitic (predominantly Terreneuvian). The Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3 Dailyatia odyssei Zone (new) features a very diverse shelly fauna and will be described in detail in a separate publication. These zones provide robust means to correlate Terreneuvian–Series 2 successions in neighbouring coeval basins in Australia, particularly the Stansbury Basin. Wider correlation is possible throughout East Gondwana, and especially with South China.     

Mammoths and mylodonts: Exotic species from two different continents in North American Pleistocene faunas

Throughout the Cenozoic, the North American mammalian fauna has been enriched by the appearance of new taxa originating on different continents. During most of the Tertiary, the primary source area of these new taxa was Eurasia with dispersal across some version of the Bering Land Bridge. In the late Pliocene (Blancan) ca. 2.5 mya, the creation of the Panamanian Land Bridge permitted the northward dispersal of species of South American origin including ground sloths. One of these sloths was “Glossotherium” chapadmalense, which in turn gave rise to the Pleistocene species Paramylodon harlani. Mammoths first appear in North America at the beginning of the Irvingtonian ca. 1.9 mya. Despite originating on two different continents, the two species are often found together in North American Pleistocene faunas and shared a common habitat. Both of these lineages are commonly interpreted as grazers, indicative of open grassland habitat, and both of these exotic species shared this habitat with North American endemic species such as horses, also interpreted as grazers. Despite their association in North American faunas, mammoths did not disperse into South America and mylodont sloths were unable to disperse into Eurasia. This suggests there were some aspects of their ecology they did not have in common and there existed a limited zone of conditions that permitted them to share common habitat. There is no evidence that the appearance of either species in North America resulted in the extinction of any native species. The question is how these different species, immigrants and endemics, were able to avoid competition, coexist, and become integrated into a single fauna, thus enriching the overall North American Pleistocene fauna.     

西藏岗巴古新世地层及构造作用的影响

西藏岗巴地区出露有完整的晚白垩世至古近纪地层，地层中化石丰富，根据化石研究准确地进行了地层时代的划分，本文认为该区白垩系－古代系界线位于宗山组和基堵拉组之间，以底栖有大孔虫Orbitoides-Omphalocyclus动物群的消亡和Rotalia-Smoutina-Lockhartia动物群的始现为标志。界线上下岩层为假整合接触，期间有一短暂的暴露面。古新世的砂砾岩直接覆于晚白晋世的陆棚碳酸盐岩沉积之上，沉积的重大转变代表一次构造运动，印度大陆北缘与冈底斯南缘直至白垩纪末均具有明显的浅海生物地理分区现象，期间被深海盆地地所阻隔。古新世开始浅海相动物群在该地显示同一生物地理区系特征，说明两大陆间深水盆地的阻隔已消失，南北生物地理区同归于一残留海盆，沉积类型转变和地层古生物特征为印度－亚洲板块的起始碰撞时间研究提供了基础资料，据此推测大陆早期碰撞发生在白晋系－古近系的界线时期（约65Ma)，古新世中一晚期碳酸盐台地遭受不断的挤压与变形，进一步说明大陆的碰撞在古新世之初就已发生。沉积地层的破碎变形和滑塌堆积是持续碰撞与挤压的结果。     

江西玉山早奥陶世笔石动物群的分带及分异

<正> 江西玉山具有完整的下奥陶统宁国组含笔石地层,陈旭、韩乃仁(1964)建立了下奥陶统笔石带,限于当时的标本采集,分带尚不够精确。1979年秋,笔者与邹西平、李罗照在玉山山头底(李家蓬)、会英亭、牟家坞等地测制剖面,获得了比较可靠的笔石分带。本文     

The oldest bivalved arthropods from the early Cambrian of East Gondwana: Systematics,biostratigraphy and biogeography

The oldest bradoriid fauna from Australia, occurring in the lower Cambrian Ajax and Wirrapowie limestones of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia consists of eleven taxa, including one new genus and species, Quadricona madonnae gen. et sp. nov. and two new species, Liangshanella circumbolina sp. nov. and Zepaera jagoi sp. nov. In the Ajax Limestone, Liangshanella circumbolina sp. nov. occurs c. 20 m below the FAD of the zonal trilobite Abadiella huoi. This pre-trilobitic occurrence represents the oldest bivalved arthropod hitherto known from East Gondwana and suggests a lower Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) age for the assemblage. The recognition of distinct bradoriid assemblages associated with the Abadiella huoi (Atdabanian), Pararaia tatei, P. bunyerooensis and P. janeae (all Botoman) trilobite biozones in South Australia indicates great potential for future regional biostratigraphic correlation. Quantitative biogeographic analysis including new taxonomic data from the lower Cambrian of South Australia, highlights the strong endemism displayed by early Cambrian bradoriid communities and strengthens the close faunal affinities with South China and Antarctica.     

南方砖红壤层的早期人类活动信息

近年来在中国南方许多河谷地带的砖红壤层中发现一种很有特色的卵石工具工业,还在几个地点与砖红壤层相当的层位发现人类化石和共生的动物化石。这些发现为深入研究因缺少古生物学证据而长期困扰人们的砖红壤层问题提供重要的信息。本文在介绍这些发现的同时,还讨论了砖红壤层的时代及其与华北更新世地层的对比。     

Turtles from the Lower Cretaceous of the Cameros Basin (Iberian Range, Spain)

Knowledge of the turtle fauna from the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula has been very limited until now. There are several fossil sites where Lower Cretaceous associations of continental vertebrates have been found. Although turtles have been identified in some of them, most of these specimens have not been studied, so the diversity is unknown. Among all these findings, the turtles from the Cameros Basin are considered particularly relevant, both in their abundance and diversity. Their study has allowed the identification of several taxa. At least one representative of Solemydidae and three taxa of Eucryptodira are recognized. This study establishes kinship and biogeographic relationships between the taxa in Cameros with those found in other Spanish fossil sites and with those of other European regions.     

The use of long-term biological data to generate testable hypotheses

Long-term biological data sets are typically collected, analyzed for their periodicities, possibly correlated with some suspected forcing function(s), published and forgotten. To fully utilize such long-term data sets for management decisions and basic scientific inquiry, they should be used to generate new ideas and as the basis for testing new hypotheses. Rarely is this done! Ten plus years of monthly or fortnightly data on meiofauna abundance from a mud and a sand site in North Inlet, South Carolina, indicate very different seasonal patterns, and thus controlling mechanisms, at the two sites. The mud site faunal abundance appears predator controlled; the sand site fauna physically controlled. Using the 10+-year data set as the base, a series of experiments are proposed to test whether the mud meiofauna are predator controlled. Additionally, the copepod species composition at the sand site has changed over the sampling period; interstitial species have almost disappeared, while epibenthic species abundance has remained constant. The elimination of the interstitial forms is thought to be the result of increasing silt/clay at the site. Experiments are proposed to test the effect of changing silt/clay content or species composition in sandy habitats.     

辽东太子河流域石炭系下部红层腕足动物群研究

早石炭世晚期至晚石炭世早期,太子河流域发育了一套红层沉积,泥岩中含有丰富的腕足动物化石,共计２１属３９种。系统分析了腕足动物群性质;结合围岩和地球化学特征等,识别出ＬｉｎｏｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｕｓＯｖａｔｉａ群落,它生活在与广海相连的浅水海湾低潮线附近地带;对同期腕足动物群进行了比较和讨论,提出当时研究区属于天山—辽吉腕足动物生物地理分区的观点。     

Characteristics of Albaillella （ Albaillellarian ,Radiolarian） Fauna from Guadalupian to Lopingian Series in Permian, South China

On the basis of establishment of radiolarian biostratigraphy and conodont biostratigraphy,a radiolarian Albaillella fauna in the transitional environment from Guadalupian to Lopingian Series in Permian was found at a pelagic chert section in southeast Guangxi, South China. Radiolarian Albaillella is one of the most sensitive biology to the transitional environment. The Albaillella fauna shows an ecological evolutionary process from Guadalupian to Lopingian: declined stage-recovery stage-flourishing stage. The study of characteristics of the Albaillella fauna in the transitional environment may provide more information, not only for the subdivision and correlation of a high-resolution biostratigraphy, but also for influence of radiolarian Albaillella fauna on the pre-Lopingian mass extinction.