Klukiopsis jurassica—A new Jurassic schizaeaceous fern from China

A new Jurassic schizaeaceous fernKlukiopsis jurassica gen. et sp. nov. from Yima, Henan Province, China is described. The new fern is characterized by the abaxial sori arranged in two rows, apical and complete annulus and more than 800 smooth trilete spores in each sorus.     

A new Eocene catostomid (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from northeastern China and early divergence of Catostomidae

A new Eocene catostomid genus and species, Plesiomyxocyprinus arratiae, is described from Huadian, Jilin Province, northeastern China. The materials include a nearly complete skeleton, dozens of pharyngeal bones with teeth, and a number of disarticulated bones. The new articulated specimen is large-sized and deep-bodied, with an estimated standard length of ca. 300 mm and body depth of 156 mm or about half of its standard length. The assignment of the fish to the Catostomidae is based on its falciform pharyngeal bone with one row of numerous (more than 50) compressed teeth, and the bone is much smaller than in cyprinids, especially given the size of the fish. The new fish distinguishes itself from all known catostomids (both extinct and extant) in its long anal fin with four unbranched and 17–18 branched rays, and its extremely short caudal peduncle that is only about one fourth of its depth. Plesiomyxocyprinus arratiae resembles the Eocene-Oligocene transpacific-distributed Amyzon in many general skeletal characters. However, it shows a few characters uniquely shared with the Recent catostomid Myxocyprinus asiaticus. Those include a very long dorsal fin with about 50 branched fin rays, the end of dorsal fin rays being close to the caudal fin base, and anal rays stretching posteriorly beyond the base of caudal fin. It is the first fossil catostomid that shows a close relationship to the endemic Myxocyprinus now living in the Yangtze River and Minjiang River, China. The discovery of Plesiomyxocyprinus arratiae, along with two previously described possible catostomid genera Jianghanichthys and Vasnetzovia, may indicate that the divergence of the Catostomidae started much earlier, in the middle Eocene or earlier, on the western side of the Pacific than on its eastern side. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40432003, J0630965), Cypriniformes Tree of Life under the U.S. National Science Foundation to R. Mayden (Grant No. EF0431326), and Ecocarp Project (European Commission, INCO-DEV Programme) (Grant No. ICA4-CT-2001- 10024)     

Study on lithogeochemistry of Middle Jurassic basalts from southern China represented by the Fankeng basalts from Yongding of Fujian Province

There exists an E-W trending Middle Jurassic volcanic zone in southern China. The Fankeng basalts in the Yongding basin of Fujian Province are considered to be a typical example. The Fankeng basalts have TiO2 contents in the range of 1.92%-3.21%. They are classified as high-Ti basalts. They also have higher total Fe (averaging FeO* = 11.09%). The Middle Jurassic Fankeng basalts from southwestern Fujian have obvious distinctive lithogeochemical features from early Cre- taceous basalts from southeastern coast of China. They have higher HFSE, such as Th, Nb, Ta, Zr and Ti. Their element ratios related with HFSE, such as Zr/Ba, La/Nb, La/Ta ,Zr/Y, Ti/Y, Ba/Nb, K/Ti and Rb/Zr are similar to those of OIB. The most samples have ε Nd(T) of-0.70-0.24, which are near chondrite. Some samples have higher ε Nd(T) of 1.87-3.55.Therefore, these basaltic magmas might be derived from depleted asthenospheric mantle. The lithogeochemical characteristics of the Fankeng basalts may be caused by interaction between asthenosphere and lithosphere at the time. The (Early-) Middle Jurassic basalts and gabbros from southeastern Hunan, southern Jiangxi and northern Guangdong provinces show similar geochemical features to those of the Fankeng basalts from the Yongding of Fujian. Occurrence of these OIB-type basalts in the area may be regarded as the petrological mark of upwelling of asthenosphere at the time. Upwelling of asthenosphere has led to tectonic extension and the formation of rifted basin in the area.     

A new structurally preserved fern rhizome of Osmundaceae (Filicales) Ashicaulis wangii sp. nov. from the Jurassic of western Liaoning and its significances for palaeobiogeography and evolution

Permineralized osmundaceous rhizome with anatomical and phylogenetic information plays a significant role in understanding the origin,evolution,and diversity variation of the fern family Osmundaceae in geological history.The northern Hebei and western Liaoning region is one of the most important fossil localities for the Jurassic osmundaceous rhizome fossils in the Northern Hemisphere;however,the diversity character of osmundaceous rhizome fossil remains poorly known.A new structurally preserved fern rhizome species,Ashicaulis wangii sp.nov.,is described from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in Beipiao City,Liaoning Province,northeastern China.The rhizome is composed of heterogeneous pith,an ectophloic–dictyoxylic siphonostele,a two–layered cortex,and a mantle of adventitious roots and petiole bases.The xylem cylinder,with complete leaf gaps,consists of 15–17 xylem strands.The petiole base is characterized by a heterogeneous sclerotic ring and numerous sclerenchyma masses in the petiolar cortex.Among five known Ashicaulis species with heterogeneous sclerotic ring,four of them are documented from China.Therefore,osmundaceous rhizome fossils from China show endemic anatomical characteristics and significances for palaeobiogeography.Comparisons of anatomical features suggest that A.wangii sp.nov.bears close similarities to Osmunda pluma Miller from the Paleocene of Dakota,USA.Fossil species of A.wangii provides new evidence for further understanding the species diversity of osmundaceous rhizome fossil in China and in the Northern Hemisphere,and contributes to exploring the macroevolution process of the Mesozoic osmundaceous plants.     

New discovery of Palaeontinid fossils from the Middle Jurassic in Daohugou, Inner Mongolia (Homoptera, Palaeontinidae)

Three new species of fossil Palaeontinidae are described from Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China: Daohugoucossus shii sp. nov., D. parallelivenius sp. nov., D. lii sp. nov. The diagnosis of Dao- hugoucossus Wang, Zhang and Fang, 2006 is revised. These materials are the first complete fossil palaeontinids in the Middle Jurassic of the world. Based on observation of these new specimens, Sc of this new genus has the following combined characters: joined with R at base, diverged near M separa- tion, coalesced with R before the nodal line, extended beyond the nodal line and fused with R1 before distal end. Due to the Sc characteristics mentioned above, the genus Liaocossus Ren, Yin and Dou, 1998 can be well distinguished from “Ilerdocossus-complex”.     

The Heilongjiang Group: A Jurassic accretionary complex in the Jiamusi Massif at the western Pacific margin of northeastern China

Abstract The tectonic setting of the Eastern Asian continental margin in the Jurassic is highly controversial. In the current study, we have selected the Heilongjiang complex located at the western margin of the Jiamusi Massif in northeastern China for geochronological investigation to address this issue. Field and petrographic investigations indicate that the Heilongjiang complex is composed predominately of granitic gneiss, marble, mafic‐ultramafic rocks, blueschist, greenschist, quartzite, muscovite‐albite schist and two‐mica schist that were tectonically interleaved, indicating they represent a mélange. The marble, two‐mica schist and granitic gneiss were most probably derived from the Mashan complex, a high‐grade gneiss complex in the Jiamusi Massif with which the Heilongjiang Group is intimately associated. The ultramafic rocks, blueschist, greenschist and quartzite (chert) are similar to components in ophiolite. The sensitive high mass‐resolution ion microprobe U‐Pb zircon age of 265 ± 4 Ma for the granitic gneiss indicates that the protolith granite was emplaced coevally with Permian batholiths in the Jiamusi Massif. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of biotite and phengite from the granitic gneiss and mica schist yields a late Early Jurassic metamorphic age between 184 and 174 Ma. Early components of the Jiamusi Massif, including the Mashan complex, probably formed part of an exotic block from Gondwana, affected by late Pan‐African orogenesis, and collided with the Asian continental margin during the Early Jurassic. Subduction of oceanic crust between the Jiamusi block and the eastern part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt resulted in the formation of a huge volume of Jurassic granites in the Zhangguangcai Range. Consequently, the collision of the Jiamusi Massif with the Central Asian Orogenic Belt to the west can be considered as the result of circum‐Pacific accretion, unrelated to the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The widespread development of Jurassic accretionary complexes along the Asian continental margin supports such an interpretation.     

Proposed new Lower Triassic stages in South China

As the global Lower Triassic stages are not properly defined, a Chinese scheme of the Lower Triassic subdivision was recently proposed to meet the insistent need of the general investigation in China. The Lower Triassic sequences of South China are briefly summarized and the twofold Lower Triassic subdivision is discussed. The type sections of the two Chinese Lower Triassic stages, Yinkengian and Chaohuan, and their definitions are stated.     

黑龙江省饶河枕状玄武岩古地磁学研究及其构造意义

蛇绿岩中枕状玄武岩的古地磁学研究可为古海洋的恢复与演化提供定量化依据.黑龙江省饶河地区中侏罗世枕状玄武岩的岩石学、岩石磁学研究表明,该岩石具备水下喷出特点,发育辉长结构,载磁矿物为磁铁矿.17个采点181块样品的热退磁实验表明,中侏罗世枕状玄武岩记录了高温分量和中温分量,前者为熔岩喷发记录的原生剩磁方向,平均方向D/I=59.4°/46.3°,α95=6.8°,对应的极位置为40.3°N,224.6°E,A95=7°;后者可能为晚侏罗世—早白垩世岩浆热事件的叠加,平均方向D/I=55.4°/60.6°,α95=3.9°,对应的极位置为50.8°N,210.6°E,A95=5.2°.综合考虑区域地质背景,将这一结果与邻区同时代的古地磁数据对比,推测在中侏罗世之前,在饶河杂岩与佳木斯地体之间存在一定规模的海域,与现今日本海相似;早白垩世时期,该海域封闭,饶河杂岩与华北、西伯利亚板块在动力学上已成为整体.     

扬子褶皱带侏罗纪砂岩古地磁及其褶皱带弧形弯曲的成因

为了更好地认识上扬子褶皱带和中扬子褶皱带走向差异的机制,我们对中、上扬子褶皱带过渡的关键地区重庆市万州和云阳两个地区的中、晚侏罗世砂岩进行了古地磁研究.逐步热退磁分离出两个组分,低温组分（LTC）在所有样品中均分离出来,为现代地磁场的重磁化;中侏罗世样品和万州地区的晚侏罗世样品分离出来的高温组分（HTC）也为现代地磁场的重磁化.云阳地区晚侏罗世样品分离出来的高温组分通过逐步展平褶皱检验显示：在褶皱展平至33.8%时,精度参数达到最大,相应的古地磁方向为D=19.1°,I=48.9°（α₉₅= 6.3°）,古地磁极为73.5°N,198.2°E（dp=5.5°, dm=8.3°）,与白垩纪参考古地磁极对比,此高温组分揭示云阳地区在褶皱变形的后期经历了7.7°±6.1°的顺时针旋转.结合前人的数据,我们认为中扬子褶皱带普遍存在弯山构造（orocline）,这可能与华北板块向华南板块的挤入作用有关;但是中、上扬子褶皱带过渡地区的弧形弯曲总体上不是由弯山构造形成的,很可能是在太平洋板块向北西方向俯冲的宏观板块构造背景下的应变分异作用形成的.     

The Early Jurassic magmatism in northern Guangdong Province,southeastern China: Constraints from SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of Xialan complex

This paper reports SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages of 196±2 Ma for granite, and 195±1 Ma for gabbro from the Xialan complex in the Meizhou area, northern Guangdong Province. These results shed new light on the calm stage of magmatic activity in southeastern China during 200-180 Ma, and revealed that the back-arc extension induced by the subduction of the western Pacific plate may have begun at 195 Ma at least. Field observation on the fresh outcrops allows us to recognize some features formed by magma mixing. A par...     

Paleomagnetic study of Middle-Upper Jurassic sediments from the Polish segment of the Pieniny Klippen Belt

Middle-Upper Jurassic carbonates exposed in 7 separate fragments of three tectonic units were sampled in the Polish segment of the Pieniny Klippen Belt in 1981, before construction of the Niedzica-Czorsztyn dam. Demagnetization experiments performed about 20 years ago and analyzed lately with modern program package revealed the presence of Middle Miocene overprints acquired in the normal and reversed geomagnetic field, and pre-folding components of natural remanence acquired during the Middle-Upper Jurassic. A paleolatitude of 36N±7° was obtained for the studied area for this time on the basis of 3 normal and 1 reversed components. Three pre-folding pole positions are situated between pole positions of the normal and reversed Stable European Middle Jurassic field. The obtained paleomagnetic results imply several prefolding (pre-Upper Miocene) and postfolding (post-Upper Miocene) episodes of rotations of the studied fragments.     

Preliminary report on Lower Jurassic radiolaria of Gondwana origin from the Kawhia coast, New Zealand

Abstract Well-preserved radiolarians from the Newcastle Group in southwest Kawhia, New Zealand, constitute the first record of Lower Jurassic radiolarians from in situ deposits in high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere on the margin of Gondwana. The radiolarians were extracted from carbonate nodules from five horizons in the Rewarewa Formation and the lower part of the Arawhero Formation, in the Murihiku Terrane. The radiolarian-bearing sequence, which lies within the upper part of the type section of the local Aratauran Stage, is roughly datable as Hettangian-Sinemurian from rare ammonite occurrences. The radiolarian assemblages consist, on average, of 80–90% spumellarians and 10–20% nassellarians. Spumellarians include species of the following genera: Archaeotriastrum, Crucella, Emiluvia (?) Homeoparo-riaella, Orbictilifomaa, Pantanellium, Paronaella (?), Pseudocrucella, PseIIdoheliodiscus, Spon-gostaurus and Spongotrochus. Nassellarians are composed of species of Ragotum, Bipedis, Droltus, Jams (?) Perispyridium (?) Raoultius, Riedelius, Saitoum and Thetis. From data of Lower Jurassic radiolarian faunas of Europe, North America and Japan, the New Zealand fauna shows stronger affinity with those of the European Tethys such as Turkey (e.g. De Wever 1982) and the Northern Alps (Kozur & Mostler 1990) than with faunas from other areas of the circum-Pacific. This connection between the European Tethyan and New Zealand faunas is not well explained by presently accepted continental reconstructions (Smith et al. 1994) for the Early Jurassic.     

Benthic macro red alga: A new possible bio-precursor of Jurassic mudstone source rocks in the northern Qaidam Basin,northwestern China

Whether benthic macroalga can be an important type of bio-precursor of source rocks is a contentious issue in source-rock studies, and has not been well understood. This paper represents a case study of Jurassic mudstone source rocks from the northern Qaidam Basin, northwestern China, in which the benthic macro red algae were recognized for the first time based on combined organic petrological and biomarker works. We found not only cystocarps in the algae, representative of rhodophyta, but also diahopanes, which are diagnostic biomarkers of such algae. Thus, as many reservoired oils in the northern Qaidam Basin contain abundant diahopanes, it may indicate that the red algae have contributed to hydrocarbon accumulation. This was confirmed by integrated geological and geochemical analyses. Hence, this study provides new evidence for macroalga-generated hydrocarbons. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40602014, 40872086, 40638042)     

Jurassic accretion tectonics of Japan

Abstract The Jurassic accretionary complex and coeval granites in Japan represent remnants of the Jurassic arc-trench system developed between the Asian continent and Pacific Ocean. The Jurassic accretionary complex occurs as a large-scale nappe that is tectonically sandwiched between the overlying pre-Jurassic nappes and underlying post-Jurassic nappes. By virtue of new research styles (microfossil mapping and chronometric mapping) the following new views of the Jurassic accretionary complex in Japan, that suggest those for on-land exposed ancient accretionary complexes in general, have been obtained: (i) the accretion age of the Jurassic accretionary complex ranges over ～ 80 million years from the latest Triassic to earliest Cretaceous according to a reconstructed stratigraphy of component rocks (oceanic plate stratigraphy); (ii) the accretionary complex is subdivided into several nappe units, each characterized by unique oceanic plate stratigraphy; (iii) a tectonically downward-younging polarity is observed in the piled nappes; (iv) the Jurassic accretionary complex is composed of coherent-type and chaotic-type units, the former retaining the primary accretionary structures while the latter are characterized by collapsed and secondarily mixed materialslfabrics derived from the former; (v) the chaotic-type units predominate in volume over the coherent-type units; (vi) the accretionary complex suffered from a regional low-grade metamorphism (up to the lower greenschist facies) within ～10–20 million years after the accretion timing; and (vii) the lateral extent of the Jurassic accretionary complex in East Asia is intermittently traced from the Koryak mountains in Russia to North Palawan in the west Philippines for ～6000 km. Discussion focuses on (i) the low preservation ratio of the coherent-type units to the chaotic-type units with respect to frequent subduction erosion by seamount subduction; (ii) absence of the Franciscan-type melange, suggesting sedimentary mixing origin for the chaotic-type unit; (iii) a growth rate of the Jurassic accretionary complex compatible to modern analogues; and (iv) the total volume of the Jurassic accretionary complex in Japan with respect to the most likely terrigeiious elastics source along the 250 Ma continent-continent collision suture in central China (between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze blocks).     

Pliensbachian magnetostratigraphy: new data from Paris Basin (France)

Sampling of an industrial drill string from the northeastern Paris Basin (Montcornet, France) provides early Jurassic magnetostratigraphic data coupled with biochronological control. About 375 paleomagnetic samples were obtained from a 145 m thick series of Pliensbachian rocks. A composite demagnetization thermal up to 300°C and an alternating field up to 80 mT were used to separate the magnetic components. A low unblocking temperature component (<250°C) with an inclination of about 64° is interpreted as a present-day field overprint. The characteristic remanent component with both normal and reversed antipodal directions was isolated between 5 and 50 mT. Twenty-nine polarity intervals were recognized. Correlation of these new results from the Paris Basin with data from the Breggia Gorge section (Ticino, southern Alps, Switzerland), which is generally considered as the reference section for Pliensbachian magnetostratigraphy, reveals almost identical patterns of magnetic polarity reversals. However, the correlation implies significant paleontological age discrepancies. Revised age assignments of biostratigraphic data of Breggia as well as an objective evaluation of the uncertainties on zonal boundaries in both Breggia and Moncornet resolve the initial discrepancies between magnetostratigraphic correlations and biostratigraphic ages. Hence, the sequence of magnetic reversals is significantly strengthened and the age calibration is notably improved for the Pliensbachian, a stage for which sections combining adequate magnetic signal and biostratigraphic constraints are still very few.     

New fossil eccoptarthrids (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China

One new genus and three new species of the weevil family Eccoptarthridae (Curculionoidea), Leptocar polychaetus gen. et sp. nov., Abrocar macilentus sp. nov., Cretonanophyes punctatus sp. nov., are described and illustrated. They pertain to the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province, China. The host plants to the living eccoptarthrids and the floras in Yixian Formation indicate that those archaic eccoptarthrids possibly lived on conifers with a phylogenetic closeness to Cupressaceae. Besides, the early diversification of eccoptarthrids is discussed: origi- nated in Central or East Asia in the Late Jurassic, spread into Western Europe and South America during the Early Cretaceous, underwent a dramatic decline after the Early Cretaceous which likely was caused by competitive pressure and the displacement of their host plants.     

洛伊地区侏罗纪原型盆地形成与演化

以洛伊地区石油地震、钻井及地化资料为基础,利用镜质体反射率（Ro）进行单井剥蚀厚度恢复,应用平衡剖面恢复的早-中侏罗世古地貌呈"三凹三凸"特征,其中,中条山、熊耳山、嵩山由于隆升无早-中侏罗世沉积,在洛阳-济源、义马-宜阳、伊川形成3个沉降中心。依据盆地充填序列及沉积相带进行分析,认为研究区早-中侏罗世为山间坳陷盆地,其形成与演化受控于印支末期-燕山早期的秦岭-大别造山带陆内造山作用。     

Dynamic liquefaction of Jurassic sand dunes: processes,Origins, and implications

Soft‐sediment deformation occurs in ancient eolian dune deposits, but understanding its extent and the conditions and forces behind the deformation often remains elusive. Here we gain insight into the aerial extent and environmental conditions related to intense soft‐sediment deformation, based on an exceptional three dimensional (3D) exposure of eolian dune deposits and preserved geomorphic landscape expressions in the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone at White Pocket, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona. Deformation features include elongate northeast trending decameter‐scale mounds and raised ridges cored by deformed and upturned eolian dune sets, overlain by a massive blanket sandstone with breccia blocks. The geomorphic mounds display ~40–60 m spacing, roughly perpendicular to the southerly paleoflow dune foreset directions. The geometry of the deformation is imaged by oblique aerial photography using cameras mounted on a remote control airplane and high resolution panoramas with a robotic camera mount. We interpret the exquisitely preserved deformation features as liquefaction‐induced ground failure, consistent with theoretical and laboratory studies of deformation in saturated sand. A shallow water table affected by differential dune loading facilitated lateral spreading and failure. The transition to steady‐state flow liquefaction near the top of the shallow water table destroyed original sedimentary structure, creating a massive sand blanket that entrained brecciated blocks ripped up during flow. The water‐pressurized, upwelled sediment created the mounds (a relief inversion). In underlying deformed dune sets, deformation was intense but sedimentary structure was not obliterated as deformation progressed from initial cyclic mobility to strain‐softening, but ceased prior to steady‐state flow liquefaction. The spatial extent, topographic relief, and intensity of dynamic deformation suggest an origin of strong ground motion driven by long‐duration surface waves of a large earthquake (> Mw 7–8), possibly related to back arc thrusting from Jurassic subduction of the Pacific plate under North America. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous radiolarian zonation in Japan and in the western Pacific

Abstract A radiolarian zonal scheme for the entire Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous using biostratigraphic data from both Japanese Island sections and the western Pacific seafloor is documented. The zonation is applicable to low and middle paleolatitude portions of the Paleo-Pacific ocean. Radiolarian bio-events such as the evolutionary first appearance biohorizon, first occurrence biohorizon, and last occurrence biohorizon were used to define zones. The 11 zones proposed are, in ascending order, Parahsuum simplum, Trillus elkhornensis, Laxtorum(?) jurassicum, Tricolocapsa plicarum, Tricolocapsa conexa, Stylocapsa(?) spiralis, Hsuum maxwelli, Pseudodictyomitra primitiva, Pseudodictyomitra carpatica, Cecrops sep-temporatus, and Acanthocircus carinatus zones. Preliminary age assignments for these zones are presented.     

Anomalous iridium enrichment at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary, Blomidon Formation, Fundy basin, Canada

We present new analyses that confirm Ir enrichment (up to 0.31 ng/g) in close proximity to the palynological Triassic–Jurassic boundary in strata near the top of the Blomidon Formation at Partridge Island, Nova Scotia. High Ir concentrations have been found in at least two samples within the uppermost 70 cm of the formation. Ratios of other PGEs and Au to Ir are generally higher by an order of magnitude than in ordinary chondrites. No impact-related materials have been identified at this horizon in the Blomidon Formation, therefore we cannot confirm an extraterrestrial source for the anomalous Ir levels. We consider, however, the possibility that regional basaltic volcanism is a potential source for the Ir in these sediments. The elevated Ir concentrations are found in reduced, grey colored mudstones, so redox concentration is a possible explanation for the distribution of Ir in these strata.