Two bioerosion ichnofacies produced by early and late burial associated with sea-level change

In bioerosion, as in trace fossils as a whole, deeply emplaced structures have greater survival value than shallow structures. That is to say, tiering (the relative depth to which rasping, etching and boring organisms penetrate their substrate) is of paramount importance for the preservation potential of individual trace fossils. An Entobia ichnofacies is established for trace fossil assemblages dominated by deep tier borings and arising from long-term bioerosion, such as occurs on sediment-free submarine cliffs or hardgrounds. A Gnathichnus ichnofacies comprises assemblages containing all tiers, including superficial sculptures produced by radulation that have very little preservation potential. Such assemblages occur in short-term bioerosion situations as on shell surfaces and hardgrounds buried early by sedimentation. Correspondence to: R. G. Bromley     

贵州福泉牛蹄塘组蠕虫状化石组合的发现

贵州省福泉桅杆坪地区寒武系底部牛蹄塘组黑色页岩中以炭质印模的形式保存有大量宏观后生动物化石.化石微细特征保存较差,多属于疑难化石.该化石组合以化石个体较大的蠕虫状化石和疑似杆壁虫类化石为优势分子,还常见管状类化石、遗迹化石,以及少量的软舌螺、海绵骨针等化石碎片.该化石组合紧位于镍钼多金属层之上,与遵义等地区的松林生物群(牛蹄塘组下生物群)的层位相当,化石组成基本一致,但优势生物存在明显差异.福泉地区牛蹄塘组蠕虫状化石组合的发现,丰富了寒武系牛蹄塘组的生物群面貌,为研究早期后生动物演化提供了新资料和新信息.对该化石组合的进一步研究,也必将为这种特殊生物群的古环境恢复和埋藏学研究提供有利的古生物学证据.      

贵州台江中寒武世凯里组中分枝状宏观藻类化石

本文描述了贵州中寒武世凯里组中的分枝状宏观藻类化石5属7种，即：Marpolia spissa Walcott,Marpolia aequalis Walcott,Guizhouella ramulosa Yang(gen.et sp.nov.),Doushantuophyton lineare Chen,Thamnophton formosus Yang(gen.et sp.nov.),Eoulothrix fibrillata Ding,Eoulothrix flabellophyton Yang(sp.mov.)。根据大量的藻类与凯里生物群共生特征，从藻类的生态及生物群分布受到沉积韵律控制等特征分析，认为凯里生物群生活环境的水深应该在30－60m，而埋藏和保存环境的水深是150m左右。另外，将凯里生物群中的宏观藻类化石与震旦纪陡山沱期的藻类化石进行了比较，两者在以分枝状藻类占主要组成上是相似的，从这一方面来说，晚震旦世宏观藻类与寒武纪宏观藻类没有大的演变，但寒武纪宏观藻类以出现钙质珊瑚藻类、分枝更加复杂的类型和具有锯齿状叶状体、生殖托构造的藻类为特征。     

A diverse ichnofauna from silurian flysch of the aberystwyth grits formation,Wales

The most extensive ichnofauna yet recorded from a deep water Lower Palaeozoic sequence occurs within the distal turbidites of the Lower Silurian Aberystwyth Grits Formation of Central Wales. The strata contain an abundant assemblage comprising 25 ichnogenera: Asteriacites, Bergaueria, Chondrites, Cochlichnus, Cosmorhaphe, Glockerichnus, Gordia, Helicolithus, Helminthopsis, Helminthoida, Hormosiroidea, Lorenzinia, Megagrapton, Monomorphichnus, Neonereites, Nereites, Palaeophycus, Paleodictyon, Planolites, Protopaleodictyon, Spirorhaphe, Spirophycus, Squamodictyon, Subphyllochorda, Taphrhelminthopsis; 36 ichnospecies are described, three of which (Asteriacites aberensis, Helminthopsis regularis, Cosmorhaphe elongata) are new. The inorganic sedimentary structures and trace fossils of some 418 sandstone beds were examined in detail; 16 per cent of the beds commence with Divisions A or B and 84 per cent with Division C of the turbidite sequence. This indicates a relatively distal environment, mainly receiving low velocity turbidity currents, and favouring trace fossil preservation. The most common traces were Helminthopsis, Paleodictyon, and Squamodictyon which were found on 46 per cent, 34 per cent, and 19 per cent of the beds examined. Data from this, and other recently described sequences, confirms that there was a gradual increase in trace fossil diversity in the deep oceans throughout the Lower Palaeozoic, in contrast to the situation in shallow water shelf seas where a peak was reached as early as the Lower Cambrian.     

重庆綦江白垩系夹关组遗迹化石及其沉积环境

遗迹化石大都是原地埋藏,研究遗迹化石在古环境、古气候、古海洋和古生态等方面的重建具有重要的意义。綦江国家地质公园老瀛山园区夹关组地层中已发现的无脊椎动物遗迹化石经鉴定包括1大类3属3种,分别为觅食迹Scoyenia gracilis(纤细斯柯茵迹)、Beconites antarcticus(南极似塔形迹)和Planolites beverleyensis(贝弗利漫游迹)。这些遗迹化石都属于Scoyenia遗迹相,代表了研究区在白垩纪夹关期为间断性暴露地表的河漫滩或者滨浅湖环境。     

河南省(华北型)早寒武世沉积环境演化及其痕迹化石组合

到目前为止本省内早寒武世尚未发现有梅树村期和筇竹寺期沉积,仅有沧浪铺期和龙王庙期沉积存在。在济源—博爱—武陟一线以南地区有沧浪铺阶辛集组、朱砂洞组和龙王庙阶馒头组。该线以北只有龙王庙阶辛集组和馒头组。辛集组是个受特定环境控制的穿时地层单元。早寒武世沧浪铺早—中期(辛集组)沉积环境是潮下浅水陆棚和滨岸潮下带、滨岸潮坪潮间带。沧浪铺中—晚期(朱砂洞组)沉积环境是滨岸碳酸盐潮坪缓坡—潮间—潮上蒸发坪和潮间蒸发岩洼地以及潮下碳酸盐浅水缓坡。龙王庙期(馒头组)沉积环境是滨岸碳酸盐岩潮坪缓坡和潮下碳酸盐岩浅水缓坡。早寒武世痕迹化石主要产于三个层位,可分为H-T组合和L-B组合。前者为潮下浅水陆棚风暴环境痕迹组合,后者为潮间—潮上低能泥坪环境痕迹组合。早寒武世痕迹化石共11属(1新属)、16种(1新种、1相似种、10未定种)。     

寒武纪生物大爆发之后的底栖生态系统工程建造者:以河南地区为例

扰动生物作为生态系统工程建造者,通过对沉积底质的改造直接影响沉积物和水体之间的相互作用(营养物质的循环、迁移和存储),对底栖生态系统工程有重要的影响.遗迹化石作为底栖生物活动的载体,为研究寒武纪大爆发之后底栖生态系统工程建造者的演化规律,并评价底栖生态系统工程建造者对生态系统工程产生的影响提供了依据.对河南地区8个寒武...     

Discovery of Trace Fossils from the Sinian—Cambrian Boundary Beds in Eastern Yunnan and Their Significance for Global Correlation1

Abstract There are abundant and highly varied trace fossils in the Sinian—Cambrian boundary beds in eastern Yunnan. Collections from 27 sections and their study give altogether 45 ichnogenera and 87 ichnospecies. Among them, 2 ichnogenera and 7 ichnospecies are new, and 31 known ichnogenera and 38 known ichnospecies first found in the region. According to their order of appearance in the boundary beds and their assemblage features, the trace fossils in the Sinian—Cambrian boundary beds in the region may fall into 4 trace fossil assemblage zones in ascending order. In the paper they are correlated with those in the equivalent horizons abroad and their geological significance is discussed preliminarily.     

Early Cambrian epibolic gastrulation: A perspective from the Kuanchuanpu Member, Dengying Formation, Ningqiang, Shaanxi, South China

The Cambrian explosion is marked by the apparent sudden appearance of diverse metazoan skeletal fossils and an increase in the complexity of both body and trace fossils. Among them, fossil eggs and embryos from the Lower Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Member of the Dengying Formation at Ningqiang in southern China provide a unique window for investigating the ontogeny of metazoans. Gastrulation is the cell migration stage after cleavage, and can be viewed as the embryonic analog of the transition from protozoan to metazoan grades of complexity. As an example, the embryonic developmental sequences of Punctatus emeiensis is well-documented because of the stellate spines covering the body surface, that are shared with embryonic stages represented by Olivooides and their growth stages represented by P. emeiensis. Although Olivooides was considered to be a taxonomic mixture, consideration of its variation was neglected. A specific type of embryo with zigzag blastopore lips that differs from typical candidate embryos for P. emeiensis is identified; its gastrulation process is reconstructed and is comparable to the epibolic gastrulation of extant metazoans. Both the embryos and adults of this ‘type’ display radial symmetry, that suggests an affinity distinct from that of echinoderms. Moreover, the body plan of penta-radial symmetry seen widely in Early Cambrian ‘Small Shelly Fossils’ (SSF's) was probably deep rooted in the Ediacaran.     

贵州早寒武世早期黑色页岩中生物化石保存及生态学研究

早寒武世早期黑色页岩中以前只发现少量的海绵骨针,但随着研究的深入,各类动物化石被发现。最近,贵州早寒武世早期黑色页岩中发现碳质和薄膜型化石,它们包括大量的简单线状遗迹、碳质膜状高肌虫、完整海绵动物、管虫、薄壳双壳动物、碳质膜状软舌螺以及一些圆形膜状化石等。通过对黑色页岩的粘土矿物定量和定性分析,结合地球化学特征,认为早寒武世早期小壳动物繁盛期之上有一个大型动物繁盛期,随后由于地壳拉张作用,大规模的海底热液和火山喷发作用的加强,海洋环境变成酸性环境,不利于生物生存,发生生物绝灭作用,随后海洋环境逐渐趋于碱性,大量的生物又开始繁盛。     

Cambrian trace fossils of the Cruziana ichnofacies from the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin,north western Indian Craton

The Marwar Supergroup of the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin is composed of sediments deposited from the late Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran) to Upper Cambrian. The Nagaur Sandstone Formation of the Nagaur Group (uppermost division of the Marwar Supergroup) preserves trace fossils significant for establishing Early Cambrian biostratigraphic zones and depositional facies. Fifteen ichnospecies (and eight ichnogenera) identified in the Nagaur Sandstone Formation include “Treptichnus” pedum, Cruziana cf. tenella, Cruziana isp., Diplichnites ispp. A, B, and C, Gyrophyllites isp., Lockeia isp., Merostomichnites isp., Monomorphichnus gregarius isp. nov., Monomorphichnus isp., Planolites isp., Psammichnites isp., Rusophycus bikanerus isp. nov., Rusophycus cf. carbonarius, Rusophycus isp. and radial trace fossils.These trace fossils belong to ethological categories pascichnia, repichnia, cubichnia, and fodinichnia and represent arthropod and worm-like burrowing biota. The assemblage and a regional comparison with contemporaneous trace fossils in the eastern Gondwanan realm suggest that the sequence in the study area belongs to the Cruziana tenella Ichnozone and to Stage 2 (upper part of Terreneuvian), however the Middle Cambrian is not excluded. The trace fossil assemblage belongs to the archetypal Cruziana ichnofacies. Cross bedded sandstone, mud cracks and rainprints in the ichniferous strata of the Nagaur Sandstone Formation indicate deposition in an intertidal sand flat with channels that was exposed episodically.     

Where is the Fossil Evidence for Gondwanan Crayfish?

Crayfish body- and ichnofossils recently reported from Lower Permian and Lower Triassic strata of Antarctica have been reinterpreted to be the body fossils of euthycarcinoid arthropods and the burrows of small- to large-sized therapsids (mammal-like reptiles). The earliest fossil evidence of crayfish presence and activity in continental deposits is still from the Laurasian continents of Pangea. This evidence is in the form of body fossils and burrows from the Upper Triassic and burrows from the Lower Permian of the American southwest. For that matter, nearly all ichno- and body fossils have been described from Laurasian rocks with the exception of the occurrence of an isolated claw of a parastacid crayfish from Paleogene deposits in Queensland, Australia.

Where is all the fossil evidence for Gondwanan crayfish? There is a rich extant diversity of parastacid crayfish in Australia, and they are dispersed between other Gondwanan continents, with the exception of Africa and Antarctica. Paleontological and ichnological evidence, when taken into consideration with paleogeographic reconstructions, indicates that they originated early, during, or slightly after the formation of Pangea. Thus, at the very least, there should be trace and body fossil evidence in Australia indicating the long evolutionary history of the parastacids. Evidence for ancient Gondwanan crayfish in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems should occur in rocks of similar ages to those in North America where ichno- and body fossils have been identified.     

扬子板块西北缘下泥盆统平驿铺组双壳类遗迹化石

四川北部广元地区下泥盆统平驿铺组产出丰富的双壳类遗迹化石,但尚未开展过系统的遗迹学工作,也未进行过行为学与古生态学分析。文中针对四川广元马家剖面平驿铺组中部地层开展沉积学和系统遗迹学研究,在陆棚至近滨带下部沉积中共识别出3个属种的双壳类遗迹化石,包括Lockeia siliquaria,Protovirgularia rugosa,Ptychoplasma vagans,以及其他无脊椎动物门类遗迹化石Cruziana problematica,Dimorphichnus isp.,Lophoctenium isp.等。对双壳类遗迹化石的出现方式、形态以及保存特征的分析表明,平驿铺组中部曾出现过2种类型的双壳类,分属具分叉足(原鳃目)和楔状足的类群。原鳃目分布于过渡带和陆棚区,营沉积物摄食生活;受高能事件或沉积物掩埋影响,它们由停息状态变为“逃逸”状态的行为产生了Pro.rugosa。具楔状足的双壳类依生态类型可分为2类：在过渡带与陆棚区,漫游的、营沉积物摄食的类型产生了Pty.vagans;而在近滨下部,滤食性双壳类居群则在不同期次高能事件的间隙对沉积物进行大规模殖居,产生了L.sil...     

河南鲁山寒武系第二统辛集组风暴沉积及其相关的遗迹化石*

河南鲁山寒武系第二统辛集组为一套风暴作用影响下的含磷和海绿石的碎屑岩沉积,主要由中厚层石英砂岩及极薄层泥岩与砂岩互层组成。遗迹化石发育在交错层理砂岩以及极薄层泥岩与薄层砂岩互层的层面上。Skolithos sp. 属于风暴衰减期的Skolithos遗迹相机会种(r-选择)遗迹化石,它们以短小的垂直居住潜穴及低遗迹分异度和丰度为特征。Palaeophycus tubularis,P. striatus,Taenidum sp.,Gordia marina,Planolites montanus,P. beverleyensis等属于风暴间歇期的Cruziana遗迹相均衡种(K-选择)遗迹化石,以水平进食、觅食潜穴为主,遗迹分异度和丰度中等。早寒武世风暴衰减期,频繁的风暴事件不利于研究区机会种遗迹化石的保存,同时风暴间歇期持续时间短、风暴停息期不发育,造成均衡类生物殖居窗口期短暂,亦不利于对沉积底质的连续殖居。这种特殊的风暴沉积以及早寒武世造迹生物较差的掘穴能力,导致研究区遗迹化石种类及数量远不及寒武纪以后的风暴沉积。     

Trace Fossils from Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in Xiaoerbulake Outcrop,Kalpin Area,Xinjiang

Based on the analysis of trace fossils collected from the typical outcrop of the Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in the Kalpin area, ten ichnospecies of six ichnogenus were identified in the upper member of the Wusongger Formation, with most of them being found for the first time. The trace fossils are described seriatim. The ichnospecies are mainly represented by such common trace fossils as Ophiomorpha nodosa, Helminthopsis hieroglyphica, Helminthopsis ichnosp., Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites vulgaris, Planolites montanus, Palaeophycus striatus, Palaeophycus curvatus?, Cochlichnus anguineus and Rituichnus elongatum. The trace fossils are of high diversity and low abundance, and can be diagnosed as the Cruziana ichnofacies. They can be interpreted as having formed in a shallow water environment.     

豫西寒武纪叠层石演化特征及其与后生动物的耦合关系

作为微生物席建造物的叠层石记录了大量的古环境和古地理信息,在豫西寒武系出露18层叠层石,以宏观和微观沉积特征为基础,依据各组段叠层石丰度(层厚度)和分异度(形态类型)的演化,将豫西寒武纪叠层石划分为6个演化组合。从叠层石组合的微观纹层、微生物化石及其微生物席演化等方面,结合沉积学和生物化石特征,探讨了豫西寒武纪叠层石的幕式演化,分别为微生物岩-叠层石演化幕和微生物岩-灰岩演化幕。以中寒武世灰岩中微生物岩与遗迹化石的密度关系为例,并从整个寒武纪微生物岩与后生动物化石之间关系的角度分析,认为叠层石微生物岩演化与后生动物之间并非只是简单的“此消彼长”,而是一种动态平衡的耦合关系。     

多门类化石在内蒙古白云鄂博群中的发现与宽沟群的建立

内蒙古白云鄂博地区具有世界上最大的稀有-稀土铁矿床,关于其时代归属尚存分歧。在都拉哈拉组(H3)与尖山组(H5)发现丰富的早寒武世微古植物化石,在尖山组(H5)硅质岩中发现早寒武世小壳化石,在哈拉霍疙特组(H8)确认了奥陶纪床板珊瑚的存在(包括块状群体与丛状群体),并首次发现大型古钵海绵化石与遗迹化石,在比鲁特组(H10)鲍玛序列中发现遗迹化石。初步确认,内蒙古商都地区三足化石(腕足类、头足类与腹足类)的层位可能为呼吉尔图组(或哈拉霍疙特组)。多门类化石的发现与确认,为重新认识白云鄂博超大型稀有-稀土铁矿床含矿地层时代提供了确凿的古生物化石证据,也为重新认识白云鄂博超大型稀有-稀土铁矿床的成矿地质背景开辟了新的研究思路,具有重要的地层学与大地构造学意义。根据多门类古生物化石组合与时代,将原白云鄂博群下部(H1~5)重新厘定为狭义的白云鄂博群,时代为早寒武世;原白云鄂博群上部(H6~15)重新命名为宽沟群,时代为早—中奥陶世,其间的假整合可能就是吉—黑地区的兴凯运动面。重新厘定的白云鄂博群与宽沟群一并划归天山-兴安地层区内蒙古草原地层分区,它是天山-兴安古生代海槽的一部分,并为海槽最南端的一个加里东褶皱带。     

Trilobite trace fossils and their stratigraphical significance in the Cambrian sequence of the Holy Cross Mountains,Poland

Abundant and varied trilobite trace fossils are recognized and described in the Cambrian sequence of the Holy Cross Mountains. Cruziana and Rusophycus are stratigraphically significant and some of the described traces may be used as local index fossils. The first recognition of the Cruziana barbata ichnozone in Poland is made and it occurs in the uppermost Middle Cambrian. A new position for the Middle/Upper Cambrian boundary is established. Three new ichnospecies are described: Cruziana magna, C. regularis and Rusophycus crebus.     

Exceptional fidelity of preservation in a reworked fossil,Chalk drift,South London,England

Reworking of fossils commonly leads to loss of morphological detail and inferior preservation; the main contributions of such specimens to geology are in sedimentology, regional geology and neoichnology. A reworked specimen of the Late Cretaceous (chalk) sponge boring Entobia cretacea Portlock is unusually well preserved. This specimen is from superficial deposits and is well enough preserved that delicate apertural and intercameral canals are apparent. Two factors are recognized as important in maintaining the fine features of this trace fossil: preservation in flint and, presumably, minimal fluvial transport. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Origin, diversification, and relationships of Cambrian lobopods

As an extinct group, the origin, diversification and relationships of Cambrian lobopods have long been one of the most hotly-debated subjects. Lobopods used to be regarded as closely related to modern onychophorans and tardigrades, but the similarities are based on the few species of Cambrian lobopods and often on a fairly general level. With the discovery of new creatures and based on new observations on fossil lobopods, we consider that Cambrian lobopods show great diversity and reveal a close relationship between Cambrian lobopods and arthropods. In addition, comparison between the dorsal spines of Cambrian lobopods and small shelly fossils suggest that Cambrian lobopods might have originated from the Meishucun radiation and diversified in the Qiongzhusi radiation.