Numerical distribution of Santonian to Danian corals (Scleractinia,Octocorallia) of Southern Limburg,the Netherlands

The stratigraphical occurrence of 35 known species from the Upper Cretaceous and Danian of Southern Limburg is presented based on existing collections and newly collected material. Corals are relatively rare, except in the Meerssen Member of the Maastricht Formation. Two faunas were recognised in the Meerssen Member: a fauna dominated by Cyclolites cancellata at the base of this member – which coincides with the sequence boundary of the third-order sequence cycle TA1.1 of Haq et al. (1988) – and a fauna dominated by mushroom-shaped and encrusting colonies at the top of the transgressive systems tract of the same sequence cycle.     

On Evolutionary Sequence Systematics: Taking Permian Waagenophylloid Coral Fauna as an Example

INTRoDUCTIONEvolutionarysequencesystematicsisadisciplineinpale-ontologyandbiology,themainpurposeofwhichistostudyphylogeneticsystemoforganisms.Twojobsareincludedinthediscipline:(l)tounderstandkinshipamongspeciesortaxa,and(2)toshowtheirevolutionarysequence.Hennig(1966)definedtheconceptofphylogeneticrelationshipasthat:ThespeciesBandCcamefromasameancestor,butthespeciesAdidnotcomefromtheancestor,Therefore,there-lationshipbetweenspeciesBandCiscloserthanspeciesA.Thisdefinitioncontainsonlythef…     

Lower carboniferous (Dinantian) stratigraphy and structure in the Kingscourt Outlier,Ireland

Logging of 55 recent boreholes, together with remapping, has resulted in a fundamental reassessment of the stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Dinantian Kingscourt Outlier. Despite the present isolated position of the outlier within the Longford-Down Massif, the Kingscourt rocks are an integral part of the Dublin Basin succession. The newly defined Ardagh Platform marks the most northerly limit to basinal sedimentation in the Dinantian Dublin Basin. The Courceyan is a typical but thinner, north Dublin Basin succession with two new formal units: the Rockfield Sandstone Member and the Kilbride Formation. The latter, a coarse-grained, well washed limestone of latest Courceyan to early Chadian (late Tournaisian) age is the shallow water equivalent of the Feltrim Formation (Waulsortian facies), which is absent in the outlier. The Courceyan interval in the north of the outlier is markedly attenuated. In the succeeding Chadian-Brigantian interval basinal facies predominate in the south, but on the Ardagh Platform an almost complete coeval Viséan shallow water sequence is found. A new platform unit (Deer Park Formation) of latest Asbian to Brigantian age is defined in the Ardagh area. The Dee Member (Chadian) is newly defined for the lower part of the basinal Tober Colleen Formation and the Altmush Shale Member is formally defined for the upper part of the Loughshinny Formation. Two major structures dominate the Kingscourt Outlier: the NE-SW trending Moynalty Syncline in the south and the N-S trending Kingscourt Fault. Both are Hercynian structures, but probably represent reactivated Caledonide basement-controlled structures. Dinantian syn-depositional faulting is indicated in both the Courceyan (‘Kingscourt Sag’) and Chadian-Asbian. The latter period of faulting in the Ardagh area separates platform facies in the north from basinal facies to the south. In the late Asbian, platform facies with carbonate build-ups prograded south into the basin as far south as Nobber, but in the latest Asbian to Brigantian, basinal facies extended northwards over the collapsed platform margin.     

湘中地区船山组四射珊瑚新属种

湘中地区船山组含丰富的四射珊瑚化石,主要为地方性分子,其发展具有明显的阶段性:下部主要为单体双带型珊瑚及互嵌状复体珊瑚;中部以单体三带型珊瑚和Kepingophyllidae科的原始分子繁衍为特征;而在上部,Kepingophyllidae科的进化分子非常繁盛,并出现了一些早二叠世的分子,如Vesotabularia,Lonsdaleiastraea。这些阶段性的变化对揭示石炭纪和二叠纪四射珊瑚的演化具有重要意义。 笔者在船山组中上部建立了两个四射珊瑚组合,自下而上为:（1）Eokepingophyllum-Qinglongshanophyllum组合; （2）Kepingophyllum-Parawentzellophyllum组合。此外,描述1新属Paraivanovia及10新种。     

Selective coral mortality associated with outbreaks of Acanthaster planci L. in Bootless Bay, Papua New Guinea

Population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci L.) remain one of the most significant biological disturbances on tropical coral reefs although the increasing attention given to other threats has greatly limited recent progress in understanding the cause and consequences of this phenomenon. In September 2005 dramatic increases in the abundance of A. planci were observed on reefs within Bootless Bay, Central Province, Papua New Guinea, where few crown-of-thorns have previously been reported. Densities of A. planci peaked at 162 sea stars per hectare and caused extensive coral mortality. This outbreak killed upwards of 55% of live corals, reducing overall coral cover from 42.4% in 2005 down to just 19.1% in March 2006. Declines in coral cover were largely driven by widespread mortality of Acropora spp. which dominated reef assemblages prior to the outbreak. The extensive depletion of Acropora spp. greatly altered the coral composition as well as the physical structure of reef habitats. In the absence of any other major disturbances these coral communities are likely to quickly recover, but this outbreak highlights the ongoing contribution of A. planci to degradation of coral reef environments.     

中国珊瑚礁资源状况及其药用研究调查 Ⅲ.民间药用与药物研究状况

对中国珊瑚药用状况和研究现状进行了调查.结果表明,中国有造礁石珊瑚、柳珊瑚、软珊瑚等珊瑚物种 490 种,民间药用的仅有22种.目前,已经对100种南海软珊瑚和柳珊瑚进行了化学成分的研究.其中,软珊瑚以豆荚软珊瑚Lobophytum,肉芝软珊瑚Sarcophyton,短指软珊瑚Sinularia,柔荑软珊瑚Nephthea和异花软珊瑚Xenia等属研究较多,柳珊瑚以小月柳珊瑚Menella,竹节柳珊瑚Isis和灯芯柳珊瑚Junceella等属研究较多.主要化合物结构类型包括二萜、甾体、倍半萜,含氮化合物等,其中部分化合物显示较强的抗肿瘤、抗菌、抗氧化、防生物附着等多种生物活性,具有潜在的药物开发应用价值.     

广西恭城地区额头村组珊瑚化石组合特征

广西恭城地区的额头村组珊瑚化石极为丰富,自上往下共有20余层之多,共建立了Cystophrentis、Caninia dorlodoti及Ceriphyllum elegantum 3个珊瑚组合带,如此连续及完整的珊瑚组合带在广西同类地层中尚属首次发现.     

Sedimentation on the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa: cleaning efficiency from natural sediments and drill cuttings

Anthropogenic threats to cold-water coral reefs are trawling and hydrocarbon drilling, with both activities causing increased levels of suspended particles. The efficiency of Lophelia pertusa in rejecting local sediments and drill cuttings from the coral surface was evaluated and found not to differ between sediment types. Further results showed that the coral efficiently removed deposited material even after repeated exposures, indicating an efficient cleaning mechanism. In an experiment focusing on burial, fine-fraction drill cuttings were deposited on corals over time. Drill cutting covered coral area increased with repeated depositions, with accumulation mainly occurring on and adjacent to regions of the coral skeleton lacking tissue cover. Tissue was smothered and polyp mortality occurred where polyps became wholly covered by material. Burial of coral by drill cuttings to the current threshold level used in environmental risk assessment models by the offshore industry (6.3 mm) may result in damage to L. pertusa colonies.     

Comparative study of reproductive synchrony at various scales in deep-sea echinoderms

This study examined the influence of temporal and spatial factors on the determination of reproductive cycles in selected deep-water echinoderms. The prevalence of inter-individual synchrony in the gametogenesis of three ubiquitous species, Phormosoma placenta (Echinoidea), Hippasteria phrygiana (Asteroidea) and Mesothuria lactea (Holothuroidea) collected off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador (eastern Canada), was determined. Analyses revealed diverse degrees of gametogenic asynchrony at the scales examined (within trawls, between trawls over similar or different periods, as well as among depths and locations over the same period). Taken as a whole, samples did not show any annual or seasonal patterns, whereas some sets of samples, taken over a particular time period in the same area and at the same depth, revealed well synchronized maturing and/or spawning periods in P. placenta and H. phrygiana. This study presents evidence that determination of reproductive cycles in many deep-sea species may be affected by low sampling resolution inherent to most deep-sea studies. More accurate assessments of reproductive patterns and periodicities may require much tighter collection designs as several species are likely to rely on long-term or transient pairing and aggregation to synchronize their breeding activities.     

New discovery of coral rubbings in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, Western India �� GIS based evaluation

The Gulf of Kachchh in western India, with its arid climate, large semi-diurnal tidal amplitudes, negative water balance and near-pristine water quality, is being extensively developed as oil importing bases for economic reasons in connection with its proximity to the oil exporting countries of the Middle East. Besides, new coral rubbings were sighted in Jakhau, north-western Gulf of Kachchh. Dredging in Mandvi of the north Gulf covering 3.5 km² revealed a similar assortment of live corals with their associated flora and fauna. These pioneering observations demonstrate that there exist live corals of young polyps-colony of Favia sp. belonging to the family Faviidae in the north-western Gulf of Kachchh. The environmental parameters there were carefully recorded as: surface water temperature (°C) varying from 29 to 31.8, salinity (ppt), pH, dissolved oxygen (mgL⁻¹) and total suspended solids (mgL⁻¹) in the ranges of 37–43.5, 7.7–8.45, 5.4–6.8 and 11–31, respectively.