Stratal architecture and platform evolution of an early Frasnian syn‐tectonic carbonate platform,Canning Basin,Australia

Facies architecture and platform evolution of an early Frasnian reef complex in the northern Canning Basin of north‐western Australia were strongly controlled by syn‐depositional faulting during a phase of basin extension. The margin‐attached Hull platform developed on a fault block of Precambrian basement with accommodation largely generated by movement along the Mount Elma Fault Zone. Recognition of major subaerial exposure and flooding surfaces in the Hull platform (from outcrop and drillcore) has enabled comparison of facies associations within a temporal framework and led to identification of three stages of platform evolution. Stage 1 records initial ramp development on the hangingwall dip slope with predominantly deep subtidal conditions that prevented any cyclic facies arrangements. This stage is characterised by basal siliciclastic deposits and a major deepening‐upward facies pattern that is capped by a sequence boundary towards the footwall (north‐west) and a major flooding surface towards the hangingwall. Stage 2 reflects the bulk of platform aggradation, significant platform growth towards the hangingwall and the development of reef margins and cyclic facies arrangements. Thickening of this stage towards the hangingwall indicates that accommodation was generated by rotation of the fault block and overlying platform. Stage 3 records a major flooding and backstep of the platform margin. The Hull platform illustrates important elements of margin‐attached carbonate platforms in a half‐graben setting, including: (i) prominent, but limited, coarse siliciclastic input that does not have a major detrimental effect on carbonate production near the rift margin in arid to semi‐arid settings; (ii) wedge‐shaped accommodation created by syn‐depositional rotation of fault blocks and tilting of the hangingwall dip slope, resulting in shallow‐water facies and subaerial exposure up‐dip of the rotational axis and deeper water facies down‐dip; and (iii) evolution of a ramp to rimmed shelf, coincident with a sequence boundary–flooding surface, that is accelerated by tilting of the hangingwall dip slope during fault‐block rotation.     

The taxonomic identity of a nearly complete ankylosaurid dinosaur skeleton from the Gobi Desert of Mongolia

Mongolian Paleontological Center (MPC) 100/1305 is one of the most complete ankylosaurid skeletons ever collected, and includes much of the postcranial skeleton and numerous in situ osteoderms. This specimen has been referred to Saichania chulsanensis, based on the similarity of the skull compared to the holotype of Saichania, MPC 100/151. However, MPC 100/1305 does not include a skull, and so referral of MPC 100/1305 to Saichania must be based on postcranial characters. Comparison of the postcrania of MPC 100/1305 and MPC 100/151 reveals several differences in the scapula, humerus, and metacarpals, indicating that MPC 100/1305 should not be referred to Saichania. Additionally, although it was previously reported that MPC 100/1305 was collected from the Baruungoyot Formation at Khulsan in Mongolia, collection records indicate that this specimen was instead collected from the Djadokhta Formation at Zamyn Khond. Two ankylosaurid species are known from the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia and China, Pinacosaurus grangeri and P. mephistocephalus. There are no diagnostic characters in MPC 100/1305 that can be used to refer this specimen to P. grangeri or P. mephistocephalus, and there are a few differences between MPC 100/1305 and Pinacosaurus, such as the number of caudal vertebrae, and morphology of the coracoid, which have uncertain taxonomic implications. At present, MPC 100/1305 is best referred to Ankylosauridae indet., or cf. Pinacosaurus, based on its generally congruent morphology with Pinacosaurus and its provenance from the Djadokhta Formation, in which Pinacosaurus is the only recognized ankylosaurid taxon.     

A revision of the putative Late Cretaceous triconodonts from South America

Austrotriconodon mckennai and Austrotriconodon sepulvedai, from the Campanian Los Alamitos Formation, Patagonia, Argentina were originally described as triconodont mammals and the sole members of the family Austrotriconodontidae. These mammals were represented by isolated cheek teeth originally regarded as molariforms, but their peculiar morphology later raised doubts about their purported triconodont affinities. Nevertheless, the morphological bases supporting the alternative taxonomic views have not been fully documented. We present here detailed comparisons of Austrotriconodon with other Late Cretaceous taxa and conclude that Austrotriconodon specimens should be assigned to Meridiolestida and Mesungulatoidea. These isolated teeth are likely premolars and might represent unknown dental positions of already described species or correspond to taxa that are yet to be formally recognized. According to our interpretation, there is still no record of Cretaceous triconodonts in South America, but we support the triconodont affinities for Jurassic taxa from the Cañadón Asfalto Formation in central Patagonia.     

A new polyglyphanodontine lizard (Squamata: Borioteiioidea) from the Late Cretaceous Iharkút locality (Santonian,Hungary)

In recent years the Late Cretaceous (Santonian) terrestrial vertebrate locality at Iharkút (western Hungary) has yielded well-preserved remains of lizard taxa besides the remains of fishes, amphibians, turtles, crocodiles, pterosaurs and dinosaurs. Previously the polyglyphanodontine lizard Bicuspidon aff. hatzegiensis has been reported from Iharkút. However, recent excavations at this site produced more lacertilian remains including new polyglyphanodontine material, namely a maxilla and two dentaries which suggest the presence of a new genus in the Iharkút fauna. This previously unknown lizard (described here as Distortodon rhomboideus n. g. n. sp.) is distinct from other polyglyphanodontines such as Bicuspidon, Paraglyphanodon, Polyglyphanodon, Dicothodon and Peneteius. It differs from these genera mainly in having the lingual cusp situated more distally compared to the labial one on its bicuspid teeth located in the distal part of the tooth row, thus the crowns having a unique rhomboidal shape in occlusal view. Distortodon rhomboideus further strengthens the dominance of borioteiioid lizards in the Iharkút fauna. The growing presence of borioteiioids in European localities supports previous theories which suggest some paleobiogeographic connections between the western Tethyan archipelago and North America in the Late Cretaceous.     

青海沱沱河地区晚三叠世苟鲁山克措组沉积相及物源分析

通过野外实测地层剖面、沉积相标志识别、薄片鉴定和粒度分析等手段,研究了沱沱河地区三叠纪苟鲁山克措组的沉积相类型和沉积特征。结果表明苟鲁山克措组为一套三角洲浅海陆棚体系。物源分析采用碎屑岩类法,研究表明工作区三叠纪砂岩多为长石岩屑砂岩和岩屑石英砂岩,结构成熟度和成分成熟度均较低,显示了沉积物快速堆积,近物源的特征。通过对碎屑矿物的成分分析,揭示其物源源于再旋回造山带。     

Palaeomagnetic and structural constraints on 90° anticlockwise rotation in SW Mongolia during the Permo–Triassic: Implications for Altaid oroclinal bending. Preliminary palaeomagnetic results

New and published paleomagnetic measurements from Trans Altai and South Gobi zones in south Mongolia document large tectonic motions in between Late Carboniferous and Triassic. Magnetic inclinations confirm equatorial position of south Mongolian terranes in Late Carboniferous–Permian times. The evolution of magnetic declinations indicates 90° anticlockwise rotation in between latest Carboniferous and Early Triassic of all studied tectonic units around the Eulerian pole located close to axis of Mongolian orocline. The anticlockwise rotation continues in Triassic being accompanied by a major drift to the north. The structural and published geochronological data suggest Carboniferous E–W shortening of the whole region resulting in N–S trend of all continental and oceanic geological units followed by orthogonal N–S shortening during Late Permian to Early Jurassic. Both paleomagnetic and geological data converge in a tectonic model of oroclinal bending of Mongolian ribbon continent, westerly back arc oceanic domain and Mongol–Okhotsk subduction zone to the east. The oroclinal bending model is consistent with the coincidence of the Eulerian pole of rotation with the structural axis of Mongolian orocline. In addition, the Mesozoic collisional tectonics is reflected by late remagnetizations due to formation of wide deformation fronts and hydrothermal activity.     

新疆西准噶尔晚泥盆世法门晚期菊石动物群的发现及其意义

首次在新疆准噶尔盆地西北缘和什托洛盖以北地区的晚泥盆世法门晚期地层中发现板海神石及大型弓海神石菊石动物。板海神石动物群由Platyclymenia(Pl.)subnautilina(Sandberger)、Sporadoceras sp.和Prionocerasfrechi(Wedekind)等分子组成;可能与Annulata事件有关。弓海神石动物群中Protactoclymenia sp.和Cyrtoclymenia?sp.以壳体硕大为显著特征,直径可达20cm。这些菊石可与西欧晚泥盆世标准菊石带第Ⅳ带的菊石组合进行对比(相当于牙形石Upper trachytera至Lower expansa带),而且在区域上的分布具有一定的稳定性,尤其是弓海神石动物群,其产出层位可作为和什托洛盖以北地区地层对比的标志层。     

Geochemical characteristics of REE in the Late Neo-proterozoic limestone from northern Anhui Province,China

Ten representative limestone samples [six from Wangshan Formation （WL） and the other four from Gou- hou Formation （GL）] were collected from outcrops of the northern Anhui Province, and REE concentrations in lime- stone were measured by ICP-MS. The depositional environment and source of the REE were analyzed, and the re- sults implys that the total REE of samples are low compared with the recent marine sediments, which range from 9.61 to 54.18 mg/kg and an average of 22.93 mg/kg. The PAAS-normalized REE＋Y patterns of limestone are char- acterized by （1） light REE depletion in WL and enrichment in GL with the values of （Nd/Yb）sN ranging form 0.65 to 0.91 and 1.12 to 1.46, respectively; （2） light negative Ce anomaly （0.85-1.02） and positive La anomaly （0.92-1.27）; and （3） both Eu （0.91-1.23） and Y （1.42-2.38） expressing light positive anomaly. The character indicated that the depositional environment was oxygenated, with infection by the hydrothermal activity and contamination of detritus.     

甘肃金塔县老虎山晚古生代华北型富镁埃达克岩的发现及构造动力学意义

甘肃省金塔县老虎山一带首次发现的华北型富镁埃达克岩,地球化学特征表明具有典型C型埃达克岩特征,表现为高Sr低Y、高钾低钠,富集LREE,亏损HREE,无Eu异常或轻微异常,Mg#值(0.56)等特征显示出具有加厚下地壳部分熔融并和玄武岩浆发生混合作用的产物,暗示志留纪晚期北山古大洋已消亡,明水—公婆泉地体和马鬃山中间地块发生碰撞拼接,为北山构造演化提供了依据。