Permo-Carboniferous Radiolarians from the Wupata＇erkan Group, Western South Tianshan, Xinjiang, China

The Wupata‘erkan Group, also called Wupata‘erkan Formation, distributed in the South Tianshan, Xinjiang,China, mainly consists of gray and dark gray fine-grained clastic rocks, interlayered with volcanic rocks, carbonates and cherts. Some ultra-basic rocks (blocks) punctuate the formation. The formation was variously assigned to Silurian-Middle Devonian, Silurian-Lower Devonian, and pre-Devonian, mainly based on Atrypa bodini Mansuy, Hypothyridina parallelepipedia (Brour.) and Prismatophyllum hexagonum Yoh collected from the limestone interlayers, respectively.However, radiolarian fossils obtained from 24 chert specimens of the Wupata‘erkan Group, mainly include Albaillella sp.cf. A. undulata Deflandre, Albaillella sp. cf. A. paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon, Albaillella sp. cf. A. indensis Won, Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto, Albaillella sp. and Latentifistulidae gen. et. sp.indet., are earliest Carboniferous and Late Permian. The earliest Carboniferous assemblage is characterized by Albaillella sp. cf. A. undulata Deflandre, Albaillella sp. cf. A. paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon and Albaillella sp. cf. A. indensis Won, and the Late Permian assemblage by Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto. This new stratigraphic evidence indicates that the Wupata‘erkan Group is possibly composed of rocks with different ages from Silurian to Permian, and therefore, it is probably an ophiolite mrlange. The discovery of Late Permian Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa provides more reliable evidence supporting the existence of a Permian relic ancient oceanic basin in the western part of Xinjiang South Tianshan.     

Hesperornis escapes plesiosaur attack

Evidence from the Pierre Shale (Late Cretaceous) of South Dakota is presented for an attack on a juvenile Hesperornis by a polycotylid plesiosaur. The wound healed and the Hesperornis grew to maturity. Evidence of survival provides our best information about predator prey interactions in the fossil record but are rare for birds where survival is an unlikely outcome.     

A new species of the Late Cretaceous ‘sail-finned’ bony fish,Pentanogmius (Actinopterygii: Tselfatiiformes), from Texas,USA

Pentanogmius Taverne (Actinopterygii: Tselfatiiformes) is a Late Cretaceous bony fish. Here, the diagnosis for the genus is emended and a new species, P. fritschi sp. nov., described. The new species is based on a nearly complete skeleton from the Britton Formation (upper Cenomanian–lower Turonian) of the Eagle Ford Shale in Dallas County, Texas, USA. The skeleton measures about 1.7 m in total length and represents the sole Cenomanian–Turonian example of Pentanogmius in North America. The most peculiar aspect of this new species is the morphology of the dorsal fin in which its anterior one-third is elongate to form a ‘hook-shaped sail.’ Pentanogmius fritschi sp. nov. was likely an active swimmer in open ocean environments that possibly fed opportunistically on a variety of relatively small pelagic fishes and invertebrates. The present stratigraphic record and anatomical evidence indicate the following phylogenetic hypothesis among the three North American Pentanogmius species: [P. fritschi sp. nov. [P. evolutus + P. crieleyi]].     

香港世界地质公园晚侏罗世荔枝庄组岩石组合及其成岩地质过程解析

中国东南大陆晚侏罗世地层普遍缺失,仅零星见于个别地区,香港新界东北的荔枝庄组即为其一。荔枝庄组出露于香港世界地质公园沉积岩园区的荔枝庄地区,自下往上由火山岩—沉积岩—火山岩组合而成,沉积岩中发育大型包卷层理和滑塌构造等典型沉积构造,是香港地区最具代表性的晚侏罗世火山—沉积岩系。通过实测地层剖面研究,确定其成岩过程大体上可划分为早期普林尼式火山爆发、中期破火山口湖相沉积和晚期普林尼式火山爆发三个阶段,以湖相沉积作用为主、火山喷发作用为辅;受晚期火山岩浆活动的影响,沉积岩层普遍发生硅化或炭化。荔枝庄组独特的岩石组合与形成的古地理环境,为探讨中国东南大陆中生代火山活动—沉积作用方式与成岩过程,提供了难得的研究实例。     

西藏班公湖-怒江缝合带西段特提斯洋晚二叠世(Ca.252Ma)洋内俯冲的地球化学和年代学证据

多龙蛇绿混杂岩是班公湖-怒江蛇绿岩带的重要组成部分,位于西藏阿里地区改则县北西约120 km的多龙矿集区内,大地构造位置处于班公湖-怒江缝合带中西段,南羌塘板块南缘。多龙蛇绿混杂岩主要分布在多龙矿区中部及东北部。矿区中部蛇绿岩主要由辉长岩、辉绿(玢)岩、枕状玄武岩、气孔杏仁状玄武岩、玄武质岩屑凝灰岩及硅质岩等组成,东西向延伸约35 km,南北宽3~7 km,出露面积约180 km2;该蛇绿岩残片的组成单元(包括基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)多被构造肢解,整体表现为不规则透镜体,以构造岩片的形式断续分布于侏罗系次深海陆棚-盆地斜坡复陆碎屑岩-类复理石建造内的断层带中,构成典型的网结状构造。矿区东北部蛇绿岩主要由含铁斜方辉石橄榄蛇纹岩、玻基玄武岩、碳酸盐化角闪辉长岩、微纹层状硅质岩等组成,该蛇绿混杂岩带沿北西-南东向断裂展布,延伸约12 km,宽1~3 km,出露面积约30 km2;该蛇绿岩残片组成单元(包括超基性岩单元、基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)均呈构造岩片的形式产出在三叠系灰岩地层内的断层带中。     

Volcanological study of the middle Miocene Okiduse Volcanic Group,Woodlark Island (Muyuw), eastern Papua

Woodlark Island (Muyuw) is located in a tectonically complex region, one of the few places on Earth where continental breakup is occurring ahead of seafloor spreading. Rifting commenced in the late Miocene (8.8–6 Ma) and is associated with the westward-propagating Woodlark Basin Spreading Centre. The island comprises approximately 850 km² of raised Pleistocene coral reef and associated sediments with a central, moderately elevated range underlain by the middle Miocene calc-alkaline to shoshonitic Okiduse Volcanic Group (new name). It provides an exposure of upper Cenozoic geology in close proximity to the spreading centre. The Okiduse Volcanic Group is host to most of the island's historical gold and silver production and recently defined mineral resources totalling 1.75 Moz gold. This study uses facies analysis of pyroclastic deposits to develop a detailed geological map of the Okiduse Volcanic Group, with a revision and reinterpretation of the unit. Facies associations suggest that two major volcanic centres erupted synchronously during the middle Miocene (14–12 Ma), referred to as the Watou Mountain Eruptive Centre (new name) and the Uvarakoi Caldera (new name). The mafic–intermediate Watou Mountain Eruptive Centre formed during frequent small eruptions of widely varying style. Strombolian, subplinian, vulcanian and dome-related explosive eruptions occurred, alternating with extrusion of block and ash flow deposits and lava domes. Pyroclastic deposits were rapidly reworked from the steep cone, and were redeposited in a series of coalescing aprons surrounding the volcano. The felsic Uvarakoi Caldera formed during a series of violent explosive eruptions by rapid removal of magma from the underlying chamber, followed by collapse. Plinian and possibly phreatoplinian eruptions, as a result of magma–water mixing in the surface environment, resulted in widely dispersed, highly fragmented tuff deposits. The caldera was modified by widespread erosion following eruptions, resulting in fluvial, laharic and slope-wash deposits. This study highlights lithological controls (porosity and permeability) by various units within the Okiduse Volcanic Group on ore deposition.     

青藏高原晚始新世干旱化事件：改则盆地康托组碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素的记录

改则盆地位于青藏高原腹地,盆地内沉积物记录了高原古环境变化的重要信息。本文对改则盆地康托组碳酸盐岩碳氧同位素进行研究,结果显示改则盆地中-晚始新世的演化分为两个阶段:1中始新世湿润气候下开放湖盆阶段:虽然碳酸盐岩δ~(18)O值在43层处向正值偏移,但整体~(18)O和~(13)C强烈亏损,并且该时期碳酸盐岩δ~(18)O值和δ~(13)C变化相关系数为R~2=0.082。表明该阶段的研究区虽然经历过短期蒸发作用增强或补给水减少,但整体是气候湿润条件下补给水丰富的开放型湖盆。2晚始新世干旱气候下封闭湖盆阶段:经过中新世晚期(63层)气候和湖泊水文状态的过渡,晚始新世~(18)O和~(13)C同位素富集,δ~(18)O值和δ~(13)C值变化相关系数为R~2=0.7762。表明该阶段气候干旱,蒸发作用强烈,湖盆萎缩成为封闭湖盆。综合前人研究,认为青藏高原腹地及北缘、东北缘在晚始新世存在明显的区域性干旱化事件。对比分析青藏高原隆升、全球气候记录、全球海水Sr和大气CO_2记录,认为青藏高原腹地和北部的干旱化事件主要受青藏高原隆升的影响。     

东天山哈密地区早二叠世花岗岩体及镁铁质包体的年代学, 岩石地球化学特征及其构造意义

花岗岩中包体是区域构造与深部过程研究结合的良好窗口,对研究花岗岩的成因和壳-幔相互作用有非常重要的意义。东天山南山口黑云母二长花岗岩中广泛发育镁铁质包体。主量元素组成上,寄主花岗岩岩具有中酸性、准铝质、富碱、富钾等特征;镁铁质包体则偏基性、贫钾。微量和稀土元素组成上,富集Rb、K、Th、U,贫Sr、P、Nb、Ta、Ti,且Zr、Hf含量相对较高,具中-强的铕负异常(0.46~0.57)。镁铁质包体与寄主岩具有相似的微量元素特征,但相对富集Sr、P,贫Zr、Hf,铕负异常中等或不明显(0.80~0.93)。闪长质包体属于同源包体,为寄主花岗岩同源母岩浆经结晶分异形成的早期产物。运用LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年技术,该南山口岩体暗色镁铁质微粒包体与寄主黑云母二长花岗岩的锆石U-Pb年龄分别为298.2±2.0Ma和294.0±2.7Ma,包体与寄主岩样品具有相似的Hf同位素组成,暗示其母岩浆来自新元古代晚期和早古生代亏损地幔中分离的新生地壳。该高钾钙碱性的花岗岩及其包体可能形成于东天山后碰撞背景下的板片断离后引起软流圈上涌,底侵体带来的热能使得新元古代晚期和早古生代的新生地壳发生部分熔融。