Bird-like fossil footprints from the Late Triassic

The study of fossilized footprints and tracks of dinosaurs and other vertebrates has provided insight into the origin, evolution and extinction of several major groups and their behaviour; it has also been an important complement to their body fossil record. The known history of birds starts in the Late Jurassic epoch (around 150 Myr ago) with the record of Archaeopteryx, whereas the coelurosaurian ancestors of the birds date back to the Early Jurassic. The hind limbs of Late Triassic epoch theropods lack osteological evidence for an avian reversed hallux and also display other functional differences from birds. Previous references to suggested Late Triassic to Early Jurassic bird-like footprints have been reinterpreted as produced by non-avian dinosaurs having a high angle between digits II and IV and in all cases their avian affinities have been challenged. Here we describe well-preserved and abundant footprints with clearly avian characters from a Late Triassic redbed sequence of Argentina, at least 55 Myr before the first known skeletal record of birds. These footprints document the activities, in an environment interpreted as small ponds associated with ephemeral rivers, of an unknown group of Late Triassic theropods having some avian characters.     

Carbon isotope negative excursions across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary interval in the Tibetan Himalayas

Fossils from sections at Germig in the Tibetan Himalayas allow the establishment of ammonoid assemblages ranging from uppermost Triassic to basal Jurassic. The carbon isotope profile from these sections shows a majority of positive values in the Rhaetian, and negative values within the Hettangian intervals. Pronounced negative excursions between the Triassic and Jurassic boundary corresponds to the end-Triassic extinction. A stepwise pattern of the end-Triassic extinction is demonstrated by the bivalves and ammonoids. However, the warm episode persisting throughout from late Triassic to basal Hettangian in the Tibetan Himalayas, indicated by subtropic and tropic forms remains to be interpreted.     

Carbon isotope negative excursions across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary interval in the Tibetan Himalayas

Fossils from sections at Germig in the Tibetan Himalayas allow the establishment of ammonoid assemblages ranging from uppermost Triassic to basal Jurassic. The carbon isotope profile from these sections shows a majority of positive values in the Rhaetian, and negative values within the Hettangian intervals. Pronounced negative excursions between the Triassic and Jurassic boundary corresponds to the end-Triassic extinction. A stepwise pattern of the end-Triassic extinction is demonstrated by the bivalves and ammonoids. However, the warm episode persisting throughout from late Triassic to basal Hettangian in the Tibetan Himalayas, indicated by subtropic and tropic forms remains to be interpreted.     

A Middle Jurassic 'sphenosuchian' from China and the origin of the crocodylian skull

The skull of living crocodylians is highly solidified and the jaw closing muscles are enlarged, allowing for prey capture by prolonged crushing between the jaws. Living species are all semi-aquatic, with sprawling limbs and a broad body that moves mainly from side-to-side; however, fossils indicate that they evolved from terrestrial forms. The most cursorial of these fossils are small, gracile forms often grouped together as the Sphenosuchia, with fully erect, slender limbs; their relationships, however, are poorly understood. A new crocodylomorph from deposits in northwestern China of the poorly known Middle Jurassic epoch possesses a skull with several adaptations typical of living crocodylians. Postcranially it is similar to sphenosuchians but with even greater adaptations for cursoriality in the forelimb. Here we show, through phylogenetic analysis, that it is the closest relative of the large group Crocodyliformes, including living crocodylians. Thus, important features of the modern crocodylian skull evolved during a phase when the postcranial skeleton was evolving towards greater cursoriality, rather than towards their current semi-aquatic habitus.     

中国南方大地构造演化及其对油气的控制

按照板块构造理论及活动论、阶段论的思想，大致以中晚三叠世为界，将中国南方自震旦纪以来大地构造演化历史划分成海相盆地演化阶段（Z－T2）及陆相盆地演化阶级（T3－Q）两大阶段；又可进一步细分为扬子克拉通及其周缘裂谷盆地（Z－1q)、裂谷－克拉通－被动大陆边缘盆地（1c-O1）、被动陆缘－克拉通－前陆盆地（O2－S）、加里东运动（S末）、裂谷－克拉通盆地（D－T1）、克拉通残留海盆－弧后（浊积）盆地（T2）、印支运动（T2－T3）、华北－华南板块焊合、古特提斯封闭与前陆盆地的形成（T3－J2）、压扭背景下的改造作用及拉分盆地的形成（J3－K1）、伸展－裂陷盆地的形成（K2－E）、喜马拉雅运动（E末－N初）及披盖性构造层的形成（N－Q）12个阶段。特别是对南方自中晚三叠世以来的大地构造演化及其对现存油气的控制作用进行了系统研究，提出了晚侏罗世－早白垩世燕山运动对南方中生界、古生界原生油气藏的保存与破坏起到了决定性作用及燕山、喜马拉雅运动控制了现今南方原生、次生及再生烃（二次生烃）油气藏分布的新观点。     

贵州兴义中三叠世黔鱼龙属(爬行纲: 鱼龙目)一新种

A new species of Qianichthyosaurus Li, 1999 from the Zhuganpo Member of the Falang Formation (Ladinian, Middle Triassic), Wusha Town, Xingyi City of Guizhou is described here, namely Qianichthyosaurus xingyiensis sp. nov. The recognition of the new species revises the diagnosis of the genus: tooth size relative to the skull width slightly below 0.1; ulna peripheral “shaft” notched or largely reduced; hindlimb nearly equal or longer than forelimb; tibia peripheral “shaft” notched or largely reduced. Qianichthyosaurus xingyiensis sp. nov. differs from the type species in having relatively longer snout (snout length/skull length over 60%); humerus radial facet being prominently larger than ulnar facet; unenclosed obturator foramen on pubis; fibula posterior process on the posterior margin and the ischium sub-triangular lacking shaft. The new species is stratigraphically older than Q. zhoui, the specimens of which were exclusively known from the Wayao Member of the Falang Formation (Carnian, Late Triassic). Along with askeptosaurid thalattosaur Anshunsaurus and shastasaurid ichthyosaur Guizhouich- thyosaurus, the occurrence of Q. xingyiensis sp. nov. in Xingyi Fauna suggests a closer relationship between Xingyi Fauna (late Ladinian, Middle Triassic) and Guanling Biota (Carnian, Late Triassic).     

New knowledge of the Upper Triassic in Liupanshan Basin, Ningxia, China

Based upon the new data of spore-pollen, plant and bivalve fossils, the coal-bearing strata in the Liupanshan Basin, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Northwest China, which were formerly assigned to the Middle Jurassic Yan’an Formation, are divided into two parts in the present study. The major part is assigned to the Upper Triassic and the overlying part remains in the Jurassic. The new division is of significance to the oil-gas exploration of the basin and the interpretation of the sedimentary and tectonic history and the geographic environment of Liupanshan area during the early Mesozoic.     

Sauropterygian from Triassic of Guizhou, China

A new sauropterygian,Anshunsaurus huangguoshuensis, is described on the basis of a well-preserved skull from the Late Triassic Wayao Member of Falang Formation, Guizhou Province, southwestern China. It is ascribed to Eusauroptetrygia because it possesses the following characters: the rostrum is mainly composed by the premaxillae; the nasals are small, paired and separated from one another by the premaxillae; the external nares are close to the orbits; and the frontals are fused.Anshunsaurus differs from other Triassic sauropterygians in its large size, long rostrum and the supratemporal fenestrae slightly smaller than orbits. It is further considered to be closely related toPistosaurus on the basis of the nasals contact with the prefrontals; large pineal foramen, lain in the anterior part of the parietal table; the squamosals not in contact posterior to the supratemporal fenestra. The discovery ofAnshunsaurus with the ichthyosaurs in the same locality indicates a new assemblage of Triassic marine tetrapods in China.     

下扬子地区盆地的"四层楼"结构及其动力学机制

下扬子地区震旦纪以来经历了不同的大地构造与地球动力学背景 ,盆地演化相应地经历了震旦纪—中三叠世海盆→晚三叠世—中侏罗世沿江前陆盆地→晚侏罗世—早白垩世火山岩盆地→晚白垩世—早第三纪陆相伸展盆地。下扬子地区震旦纪—中三叠世海盆发育于伸展性被动大陆边缘。沿江前陆盆地形成于扬子与华北板块碰撞活动中的前陆变形带上。火山岩盆地出现于区域性走滑剪切和环太平洋岩浆弧背景下。库拉—太平洋板块高角度、高速正面向东亚大陆下的俯冲 ,造成了岩石圈上拱拉张 ,从而产生了晚白垩世—早第三纪的陆相伸展盆地。随着西太平洋边缘弧后盆地的出现及印度与欧亚板块的碰撞 ,中国东部遭受近东西向挤压 ,从而结束了下扬子地区的盆地演化历史。     

贵州关岭晚三叠世邓氏贵州鱼龙（Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae Cao and Luo in Yin et al., 2000）的讨论

贵州省关岭县新铺地区晚三叠世法郎组瓦窑段下部的鱼龙标本保存完整、精美,对它们准确而详细的描述将对研究鱼龙类分类、演化和完善其演化谱系具有重要的意义。目前对其中大型鱼龙已有Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae、Typicusichthyosaurus tsaihuae、Guanlingsaurus liangae、Cymbospondylus asiaticus、Panjiangsaurus epicharis等5个命名。在野外调查、室内修理、观察、比较的基础上,补充、修正了Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae的描述,并认为Cymbospondylus asiaticus和Panjiangsaurus epicharis应为Guizhouichthyosaurus tangae的同物异名。     

A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran from China with elongate ribbon-like feathers

Recent coelurosaurian discoveries have greatly enriched our knowledge of the transition from dinosaurs to birds, but all reported taxa close to this transition are from relatively well known coelurosaurian groups. Here we report a new basal avialan, Epidexipteryx hui gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle to Late Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. This new species is characterized by an unexpected combination of characters seen in several different theropod groups, particularly the Oviraptorosauria. Phylogenetic analysis shows it to be the sister taxon to Epidendrosaurus, forming a new clade at the base of Avialae. Epidexipteryx also possesses two pairs of elongate ribbon-like tail feathers, and its limbs lack contour feathers for flight. This finding shows that a member of the avialan lineage experimented with integumentary ornamentation as early as the Middle to Late Jurassic, and provides further evidence relating to this aspect of the transition from non-avian theropods to birds.     

The discovery of Jurassic plants in Shenzhen of Guangdong,southern China and related significance

Investigations of major marine and non-marine geologic and biotic events across the Triassic-Jurassic transition rely predominantly on detailed stratigraphic frameworks and biodiversity analyses. The alternating sequences of marine and terrestrial Triassic-Jurassic for- mations in Guangdong Province represent one of the most remarkable coal-bearing series in southern China. The Lower Jurassic Jinji Formation is widely distributed in Guangdong, with continuously outcropped sections and rich marine and non-marine fossil fauna. However, as little research has been conducted on fossil plant remains in the Jinji Formation, it is difficult to understand the systematics, diversity, and floral aspects of the Jurassic. Here we report on the recent collection of rich fossil plants from the Jinji Formation in the Dapeng area of Shenzhen, southern Guangdong Province. Our studies demonstrate taxonomical affiliations, preservation status, and diversity features of these plant fossils, which are marked by the close associ- ation of densely preserved, pinnae and rachis connected leaves, and the bennettitalean reproductive organs of Wil- liamsoniella, which may represent an Early Jurassic plant community dominated by Otozamites of the bennettitales. This work not only represents the first discovery of fossil plants in the Shenzhen area, but is also the first docu- mentation of Jurassic plants in Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta regions. Research related to these plant fossils will be helpful in the correlation of the Early Mesozoiccoal-bearing strata in Guangdong, and will provide a dee- per understanding of variations in plant diversity of the Triassic and Jurassic transition in southern China. Addi- tionally, it will provide terrestrial plant evidence for explorations in Jurassic palaeoecology, palaeoclimatology, and palaeogeography of southern China.     

库车盆地北部冲断带气源的构造地质学证据

从盆地构造史研究的角度认为库车盆地的天然气主要来源于北部山前冲断带：（1） 受原型盆地构造格局的制约,三叠系、侏罗系烃源岩发育的最有利位置不是在拜城凹陷,而是在克依构造带及其以北的北部山前冲断带;（2）晚第三纪以来的逆冲推覆作用使得烃源岩提早进入高—过成熟阶段,并以产气和凝析油为主;（3）逆冲推覆作用所产生的北倾逆断层控制天然气自下而上、自北而南运移,位于运移路线上的克依构造带和秋里塔格构造带的东段与烃源岩的排气期匹配较好,从而使这些地区最富集天然气。     

Cretaceous synfolding remagnetization components revealing tectonic rotation of the middle Yangtze fold belt

To reveal the deformation process of the middle Yangtze fold belt, we conducted a paleomagnetic study on Middle Triassic limestones and Middle to Late Jurassic sandstones from Wanzhou, Chongqing. Stepwise thermal and alternating field demagnetization were used to isolate the multi-component re-manent magnetizations. The Jurassic samples were overprinted by recent geomagnetic field, while three magnetization components were isolated from the Middle Triassic samples. A low temperature component (LTC) was isolated at temperatures below 200℃, an intermediate temperature component (ITC) at 200―360℃ and a high temperature component (HTC) at 400―460℃. The LTC is distributed around the present-day Earth magnetic field, probably a viscous component. Stepwise unfolding indi-cates that the maximum precision parameters of ITC and HTC components are achieved at 33±8% and 50±27% (with 95% confidence) unfolding, respectively. The best-clustered ITC mean direction, Dec = 11.2°, Inc = 45.2° (α₉₅ = 4.5°, N = 34), corresponding to a paleopole at 79.3°N, 219.5°E (d_p = 3.6°, d_m = 5.7°), is consistent with the Cretaceous reference direction of the South China Block (SCB). The best-clustered HTC mean direction (taking 70% unfolding), Dec = 24.2°, Inc =49.0° (α₉₅ = 3.6°, N = 23), corresponding to a paleopole at 69.2°N, 195.5°E (d_p =3.1°, d_m = 4.8°), suggests a clockwise rotation of 12.8°±3.5°. These synfolding remagnetization components clearly reveal that a clockwise rotation happened at the middle stage of folding, thus supporting that at least part of the variation in fold axis strikes is due to orocline rotation. Combined with published data, our analysis indicates that the Wan-zhou-Xiangxi segment of the middle Yangtze fold belt experienced oroclinal bending. Furthermore, a published post-folding component isolated from the Middle Triassic Puqi Formation suggests a 27.5°±5.8° clockwise rotation, confirming that at least 50% of the observed clockwise rotations in the eastern middle Yangtze fold belt can be attributed to oroclinal bending. The remagnetization data and geological evidence observed in the middle Yangtze fold belt suggest that collision between SCB and North China Block (NCB) probably lasted till the early period of Early Cretaceous.     

Skara hunanensis a new species of Skaracarida (Crustacea) from Upper Cambrian (Furongian) of Hunan, south China

The fossils of Orsten-type preservation are as famous as Chengjiang Fauna in the world, but it was not until 2005 that the Orsten-type fossils represented by Skaracarida and Phosphatocopida were first reported to be found in western Hunan, South China. Here, we report the systematic paleontology of all the exquisitely preserved specimens belonging to Skaracarida. They were found at a same horizon of Upper Cambrian (Furongian) in Wangcun section, western Hunan, south China, assigned to a new species Skara hunanensis herein. Skara hunanensis is characterized by small, soft-integumented, marine forms with slender, annulate body; labrum large and ventrocaudally directed; uniramous antennulae; biramous antennae and mandibulae; maxillas and maxillipeds of the same shape; all postantennular limbs join a short cephalic filter apparatus. The body has two tagmata: a cephalon with five pairs of well developed appendages and a trunk composed of 11 ring-shaped conical segments.     

大港探区中生代原型盆地恢复及成盆模式

对大港探区中生代残留盆地进行原型盆地恢复．原型盆地可分为：早中侏罗世坳陷型盆地,晚侏罗至早白垩世断坳共存盆地及晚白垩世热坳陷盆地．中生代原型盆地分布方向为ＮＥ－ＮＮＥ向,分布范围有限,且沉积厚度较小,这与中生代中国东部受伊泽奈崎板块斜向俯冲和华北与扬子板块碰撞所致的挤压环境有关     

A basal tyrannosauroid dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of China

The tyrannosauroid fossil record is mainly restricted to Cretaceous sediments of Laurasia, although some very fragmentary Jurassic specimens have been referred to this group. Here we report a new basal tyrannosauroid, Guanlong wucaii gen. et sp. nov., from the lower Upper Jurassic of the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. G. wucaii is the oldest known tyrannosauroid and shows several unexpectedly primitive pelvic features. Nevertheless, the limbs of G. wucaii share several features with derived coelurosaurs, and it possesses features shared by other coelurosaurian clades. This unusual combination of character states provides an insight into the poorly known early radiation of the Coelurosauria. Notably, the presumed predatory Guanlong has a large, fragile and highly pneumatic cranial crest that is among the most elaborate known in any non-avian dinosaur and could be comparable to some classical exaggerated ornamental traits among vertebrates.     

New fossil elaterids （Insect： Coleoptera： Polyphaga： Elateridae） from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China

A new genus with a new species of fossil elaterid, Paraprotagrypnus superbus gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation in Daohugou Village (N41°18.979′, E119°14.318′), Shantou Township, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China is described and illustrated. The genus Paraprotagrypnus belongs to the family of Elateridae, subfamily of Protagrypninae and tribe of Protagrypnini. Some primitive characters of the new genus and new species shed light on the ages between the Jiulongshan Formation in Inner Mongolia and the Yixian Formation in the western Liaoning Province of China. The habitat of the new species is briefly discussed.     

Skara hunanensis a new species of Skaracarida (Crustacea) from Upper Cambrian (Furongian) of Hunan,south China

The fossils of Orsten-type preservation are as famous as Chengjiang Fauna in the world,but it was not until 2005 that the Orsten-type fossils represented by Skaraearida and Phosphatocopida were first reported to be found in western Hunan,South China. Here,we report the systematic paleontology of all the exquisitely preserved specimens belonging to Skaraearida.They were found at a same horizon of Upper Cambrian (Furongian) in Wangcun section,western Hunan,south China,assigned to a new species Skara huna- nensis herein.Skara hunanensis is characterized by small,soft-integumented,marine forms with slender,annulate body;labrum large and ventrocaudally directed;uniramous antennulae;biramous antennae and mandibulae;maxillas and maxillipeds of the same shape;all postantennular limbs join a short cephalic filter apparatus.The body has two tagmata:a cephalon with five pairs of well developed ap- pendages and a trunk composed of 11 ring-shaped conical segments.     

Two Jurassic salamanders with stomach contents from Inner Mongolia,China

Conchostracans and corixids are part of the diet of extant salamanders,an ecologically important fact in a lacustrine environment. Here we report their discovery in the guts of the aquatic Jurassic salamanders Jeholotriton paradoxus and Chunerpeton tianyiensis, formerly abundant at Daohugou,Ningcheng County,Inner Mongolia,China.This reveals something of the ecology of this im- portant,ancient,vertebrate and invertebrate assemblage.The new fossil evidence indicates the highly selective feeding of these Jurassic salamanders;Jeholotriton preyed only on juveniles of the conchostracan Euestheria luanpingensis,and Chunerpeton only on the corixid Yanliaocorixa chinensis.We can infer the dietary differences as a consequence of different jaw and hyoid structures; and thus niche partitioning in Jurassic salamanders.