The gait of Hipparion sp. from fossil footprints in Laetoli, Tanzania

Three Hipparion trails, two from adults and one from a juvenile dating from about 3.5 Myr ago, have now been found in Laetoli. Comparison of the Hipparion footprints with a variety of imprints made by domestic horses showed that the animals moved with a running walk over the soft and slippery soil of Laetoli: in the alternative hind-fore-hind-fore footfall sequence one foot is always close to the ground and can take over the body weight if the supporting foot slides. The smaller juvenile was taking relatively longer strides than the adult. Body support was provided mainly by the third main toe. The evidence indicates that volcanic ash was falling at the time the footprints were made, suggesting that the animals were passing through the area at about the same time. The criss-cross pattern in the trails of the juvenile and adult Hipparion can be seen in the travelling behaviour of mares and foals of living horses. Evidence that the Hipparion were moving with a running walk supports the view that this gait is not 'man-taught' for rider-comfort, but a natural ability in modern horses.     

The discovery of whole-plant fossil cycad from the Upper Triassic in western Liaoning and its significance

A recently discovered megafossil of whole plant cycad is briefly reported here. The specimen is collected from the Yangcaogou Formation （Upper Triassic） in Changheying, Beipiao, Liaoning. The whole plant is preserved intact on a sandstone slab, 89 cm long and 130 cm wide, including leaves up to 82 cm long and a male cone physically attached to the stem apex. Analysis on the morphology, arrangement and venation of leaf and pinna, male cone and its relationship with other parts indicates that the fossil is closely related to living Zamiaceae in Cycadales. This cycad fossil is hitherto most completely preserved cycad specimen including both vegetative and reproductive organs. Its discovery contributes much to our understanding of the morphology and evolution of cycads, palaeoclimate as well as palaeoenvironment.     

贵州晚三叠世关岭鱼龙的原始尾弯对比研究

通过对贵州关岭上三叠统卡尼阶法郎组瓦窑段地层中的两件关岭鱼龙属标本的观察、测量,并与早侏罗世鱼龙标本对比研究,发现晚三叠世的关岭鱼龙尾椎中部存在一定数量形态发生变化的侧视呈梯形的椎体,已经具有了传统观点认为只在侏罗纪和白垩纪鱼龙中出现的尾弯,弯角为15°左右(侏罗纪鱼龙尾弯弯角可达60°).这一衍生性状的出现表明晚三叠...     

Flabellariopteris,a new aquatic fern leaf from the Late Triassic of western Liaoning,China

An aquatic fern leaf, Flabellariopteris mii Sun gen. et sp. nov. from the Late Triassic of Western Liaoning, China, is described and proposed as the type species of the new morphortaxon of the Marsileaceae. The fossil leaves are preserved as impression. No fertile and rhizomatic materials are found. The leaves attached at a common point on the top of the petiole are composed of two leaflets joined basally in an opposite arrangement. The petiole is slender. The leaflet is fan-shaped or semi-circular, and commonly divided into four wedge-shaped lobes. Terminal margin of lobes is usually incised, incisions shallow or deep, with bluntly rounded or notched apex. The veins are conspicu- ously dichotomous, but anastomoses and marginal vein are absent. The unique morphological features, including two- parted thin leaflets, size, shape, veins and slender petiole, indicate that the present specimen represents an aquatic fern, which is the oldest fossil record and the first megafossil evidence assignable to Marsileaceae from the Triassic floras.     

晚三叠世龙门山前陆盆地动力学分析

晚三叠世龙门山前陆盆地是在扬子板块西缘被动大陆边缘的基础上由印支造山运动而形成的.盆地中地层充填厚度巨大,包括晚三叠世卡尼期至瑞替期的马鞍塘组、小塘子组和须家河组,持续时间达27 Ma,显示为一个以不整合面为界的构造层序.该构造层序被一系列不整合面、海泛面和湖泛面分割为4个向上变粗或向上变细的层序(构造地层单元),其充填特征表现为:底部具有典型的挠曲前缘隆起不整合面,层序1的下部为碳酸盐缓坡和海绵礁的建造和淹没过程,上部为进积过程中形成的三角洲沉积物,具有向上变粗的垂向结构;层序2为进积过程中形成的三角洲相砂岩和砾岩;层序3的底部为大型湖泛面,中上部为进积过程中形成的三角洲相和湖泊相砂泥岩夹煤层,具有向上变粗的垂向结构;层序4为冲积扇、扇三角洲粗碎屑砂砾岩和湖泊相泥页岩构成具有向上变细的垂向结构,并截切下伏地层.虽然晚三叠世龙门山前陆盆地的剖面几何形态总体上呈现为西厚东薄的楔形体,但是其内部却由次级的楔状层序和板状层序组成,其中层序1和层序3为楔状体,层序2和层序4为板状体.楔状层序显示为西厚东薄的楔形体,沉积厚度大,以纵向水系为主,具有双物源(包括来自龙门山和前缘隆起区的物源),并以点状物源为主,盆地的西部以扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲沉积物为主,中部以湖泊相为主,东部发育小型三角洲或碳酸盐缓坡沉积物,处于欠补偿状态;板状层序显示为西、东厚度基本一致的板状层,沉积厚度较小,仅具有来自于龙门山的有物源,以横向水系为主,以线状物源为特征,盆地的西部以辫状河三角洲沉积物为主,盆地的中东部为湖泊相沉积物,处于过补偿状态.对晚三叠世楔状前陆盆地进行了弹性挠曲模拟和逆冲事件标定,结果表明,盆地形成机制为构造负载,挠曲盆地的挠曲刚度为(0.5～5)×1024N·m(相当的弹性地层厚度为43～55 km).晚三叠世龙门山冲断带构造负载系统向扬子板块推进速率为5～15 mm/a,由2个逆冲子事件构成,早期的推进速度较大,为15 mm/a;晚期的推进速度较小,为5 mm/a.     

Magnetostratigraphy of Late Cenozoic fossil mammals in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau

~~Magnetostratigraphy of Late Cenozoic fossil mammals in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau~~~~     

巢湖地区早三叠世晚斯密斯亚期含鱼化石碳酸盐岩结核的地球化学特征及其地质意义

以安徽省巢湖地区下三叠统和龙山组顶部的黑色泥页岩段及其产出的含鱼化石碳酸盐岩结核为研究对象, 综合岩相学、地球化学(主微量元素和碳、氧同位素)和环境矿物学等分析手段, 探讨富有机质页岩中含鱼化石碳酸盐岩结核的形成机制及可能的地质环境指示意义。结核中心三维保存的鱼化石和较高的碳酸盐含量(80%)表明结核形成于早期成岩阶段, 结核内部呈同心环状结构, 从中心至边缘, 碳酸盐矿物含量降低, 硅质碎屑矿物增多并逐渐出现纹层, Fe和S含量升高、δ¹³C值增高、δ¹⁸O值降低和TOC含量逐渐增多等特征均表明结核为同心生长模式。对围岩中草莓状黄铁矿的粒径分析结果表明, 结核形成于硫化还原环境。结核出现在斯密斯亚阶与斯帕斯亚阶界线(SSB)之下1 m处, 与界线层有机碳埋藏增加、碳同位素组成快速正漂移(δ¹³C = -1.3‰~1.9‰)和水体硫化还原事件吻合, 有潜力作为华南地区SSB的辅助识别标志。     

四川盆地西部上三叠统须家河组物质来源：碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄研究

对四川盆地西部晚三叠世须三期须家河组碎屑长石石英砂岩和须四期砂岩中碎屑锆石进行了U-Pb定年。分析研究表明:1川西西部都江堰地区沉积物样品具四个主要年龄峰分别为245 Ma、460 Ma、773 Ma和1 836 Ma;川西北部广元地区样品具四个主要年龄峰分别为245 Ma、452 Ma、834 Ma和1 850 Ma;2结合碎屑锆石U-Pb测年特征,表明川西盆地北段广元地区和中段都江堰地区须家河组上部和下部年代学以及地球化学信息一致,主要显示吕梁期(峰值1 836 Ma、1 950 Ma和1 850 Ma),晋宁末期(峰值为865 Ma和834 Ma),加里东期(峰值为460 Ma和452 Ma)和海西-印支期年龄峰(峰值为245Ma),反映两个地区具有相似物源;3结合碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄与周源造山带对比分析,海西-印支期碎屑物质来源于秦岭造山带;加里东期是秦岭造山带的主要造山阶段,秦岭造山带为该阶段提供物源;晋宁末期是扬子克拉通岩浆活动最活跃时期,扬子克拉通为该阶段碎屑物质主要源区;吕梁期碎屑锆石,主要来自其北缘的华北克拉通。     

最早骨骼生物Cloudina——埃迪卡拉纪晚期一类重要的标准化石

目的 确定新元古代末期最早骨骼生物Cloudina 作为埃迪卡拉纪晚期地层对比标志的可能性.方法 以Cloudina的形态学、生态学为依据,确定其可能的生物属性;以Cloudina 地质地理分布和碳同位素地层对比分析为依据,综合分析其时空分布特点.结果 Cloudina 可能是多毛类龙介虫,二者在管体形态特征、无性繁殖方式等方面存在可比性;Cloudina的出现都对应着碳同位素的明显正漂移,具有基本等时的特点.结论 Cloudina 是目前已知埃迪卡拉纪最有潜力的标准化石之一.     

赣东北晚三叠世古地理演化及聚煤作用

赣东北晚三叠世含煤岩系形成于受武夷,怀玉和江南山地所限制的咸水、半咸水陆缘近海湖沉积环境。古地理演化、沉积环境明显控制含煤岩系沉积特征及聚煤作用。     

香格里拉晚三叠世哈工组沉积相分析

研究区地处泛华夏大陆晚古生代-中生代羌塘-三江构造区,位于青藏高原东南缘,横断山脉中段。香格里拉地区于晚古生代已形成碳酸盐台地和深水盆地并存的古地理格局,三叠纪中-晚期处于拉张构造背景。结合区域地质调查资料,依据相序特征和相变关系,识别出甭哥附近的哈工组地层晚三叠世时沉积环境是浅海陆棚,桑那水库附近的哈工组地层晚三叠世时沉积环境是半深海。     

鄂尔多斯盆地晚三叠世最大湖泛泥岩分布特征

目的探究鄂尔多斯盆地晚三叠世层序中最大湖泛泥岩的分布特征及其石油地质意义,以便更好地进行油气田勘探。方法根据区域地质调查、测井、岩心和野外典型剖面的观察及地球化学资料,并运用层序地层学原理进行分析。结果最大湖泛泥岩的分布受湖盆底部形态的控制呈现区域性变化,该套湖泛泥岩是鄂尔多斯盆地三叠系延长组层序中最好的一套优质烃源岩。结论最大湖泛泥岩的展布对油气运移和富集具有一定的控制作用。     

青藏高原北部晚三叠世伟齿蛤动物群的发现及其意义

青藏高原北部雀莫错附近发现大量保存完好的伟齿蛤类等双壳类化石,包括Neomegalodon cornutus(sp．nov．),Quemocuomegalodon orientus Yao et a1．,Q．longitatus Yao et a1．,Q．circularis(sp．nov．),共生有Bakevellia praecursor(Quenstedt)等．据此,该含化石地层确定为上三叠统;指出它们属典型的特提斯动物群;并为修订伟齿蛤科的现行分类方案奠定了基础。     

Evolutionary speed limits inferred from the fossil record.

The dynamics of extinction and diversification determine the long-term effects of extinction episodes. If rapid bursts of extinction are offset by equally rapid bursts of diversification, their biodiversity consequences will be transient. But if diversification rates cannot accelerate rapidly enough, pulses of extinction will lead to long-lasting depletion of biodiversity. Here I use spectral analysis of the fossil record to test whether diversification rates can accelerate as much as extinction rates, over both short and long spans of geological time. I show that although the long-wavelength variability of diversification rates equals or exceeds that of extinctions, diversification rates are markedly less variable than extinction rates at wavelengths shorter than roughly 25 million years. This implies that there are intrinsic speed limits that constrain how rapidly diversification rates can accelerate in response to pulses of extinction.     

Delayed biological recovery from extinctions throughout the fossil record

How quickly does biodiversity rebound after extinctions? Palaeobiologists have examined the temporal, taxonomic and geographic patterns of recovery following individual mass extinctions in detail, but have not analysed recoveries from extinctions throughout the fossil record as a whole. Here, we measure how fast biodiversity rebounds after extinctions in general, rather than after individual mass extinctions, by calculating the cross-correlation between extinction and origination rates across the entire Phanerozoic marine fossil record. Our results show that extinction rates are not significantly correlated with contemporaneous origination rates, but instead are correlated with origination rates roughly 10 million years later. This lagged correlation persists when we remove the 'Big Five' major mass extinctions, indicating that recovery times following mass extinctions and background extinctions are similar. Our results suggest that there are intrinsic limits to how quickly global biodiversity can recover after extinction events, regardless of their magnitude. They also imply that today's anthropogenic extinctions will diminish biodiversity for millions of years to come.     

An exceptionally well-preserved fossil Kalligrammatid from the Jehol Biota

A new species of Neuroptera, Sophogramma lii sp. nov. is described and illustrated in this paper. This new species is assigned to Sophogramma Ren of Kalligrammatidae, mainly based on its humeral recurrent veins, the basal cell present between posterior branch of media at base of wing, etc. The new species is distinguished from all other Sophogramma species on the difference of wing venation. This exceptionally well-preserved specimen is recovered from the Yixian Formation, Huangbanjigou, located near Beipiao City, in western Liaoning Province. The genus diagnosis has been emended based on new characters shown in this new species. Based on a summary of localities, distribution and geological ages of all genera and species of the Kalligrammatidae, we suggest that Kalligrammatids might have originated in Eastern Asia, especially in China. Function of the wing pigmentation is discussed briefly. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30430100 and 40872022), Beijing Natural Science Foundation Program (Grant No. 5082002), Scientific Research Key Program (Grant No. KZ200910028005) and PHR Project of of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education, Science-Technology Basic Condition Platform from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No. 2005DKA21402)     

江西乐平地区晚二叠世-早三叠世的牙形石动物群

讨论了赣中乐平地区沿沟剖面上二叠统至下三叠统地层的牙形石动物群,列出了牙形石的各个形态属种在地层中的分布及其数量变化.根据特征牙形石分子的地层分布,将该段地层自下而上划分为3个牙形石带,分别是:Clarkina changxingensis-Cl.deflecta-Cl.subcarinata组合带;Hindeodus latidentatus带和Hindeodus parvus带.鉴于在晚二叠世至早三叠世,Hindeodus属种的牙形石分子的Pa分子成为界定种之间的主要标志特征,本文描述了两个重要牙形石种即Hindeodus latidentatus和Hindeodus parvus的Pa分子,并探讨了二者之间所具有的演化关系;此外,还指出这些保存完美的Pa分子具有重要的研究价值.     

安塞油田晚三叠世长7油层组沉积微相及储层非均质性研究

安塞油田晚三叠世延长组长7油层组发育浅水型三角洲前缘沉积亚相,进一步划分为水下分流河道、分流间湾、河口坝、席状砂等沉积微相,其中以水下分流河道和分流间湾最为发育。安塞油田长7油层组砂岩以长石砂岩及岩屑质长石砂岩为主,砂岩中填隙物含量较高,主要为绿泥石膜、高岭石、铁方解石、发丝状伊利石等,其中铁方解石胶结物含量最高。从层间非均质性、层内非均质性、平面非均质性3个方面来看,安塞油田长7油层组的储层非均质性强,孔隙度、渗透率高值点沿砂体的展布方向呈片状及点状或不规则状展布,在沉积微相的主砂体体部位孔隙度、渗透率值较高,向砂体的侧翼和沉积末端随砂体厚度的减薄,孔隙度、渗透率值变低。