A new eutriconodont mammal from the early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of Liaoning,China

A new genus and species of eutriconodont mammal, Chaoyangodens lii gen. et sp. nov., from the Dawangzhangzi bed of Yixian Formation, Lingyuan, Lia- oning, is reported. The new species has a tooth formula I5- C1-P1-M3/i4-cl-pl-m4, unique among eutriconodonts in having only one premolar in lower and upper jaws, respectively, and a distinctive diastema between the canine and the premolar. Its simple incisors and reduced premolars show a mosaic combination of primitive and derived fea- tures. This new taxon adds to the diverse group of Jehol eutriconodonts. Among the known species from at least three horizons, there seems no evolutionary trend in mor- phology that is recognizable, except for that larger species are all from the Lujiatun bed of the Yixian Fro. A thorough and systematic analysis involving all the Jehol eu- triconodonts is needed to understand their phylogenetic relationships.     

New discovery on dinosaur fossils from Early Jurassic, Sichuan, China

An early and primitive sauropod dinosaur, Gongxianosaurus shibeiensis (gen. et sp. nov.), from Lower Jurassic Dongyuemiao Member of Ziliujing Formation in Shibei Village, Gongxian County, Sichuan Province, China is described, which is among Gongxian dinosaur fossils discovered in 1997. Except for skull incomplete, fossils were well-preserved. It has concurrently some features of both sauropod and prosauropds. It is an intermediate type of evolution from prosauropod to sauropod, provides practical materials for studying of origin and evolution of sauropod dinosaur fauna, and a favourable way for stratigraphic correlation between Early Jurassic Ziliujing Formation and Lower Lufeng Formation, in the Sichuan Basin and the Central Yunnan Basin that lies to its southwest.     

A new Early Cretaceous lizard with well-preserved scale impressions from western Liaoning, China

A new small lizard, Liaoningolacerta brevirostra gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning is described in detail. The new specimen was preserved not only by the skeleton, but also by the exceptionally clear scale impressions. This lizard can be included within the taxon Scleroglossa based on its 26 or more presacrals, cruciform interclavicle with a large anterior process, moderately elongated pubis, and slightly notched distal end of tibia. The scales vary evidently in size and shape at different parts of body: small and rhomboid ventral scales, tiny and round limb scales, and large and longitudinally rectangular caudal scales that constitute the caudal whorls. This new finding provides us with more information on the lepidosis of the Mesozoic lizards.     

Lower Cretaceous angio-sperm leaf from Wuhe in Anhui ,China

A new early angiosperm leaf species is reported from the Xinzhuang Formation of Wuhe County,Anhui Province,It is probably of Barrenian or slightly later in geological age,The fossil leaf is small,no more than 0.6 cm both in length and in width,The leaf vens are well preserved and clearly visble under a low poer microscope.Leaf architectural analysis shows that such a leaf should belong to the first leaf rank of Hickey ,i.e the most primitive one.There are no early angiosperm leaves published colpletely similar to our.A new species name of Dicotylophyllum minutissimum sp.nov.is established for the present leaf fossils.     

A new family of primitive mammal from the Mesozoic of western Liaoning, China

A fairly well-preserved specimen of a new primitive mammal, Repenomamus robustus gen. et sp. nov., has been described from the Yixian Formation (Lower Cretaceous), western Liaoning, China. This animal has several derived characteristics, such as well-developed den-tary/squamosal articulation, reduced number of tooth, differentiation of premolars and molars in postcanine teeth, presence of a dorsal process of the premaxilla that is not in contact with the nasal, closed medial wall of the orbit, and presence of fingerlike promontorium on the petrosal. It also retains some primitive reptile-like features. It is the most primitive taxon among the three mammals known from the Jehol Biota, and also represents the largest mammal of Mesozoic age over the world.     

A new ichnotaxon of fossil bird track from the Early Cretaceous Tianjialou Formation （Barremian-Albian）, Shandong Province, China

It is well known that fossil bird tracks are geological records of ancient birds walking on the sediments. Prior to the 1980s, little attention was paid to fossil bird tracks partly because of the difficulties of field discrimination. Over the last decade, new discoveries on the bird origin and early evolution, as well as their relation to dinosaurs[1] have greatly stimulated dinosaur and ancient bird studies.Accordingly, the paleoenvironmental, paleoecological and early evolutional significan…     

内蒙古鄂托克旗查布地区恐爪龙类足迹的发现及其意义

内蒙古查布地区下白垩统中保存大量的兽脚类和蜥脚类恐龙足迹以及鸟类足迹化石,2014年再次对内蒙古鄂托克旗野外地质遗迹博物馆(8A和8B化石点)周边的地层进行系统考察,发现两个恐爪龙类恐龙(Deinonychosauria)的二趾型兽脚类足迹,这在鄂托克地区是首次发现。经对比研究,将其归入奔驰龙足迹属(Dromaeosauripus)。与奔驰龙足迹一起发现的还有其他两种兽脚类足迹(Asianopodus robustus和Grallator),反映了恐爪龙类恐龙的生活习性。此类足迹的发现不仅填补了内蒙驰龙足迹(Dromaeopodidae)的空白,增加了世界二趾型足迹的记录,也为鄂托克地区古生态与地层对比提供了素材。     

内蒙古中部早白垩世钾玄岩的发现及其意义

内蒙古四子王旗地区发现含有深源捕虏体的富钾玄武岩。玄武岩为黑色致密块状 ,以富碱 (w(K2 O) +w(Na2. O) >5 % )、高钾 (w(K2 O)在 2 . 5 0 %～ 3 .19%之间 )和较高的钛含量 (w(TiO2 )在2 .0 3%～ 2 . 71%之间 )为特征 ,岩石分类上属钾玄岩系列 ,全岩K Ar表观年龄为 10 8～ 12 8Ma ,为早白垩世。古亚洲洋闭合后华北板块在早中生代经历了由强烈的陆内挤压缩短作用转入造山后伸展作用阶段。早白垩世晚期该区受太平洋板块和印度洋板块俯冲作用影响 ,华北板块再次转入挤压作用阶段 ,开始了滨太平洋域的演化。内蒙古四子王旗地处华北板块与西伯利亚板块结合部 ,本次发现的早白垩世钾玄岩系列对于研究华北板块北缘在中生代构造转化中的物质及深部构造演化具有重要意义。     

广东三水盆地白垩纪岩相古地理特征及演化

根据大量的区域地质、钻井、野外露头等资料,对广东三水盆地自垩纪地层进行了构造层序研究,划分出一个盆地充填层序,两个构造层序和4个层序;在构造层序研究的基础上,采用压缩法和瞬时作图法,以层序为编图单元,编制了三水盆地白垩纪层序岩相古地理图,系统地阐述了三水盆地白垩纪不同时期的岩相古地理特征;根据不同时期的岩相古地理展布特征,将白垩纪三水盆地的沉积充填分为早白垩世的底部粗碎屑进积和晚白垩世的首次湖泛两个演化阶段.     

甘肃金塔及其附近早白垩世介形类

报道了首次发现于花海－金塔盆地花海凹陷花探９井、湖西新村、阿拉善左旗早白垩世介形类化石。根据它们的组合面貌及其在国内外分布的主要层位,认为：湖西新村原划归为上侏罗统并含有丰富介形化石的这套地层应属下白垩统;花探９井和阿拉善左旗塔塔水沟含化石地层的时代应为早白垩世。这些新的研究成果为建立该地区中生代地层层序奠定了基础,特别是对认识花海－金塔盆地的形成与演化,及进一步的油气勘探提供了新的资料     

Magnetostratigraphic study of Cretaceous depositional succession in the northern Kuqa Depression, Northwest China

Stratigraphic studies on the depositional succession in the Kuqa Depression can be traced back to as early as 1950s[1], however, there are still some disputes about chronostratigraphic division of the Bashenjiqike For- mation because of the paucity of fos…     

Marine dinoflagellates from Lower Cretaceous Muling Formation of Jixi Basin,China and their palaeoenvironmental significance

Newly discovered marine dinoflagellates from the lower-middle parts of the Lower Cretaceous Muling Formation of the Jixi Basin, eastern Heilongjiang Province,China, were identified as Circulodinium cingulatum He et al.,C. attadalicum (Cookson et Eiscnack) Helhy, Palaeoperidinium cretaceum Pocock, Oligosphaeridium totum Brideaux and Sentusidinium sp. Most of these species are distributed in the marine Lower Cretaceous strata of Europe, North America,Africa, Australia and Asia. It demonstrates that a transgression occurred in eastern Heilongjiang Province during the deposition of the Muling Formation, which was previously considered to be a coal-bearing continental stratigraphic unit.The marine dinoflagellates indicated that the Muling Formation is Barremian in age. The Palaeogeographic framework of eastern HeUongjiang Province in Late Mesozoic era should be rebuilt through systematic facies analyses of the marine,paralic and terrestrial deposits.     

灵山岛早白垩世构造应力解析及区域地质意义

通过对灵山岛野外地质考察及总结前人资料, 并利用节理、岩墙和褶皱等应力感应构造的测量分析, 得出研究区早白垩世可能存在四期构造作用: 莱阳期NW 向伸展形成近海盆地, 莱阳期末期NW 向挤压反转作用, 青山期NW 向伸展裂谷作用和早白垩世末期NW 向挤压反转。灵山岛早白垩世两期伸展作用可能是分别对华北地区增厚地壳或岩石圈重力垮塌和岩石圈拆沉的响应, 而两期挤压反转作用可能是研究区由伊泽奈崎板块NW 向俯冲消减向太平洋板块NW 向俯冲过渡的结果。     

Water content in the early Cretaceous lithospheric mantle beneath the south-central Taihang Mountains: implications for the destruction of the North China Craton

Based on studies of the water content of the early Cretaceous Feixian high-magnesium basalts in the eastern part of the North China Craton （NCC）, it has been suggested that the early Cretaceous lithospheric mantle of the eastern NCC was highly hydrous （〉1,000 ppm, HeO wt.） and that this high water content had significantly reduced the vis- cosity of the lithospheric mantle and provided a prerequisite for the destruction of the NCC. The eastern part of the NCC had undergone multistage subduction of oceanic plates from the south, north, and east sides since the early Paleozoic, and these events may have caused the strong hydration of the NCC lithospheric mantle. To determine which subduction had contributed most to this hydration, we measured the water contents of the peridotite xenoliths hosted by the early Cretaceous high-magnesium diorites of Fushan in the south- central part of the Taihang Mountains. Our results demon- strate that the water content of the early Cretaceous litho- spheric mantle beneath the south part of the Taihang Mountains was ~ 40 ppm and significantly lower than that of the contemporary lithospheric mantle beneath the eastern part of the NCC. Thus, the hydration of the early Cretaceous lithospheric mantle of the eastern part of the NCC can be ascribed to the subduction of the Pacific plate from the west side. Thus, the main dynamic factor in the destruction of the NCC was likely the subduction of the Pacific plate.     

辽宁北票首次发现初鸟类化石-东方吉祥鸟(Jixiangornis orientalis gen.et sp.nov.)

本文记述了辽宁北票义县组一件新的初鸟类（Avialae）化石，这是继中华神州鸟（Shenzhouraptor sinensis Ji et al.2002）之后初鸟类化石的又一发现。它以上颌无齿而具角质喙、胸骨发达且具龙骨突、前肢显著长于后肢等特征与始祖鸟（Archaeopteryx）不同，以后肢第Ⅰ趾爪已反转而与其它3趾对握等特征与神州鸟相区别，该化石被命名为东方吉祥鸟（新属、新种）（Jixiangornis orientalis gen.et sp.nov.）。中国辽西新近发现的中华神州鸟和东方吉祥鸟（新属、新种）目前是世界上最古老最原始真正具有角质喙和飞行能力的原始鸟类。     

Discovery of a pterodactylid pterosaur from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China

A well-preserved pterosaur with nearly complete skull is described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Sihetun in western Liaoning. It is characterized by a low and long crestless skull, slender and pointed teeth, long metacarpal, nearly equal length of metatarsals I–III and short pedal digit V. It is referred to a new genus and species of the family Pterodactylidae:Haopterus gracilis gen. et sp. nov. This is the first pterosaur with a nearly complete skull from the Jehol Biota; it also represents the first non-controversial fossil record of Pterodactylidae in Asia.Haopterus is more derived thanPterodactylus from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen in Germany. This discovery extends the distribution of the family Pterodactylidae from Europe and Africa to Asia and its latest occurrence from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. The discovery ofHaopterus gracilis provides further evidence for the study of the origin and radiation of the Jehol Biota; it also sheds new light on the evolution and distribution of pterosaurs in the late Mesozoic.     

四川峨眉山地区白垩系物源

在对四川峨眉山地区白垩系夹关组、灌口组进行野外剖面研究和薄片鉴定的基础上,对岩石的地球化学特征进行分析,探讨峨眉山地区白垩系沉积时期的主要物源区。研究发现:岩石颗粒的磨圆度和分选性反映出近源沉积的特征;碎屑成分特征表明其主要来源于含有较多中酸性岩浆岩的源区;地球化学特征表明物源区是以长英质岩石为主的大陆岛弧构造背景。结合前人对四川盆地白垩纪古地形特征的研究成果,认为夹关组和灌口组沉积时期峨眉山地区的主要物源区为龙门山构造带。     

First discovery and characterizations of late Cretaceous seep carbonates from Xigaze in Tibet, China

Hydrocarbon seeps,widely occurring in continental margins,have become increasingly focused owing to their close relationships with gas hydrates,strong greenhouse gas methane,and biological resources in extreme environments.Ancient hydrocarbon seeps have already been recognized from Devonian to Quaternary strata worldwide based on seep carbonates or seep-related fossil chemosynthetic assemblages.However,seep-related deposits are rarely found from ancient strata in the mainland China.Here,we report the first discovery of an ancient seep deposit,specifically late Cretaceous seep carbonates from Xigaze in Tibet,China.Xigaze seep carbonates,occurring as nodules,are enclosed in upper Cretaceous turbidite strata in Xigaze forearc basin.These carbonates are composed of authigenic carbonate(56.2% on average),clastic quartz and feldspar(27.3% on average),and clay minerals(chlorite,illite and smectite,16.5% on average).Clotted micrites,peloids and framboid pyrites are frequently observed,all of which are common in modern seep carbonates.The carbonates have negative δ13 C values varying from 27.7‰ to 4.0‰(V-PDB),suggesting that thermogenic methane is the primary carbon source.Ce/Ce* values revised by eliminating La effects show no real Ce anomaly,indicating the carbonates were primarily precipitated in a weak reducing environment.Overall,these features provide unequivocal evidences that the seafloor of Xigaze forearc basin developed hydrocarbon seeps in late Cretaceous.