First record of a non-pollinating fig wasp (Hymenoptera: Sycophaginae) from Dominican amber,with estimation of the size of its host figs

Fig trees and their pollinating fig wasps arose about 75 million years ago in the Cretaceous period. Several other groups of chalcid wasps also utilize figs for larval development, including sycophagines, the putative sister group to pollinating fig wasps. Whereas stone and amber fossil pollinators are known, no fossils representing non-pollinating fig wasp groups have been confirmed previously. Here, we describe the first Sycophaginae from the c.15–20 Ma Dominican amber, Idarnes thanatos sp. nov. Farache, Rasplus, Pereira and Compton, and discuss its relationships within the Idarnes carme species group. Additionally, we use linear regression to compare body size, ovipositor sheaths length, and host fig size data from extant Idarnes species to estimate the size of its host figs. Idarnes thanatos was most likely associated with small to medium sized figs (diameter ≤1.0 cm), that were likely to have been dispersed by birds and primates. The discovery of this close relative of extant non-pollinating fig wasps suggests that early Miocene and modern fig wasp communities may share similar ecological and functional features.     

广西崇左木榄山智人洞10万年前早期现代人化石的发现与研究

早期现代人的出现及演化一直是国际古人类学研究的关注点。根据可靠的年代数据,早期现代人在东亚的出现时间在4万年前左右。由于多数在东亚发现的更新世晚期人类化石的年代不确定,学术界对在东亚地区是否存在距今4—10万年前的具有现代人类解剖特征的早期现代人有争论。本文的研究报道了在广西崇左木榄山智人洞发现的一件11万年前的人类下颌骨和两枚牙齿化石。形态分析显示这件下颌骨已经呈现一些现代人的典型特征,包括较明显的颏三角、联合结节、中央脊、颏前窝、联合部前面弯曲、下颌联合倾角超过90°等,但这些特征的表现程度很弱。另一方面,崇左下颌还具有一些相对原始的特征,包括下颌体比较粗壮及较明显的下横圆枕。与迄今发现的早期现代人相比,崇左下颌比较原始,呈现出原始与进步特征镶嵌特点（mosaic）,在形态上似乎代表一种古老型智人与早期现代人之间的过渡类型（transitional type）。崇左下颌骨的年代及形态特点提示早期现代人在东亚的出现时间可以追溯到10万年前,比以往的认识至少要提早6万年。早期现代人在东亚地区的形成过程中经历了一定程度的连续演化。     

晚全新世以来长江口北支XL1孔有孔虫组合与气候、海平面变化研究

通过对长江口北支XL1孔48个样品的有孔虫定量分析,将该孔划分为3个有孔虫组合带（含有8个组合亚带）,并将其与崇明岛北部的永隆沙CY孔沉积特征进行对比,确定了XL1孔为晚全新世以来的沉积。对比分析两孔有孔虫组合特征,参照CY孔孢粉组合分析结果,对长江口北支XL1孔揭示的气候与海平面变化进行研究。XL1孔3个有孔虫组合带所反应的气候变化特征依次为温和略湿（后期又转暖一些）→温而略干→温暖湿润;海平面变化自带1→带3为上升-下降→下降-上升→上升的变化特征。     

圆口纲进化中的模糊问题思考

圆口纲进化是动物进化的重要组成部分之一,是生物进化论、动物学研究的重要内容之一。根据古生物学、现代生物学、生物进化论研究成就,就圆口纲生活方式、甲胄鱼、圆口纲与甲胄鱼的关系、圆口纲起源地点进化中的模糊问题进行了思考。     

Huanglong Cave, a new late Pleistocene hominid site in Hubei Province, China

For the past two decades, the modern human origins debate has received significant interest from both the scientific community and the public. The two hypothe- ses “Out of Africa” and “Mutiregional evolution” are focuses of this debate[1-3]. In partic…     

On the horizon of Protopteryx and the early vertebrate fossil assemblages of the Jehol Biota

Protopteryx, a monotypic fossil bird discovered from the Sichakou basin in Fengning, Hebei, is the most primitive enantiornithine currently known. The bird-bearing strata do not contain the index fossils of the Yixian Formation in western Liaoning; the fish and bird fossils have more primitive features than the related forms found in the Yixian Formation, and the conchostracans are those usually distributed in the Dabeigou and Dadianzi formations in northern Hebei. Besides, the Protopteryx-bearing strata underlie the deposits bearing the index fossils of the Yixian Formation in the neighboring basin. Thus, it could be confirmed that the horizon of Protopteryx should be lower than the Yixian Formation, and Is approximately equivalent to the Dadianzi Formation in northern Hebei. This is the lowest horizon of the known fossil birds in China and Mesozoic enantiornithine birds in the world. Accompanying Protopteryx, there are other birds, acipenseriform fishes, salamanders, and mammals, which compose the Peipiaosteus fengningensis-Protopteryx fengningensis assemblage. This new assemblage traces the vertebrate evolution history of the Jehol Biota back to 130.7 Ma before. It is suggested that the demarcation of the Jehol Biota should be based on the large-scale tectonic-sedimentary cycles, and Peipiaosteus, instead of Lycoptera, could be taken as the vertebrate representative of the Jehol Biota.     

The internal structure of Early Cambrian fossil embryo <Emphasis Type="Italic">Olivooides</Emphasis> revealed in the light of Synchrotron X-ray Tomographic Microscopy

Countless fossil embryo Olivooides and the hatched larvae, juveniles and adults （the latter two kinds are Punctatus） are recovered by means of acid maceration from the fine-crystalline to medium-crystalline phosphatic limestone and phosphatic micrite of Early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation at the Shizhonggou section, near Kuanchuanpu Village, Ningqiang County, Shaanxi Province, China. Using the technique of Synchrotron X-ray Tomographic Microscopy, the 3D internal structure of Ofivooides and Punctatus is reconstructed. The morphological and statistic analyses are also given to the stellae structure of Ofivooides and Punctatus, which indicates that this structure is a result of adaptive evolution to a lifestyle of fast-attaching after hatching, probably with the function of mucilage secretion. The internal structure of Punctatus is described and discussed. The ovum-like structure, a common internal feature of Punctatus, is considered as the taphonomic structure, rather than eggs or other biological structure. This structure is thought to be formed after the burial of the animal and before or during the mineralization. The original internal structure of Punctatus is assumed to be tabulae-filled, with soft body grown on them.     

Comparative study of Cambrian lobopods <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miraluolishania</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luolishania</Emphasis>

The rare fossil Miraluolishania described by Liu et ah from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstatte in 2004 is regarded as an arthropod sphinx because it bears mosaic features of both Iobopods and arthropods. The discovery of this rare transitional form offers direct fossil evidence for exploring the relationship between Iobopods and arthropods. However, some scientists consider Miraluolishania to be a junior synonym of Luolishania because the former superficially resembles the latter in general appearance. Considering the significant differences between the two taxa, a thorough comparative study of Miraluolishania and Luolishania leads to the conclusion that there are definitely two different genera. Nevertheless, the ＂Luolishania＂ of the Haikou area is indeed ＂Miraluolishania＂, whereas Luolishania is most likely the typical genus of the Maotianshan area of Chengjiang County.     

华南布尔吉斯页岩型软躯体化石生物群对比研究

目的梳理华南布尔吉斯页岩型软躯体化石生物群的产出层位、生物面貌和沉积环境。方法对10个华南布尔吉斯页岩型软躯体化石生物群进行对比研究。结果除了岩家河生物群之外的9个布尔吉斯页岩型生物群代表了一系列生活在泥砂质基底的、从时空分布上逐渐过渡的具有高度相关性的生物群落。结论布尔吉斯页岩型化石生物群在中晚寒武世应该会有更大规模的分布。