辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世一新的无齿翼龙化石

采自辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世九佛堂组的一翼龙化石被记述。化石材料是一接近完整骨架的无齿的翼龙，带有一不完全的头骨。作者将其归于翼手龙类(Pteroclactyloidea)，并建一新属、新种一无齿吉大翼龙(Jidapterus edentus gen．et sp．nov．)。     

辽宁西部一新的帆翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽西朝阳九佛堂组一具有部分头骨的不完整骨架,命名一新的帆翼龙--赵氏龙城翼龙(新属新种).头骨和牙齿形态显示龙城翼龙与宽齿帆翼龙的关系要比与其他翼龙的关系密切,龙城翼龙是目前辽西九佛堂组中发现的唯一的帆翼龙类.帆翼龙科原仅一属种,发现于英国早白垩世地层中,辽西早白垩世新帆翼龙的发现,不但扩大了其地理分布,也证明辽西是晚侏罗世至早白垩世翼龙辐射、分异的重要地区.这对研究翼龙的起源和演化有重要意义.     

中国没有牙齿的翼龙化石

本文总结了古神翼龙类的特征,尤其是对中国发现的没有牙齿的翼龙类(包括古神翼龙类、朝阳翼龙类及神龙翼龙类)进行系统总结。通过对比,把中国的古神翼龙类建立两个新的亚科:中国翼龙亚科及华夏翼龙亚科。从古神翼龙类头骨形态变化来看,其演化趋势是头骨由低长向短高变化,这一变化的原因可能与其食性变化有关。根据在辽西凌源四合当九佛堂组发现的一几乎完整的化石骨架建立了中国翼龙新种:凌源中国翼龙(新种),它具有以下特征:鼻眶前孔的长度与高度之比率为3.20;吻部指数为3.03;股骨与胫骨长度之比率约为0.66以及第2翼指骨与第1翼指骨长度之比率为0.85。根据发现于辽西朝阳九佛堂组的另一个体较小的古神翼龙类化石骨架,建立华夏翼龙属一新种:返祖华夏翼龙(新种)。虽然它个体较小,但是它具有华夏翼龙类似的头骨脊,然而它的第2和第3翼指骨的后面具有原始喙嘴龙类翼龙的沟状结构,以区别于其它的华夏翼龙类。返祖华夏翼龙的翼指骨后部沟状结构的出现,应为返祖现象的体现。而这一现象,在翼手龙类中为首次报道。     

内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区早白垩世新的翼龙类化石

发现于内蒙古鄂托克旗召稍早白垩世罗汉洞组的一件不完整翼龙类下颌标本,以下颌愈合部长且平直、齿骨侧嵴发育、近圆形齿窝沿侧嵴之上的齿骨侧面上半部分自前向后呈直线排列、齿窝直径(2~2.5 mm)前后变化较小、相邻齿窝的间距约为齿窝直径的一半、下颌牙齿密度为3枚/cm等特征,可归入梳颌翼龙科(Ctenochasmatidae),且代表一新属种——郝氏鄂托克翼龙Otogopterus haoae gen.et sp.nov.。该化石是继鄂托克旗新召准噶尔翼龙科的平颌鄂尔多斯翼龙Ordosipterus planignathus之后在内蒙古鄂尔多斯地区发现的第2件确切翼龙类材料,丰富了这一地区早白垩世脊椎动物群的组成。该翼龙也是继甘肃庆阳环河翼龙Huanhepterus quingyangensis之后在鄂尔多斯盆地发现的第2种梳颌翼龙科化石,进一步扩大了鄂尔多斯盆地梳颌翼龙科的地理分布范围,同时表明鄂尔多斯盆地是继辽宁西部之后梳颌翼龙科在中国的又一重要分布区。     

华夏龙谱(32)--董氏中国翼龙(Sinopterus dongi Wang et Zhou,2003)

2003年中科院古脊椎动物和古人类研究所专家汪筱林和周忠和先生研究了辽宁西部热河群上部九佛堂组近两年来发现的大量翼手龙化石中一件几乎完整的化石骨架，认为是一种古神翼龙科翼龙，命名为董氏中国翼龙(Sinopterus dongi)，“董氏”种名献给中国著名恐龙学家董枝明研究员。此前古神翼龙科仅在南美大陆巴西有过报道，中国翼龙是迄今古神翼龙科保存最完整和层位最低的记录。     

辽西晚中生代热河生物群中首次发现具胚胎的软壳蛋化石

本文详细记述了辽宁省锦州市义县晚中生代热河生物群中两类爬行动物的蛋化石,其中离龙类蛋化石发现于早白垩世九佛堂组上部,翼龙类蛋化石发现于早白垩世义县组上部的金刚山层。经研究,离龙类蛋化石不仅含有胚胎,而且为软壳蛋。翼龙类蛋化石没有显示硬壳结构,很可能同样为软壳蛋。这些蛋化石的发现对于我们了解这两类爬行动物的生殖方式和发育演化历史将具有重要科学意义。     

中国辽宁早白垩世华夏翼龙（翼龙目：翼手龙亚目）一新种及古神翼龙科的系统分类

根据中国辽西早白垩世九佛堂组一几乎完整头骨及头后骨骼建立古神翼龙类一新种：具冠华夏翼龙。具冠华夏翼龙以前上颌骨上具有一斧状矩形突起为特征，该突起的短轴垂直于前上颌骨的前边缘，除了该突起之外，其他的头骨特征比如鼻眶前孔的前边缘和前上颌骨的前边缘之间的吻部宽度均与季氏华夏翼龙的相似。华夏翼龙和中国的另一个古神翼龙类中国翼龙与古神翼龙共享有一些独特的头骨特征，并且这3个属看起来彼此之间的关系要比与其他神龙类密切的多。中国的古神翼龙（中国翼龙和华夏翼龙）具有相对长的头骨和弱的头骨嵴，而且似乎要比头骨短高和具有大的头骨嵴的古神翼龙原始。Tupuxuarids（Tupuxuara和Thalassodromeus）经常和古神翼龙类被放在古神翼龙科中，     

辽西早白垩世-新梳颌翼龙类化石

根据发现于辽宁省西部下白垩统九佛堂组的一近乎完整的梳齿颌翼龙类下颌，确立了一新属新种：短颌辽西翼龙Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen.et sp.nov．短颌辽西翼龙以它前部扩张的下颌缝合部，左右第四齿槽间的距离最宽等特征不同于发现于辽西及其周边地区任何具有头骨保存的翼龙类，基于其扁宽的下颌吻端，牙齿大小分异小及短的下颌缝合部，把它归入梳齿翼龙类，短颌辽西翼龙以其较少的牙齿数目区别于其他梳齿颌翼龙，     

辽西玲珑塔翼龙动物群和浙江翼龙的同位素年代:兼论中国翼龙化石的地层序列和时代框架

目前中国已经有8个省及自治区发现翼龙化石,时代分布从中侏罗世一直延续到晚白垩世。对近年来大量发现翼龙化石的辽宁玲珑塔和产出浙江翼龙的塘上组两个有争议的化石层位进行了U-Pb同位素测年,得到了最新的年龄数据。在玲珑塔地区含化石沉积地层的碎屑锆石获得了最小150 Ma的同位素年龄,可能代表了化石层位的时代下限,表明含化石层的时代为晚侏罗世。同时,也获得了浙江天台盆地富含恐龙蛋化石层下伏的塘上组和临海上盘浙江翼龙化石地点的塘上组(小雄组)凝灰岩的年龄,分别为113 Ma和90Ma,证实了浙江翼龙产于晚白垩世,而浙江地区不同盆地的塘上组应属于不同时期的沉积。在辽西和浙江这两个重要的有争议的翼龙化石地点的同位素最新年龄数据的基础上,对中国发现的翼龙化石的地层序列和时代框架进行了初步的总结,表明早白垩世翼龙占优势地位。     

中国早白垩世热河生物群中大型霸王龙类化石的发现

一件包括部分头骨、下颌、肠骨等的不完整兽脚类恐龙骨架发现于辽宁喀左早白垩世九佛堂组中,估计身体全长可达9~10m。其前颌骨主体部分高、肠骨外侧面具显著的直立的嵴等特征表明该化石应归霸王龙类。它以外鼻孔大、上颌骨背缘前部略内凹、上颌骨孔向前达眶前窝前缘、腹缘与眶前窝腹缘存在较大距离等特征不同于晚白垩世的霸王龙科分子,故被命名为一新属种——喀左中国暴龙(Sinotyrannus kazuoensis gen. et sp. nov.),或许代表了最早的霸王龙科类型。该属种是已知个体最大的前晚白垩世霸王龙类,也是辽西及周边地区热河生物群中个体最大的兽脚类恐龙。它的发现不仅表明东亚是霸王龙类最主要的演化地区之一,而且为探讨霸王龙科的起源、热河生物群的组成与生态系统等提供了重要依据。     

New Material of Feilongus (Reptilia: Pterosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning

Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the diagnosis of Feilongus is amended. The revised diagnosis notes long, curved, needle-shaped teeth that are confined to the jaw far anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; posterior teeth that are slightly smaller than the anterior teeth; cervical vertebrae elongated with a ratio of length to width greater than 5; tooth number of about 78; and two cranial sagittal crests.     

Large-Sized Ankylosaur (Dinosauria) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Western Liaoning, China

Two incomplete bones referred to ankylosaur scapulocoracoid and humerus are described, which were discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dachengzi Town, Kazuo County, Liaoning Province. Ankylosaur dinosaurs have ever been found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian, Fuxin and Sunjiawan Formations of western Liaoning. The occurrence of ankylosaurs within Jiufotang Formation improves our knowledge on the ankylosaur stratigraphic distribution. Based on the length of scapulocoracoid, the new dinosaur is estimated to exceed 6.0 meters long, representing the largest ankylosaur in western Liaoning.     

A new pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of the western part of Liaoning Province, northeastern China

Pangupterus liui gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Sihedang, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province is erected based on a nearly complete lower jaw. It is characterized by having a total of 36 slender curved teeth with sharp tips, forming a distinct fish-grabbing mechanism; the teeth are well-spaced and are circular in section; the length ratio of the mandibular symphysis to the whole jaw is 20%; and the ratio of the tooth root width to tooth length is 12%. Toothed pterosaurs make up about 56.3% of the pterosaur assemblage from the Jiufotang Formation, which indicates that toothed forms played a key role in the ecosystem.     

达尔文翼龙的发现及其意义

达尔文翼龙为中等大小的翼龙类, 发现于辽西辽宁省建昌县玲珑塔中侏罗世髫髻山组, 是目前已知唯一由原始类群(非翼手龙类)向进步类群(翼手龙类)演化的过渡类型。它既具有原始类群的特征: 比如尾长, 多于20节尾椎椎体, 且尾椎椎体由极度加长的、纤细的前后关节突及脉弧所包裹, 构成一僵硬的尾部, 第五脚趾具有两个长的趾节; 又具有进步类群的特征: 比如头骨加长, 鼻孔和眶前孔愈合为一大的鼻眶前孔, 颈椎椎体长, 没有或者颈肋退化; 翼掌骨与肱骨的比率介于原始类群和进步类群之间。达尔文翼龙的发现具有重要意义, 它填补了由原始翼龙类向进步翼龙类演化的空白, 为生物宏观演化(模块演化)机制-即组成生物体的模块在短时间内共同演化提供例证。从达尔文翼龙的骨骼结构变化上看, 空中丰富的食物来源(比如飞行能力差的、带羽毛的恐龙、滑翔的哺乳动物、小的翼龙及昆虫等), 可能为导致翼龙头骨和颈部首先演化的原因之一。达尔文翼龙的发现, 有可能打破对翼龙类传统分为两大类的方法。     

A New Species of Huaxiapterus （Pterosauria： Pterodactyloidea） from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning, China with Comments on the Systematics of Tapejarid Pterosaurs

A new species of tapejarid pterosaur, Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is erected on the basis of a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is characterized by a hatchet-shaped rectangular process on the premaxilla, whose short axis is perpendicular to the anterior margin of the premaxillae. Except for this process, other characters of the skull such as the breadth of the snout between the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra and the anterior margin of the premaxilla are similar to that of Huaxiapterus jii. Huaxiapterus and a second Chinese tapejarid, Sinopterus, share several unique cranial characters in common with Tapejara and these three genera appear to be more closely related to each other than to other azhdarchoids. The Chinese tapejarids （Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus） have relatively elongate skulls and weakly developed cranial crests and seem to be less derived than Tapejara, with its shorter, deeper skull and large cranial crest. Tupuxuarids （Tupuxuara and Thalassodromeus） have often been associated with tapejarids in the family Tapejaridae, but this relationship is controversial because some phylogenetic analyses have supported the pairing of tupuxuarids with Azhdarchidae. We propose that Tapejaridae be restricted to Tapejara, Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus.     

A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning,China

A new ctenochasmatoid pterosaur, Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis gen. et sp. nov. from the Yixian Formation of western Laioning Province is erected based on a complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton. It is characterized by following features: about 50 total teeth with sharp tips; small nasoantorbital opening, occupying approximately 13% of the skull length; ratio of prenarial length to skull length approximately 0.63. The diagnoses of the Ctenochasmatoidea and Gallodactylidae are amended based on the new taxon. Gladocephaloideus jingangshanensis is the first gallodactylid pterosaur found in Asia. Its discovery not only provides much more osteological information about the Gallodactylidae but also indicates that the ctenochasmatoid pterosaurs were highly diverse in the Early Cretaceous. The filamentous structures preserved near the dorsal and posterior margins of the posterior portion of the skull and around the neck indicate that it had an epidermal covering and may have been a warm-blooded animal.     

A New Ctenochasmatid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province

Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen, et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different from any known pterosaurs with skulls preserved from western Liaoning Province and its peripheral areas in that the anterior part of the mandibular symphysis is expanded, being widest between the fourth alveolus of each side. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is assigned to Ctenochasmatidae based on the following characters: the rounded anterior end of the lower jaw is spatulated and dorsoventrally flattened and marked heterodonty in the dentition is absent. It differs from other ctenochasmatid pterosaurs in having relatively small number of teeth. Liaoxipterus is distinguished from some ornithocheirids, which have expanded anterior parts of the mandibular symphyses, such as Anhanguera piscator,Coloborhynchus robustus in which the teeth of the new pterosaur are not as variable.     

A New Species of Cathayornis from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China and Its Stratigraphic Significance

An incomplete postcranial avian skeleton is described from the Lower Cretaceous Jingchuan Formation of Otog Banner of western Inner Mongolia and referred to a new species of Cathayornis, C. chabuensis sp. nov. This is the first report of a Cathayornis from outside Liaoning Province. The new discovery indicates that Cathayornis coexisted with Otogornis genghisi, and a more detailed comparison between these two enantiornithine genera shows that Otogornis represents a more primitive genus than Cathayornis. Our analyses further indicate that Cathayornis is an arboreal bird. The discovery of a Cathayornis from this region also confirms that the avian fossil-bearing Jingchuan Formation is comparable to the Jiufotang Formation of the upper Jehol Group in western Liaoning, and should be referred to the middle-late Early Cretaceous.