Paleomagnetism of the earliest Cretaceous to early late Cretaceous sandstones, Khorat Group, Northeast Thailand: Implications for tectonic plate movement of the Indochina block

A total of 400 samples (33 sites) were collected from the earliest Cretaceous to early Late Cretaceous sandstones of the Khorat Group in the Indochina block for paleomagnetic study to unravel the tectonic evolution of the region. The sites were adopted from 3 traverses located in the northern edge of the Khorat Plateau, northeastern Thailand. Results indicate that almost all the sandstones exhibit similar magnetic values with an average declination (D) = 31.7°, inclination (I) = 30.3°, λ = 59.7°,  = 190.9°, K = 54.4, and A₉₅ = 3.7 at reference point 17°30′N and 103°30′E. The calculated paleolatitude points are inferred to deviate from the present latitude point by 1.2 ± 2.3°. Only the lowermost part of the Cretaceous sandstones can pass a positive fold test at 95% confidence level. The relationship between the virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) of Cretaceous rocks of the Indochina plate in Thailand and those of the South China plate advocate that there is a major displacement of Indochina along the northwest-trending Red River and associated faults by about 950 ± 150 km with a 16.0–17.0° clockwise rotation relative to the South China plate during earliest Cretaceous times. Paleomagnetic results of the early Late Cretaceous Indochina plate point to a 20–25° clockwise rotation relative to the present occurring since very Late Cretaceous (65 Myrs)–Early Neogene times which may be due to the collision between India and Asia.     

Fossil footprints from the Dakota Group (Cretaceous) John Martin Reservoir, Bent County, Colorado: New insights into the paleoecology of the Dinosaur Freeway

The John Martin Reservoir tracksites from the Dakota Group of Bent County, in southeastern Colorado form part of the mid Cretaceous Dinosaur Freeway characterized by abundant ornithopod footprints (Caririchnium). Over 350 tracks (331 Caririchnium, 1 Magnoavipes, 22 crocodiles, and a few pterosaurs) were discovered at 10 new tracksites. All tracks were found as natural casts, including Caririchnium trackways that were still in-situ, parallel and regularly spaced, suggesting gregarious behavior. Most crocodile tracks are swimming tracks that consist of three or four scratch marks also with parallel orientations in many cases. A few pterosaur tracks consist of pes footprints and scratch marks suggesting swimming or floating activity in shallow water. This is the first pterosaur evidence from the Dakota Group. The Caririchnium size structure from John Martin Reservoir is consistent with the size structure tendency of the whole Dinosaur Freeway, which shows larger track size in the north. This tendency could be interpreted as evidence for more than one ornithopod species spread out across the Dinosaur Freeway. The alternative, that there was one ornithopod species that migrated north and south seasonally is less likely. The John Martin paleoecosystem is interpreted from the track evidence as a well-vegetated coastal plain environment with many ornithopods and a few theropods on land, crocodiles in the water, and pterosaurs in the skies and on the water.     

徽成盆地东河群孢粉化石的发现及其意义

对甘肃南部徽成盆地东河群进行了孢粉研究,在上部的化垭组首次发现了一些孢粉化石。孢粉组合以Ｃｉｃａｔｒｉｃｏｓｉｓｐｏｒｉｔｅｓ Ｈｓｕｉｓｐｏｒｉｔｅｓ Ｃｌａｓｏｐｏｌｉｓ为代表,蕨类植物孢子占明显优势,以海金砂科、水龙骨科和卷柏科为主;裸子植物花粉以掌鳞杉科最常见,还有松科及麻黄科花粉。经孢粉组合特征和属种地史分布对比分析,认为化垭组的地质时代属早白垩世,可能为早白垩世中期,东河群的上界也为这一时期     

Reply to comment on: “A densely feathered ornithomimid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation,Alberta, Canada”

We confirm the presence of pigmented keratinized integumentary structures attributable to feathers in the Late Cretaceous Ornithomimus specimen UALVP 52531. We falsify the hypothesis that these features represent collagen fibers and address additional criticisms of our paper made by Lingham-Soliar (2016).     

Trajectory and contribution of geoscientists (1906–1961) to dinosaur research in the Bauru Group (Cretaceous) in the Triângulo Mineiro region of Brazil

The present study discusses geological and paleontological research conducted by geoscientists in the Late Cretaceous Bauru Group, of the Triângulo Mineiro region, Brazil. This analysis based largely on historical documentary sources focuses on the pioneering work of geoscientists, who made numerous discoveries of dinosaur fossils. This work contributes to a chronological survey that has been compiled on the geological studies in the Bauru Group, and describes the importance of the paleontological discoveries made during the twentieth century.     

平凉安国镇六盘山群介形类

平凉安国镇六盘山群的介形类化石采自和尚堡组、李洼峡组与马东山组，计１０属２２种（含６新种、１新亚种、３未定种）。自下而上可分为：Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ（Ｕｌｗｅｌｌｉａ）－Ｄａｍｏｎｅｌｌａ组合，时代属中上凡兰吟期；Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ（Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ）－Ｚｉｚｉｐｈｏｃｙｐｒｉｓ组合，时代属豪特里维一巴列姆期及Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ－Ｌｉｕｐａｎｓｈａｎｉａ组合，时代属阿普第期。     

黑龙江三江盆地晚白垩世海浪组孢粉组合

依据东基三井1 226. 0～1 538. 0 m井段的孢粉鉴定结果,结合前人资料,首次将该井段孢粉组合命名为Cyathidites-Taxodiaceaepolleni-Aquilapollenites组合。其组合特征为:裸子植物花粉占48. 10%～78. 58%,蕨类孢子占2. 44%～34. 18%,被子植物花粉占0%～28. 26%;蕨类孢子中Cyathidites百分含量最高(0. 79%～37. 50%),其次是Cicatricosisporites (0%～12. 50%)和Leiotriletes (0%～10. 00%),重要分子有Appendicisporites、Schizaeoisporites、Lygodiumsporites和Lygodioisporites;裸子植物花粉中Inaperturopllenites的百分含量最高(11. 29%～38. 83%),其次是Taxodiaceaepollenites (12. 66%～28. 57%),重要分子有Tsugaepollenites、Parcisporites、Parvisaccites、Ephedripites和Classopollis等;被子植物花粉中Tricolpites的百分含量最高(0%～16. 46%),其次是Betulaepollenites (0%～15. 22%),含量较高的还有Momipites和Tricolporopollenites,重要分子有Aquilapollenites、Fibulapollis和Proteacidites等。该组合可以与松辽盆地嫩江组孢粉组合对比,地质时代为晚白垩世Santonian-Campanian期。鉴于宁安市南团子山、高家等露头区海浪组所产Estherites mitsuishii、E. liuxinensis、Tylestheria cf. shanhoensis、Halysestheria yui、Calestherites sp.和Brachygrapta? sp.等叶肢介化石群,系松辽盆地嫩江组常见分子,故将东基三井1 226. 0～1 538. 0 m井段划归为海浪组,废弃\"七星河组\"一名。     

中国甘肃省酒泉地区公婆泉盆地早白垩世恐龙化石

中国甘肃省酒泉地区公婆泉盆地下白垩统新民堡群的恐龙化石主要由1992年中日丝绸之路恐龙考察计划和1997~2000年中美马鬃山恐龙考察计划发掘和研究。先后发现的恐龙包括兽脚类、蜥脚类、禽龙类和新角龙类等。这一新的公婆泉恐龙组合的主要特征是同时包含了在晚白垩世占主导地位的几类恐龙的基干分子,如戈壁巨龙(Gobititan)是巨龙型类的基干分子,马鬃龙(Equijubus)是鸭嘴龙型类的基干分子,而古角龙(Archaeoceratops)和黎明角龙(Auroraceratops)是新角龙类的基干分子。公婆泉恐龙组合的另一特征是其某些成员的体型较大,如似鸟龙类和镰刀龙类恐龙是同期同类中最大的。比较研究发现,公婆泉盆地新民堡群的恐龙和辽西热河群的恐龙关系密切,但前者的整体来说要比后者进步。考虑到公婆泉盆地新民堡群的时代(Albian)较辽西热河群(Hauterivian晚期-Aptian早期)晚,公婆泉恐龙组合似应代表中国北方早白垩纪鹦鹉嘴龙恐龙动物群进化过程中较进步的一个阶段。     

内蒙古海拉尔盆地贝尔凹陷贝32井南屯组地层及孢粉组合

对内蒙古海拉尔盆地贝尔凹陷贝32井南屯地层中的孢粉化石进行了系统研究,自下而上建立了2个孢粉化石组合。Piceaepollenites云杉粉-Pinuspollenites双束松粉-Abietineaepollenites单束松粉组合,分布于南屯组一段;Concentrisporites同心粉-Piceaepollenites云杉粉-Pinuspollenites双束松粉组合,分布于南屯组二段。根据孢粉化石组合中Cicatricosisporites,Densoisporites,Triporoletes,Pilosisporites等重要分子的地质时限特征,认为南屯组地质时代为早白垩世Aptian—Albian。这些孢粉化石资料对建立海拉尔盆地地层层序,而指导盆地油气勘探具有十分重要的理论和现实意义。     

炳灵大夏巨龙:中国早白垩世一新巨型蜥脚类恐龙

兰州—民和盆地位于中国西北横跨甘肃和青海两省的毗连地区,其中广泛发育出露良好下白垩统河口群。近年来,在该盆地东部的兰州盆地产出了一个前所未知的脊椎动物组合,其中以诸多的足印化石和世界已知最大牙齿的植食性恐龙——巨齿兰州龙(Lanzhousaurus magnidens)为代表,还包括一类宽臀的基干巨龙型类蜥脚类——刘家峡黄河巨龙(Huanghetitan liujiaxiaensis),以及许多其他尚未发表的恐龙、鱼类和龟类。本文报道在该地区河口群中所发现的第二种新的蜥脚类恐龙——炳灵大夏巨龙(新属新种)(Daxiatitan binglingi gen.et sp.nov.)。炳灵大夏巨龙的正型标本现存于甘肃省地矿局第三地质矿产勘查院古生物研究开发中心(兰州)。该标本包括最后的10枚颈椎,10枚背椎,2枚近端尾椎,部分颈肋和背肋,1枚脉弓,右肩胛骨,右乌喙骨和右股骨。估计其颈部长度为12.2m,整个身体长度为26m,使其成为中国乃至亚洲最大的恐龙之一。大夏巨龙是巨龙类的一个基干分子[其支干定义为:与盐龙(Saltasaurus)而不与腕龙(Brachiosaurus)更具亲缘关系的巨龙型类],其以如下特征区别于其他巨龙类分子:颈椎的前关节面后移;肩胛骨骨体的远缘与其长轴斜交;股骨远端髁相对于股骨体向背侧方倾斜10°,而且从远端看,该远端髁处于后内—前侧方向。大夏巨龙独特的股骨构造指示出一种强烈外撇的走步姿态。同时,这种姿态也得到了保存于刘家峡恐龙国家地质公园同一层位(河口群上段)的强烈外转的、宽间距的蜥脚类恐龙行迹的进一步佐证。炳灵大夏巨龙的发现丰富了兰州盆地脊椎动物组合,对研究巨龙类恐龙的起源和早期演化具有重要意义。     

河南栾川地区晚白垩世脊椎动物群研究进展

栾川地区脊椎动物化石赋存在上白垩统秋扒组的中下部,时代可能为坎潘期晚期,以小型兽脚类恐龙骨骼为主。化石点大多分布在潭头盆地北部边缘2 km的范围,搬运距离不远。栾川动物群的化石组合包括至少8种恐龙（其中已命名6种）、2种蜥蜴类、2种哺乳类及数量众多的恐龙蛋等,代表一典型晚白垩世动物群,称为栾川动物群。栾川动物群与中国南方的赣州盆地和蒙古Nemegt盆地晚白垩世恐龙动物群具有很高的相似性,均以兽脚类恐龙为主,兼有其他脊椎动物组合。栾川动物群的研究对了解东亚晚白垩世恐龙动物群的生态面貌、恐龙多样性演化,以及环境变化对恐龙迁徙和灭绝的影响等具有重要意义。     

化学地层学及其研究进展

化学地层学是利用岩层中化学元素及其化合物的演变规律及含量分布特征进行地层的划分和对比,进而推断地层形成时的地球化学环境的一门地层学分支。根据所采用的化学信号,化学地层学可进一步划分为放射性同位素地层学、稳定同位素地层学、分子化学地层学、有机碳和碳酸盐碳化学地层学和元素化学地层学等。     

赣南—粤北版石群及其地质时代

赣南—粤北中生代晚期存在上、中、下3个不同时代的火山岩系,其中上火山岩系称为版石群。根据岩性岩相特征,版石群可进一步划分为两个岩组:下岩组称为合水组,以砾岩、砂岩、页岩等沉积岩为主、夹火山岩,代表火山活动初始期的产物;上岩组称为优胜组,岩性为流纹岩、流纹质凝灰岩、熔结凝灰岩,代表火山活动喷发期的产物。长塘盆地优胜组熔结凝灰岩全岩RbSr等时线年龄为89.5Ma;仁差盆地优胜组流纹岩全岩RbSr等时线年龄为91.9～94Ma,熔结凝灰岩锆石UPb法年龄为86.5Ma,次流纹斑岩锆石UPb法年龄为93.5Ma;菖蒲盆地优胜组流纹岩全岩RbSr等时线年龄为104Ma;版石盆地优胜组流纹岩全岩RbSr等时线年龄为72.2Ma,全岩KAr法年龄为77.6Ma,可见版石群优胜组的地质时代为早白垩世晚期—晚白垩世早期。另外,合水组的生物化石反映出早白垩世的特征,因此,将版石群置于早白垩世—晚白垩世早期是可信的。     

禄丰盆地早白垩世恐龙足迹的发现及其地质意义

通过详细追索调查,笔者等在禄丰盆地滑石板村一带发现大规模的恐龙足迹化石产地,产于白垩系下统马头山组下部紫红色钙粉砂质泥岩层面。足迹主要有蜥脚类、兽脚类、鸟臀类恐龙足迹等,足迹指示恐龙运动方向明显、足迹深度自南向北变化体现了古湖泊位于产地南部的古地理特征;鉴于足迹类型丰富、数量庞大、保存完整,为深入研究滇中地区早白垩世恐龙演化、生存环境及科普提供重要研究材料。     

Upper Cretaceous depositional environments and bivalve assemblages of far-east Asia: the Himenoura Group, Kyushu, Japan

The depositional environments and bivalve assemblages are determined for the Upper Cretaceous Hinoshima Formation of the Himenoura Group, Kamishima, Amakusa Islands, Kyushu, Japan. The Hinoshima Formation is characterized by a thick transgressive succession that varies from incised-valley-fill deposits to submarine slope deposits with high aggradation rates of depositional systems. The incised valley is filled with fluvial, bayhead delta, brackish-water estuary, and marine embayment deposits, and is overlain by thick slope deposits.Shallow marine bivalves are grouped into five fossil assemblages according to species composition: Glycymeris amakusensis (foreset beds of a bayhead delta), Nippononectes tamurai (foreset beds of a bayhead delta), Ezonuculana mactraeformis–Nucula formosa (central bay), Glycymeris amakusensis–Apiotrigonia minor (slope), and Inoceramus higoensis–Parvamussium yubarensis (slope). These bivalve assemblages all represent autochthonous and parautochthonous conditions except for a Glycymeris amakusensis–Apiotrigonia minor assemblage found in debris flow and slump deposits. The life habitats of these bivalves and the compositions of the assemblages are discussed in terms of the ecological history of fossil bivalves of the mid- to Late Cretaceous.