Palynochronology of Lower Cretaceous volcano-sedimentary succession of the Rajmahal Formation in the Rajmahal Basin, India

In the Rajmahal Basin Lower Cretaceous rocks are classified under the Rajmahal Formation. It includes a series of volcanic basalt flows and associated sedimentary intertrappean beds. Up to 15 basalt flows have been recorded in this basin. The intertrappean beds comprise sandstone, shale, siltstone, and clay deposits which are rich in spores and pollen. The palynoflora recovered from intertrappean beds shows definite pattern of evolution and diversification. On the basis of its overall composition, distribution pattern of age marker taxa and the First Appearance Datum of key taxa, four palynological assemblages have been identified. The chronology of these assemblages in ascending order is (1) Ruffordiaspora australiensis, (2) Foraminisporis wonthaggiensis, (3) Foraminisporis asymmetricus, and (4) Coptospora verrucosa. These assemblages ascertain the age of the volcano-sedimentary sequence of the Rajmahal Formation in the Rajmahal Basin as Berriasian to Aptian. The palynochronology of the intertrappean beds enables their correlation in the Rajmahal Basin. In different areas of the basin, the palynological dating of the lowermost intertrappean bed within the Rajmahal Formation which overlies the Dubrajpur Formation, has provided a Berriasian to Aptian age. The palynological assemblage indicating the Berriasian age is inferred as the time of the initiation of volcanic activity which continued up to the Aptian in the Rajmahal Basin.     

Palynological evidence for Jurassic strata in the Panagarh area, West Bengal, India

The Rajmahal Traps were discovered in the Panagarh area, West Bengal, during the exploration for coal resources. A Gondwana succession was found beneath the traps, consisting of the Early Cretaceous Intratrappean Rajmahal Formation, the Early Triassic Panchet Formation and the Late Permian coal-bearing Raniganj Formation. The present palynological study was aimed at confirming the age of the Panchet Formation. As a result of this study it has been found that Jurassic sediments are also included in the Panchet Formation. The study has revealed that the Panchet Formation, defined on a lithological basis, is a time-transgressive unit extending from the Early Triassic to the Late Jurassic, with a phase of non-deposition between the Middle Triassic and Middle Jurassic.     

Palynological evidence for dating Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary sediments in the Bureya basin, Russian Far East

Palynological complexes from the coaliferous Talyndzhan and Dublikan formations of the Bureya sedimentary basin are analyzed. The palynological assemblage from the upper part of the Talyndzhan Formation is characterized by dominant gymnosperms largely close to Pinaceae and Ginkgocycadophytus. The content of ferns is insignificant against the background of their relatively high taxonomic diversity. The assemblage is marked by the last occurrence of Staplinisporites pocockii, Camptotriletes cerebriformis, C. nitida, and Cingulatisporites sanguinolentus spores typical of the Late Jurassic palynofloras. The palynological assemblage from the Dublikan Formation is dominated by Pteridophyts representing mainly by Cyathidites and Duplexisporites. In addition to the conifer, the role of Classopollis increased among the gymnosperms in this assemblage. It also includes the first-appearing Stereisporites bujargiensis, Neoraistrickia rotundiformis, Contignisporites dorsostriatus, Duplexisporites pseudotuberculatus, D. rotundatus, Appendicisporites tricostatus, and Concavissimisporites asper. These sporomorphs are characteristic of the Berriasian palynofloras. Thus, the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary is most likely located between the Talyndzhan and Dublikan formations.     

Evidence of Insect-plant Interactions From the Upper Gondwana Sequence (Lower Cretaceous) in the Rajmahal Basin, India

The present paper reports significant evidence of insect-plant interactions in the Upper Gondwana sequence (Early Cretaceous) from various localities of the Rajmahal Formation in the Rajmahal Basin of Jharkhand State, India. This evidence is among the first Early Cretaceous evidence of phytophagy and is recognised by various types of feeding traces namely continuous marginal, discontinuous marginal and non-marginal. These traces may indicate herbivory of pinnate leaves ofPtilophyllurn (Bennettitales) and these herbivores may have assisted the plants in pollination. Additional evidence for a plant-insect relationship is on the lamina o f Phyllopteroides pinnae (Osmundaceae) which was used for ovipostional sites containing oval egg impressions that occur along the veins in the leaf lamina. Further, the evidence of insect galls recognised on a Nipaniophyllurn (Pentoxylales) leaf surface indicates that the lamina was used as a shelter habitat for insect larvae. These galls show some similarity with extinct leaf galls reported on Glossopteris (Glossopteridales) leaves recorded from the Permian of Kashmir Himalaya, India as well as on galls on Sophora (Fabaceae) and Eomangferophyllum (Anacardiaceae) leaves from the Neogene flora of India. Similar spherical leaf galls are induced by Diptera (Cecidomyiidae) and Hymenoptera (Pteromalidae) on leaves of modern Anadenanthera peregrina from Brazil. The present findings from the Upper Gondwana Sequence of India reveals that these types of insect-plant relationships existed during the Gondwana time and continued up to the recent, perhaps having a role in the co-evolution of present flora and fauna.     

河南汝阳地区-巨型蜥脚类恐龙股骨化石的发现及其地层学意义

报道了首次在河南省汝阳县发现的大型蜥脚类恐龙股骨化石。从股骨近端的大小来判断,该股骨的实际长度可能超过2m,应属于巨型蜥脚类恐龙的股骨无疑。虽然化石破碎,种属的归属存在一定的困难,但是它的发现无论从晰脚类恐龙的分布、演化还是从地层学上都具有重要意义。该恐龙股骨化石的发现,将该地区原认为属于古近系蟒川组的时代向前推至早白垩世晚期或晚白垩世早期,同时其下伏地层陈宅沟组也应划归白垩纪时期的沉积。     

Changes of Late Mesozoic Tectonic Regimes around the Ordos Basin (North China) and their Geodynamic Implications

A synthesis is given in this paper on late Mesozoic deformation pattern in the zones around the Ordos Basin based on lithostratigraphic and structural analyses. A relative chronology of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress evolution was established from the field analyses of fault kinematics and constrained by stratigraphic contact relationships. The results show alternation of tectonic compressional and extensional regimes. The Ordos Basin and its surroundings were in weak N-S to NNE-SSW extension during the Early to Middle Jurassic, which reactivated E-W-trending basement fractures. The tectonic regime changed to a multi-directional compressional one during the Late Jurassic, which resulted in crustal shortening deformation along the marginal zones of the Ordos Basin. Then it changed to an extensional one during the Early Cretaceous, which rifted the western, northwestern and southeastern margins of the Ordos Basin. A NW-SE compression occurred during the Late Cretaceous and caused the termination of sedimentation and uplift of the Ordos Basin. This phased evolution of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress regimes and associated deformation pattern around the Ordos Basin best records the changes in regional geodynamic settings in East Asia, from the Early to Middle Jurassic post-orogenic extension following the Triassic collision between the North and South China Blocks, to the Late Jurassic multi-directional compressions produced by synchronous convergence of the three plates (the Siberian Plate to the north, Paleo-Pacific Plate to the east and Lhasa Block to the west) towards the East Asian continent. Early Cretaceous extension might be the response to collapse and lithospheric thinning of the North China Craton.     

江西修水第四系网纹红土的地层学研究

根据大量野外观察和室内分析结果，较详细论述了江西修水地区第四系网纹红土的地貌地层、岩石地层、磁性地层和年代地层等方面的特征，并在此基础上，就有关网纹红土的形成时代、成因以及与黄土的对比等问题进行了讨论，提出１）网纹红土可分为强网纹化红土和弱网纹化红土两个岩性段，每个岩性段又由若干个密集网纹层与稀疏网纹层构成；网纹红土与下伏红色砾石层属同期产物；２）网纹红土中的密集网纹层的地质意义相当于北方黄土中的古土壤；３）网纹红土形成于早更新世末（约０．９ＭａＢ．Ｐ．）至晚更新世初（约０．１ＭａＢ．Ｐ．）；４）网纹红土发育于湿热气候条件下，地下水埋深浅，地表低洼、排水不畅的环境。     

中国贵州中生代四足类足迹化石的回顾与新发现*

贵州省拥有丰富的中生代脊椎动物化石记录,多为三叠纪海生爬行类化石,侏罗纪和白垩纪的脊椎动物化石较少。目前,贵州省已发现中生代爬行类足迹点9处,分别为贞丰牛场、贞丰龙场、安顺幺铺、赫章辅处、毕节响水(2处)、仁怀茅台、赤水宝源和习水同民足迹点。文中除描述了贞丰龙场新增的一批足迹化石外,整理并总结了所有足迹点的发现史、研究现状、足迹类型与特征以及所反映的古生态信息。已发现的遗迹记录由69条行迹和420个孤立足迹组成,足迹总数达991个。所有的遗迹化石指示了至少477个造迹者,包括海生爬行类、手兽足迹类、非鸟兽脚类、鸟类、蜥脚类和鸟臀类等,其中三叠纪以海生爬行类主导,侏罗纪和白垩纪以蜥臀类主导。这个数据集为贵州中生代古生物类群的多样性提供了重要的信息,是晚中生代稀缺骨骼化石记录的良好补充,为研究贵州省中生代脊椎动物群的古生态与古环境提供了更多的证据。     

佳木斯地块东缘南双鸭山组碎屑锆石年代学及其大地构造意义

正佳木斯地块位于我国黑龙江省东部,大地构造上处于华北和西伯利亚两大古板块所夹持的中亚构造带最东端,东邻西太平洋大陆边缘中生代增生杂岩带。该地块以广泛出露有麻粒岩相高级变质表壳岩系,东缘发育晚古生代大陆边缘沉积层系和早中生代海相沉积地层为特征。早期的研究普遍认为,东北地区以佳木斯地块等为代表的诸变质构造单元是卷入到东亚晚古生代地槽褶皱带或古亚洲     

大兴安岭中北部晚侏罗世-早白垩世地层新认识

根据大兴安岭中北部地区晚侏罗世火山岩正常沉积夹层中所含叶肢介化石的研究成果和同位素年龄新资料，认为大兴安岭北部西坡被归入白音高老组中的“含Eosestheria的酸性、酸碱性火山碎屑岩和熔岩”不是白音高老组，应归入龙江组，层位与辽西义县组对比。大兴安岭主脊火山岩（满克头鄂博组、玛尼吐组、白音高老组）从南到北是同期火山活动作用的结果，不存在“穿时”现象，形成于晚侏罗世早中期，层位与冀北大北沟组对比。     

Regional hydrostratigraphy and groundwater flow modeling in the arsenic-affected areas of the western Bengal basin, West Bengal, India

The first documented interpretation of the regional-scale hydrostratigraphy and groundwater flow is presented for a ～21,000-km² area of the arsenic-affected districts of West Bengal [Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas (including Calcutta)], India. A hydrostratigraphic model demonstrates the presence of a continuous, semi-confined sand aquifer underlain by a thick clay aquitard. The aquifer thickens toward the east and south. In the south, discontinuous clay layers locally divide the near-surface aquifer into several deeper, laterally connected, confined aquifers. Eight 22-layer model scenarios of regional groundwater flow were developed based on the observed topography, seasonal conditions, and inferred hydrostratigraphy. The models suggest the existence of seasonally variable, regional, north–south flow across the basin prior to the onset of extensive pumping in the 1970s. Pumping has severely distorted the flow pattern, inducing high vertical hydraulic gradients across wide cones of depression. Pumping has also increased total recharge (including irrigational return flow), inflow from rivers, and sea water intrusion. Consequently, downward flow of arsenic contaminated shallow groundwater appears to have resulted in contamination of previously safe aquifers by a combination of mechanical mixing and changes in chemical equilibrium.     

Discovery of three new mordellids (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea) from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China

In this paper one new genus and three new species Bellimordella capitulifera gen. et sp. nov., B. longispina gen. et sp. nov., B. robusta gen. et sp. nov., all placed within the subfamily Praemordellinae of the family Mordellidae, are described and illustrated. The specimens were recovered from the Yixian Formation of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, NE China. The key to the species of this new genus is given. Furthermore, we discuss evolution of the pygidium and possible food for those ancient mordellids.     

西藏冈底斯南缘汤白斑状花岗岩锆石U-Pb年代学、地球化学及地质意义

为了探讨冈底斯南缘晚三叠世-早侏罗世时期岩浆岩的成因及与新特提斯洋早期演化的关系,文章对冈底斯南缘汤 白地区斑状花岗岩的岩相学、年代学和地球化学特征进行研究。LA-ICP-MS 锆石U-Pb 定年结果显示,斑状花岗岩的结晶年 龄为（190.37±0.87） Ma （MSWD=0.58）,形成于早侏罗世。岩体以高SiO2 （75.20%~75.97%）、Na2O （3.39%~4.12%）、 Na2O/K2O 值（1.40~2.00） 和低MgO （0.32%~0.38%） 为特征,属于钙碱性I 型花岗岩。微量元素地球化学特征显示,富集大 离子亲石元素（LILEs：如Rb、U 和K） 和轻稀土（LREEs）,亏损高场强元素（HFSEs：如Nb、Ta 和Ti） 和重稀土 （HREEs）,表明其形成于新特提斯洋北向俯冲相关的岩浆弧环境。同时岩石具有较低的Mg#值（26.71~41.34,平均值为 35.26） 和与下地壳接近的Nb/Ta 值,指示岩浆主要起源于新生下地壳部分熔融。结合前人最新的研究成果表明,南冈底斯 晚三叠世-早侏罗世时期的岩浆岩形成于新特提斯洋北向俯冲相关岩浆弧环境,新特提斯洋向北俯冲起始时间至少早于本 文报道的汤白斑状花岗岩的结晶年龄（190.37±0.87 Ma）。     

浙江长兴煤山D剖面早三叠世孢粉组合及全球对比意义

在长兴煤山D剖面下三叠统殷坑组14 m厚的地层内(第25-60层)密集采孢粉样89件, 从12块样品中获得孢粉化石47属50种, 据此将该剖面下三叠统底部的孢粉组合定为Lundbladispora-Taeniaesporites-Equisetosporites组合.组合中裸子植物花粉占优势, 为59.0%~79.6%;蕨类植物孢子次之, 为20.4%~41.0%;裸子植物花粉中以无肋双气囊类花粉为主, 含量为19.7%~54.4%, 多沟类花粉虽仅见Equisetosporites一属, 但含量高, 最高达24.3%.蕨类植物孢子中光面三缝孢类含量最高, 为14.3%~24.4%, 以圆形的Puncatisporites为主, 最高可达16.2%.孢粉组合Lundbladispora-Taeniaesporites-Equisetosporites与同一剖面的早三叠世牙形石第2带Isarcicella isarcica带及第3带Clarkina carinata-C.planata带相重合.这对当前正在进行的陆相二叠系-三叠系界线的准确划分提供了重要的参照系.研究还表明, 煤山D剖面早三叠世早期的孢粉组合与中国北方区的早三叠世同期的孢粉组合对比较为困难, 而与华南各地的对比较为吻合, 说明中国南、北方古生代孢粉组合向中生代孢粉组合转变的时间并不一致, 北方较早, 南方较晚.      

柴达木旺尕秀煤矿东南晚侏罗世—早白垩世风成砂古风向及古地理意义

柴达木盆地是我国西部地区的主要含油气盆地之一,对其油气勘探和基础地质研究工作已有70余年的历史,取得了大量研究成果,但柴达木中生代原型盆地恢复及构造演化等问题仍存在着诸多争议,影响了盆地的油气勘探进程。项目组对现今柴达木盆地周缘中生代地层开展沉积学、岩石学、沉积相分析等综合地质调查研究,在位于德令哈至都兰国道旺尕秀煤矿东南10 km山沟内原白垩系犬牙沟组地层中,发现一套滨浅湖相风成砂沉积。对其进行1∶100沉积构造厘定和岩石特征剖面实测研究后发现,剖面上发育典型的大型板状斜层理、颗粒流(grain flow)和下降流(fall flow)风成砂构造,并且伴生大量虫迹(traces)、潜穴(burrows)、泥裂和液化弯曲层理潜水位线之下的滨浅湖相沉积构造。同时采集大量组板状交错层理、斜层理等沉积构造古风向产状数据,室内利用古风向数据校正、玫瑰花图绘制进行系统研究,结果显示犬牙沟组风成砂沉积时期应盛行西风和西北风,与中国北方晚侏罗世—白垩纪时期区域研究资料一致。犬牙沟组垂向上显示了风成与水成交互—风成主导—水成主导的变化趋势,表明干湿波动性气候的存在。前人研究认为风成沉积是重要的油气储层,柴达木中生代盆地新发现的一套滨浅湖相风成砂沉积,对于盆地油气勘探有着重要的意义,且能为柴达木中生代盆地原型盆地恢复及构造演化研究提供帮助。     

漠河逆冲推覆构造中段地质特征与构造演化

依据近年来区域地质调查的成果,漠河逆冲推覆构造中段的典型构造为逆冲叠瓦状断层、紧闭尖棱褶皱、倒转褶皱及反冲断层形成的冲起构造和隔挡式褶皱。这些构造显示指向SSE的变形。结合同位素资料,认为漠河逆冲推覆构造形成的时代为晚侏罗世晚期—早白垩世早期。其形成与中亚蒙古-鄂霍茨克构造带晚期造山时代和动力学背景一致。     

华南衡阳盆地上白垩统黄土类似物的初步研究

中国新生代黄土序列具有沉积速率高、连续性好等特点,记录了东亚地区持续的古气候动力学演化和重大地质事件信息。受区域构造-地貌和大气环流格局影响,中生代晚期华南发育了众多盆山型古沙漠系统且出露了巨厚的风成砂,但几乎未有学者提及黄土/黄土类似物的存在。本文通过粒度端元解析、野外露头的构型分析等手段,对衡阳盆地上白垩统红花套组进行了初步研究,识别出风成砂丘、砂席和泥滩等环境类型;并在泥滩环境中提取到黄土类似物的粒度组分信号,同时提出了黄土类似物的风成成因,总结了其形成-堆积过程。这项工作旨在探索白垩纪黄土类似物存在的可能性,为未来开展华南陆块中生代风尘记录研究提供契机。     

河南栾川晚白垩世秋扒组甲龙类化石的发现及意义

报道了河南省栾川县秋扒乡晚白垩世秋扒组发现的甲龙类化石。化石包括单枚牙齿、一几乎完整的背椎体、不完整的肋骨和坐骨。虽然化石材料少,难以确立属种,但是这是除中原龙产地外,中原地区发现的第二个甲龙类化石点。该化石的发现为研究甲龙类的迁徙及其古地理分布特点提供了重要信息。     

河北地区中生代标准地层剖面侏罗系/白垩系界线——SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄标定

在全国地层委员会组织的滦平盆地中生代地层野外考察中,采集了大北沟组凝灰岩样品,其锆石年龄测定结果引发对陆相侏罗系/白垩系界线的思考。冀北滦平地区陆相侏罗系—白垩系发育,各类陆相生物化石极丰富,地层产出大量火山凝灰岩层,是通过岩石地层、生物地层、同位素测年和磁性年代地层综合研究侏罗系/白垩系界线的理想地区。根据生物地层研究,冀北滦平盆地侏罗系/白垩系界线附近的地层为大北沟组和大店子组。根据冀北—辽西地区同位素测年数据,侏罗系/白垩系界线年龄倾向于130Ma。获得榆树下标准剖面大北沟组顶部凝灰岩(斑脱岩)SHRIMP锆石U-Pb同位素年龄为129.9±1.1Ma。