The upper Cenomanian (Cretaceous) ammonite Neolobites vibrayeanus () in the Middle East: taxonomic and palaeoecologic remarks

In the Middle East and Africa, the Cenomanian ammonite genus Neolobites occurs, partly in great abundance, in shallow marine shelf settings. The genus includes several species but it has remained uncertain to what extent these species reflect biospecies, chronospecies or morphological variants. Based on material from Jordan and Egypt, the morphological variation of Neolobites vibrayeanus is described and discussed. From the several species of Neolobites described in the literature, only N. vibrayeanus, N. fourtaui and N. peroni appear to deserve specific separation. Sedimentological and lithological data, notably the common occurrence in strata that were possibly deposited above storm wave base, suggest that Neolobites was able to inhabit shallow marine settings. In these settings, it seems to form a distinct assemblage with the nautiloid Angulithes. Although N. vibrayeanus shows morphological variability between distinct populations, local N. vibrayeanus assemblages seem to develop morphologically stable populations that show only a little morphological overlap with those of other areas. This may be the reason for the earlier taxonomic splitting. The occurrence in habitats in which other stratigraphically significant ammonites are often missing may be the reason for the previous poor dating of Neolobites assemblages.     

The ammonite fauna and genesis of a mid-Cretaceous siliceous oolite from the Alagoas Basin, Brazil

Acanthoceratid ammonites from near Maceió, in the State of Alagoas, provide evidence of a mid-Cretaceous marine incursion into the present onshore part of the Alagoas Basin. The ammonites Pseudocalycoceras sp. cf. P. harpax (Stoliczka, 1864) and Kamerunoceras sp. are assigned a late Cenomanian age. The rock is a siliceous oolite that occurs as derived nodules and fragments in late Cenozoic continental sediments. It is interpreted as an originally calcareous oolite formed in a near-shore, high-energy environment. Absence of primary cement suggests that silicification took place early in diagenesis. The silicified, and therefore more resistant material from the original Cenomanian sequence was reworked and redeposited with the Cenozoic sediments. The age, indicated by the ammonites, suggests that the original deposition was related to the global late Cenomanian—early Turonian sea-level rise.     

Morphological links in an evolutionary sequence of the Cretaceous ammonite genus Metoicoceras Hyatt

Species of the ammonite genus Metoicoceras are not generally strongly differentiated with respect to coiling and ornament. The present study addresses the problem of how well purely visual (subjective) identification succeeds in identifying taxonomically and hence evolutionarily relevant differences between forms. Multivariate statistical analysis, based on coiling, standard dimensions of the conch and ornamental properties, indicates that quantitative procedures reproduce traditional methods to a conspicuous degree, with the added advantage of objective repeatability. Additionally, uncertain phylogenetic relationships could be resolved by appropriate methods of multivariate statistical analysis and possible new information on dimorphism in the conch was obtained.     

Similar morphological and chemical variations of Gloeocapsomorpha prisca in Ordovician sediments and cultured Botryococcus braunii as a response to changes in salinity

Most Ordovician source rocks consist of accumulation of a colonial marine microorganism, Gloeocapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) whose nature, ecology and affinity with extant organisms have been in dispute for years. Furthermore, recent studies have shown major differences in phenol moieties between two G. prisca-rich samples. Examination of five G. prisca-rich kerogens by electron microscopy and pyrolysis studies revealed (i) the occurrence of two markedly distinct “morpho/chemical” types: a “closed/phenol-rich” type (Baltic samples) and an “open/phenol-poor” one (North American samples) and (ii) the selective preservation of the resistant micromolecular material building up the thick cell walls in the original organism. Comparison with extant Botryococcus braunii (a widespread green microalga) grown on media of increasing salinity suggests that G. prisca is likely to be a planktonic green microalga related to B. braunii, which can adapt to large salinity variations which, in turn, control its polymorphism. The large differences in colony morphology and in the content of phenol moieties observed in fossil G. prisca and the resulting occurrence of two “morpho/chemical” types, should therefore reflect depositional environments with different salinities. The presence of thick, highly aliphatic, resistant walls in G. prisca selectively preserved during fossilization, accounts for the major contribution of this organism to Ordovician organic-rich sediments and for the resulting typical signature of Ordovician oils.     

Kumamotoa, an early Late Cretaceous non-marine bivalve, from Fujian, south China

The non-marine bivalve species Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) quadratus Gu and Ma is described from the Fourth Member of the Hekou Formation in western Fujian, southeastern China. This species previously was regarded to belong to the subgenus Trigonioides (s.s.), which is restricted to the Early Cretaceous. Herein, it is included into the subgenus Kumamotoa. It is compared to Cenomanian (early Late Cretaceous) species from Japan and Korea such as Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) mifunensis Tamura, Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) matsumotoi Kobayashi and Suzuki and Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) paucisulcatus Suzuki. The age of the Fourth Member of the Hekou Formation is discussed.     

Evidence for geographic variation in the diets of late Pleistocene and early Holocene Bison in North America, and differences from the diets of recent Bison

During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, Bison was widely dispersed across North America and occupied most regions not covered by ice sheets. A dietary study on Bison paleopopulations from Alaska, New Mexico, Florida, and Texas was performed using two methods that relate dental wear patterns to diet, mesowear analysis and microwear analysis. These data were compared to a mixed sample of extant Bison from the North American central plains, extant wood Bison from Alberta (Canada) and a variety of other modern ungulates. Mesowear relates macroscopic molar facet shape to levels of dietary abrasion. The mesowear signature observed on fossil Bison differs significantly from the hyper-abrasive grazing diet of extant Bison. Tooth microwear examines wear on the surface of enamel at a microscopic scale. The microwear signal of fossil samples resembles to modern Bison, but the fossil samples show a greater diversity of features, suggesting that fossil Bison populations regularly consumed food items that are texturally inconsistent with the short-grass diet typical of modern plains Bison. Mesowear and microwear signals of fossil Bison samples most closely resemble a variety of typical mixed feeding ungulates, all with diets that are substantially less abrasive than what is typical for modern plains Bison. Furthermore, statistical tests suggest significant differences between the microwear signatures of the fossil samples, thus revealing geographic variability in Pleistocene Bison diets. This study reveals that fossils are of value in developing an understanding of the dietary breadth and ecological versatility of species that, in recent times, are rare, endangered, and occupy only a small remnant of their former ranges.     

Bayeritheca hughesii gen. et sp. nov., a new Eucommiidites -bearing pollen organ from the Cenomanian of Bohemia

A new pollen organ, Bayeritheca hughesii gen. et sp. nov. with in situ Eucommiidites pollen grains, is described from the Cenomanian of Bohemia in Central Europe. It is based on a single lignified specimen which is the largest Eucommiidites -producing pollen structure described so far. It shows whorls of microsporangiate units attached to a massive main axis forming a cone-like structure. Each microsporangiate unit forms distally an angular head bearing trichomes and centrally arranged mucronate tubercles. The head is attached to a short stalk. Proximal sides of heads display radially arranged synangia. Each synangium contains an unknown number of pollen sacs with numerous Eucommiidites pollen grains.Bayeritheca is the only genus of Erdtmanithecales in which synangia instead of sporangia are found. Bayeritheca differs from Eucommiiditheca Friis & Pedersen in the whorled arrangement of microsporangiate units, which are densely spaced forming a cone-like structure. It differs from Erdtmanitheca Pedersen, Crane & Friis in the elongate shape of the whole organ, slender main axis, shorter pollen sacs, and different Eucommiidites pollen.     

The peculiar taphonomy of the streamlined late Campanian ammonite Metaplacenticeras subtilistriatum from northern Hokkaido, Japan

The peculiar taphonomy of the late Campanian ammonite Metaplacenticeras subtilistriatum is reconstructed on the basis of stratigraphic occurrence within the Hakobuchi Formation of northern Hokkaido (Japan), as well as of host rock and patterns of fragmentation. The species' taphonomy is closely linked to its streamlined, oxyconic shell with flat flanks and a smoothly tapered venter. Such shells were accumulated, together with numerous pebbles, by bottom currents (>0.25–0.5 m/s), in such a way that ventral portions of some shells fractured by collision with pebbles. Small holes and depressions in the external shell surface, presumably formed during compaction after final burial, are restricted to phragmocones. On this evidence, it is suggested that this species was nektobenthic, lived in a shallow environment (shoreface–inner shelf) where its streamlined shell allowed it to align with prevailing currents, similar to a wind vane.     

A new series of steryl chlorin esters: pheophorbide a steryl esters in an oxic surface sediment

Investigation of chlorins in the oxic surface sediment of a small eutrophic alpine lake (Motte lake) revealed the presence of a new series of steryl chlorin esters containing the pheophorbide a nucleus, together with their pyropheophorbide a steryl ester counterparts previously observed in the anoxic surface sediment of the same lake. Identification of the pheophorbide a steryl esters was based on comparison of spectroscopic, chromatographic and mass spectrometric characteristics of the compounds with those of a synthetic standard and of pyropheophorbide a steryl esters. Combined liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the absence of pheophorbide a steryl esters in the anoxic sediment but allowed their detection in traces in the water column, indicating that pheophorbide a steryl esters are, like their pyropheophorbide a analogs, formed in the water column. The distribution of sterols released by hydrolysis of the pheophorbide a steryl esters shows close similarities to that of the free sterols in the water column and of the sterols of the pyropheophorbide a steryl esters. It appears that, like their pyropheophorbide a counterparts, pheophorbide a steryl esters incorporate mainly sterols of phytoplanktonic origin. Their formation probably involves the same mechanism as for pyropheophorbide a steryl ester formation, i.e. metabolism by zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton. The presence of pheophorbide a steryl esters in the oxic sediment and their absence from the anoxic sediment is probably due to a lower stability of compounds containing a carbomethoxy substituent in the anoxic environment.     

Revision of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus from Cretaceous deposits in north-east China

The diagnoses of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus are revised following a re-examination of their type species under a scanning electron microscope. In Cratostracus each growth line has a serrated lower margin. Radial lirae branch into smaller ridges that merge with each other to give the upper part of each growth band in the ventral region of the carapace a slightly undulating surface. Cross-bars are present between these lirae. In Porostracus the radial lirae on the growth bands near the umbo are long and relatively widely spaced. There is a fine reticulum between them in the umbonal part of the carapace and cross-bars on the ventral surface. The ornament of Porostracus indicates that it can be assigned to the family Halysestheriidae rather than to the Afrograptidae, in which it has been placed previously. Morphological analysis of most of the species of the two genera and closely related Orthestheria (Migransia) under the scanning electron microscope is required before their stratigraphic potential can be fully realized.     

A late-glacial transition from Picea glauca to Picea mariana in southern New England

Picea is an important taxon in late-glacial pollen records from eastern North America, but little is known about which species of Picea were present. We apply a recently developed palynological method for discriminating the three Picea species in eastern North America to three records from New England. Picea glauca was dominant at  14,500–14,000 cal yr BP, followed by a transition to Picea mariana between  14,000 and 13,500 cal yr BP. Comparison of the pollen data with hydrogen isotope data shows clearly that this transition began before the beginning of the Younger Dryas Chronozone. The ecological changes of the late-glacial interval were not a simple oscillation in the position of a single species' range, but rather major changes in vegetation structure and composition occurring during an interval of variations in several environmental factors, including climate, edaphic conditions, and atmospheric CO₂ levels.     

再论龙凤山藻属（Longfengshania Du）的形态学特征与系统分类

龙凤山藻属(Longfengshania)由叶状体、柄和固着器三部分组成,类似高等植物根、茎、叶的器官分化,分别营光合作用、支撑藻体和固着功能,营海底固着生活。关于其形态学特征,特别是关于它的系统分类一直存在不同看法。根据形态学特征、个体发育中的生物重演律,以及古生态、古气候特征等认为,该属更接近于褐藻门海带目海带科的一些分子,似为海带目的早期原始类型。由于该属藻体较小,叶状体(叶片)全缘无褶皱或刻裂,固着器不分枝足状,与海带科也有较大区别,加之时代久远,在海带目中另立一科也是适宜的,经过适当修订后,进一步确认了龙凤山藻科的存在。对龙凤山藻属与龙凤山藻科的定义进行了重新修订,初步解决了它们的系统分类问题,为古藻类的早期演化提供了化石证据,具有生物学上的重要意义。概述了海藻类各门、纲、目及科级藻类的一般形态学特征,以供对比研究时参考,从而为确定龙凤山藻属的系统分类提供依据。     

Post-Clovis survival of American Mastodon in the southern Great Lakes Region of North America

The end of the Pleistocene in North America was marked by a wave of extinctions of large mammals, with the last known appearances of many species falling between ca. 11,000–10,000 ¹⁴C yr BP. Temporally, this period overlaps with the Clovis Paleoindian cultural complex (11,190–10,530 ¹⁴C yr BP) and with sudden climatic changes that define the beginning of the Younger Dryas chronozone (ca. 11,000–10,000 ¹⁴C yr BP), both of which have been considered as potential proximal causes of this extinction event. Radiocarbon dating of enamel and filtered bone collagen from an extinct American Mastodon (Mammut americanum) from northern Indiana, USA, by accelerator mass spectrometer yielded direct dates of 10,055 ± 40 ¹⁴C yr BP and 10,032 ± 40 ¹⁴C yr BP, indicating that the animal survived beyond the Clovis time period and into the late Younger Dryas. Although the late survival of this species in mid-continental North America does not remove either humans or climatic change as contributing causes for the late Pleistocene extinctions, neither Clovis hunters nor the climatic perturbations initiating the Younger Dryas chronozone were immediately responsible for driving mastodons to extinction.     

Early Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera from the Tethys: the large, many-chambered representatives of the genus Globigerinelloides

This paper deals with the taxonomic revision of the Early Cretaceous large, many-chambered planispiral planktonic foraminifera, historically assigned to the genus Globigerinelloides or alternatively assigned in the 1990s to the genera Globigerinelloides Cushman and ten Dam, Biglobigerinella Lalicker, Blowiella Krechmar and Gorbachik and Alanlordella BouDagher-Fadel. In a previous paper we demonstrated that the morphological and microstructural features used in the literature for distinguishing Blowiella from Globigerinelloides have value only at species level, and the former genus was thus invalidated (being the junior synonym). Moreover, the Late Aptian specimens assigned to Biglobigerinella by some authors, based on the presence of twin last chamber(s), are also included in Globigerinelloides because individuals sharing the same features (number of chambers, growth rate, size of umbilicus, and a finely perforate wall) may or may not possess twin last chamber(s). Meanwhile, Moullade et al. questioned the taxonomic value of Alanlordella, erected by BouDagher-Fadel to accommodate planispiral taxa possessing a macroperforate wall. All the species analysed here possess a finely perforate wall and consequently cannot be assigned to this taxon.The large species of Globigerinelloides retained here, with six or more chambers in the outer whorl, are G. algerianus Cushman and ten Dam, G. aptiensis Longoria, G. barri (Bolli, Loeblich and Tappan) and G. ferreolensis (Moullade).In the sections studied, Globigerinelloides aptiensis was first found close to the Barremian/Aptian boundary, even though this species was recorded in Spain (Rio Argos) in the mid Upper Barremian; very rare, small, seven-chambered individuals here assigned to Globigerinelloides ferreolensis are recorded in the Lower Aptian (just below and within the Selli Level, OAE1a), while a few specimens belonging to Globigerinelloides barri occur in the Globigerinelloides ferreolensis Zone (Upper Aptian). Globigerinelloides aptiensis and G. ferreolensis range up to the Ticinella bejaouaensis Zone while Globigerinelloides barri disappears at the top of the Globigerinelloides algerianus Zone; finally, Globigerinelloides algerianus obviously spans the eponymous total range zone.From an evolutionary point of view, two lineages within the many-chambered Globigerinelloides have been recognized. In the first, already known in the literature, Globigerinelloides aptiensis gave rise to G. ferreolensis, which evolved into G. algerianus; the latter in turn gave rise to Pseudoplanomalina cheniourensis as the final evolutionary member. In the second lineage Globigerinelloides barri originated from G. blowi.     

榴辉岩中传统地质温压计新解：来自PT视剖面图的证据

石榴石-单斜辉石(GC)温度计和石榴石-单斜辉石-多硅白云母(GCP)压力计是确定榴辉岩形成温压条件的最常用方法,二者主要依据石榴石、绿辉石和多硅白云母中相组分之间的交换和转换变质反应.依据MORB成分计算的PT视剖面图表明,在不同榴辉岩矿物组合中,控制3个矿物相成分变化的相组分之间的变质反应不同.在低温含绿泥石、滑石和蓝闪石榴辉岩组合中,石榴石和绿辉石的镁含量主要受到含水矿物脱水反应的控制,并都随温度升高而升高,二者之间的铁镁交换反应并不起主要作用.因此,在自然界含有蓝闪石等含水矿物的低温榴辉岩中,由于绿辉石相对富镁而常常导致GC温度计结果偏低.在含有硬柱石的高压-超高压榴辉岩中,石榴石中的钙含量受到硬柱石的控制,随着压力升高或温度降低,硬柱石含量增加,使石榴石中钙降低,此时石榴石-绿辉石-多硅白云母之间的转换反应对石榴石成分的影响会很微弱,由于石榴石相对贫钙而导致GCP压力计结果偏低.在含有蓝晶石的中温高压-超高压榴辉岩中,矿物成分的变化受到石榴石-绿辉石之间的铁镁交换反应和石榴石．绿辉石．多硅白云母-蓝晶石-石英/柯石英之间的一系列转换反应控制,因此,GC和GCP温压计都能给出相对合理的结果.在低压普通角闪石榴辉岩中,石榴石和绿辉石中的镁含量主要反应压力变化,有时并不指示变质作用温度.在含有蓝闪石等含水矿物的低温榴辉岩中,Thermocalc程序中的平均温压(avPT)方法可以给出比较合适的温度,但压力结果与GCP压力计一样也会偏低一些.在蓝闪石和绿帘石等含水矿物消失后的中温蓝晶石榴辉岩中,avPT方法难以给出合理的PT信息.相对来说,视剖面图方法能够给出最多的PT信息,是目前确定变质岩PT条件的最好方法.     

Geochronology of Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna and Gigantopithecus in Guangxi Province, southern China

Pleistocene faunas from south China are difficult to subdivide based on the long temporal ranges of many taxa and a reduced number of genera in comparison to faunas from temperate north China. In south China, the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna is a very general one and includes a relatively stable suite of genera that apparently persisted for long periods of time. These attributes have made constraining its time range difficult. Application of electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth enamel constrains the ages well where uranium uptake was minor. Where uranium uptake into teeth was significant, an approach combining ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U isotopic analysis also yields excellent ages. Previous estimates of early, middle and late Pleistocene time ranges previously determined by biostratigraphic seriation for the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna are confirmed in all cases but are made more precise with our approach, including specific time ranges for certain archaic taxa. Absolute dating also yields an extended time range for Gigantopithecus blacki of 1200 to 310 ka.     

The occurrence of bothriodontines (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) in the Paleogene of Asia with special reference to Elomeryx: Paleobiogeographical implications

Anthracotheriid remains from several Paleogene localities of central and eastern Asia have been re-examined. Several fossil remains attributed to the genera Bothriodon, Brachyodus and Hyoboops can be referred to Elomeryx which extends the geographical distribution of the genus to the whole area of Asia. These results demonstrate the role that Asia played in the biogeographical history of mammals and further support the proposed origin of North American Elomeryx from an Asian ancestor.     

Revision of the conchostracan genus Estherites from the Upper Cretaceous Nenjiang Formation of the Songliao Basin and its biogeographic significance in China

The diagnosis of Estherites corrugatus from the basal part of the Coniacian Second Member of the Nenjiang Formation in Nenjiang County, north-east China is revised following the application of a new preparation technique to some of the carapaces and an examination of specimens under a scanning electron microscope, both of which revealed morphological features on the carapace that had not been recognized previously. Restudy of the type species of the two subgenera Estherites (Euestherites) and Estherites (Parestherites) also revealed details of carapace features not seen hitherto. These indicate that they should be separated from Estherites. As a result, Euestherites is upgraded to genus level and Parestherites is placed in synonymy. The importance of Estherites and Euestherites is considered in the context of Late Cretaceous assemblages of these crustaceans and the three conchostracan provinces (South-West, South-East and North China) that are recognized to have been present in China during the Turonian–Santonian period.     

On the affinity of Chuaria–Tawuia complex: A multidisciplinary study

In this study, biometric and structural engineering tool have been used to examine a possible relationship within Chuaria–Tawuia complex and micro-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analyses to understand the biological affinity of Chuaria circularis Walcott, collected from the Mesoproterozoic Suket Shales of the Vindhyan Supergroup and the Neoproterozoic Halkal Shales of the Bhima Group of peninsular India. Biometric analyses of well preserved carbonized specimens show wide variation in morphology and uni-modal distribution. We believe and demonstrate to a reasonable extent that C. circularis most likely was a part of Tawuia-like cylindrical body of algal origin. Specimens with notch/cleft and overlapping preservation, mostly recorded in the size range of 3–5 mm, are of special interest. Five different models proposed earlier on the life cycle of C. circularis are discussed. A new model, termed as ‘Hybrid model’ based on present multidisciplinary study assessing cylindrical and spherical shapes suggesting variable cell wall strength and algal affinity is proposed. This model discusses and demonstrates varied geometrical morphologies assumed by Chuaria and Tawuia, and also shows the inter-relationship of Chuaria–Tawuia complex.Structural engineering tool (thin walled pressure vessel theory) was applied to investigate the implications of possible geometrical shapes (sphere and cylinder), membrane (cell wall) stresses and ambient pressure environment on morphologically similar C. circularis and Tawuia. The results suggest that membrane stresses developed on the structures similar to Chuaria–Tawuia complex were directly proportional to radius and inversely proportional to the thickness in both cases. In case of hollow cylindrical structure, the membrane stresses in circumferential direction (hoop stress) are twice of the longitudinal direction indicating that rupture or fragmentation in the body of Tawuia would have occurred due to hoop stress. It appears that notches and discontinuities seen in some of the specimens of Chuaria may be related to rupture suggesting their possible location in 3D Chuaria.The micro-FTIR spectra of C. circularis are characterized by both aliphatic and aromatic absorption bands. The aliphaticity is indicated by prominent alkyl group bands between 2800–3000 and 1300–1500 cm⁻¹. The prominent absorption signals at 700–900 cm⁻¹ (peaking at 875 and 860 cm⁻¹) are due to aromatic CH out of plane deformation. A narrow, strong band is centred at 1540 cm⁻¹ which could be COOH band. The presence of strong aliphatic bands in FTIR spectra suggests that the biogeopolymer of C. circularis is of aliphatic nature. The wall chemistry indicates the presence of ‘algaenan’—a biopolymer of algae.