Regression of East Tethys resulted in a center of biodiversity: A study of Mysmenidae spiders from the Gaoligong Mountains, China

DEAR EDITOR,This research involved the study of 31 species from the spider family Mysmenidae Petrunkevitch,1928,found in the Gaoligong Mountains of China,including one new genus and 13 new species.Our results suggested that regression of East Tethys contributed to the appearance of a center of biodiversity.The Tethys,a classical and hot topic in geology.It has undergone a succession of significant geodynamic transformations,transitioning from an ancient ocean to the current Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt.Notably,the East Tethys,serving as an invaluable lens through which to study continental geology and geodynamics,has played a pivotal role in triggering the major geological reconstructions of the entire Tethys(Pan et al.,1997).

Vestiges of the Kerguelen Mantle Plume in Southern Tibet:Evidence from 123-117 Ma Magmatism in the Dingri Area of the Central Tethys Himalaya

The widely distributed Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tethys Himalaya(TH)of southern Tibet is related to the Kerguelen mantle plume.Associated magmatic activity products are distributed in the eastern TH,where the active age is earlier than the peak ages of the Kerguelen mantle plume.This study investigated magmatic activity of the Dingri area in the central TH which was coeval with the Kerguelen mantle plume.The intrusion in the Dingri area contains diabases and monzonites.The zircon age of diabase is 123±1 Ma,and that of monzonite is 117±1 Ma.Geochemistry and Sr-Nd isotopic analyses show that the mafic-intermediate dikes were formed in an intraplate extensional environment.The diabase is derived from the enriched lithospheric mantle and monzonite is derived from partial melting of the lower crust,with both magmatic evolutions being contaminated by crustal materials.These characteristics are similar to those of the Rajmahal-Sylhet basalt,a typical Kerguelen mantle plume product.The discovery of the Dingri mafic-intermediate dikes of the central TH suggests that the TH and Rajmahal-Sylhet Traps formed a continuous mantle plume overflow magmatic belt which was a product of the continuous eruption of the Kerguelen mantle plume.

Tectonic Evolution of the Palaeo——Tethys in Changning——Menglian Belt and Adjacent Regions,Western Yunnan

The Changning - Menglian belt , located between the Baoshan - Gengma massif and the Simao - Lincang massif in Western Yunnan , preserves the complete record of a suture zone and the most continuous record of deep water sedimentation , representing the main branch of the Palaeo - Tethys polyisland ocean in the Hercynian - Indo-sinian stage .This belt could be further subdivided into three tectono - lithofacies zones . In the east zone , terrigenous elastics , argillaceous ,marl-argillaceous and silicate sedi-ments lie on the metamorphosed Early Palaeozoic base ment in concealed unconformity , representing deep water sediments on a passive continental margin . The central zone , although the basement rocks are absent from outcropping here , includes a contemporary complex of various sedimentary types , among them one type is of deep ocean sediments represented by radiolarian bedded chert , appearing from at least early Early Devonian to the Middle Triassic . Another type includes pure carbonates of the Early Carboniferous to the Late Permian , a type of shallow water carbonate platform on seamount or oceanic plateau within an ocean basin . In the west zone , the Permo - Carboniferous terrigenous elastics , argillaceous and silicate sediments appear again -representing the passive continental slope sedimentation in the east of the Baoshan - Gengma massif .As the Permo-Carboniferous rock types,sedimentary environments and palaeontological characters of the east and west zones are quite similar , we hold that these two zones were originally formed all on the eastern continental slope of the Baoshan - Gengma massif , and were separated due to eastward thrust later in the Indosinian orogeny . Intense thrust compacting also resulted in tectonic melange in the central zone , which is displayed by shallow water carbonates overlapping on or embedded in deep water volcanics . In the Lancangjiang belt , the Permo - Carboniferous are very complicated in sedimentary types which include island arc volcanics , deep water turbidites, silicolites and shallow water carbonates , representing the active continental margin in the west of the Simao massif. Whether there existed by Early Permi an, a Lincang magma tic arc still awaits further evidence . From the Late Permian,both the Changning-Meng-lian belt and the Lancangjiang belt experienced important sedimentary and volanic events which took place contemporaneously or penecontemporaneously but with different characters . Evidence for the Lincang magmatic arc began to be apparent , and the turbidite deep water basin in the Lancangjiang belt closed . Nevertheless , the Palaeo - Tethys oceanic basin , represented by the Changning - Menglian suture zone , existed until the Mid-dle Triassic . In the Late Triassic . massifs of Baoshan -Gengma ,Simao - Lincang ,collided and aggregated ,resulting in the disappearance of the Palaeo - Tethys ocean .

The Archipelagic Ocean System of the Eastern Eurasian Tethys

Unlike typical oceans such as the wide and 'clean' Atlantic, the Tethys has been showing an archipelagic pattern during all its evolutionary stages. Compared with the traditional, wedge-shaped and relatively 'clean' ocean model, the archipelagic model is more suitable for the Tethys, especially the eastern Tethys. This paper demonstrates the eastern Tethys archipelagic system in terms of the subdivision, characteristics and evolutionary history of the Qinling-Qilian-Kunlun, South China and Xizang (Tibet)-Yunnan Regions of the eastern Eurasian Tethys.

Ophiolites from the Mianlüe Suture in the Southern Qinling and Their Relationship with the Eastern Paleotethys Evolution

The Mianlue suture extends from Derni-Nanping-Pipasi-Kangxian to the Lueyang-Mianxian area, then traverses the Bashan arcuate structure eastward to the Huashan region, and finally to the Qingshuihe area of the southern Dabie Mountains. From east to west, with a length of over 1500 km, the ophiolitic melange associations are distributed discontinuously along the suture. The rock assemblages include ophiolite, island-arc and oceanic island rock series, indicating that there existed a suture zone and a vanished paleo-ocean basin. The Mianliie paleo-ocean basin experienced its main expansion and formation process during the Carboniferous-Permian and closed totally in the Triassic. It belongs to the northern branch of the eastern paleotethys, separated from the northern margin of the Yangtze block under the paleotethys mantle dynamic system.

Geochronology and geochemistry of Cretaceous-Eocene granites,Tengchong Block(SW China):Petrogenesis and implications for Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Eastern Tethys

The Early Cretaceous-Early Eocene granitoids in the Tengchong Block record the evolutionary history of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectono-magmatic evolution of Eastern Tethys.(a)The Early Cretaceous granitoids with relatively low(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)iratios of 0.7090-0.7169 andε_(Nd)(t)values of-9.8 to-7.8 display metaluminous,calc-alkaline dominated by I-type granite affinity and hybrid mantle-crust geochemical signatures.They may have been derived from melting of the subducted Meso-Tethyan BangongNujiang oceanic crust with terrigenous sediments in an arc-continent collisional setting.(b)The Late Cretaceous-Paleocene granitoids with relatively high(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)iratios of 0.7109-0.7627,andε_(Nd)(t)values of-12.1 to-7.9 exhibit metaluminous to peraluminous,calc-alkaline dominated by S-type granite affinity and hybrid Lower-Upper crust geochemical signatures,which may be originated from partial melting of the Meso-Proterozoic continental crust in the collision setting between the Tengchong Block and Baoshan Block.(c)The Early Eocene granitoids have metaluminous,calc-alkaline I-type and S-type granites dual affinity,with relatively high(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)iratios of 0.711-0.736,ε_(Nd)(t)values of-9.4 to-4.7,showing crust-mantle mixing geochemical signatures.They may have been originated from partial melting of the late Meso-Proterozoic upper crustal components mixed with some upper mantle material during the ascent process of mantle magma caused by the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Putao-Myitkyian oceanic crust,and collision between the Western Burma Block and the Tengchong Block.It is these multi-stage subductions and collisions that caused the spatial and temporal distribution of the granitic rocks in the Tengchong Block.

Granitic Magmatism in Eastern Tethys Domain(Western China) and their Geodynamic Implications

Western China locates in the eastern section of the Tethys domain, granitic rocks in this region with variable formation ages and geochemistry record key information about the crust-mantle structure and thermal evolution during the convergent process of Tethys. In this study, we focus on some crucial granitic magmatism in the western Yangtze, Qinling orogen, and western Sanjiang tectonic belt, where magma sequence in the convergent orogenic belt can provide important information about the crust-mantle structure, thermal condition and melting regime that related to the evolution processes from Pre-to Neo-Tethys. At first, we show some features of Pre-Tethyan magmatism, such as Neoproterozoic magmatism(ca. 870–740 Ma) in the western margin of the Yangtze Block were induced by the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. The complication of voluminous Neoproterozoic igneous rocks indicated that the western Yangtze Block underwent the thermodynamic evolution from hot mantle-cold crust stage(ca. 870–850 Ma) to hot mantle and crust stage(ca. 850–740 Ma). The Neoproterozoic mantle sources beneath the western Yangtze Block were progressively metasomatized by subduction-related compositions from slab fluids(initial at ca. 870 Ma), sediment melts(initial at ca. 850 Ma), to oceanic slab melts(initial at ca. 825–820 Ma) during the persistent subduction process. Secondly, the early Paleozoic magmatism can be well related to three distinctive stages(variable interaction of mantle-crust to crustal melting to variable sources) from an Andeans-type continental margin to collision to extension in response to the evolution of ProtoTethys and final assembly of Gondwana continent. Thirdly, the Paleo-Tethys magmatism, Triassic granites in the Qinling orogenic display identical formation ages and Lu-Hf isotopic compositions with the related mafic enclaves, indicate a coeval melting event of lower continental crust and mantle lithosphere in the Triassic convergent process and a continued hot mantle and crust thermal condition through the interaction of subducted continental crust and upwelling asthenosphere. Finally, the Meso-and Neo-Tethyan magmatism: Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tengchong Block are well responding to the subduction and closure of Bangong-Nujiang Meso-Tethys, recycled sediments metasomatized mantle by subduction since 130 Ma and subsequently upwelling asthenosphere since ca. 122 Ma that causes melting of heterogeneous continental crust until the final convergence, this process well recorded the changing thermal condition from hot mantlecold crust to hot mantle and crust;The Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic magmatism well recorded the processes from Neo-Tethyan ocean slab flat subduction, steep subduction, to initial collision of India-Asia, it resulted in a series of continental arc magmatism with enriched mantle to crustal materials at Late Cretaceous, increasing depleted and/or juvenile materials at the beginning of early Cenozoic, and increasing evolved crustal materials in the final stage, implying a continued hot mantle and crust condition during that time. Then we can better understand the magmatic processes and variable melting from the mantle to crust during the evolution of Tethys, from Pre-, Paleo-, Meso-, to Neo-, both they show notably intensive interaction of crust-mantle and extensive melting of the heterogeneous continent during the final closure of Tethys and convergence of blocks, and thermal perturbation by a dynamic process in the depth could be the first mechanism to control the thermal condition of mantle and crust and associated composition of magmatism.

Recognition of Ancient Oceanic Island in Paleo-Tethys,Western Yunnan

A volcano-platform carbonate sequence ,from Carboniferous to Permian , is widely trapped in the deep water deposits in Changning- Menglian belt .Three components can be roughly recognized in ascending order as :the lava .the volcaniclastic and carbonate rocks .In most cases, the sequence is incomplete due to faulting resulted from the strong orogenic compression. But (he stratigraphic succession is continuous except for the two interruptions of paleokarsts . which extended from middle Late Carboniferous to Late Permian and from late Early Permian to Late Permian respectively .A preliminary study indicates that the stratigraphy, petrology , sedimentation , vokanism geochemistry and fossils in the sequence are quite similar to mat in modern and ancient oceanic islands and there may be the relics of ancient oceanic islands in the paleo-Tethys .The differences among these sequences probably suggest a complex configuration of the islands or island chain These islands were formed under infra oceanic environments of the paleo-Tethys ,far from continent and accreted to Simao continental margin in Late Permian .The occurrence of large number of ancient oceanic islands in orogenic belts , including the paleo Tethys, Cordillera , etc ..suggests mat some ancient oceans .such as the paleo Tethys and proto-Pacific ,were full of archipelagoes as their modem counterparts . It is possible that more oceanic islands will be recongnized when sufficient research is done in orogenic belts over the world .

Origin of Early Creceouscalc-alkaline granite, Taxkorgan: Implications for evolution of Tethys evolution in central Pamir

The Pamir plateau may have been a westward continuation of Tibet plateau.Meanwhile,the Rushan-Pshart suture is correlative to the Bangong-Nujiang suture of Tibet,and the Central Pamir is the lateral equivalent of the Qiangtang Block.We present the first detailed LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb chronology,major and trace element,and Lu-Hf isotope geochemistry of Taxkorgan two-mica monzogranite to illuminate the Tethys evolution in central Pamir.LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb dating shows that two-mica monzogranite is emplaced in the Cretaceous(118 Ma).Its geochemical features are similar to S-type granite,with enrichment in LREEs and negative Ba,Sr,Zr and Ti anomalies.All the samples show negative zirconεHf(t)values ranging from 17.0 to 12.5(mean 14.5),corresponding to crustal Hf model(TDM2)ages of 1906 to 2169 Ma.It is inferred that these granitoids are derived from partial melting of peliticmetasedimentary rocks analogous to the Paleoproterozoic Bulunkuole Group,predominantly with muscovite schists component.Based on the petrological and geochemical data presented above,together with the regional geology,this work provides new insights that Bangong Nujiang Ocean closed in Early Cretaceous(120114 Ma).

Comparing the Upper Triassic Deep-sea Flysch of the Shannan Terrane with the Coeval Shallow Shelf Sediments of the Tethys Himalaya,Southern Tibet

The provenance and paleogeography of the Upper Triassic deep-sea flysch Langjiexue Group(LG)of the Shannan Terrane in the northeastern Himalaya orogen,south of Yarlung Zangbo,have been disputed in recent years since its affinity to the Tethys Himalaya was suspected during the early 2000 s.Based on the earlier discoveries of the Upper Permian–Triassic basalts and mafic dykes from the LG and of coeval detrital zircons from the Qulonggongba Formation(QF)in shallow shelf sediments of the Tethys Himalaya,the previous viewpoints on the basin and tectonics of the LG have been recently rejected.We compared the two units of the Upper Triassic,and our results reveal a number of differences,discrepancies,and inconsistencies in the debate,raising crucial questions on the postulation and provenance model of the remote Gondwanide Orogen for the LG.It is suggested that more observations and evidence are needed to further improve the paleogeographic understanding and relationship of the two units.

PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND EVOLUTION OF THE CENO-TETHYS: MICROPALEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FROM PELAGIC SEDIMENTS IN THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE, SOUTHERN TIBET

The Ceno\|Tethys is a southern branch of the Tethyan ocean and existed in the Mesozoic and early Cenozoic times. The evolution of the Ceno\|Tethys has been discussed based mainly on geological and paleontological data obtained from shallow marine sediments on the both sides of the ocean. Pelagic sediments deposited in a deep ocean basin of the Ceno\|Tethys are often incorporated in suture zones. However, geological and paleontological data from the pelagic sediments, which enable us to elucidate the paleoceanography and tectonic evolution of the Ceno\|Tethys, are still limited. The Xialu chert crops out about 30 km south of Xigaze and occupies the southern marginal part of the E—W trending Yarlung Zangbo Suture zone. As a result of radiolarian biostratigraphic research along two continuous sections, we identified seven different aged radiolarian assemblages from pelagic and hemipelagic sediments ranging early Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) to Early Cretaceous. The Aalenian radiolarian fauna is the oldest known record so far for the Xialu chert. It is noteworthy to point out that the fauna came from a chert sample which contains no terrigenous elements other than clay minerals. There is a possibility that radiolarian faunas older than Aalenian age will be discovered from the Xialu chert in the future.

Tethys Subduction History in Caucasus Region

Caucasus region is located in the center of Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt. It is made of two Great and Lesser Caucasus fold thrust belts and an intramountain area called Trans caucasus or Mid caucasus. This region contains a system of oceanic crust subduction, island arcs, volcanic arcs, back arc basins and rifts. The earthquakes of 60 km in depth are the evidences of deep brittle zone under Great Caucasus. Without considering Prototethys, Paleotethys and Neotethys Oceans, the tectonic situation of this region is not possible to study. The oceanic lithosphere under oceanic lithosphere subduction made Trans caucasus containing a trans crust. The subduction of Prototethys under Baltic made Great Caucasus and the subduction of Paleotethys under Iran, made Lesser Caucasus. The earth sutures caused by the closure of Prototethys and Paleotethys Oceans are clear in the region. The direction of Paleotethys subduction in lesser Caucasus is a considerable issue. Most of the existing evidences prove the southward direction which is different from Paleotethys subduction in Alborz of Iran. The lithospheric type of Midcaucasus is different from Caspian. Midcaucasus plays the role of determining collision type in the region.

Relation of Tethys Ocean Subduction, Collision and Closure with Regional Metamorphism, Volcanism and Mineralization Exemplified on the Eurasian Active Margin

The geodynamic development of Eurasian active margin is related to subduction,collision and closure of Tethys Ocean.It is divided on pre-collision and post-collision stages.The pre-collision development controlled by subduction,whereas post-collision related by orogenesis,granodiorite magmatism gold base and trace metals(Sb,W,Mo and Hg)metallogeny.The mentioned trace metals association is the geochemical indicator of first stage of post-collision development.The second stage revealed in andesite basalt,shoshonite,olivine basalt and tholeiite volcanic activity.Pre-collision stage is controlled by steady state subduction related with metamorphism and calc-alkaline volcanic activity in subaqual and island conditions of island arc setting.It is lately with steepening of subducting slab and incursion of mantle diapir transferred in interarc-backarc and minor ocean setting with shoshonite-trachyandesite and alkali olivine basalt and tholeiite volcanism and later with ophiolite volcanism,dunite-peridotite magmatism and Cu-pyrite mineralization of minor ocean setting.The pre-collision stage is developed temporally and spacially along dipping of subducted slab in the island arc setting transferring in the backarc-interarc and minor ocean settings.The similar transferring occurs laterally to dipping of slab and ascending succession.The alternation of settings shown the cycling along dipping spatial and temporal alternation of island arc,backarc and minor ocean settings.Laterally to dipping alternation is only spatial,whereas in ascending succession cycling is only temporal,localized spacially.The pre-collision development occurs in subaqual condition,whereas related to orogenesis post-collision development is mainly subaerial.

A NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE TETHYS CRUSTOBODY AND THE PETROLEUM POTENTIAL OF THE QINGHAI-XIZANG (TIBET) PLATEAU

Although large amounts of data have been collected during the past 30 yesrs in the study of the formation, evolution and dynamics of the Tethys Sea by the use of the theory of plate tectonics, a large volume of geological and geophysical information has also been accumulated which cannot be explained by the plate tectonic hypothesis. For example, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is underlain by many thousands of meters of Ordovician through Eocene, gently-dipping, essentially undeformed, stable platform sequences. Stratigraphic and tectonic investigations reveal that the plateau-wide east-west fracture zones, interpreted as "sutures" in a plate-tectonic model, are not sutures at all. On the other hand, from the Late Carboniferous to the beginning of the Early Permian, it was impossible for the Tethys ocean with a width of several thousand kilometers to."open" and "close" (the speed could not be so great). The east-west fracture zones, with very sharp angles, exerted no control over deposition. Stress analysis of magmatic activity indicates that the Himalayan zone is presently under compression, the Gangdise zone under interwoven comprepsion and tension, and the Qinghai and Deccan Plateaus under weak tension. Lateral compression caused by weak tension at the northern and southern terminations was not enough for Xizang and its surroundings between India and Qinghai Province of China with an area of 2,400,000 km2 to rise to a height of 4,000 m above mean sea level. The authors believe that surge tectonics is the force driving the evolution of the Tethys Sea and the rising of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. G. G. T. demonstrates that two surge channels, an upper and a lower, exist in the Yadong-Anduo litho sphere, and the upper mantle in the southern part is uplifted. During the Eocene, as a result of tectogenesis, molten magma poured out from the channel along the Yarlung Zangbo River,forming ophiolites and melanges, and earthquakes and terrestrial heat are also distributed along the fracture zone. Likewise, at an earlier time the Banggong Co-Nujiang and Longmu Co-Yushu Jinshajiang surge channels and their fracture zones formed. During the Miocene, the three surge channels merged laterally, and then the unified rise of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau took place. The formation and evolution of the surge channels resulted in a variety of worthy Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic exploration targets and a series of sedimentary basins with the largest Qamdo Basin occupying 120, 000 km2 with sediments attaining a thickness of 15, 000 m. These basins contain multiple source-beds, reservoirs, traps and seals of different ages, showing oil and gas every-where. In the northern part lithology and facies are more stable than in the southern, and subsequent tectonic overprinting and volcanic activity are relatively weak. At present commercial oil flow has been penetrated by drilling in the Tertiary Lunpola Basin.

FORMATION AND EUOLUTION OF TETHYS IN THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

The formation of the Tibetan Plateau is closely related to the evolution of Tethys. There have been many researchers and articles concerning the Tethys since E.Suess proposed the concept in 1893. It means a large ocean which lies between Eurasia and Gondwanaland. With the development of Tethyan research, some new terms, appeared such as Neo\|Tethys, Paleo\|Tethys, and Proto\|Tethys, representing the Tethys in Mesozoic—Cenozoic, late Paleozoic and early Paleozoic respectively. The trace of an ocean from Sinian to Ordovician was discovered during the scientific expedition and Proto\|Tethys was proposed to name the ocean. Therefore, the Tibetan Plateau is the main scope of the Eastern Tethys. It can be divided c losely related into three zones which represent the main oceanic locations in th ree different stages.The Northern Tethyan Region lies in the Kunlun and Qilian Mountains, its remnant is the Fifth Suture Zone. It is also the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau The rift initiated after the continental basement had been formed in Sinian and gradually developed into an ocean, which was named Proto\|Tethys, the earliest Tethyan ocean known up to now. The petrochemical compositions of pillow lava in this zone show the characteristics of mid\|ocean ridge tholeiite basalt and the pelagic ophiolitic flysch were well developed, indicating a matured ocean. It was closed in Ordovician and Silurian.

GEOCHEMISTRY CONSTRAIN ON TECTONIC EVOLUTION OF PALEO-TETHYS IN SE YUNNAN,CHINA

There has been a long\|term debate about the Paleo\|Tethyan Ocean in South China continent. Based on the geological and geochemical studies, it is suggested that there exist two tectonic belts in SE Yunnan, SW China called Ailao Shan zone and Shizong—Mile zone, which separate Yangtze Block, Cathysian Block and Indo\|China Block from each other. The evolutionary history and its geodynamics of these suture zones are correlated with the Paleo\|Tethyan Ocean. Both of the zones are keys to understanding whether the Paleo\|Tethyan Ocean extended from Western Yunnan area to east of the South China continent. The Ailao Shan belt consists of Red River fault, Ailao Shan fault, Shuanggou fault and Huashan—Yayi fault, which are the boundaries of the Ailao Shan basement metamorphic belt, ophiolitic melange belt and Island\|arc volcanic\|sediments belt, respectively.The ophiolitic melange belt is characterized by the existence of the ophiolite in Shuanggou area, which represents the relicts of the oceanic crust of the Ailao Shan Ocean. In addition, there exist volcanic rocks in west of the ophiolitic melange belt in Jingdong area. The geochemical characteristics of basalts in Jingdong are similar to that of the E\|MORB. Synthesized studies on geochemistry and tectonics suggest that the basalts in Jingdong area were formed in an extensional rift setting in Devonian.

Discovery of the chitinozoans Belonechitina capitata from the Shiala Formation of northeastern Garhwal-Kumaon Tethys Himalaya,Pithoragarh District, Uttrakhand, India

Belonechitina capitata, a typically middle to late Ordovician chitinozoan index taxon was for the first time recovered from the northeastern Kumaon region, a part of Garhwal-Kumaon Tethys basin of the Himalaya, India. This species is of great biostratigraphic importance and has already been reported from Avalonia, Baltica and northern Gondwana. The study area was during Ordovician, part of a lowpalaeolatitudinal Gondwana region. The vesicles of recovered forms are black and fragmentary. This is principally attributed to intense tectonic activity during the Himalayan orogenic movement which resulted into high thermal alteration. The chitinozoans are found along with melanosclerites.

Decoupled δ^(13)Ccarb and δ^(13)Corg records at Triassic–Jurassic boundary interval in eastern Tethys: Environmental implications for spatially different global response

Althoughδ^(13)C data(eitherδ^(13)Ccarb orδ^(13)Corg)ofmany Triassic–Jurassic(T-J)sections have been acquired,pairedδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg from continuous T-J carbonate sections,especially in eastern Tethys,have been scarcely reported.This study presents paired and decoupledδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg data from a continuous T-J carbonate section in Wadi Naqab.The T-J Wadi Naqab carbonate section,located in United Arab Emirates,Middle East,represents tropical and shallow marine sedimentation in eastern Tethys.At the T-J boundary interval,an initial carbon isotope excursion(CIE)is observed with different magnitude of isotope excursion and timing inδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg,while subsequently a positive CIE is only distinct inδ^(13)Ccarb.Based on petrological,carbon isotope,Rock-Eval and elemental analyses,theδ^(13)Ccarb is thought to record marine inorganic carbon,and theδ^(13)Corg to record terrigenous organic carbon.Therefore,the pairedδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg herein potentially document simultaneous changes in T-J atmospheric and marine settings of eastern Tethys.Their decoupled behavior may likely be caused by different changes or evolution of carbon pool between marine and atmospheric settings.The initial CIE present in bothδ^(13)Ccarb andδ^(13)Corg may indicate influence of isotopically light carbon release related to CAMP activity in both atmospheric and marine settings.The following positive CIE only inδ^(13)Ccarb suggests relatively steady carbon isotope composition in atmosphere,but enhanced burial of isotopically light carbon in marine settings.Furthermore,the T-J carbonates in the studied section were possibly deposited in normal and oxic shallow marine conditions.Global correlation based on the Wadi Naqab section and other T-J sections suggests spatially different T-J environmental parameters:in eastern Tethys and western Panthalassa,oxic condition,lacking organic-rich sediment,weaker ocean acidification and less influence of isotopically light carbon are more prevalent;in western Tethys and eastern Panthalassa,oxygen-depleted condition,black shales,stronger acidification and heavier influence of isotopically light carbon are more prevalent.These differences may be related to spatial distance from the CAMP or to different paleogeography.

Fossil middle triassic “sea cows” – placodont reptiles as macroalgae feeders along the north-western Tethys coastline with Pangaea and in the Germanic basin

The descriptions of fossil Triassic marine pla- codonts as durophagous reptiles are revised through comparisons with the sirenia and basal proboscidean mammal and palaeoenvironment analyses. The jaws of placodonts are conver- gent with those of Halitherium/Dugong or Mo- eritherium in their general function. Whereas Halitherium possessed a horny oral pad and counterpart and a special rasp-like tongue to grind seagrass, as does the modern Dugong, placodonts had large teeth that covered their jaws to form a similar grinding pad. The sirenia also lost their anterior teeth during many Millions of years and built a horny pad instead and specialized tongue to fed mainly on seagrass, whereas placodonts had only macroalgae availa- ble. Indirect evidence for Triassic macroalgae is provided by benthic palaeocommunities from different layers and extended European regions in the Germanic Basin. Studies of tooth wear stages for Placodus indicate that anterior teeth may have been used in a similar manner to the procumbent front teeth of modern Dugong. Paraplacodus and Placodus seem to have used these teeth as spatulas to dig out seaplants. Cyamodus and other placodonts such as Placochelys had smaller or reduced anterior teeth. The scarcity of highly worn palatine or maxillary and lower jaw dentary Placodus or Cyamodus teeth (less then 0.5%) suggests that they had a relatively soft diet. The seaplants would only have been squeezed in a similar feeding strategy to that of modern Dugong feeding on seagrass without jaw rotation and grinding. The phylogenetic trend in tooth reduction within the placodonts Paraplacodus, Placodus, especially in Cyamodus but also Placochelys, and Henodus within 11 My appears to have been a result of this plant-feeding adaptation and may even explain the origin or at least close relationship of the earliest Upper Triassic turtles as toothless algae and jellyfish feeders, in terms of the long-term convergent development with the sirens.

Estimation of Species Richness of Permian Foraminifera in Non-Parametric Methods and Investigation of Its Change Trend in Central Alborz, Western Tethys

Species richness of foraminifera assemblages in the Permian succession, contains Dorud, Ruteh and Nessen Formations, in Central Alborz—North of Iran, was estimated and studied based on lithostratigraphy and microbiostratigraphy of Permian. We used four non-parametric estimators to investigate the species richness: Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Jackknife 2 and bootstrap. These methods estimates the species richness based on the presence/absence data of each taxon identified in the samples. We use the submenu of quadrat richness in “Past” [1] software to estimate richness in regional chronostratigraphic stages.The results show that the estimated diversity of foraminiferal assemblages with the exception of late Yakhtashian, increased constantly from Asselian to Murgabian with the highest diversity of foraminifera seen in the Murgabian. The main decrease in foraminiferal species richness happened during the Midian which corresponds to the kamura cooling event.