Megafossils of Betulaceae from the Oligocene of Qaidam Basin and their paleoenvironmental and phytogeographic implications

Understanding the paleoenvironment and phytogeographical history of the Tibetan Plateau,China relies on discovering new plant fossils.The Qaidam Basin has long been regarded as an ideal‘field laboratory’to investigate the paleoclimate and paleobiological evolution of the northern Tibetan Plateau.However,fossil angiosperms from the Qaidam Basin are rare,and our knowledge of its paleovegetation is poor.Here,we report fossil leaves and fruits of Betulaceae found from the Oligocene Shangganchaigou Formation of northwestern Qaidam Basin(Huatugou area).Comparative morphological analysis led us to assign the fruits to the Betula subgenus Betula and the leaves to Carpinus grandis.These findings,together with other reported fossil plants from the same locality,reveal a close floristic linkage between the Qaidam Basin and Europe during the Oligocene.The northern pathway of this floristic exchange may have crossed through the Qaidam Basin during the late Paleogene.This floristic linkage may have been facilitated by the continuous narrowing of the Turgai Strait and stronger westerlies,which transported moisture and provided favorable climatic conditions.Indeed,fossil plants collected from the Qaidam Basin suggest that during the Oligocene this region had warm and humid deciduous broad-leaf forest,which differs from the region’s modern vegetation and indicates that the Qaidam Basin may have been a suitable region for these plants to flourish and spread during the Oligocene.

Calcareous Nannofossils and Molecular Fossils in Cobalt-rich Crusts and their Response to the P/E Global Event

A biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossils from the CM3D06 Co-rich ferromanganese crust from the Magellan seamounts in the northwestern Pacific enabled estimation of depositional age. The bio-imprinting of calcareous nannofossils and other fossil species suggests six age ranges for the nannofossils： late Cretaceous, late Paleocene, （early, middle, late） Eocene, middle Miocene, late Pliocene, and Pleistocene. Gas chromatography （GC） and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） were used to test the Co-rich crusts, and a variety of molecular fossils were detected, such as chloroform bituminous ＂A＂ , n-alkane, isoprenoid and sterol. Peak carbon and molecular indices （such as C23-/C24＋, CPI, Pr/Ph, Pr/nC17, Ph/nCxs and j13C） indicate that the parent organic matter is dominated by marine phytoplankton and thallogen whereas there is little input of terrestrial organic matter. Researches on calcareous nannofossils, molecular fossils and molecular organic geochemistry data reveal that the Paleocene/Eocene （P/E） global event is recorded in the cobalt- rich crusts from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. A succession of biomes can be observed near the 85 mm boundary （about 55 Ma）, i.e., the disappearance of the late Cretaceous Watznaueria barnesae and Zigodicus spiralis, and Broisonia parka microbiotas above the P/E boundary, and the bloom of Coccolithus formosus, Discoaster multiradiatus, Discoaster mohleri and Discoaster sp. below the boundary. Typical parameters of molecular fossils, such as saturated hydrocarbon components and carbon-number maxima, Pr/Ph, Pr/C17, Ph/C18, distribution types of sterols, Ts/Tm ratios and bacterial hopane, also exhibit dramatic changes near the P/E boundary. These integrated results illustrate that the biome succession of calcareous nannofossils, relative content of molecular fossils and molecular indices in the cobalt-rich crusts near the 85 mm boundary faithfully record the P/E global event.

New Discoveries of Phaeophycean Fossils in the Early Cambrian, Haikou, Kunming,Yunnan, Southwest China

The paper deals with the new phaeophycean fossils in the Early Cambrian from Chengjiang Biota at Ercai Village of Haikou, Kunming, Yunnan, Southwest China. Three new taxa, Punctatiopsis latifolia gen. et sp. nov., P. simplex gen. et sp. nov. and Vendotaenia cf. antiqua Gnilovskaya axe described here in detail. These new findings show that the Chengjiang Biota is high in species diversity of fossil algae and might offer new evidence for a better understanding of the Cambrian explosive biological evolution. The fossil genus described here is found to have a close relationship with the living Punctatia based on similar morphology. The results suggest that the Chengjiang Biota in Haikou area of Kunming was living in an intertidal and subtidal seawater environment.

Flysch Trace Fossils from the Hercynian and IndosinianOrogenic Belts of North western China andTheir Palaeoenvironmental Significance

Twenty-three ichnotaxa have been found in the Silurian and Carboniferous turbidites of the Tianshan orogenic belt and the Triassic turbidites of the East Kunlun-West Qinling orogenic belt of northwestern China. They are Acanthorhaphe isp., ?Arthrophycus isp., Aulichnites parkerensis, Chondrites isp., C. intricatus, C. targionii, Cochlichnus anguineus, coprolite, Dendrotichnium haentzscheli, Helminthopsis isp., Helminthopsis abeli, H. hieroglyphica, H. cf. irregularis, Imbrichnus isp., Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis, Laevicyclus rotaeformis, Lophoctenium tianshanensis, Megagrapton isp., Micatuba verso?, Muensteria isp., Neonereites, Palaeophycus, and Zoophycos caudagalli, two of which, namely, Kunlunichnus qinghaiensis and Lophoctenium tianshanensis, are new ichnospecies. The described trace fossils can be grouped into five ichno-assemblages: the Aulichnites-Imbrichnus ichno-assemblage representing turbidity current deposits of a restricted anoxic deep-sea basin, the Lophoctenium ichno-assemblage showing the deep-sea or ocean environments relevant to a plate subduction, the Zoophycos-Helminthopsis ichnoassemblage representing the upper-middle turbidity fan deposits of a pelagic and hemipelagic environment, the Megagrapton-Chondrites ichno-assemblage representing the middle-lower turbidity fan deposits of an oceanic archipelago and the Kunlunichnus ichno-assemblage indicating bathyal turbidity current deposits.

Trace Fossils from Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in Xiaoerbulake Outcrop,Kalpin Area,Xinjiang

Based on the analysis of trace fossils collected from the typical outcrop of the Lower Cambrian Wusongger Formation in the Kalpin area, ten ichnospecies of six ichnogenus were identified in the upper member of the Wusongger Formation, with most of them being found for the first time. The trace fossils are described seriatim. The ichnospecies are mainly represented by such common trace fossils as Ophiomorpha nodosa, Helminthopsis hieroglyphica, Helminthopsis ichnosp., Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites vulgaris, Planolites montanus, Palaeophycus striatus, Palaeophycus curvatus, Cochlichnus anguineus and Rituichnus elongatum. The trace fossils are of high diversity and low abundance, and can be diagnosed as the Cruziana ichnofacies. They can be interpreted as having formed in a shallow water environment.

The environmental implication of diatom fossils in the surface sediment of the Changjiang River estuary(CRE) and its adjacent area

In order to depict the distribution of diatom fossils in surface sediments and to establish a reliable reference data for further paleoenvironmental study in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and its adjacent waters, the diatom fossils from 34 surface sediment samples and their relationship with environmental variables were analyzed by principal component analysis and redundancy correspondence analysis. The diversity and abundance of diatom fossils were analyzed. Some annual average parameters of the overlying water (salinity, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, depth, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphate and dissolved inorganic silicate) were measured at each sampling site. A total of 113 diatom taxa and one silicoflagellate species were identified in the investigation area. Diatom fossils were better preserved in fine sediments. The absolute abundance of diatom fossils did not significantly diff er between inshore and off shore areas, the species diversity decreased from inshore to off shore. This may be because high nutrients and low salinity promoted the growth of more brackish species in coastal waters. The diatom taxa were divided into three groups, on the basis of their response and indication to environmental changes. For example, Actinocyclus ehrenbergii and Cyclotella stylorum were dominant in coastal waters (Group 1 and Group 3) with high nutrients and low salinity;the relative abundances of Paralia sulcata and Podosira stelliger were significantly higher in off shore sites (Group 2, average 39.5%), which were characterized by high salinity and deep water. Four environmental variables (salinity, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, temperature and water depth) explained the composition and distribution of diatom taxa independently ( P< 0.05), this finding can be applied in further paleoenvironmental reconstruction research in this area.

Medusoid Fossils from the Sinian Xingmincun Formation of Southern Liaoning Province

Abundant medusoid soft-bodied metazoan fossils have been found in the Sinian Xingmincun Formation(with an isotopic age of 650 Ma) at Qipanmo, Qidingshan and Yangtun of the Dalian-Jinzhou area, southern Liaoning Province; in addition, a number of macroscopic algal fossils have been discovered for the first time in the Getun Formation overlying the Xingmincun Formation. Medusoid fossils include 3 genera and 6 species(all of which are new). Judging from their biological characters, these medusoid fossils are considered to have an intimate affinity with the Ediacara fauna in the terminal Precambrian of Australia, as their characters are close to each other. The authors suggest that these medusoids and the Edicara fauna might be the products of the same period. The discovery of the medusoid fauna in the Xingmincun Formation marks an important event in the evolution of the terminal Precambrian organisms in China, and it is of major practical significance in the study of the Sinian System of China and the correlation of the Sinian strata of northern and southern China.

New Small Shelly Fossils(Acanthocassis and Xinlispina Gen.Nov.) from the Fortunian Stage(Early Cambrian) in Southern China

We describe new material of three-dimensionally phosphatized small shelly fossils Acanthocassis and Xinlispina gen.nov.from the Fortunian Stage（early Cambrian） of southern Shaanxi and northern Sichuan Provinces.The new materials allow description of the delicate morphology of these skeletons, and also their skeletogenesis.Acanthocassis and Xinlispina have comparable morphological features： a main branch and radially arranged sub-branches.They differ from each other in many details, e.g., the presence of a single central branch only in Xinlispina, and the presence of small nodes only in Acanthocassis.Acanthocassis cannot be a naked anthopolyp or hydropolyp because of the more-or-less stiffened cuticle and the absence of a mouth.Acanthocassisand Xinlispina differ from coeval sponge spicules and chancelloriid sclerites and rosettes of crossed pedicellariae of echinoderms, and might be cuticular ornaments of animals of unclear affinities.They occur in the first small shelly fossil assemblage zone, and could be adopted as auxiliary fossils for biostratigraphic correlation in southern China.

Stratigraphic Implications of Skeletal Microfossils from the Cambrian of Korea:A Preliminary Report

Diverse small shelly fossils and other associated fossils were recently recovered from the Cambrian Hanaeri section, southwestern Mungyeong, Korea. The fauna includes conoidal problematica, poriferans （sponge spicules）, coeloscleritophorans （chancelioriids）, brachiopods, monoplacophorans, trilobite （？） fragments, echinoderms, and conodonts. A preliminary assessment of faunal associations, stratigraphic implications, and the correlation of these skeletal fossils is given, based on occurrences of Actinotheca cf. mira （He）, Microcornus sp., Torellela laevigata （Linnarsson）, Torellela sp., Archiasterella quadratina Lee, Chancelloria sp., LinguleUa sp., Prototreta sp., Phakelodus tenuis （Miiller）, Phakelodus elongates （An）, Hertzina sp., and Furnishina sp.

The Key Role of Aptian-Albian Marine Fossils from Eastern Heilongjiang in Marine-Nonmarine Stratigraphic Correlation

The alternating marine and nonmarine coal-bearing Lower Cretaceous successions are well developed in eastern Heilongjiang, northeastern China, including the Jixi Group in the west and the Longzhaogou Group in the east. The correlation of these two lithostratigraphic groups with the nonmarine Jehol Group is important for dating the exceptionally well-preserved Jehol Biota. The Early Cretaceous marine fossils recovered from eastern Heilongjiang include ammonites, bivalves, radiolarians, foraminifers and dinocysts. During the early Aptian transgression the ammonite fauna entered the Hulin and Mishan areas and the bivalve Aucellina fauna in the Jixi area. This enables correlation of the marine lower part of the Chengzihe Formation of the Jixi Group with the Qihulin Formation of the Longzhaogou Group.

Significant New Dinosaur Egg Fossils Discovered in 2017

1 Dinosaur Eggs in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province In February 2017, dinosaur egg fossils were discovered in China Town part of Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province. They were confirmed by dinosaur experts from the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History to be those of Mesozoic herbivorous dinosaurs （Fig. 1）. Not long before, Yiwu Museum staff had discovered dinosaur eggs close by this place.

Regulation on the Protection of Fossils Issued by the State Council of the People's Republic of China:Scientists' Researches Protected Legally—Further Explanation

With large-scale engineering projects being carried out in China, a large number of fossil localities have been discovered and excavated by responsible agencies, but still some important fossils of great value have been removed and smuggled into foreign countries. In the last three years, more than 1345 fossil specimens have been intercepted by Customs in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing and elsewhere, and more than 5000 fossils, most of which are listed as key fossils,

Let Us Enjoy Self-made Ammonite Accessories:A Self-learning Practice of Replica-making of Fossils,A Dissemination Activity of the Fukada Geological Institute Since Seven Years Ago

Elaborate and precise replicas taken from real fossils are used for academic researches in place of originals. They are often exhibited in museums in order to avoid demolition of the fragile originals.Replicas not only increase the number of specimens but also expand the chances for people to get direct observation of scientifically valuable materials.Up to now。

Genesis of Silica-phosphatic Nodules with Small Shelly Fossils Preserved in the Lowermost Cambrian of South China

Silica-phosphatic nodules are abundant in black shales of the Yanjiahe Formation in the Three Gorges Area of South China,which is correlated to the Fortunian Stage,Terreneuvian Series,Cambrian System.The nodules are rich in small shelly fossils and hence attract the attention of numerous paleontologists and sedimentary geologists.However,the genesis of the nodules and the preservation of the small shelly fossils are poorly understood.Here we analyze morphological,structural,mineralogical and chemical features of the nodules in multiscale using a combination of micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser Raman spectroscopy.Results reveal that nodules are concentric in chemical and mineralogical compositions,comprising a silica-phosphatic core encrusted sequentially by a phosphatic zone,a siliceous zone and a very thin pyrite outer rim.The black shales hosting the nodules demonstrate a laminated texture of alternating clayey and silty laminae,which were respectively deposited in sulfidic/less sulfidic,high/low production,intense/weak chemical weathering conditions.The phosphogenesis of the nodules resulted in the phosphatization of small shelly fossils,which prevented the fossils from being dissolved during diagenesis,whereas the silica encrustation sealed the fossils within the nodules and thus protected the fossils from alteration by deep burial and surface weathering.

Continental Trace Fossils in the Semnan Area (Northern Iran)

Continental ichnology has been taking an ever increasing importance in stratigraphy. In this paper, Continental Trace Fossils in Semnan area have been studied. Semnan Province is one of the 31 provinces which is located in the north of Iran. In the East of Semnan City, Quaternary deposits occupy about 93% of the surface area, of which the Alluvial represents one of the most important geomorphological features in the area. Nevertheless, the outspread ichnological studies in Semnan City have received lesser attention in Continental Trace Fossils. Based on the systematic ichnology, 6 trace fossils are distinguished, namely Celliforma isp, Coprinisphaera isp, Palaeophycus tubularis, planolithes isp, Tombownichnus plenus, and Skolithos isp. The existence of Rhizoliths along with the tetrapod footprints and the survey of lithofacies all indicate that the trace fossils are related to Coprinisphaera ichnofacies. Based on ichnological and sedimentary facies analysis, the Continental Trace Fossils, in the study area, are located in the flood plain, point bar, and playa environment.

A Treasure Trove of Fossils

MAOTIAN is a cap-shaped mountain 52 km southeast of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. It came to public attention in the 1980s after a big trove of fossils dating back 530 million years was discovered there. This was called one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century. As Maotian is located in Chengjiang County, the fossil site is named after the county.

Radiolaria fossils in the surface sediments and sedimentary environment in the Bering Sea

Totally 2472 grains of Radiolaria belonging to 36 Genera and 45 species are distinguished from 12 surface sediments in the Bering Sea. The distribution characteristics of Radiolaria fossils in the surface sediments are as follows: (1) From the shelf of shallow water to the upper of continental slope, there are a few Radiolaria fossils and monotonous genus and species; (2) In the lower of continental slope, Radiolaria fossils are poor in the volcanic cinders and turbidite; (3) The abundance and diversity of Radiolaria fossils are high in clay of the basin. The dominant species of Radiolaria is Spongotrochus glacialis on the continental shelf. Current, topography, water depth, and temperature etc. are key factors influencing Radiolaria distribution. The sources of sediments mainly are terrigenous, biogenic and volcanic sediments in the survey area and they are mostly from the Kamchatka peninsula in the east of Russia and the Aleutian Islands.

Fossils Reveal Flowers Originated 50 Million Years Earlier than Thought

The discovery in China of fossil specimens of a flower called Nanjinganthus from the Early Jurassic suggests that flowers originated 50 million years earlier than previously thought.Scientists have discovered the earliest flower specimens dating back to the Early Jurassic。

Feathered Fossils

THE next time people see an adventure sci-fi movie like Hollywood＇s Jurassic Park, dinosaurs in the movie may look very different, especially the Tyrannosaurus rex. They could be feathered,