Early Jurassic Soft-Sediment Deformation Interpreted as Seismites in the Wuqia Pull-Apart Basin and the Strike-Slip Talas-Ferghana Fault, Xinjiang, China

The early Jurassic soft-sediment deformation occurring within lacustrine sandstone is distributed mainly in the Wuqia region of SW Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, western China. Triggered by earthquakes, such deformation was found to occur in three beds overlying the lower Jurassic Kangsu Formation. The main styles of deformation structures comprise load cast, ball-and- pillow, droplet, cusps, homogeneous layer, and liquefied unconformity. The deformation layers reflect a series of three strong earthquakes at the end of early Jurassic in the Wuqia region. The differences of deformation mechanisms undergone might represent the varying magnitudes of the earthquake events. During the early Jurassic, the Wuqia region was located in a pull-apart basin controlled by the significant Talas-Ferghana strike-slip fault in central Asia, which initiated the soft-sediment deformation induced by earthquakes. Our research suggests that the paleoseismic magnitudes could have ranged from Ms 6.5 to 7.

Braincase Anatomy of the Basal Theropod Sinosaurus from the Early Jurassic of China

The neuroanatomy of the mid-sized theropod Sinosaurus triassicus from the Lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation, Lufeng Basin in Yunnan Province, China was studied using X-ray computed tomography. The braincase is characterized by a large supraoccipital knob that is capped by a posterior projection of the parietal and two external foramina for the caudal middle cerebral vein, which is completely enclosed by the supraoccipital. The basicranium has well defined, short basipterygoid processes that project ventral to the basal tubera. The basisphenoid is expanded, projects posteroventrally, and is pierced by four pneumatic recesses. The endocranial morphology resembles that observed in other basal theropods—in particular some allosauroids—and has a strongly marked pontine flexure and a large dorsal expansion. The inner ear morphology is also similar to that observed in other basal theropods, with slender semicircular canals. The anterior semicircular canal is 20% larger than the posterior semicircular canal, and the angle formed between them is less than 90° when seen in dorsal view.

Petrogenesis of the Early Jurassic Longtang and Menglong Peraluminous Granites in Tengchong Terrane,and their Tectonic Implication

A comprehensive study of zircon U-Pb geochronology,in situ Hf isotopes,whole-rock major and trace element geochemistry,and Nd isotopes was carried out for two Early Jurassic two-mica granites(Longtang and Menglong)in the southern part of the Tengchong terrane,which is in the northern part of the larger Sibumasu terrane.We assess the origin of the granites and explore their possible genetic relationship to the Paleo-Tethyan regime.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating shows that they were simultaneously emplaced in the Early Jurassic(ca.199 Ma).They have SiO2 contents of 69.7–75.1 wt%and are mainly strongly peraluminous with alumina saturation index(ASI)values ranging from 1.06 to 1.46.They show similar Mg#(0.29–0.42)to experimental partial melts of metasedimentary rocks under continental pressuretemperature(P-T)conditions.They are enriched in light rare earth elements(LREEs)relative to heavy rare earth elements(HREEs),with moderately negative Eu anomalies and flat HREEs patterns.They show negativeεNd(t)values(−9.0 to–12.4)andεHf(t)values(−8.0 to−9.1).Elemental and isotopic data suggest that they most likely to formed by muscovitedehydration melting of a metapelitic source at lower temperatures in the range of 700℃to 750℃.The granites might represent a post-collisional tectonic setting response to Paleo-Tethyan regime.

Geochemistry and Geochronology of OIB-type Early Jurassic Magmatism in the Zhangguangcai Range, NE China, as a Result of Continental Back-arc Extension

The Zhangguangcai Range in the Xing’an(Hinggan) Mongolian Orogenic Belt, NE China, contains Early Jurassic(c. 188 Ma) Dabaizigou(DBZG) porphyritic dolerite. Compared with other island-arc mafic rocks, the DBZG dolerite is characterized by high trace-element contents, relatively weak Nb and Ta enrichments, and no Zr, Hf or Ti depletions, similar to OIB-type rocks. Analysed rocks have(87Sr/86Sr)i ratios of 0.7033–0.7044, relatively uniform positive εNd(t) values of 2.3–3.2 and positive εHf(t) values of 8.5–17.1. Trace-element and isotopic modelling indicates that the DBZG mafic rocks were generated by partial melting of asthenospheric mantle under garnet-to spinel-facies conditions. The occurrence of OIB-like mafic intrusion suggests significant upwelling of the asthenosphere in response to lithospheric attenuation caused by continental rifting. These processes occurred in an incipient continental back-arc environment in the upper plate of a palaeo-Pacific slab subducting W–NW beneath East Asia.

Identification of the Early Jurassic mylonitic granitic pluton and tectonic implications in Namling area,southern Tibet

A number of studies revealed that the Gangdese magmatic belt of southern Tibet was closely related to the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethys oceanic lithosphere and Indo-Asian collision.However,pre-Cretaceous magmatism is still poorly constrained in the Gangdese magmatic belt,southern Tibet.Here,we conducted systematically geochronology and geochemistry studies on a newly-identified granitic pluton in the middle Gangdese magmatic belt(Namling area),southern Tibet.Zircon SHRIMPⅡU-Pb dating for one representative sample gives a weighted age of 184.2±1.8 Ma(MSWD=±1.11),corresponding to emplacement and crystallization age of the granitic pluton in the Early Jurassic(Pliensbachian).High SiO2(68.9-72.1 wt.%)contents and intermediate Mg#values(35-38)together suggest that the newly-identified granitic pluton was probably formed by partial melting of crustal material with minor injection of mantle-derived magma,precluding an origin from melting of metasedimentary rocks that are characterized by low Mg#and high zirconδ^18O values(>8‰).Geochemically,the newly-identified granitic pluton belongs to typical I-type granitic affinity,whereas this is inconsistent with aluminium saturation index(ASI=A/CNK ratios)and geochemical signatures.This suggests that zircon oxygen isotopes(4.30‰-5.28‰)and mineral features(lacking Al-rich minerals)are reliable indicators for discriminating granitic origin.Significantly depleted whole-rock Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions and zirconεHf(t)values indicate that the granitic pluton was derived from partial melting of depleted arc-type lavas.In addition,the granitic pluton shows zirconδ^18O values ranging from 4.30‰to 5.28‰(with a mean value of 4.77‰)that are consistent with mantle-derived zircon values(5.3‰±0.6‰)within the uncertainties,indicating that the granitic pluton might have experienced weak short-living high-temperature hydrous fluid-rock interaction.Combined with the Sr-Nd-Hf-O isotopes and geochemical signatures,we propose that the newly-identified granitic pluton was originated from partial melting of depleted mafic lower crust,and experienced only negligible wall-rock contamination during ascent.Integrated with published data,we also propose that the initial subduction of the Neo-Tethys oceanic lithosphere occurred no later than the Pliensbachian of the Early Jurassic.

Discovery of Fossil Charophytes from the Late Triassic Xujiahe Formation and Early Jurassic Lower Yimen Formation, Sichuan Province, and Its Significance

This paper describes the fossil charophytes collected from the Late Triassic Xujiahe Formation in Dazuand Early Jurassic Lower Yimen Formation in Xichang, Sichuan Province, and their significance. Up to now,papers dealing with fossil charophytes of the Late Triassic, especially of the Early Jurassic, have been rarelypublished. The description of the two new species of Porochara, P. dazuensis and P. xichangensis, and theirfossil assemblage not only provides an important basis for classification and correlation of red beds insouthwestern China but reveals for the first time the features of the charophyte flora of the Late Triassic-EarlyJurassic in the area, thus offering valuable data for the establishment of Triassic and Jurassic charophyte fossilzones in China.

Early Jurassic Coleopterans from the Mintaja Insect Locality,Western Australia

Beetles （Coleoptera） are the most common insects recovered from the Lower Jurassic Mintaja insect locality of Western Australia, with over half of the fossils recorded from this site being isolated coleopteran elytra. A range of partial beetle bodies and other isolated beetle sclerites have also been recovered from the locality; much of this material is taxonomically unidenitifiable due to its disarticulation and poor preservation. A number of the Mintaja coleopterans are assigned to the archostematan family Ommatidae, including Zygadenia westraliensis （Riek, 1968） comb. nov, previously placed in the morphogenus Mesothoris, and an unnamed species of Tetraphalerus. Also recorded is a new species of elaterid, Lithomerus wunda sp. nov., along with other fragments likely attributable to the same family. The remaining material is assigned into morphospecies, separated primarily on preserved body parts - specifically, there are three morphospecies based on partially articulated coleopteran bodies, two morphospecies based on isolated head capsules, three morphospecies based on isolated thoracic sclerites, three morphospecies based on isolated abdominal sclerites, and 13 morphospecies based on isolated elytra. Overall, the ecology of these fossils is difficult to interpret due to poor preservation, although some of the beetles were likely aquatic, and the Ommatidae and Elateridae were both likely xylophilous. There is a strong similarity between the Mintaja coleopterans and those from the Late Triassic Denmark Hill locality of Queensland, though many of these similarities are based on morphotaxa and may be superficial in nature. Of the species that have been assigned to named taxa, all are generally typical of the Late Mesozoic worldwide, with Zygadenia, Tetraphalerus and Lithomerus all long-ranging, cosmopolitan genera.

Sedimentary environment and model for lacustrine organic matter enrichment:lacustrine shale of the Early Jurassic Da’anzhai Formation,central Sichuan Basin,China

Based on the analysis of element geochemistry and total organic carbon(TOC),this study investigates the main factors controlling organic matter(OM)enrichment,reconstructs the evolution process of the sedimentary environment,and proposes a dynamic OM enrichment model of the Jurassic Da’anzhai(D)Formation,Sichuan Basin.The results indicate that the Sichuan Basin was generally dominated by a warm and oxidizing sedimentary environment,but with some peculiarities,such as a hotter climate in the D1 member and more anoxic lake water in the D2a member.The sedimentary evolution of the Da’anzhai Formation can be divided into a fluctuating sedimentary stage,a stable sedimentary stage and a reef-building stage.The D2a member showed the strongest hypoxia,the weakest weathering,the largest amount of terrestrial inputs,and the highest TOC content.The TOC is positively correlated with reducing conditions and terrestrial inputs,negatively correlated with weathering.Based on these findings,it is suggested that the global climate in the Early Jurassic period had a complex regional effect and the global oceanic anoxic events of the Toarcian did not spread to the Sichuan Basin.Thus,the anoxic deep water,high terrestrial inputs,and weak weathering were conducive to rapid deposition and preservation of lacustrine OM.

New Evidence of Sauropod Dinosaurs from the Early Jurassic Period of Thailand

The oldest dinosaur assemblages of Thailand deposit in continental sedimentary rocks of the Nam Phong Formation. Not only Isanosaurus attavipatchi was discovered but at least two more species of basal sauropods were found. A partial skeleton from Phu Hin Tan locality refers to sauropod taxon A. It is different from Isanosaurus and shares some characteristics with basal sauropods in the Early Jurassic. The sauropod taxon B was found in Non Sra Ard locality. Base on postcranial skeleton, sauropod taxon B shares some characteristics of the family Vnlcanodontidae. Moreover, several fragments of the sauropods specimen are also found in Pha Khok Wang Yang and Phu Noi localities. All of the evidences above indicate that there are a highly diversity of sauropods in the Nam Phong Formation. At least three sauropod species （including Isanosaurus） were found in the Nam Phong formation. The issue about the age of the Nam Phong has been debated for a long time between the Triassic and Jurassic age. All of sauropodomorphs, in this study, are more likely the Early Jurassic period dinosaurs than the Triassic period dinosaurs. And they have deposited in the upper part of Nam Phong Formation.

First steps in reconstructing Early Jurassic sea water temperatures in the Andean Basin of northern Chile based on stable isotope analyses of oyster and brachiopod shells

The stable isotope(δ13 C,δ18 O)composition of a collection of Lower Jurassic brachiopods and oysters from the Andean Basin of northern Chile was analyzed.The results allow the first reconstruction of absolute water temperatures for several ammonite zones in the Lower Jurassic of South America.The temperature record starts with comparatively high values in the Late Sinemurian(average:27.0℃;Raricostatum Zone).Just before the Sinemurian–Pliensbachian transition,temperatures dropped to an average of 24.3℃.The lowest temperature value in the dataset was recorded for a brachiopod shell of the latest Pliensbachian Spinatum Zone(19.6℃).No data are available for the Early Toarcian,but results for the late Toarcian show again comparatively warm conditions(average:24.4℃;Thouarsense–Levesquei zones).Even though more material and analyses are necessary to corroborate the recorded temperatures,the present dataset seems to indicate the global nature of the Late Pliensbachian Cooling Event.In contrast,the global warming during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event has not been recorded due to a lack of Early Toarcian material.Theδ13 C record of brachiopods and oysters documents a gradual increase in values representing background conditions.Oyster shells were used for high-resolution stable isotope analyses and show seasonal temperature fluctuations over a period of around 3 years in the life time of the bivalves.If explained only by temperatures,theδ18 O values point to a minimum estimate for the seasonality in the late Toarcian of slightly more than 3℃.

Geochronology and Geochemical Characteristics of the Early Mesozoic Tangquan Pluton in Southwestern Fujian and Its Tectonic Implications

The Tangquan granodioritic pluton in Dalian County, southwestern Fujian, China, which extends in a NE direction with an exposed area of about 130 km2, used to be considered a product of Early Cretaceous magmatism. The present study suggests for the first time that the pluton was formed in the Early Jurassic by using multiple methods for isotopic dating, which give zircon U-Pb ages of 186.8 Ma and 179.0 Ma, Rb-Sr isochron age of 162.02±4.5 Ma, and biotite 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 158.1±0.7 Ma. The cooling rate for the pluton was relatively low (4.76℃/Ma) during the early stage (183-162 Ma) because of the compressional environment. It was emplaced in a higher cooling rate (50℃/Ma) in an extensional environment during the later stage (162-158 Ma). The granodiorites are metaluminous-peraluminous, relatively enriched in Na2O and depleted in K2O, and characteristic of I-type granites of crust-mantle mixed sources. They are moderately enriched in Rb, Th, Hf and LREE, and depleted in Ti, Nb, Ta and Sr, and have geochemical features of cal-alkaline rocks of an island arc or active continental margin. Their (87Sr/86Sr)i ratio varies from 0.70769 to 0.70822, εNd(t) from -9.68 to -10.07 and TDM from 1.52 to 1.55 Ga. They were formed by mixing of mantle-derived mafic magma with the granitic magma resulting from partial melting of crust-derived materials in an upwelling of the asthenospheric mantle in South China during the Early Mesozoic.

A New Sauropod, Gongxianosaurus, from the Lower Jurassic of Sichuan, China

The paper describes an early and primitive sauropod dinosaur, Gongxianosaurus shibeiensis (gen. et sp. nov.), from the Dongyuemiao Member of the Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation in Shibei Township, Gongxian County, Sichuan Province, China, which is one of the 5 dinosaur fossils discovered in Gongxian in 1997. Except the skull which is incomplete, the fossils are well preserved. It has some features of both sauropods and prosauropods. It is an intermediate type in the evolution of dinosaurs from prosauropods to sauropods and provides materials for the study of the origin and evolution of the sauropod dinosaur fauna. The discovery of this new sauropod furnishes a way for the stratigraphic correlation between the Early Jurassic Ziliujing Formation in the Sichuan basin and the Lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation in the Central Yunnan basin.

Research on Dinoasur Footprints in Zizhou, Shaanxi Province, China

In recent years, the discoveries of dinosaur footprints have been successively reported from Dianshi Town, Zizhou City, Shaanxi Province. The footprints include the tracks of theropod, ornithopod and sauropod as well. Actually, the dinosaur footprints were found by local inhabitants much earlier in history, but not for science. The slabs bearing the dinosaur footprints were collected for domestic use, such as building stones, millstones, cellar covers, sheepfold fences, windlass holders, etc. This paper is to describe the dinosaur footprints on both sides of three slabs used for cellar covers, sheepfold fences and windlass holders by the local people. 24 dinosaur footprints and 4 trackways have been recognized and all of them belong to theropod. Four kinds of dinosaur footprints are identified, including 1 new ichnogenus and 2 new ichnospecies： （1） Shanbeipus caudatus ichnogen, et ichnosp, nov.; （2） Pengxianpus yulinensis ichnosp, nov.; （3） Eubrontes ichnosp; （4） Kayentapus ichnosp. Dinosaur-footprint-bearing beds were initially identified as the Fuxian Formation of the Lower Jurassic. Multipal dinosaur footprints associated with fragment plant fossils suggest a humid fluviolacustrine environment setting in the Ordos Basin during the early period of the Jurassic.

Late Jurassic to early Cretaceous magnetostratigraphy of scientific drilling core LK-1 in the Lingshan Island of Riqingwei Basin,eastern China

The Sulu orogenic belt is an uplift zone that was formed in the Late Triassic.Several Jurassic to Cretaceous sedimentary successions have been recognized within the Sulu orogenic belt in recent studies,including outcrops that are considered to be related to the newly discovered Riqingwei Basin.This basin has been the focus of extensive study due to its continuous Cretaceous rock sequence,geological location and petroleum resource potential.However,the lack of a consolidated chronology for the strata has precluded a better understanding of stratigraphy,tectonic evolution and resource potential of the Riqingwei Basin.Here,we present the results of a new magnetostratigraphic study of the continental scientific drilling borehole LK-1,which is located on Lingshan Island,offshore Shandong province,eastern China.The goals of this study are to(1)refine the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous chronostratigraphic framework of the Riqingwei Basin,and(2)investigate the location of the J/K boundary in the Borehole Core LK-1.The observed patterns of the paleomagnetic polarity zone in the LK-1 borehole correlate well with the geomagnetic polarity time scale(GPTS),and the continuous magnetostratigraphy profile defined in this core indicates an age ranging from 146.5 to 125.8 Ma for the samples interval.The sediment accumulation rates(SAR)of LK-1 show one period of high SAR(~10.5 cm kyr^(-1))at 135.3–130.6 Ma and two periods of low SAR(~4.8 and~2.2 cm kyr^(-1))at145.7–135.3 and 130.6–125.8 Ma,respectively.In addition,the magnetostratigraphic results suggest that the Jurassic-Cretaceous(J/K)boundary of the LK-1 is located within the magnetozone N21.2 n(~1254 m).This comprehensive geochronologic framework provides a good correlation of the marine Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous strata in the Riqingwei Basin to other marine strata and continental sequences,in addition to providing a foundation for the study of the structural evolution of eastern China.

Earliest Asian discoglossid frog from western Liaoning

Based on a superbly preserved skeleton, a new anuran taxon has been named and described from the Yixian Formation (Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous), Liaoning Province,northeastern China. This discovery documents the first discoglossid fossil from China, the earliest record of the group in Asia, and the only second Mesozoic discoglossid known from fully articulated material in the world. The family Discoglossidae is widely perceived as a primitive anuran group, but has no definite fossils found in collaboration with their recent distribution in Asia.The new discovery from Liaoning extends the temporal range of the group in Asia back at least 120 million years, and provides valuable fossil material for study of anatomical details of early discoglossids, as well as of historical distribution of this primitive anuran group.