Enantionithine birds are the most blooming branch of early birds and have distinct diversities. A large number of enantionithine birds have been reported from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoni...Enantionithine birds are the most blooming branch of early birds and have distinct diversities. A large number of enantionithine birds have been reported from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning, China. Recently, we discovered a new eoenantiornithid bird from the Jiufotang Formation in Dapingfang Town, western Liaoning. A new eoenantiornithid bird, Dapingfangornis sentisorhinus gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on this complete skeleton with a skull. The new bird is distinguished from other known Mesozoic birds in a medium to small size, a distinct thorn-like process on the nasals, a sternum with a long and a short lateral processes. The thorn-like process on the nasal has not been discovered among known fossil birds, thus the discovery also provides new materials on the diversities of early birds.展开更多
A new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird from Liaoning Province of northeastern China, Shengjingornis yangi, gen. et sp. nov., is reported. This new bird possesses the following unique combination of features: a l...A new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird from Liaoning Province of northeastern China, Shengjingornis yangi, gen. et sp. nov., is reported. This new bird possesses the following unique combination of features: a long rostrum, with some teeth in the front; short nasal; slender jugal; Y-shaped furcula, with expanded distal end of the hypocleidum; cake-like sternum, with a low and caudally distributed keel; strut-like and caudally concave coracoid. The derived features of the scapula and the wings suggest a powerful flapping flight capability.展开更多
Based on a new nearly complete postcranial skeleton of an adult specimen of Sinopterus from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China, the diagnosis of Sinopterus is amended. The revised diag...Based on a new nearly complete postcranial skeleton of an adult specimen of Sinopterus from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China, the diagnosis of Sinopterus is amended. The revised diagnosis of Sinopterus includes skull relatively elongate with weakly developed cranial crest; ratio of the length of Ph2d4 to that of Ph1d4 is approximately 0.73; ratio of the length of wing metacarpal to that of metatarsal 3 is 4.5; ratio of the length of mt3 to that of tibia is approximately 0.21, and wing phalanges 1 and 2 are straight. Comparison between the ratios of the limb bones between non-adult and adult individuals of Sinopterus indicates that during the ontogenetic process, some ratios between bones are constant, such as the first wing phalanx to the second wing phalanx, the wing metacarpal to the metatarsal 3, metatarsal 3 to the tibia, but others are not, such as humerus to wing metacarpal and femur to tibia, in which the former grows faster than the latter.展开更多
Two incomplete bones referred to ankylosaur scapulocoracoid and humerus are described, which were discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dachengzi Town, Kazuo County, Liaoning Province. Ankylosaur...Two incomplete bones referred to ankylosaur scapulocoracoid and humerus are described, which were discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dachengzi Town, Kazuo County, Liaoning Province. Ankylosaur dinosaurs have ever been found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian, Fuxin and Sunjiawan Formations of western Liaoning. The occurrence of ankylosaurs within Jiufotang Formation improves our knowledge on the ankylosaur stratigraphic distribution. Based on the length of scapulocoracoid, the new dinosaur is estimated to exceed 6.0 meters long, representing the largest ankylosaur in western Liaoning.展开更多
Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the d...Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the diagnosis of Feilongus is amended. The revised diagnosis notes long, curved, needle-shaped teeth that are confined to the jaw far anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; posterior teeth that are slightly smaller than the anterior teeth; cervical vertebrae elongated with a ratio of length to width greater than 5; tooth number of about 78; and two cranial sagittal crests.展开更多
Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen. et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different fr...Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen. et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different from any known pterosaurs with skulls preserved from western Liaoning Province and its peripheral areas in that the anterior part of the mandibular symphysis is expanded, being widest between the fourth alveolus of each side. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is assigned to Ctenochasmatidae based on the following characters: the rounded anterior end of the lower jaw is spatulated and dorsoventrally flattened and marked heterodonty in the dentition is absent. It differs from other ctenochasmatid pterosaurs in having relatively small number of teeth. Liaoxipterus is distinguished from some ornithocheirids, which have expanded anterior parts of the mandibular symphyses, such as Anhanguera piscator, Coloborhynchus robustus in which the teeth of the new pterosaur are not as variable.展开更多
A new tapejarid pterosaur Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. The skull morphology of Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. appears transitional between the skull...A new tapejarid pterosaur Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. The skull morphology of Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. appears transitional between the skulls of Sinopterus and Tapejara. The skull morphology (low crest) of Huaxiapterusjii indicates that Huaxiapterus is more closely related to Sinopterus than to Tapejara, which has a high crest. The relatively long and shallow skull of Sinopterus indicates that it is a primitive form. Huaxiapterus is more derived than Sinopterus but more primitive than Tapejara.展开更多
This paper describes an avialian bird from the Early Cretaceous JiufotangFormation in Yixian county, western Liaoning China, which is named as Shenzhouraptor sinensis by Jiet al. on July 15, 2002. Shenzhouraptor sinen...This paper describes an avialian bird from the Early Cretaceous JiufotangFormation in Yixian county, western Liaoning China, which is named as Shenzhouraptor sinensis by Jiet al. on July 15, 2002. Shenzhouraptor sinensis is characterized by no teeth in its mouth, theforelimbs longer than the hindlimbs, a long tail with more than 23 caudal vertebrae, U-shapedwishbone, and remiges longer than the total length of ulna and manus. It is certain that the newavialian bird is really capable of powerful flight, representing a missing link between theropoddinosaurs and birds.展开更多
A new species of tapejarid pterosaur, Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is erected on the basis of a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, Chi...A new species of tapejarid pterosaur, Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is erected on the basis of a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is characterized by a hatchet-shaped rectangular process on the premaxilla, whose short axis is perpendicular to the anterior margin of the premaxillae. Except for this process, other characters of the skull such as the breadth of the snout between the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra and the anterior margin of the premaxilla are similar to that of Huaxiapterus jii. Huaxiapterus and a second Chinese tapejarid, Sinopterus, share several unique cranial characters in common with Tapejara and these three genera appear to be more closely related to each other than to other azhdarchoids. The Chinese tapejarids (Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus) have relatively elongate skulls and weakly developed cranial crests and seem to be less derived than Tapejara, with its shorter, deeper skull and large cranial crest. Tupuxuarids (Tupuxuara and Thalassodromeus) have often been associated with tapejarids in the family Tapejaridae, but this relationship is controversial because some phylogenetic analyses have supported the pairing of tupuxuarids with Azhdarchidae. We propose that Tapejaridae be restricted to Tapejara, Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus.展开更多
Traditionally, the lacustrine deposits in Yixian County of Western Liaoning have been assigned to either "the Dakangpu Bed" of the Yixian Formation or the Jiufotang Formation. However,a 206pb/238U age of 126.47±...Traditionally, the lacustrine deposits in Yixian County of Western Liaoning have been assigned to either "the Dakangpu Bed" of the Yixian Formation or the Jiufotang Formation. However,a 206pb/238U age of 126.47±0.87 Ma is newly obtained from the tuff sample (06051) of the lacustrine deposits in the Baitaigou fossil site of Potaizi village, Yixian County, indicating that the lacustrine deposits in Potaizi area are approximately equivalent to the Wumingshan volcanics of the Sihetun Bed of the Yixian Formation in Beipiao. From our new dating data have arisen some new problems: Where could we find the Jiufotang Formation in Yixian County? How widely distributed is the Jiufotang Formation in Western Liaoning? Could the traditionally named Jiufotang Formation somewhere in Western Liaoning be the synchronous deposits of other litho-units (e.g. the Yixian Formation) in different facies? Could some lacustrine deposits somewhere in Western Liaoning have been assigned to the Jiufotang Formation?展开更多
Pangupterus liui gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Sihedang, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province is erected based on a nearly complete lower jaw. It is characterized by having a total of 36 slender curved ...Pangupterus liui gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Sihedang, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province is erected based on a nearly complete lower jaw. It is characterized by having a total of 36 slender curved teeth with sharp tips, forming a distinct fish-grabbing mechanism; the teeth are well-spaced and are circular in section; the length ratio of the mandibular symphysis to the whole jaw is 20%; and the ratio of the tooth root width to tooth length is 12%. Toothed pterosaurs make up about 56.3% of the pterosaur assemblage from the Jiufotang Formation, which indicates that toothed forms played a key role in the ecosystem.展开更多
文摘Enantionithine birds are the most blooming branch of early birds and have distinct diversities. A large number of enantionithine birds have been reported from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning, China. Recently, we discovered a new eoenantiornithid bird from the Jiufotang Formation in Dapingfang Town, western Liaoning. A new eoenantiornithid bird, Dapingfangornis sentisorhinus gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on this complete skeleton with a skull. The new bird is distinguished from other known Mesozoic birds in a medium to small size, a distinct thorn-like process on the nasals, a sternum with a long and a short lateral processes. The thorn-like process on the nasal has not been discovered among known fossil birds, thus the discovery also provides new materials on the diversities of early birds.
基金supported by the director founation item of experiment center of Shenyang Normal University (Grant No.sy201101)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41202014)
文摘A new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird from Liaoning Province of northeastern China, Shengjingornis yangi, gen. et sp. nov., is reported. This new bird possesses the following unique combination of features: a long rostrum, with some teeth in the front; short nasal; slender jugal; Y-shaped furcula, with expanded distal end of the hypocleidum; cake-like sternum, with a low and caudally distributed keel; strut-like and caudally concave coracoid. The derived features of the scapula and the wings suggest a powerful flapping flight capability.
文摘Based on a new nearly complete postcranial skeleton of an adult specimen of Sinopterus from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of western Liaoning, China, the diagnosis of Sinopterus is amended. The revised diagnosis of Sinopterus includes skull relatively elongate with weakly developed cranial crest; ratio of the length of Ph2d4 to that of Ph1d4 is approximately 0.73; ratio of the length of wing metacarpal to that of metatarsal 3 is 4.5; ratio of the length of mt3 to that of tibia is approximately 0.21, and wing phalanges 1 and 2 are straight. Comparison between the ratios of the limb bones between non-adult and adult individuals of Sinopterus indicates that during the ontogenetic process, some ratios between bones are constant, such as the first wing phalanx to the second wing phalanx, the wing metacarpal to the metatarsal 3, metatarsal 3 to the tibia, but others are not, such as humerus to wing metacarpal and femur to tibia, in which the former grows faster than the latter.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.41372026)the China Geological Survey(Grant no.1212011120139,1212011120005)to Ji Shu-anthe Administration Bureau of Fossil Resource Protection of Liaoning Province(LNZC20130900206)to Zhang Lijun
文摘Two incomplete bones referred to ankylosaur scapulocoracoid and humerus are described, which were discovered from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Dachengzi Town, Kazuo County, Liaoning Province. Ankylosaur dinosaurs have ever been found in the Lower Cretaceous Yixian, Fuxin and Sunjiawan Formations of western Liaoning. The occurrence of ankylosaurs within Jiufotang Formation improves our knowledge on the ankylosaur stratigraphic distribution. Based on the length of scapulocoracoid, the new dinosaur is estimated to exceed 6.0 meters long, representing the largest ankylosaur in western Liaoning.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant No. 41272022the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Grant No. J1206, J1308
文摘Based on a new nearly naturally preserved skull and four cervical vertebrae of the pterosaur Feilongus sp. from the lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Beipiao, western Liaoning province, northeastern China, the diagnosis of Feilongus is amended. The revised diagnosis notes long, curved, needle-shaped teeth that are confined to the jaw far anterior to the nasoantorbital fenestra; posterior teeth that are slightly smaller than the anterior teeth; cervical vertebrae elongated with a ratio of length to width greater than 5; tooth number of about 78; and two cranial sagittal crests.
文摘Based on a nearly complete lower jaw from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, a new ctenochasmatid pterosaur: Liaoxipterus brachyognathus gen. et sp. nov. is erected. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is different from any known pterosaurs with skulls preserved from western Liaoning Province and its peripheral areas in that the anterior part of the mandibular symphysis is expanded, being widest between the fourth alveolus of each side. Liaoxipterus brachyognathus is assigned to Ctenochasmatidae based on the following characters: the rounded anterior end of the lower jaw is spatulated and dorsoventrally flattened and marked heterodonty in the dentition is absent. It differs from other ctenochasmatid pterosaurs in having relatively small number of teeth. Liaoxipterus is distinguished from some ornithocheirids, which have expanded anterior parts of the mandibular symphyses, such as Anhanguera piscator, Coloborhynchus robustus in which the teeth of the new pterosaur are not as variable.
文摘A new tapejarid pterosaur Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. The skull morphology of Huaxiapterus jii gen. et sp. nov. appears transitional between the skulls of Sinopterus and Tapejara. The skull morphology (low crest) of Huaxiapterusjii indicates that Huaxiapterus is more closely related to Sinopterus than to Tapejara, which has a high crest. The relatively long and shallow skull of Sinopterus indicates that it is a primitive form. Huaxiapterus is more derived than Sinopterus but more primitive than Tapejara.
文摘This paper describes an avialian bird from the Early Cretaceous JiufotangFormation in Yixian county, western Liaoning China, which is named as Shenzhouraptor sinensis by Jiet al. on July 15, 2002. Shenzhouraptor sinensis is characterized by no teeth in its mouth, theforelimbs longer than the hindlimbs, a long tail with more than 23 caudal vertebrae, U-shapedwishbone, and remiges longer than the total length of ulna and manus. It is certain that the newavialian bird is really capable of powerful flight, representing a missing link between theropoddinosaurs and birds.
文摘A new species of tapejarid pterosaur, Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is erected on the basis of a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China. Huaxiapterus coroUatus sp. nov. is characterized by a hatchet-shaped rectangular process on the premaxilla, whose short axis is perpendicular to the anterior margin of the premaxillae. Except for this process, other characters of the skull such as the breadth of the snout between the anterior margin of the nasoantorbital fenestra and the anterior margin of the premaxilla are similar to that of Huaxiapterus jii. Huaxiapterus and a second Chinese tapejarid, Sinopterus, share several unique cranial characters in common with Tapejara and these three genera appear to be more closely related to each other than to other azhdarchoids. The Chinese tapejarids (Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus) have relatively elongate skulls and weakly developed cranial crests and seem to be less derived than Tapejara, with its shorter, deeper skull and large cranial crest. Tupuxuarids (Tupuxuara and Thalassodromeus) have often been associated with tapejarids in the family Tapejaridae, but this relationship is controversial because some phylogenetic analyses have supported the pairing of tupuxuarids with Azhdarchidae. We propose that Tapejaridae be restricted to Tapejara, Sinopterus and Huaxiapterus.
文摘Traditionally, the lacustrine deposits in Yixian County of Western Liaoning have been assigned to either "the Dakangpu Bed" of the Yixian Formation or the Jiufotang Formation. However,a 206pb/238U age of 126.47±0.87 Ma is newly obtained from the tuff sample (06051) of the lacustrine deposits in the Baitaigou fossil site of Potaizi village, Yixian County, indicating that the lacustrine deposits in Potaizi area are approximately equivalent to the Wumingshan volcanics of the Sihetun Bed of the Yixian Formation in Beipiao. From our new dating data have arisen some new problems: Where could we find the Jiufotang Formation in Yixian County? How widely distributed is the Jiufotang Formation in Western Liaoning? Could the traditionally named Jiufotang Formation somewhere in Western Liaoning be the synchronous deposits of other litho-units (e.g. the Yixian Formation) in different facies? Could some lacustrine deposits somewhere in Western Liaoning have been assigned to the Jiufotang Formation?
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.41272022)the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund for the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (No.JB1504) to Junchang Lü
文摘Pangupterus liui gen. et sp. nov. from the Jiufotang Formation of Sihedang, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province is erected based on a nearly complete lower jaw. It is characterized by having a total of 36 slender curved teeth with sharp tips, forming a distinct fish-grabbing mechanism; the teeth are well-spaced and are circular in section; the length ratio of the mandibular symphysis to the whole jaw is 20%; and the ratio of the tooth root width to tooth length is 12%. Toothed pterosaurs make up about 56.3% of the pterosaur assemblage from the Jiufotang Formation, which indicates that toothed forms played a key role in the ecosystem.