As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Ne...As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Lantian biota, South China. Both traditional morphometric analysis （including diverging angle, length, and width distribution） and geometric morphometric analysis [including superposition of normalized area analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling （n-MDS）, Bray-Curtis similarity cluster analysis （CLUSTER） and analysis of similarities （ANOSIM）[ were performed. The results indicate there are great interspecific morphological differences between F. lantianensis and F. strigata, in addition to some intraspecific variations within each species. Here we preliminarily suggest that the previously defined Flabellophyton should be subdivided into 2 genera at least： one marked by the dark transverse striated structure, and the other without. This recharacterization and reclassification work still needs further careful observation and comprehensive analysis with large number of flabeilate fossils combining morphology, structure, population, and community-ecology study.展开更多
The Lantian biota at the Lantian Town of Xiuning County, Anhui Province, is preserved in black shales of the Ediacaran Lantian Formation. It yields some of the oldest known complex macroorganisms, including fan-shaped...The Lantian biota at the Lantian Town of Xiuning County, Anhui Province, is preserved in black shales of the Ediacaran Lantian Formation. It yields some of the oldest known complex macroorganisms, including fan-shaped seaweeds and possible animal fossils with tentacles and intestinal-like structures reminiscent of modern coelenterates and bilaterians. The Lantian Lagerst^itte sheds new light on the origin and early evolution of multicellular organisms in relatively quiet and deep environments soon after the Neoproterozoic Marinoan glaciation. The morphological complexity and diversity of early multicellular organisms may be closely related to sexual reproduction and alternation of generations. The fluctuation of oceanic redox conditions during this peri- od may have played a role in the ecology and preservation of the Lantian biota.展开更多
Beijing Lantian Nursery Arts Troupewas established 18 years ago on theback of the Beijing Lantian Nursry.Almost every year for 18 years thetroupe has put on a full-lengthperformance. Its piece this year is "TheMo...Beijing Lantian Nursery Arts Troupewas established 18 years ago on theback of the Beijing Lantian Nursry.Almost every year for 18 years thetroupe has put on a full-lengthperformance. Its piece this year is "TheMother’s Kiss," the mother being themotherland, China. It will be staged onthe People’s Republic’s 50thanniversary. Among the new items, a number ofshort song and dance dramas refresh theaudience. In "Spring Rain Brings HeartyLaughter," a group of children play excitedly inthe rain. They carry large palm leaves on theirheads, splashing in the rain puddles andchasing each other-all natural customs of theDai people. The background behind "Long Red SilkRibbon" is the customs and music of thenorthern Shaanxi on the loess plateau. Childrendance holding a long red ribbon, a ribbonpassed down generation upon generation fromtheir ancestors, from yesterday to today and onto tomorrow. This ribbon is a symbol ofindomitable life or the continuous growth展开更多
The study of the Xishuidong micromammalian fauna, found from Lantian, Shaanxi Province, indicates that both the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains and Sichuan_Guizhou area must belong to the same Oriental Realm i...The study of the Xishuidong micromammalian fauna, found from Lantian, Shaanxi Province, indicates that both the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains and Sichuan_Guizhou area must belong to the same Oriental Realm in middle_late Middle Pleistocene. The age of the Xishuidong fauna should be later than that of the Gongwangling fauna, and even a little later than that of the Zhongjiawo fauna in age. The fauna is related not only to that of layers 9 and 8 of Peking Man Locality in northern China, but also to the micromammals from Hexian Man Locality in southern China.展开更多
Eight new Palaeolithic open-air sites were identified and 770 stone artefacts were collected from 2009 to 2011 in the Lantian area of the Bahe River valley, central China. Because the famous Homo erectus fossils were ...Eight new Palaeolithic open-air sites were identified and 770 stone artefacts were collected from 2009 to 2011 in the Lantian area of the Bahe River valley, central China. Because the famous Homo erectus fossils were unearthed at the Gongwangling and Chenjiawo localities, and more than 30 Palaeolithic open-air sites were investigated in the 1960s in this region, the catchment of Bahe River is regarded as one of the most important hominin sites from the late early Pleistocene to the middle Pleistocene. These eight newly discovered open-air sites are located at the second(n = 6), third(n = 1) or higher terraces(n = 1) of the Bahe River. The Diaozhai section on the second terrace was sampled in detail. Two samples were collected for optically stimulated luminescence dating(OSL). The OSL results suggest that a buried lithic artefact layer at the Diaozhai site spans approximately 70–30 ka. The lithic assemblage analysis suggests that the stone artefacts were made of local pebbles/cobbles such as greywacke, quartz, sandstone and igneous rocks. The main percussion techniques that were used were direct hard hammer percussion and bi-polar techniques. The lithic artefacts comprise hammer stones, cores, flakes, retouched tools and flaking debris. Acheulian-type large cutting tools(LCTs) such as hand-axes, picks and cleavers were indentified in the Lantian region as well. This is the first time Acheulian-type LCTs from the late Pleistocene have been identified in this region. This study distinguishes age gaps between Western world and East Asian Acheulian-type tools.展开更多
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZZD-EW-02,kzcx2-yw-153)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41030209and41173051)
文摘As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Lantian biota, South China. Both traditional morphometric analysis （including diverging angle, length, and width distribution） and geometric morphometric analysis [including superposition of normalized area analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling （n-MDS）, Bray-Curtis similarity cluster analysis （CLUSTER） and analysis of similarities （ANOSIM）[ were performed. The results indicate there are great interspecific morphological differences between F. lantianensis and F. strigata, in addition to some intraspecific variations within each species. Here we preliminarily suggest that the previously defined Flabellophyton should be subdivided into 2 genera at least： one marked by the dark transverse striated structure, and the other without. This recharacterization and reclassification work still needs further careful observation and comprehensive analysis with large number of flabeilate fossils combining morphology, structure, population, and community-ecology study.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41030209,41130209and40625006)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZZD-EW02,KZCX2-YW-153and KZCX2-EW-119)
文摘The Lantian biota at the Lantian Town of Xiuning County, Anhui Province, is preserved in black shales of the Ediacaran Lantian Formation. It yields some of the oldest known complex macroorganisms, including fan-shaped seaweeds and possible animal fossils with tentacles and intestinal-like structures reminiscent of modern coelenterates and bilaterians. The Lantian Lagerst^itte sheds new light on the origin and early evolution of multicellular organisms in relatively quiet and deep environments soon after the Neoproterozoic Marinoan glaciation. The morphological complexity and diversity of early multicellular organisms may be closely related to sexual reproduction and alternation of generations. The fluctuation of oceanic redox conditions during this peri- od may have played a role in the ecology and preservation of the Lantian biota.
文摘Beijing Lantian Nursery Arts Troupewas established 18 years ago on theback of the Beijing Lantian Nursry.Almost every year for 18 years thetroupe has put on a full-lengthperformance. Its piece this year is "TheMother’s Kiss," the mother being themotherland, China. It will be staged onthe People’s Republic’s 50thanniversary. Among the new items, a number ofshort song and dance dramas refresh theaudience. In "Spring Rain Brings HeartyLaughter," a group of children play excitedly inthe rain. They carry large palm leaves on theirheads, splashing in the rain puddles andchasing each other-all natural customs of theDai people. The background behind "Long Red SilkRibbon" is the customs and music of thenorthern Shaanxi on the loess plateau. Childrendance holding a long red ribbon, a ribbonpassed down generation upon generation fromtheir ancestors, from yesterday to today and onto tomorrow. This ribbon is a symbol ofindomitable life or the continuous growth
文摘The study of the Xishuidong micromammalian fauna, found from Lantian, Shaanxi Province, indicates that both the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains and Sichuan_Guizhou area must belong to the same Oriental Realm in middle_late Middle Pleistocene. The age of the Xishuidong fauna should be later than that of the Gongwangling fauna, and even a little later than that of the Zhongjiawo fauna in age. The fauna is related not only to that of layers 9 and 8 of Peking Man Locality in northern China, but also to the micromammals from Hexian Man Locality in southern China.
基金supported by the One Hundred Talent Person Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-YW-BR-24)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA05130201 and XDA05120704)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41072122 and 41202127)
文摘Eight new Palaeolithic open-air sites were identified and 770 stone artefacts were collected from 2009 to 2011 in the Lantian area of the Bahe River valley, central China. Because the famous Homo erectus fossils were unearthed at the Gongwangling and Chenjiawo localities, and more than 30 Palaeolithic open-air sites were investigated in the 1960s in this region, the catchment of Bahe River is regarded as one of the most important hominin sites from the late early Pleistocene to the middle Pleistocene. These eight newly discovered open-air sites are located at the second(n = 6), third(n = 1) or higher terraces(n = 1) of the Bahe River. The Diaozhai section on the second terrace was sampled in detail. Two samples were collected for optically stimulated luminescence dating(OSL). The OSL results suggest that a buried lithic artefact layer at the Diaozhai site spans approximately 70–30 ka. The lithic assemblage analysis suggests that the stone artefacts were made of local pebbles/cobbles such as greywacke, quartz, sandstone and igneous rocks. The main percussion techniques that were used were direct hard hammer percussion and bi-polar techniques. The lithic artefacts comprise hammer stones, cores, flakes, retouched tools and flaking debris. Acheulian-type large cutting tools(LCTs) such as hand-axes, picks and cleavers were indentified in the Lantian region as well. This is the first time Acheulian-type LCTs from the late Pleistocene have been identified in this region. This study distinguishes age gaps between Western world and East Asian Acheulian-type tools.
