An Early Carboniferous Flora of the Huadu Locality from South China:Its Taxonomic Composition,Paleophytogeographical Position and Paleoecological Interpretation

The Huadu flora of Guangdong Province, South China contains the lepidodendrid Lepidodendron shanyangense Wu et He, its putative rhizophore Stigmaria cf. ficoides （Brongniart） Sternberg; sphenophyte s.l. Archaeocalamites scrobiculatus （Brongniart） Stur; bowmanitid Sphenophyllum tenerrimum （Ettingshausen） Stur; pteridophyll Sphenopteris sp. of uncertain taxonomic position; undetermined ferns gen. et sp. nov.; lyginopterid pteridosperm Rhodeopteridium hsianghsiangense （Sze） Zhang, Zhao et Wu, a trigonocarpoid pteridosperm represented by fronds and isolated pinnules of Paripteris gigantea （Sternberg） Gothan, male fructifications of Potoniea sp., and seeds of Trigonocarpus sp. Ecologically, the Early Carboniferous （Visean） Huadu vegetation was divided into two neighboring communities： （1） a near-shore hydrophilous ＂community A＂ with predominating Archaeocalamites and Rhodeopteridium; and （2） a wet forest ＂community B＂ with predominating shrubby trigonocarpalean pteridosperm Paripteris gigantea （Sternberg） Gothan and tall tree-like lepidodendrid Lepidodendron shanyangense Wu et He. The Huadu vegetation was physiognomically similar to present-day low-latitude mangrove forest.

Toxic marine diatoms of Hong Kong:A paleoecological study

To determine whether toxic diatoms in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour have become more common during the last four decades,a gravity core was taken from the anaerobic sediments of Kowloon Bay in the harbour. Analysis of these sediments from a depth of 0-1cm,4-5cm and 9-10cm indicated that 6.4%,2.4% and 1.5% of the diatoms observed at each of these three respective depths belonged to the genus Pseudonitzschia. The abundance of Pseudonitzschia frustules in the surface sediments of Victoria Harbour was significantly higher(p<0.05)than it was in the harbour's deeper and older(ca.1965)sediments. The increase in potentially toxic diatom species over the last 30 years was attributed to a variety of factors including the addition of large amounts of nutrients to Hong Kong's coastal waters as a re- sult of man's activities.

Bioerosion on Late Pleistocene Marine Mollusks:A Paleoclimatological and Paleoecological Comparison of MIS 7 and MIS 5e with Modern Beaches(Río Negro,Argentina)

The Late Pleistocene littoral ridges of southern South America,especially those of the north of Argentinean Patagonia,contain remains of mollusk shells with bioerosion traces.Eleven sites from marine isotope stages(2 from MIS 7,4 from MIS 5 e)and five sites from modern beaches from northern Río Negro Province,with 40 taxa(17 bivalves and 23 gastropods)were analyzed,in the area between west of Baliza San Matías and Las Grutas(41°S).Three ichnogenera were identified in deposits of MIS 7:Entobia,Gastrochaenolites(Domichnia)and Oichnus(Praedichnia)with one ichnospecies(G.torpedo).Six ichnogenera were identified in deposits of MIS 5 e:Entobia,Meandropolydora,Pinaceocladichnus,Iramena,Caulostrepsis and Oichnus with one ichnospecies(O.simplex).Seven ichnogenera were identified from modern beaches:Entobia,Meandropolydora,Iramena,Caulostrepsis,Pinaceocladichnus,Gastrochaenolites(Domichnia)and Oichnus(Praedicnia),with two ichnospecies(O.simplex and O.paraboloides).On this basis,it is inferred that Pleistocene benthic communities were constituted from cheilostome bryzoans and polychaete annelids,together with drilling bivalves,predatory gastropods and overall warm-water species of mollusks.Of these,Chama iudicai was found on Plicatula gibbosa from MIS 7 and MIS 5 e.The record of warm temperature species suggests a higher sea surface temperature(SST)than the present one and/or the influence of the warm southward Brazilian Current affecting the waters of Golfo San Matías.On the modern beaches surveyed,there is an increase in polychaete annelids,cheilostome bryzoans,temperate-cold species and drilling bivalves,as well as sandy substrate species,which together with an increase of Gastrochaenolites and Caulostrepsis,suggest a colder climate due to the greater influence of the Malvinas Current during the Holocene.

Indication of paleoecological evidence on the evolution of alpine vegetation productivity and soil erosion in central China since the mid-Holocene

Although alpine ecosystems have been commonly recognized as sensitive to recent climate change,few studies have examined its impact on the long-term productivity of vegetation and soil erosion.Using paleoecological records,these two aspects were examined in the alpine zone of the Taibai Mountains(elevation,3767 m)in monsoon-dominated East Asia since the middle Holocene.Proxies for the productivity of vegetation and severity of soil erosion from high-resolution alpine lacustrine records show that the productivity and soil erosion were closely related to mean annual temperature and summer precipitation from the East Asian Summer Monsoon(EASM),respectively.Specifically,when the mean annual temperature was low and precipitation was abundant,during 5800–4000 calendar years before the present(cal.yr BP),the alpine ecosystem was characterized by low vegetation productivity and severe soil erosion.However,the productivity increased and soil erosion decreased from 4000 cal.yr BP onwards.These results highlight the role of paleoecological evidence in studying ecosystem services on longer time scales,which is significant in making policies for sustainable development under climate change in regions for which such long-term monitoring data are not available.

The finding of a paleo-spruce timber in Hunshandak sandy land and its paleoecological significance

A paleo-sprucc (Picea jezoensis) timber dated to (10 040 + 100) a B. P. was found in the Hunshan-dak sandy land, Inner Mongolia, which is also one of the oldest timber found in China. Pollen and mammal fossil further evidence that theropencedrymion dominated by birch and spruce existed in this area in the late period of the earlier Holocene. This finding has great significance for the analysis of paleoclimate, paleovegetation and landscape development in this area.

A Griesbachian(Early Triassic) Mollusc Fauna from the Sidazhai Section, Southwest China, with Paleoecological Insights on the Proliferation of Genus Claraia(Bivalvia)

After the end-Permian mass extinction, genus Claraia （Bivalvia） was the most abundant and most noticeable fossil during the survival and recovery stage. However, the reasons for the proliferation of Claraia are still debated. This paper describes a new Griesbachian （Early Triassic） mollusc fauna from deep-water settings in South China in the aftermath of end-Permian mass extinction. This fauna yielded five bivalve species in two genera （Claraia griesbachi, C. wangi, C. stachei, C. radialis, and Promyalina putiatinensis） and two ammonoid species （Ophiceras sp. and Ussuridiscus sp.） and could be assigned to the Claraia wangi-C, griesbachi assemblage zone, indicating a Middle-Late Griesbachian Age. The bivalves were dominated by Claraia griesbachi and were featured by articulated Claraia fossils. As Claraia was epibyssate, it was an excellent autochthonous fauna. While the shallow and deep marine water became dysoxic to anoxic globally, as indicated by recent studies of the early Early Triassic, we suggest the genus Claraia could tolerate dysoxic and/or anoxic conditions and its proliferation could be attributed to its physiological features which were adapted to the stressed environment. The wide distribution of Claraia was probably related to its planktonic larval stage. Where the larva of Claraia could have been transported by ocean flow and increased its potential for long-distance dispersal. In addition, Claraia was a significant disaster and opportunistic taxon during the Early Triassic based on observations in South China.

Middle Jurassic palynomorphs of the Dalichai Formation, central Alborz Ranges, northeastern Iran:Paleoecological inferences

Palynological data are used to draw paleoecological inferences for the Dalichai Formation,northeast of Semnan,northeastern Iran.All samples examined yield well-preserved,diverse palynofloras consisting predominantly of miospores;dinoflagellate cysts,foraminiferal test linings,and fungal spores occur as minor constituents.Fifty-four species of spores(37 genera),18species of pollen(9 genera),and 16 species of dinoflagellate cysts(13 genera)are recognized.Co-occurrence of such miospore species with known vertical ranges as Klukisporites variegatus,Sellaspora asperata,Murospora florida,and Concavissimisporites verrucosus suggests a Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian)age for the host strata,thus corroborating the available paleozoological evidence.Such spore species as Klukisporites,Cyathidites,and Dictyophyllidites known to have been produced by Pterophyta dominate the palynofloras.Thus the contemporaneous coastal vegetation was characterized by predominance of Pterophyta whereas representatives of Ginkgophyta,Pteridospermophyta,Lycophyta,Coniferophyta,and Bryophyta were rarely represented.This reconstruction implies that a moist,warm climate prevailed in northeastern Iran during the Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian).This is confirmed by occurrence of fungal spores accompanied by such warm water dinoflagellate cysts as Mendicodinium groenlandicum,Pareodinia ceratophora,and Gonyaulacysta jurassica.Abundance of Amorphous Organic Matter(AOM)signifies a shallow,low-energy,dysoxic-anoxic depositional site for the host strata.Furthermore,the ratio of AOM to marine palynomorphs as well as abundance of blade-shaped to eqiudimensional opaque palynomacerals could indicate low sedimentation rate in a shallow,low-oxygenated marine environment.Additionally,occurrence of chorate dinoflagellate cysts(e.g.,Adnatosphaeridium caulleryi)and acritarchs bearing relatively long processes(e.g.,Micrhystridium)possibly suggests deepening upward in the study section.

Paleoecological Response of Corals to the End-Triassic Mass Extinction： An Integrational Analysis

The end-Triassic （also Triassic-Jurassic） mass extinction severely affected life on planet Earth 200 million years ago. Paleoclimate change triggered by the volcanic eruptions of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province （CAMP） caused a great loss of marine biodiversity, among which 96% coral genera were get lost. However, there is precious little detail on the paleoecology and growth forms lost between the latest Triassic extinction and the Early Jurassic recovery. Here a new pilot study was conducted by analyzing corallite integration levels among corals from the latest Triassic and Early Jurassic times. Integration levels in corals from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic were determined through both the Paleobiology Database as well as from a comprehensive museum collection of fossil corals. Results suggest that in addition to a major loss of diversity following the end-Triassic mass extinction, there also was a significant loss of highly integrated corals as clearly evidenced by the coral data from the Early Jurassic. This confirms our hypothesis of paleoecological selectivity for corals following the end-Triassic mass extinction. This study highlights the importance of assigning sim- ple to advanced paleoecological characters with integration levels, which opens a useful approach to understanding of mass extinction and the dynamics of the recovery.

Kuedinskie Kluchiki, a Unique Middle Permian Biota Locality as a Key-point for Reconstruction of Late Paleozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Urals, Russia

Field work focused on the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality, Perm region, Urals, Russia, which contains a rich assemblage of diverse fossil organisms including higher plants(equisetophytes, pteridosperms, ginkgophytes, conifers, vojnovskyans) represented by stems, leaves and reproductive organs;invertebrates(mollusks, arthropods), and tetrapods(temnospondyl amphibians, seymouriamorphs, cotylosaurs, synapsids, diapsids), as well as bony fishes. General characteristics of the taxonomical composition of the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality are given. A new peltaspermalean pteridosperm taxon, Compsopteris longipinnata sp. nov., and a voltzialean conifer Archaeovoltzia kuedensis sp. nov. are described. General considerations on the paleoecologic and paleogeographic conditions of the Kuedinskie Kluchiki locality origin are given.

Changes in Calcareous Nannofossil Assemblages and Paleoenvironmental Interpretation of the Early Miocene Lice Formation, Kahramanmara? Basin, Turkey, East Mediterranean

This study investigated the calcareous nannofossil assemblages in detail from the early Miocene aged Lice Formation outcropping in the Kahramanmara? basin. The biostratigraphy of calcareous nannofossils was outlined and paleoenvironmental features determined. In 81 samples taken from three measured sections in the region, 17 calcareous nannofossil genus and 48 nannofossil species were identified. These calcareous nannofossil genus and species identified the Lice Formation as being in the CNM4 nannofossil biozone. The abundance and diversity of early Miocene calcareous nannofossil species varied in the measured sections, with the samples generally moderate-poor, apart from a few samples. The relative abundance of individuals of Cyclicargolithus floridanus, Coccolithus pelagicus, Reticulofenestra hagii and Sphenolithus moriformis species, with paleoecological importance identified in the study region, indicate that in early Miocene times, the basin in which the Lice Formation deposited was meso-eutrophic with excess nutrient input, temperate and generally stable shallow marine conditions.

Future Climate Impacts in Woodland and Forest Steppe Based on Holocene Paleoclimatic Trends, Paleobotanical Change in Central Part of the Carpathian Basin (Hungary)

The Sirok Nyírjes-tó peat bog provides an almost full Holocene climatic record reconstructed by bog surface wetness investigations based on plant macrofossil analysis. We compared our macrofossil data to anthracological material derived from archaeological sites and to the newest bioclimatological models of the Carpathian basin. On the basis of environmental historical and climatic data we aimed to reconstruct the expected changes of forested areas in the Carpathian Basin. The results indicate that the surface wetness decreases in long term. Parallel to the Sphagnum-peat decline an open forest and forest steppe developed surrounding the bog. The complete disappearance of Sphagna from the area must be linked to a steady drop in rainfall, resulting in at least 50 mm deficit in the local water balance. This could have been achieved by an increased evapotranspiration as a result of elevated temperatures of the summer growth season. This deficit value must have exceeded even 100 mm during the Middle Holocene Transition.

Paleoecology of Early Ordovician Reefs in the Yichang Area,Hubei:a Correlation of Organic Reefs Between Early Ordovician and Jurassic

The Early Ordovician System is composed mainly of a series of carbonate platform deposits interbedded with shale and is especially characterized by a large number of organic reefs or buildups that occur widely in the research area.The reefs have different thicknesses ranging from 0.5 m to 11.5 m and lengths varying from 1 m to 130 m.The reef-building organisms include Archaeoscyphia, Recepthaculitids,Batostoma,Cyanobacteria and Pulchrilamina.Through the research of characteristics of the reef-bearing strata of the Early Ordovician in the Yichang area,four sorts of biofacies are recognized,which are(1) shelly biofacies:containing Tritoechia-Pelmatozans community and Tritoechia-Pomatotrema community;(2) reef biofacies:including the Batostoma,Calathium-Archaeoscyphia, Pelmatozoa-Batostoma,Archeoscyphia and Calathium-Cyanobacteria communities; (3) standing-water biofacies:including the Acanthograptus-Dendrogptus and Yichangopora communities;and(4) allochthonous biofacies:containing Nanorthis-Psilocephlina taphocoense community.The analysis of sea-level changes indicates that there are four cycles of sea-level changes during the period when reef-bearing strata were formed in this area,and the development of reefs is obviously controlled by the velocity of sea-level changes and the growth of accommodation space.The authors hold that reefs were mostly formed in the high sea level periods.Because of the development of several subordinate cycles during the sea-level rising,the reefs are characterized by great quantity, wide distribution,thin thickness and small scale,which are similar to that of Juassic reefs in northern Tibet.The research on the evolution of communities shows that succession and replacement are the main forms.The former is favorable to the development of reefs and the latter indicates the disappearance of reefs.

Paleoecology of Late Carboniferous Phylloid Algae in Southern Guizhou,SW China

Phylloid algae arc important rcef-builders in the late Carboniferous. This paper focuses on the paleoecology of phylloid algae in the Late Carboniferous on well-exposed reefs in Ziyun County, Guizhou Province. Phylloid algae growing closely packed arc attached via holdfast or similar structure to substrate. They were growing in environments such as shallow water, photic zone and below the wave base with medium energy currents. They have a variety of morphological forms, such as single cup-shaped, cabbage-shaped and clustering cup-shaped. The thalli arc of certain tenacity and intensity. In the areas dominated by phylloid algae, other marine orgam＇sms arc relatively scarce. Obviously, phylloid algae arc stronger competitors for living space than other co-occurring organisms.

Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of Maastrichtian Sediments in the Zagros Basin, Iran

To enable the lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphie study of the Gurpi Formation, within the ＇Dezak＇ or Globigerina Marl, a stratigraphic section at Booraki, located to the NNW of Shiraz, SW Iran, through the late Cretaceous was examined. The formation consists of shale and greenish-gray marls interbedded with cream limestone, brown sandstones and siltstones with an exposed thickness of 160 m in the studied section. Samples were taken at regular intervals in all yielding 14 genera and 16 different species of benthic and planktic foraminifera that allowed determination of the age of the beds as Maastrichtian. To examine the paleoecology of the formation, some important ecological factors including water level, salinity, and oxygen regime change during the depositional courses of the formation were analyzed. The density of foraminiferans decreases from the base to top of the Gurpi Formation whereas the ratio of planktic to benthic Foraminifera （i.e., P/B） and proportion of shallow-water fauna increase. These foraminiferal changes indicate an increase and decrease in depth, temperature, salinity and oxygen, respectively, at the base and top of the Formation.

Plant-Arthropod Associations from the Lower Miocene of the Most Basin in Northern Bohemia(Czech Republic):A Preliminary Report

Terrestrial plants and insects currently account for the majority of the Earth＇s biodiversity, and approximately haft of insect species are herbivores. Thus, insects and plants share ancient associations that date back more than 400 Myr. However, investigations of their past interactions are at the preliminary stages in Western Europe. Herein, we present the first results of our study of various feeding damage based on a dataset of nearly 3500 examined plant specimens from the Lower Miocene of the Lagerstaette Bflina Mine in the Most Basin, Czech Republic. This site provides a unique view of the Neogene freshwater ecosystems. It has long been studied by scientists working in different branches of sedimentology, paleobotany, and paleozoology. The fossils are preserved in three characteristic horizons overlaying the coal seam （Clayey Superseam Horizon, Delta Sandy Horizon, and Lake Clayey Horizon）, reflecting paleoenvironmental changes in a short time period of development. The trace fossils are classified as functional feeding groups or ＂guilds＂, without searching for a direct cause or a recent analog host relation. Approximately 23% of specimens of dicotyledonous plant leaves were found to be damaged and associated with some leaf ＂morphotypes＂. Deciduous plant-host taxa, and those with a chartaceous texture typical of riparian habitats, were frequently damaged, such as Populus, recorded with two species Populus zaddachii and Populus populina （57.9% and 31% herbivory levels, respectively）, followed by Acer, Alnus, and Carya, averaging almost 30% of damaged leaves/leaflets. There has been evidence of 60 damage types （DT） representing all functional feeding groups recorded at the Bflina Mine, including 12 types of leaf mines and 16 gall- type DT. In total, Lower Miocene of the Lagerstaette Bilina Mine exhibits a high level of external foliage feeding types （23.7%）, and a low level of more specialized DT, such as galls （4.3%） and leaf mines （〈1%）. A broader comparison based on DT of the main sedimentary environments shows significance supporting different biomes by frequency of damage levels and DT diversities.

Deep-Sea Benthic Foraminiferal Distribution in South West Indian Ocean: Implications to Paleoecology

Five grab samples from the southwestern part of the Indian ocean were collected by ORV Sagar Kanya during the third expedition to the southern Indian ocean in June 2009. The sediment samples have been analyzed and recorded 36 benthic foraminiferal species belonging to 21 genera and 3 suborders. All the species were taxonomically identified, SEM photographed and illustrated. Deep sea-benthic foraminiferal species at different locations of South of West India Ocean (3150-4125 m water depth) is examined in terms of number of species (n) and diversity (d). The observed depth ranges of benthic foraminifera have been documented to recognize their bathymetric distribution. The valves of these parameters reached their maximum at 3190 m water depth. Productivity continued in the Indo-Pacific Ocean (the biogenic boom) and the Oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) intensified over large parts of Indian Ocean continually. The diversity values show more abrupt trend as depth increases. Species like Epistominella exigua and Pullenia bulloides occur at both 3150 m & 3465 m depths indicating depth persistence. Further, Oridorsalis umbonatus and Melonis sphaeroides occur at both 3150 m & 3465 m depths. Species like Gyroidina sp an indicate of low oxygen environment and Uvigerina hispida-costata indicative of high organic carbon are found to occur at 3150 m & 3740 m respectively. Factor analysis and Pearson correlation matrix was performed on foraminiferal census data of 10 highest ranked species which are present in at least one sample. 3 factors were obtained accounting for 72.81% of the total variance. Thus the study suggests that fluctuations in species diversity at the locations of the present study were related to changes in productivity during the geological past. Further, the faunal data do indicate the early Holocene Indian Ocean was influenced by increased ventilation perhaps by North Atlantic deep water and or circumpolar deep waters.

Comparative Morphology and Identification of Disassociated Crocodiliform Osteoderms from the Upper Cretacious Maevarano Formation,Madagascar

Since 1993,Many hundreds of isolated crocodileform osteoderms have been recovered from the Maevarano Formation of Northwestern Madagascar by joint expeditions of Stony Brook University

Past changes in the abundance of diatoms as inferred from a sediment core from Hebe Haven, Saikung, Hong Kong

The purpose of this study was to infer changes in water quality from diatom stratigraphy of a sediment core taken from Hebe Haven, New Territories, Hong Kong, China. Diatoms and diatom fragments were counted in the top (0—5 cm) and bottom (20—25 cm) portions of the core. The core was age dated using 210 Pb and these results were used to calculate a mean sedimentation rate(0 69 cm/a). A significant difference in the total number of diatoms and their relative abundance between the top 0—5 cm and the bottom 20—25 cm was found ( p <0 05). Significantly higher diatom species diversity and a more even diatom species composition occurred at 20—25 cm some 40—60 years ago. This difference was interpreted as a reflection of the water quality changes which have occurred over the last 40—60 years in Hebe Haven. Benthic diatoms once flushed in the clear waters of Hebe Haven as reported by individuals who swam and boated there immediately after WW II. Increased turbidity in recent years has apparently increased the relative abundance of planktonic diatoms at the expense of benthic diatoms which today are unable to receive sufficient light to grow on the bottom of the Hebe Haven Harbor (mean depth about 6 m). The observed increase in planktonic diatom abundance in the top 5 cm of the sediment core was attributed to increased nutrient loading to Hebe Haven over the last three decades.

A novel seed cone of Pinus from the Miocene of coastal Southeast China indicates kinship with Southeast Asian pines

Pinus is an economically and ecologically important genus whose members are dominant components globally in low-latitude mountainous and mid-latitude temperate forests.Pinus species richness is currently concentrated in subtropical mid-low latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere,differing from the latitudinal diversity gradient mostly recognized in woody angiosperms.How the present pattern was developing in Earth's past is still poorly studied,particularly in eastern Asia.Here,a new fossil species,Pinus shengxianica sp.nov.is described based on a fossil seed cone from the Late Miocene Shengxian Formation in Zhejiang,southeast China.A co-occurring cone is recognized as a known fossil species,Pinus speciosa Li.Extensive comparison of extant and fossil members of Pinus suggests P.shengxianica shares a striking cone similarity to Pinus merkusii and Pinus latteri(subsection Pinus)from tropical Southeast Asia in having annular bulges around the umbo on the apophysis.The morphological resemblance indicates these two extant low-latitude pines probably possess a close affinity with the present newly-discovered P.shengxianica and originated from East Asian mid-low latitude ancestors during this generic re-diversification in the Miocene.This scenario is consistent with the evolutionary trajectory reflected by the pine fossil history and molecular data,marking the Miocene as a key period for the origin and evolution of most extant pines globally.The co-occurrences of diverse conifers and broadleaved angiosperms preferring diverse niches demonstrate Late Miocene eastern Zhejiang was one of the hot spots for coniferophyte diversity and hosted a needled-broadleaved mixed forest with complex vegetation structure and an altitudinal zonation.

Two New Species of Eretmophyllum(Ginkgoales)from the Jurassic of Eastern Siberia

Two new species of Eretmophyllum Thomas are described from the lower(Toarcian)and upper(Aalenian)Prisayan Formation of the Irkutsk Basin,Eastern Siberia,Russia based on distinct morphological and cuticular features of the leaves that distinguish them from other species of the genus.Eretmophyllum polypapillosum sp.nov.is characterized by the presence of 2-3 papillae on the lower and upper epidermis of ordinary cells.Taphonomically,the leaf burials of E.polypapillosum sp.nov.indicate that it preferred mesophilic forests developed on river terraces and/or low watersheds.Eretmophyllum yershowskiensis sp.nov.is represented exclusively by leaf cuticles extracted by coal maceration,and it probably inhabited the low banks of peat bogs.The presence of the genus Eretmophyllum in the Early Jurassic of France and Eastern Siberia shows that it was already widespread in the territory of Eurasia,distributed from Western Europe to Eastern Siberia.This indicates the possible existence of Eretmophyllum species elsewhere in the Early Jurassic such as Central Asia and Northwest China.