'克隆'恐龙

在电影《恐龙》上映之前,人们已经制作过很多的恐龙模型。这些肚子里装着机器的恐龙模型拥有的逼真外形,再加上巧妙的动力装置他它们个个栩栩如生。这种新型的机器恐龙是怎样制造出来的?

来自迪斯尼的震撼:恐龙'复活'

没有人见过恐龙,正因它的神秘而更有吸引力,因而恐龙成为电影的绝佳题材。影片的主要观众——小朋友都十分喜爱动物,何况是在现实生活没有机会见到的恐龙呢?据闻Discovery Channel(《发现频道》)一个有父恐龙的3小时纪录片,有1 700万人收看,打破了有线电视频道纪录片的收视率。而2000年夏天。

The first dinosaur tracksite from Xinjiang, NW China (Middle Jurassic Sanjianfang Formation, Turpan Basin)──a preliminary report

A new dinosaur tracksite was discovered in a steeply inclined sandstone layer of the Middle Jurassic Sanjianfang Formation in the Shanshan area of the Turpan Basin. The site is the first record of dinosaur footprints from Xinjiang Province in northwestern China. More than 150 tridactyl theropod dinosaur footprints are preserved as positive hyporeliefs on the lower bedding plane of a fine-grained sandstone body. Most of the footprints are isolated and appear to be randomly distributed. Some show well defined phalangeal pads, heels and rarely indistinct impressions of the distal part of the metatarsus. Two distinct morphotypes are present: a larger type with relatively broad pads shows similarities to Changpeipus and Megalosauripus, and a slightly smaller, slender and gracile type which is similar to Grallator, Eubrontes and Anchisauripus. In both morphotypes, digit III is the longest with a length between 11.4 and 33.6 cm. A single imprint shows prominent scratches, probably formed during slipping of the track maker.

Fossil biotas from Pakistan with focus on dinosaur distributions and discussion on paleobiogeographic evolution of Indo-Pak Peninsula

Recent geological and paleontological exploration in the Indus basin of Pakistan allowed the discoveries of numerous remains of non-marine reptiles( titanosaurian sauropod,abelisaurian and noasaurian theropod dinosaurs),and marine reptiles( crocodiles),flying reptiles( pterosaurs),marine and non-marine mammals,fishes,invertebrates,and plants,especially Pakistan is relatively rich in footprints / trackways in the Mesozoic.These vertebrates of Indo-Pakistan are very significant for paleobiogeographic study due to the present-day connection of this continent with Asia in Northern Hemisphere,whereas during past( Jurassic and pre-Jurassic) it was connected to the Gondwana. The Mesozoic vertebrates show close affinities with Gondwanan landmasses.The Cenozoic vertebrates show Eurasian affinity and migrated from Indo-Pak subcontinent to Eurasia or vice versa via Paleo Indus River systems along Western Indus Suture,after long journey of about 6 000 km the first collision of Indo-Pak subcontinent with Asia occurred at terminal Cretaceous.

Recent advances on study of hadrosaurid dinosaurs in Heilongjiang(Amur) River area between China and Russia

Four main dinosaur-bearing sites have been investigated in latest Cretaceous deposits from the Amur/Heilongjiang Region ： Jiayin and Wulaga in China （ Yuliangze Formation）, Blagoveschensk and Kundur in Russia （Udurchukan Formation）. More than 90% of the bones discovered in these localities belong to hollow-crested lambeosaurine hadrosaurids： Charonosaurus fiayinensis at Jiayin, Amurosaurus riabinini at Blagoveschensk, Olorotitan arharensis at Kundur, and Sahaliyania elunchunorum at Wulaga. Flat-headed hadrosaurine hadrosaurids are much less numerous, but appear well diversified as well： Kerberosaurus manakini at Blagoveschensk, Wulagasaurus dongi at Wulaga, and a new genus at Kundur. Theropods are represented by shed teeth and isolated bones; isolated scutes and teeth discovered at Kundur are tentatively attributed to nodosaurids. Palynological studies suggest that these sites are probably synchronous with the Lancian＇ vertebrate localities of western North America, which represent the youngest dinosaur faunas in this area. However, the latest Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages are completely different in the Amur/Heilongjiang region （lambeosaurines abundant, ceratopsids absent） and in western North America （ceratopsids abundant, lainbeosaurines extremely rare or absent）. This probably reflects some kind of geographical barrier between both areas by Maastrichtian time rather than strong differences in palaeoecological conditions.

Palynoflora of Wulaga dinosaur site in Jiayin(Zeya-Bureya Basin, China)

The palynological assemblage from Wulaga dinosaur site in Jiayin from southeastern Zeya-Bureya Basin was studied. The high content of pteridophytes spores is characteristic for this assemblage. The further characters are in decrease of abundance-tricolpate pollen, Ginkgocycadophytus, pollen of Taxodiaceae, Cupressaceae and Taxaceae (TCT), bisaccate pollen of Pinaceae, and triporate pollen. The bone-bearing burials of Wulaga dinosaur site formed under conditions of vast swampy river valley covered by ferns and taxodialeans. Tricolpate pollen, produced by plants, close to those of Platanaceae, Fagaceae, Betulaceae, and Juglandaceae, counts in favor of valley river open canopy forests.

On paleoecology of carnivorous dinosaurs(Tyrannosauridae,Dromaeosauridae) from Late Cretaceous fossil deposits of Amur region,Russian Far East

Present article is on Russian Far East carnivorous dinosaur paleoecology.Described summary is based on detailed study and comparison of isolated shed teeth morphology.

Sedimentological features of Cretaceous--Tertiary (K/T) boundary section along Heilongjiang River,Northeast China

The Jiayin area along the Heilongjiang River in Northeast China has attracted stratigraphic and sedimentological interests recently because the Cretaceous--Tertiary (K/T) boundary should be located in this non-marine succession.Dinosaur remains disappear suddenly at the upper part of the Maastrichtian,whereas plants gradually evolved throughout the succession.Analysis of sedimentary facies has been carried out and paleo-environments through Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleocene sections are reconstructed.Fluvial to lacustrine sedimentary environments are inferred from the facies.Several debris flow events have been identified,and it is in these deposits that the dinosaur fossils are concentrated.

Environmental adaptations and constraints on latest Cretaceous Arctic dinosaurs

The Arct ic hosts an extraordinary wealth of terrestrial fossil biotas of Late Cretaceous age representing a diverse and highly productive near-polar ecosystem that has no modern analogue. Compared to the rest of the Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian plant diversity was at its lowest and the temperature regime the coolest, yet the semi-open forests supported a rich dinosaur fauna made up of a wide range of body sizes and feeding strategies. The combination of mild winter temperatures and continuous darkness lasting several months imposed severe constraints on primary productivity. Plant survival strategies involved almost universal winter loss of foliage, which in turn limited food supply for non-migratory overwintering herbivorous animals. A combination of leaf form and tree ring studies has been used to quantify year round variations in temperature and determine the tim-ing of spring bud-break and autumnal leaf fall. While Maastrichtian winter temperatures were cold enough （down to - 10°C for brief intervals） for frequent frosts and snowfall, summer temperatures were cool but highly variable and at -830N along the north Alaskan coast frequently fel l below ＋ 10°C . Theropod egg shell frag-ments at - 76° N in the Maastrichtian of Northeastern Russia may indicate that dinosaur reproduction took place in the Arctic ecosystem, as distinct from taking place at lower latitude breeding grounds reached by migration. This raises the question of nest management and specifically the maintenance of incubation temperatures, and the duration of incubation. Of critical importance to year-round residency is the timing of hatching and juvenile care before winter darkness set in, temperatures fell to near freezing and food resources became limited.

Dinosaur-bearing strata and K/T boundary in the Luanchuan-Tantou Basin of western Henan Province,China

The sequence stratigraphy and geochronology of the terrestrial dinosaur-bearing strata,i.e.,the Qiupa Formation,were poorly studied in the Luanchuan-Tantou Basin in western Henan,China.This study shows that these strata represent a complete succession from the Late Cretaceous to the early Paleogene,including the K/T boundary,in this area.Here we report a detailed study of the K/T boundary,especially its stratigraphic sequence,sedimentary characteristics,integrity,continuity,and geological implications.

Early Cretaceous dinosaur and other tetrapod tracks of southwestern China

In recent years the Lower Cretaceous red beds of southwestern China have yielded more than 20 significant dinosaur-dominated tracksites. More than half occur in the Jiaguan Formation with the remainder in the Feitianshan and Xiaoba formations. Collectively these sites provide evidence of at least 13 distinct dinosaurian trackmaker morphotypes, in addition to two avian theropod(bird)morphotypes and pterosaur and turtle tracks. Together these total 17 morphotypes provide a data base of 479 potential trackmakers, probably representing the same number of individuals. Such an ichnological database provides a useful proxy paleoecological census of tetrapod communities in the area during the Early Cretaceous, and is especially significant given the complete absence or scarcity of skeletal remains reported from these formations.The composition of ichnofaunas in all three formations is heavily saurischian(theropod and sauropod) dominated with a high diversity of distinctive theropod morphotypes,mostly assignable to known ichnogenera. Moreover, ichnofaunal data from multiple sites are generally consistent between sites and an indication of the reliability and repeatability of track census data. Such regionally-widespread data are rapidly superseding the information available from the skeletal record in the corresponding area, and must therefore be considered of high paleontological value.