Early-diverging Titanosauriform(Dinosauria,Sauropoda)Teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Southeastern Inner Mongolia,Northeast China

Three eusauropod teeth(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176,PMOL-ADt0005)are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Ningcheng,southeastern Inner Mongolia,China.Two of them(SDUST-V1064,PMOL-AD00176)are assigned to early-diverging titanosauriforms in having slightly mesiodistal expansion at the base of the tooth crown,a slenderness index value>2.0 and<4.0,and D-shaped cross section.Furthermore,SDUST-V1064 and PMOL-AD00176 are referred as an Euhelopus-like titanosauriform on the basis of having a sub-circular boss on the lingual surface and an asymmetrical crown-root margin which slants apically,respectively.CT scan data of SDUST-V1064 reveals new dental information of early-diverging titanosauriforms,for example,the enamel on the labial side thicker than that on the lingual side,an enamel/dentine ratio of 0.26 and a boss present on the lingual side of the dentine of the crown.

SHRIMP Geochronology of Volcanics of the Zhangjiakou and Yixian Formations, Northern Hebei Province, with a Discussion on the Age of the Xing'anling Group of the Great Hinggan Mountains and Volcanic Strata of the Southeastern Coastal Area of China

A zircon U-Pb geochronological study on the volcanic rocks reveals that both of the Zhangjiakou and Yixian Formations, northern Hebei Province, are of the Early Cretaceous, with ages of 135-130 Ma and 129-120 Ma, respectively. It is pointed out that the ages of sedimentary basins and volcanism in the northern Hebei -western Liaoning area become younger from west to east, i. e. the volcanism of the Luanping Basin commenced at c. 135 Ma, the Luotuo Mount area of the Chengde Basin c. 130 Ma, and western Liaoning c. 128 Ma. With a correlation of geochronological stratigraphy and biostratigraphy, we deduce that the Xing'anling Group, which comprises the Great Hinggan Mountains volcanic rock belt in eastern China, is predominantly of the early-middle Early Cretaceous, while the Jiande and Shimaoshan Groups and their equivalents, which form the volcanic rock belt in the southeastern coast area of China, are of the mid-late Early Cretaceous, and both the Jehol and Jiande Biotas are of the Early Cretaceous, not Late Jurassic or Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. Combining the characteristics of the volcanic rocks and, in a large area, hiatus in the strata of the Late Jurassic or Late Jurassic-early Early Cretaceous between the formations mentioned above and the underlying sequences, we can make the conclusion that, in the Late Jurassic-early Early Cretaceous, the eastern China region was of high relief or plateau, where widespread post-orogenic volcanic series of the Early Cretaceous obviously became younger from inland in the west to continental margin in the east. This is not the result of an oceanward accretion of the subduction belt between the Paleo-Pacific ocean plate and the Asian continent, but rather reflects the extension feature, i.e. after the closure of the Paleo-Pacific ocean, the Paleo-Pacific ancient continent collided with the Asian continent and reached the peak of orogenesis, and then the compression waned and resulted in the retreating of the post-orogenic extension from outer orogenic zone to inner part (or collision zone). The determination of the eruption age of the volcanics of the Zhangjiakou Formation definitely constrains the switch period, which began in the Indosinian and finished in the Yanshanian, that is, 140-135 Ma. The switch is concretely the change from the approximate E-W Paleo-Asian tectonic system to the NE to NNE Pacific system, and the period is also the apex of a continent-continent collision and orogenesis of subduction, being consumed and eventually disappearing of the Paleo-Pacific ancient continent, and all the processes commenced in the Indosinian. While the following post-orogenic large-scale eruption in the Early Cretaceous marks the final completeness of the Paleo-Pacific structure dynamics system.

A New Troodontid (Theropoda: Troodontidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning, China

A specimen collected from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China, represents a new genus and species of troodontid theropod. The new taxon is named and described on the basis of the holotype and the only known specimen, which comprises an articulated skeleton with the presacral vertebral, shoulder girdle and forelimbs missing as preserved. Diagnostic features of the new species include nasals that are sinusoid in lateral view, absence of a passage connecting the antorbital and maxillary fenestrae, relatively large teeth, plate-like chevrons forming a band along most of the length of the tail, and a long neck between the femoral head and shaft. The temporal constraints of the three paravian groups (Troodontidae, Dromaeosauridae and Aves) combined with the character distributions among the earliest known troodontids indicate a rapid evolution at the base of the Troodontidae.

A New Boreopterid Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province,Northeastern China

A new boreopterid pterosaur： Zhenyuanopterus longirostris gen. et sp. nov. from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning is erected, based on the complete skeleton with a skull and lower jaws preserved. It is characterized by： a large boreopterid pterosaur with a high number of teeth, where the anterior teeth are much larger than posterior ones; the length of the dorsal ＋ sacral vertebrae is nearly half the length of the skull; ratio of the length of the humerus to metacarpal IV is approximately 91% and the, humerus, femur and third wing phalanx are all equal in length and the feet are specially small. It represents the largest boroepterid pterosaur discovered from western Liaoning and its surrounding areas so far

Pygostyle-like Structure from Beipiaosaurus(Theropoda,Therizinosauroidea)from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning,China

Pygostyle was previously considered as a unique structure of ornithothoracine birds, used to maneuver tail feathers. A similar structure from an oviraptorosaurian dinosaur was considered functionally associated with the rectrices as in birds. We report a pygostyle-like structure from a therizinosauroid dinosaur. The presence of filamentous integuments, but absence of rectrices, on the tail of this therizinosauroid, combined with other lines of evidence, suggests that the initial function of the pygostyle was not related to the rectrices.

Three New Stoneflies (Insecta:Plecoptera) from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning,China

Three new genera and species Archaeoperla rarissimus gen. et sp. nov. （Perlidae）, Liaotaenionema tenuitibia gen. et sp. nov. （Taeniopterygidae） and Parvinemoura parvus gen. et sp. nov. （？Nemouridae） are described and illustrated. All of them were collected from Yixian Formation of the western Liaoning, China. Hitherto, A. rarissimus is the oldest species possessing typical characters of Perlidae; the finding of L. tenuitibia indicates taeniopterygids once lived in the northeastern China in the late Mesozoic, but frequent volcanic activities, climate changes, or other environmental changes might have resulted in the disappearance of Taeniopterygidae in northern China after Mesozoic. Ancestral groups of Nemouridae have been abundant from Middle Jurassic, and male genitalia of P. parvus gen. et sp. nov. has been developed and similar to extant Nemouridae in the late Mesozoic. The stonefly fossils found from Yixian Formation are not divers at the species level, but rich at the family level. The diversity of stonefly implies different microclimate existed in the northeastern China at that time. A large old lacustrine basin existed in the western Liaoning, surrounded by hygrophilous plants on swampland and lake shore, warm and humid; tall arbor and boscage on the hillside nearby, mild and dry; mountains in the distance, rivulets running among the mountains, cool and wet. Many insects, prefer cool climate （e.g. stonefly, raphidiopterans, et ai.）, lived in the mountains with rivulets.

Largest Toothed Pterosaur Skull from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning, China, with Comments on the Family Boreopteridae

A new pterosaur Moganopterus zhuiana gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on a complete skull with lower jaws and anterior cervical vertebrae. It is characterized by much elongated upper and lower jaws with at least 62 total, long, curved teeth with sharp tips, a well developed parietal crest extending posterodorsally, forming an angle of 15 degrees with the ventral margin of the skull, the ratio of length to width of cervical vertebrae greater than 5：1. The skull length is 750 mm, and it is the largest toothed pterosaur found so far in the world. Based on this new pterosaur, the Boreopteridae can be divided into two subgroups： Boreopterinae sub-fam, nov. and Moganopterinae sub-fam, nov., which is also confirmed by the phylogenetic analysis.

New Fossil Xyelidae(Insecta,Hymenoptera) from the Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning,China

In this paper one new genus and two new species,Brachyoxyela brevinodia sp.nov.and Brachyoxyela gracilenta sp.nov.,in the subfamily Macroxyehnae of the family Xyelidae,are described and illustrated.The specimens were collected from the Yixian Formation,the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous,of Beipiao City,Liaoning Province,northeastern China.The new genus is established based on the characters that vein Sc meets R only beyond origin of Rs,third antennal segment is almost equal in length to the rest flagellomeres combined,terminal flagellomeres increasingly shortened toward apex,and vein 2r-rs inclined toward the apex of wing.

A New Angiosperm Genus from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation, Western Liaoning, China

The abundant fossils of early angiosperms found in the Yixian Formation （125 Ma, Early Cretaceous） have demonstrated unexpectedly high diversity and various reproductive strategies, and thus have shed new light on early angiosperm evolution. Here, using light microscope and scanning electron microscope, we document several fructifications of Baicarpus gen. nov. from Liaoning province, China. Each fructification of the new taxon includes several apocarpous carpels/fruits attached in an urn-formed gynobase. Each fruit/carpel has a persistent straight style and an ovary enclosing a single seed. These fossil plants demonstrate a new floral organization and thus enhance our understanding of the diversity of angiosperms in the Yixian Formation. Together with previously reported ones, this fossil angiosperm suggests an origin time for angiosperms earlier than widely accepted.

A Baby Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from the Yixian Formation of Ningcheng,Inner Mongolia,China

A new baby pterodactyloid pterosaur with soft tissue preserved, Ningchengopterus liuae gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a nearly complete skeleton with a skull. It was characterized by the skull, slightly longer than the combined length of the dorsal and sacral vertebrae; 50 teeth （including upper and lower jaws）; short mid-cervical vertebrae; the humerus and the scapula, equal to that of the wing metacarpal in length; the ulna and the femur, equal to that of the first and third wing phalanx in length, respectively. The similar ratio of the wing phalanx 2 to wing phalanx 1 of Ningchengopterus and Eosipterus implies that Ningchengopterus may be close to the ctenochasmatid pterosaur. However, it may also imply that the isometrically growing of the first two wing phalanges exists among some pterosaurs.

A New Troodontid Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province,China

A new troodontid dinosaur, Daliansaurus liaoningensis gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a nearly complete specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China. This well preserved skeleton provides important new details of the anatomy for Liaoning troodontids, and gives new insight into their phylogenetic relationships and evolution. Daliansaurus is distinguished from other troodontids by an enlarged ungual on pedal digit IV, which is approximately the same size as the sickle-shaped second ungual, and is differentiated from other Liaoning troodontids by a number of characters of the skull, manus, pelvis, and hindlimb. A phylogenetic analysis recovers Daliansaurus within a subclade of Liaoning troodontids that also includes Sinovenator, Sinusonasus, and MeL We erect a name for this group--Sinovenatorinae--and argue that it reflects a localized radiation of small-bodied troodontids in the Early Cretaceous of eastern Asia, similar to previously recognized radiations of Liaoning dromaeosaurids and avialans. As more Liaoning theropods are discovered, it is becoming apparent that small, feathered paravians were particularly diverse during the Early Cretaceous, and future work is needed to clarify how this diversity arose, which species coexisted, and how these numerous species partitioned niches.

Rare Earths, Trace Element Characteristics of High-Mg Volcanic Rocks of Yixian Formation in Sihetun West Liaoning Province and Its Apocalypse

The high-Mg volcanic rocks of the Yixian Formation in the Sihetun area have the obvious characteristics of mantie-derived lava in rare earth, trace element characteristics with high Mg # （62 - 70） and high content of compatible elements. In the meantime, the volcanic rocks also have the obvious characteristics of Crust-source material in rare earth, trace element characteristics with high ∑ REE （ 158.78 × 10^-6 - 359.66 × 10^-6 ）, high （La/Yb） N （ 14.61 - 29.60）, high La/Nb（2.37 - 7.52） and high Ba/Nb （67.58- 205.96）, obvious positive anomaly of Pb and negative anomaly of Nb, Ta in trace element spider-gram. In Sr-Nd-Pb isotope the （^87Sr/^86Sr）i ratio is higher than 0.706 and the εNd（ t ） ratio is from - 3.4 to - 13, both reflect enriched Mantle characteristics. The characteristics above of the volcanic rocks combined with the content of Sr, Ba, Y, Yb and the ratio of Sr/Y show that the volcanic rocks have the property of the Sanukite rocks in Setouchi Japan beside subduction zone, and illuminate that the Sanukite rocks can be formed not only in island-arc near subduction zone but also in intro-plate. The analysis indicates that the high-Mg volcanic rocks in the Sihetun area result from the collective function of mantle-derived lava and crust-source materials. The result illuminates that the West Liaoning region is very special in tectonic geochemical background in Cretaceous in East China, and is an ideal region for us to further study the characteristics of magmatic activity as well as the process of Crust-Mantle interaction in Eastern China.

A Possible Long-tailed Bird with a Pygostyle from the Late Mesozoic Yixian Formation, Western Liaoning, China

An incomplete caudal vertebral series (IVPP V11309) from the Yixian Formation of late Mesozoic, Jianshangou area of Beipiao, western Liaoning Province, may represent a new bird. The tail is composed of at least 12 free caudal vertebrae and the most distal 5 caudal vertebrae co-ossified into a pygostyle. The pygostyle is plate-like and slightly curved dorsally. The anterior free caudals are amphiplatyan. The anterior caudal surfaces of the last three free caudals are concave, but their posterior articular surfaces are convex. The pygostyle is regarded as the first appeared flight apparatus during the evolutionary process from Archaeopteryx to neornithes. The pygostyle appeared in most early fossil birds and almost all the modern birds. Although their morphologies are different, they are basically formed by at least four last caudal vertebrae. The specimen V11309 is regarded as a bird rather than a non-avian theropod dinosaur based on the following characters: short caudal vertebrae, numerous pits present on the surfaces of the centra and, a foramen present between the basal part of the fused neural spines, which is similar to that of Struthio camelus. The discoveries of pygostyles from the therizinosauroids and oviraptorosaurs may provide strong evidence for supporting the origin of birds from small theropod dinosaurs. The structure of the pygostyle in specimen V11309 is different from those of Beipiaosaurus (Therizinosauroid) and Nomingia (oviraptorosaur). The most parsimonious interpretation is that these pygostyle-like structures are independently acquired by Beipiaosaurus and Nomingia during their evolutionary process.

Two New“Notostracans”,Chenops gen.nov.and Jeholops gen.nov. (Crustacea:Branchiopoda:?Notostraca) from the Yixian Formation,Northeastern China

The Early Cretaceous Jehol biota of northeastern China contains a diverse group of notostracans, including two genera, Chenops and Jeholops, described here. Chenops is characterized by a combination of an ovate carapace, narrow anal plate, equant distal endites and endopod on the anterior thoracic limbs. In addition to the new species, Chenops yixianensis, the genus also provisionally includes Prolepidurus oblongus Oleynikov, 1968. Jeholops, however, is monotypic, represented by the new species Jeholops hongi. It is characterized by a combination of kazacharthran and notostracan features unique to this taxon. Both new genera are provisionally placed in the taxon Notostraca. More detailed work exploring the morphology of exceptionally-preserved branchiopod crustaceans is needed. The difficulties in placing fossil notostracans into a phylogenetie framework are discussed.

New Pelecinid Wasps (Hymenoptera:Proctotrupoidea:Pelecinidae) from the Yixian Formation of Western Liaoning,China

Three well-preserved fossil Pelecinids from the Late Mesozoic Yixian Formation,Liaoning Province,China are described and assigned to two new species,Eopelecinus huangi sp.nov.and Eopelecinus tumidus sp.nov.in Eopelecinus Zhang,Rasnitsyn and Zhang,2002.As of now,17 species have been included in this genus,which is the most diverse in the Pelecinidae family.With new information and characters obtained from these new specimens,the diagnosis of Eopelecinus Zhang, Rasnitsyn and Zhang,2002 is emended.

A New Genus of Fossil Cycads Yixianophyllum gen. nov. from the Late Jurassic Yixian Formation, Western Liaoning, China

A new genus of fossil Cycads, Yixianophyllum gen. nov., is reported here. The specimens were collected from the southern hill of Jinjiagou village, Toudaohezi Town, Yixian County, western Liaoning Province, China. The fossil plant-beating bed belongs to the lower part, the Zhuanchengzi bed, of the Upper Jurassic Yixian Formation （Yixianian）. The new genus in leaf shape, venation and epidermal structure shows a transitional form between Mesozoic Cycads （Ctenis, Nilssonia） and modem Cycads （Stangeria and Encephalartos）. Since the features of these specimens differ from any known genera of Cycads, a new generic name Yixianophyllum is proposed for these leaves. Typical species, Yixianophyllum jinjiagouense gen. et sp. nov. is described here. A supposed evolutionary tendency of Cycadean leaf-forms with Taeniopteris-type is discussed.

Fossil Taiwannia from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, Northeast China and its phytogeography significance

Fossil Taiwania was discovered from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Lingyuan City, western Liaoning Province, Northeast China. It is identified as a new species, Taiwania lingyuanensis sp. nov.. The present specimen is preserved as impressions with well defined leaf shoots system and reproductive structures. Leaves are dimorphic, spirally and imbricately arranged. They are scale-like on the main and cone-bearing branchlets, and subulate to falcate-subulate on the juvenile or sterile shoots. The seed cones are singly elliptic, ovate or elongate-ovate and terminally borne on ultimate shoots, bearing 22–24 scale-bracts complexes imbricately and helically arranged around the cone axis, the bracts are broadovate, rhomboidal or hexagonal with entire margins. Both the leafy shoots morphology and reproductive structures are similar to extant Taiwania. Furthermore, geological distribution and molecular biological evidences support that Taiwania is probably originated from the eastern Asia at least in the Early Cretaceous and widely distributed in the North Hemisphere thereafter.

Division and correlation of Yixian Formation in western Liaoning,China

The Yixian Formation is a series of volcanic-sedimentary rocks in Biepiao area of Liaoning Province. It is mainly composed of basic and intermediate-basic volcanic lava,pyroclasts and terrestrial sedimentary rocks. Based on the regularity of volcanic activity,the Yixian Formation was divided by the present authors into four members in ascending order:the first member is of basal conglomerate,basic and intermediate-basic volcanic rocks; the second member is of lake phrase sedimentary rocks,or in another word,precious fossil-rich sedimentary beds; the third is of basic volcanic rocks; and the fourth is of upper conglomerate. Field mapping and comprehensive study also indicate that there are abundant vertebrate fossils (mainly of Psittacosaurus) in the first member of the Yixian Formation,and the Jehol Biota (including Sinosauropterxy,Confuciusorns sanctus,Archaefructus,etc.) is yielded in the second member of Yixian Formation. From west to east,the volcanic activity of Yixian Formation changed regularly from early to late,and from basic and intermediate-basic to acid (alkali).

Palynomorph assemblages and paleoclimate records from the Zhuanchengzi Bed of the Yixian Formation, western Liaoning Province, China

We collected, processed, identified, and analyzed the spores and pollen samples from the Zhuanchengzi Bed of the Yixian Formation in the Yingwoshan area of western Liaoning. As a result, we confirm a palynomorph assemblage of Cicatri- cosisporites-Protoconiferus. The pollen was primarily from gymnosperms, dominated especially by conifer pollen. Pterido- phyte spores were less common and some questionable angiosperm pollen occurred occasionally. The age of the palynomorph assemblage is dated as the late Valanginian or Hauterivian-Barrernian stage, the Early Cretaceous. The study applies the con- cept of Palynological Vegetation based on palynological spectra and the paleoecological characteristics of palynological taxa for the first time. Palynological vegetation type, climatic zone type, and humidity type are divided quantitatively for the Zhuanchengzi Bed in the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning. We then obtained the evolutionary trends. The results showed that the overall climate was warm and humid during the deposition period of the Zhuanchengzi Bed in the Yixian Formation. Palynological vegetation types are various and include coniferous forest, deciduous broadleaf forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, grass, and shrubs. The local temperature changed from warm to much warmer and from a semi-humid to humid climate. Palynological vegetation types are always dominated by coniferous forest. The coexistence of deciduous broad-leaved forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, shrubs, grass, and some xerophytic plants indicates vertical zonation and seasonal climate change The vertical vegetation types and the warm humid climate may imply a large geomorphological contrast in the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning.

On the Lower Cretaceous in Yixian County of Jinzhou City,Western Liaoning,China

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？