Western Liaoning of northeastern China is world-renowned for the MesozoicJehol biota, especially for yielding many feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, mammals and fossilangiosperm. This paper describes a complete sp...Western Liaoning of northeastern China is world-renowned for the MesozoicJehol biota, especially for yielding many feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, mammals and fossilangiosperm. This paper describes a complete specimen of a symmetrodont mammal with well-preservedhairs and soft tissue from the basal part of the Yixian Formation in the Sihetun area, Beipiao,western Liaoning. It is significant for understanding the morphology, osteology, phylogeny and lifehabits of Mesozoic symmetrodont mammals.展开更多
New material of Strenulagus solaris, a stem lagomorph, from the lower part of the Middle Eocene Irdin Manha Formation at the Irdin Manha and Huheboerhe localities, Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China includes remains of i...New material of Strenulagus solaris, a stem lagomorph, from the lower part of the Middle Eocene Irdin Manha Formation at the Irdin Manha and Huheboerhe localities, Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China includes remains of isolated cheek teeth, fragmentary upper incisors （dI2） and postcranial elements, reported from the species for the first time. The tarsal bones display advanced features, such as a wide calcaneofibular articulation surface and, along with an increase in hypsodonty, the new data document the early stage of lagomorph evolution in the Middle Eocene of the Erlian Basin. This finding is stratigraphically well constrained and probably predates that of the type material of S. solaris from the Khaychin Formation, Bugin-Tsav Basin, Mongolia.展开更多
A technique used to determine the authenticity of artifacts that compares the oxygen isotopic composition of speleothems to the carbonate included within the patina of unprovenanced artifacts is of questionable value....A technique used to determine the authenticity of artifacts that compares the oxygen isotopic composition of speleothems to the carbonate included within the patina of unprovenanced artifacts is of questionable value. The unprovenanced Jehoash Inscription Tablet and James Ossuary are of potentially immense historical and cultural importance. Nevertheless, they both were rejected by workers based on the oxygen isotope technique which provided the major foundational evidence of forgery in the longest running archaeological trial in Israel. Nevertheless, both these artifacts were determined not to be forged. The initial incongruence between the oxygen isotopes of the speleothems of the Soreq cave (Israel) purported to represent the unique composition of Jerusalem rainfall, and the patina on the artifacts, can be readily explained by the accretion of materials and geo-biochemical processes expected in normal patina formation in the Jerusalem region. The patina formation involves sporadic events in disequilibrium kinetic processes that are opposed to the equilibrium formation of speleothems in a sealed cave. Moreover, 23 of 56 patina samples (41%) on well-documented ancient artifacts from Israel yielded oxygen isotope values greater or lower than the expected speleothem values of -4 δ18O ‰ [PDB] to -6 δ18O ‰ [PDB]. Thus, the speleothem-patina correlation is invalid and the applied oxygen isotopes technique for determining the authenticity of patinas on artifacts is not a useful tool in the authentication of artifacts.展开更多
Mammals have high dispersal ability,and many lineages can spread across the continents when a landbridge appears.Here,we summarize the dispersal of mammals between the Old and New World at the end of the Miocene.Our a...Mammals have high dispersal ability,and many lineages can spread across the continents when a landbridge appears.Here,we summarize the dispersal of mammals between the Old and New World at the end of the Miocene.Our analysis suggested that the three phases of dispersal represented the largest dispersal tide during the Neogene,and the direction of dispersal is dominated by being from the Old to New World.Judging from the components that crossed the dispersal corridor,the Arctic environment near the Beringia corridor in the first phase(~7.5 Ma)is a mixed environment,and in the second phase(~6.5 Ma)is an open environment,and in the third phase(~5.8 Ma and continue to the Pliocene)is a wooded(closed)environment.A clear trend of eastern Asian humidification driven by Asian monsoon and the global C4 grassland expansion explain this dispersal pattern.The boost of mammalian dispersals is controlled by the heterogeneity of environmental changes in different continents.展开更多
A new genus and species of eutriconodont mammal,Chaoyangodens lii gen.et sp.nov.,from the Dawangzhangzi bed of Yixian Formation,Lingyuan,Liaoning,is reported.The new species has a tooth formula I5-C1-P1-M3/i4-c1-p1-m4...A new genus and species of eutriconodont mammal,Chaoyangodens lii gen.et sp.nov.,from the Dawangzhangzi bed of Yixian Formation,Lingyuan,Liaoning,is reported.The new species has a tooth formula I5-C1-P1-M3/i4-c1-p1-m4,unique among eutriconodonts in having only one premolar in lower and upper jaws,respectively,and a distinctive diastema between the canine and the premolar.Its simple incisors and reduced premolars show a mosaic combination of primitive and derived features.This new taxon adds to the diverse group of Jehol eutriconodonts.Among the known species from at least three horizons,there seems no evolutionary trend in morphology that is recognizable,except for that larger species are all from the Lujiatun bed of the Yixian Fm.A thorough and systematic analysis involving all the Jehol eutriconodonts is needed to understand their phylogenetic relationships.展开更多
Recent studies demonstrate that many avialan features evolved incrementally prior to the origin of the group,but the presence of some of these features,such as bird-like brooding behaviours,remains contentious in non-...Recent studies demonstrate that many avialan features evolved incrementally prior to the origin of the group,but the presence of some of these features,such as bird-like brooding behaviours,remains contentious in non-avialan dinosaurs.Here we report the first non-avialan dinosaur fossil known to preserve an adult skeleton atop an egg clutch that contains embryonic remains.The preserved positional relationship of the adult to the clutch,coupled with the advanced growth stages of the embryos and their high estimated incubation temperatures,provides strong support for the brooding hypothesis.Furthermore,embryos in the clutch are at different developmental stages,suggesting the presence of asynchronous hatching—a derived feature even among crown-group birds—in non-avialan theropods.These findings demonstrate that the evolution of reproductive biology along bird-line archosaurs was a complex rather than a linear and incremental process,and suggest that some aspects of non-avialan theropod reproduction were unique to these dinosaurs.展开更多
文摘Western Liaoning of northeastern China is world-renowned for the MesozoicJehol biota, especially for yielding many feathered dinosaurs, primitive birds, mammals and fossilangiosperm. This paper describes a complete specimen of a symmetrodont mammal with well-preservedhairs and soft tissue from the basal part of the Yixian Formation in the Sihetun area, Beipiao,western Liaoning. It is significant for understanding the morphology, osteology, phylogeny and lifehabits of Mesozoic symmetrodont mammals.
基金supported by the Young International Scientist Grant of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2013Y1ZA0006) to LFFthe Major Basic Research Projects of MST of China (Nos. 2012CB821900 and 2006CB806400)+1 种基金the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-EW-106)the Special Fund for Fossil Excavation and Preparation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the China Geological Survey (Nos. 1212011120115 and 1212011120142)
文摘New material of Strenulagus solaris, a stem lagomorph, from the lower part of the Middle Eocene Irdin Manha Formation at the Irdin Manha and Huheboerhe localities, Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China includes remains of isolated cheek teeth, fragmentary upper incisors （dI2） and postcranial elements, reported from the species for the first time. The tarsal bones display advanced features, such as a wide calcaneofibular articulation surface and, along with an increase in hypsodonty, the new data document the early stage of lagomorph evolution in the Middle Eocene of the Erlian Basin. This finding is stratigraphically well constrained and probably predates that of the type material of S. solaris from the Khaychin Formation, Bugin-Tsav Basin, Mongolia.
文摘A technique used to determine the authenticity of artifacts that compares the oxygen isotopic composition of speleothems to the carbonate included within the patina of unprovenanced artifacts is of questionable value. The unprovenanced Jehoash Inscription Tablet and James Ossuary are of potentially immense historical and cultural importance. Nevertheless, they both were rejected by workers based on the oxygen isotope technique which provided the major foundational evidence of forgery in the longest running archaeological trial in Israel. Nevertheless, both these artifacts were determined not to be forged. The initial incongruence between the oxygen isotopes of the speleothems of the Soreq cave (Israel) purported to represent the unique composition of Jerusalem rainfall, and the patina on the artifacts, can be readily explained by the accretion of materials and geo-biochemical processes expected in normal patina formation in the Jerusalem region. The patina formation involves sporadic events in disequilibrium kinetic processes that are opposed to the equilibrium formation of speleothems in a sealed cave. Moreover, 23 of 56 patina samples (41%) on well-documented ancient artifacts from Israel yielded oxygen isotope values greater or lower than the expected speleothem values of -4 δ18O ‰ [PDB] to -6 δ18O ‰ [PDB]. Thus, the speleothem-patina correlation is invalid and the applied oxygen isotopes technique for determining the authenticity of patinas on artifacts is not a useful tool in the authentication of artifacts.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.XDB26000000 and XDA20070203)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42102001,41430102,41872001,41872005 and 41772018)+2 种基金Key Frontier Science Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.QYZDY-SSW-DQC-22 and GJHZ1885)China Scholarship CouncilFrick Fund,Division of Vertebrate Paleontology,AMNH.
文摘Mammals have high dispersal ability,and many lineages can spread across the continents when a landbridge appears.Here,we summarize the dispersal of mammals between the Old and New World at the end of the Miocene.Our analysis suggested that the three phases of dispersal represented the largest dispersal tide during the Neogene,and the direction of dispersal is dominated by being from the Old to New World.Judging from the components that crossed the dispersal corridor,the Arctic environment near the Beringia corridor in the first phase(~7.5 Ma)is a mixed environment,and in the second phase(~6.5 Ma)is an open environment,and in the third phase(~5.8 Ma and continue to the Pliocene)is a wooded(closed)environment.A clear trend of eastern Asian humidification driven by Asian monsoon and the global C4 grassland expansion explain this dispersal pattern.The boost of mammalian dispersals is controlled by the heterogeneity of environmental changes in different continents.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2012CB821906)Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Land and Resources(201311120)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41202014)the American Museum of Natural History,New York
文摘A new genus and species of eutriconodont mammal,Chaoyangodens lii gen.et sp.nov.,from the Dawangzhangzi bed of Yixian Formation,Lingyuan,Liaoning,is reported.The new species has a tooth formula I5-C1-P1-M3/i4-c1-p1-m4,unique among eutriconodonts in having only one premolar in lower and upper jaws,respectively,and a distinctive diastema between the canine and the premolar.Its simple incisors and reduced premolars show a mosaic combination of primitive and derived features.This new taxon adds to the diverse group of Jehol eutriconodonts.Among the known species from at least three horizons,there seems no evolutionary trend in morphology that is recognizable,except for that larger species are all from the Lujiatun bed of the Yixian Fm.A thorough and systematic analysis involving all the Jehol eutriconodonts is needed to understand their phylogenetic relationships.
基金supported by the Double First-Class Joint Program of Yunnan Science and Technology Department and Yunnan University (2018FY001-005)the China-Myanmar Joint Laboratory for Ecological and Environmental Conservation+2 种基金the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Science RAE Improvement Fundsupported by the CNRS Program INSU INTERRVIEthe National Natural Science Foundation of China(41688103)。
文摘Recent studies demonstrate that many avialan features evolved incrementally prior to the origin of the group,but the presence of some of these features,such as bird-like brooding behaviours,remains contentious in non-avialan dinosaurs.Here we report the first non-avialan dinosaur fossil known to preserve an adult skeleton atop an egg clutch that contains embryonic remains.The preserved positional relationship of the adult to the clutch,coupled with the advanced growth stages of the embryos and their high estimated incubation temperatures,provides strong support for the brooding hypothesis.Furthermore,embryos in the clutch are at different developmental stages,suggesting the presence of asynchronous hatching—a derived feature even among crown-group birds—in non-avialan theropods.These findings demonstrate that the evolution of reproductive biology along bird-line archosaurs was a complex rather than a linear and incremental process,and suggest that some aspects of non-avialan theropod reproduction were unique to these dinosaurs.
