Volume 58,Issue 1,2019 Table of Contents

1 HIEMALORA STELLARIS FROM THE EDIACARAN DENGYING FORMATION IN THE YANGTZE GORGES AREA,HUBEI PROVINCE:AFFINITY AND TAPHONOMIC ANALYSIS

SHAO Ye-fei , CHEN Zhe , ZHOU Chuan-ming , YUAN Xun-lai

2019, 58(1):1-10. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.001 CSTR:

[Abstract](185) [HTML](0) [PDF 8.60 M](1815)

Abstract:
Hiemalora stellaris occurs abundantly in the Shibantan biota discovered from the Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area, Hubei Province. H. stellaris consists of a central disc and surrounding tentacle-like structure, which shows a positive correlation with the diameter of central discs. One specimen, discovered from the bottom of the Shibantan Member of the Dengying Formation, shows that a H. stellaris is attached to a frond-type structure. The ovate frond has a prominent horn-like spiny termination on the top, and shows internal primary and secondary branches, resembling those of Charniodiscus spinosus. The fossil can be compared with Primocandelabrum hiemaloranum that was found in Newfoundland area of Canada, indicating that H. stellaris may represent a holdfast which can be attached to different kinds of fronds. Taphonomic analysis suggests that H. stellaris may live in the sediments below the microbial mats before it is buried and preserved as a mold. Meanwhile, the stem and frond live in water column before they are buried on the surface of the microbial mats and preserved as an impression.

2 GIVETIAN (DEVONIAN)RUGOSE CORALS FROM WANGYOU,HUISHUI,GUIZHOU (1)

LIAO Wei-hua , LIANG Kun

2019, 58(1):11-22. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.002 CSTR:

[Abstract](175) [HTML](0) [PDF 8.12 M](1833)

Abstract:
Wangyou of Huishui County and Dushan County are the two best localities in well-developed Devonian sequences in the south of Guizhou Province. They are characterized by the occurrences of abundant fossils and solid research foundations. The thick late Middle Devonian shallow marine deposits exposed in Wangyou of Huishui County is composed of mainly terrestrial debris and its corals are dominated by solitary rugose corals, while the sequences in Dushan County are characterized by carbonates intercalated with siliceous clasts that are not very thick,and the possession of both colonial and solitary corals.Based on the Middle Devonian biostratigraphic work,it is proposed that the occurrence of the solitary rugose coral Sinospongophyllumcan be an important boundary for stratigraphic divisions of the regions:the lower part of the Wenglai Formation occurs below Sinospongophyllum-bearing horizon,correlative to the Songjiaqiao Member in the outcrops of the Dushan County,while the upper part of the Wenglai Formation occurs above Sinospongophyllum-bearing horizon,correlative to the Jiwozhai Member in the outcrops of the Dushan County, as below the Sinospongophyllum layers,the sequences were named Songjiaqiao Member and the appearance of Sinospongophyllum indicated the start of the Jiwozhai Member in Dushan County.The solitary Sinospongophyllum and colonial Endophyllum bear similar internal skeletons,with the difference in their external morphologies,suggesting that they lived in different marine environments.The present study describes 7 species of 6 genera of rugose corals from the lower part of the Wenglai Formation:Grypophyllum wangyouense(Li in Kong and Huang),Grypophyllum cf.primum Wedekind,Cyathophyllum wenglaiense sp.nov.,Sinodisphyllum litvinovitshae(Soshkina),Temnophyllum majus Walther, Argutastrea quadrigemina(Goldfuss), and Ceratophyllum simplexsp.nov.The corals from the upper part of the Wenglai Formation will be addressed in future works.

3 FLOOR FLORA OF COAL 4AND 5FROM THE LOWER PERMIAN SHANXI FORMATION IN WUDA COALFIELD,INNER MONGOLIA

LIANG Rong-jia , WAN Ming-li , YANG Wan , WANG Jun

2019, 58(1):23-46. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.003 CSTR:

[Abstract](188) [HTML](0) [PDF 49.07 M](1862)

Abstract:
Based on the collections from the floors of coal 4 and 5 in the lower Permian Shanxi Formation, Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, 26 species within 18 genera of fossil plants have been identified. Among them, the Cathaysian elements are dominant. According to the taphonomic and palaeoecological analysis, the floor flora of coal 5 was dominated by Lepidodendron posthumii Jongm. and Goth. and Cathaysiodendron cf. incertum(Sze and Lee) Lee. This flora grew in clastic swamp in the deltaic plain. The floor flora of coal 4 was a mixed one with both clastic and peat-forming swamp vegetation. Stigmaria ficoides(Sternb.) Brongn. is autochthonous, indicating the peat-forming vegetation of coal 4 was composed of arborescent lycopsids. The Tingia carbonica(Schenk) Halle and Pecopteris arborescens(Schloth.) Sternb. assemblage represents the clastic swamp vegetation growing in the deltaic plain. Based on our synthesized analysis, coal floor floras in the Wuda Coalfield can be divided into three types: the flora that initiated formation of the peat, the clastic swamp flora which has no relationship with the overlying coal, and a flora mixed by the former two types. Characterization of these coal floor floras must take into consideration of the sedimentological interpretation of the associated lithologies, the stratigraphic sequences, and the taphonomic processes. Our current case study suggests that the wetland floras in the Wuda Coalfield were compositionally persistent during the early Permian. Arborescent lycopsids were commonly the dominant elements of the peat-forming flora. Peat-forming and clastic swamp assemblages were of taxonomic similarity with species-level differences.

4 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY OF THE LATE PERMIAN MIXED FLORA OF NORTHERN CHINA

LIU Lu-jun , CHENG Chen , WAN Ming-li , WU Xiu-yuan , WANG Jun

2019, 58(1):47-71. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.004 CSTR:

[Abstract](206) [HTML](0) [PDF 11.84 M](1762)

Abstract:
The large areas to the north of the mountain ranges along with Mts. Kunlun-Altun-Qilian-Qinling-Dabie are composed of a number of major tectonic blocks including Junggar, Tarim, Jiamusi-Mongolia, Qilian-Alxa and North China Blocks and some micro-terrains during the Permian. These areas are known as a mixed floral realm during the late Permian. Based on a systematic analysis of the fossil plants yielded in these areas, six phytoprovinces are recognized;1) Junggar-North Tarim Angaran-Cathaysian Phytoprovince;2)Beishan-Badain Jaran Angaran-Cathaysian Phytoprovince;3) Xingmeng(northestern China) Angaran-Cathaysian Phytoprovince;4) South Tarim Angaran-Euramerican Phytoprovince;5) Qilian-Alxa Cathaysian-Angaran Phytoprovince;6) North China Euramerican-Cathaysian-Angaran Phytoprovince. According to palaeomagnetic data and floral evolution, the movements of these blocks in the Paleo-Tethys and Palaeo-Asian Oceans are briefly summarized. They generally drifted from lower latitude tropical-subtropical rain forest climate zone to high latitude temperate and arid climate zone in the northern hemisphere through Carboniferous and Permian and finally collided forming part of Pangaea. It is concluded that the formation of these late Permian mixed floral provinces mostly resulted from the movement and collision of these blocks. During middle and late Permian, the Pangaea as a larged united continent led to migration and interchange of the floras from all of these previously isolated blocks, and finally resulted in mixed floras and even yielded abundant local taxa.

5 A RESTUDY OF THE BYSSAL NOTCH OF THE SPECIES CLARAIA TUMIDA (PATTE,1935)(BIVALVIA:CLARAIIDAE)

FANG Zong-jie

2019, 58(1):72-78. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.005 CSTR:

[Abstract](253) [HTML](0) [PDF 3.99 M](1706)

Abstract:
The original photo of the species Claraia tumida published by Patte(1935, p. 22, pl. 2, fig. 4 b, accession number: NIGP 6442) has clearly shown the typical Claraia-type byssal notch(also see text-fig. 1-1 a—1-1 d, 1-1 f of this paper). But Gu Zhi-wei et al.(Editorial Group on "The Lamellibranch Fossils of China", 1976, p. 201, pl. 33, fig. 13, also see text-fig. 1-1 e of this paper) cut the photo according to the crevasse traces(please compare with black arrows in text-fig. 1-1 b, 1-1 d and 1-1 f for confirming their positional relationship), so that they got a false "byssal notch" of a half wheel shape in ‘The Lamellibranch Fossils of China". This so-called "byssal notch" has been widely cited in recent years as a "real" Claraioides-type byssal notch(Yang et al., 2001; Gao et al., 2004, 2009; He et al., 2007, 2014). However, this "byssal notch" has been turn out to be false herein and it has nothing to do with the real byssal notch. The species of Claraia tumida does not develop the Claraioides-type byssal notch. Therefore, all the views and inferences derived from the false "byssal notch" of Claraia tumida may not be valid, such as the "Scatter plot of measured characters" of He et al.(2007, p. 1013, Fig. 4) using the measurement data of the false "byssal notch" of Claraia tumida, and their related conclusion on "progressive morphological changes" in Claraia(also including Claraioides) from the early Changhsingian to the Induan(He et al., 2007, p. 1017, Fig. 6; 2014; Ros-Franch et al., 2014), losing their necessary basis too. There is no so-called intermediate transition type has been found between Claraia-type and Claraioides-type byssal notches so far, which represent two different mode of byssal notch development in Claraia-like species, indicating that they are two separate and parallel evolutionary lineages. In addition, the genera Claraia and Claraioides had never coexisted in geological and geographical distribution, and there is no possibility of establishing an evolutionary relationship between them(Fang, 2003, 2004, 2010; Fang in Fang et al., 2009).

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF CONODONTS AND SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT OF UPPER NORIAN NANSHUBA AND DASHUITANG FORMATIONS IN BAOSHAN,YUNNAN PROVINCE

WANG Xiao-duan , DU Yi-xing , SHI Zhi-qiang , CHEN Bin

2019, 58(1):79-91. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.006 CSTR:

[Abstract](615) [HTML](0) [PDF 12.67 M](1778)

Abstract:
Norian marine deposits are developed in Baoshan block, Yunnan Province. So far, few studies on palaeochronology have been carried out. In this study, the Norian sections at Dabaozi and Hongyan in Baoshan are measured and sampled. Conodont fossils were obtained from the limestone in middle Nanshuba Formation and the top part of Dashuitang Formation, These conodonts identified as Mockina bidentata, Mockina englandi and Mockina aff. englandi, are with the age of Sevatian 1 Subage, late Norian. Based on the analysis of thin sections, it is found that the limestones of Nanshuba and Dashuitang formations contain a large number of radiolarians, and debris with different degrees of roundness in clastic rocks can also be seen. In view of the slump structures seen in outcrops and the microscopic features of sedimentary rocks, it is deduced that Nanshuba Formation was deposited in a mixed shelf environment at Dabaozi area, controlled by the tectonic setting of an island arc(or microplate) in the Norian Tethys Ocean.

7 ON THE INVASION OF THE ANCESTORS OF THE TRIGONIOIDOIDEA (BIVALVIA) INTO THE NON-MARINE REALM—EVIDENCE FROM EASTERN TIBET, CHINA

Frank STILLER , CHEN Jin-hua

2019, 58(1):92-113. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.007 CSTR:

[Abstract](207) [HTML](0) [PDF 9.17 M](1774)

Abstract:
The new trigoniid taxon Baxoitrigonia baxoiensis gen. et sp. nov. of Tithonian(Late Jurassic) age is reported from the Baxoi(Basu) area in eastern Tibet, China. The external characters of this new taxon are fairly similar to those of the genus Iotrigonia, but it is characterized by a distinct median groove, and the anterior adductor muscle scar is similar to that of the Trigonioidoidea. This observation provides more direct evidence that the non-marine Trigonioidoidea(order Trigoniida) were derived from marine Trigoniida and not from the Unionoidea(order Unionida). This derivation correlates with the biostratigraphical sequence in eastern Tibet; Baxoitrigonia baxoiensis directly preceded the Jingxing fauna that comprises primal Trigonioidoidea that lived in non-marine environments. The invasion of the marine trigoniid ancestors of the Trigonioidoidea into non-marine environments, which took place in the peripherally isolated Lhorong-Baxoi region, and their evolution into non-marine Trigonioidoidea is a typical example of peripatric speciation.

8 APPLICATION OF ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS IN SWIMMING ABILITY TEST ON METATIBIAL SPURS OF CRETACEOUS ELCANIDAE (INSECTA,ORTHOPTERA)

LI Chun-tao , FANG Yan , ZHANG Hai-chun , QI Huan

2019, 58(1):114-121. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.008 CSTR:

[Abstract](192) [HTML](0) [PDF 2.13 M](1785)

Abstract:
Elcanidae is an extinct family of orthopteran insects ranging in age from the Late Triassic to the early Late Cretaceous, and is mainly characterized by 3 or 4 elongated metatibial spurs which are generally divided into 3 types: short rod-like, long spine-like, and leaf-like metatibial spurs. The Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) is employed here in the functional behavior study of the Cretaceous Elcanidae, which is premised on the assumption that elcanids could swim. The analysis shows that elcanids with leaf-like metatibial spurs have a much better swimming ability than those with rod-like and spine-like metatibial spurs. A high diversity of metatibial spurs in Elcanidae indicates a good adaptability for these insects to the waterfront environment in the Cretaceous.

9 GROWTH METRIC—A QUANTITATIVE INDEX FOR BRACHIOPOD ALLOMETRY RESEARCH

ZHANG Yu-chen , HUANG Bing , ZHAN Ren-bin , Colin D SPROAT , ZHOU Hang-hang

2019, 58(1):122-129. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.009 CSTR:

[Abstract](292) [HTML](0) [PDF 3.95 M](1786)

Abstract:
The term "Growth metric" is introduced in this paper to measure the degree of ontogeny for research about the allometry of brachiopods. The metric is calculated by length, width and thickness of shell with their separate weights. Regression analysis for the measurements together with growth metric of some shell’s dimensions of brachiopods can provide evidences for existence of allometry for the fossil population. A case study on Rongatrypa xichuanensis, a Katian(Late Ordovician) atrypide species, indicated that isometry of shell width, negative allometry of shell length and positive allometry of shell thickness can be detected by the statistics study on growth metric for the species.

10 IMAGING PHOSPHATIZED MICROFOSSILS FROM THE EDIACARAN WENG’AN BIOTA USING CONFOCAL LASER SCANNING MICROSCOPY

WU Ruo-lin , WU Su-ping , YIN Zong-jun

2019, 58(1):130-140. DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2019.01.010 CSTR:

[Abstract](246) [HTML](0) [PDF 14.87 M](1881)

Abstract:
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy(CLSM) is a fluorescence imaging technique using laser and pinhole to obtain images with higher resolution and better contrast compared to conventional optical microscopy. Although CLSM is a powerful tool applied in many fields such as biology, it has not been widely used in palaeontology yet, because not all fossils are auto-fluorescent. However, if fossil matrix could fluoresce excited by laser beam, sharp contrast between fossils and matrix, or between different parts of fossils may be observed. In these cases, researchers can image inside microstructures with CLSM which can’t be clearly visualized by epifluorescent microscope. In this article, we introduced the principle and work flow of sample preparation and imaged phosphatized microfossils from the Ediacaran Weng’an biota with CLSM. Our results suggest that the CLSM can help to obtain images with higher spatial resolution and better contrast in several cases.

Volume 58,Issue 1,2019 Table of Contents

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