Volume 59,Issue 1,2020 Table of Contents

  • Display Type:
  • Text List
  • Abstract List
  • 1  EUPOLYPOD SCALES FROM THE MID-CRETACEOUS OF MYANMAR AMBER
    LI Chun-xiang , MA Jun-ye
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.003
    [Abstract](514) [HTML](0) [PDF 5.64 M](2137)
    Abstract:
    In the most recently revised classification for ferns, Eupolypods, composed of two clades: Eupolypods I and Eupolypods II, include nearly 6000 species—more than half of extant fern diversity. However, the evolutionary history of this lineages re-mains incompletely understood, especially on its diversification scenarios, for example, most DNA-based divergence-time studies indicate that Eupolypods diversification occurred in the Late Cretaceous, but few studies demonstrated that Eupoly-pods originated as early as in the Early Jurassic. On the other hand, although a range of molecular dating methods is now available, they all share a vital dependence on fossils as one of important age calibrations. It is therefore of prime importance to thoroughly document and critically evaluate new and informative fern fossils, especially those fossils from those periods of geologic time that are believed to represent important phases in the establishment and/or radiation of new fern lineages. However, so far, no single study based on fossils from stratigraphic depositions has provided unequivocal evidence for a Cretaceous or pre-Cretaceous occurrence for Eupolypods. In the recent years, it has been found that approximately 100 million-year-old Myanmar amber provides a unique source of polypod fossils. Eight fossils of different families and numerous sporangia, spores, and scales have been found in Myan-mar amber, including the first compelling eupolypod fossil Holttumopteris burmensis. Here fern scale fossils have been described in Myanmar amber in mid-Cretaceous for the first time. The scale fossils are basal attached clathrate scales, and assigned to eupolypods based on its cell walls having thick darkened partitions between adjacent cells and thin surficial walls. Based on the latest phylogenetic relationships for extant ferns, the evolutionary trend of scales and their morphological characteristics are discussed. This discovery is nevertheless important because it provided the first unequivocal scale fossil evidence that a diversity of eupolypod ferns was present already in the mid-Cretaceous Myan-mar amber forests, clearly showing that Eupolypods originated before the mid-Cretaceous, probably as early as the Early Ju-rassic, consistent with the few divergence time estimates based on molecular dating.
    2  NEW MATERIAL OF TERRESTRIAL GASTROPODS FROM MID-CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER
    YU Ting-ting
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.005
    [Abstract](679) [HTML](0) [PDF 1000.48 K](2058)
    Abstract:
    Gastropod fossils are abundant, but they are rarely preserved in amber. Two genera and two species of terrestrial gastropods Euthema naggsi Yu, Wang and Pan, 2018, Truncatellina dilatatus sp. nov. are described from mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. Our findings offer more complete records of palaeontological diversity of terrestrial gastropods preserved in Burmese amber. The ecological context of amber gastropods further confirms the warm and humid tropical rain forest en-vironment of the amber forest in the mid-Cretaceous.
    3  NEW GENUS OF CRETACEOUS STONEFLY (PLECOPTERA: PERLIDAE) FROM KACHIN AMBER, MYANMAR
    CHEN Zhi-teng
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.007
    [Abstract](548) [HTML](0) [PDF 4.51 M](3439)
    Abstract:
    The stonefly fauna in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber is reviewed. A new fossil stonefly, Burperla decolorata gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on a well-preserved female specimen. This new taxon is characterized by the combi-nation of the following characters: long and pale body, long palps and antennae, RA almost reaching wing apex, subgenital plate broad and rounded with a posteromedial projection. These morphological characters distinguish it from other extant and extinct stoneflies of Perlidae.
    4  AYAIMATUM TRILOBATUM GEN. ET SP. NOV. OF MIMARACHNIDAE (HEMIPTERA: FULGOROMORPHA) FROM MID-CRETACEOUS AMBER OF KACHIN (NORTHERN MYANMAR)
    JIANG Tian SZWEDO Jacek SONG Zhi-shun CHEN Jun LI Yu-ling,JIANG Hui
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.009
    [Abstract](885) [HTML](0) [PDF 3.84 M](3455)
    Abstract:
    A new genus and species, Ayaimatum trilobatum gen. et sp. nov. Jiang and Szwedo, is described based on a planthopper preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber from Kachin State, northern Myanmar, and assigned to the Cretaceous planthopper fam-ily Mimarachnidae. A short overview of fossil record of the Mimarachnidae is given. The taxonomic diversity and morpho-logical disparity of this extinct group is briefly discussed.
    5  NEW MATERIAL OF SINOALIDAE (INSECTA, HEMIPTERA) IN MID-CRETACEOUS KACHIN AMBER FROM NORTHERN MYANMAR
    CHEN Jun ZHENG Yan WEI Guang-jin WANG Xiao-li
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.010
    [Abstract](508) [HTML](0) [PDF 6.81 M](2100)
    Abstract:
    The extinct family Sinoalidae (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha), as one of the primitive representatives of Clypeata, belongs to the froghopper superfamily Cercopoidea. This family was previously recognized from the uppermost Middle to lowermost Up-per Jurassic of northeastern China, and very recently reported in the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber from northern Myanmar, with three genera and species erected (Fangyuania xiai, Jiaotouia minuta and Ornatiala amoena). The present study de-scribed and illustrated the second species of the genus Ornatiala based on one single fossil specimen trapped in a piece of Kachin amber. Our new phylogenetic analysis further confirms the systematic position of the new taxon. Prominent color patterns on tegmina have different functions for insects, such as sexual attraction, mimicry and camou-flage. Most reported sinoalids possess monochromatic tegmina; the new species described herein, however, bears tegmina with highly contrasting color pattern (probable disruptive colouration) as the type species of Ornatiala. The bifurcation of tegminal MP of the new species is migrated to wing apex, apicad of the bifurcation of CuA and claval apex, which is dis-tinctly different from that of Ornatiala amoena as well as most known sinoalids. Nevertheless, considering that relative branching position of longitudinal veins are instable for some early cercopoids, whether this morphological character is a di-agnostic trait of the new species should be further checked on the basis of additional fossil data. Our new material further explores the diversity of Sinoalidae, and also provides some new information on the taxonomy, ecology and evolution of the highly abundant Mesozoic Clypeata: Cercopoidea.
    6  FOSSIL SYMPHYTA (HYMENOPTERA) IN BURMESE AMBER: REVIEW AND PROSPECT
    ZHENG Yan ,ZHANG Qi ,CHEN Jun ,ZHANG Hai-chun
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.012
    [Abstract](349) [HTML](0) [PDF 541.82 K](2104)
    Abstract:
    The research of insect fossils in Cretaceous Burmese amber is one of the hotspots of current palaeoentomology. Symphyta, as an important hymenopteran group, provides us not only the evidence-based researches in origin, early evolution, phylog-eny, paleogeography and paleoecology in different geological periods, but also the crucial materials for understanding the bi-odiversity in terrestrial ecosystems. This paper reviews the history and current status in studying Burmese amber. The char-acteristics and distributions of Symphyta preserved as compressed fossils and in amber are described. We further discuss the problems, current situation and prospect of Symphyta and hope for more focus and research on Symphyta in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar.
    7  A NEW SMALL-BODIED MORDELLID BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: MORDELLIDAE) FROM MID-CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER AND TAXONOMIC REVISION
    BAO Tong
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.013
    [Abstract](543) [HTML](0) [PDF 1.78 M](2095)
    Abstract:
    A new small-bodied beetle, Multispinus parvus sp. nov., is described from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber and assigned to Mordellidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea). Based on a careful re-examination of the Mordellidae and mordellid-like beetles from the Burmese amber and analysis of their morphological characters, the family Apotomouridae is reduced herein to a subfamily of Mordellidae as Apotomourinae. The absence of a pygidium in Apotomourinae cannot be regarded as a synap-omorphy. All known mordellids found in the mid-Cretaceous ambers are all small in size, which may be related to the mid-Cretaceous ecological environment and the early angiosperm flower morphology in their habitat.
    8  RESEARCH OF INSECT BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY FROM MID-CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER
    ZHANG Qing-qing
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.015
    [Abstract](571) [HTML](0) [PDF 2.71 M](2550)
    Abstract:
    Burmese amber contains one of the most diverse amber biotas all around the world. The geological age for Burmese amber is about 98.8 Ma, which was widely accepted as mid-Cretaceous. The Burmese amber biota provides an important window for us to seek the biodiversity and palaeoecology of the ancient world. Here, based on the study of stratigraphy and palaeobiolo-gy, palaeoenvironment and the deductions of the insect behavioral ecology proposed by numerous authors are comprehen-sively reviewed. These fields refer to co-evolution of insect and plant, predation, eusocial evidence, parasitism, courtship be-havior and structural coloration, provide us a more comprehensive summary of palaeoecology and insect behavioral ecology in Burmese amber.
    9  TRANSFORMING PALAEO- TO BIOSYSTEMATICS IN A CRETACEOUS ARCHAIC BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: ARCHOSTEMATA)
    JARZEMBOWSKI Edmund A ,ZHENG Da-ran
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.014
    [Abstract](279) [HTML](0) [PDF 8.29 M](2054)
    Abstract:
    The aedeagus is reported from the first cupedine beetle to be described from Burmese amber, Mallecupes qingqingae Jar-zembowski, Wang and Zheng, 2017; its palaeo- and neoentomological significance is discussed. Beetles are the most diverse group of living organisms and the male genitalia have proved important in their detailed classification for over one hundred years. These small, delicate structures are not normally available to palaeontologists but are now being found exceptionally preserved in Mesozoic amber providing greater insight than was previously possible.
    10  A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF DIPTEROMANTISPIDAE (INSECTA: NEUROPTERA) FROM CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER
    LI Hong-yu,LIU Xing-yue
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.011
    [Abstract](527) [HTML](0) [PDF 5.72 M](2119)
    Abstract:
    A new genus with a new species Kurtodipteromantispa zhuodei gen. et sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Dipteromantispidae) is de-scribed based on three specimens from late Cretaceous (earliest Cenomanian) Burmese amber. The new species is similar to Halteriomantispa Liu et al., 2016, while the former could be distinguished from the latter by these characters as follow: 1) forewing without pigmented spots; 2) distal portion of ScP distinctly curved at scp-ra, not smooth; 3) RP with at least one branch forked distally; 4) ectoprocts fused with tergum 9, and gonocoxites 9 nearly semicircular, apically without subtrian-gular projection. Additionally, female genitalia of the new genus are described and discussed.
    11  A NEW COCKROACH (INSECTA: BLATTARIA: LIBERIBLATTINIDAE) FROM MID-CRETACEOUS BURMESE AMBER
    CHEN Tao XU Chun-peng CHEN Lei
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.008
    [Abstract](641) [HTML](0) [PDF 2.86 M](2362)
    Abstract:
    A new species, Stavba vrsanskyi sp. nov., is established and attributed to the family Liberiblattinidae on the basis of a blat-tarian specimen from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new specie differs from Stavba babkaeva Vr?anská and Vr?ansky, 2019 in the following characteristics: triangular head shape, R of forewing without secondary branches and less M. This new find provides novel biology diversity in Blattaria in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.
    12  A REVIEW OF ODONATA IN MID-CRETACEOUS KACHIN AMBER OF NORTH MYANMAR
    ZHENG Da-ran
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.006
    [Abstract](413) [HTML](0) [PDF 2.53 M](2134)
    Abstract:
    In the past five years, abundant and diverse odonatans were described from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, including three extant suborders. The odonatans in Kachin amber are quite diversified with 35 species described and dominated by the dam-selfly Burmahemiphlebia zhangi. These odonatans contain some first fossil records of extant damselflies, i.e., Perilestidae, Platycnemididae and Platystictidae. Some dragonflies previously only recorded in the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, such as Araripegomphidae, Gomphaeschnidae and Stenophlebiidae, provide a late Early Cretaceous age for Kachin amber. The dragonflies in Kachin amber contribute to discussing the origin, evolution and palaeogeography of Odonata.
    13  VERTEBRATE REMAINS IN AMBER AROUND THE WORLD
    CHOU Chun-yong,XING Li-da
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.004
    [Abstract](1283) [HTML](0) [PDF 2.29 M](3999)
    Abstract:
    Amber, as an organic gem, is fossilized natural resin widely distributed around the world, especially Baltic region in Europe, Dominica-Mexico in Central America, and Myanmar in Asia. Insects are the most common inclusions in amber, while verte-brate inclusions are the rarest. However, compared to vertebrate fossils from sedimentary rocks, vertebrate inclusions trapped in amber pieces can provide additional information about the soft tissues, primitive death states, and living environment, as well as more visualized and refined 3D morphological information, all of which are important for studies in evolution, palae-oenvironmental restoration, palaeoecology and palaeoethology, which is more intuitive, stereoscopic and detailed than bone fossils. This paper reviews vertebrate inclusions from various amber biotae, including non-avian dinosaurs, aves, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as their evolutionary implication, and also provides a framework of future researches.
    14  TERRESTRIAL FOSSIL ASSEMBLAGES OF TUCHENGZI FORMATION AND JURASSIC-CRETACEOUS BOUNDARY CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY IN YANLIAO AREA
    WAN Xiao-qiao SUN Li-xin, LI Wei
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.001
    [Abstract](715) [HTML](0) [PDF 4.04 M](3807)
    Abstract:
    The Jurassic and Cretaceous strata in northern China are mostly of terrestrial origin. It presents a difficulty in defining the Jurassic-Cretaceous (J/K) boundary. In the previous biostratigraphic work, the J/K boundary was referred to a higher posi-tion of much younger age, which caused a big controversy between local biostratigraphy and the international standard. Re-cently, large quantity measurements of isotopic ages reveal that the J/K boundary is possibly within the Tuchengzi Formation. The formation is a group of terrestrial reddish sedimentary deposits, and divided into 3 members. It is the type sequence of terrestrial Jurassic-Cretaceous transition in northern China. The stratigraphic age of the formation is in disagreement, owing to more-or-less limited preservation of fossils and a contradiction between biostratigraphic and isotopic data. Certain fossil groups have been found in scattered beds, dominated by conchostracans, ostracodes, dinosaurs, spore and pollen. Further-more, the pronounced provincialism of the terrestrial fauna and flora obstructs global correlation. Paleontologists have al-ready produced many publications after hard work, and they gave different stratigraphic divisions. A large amount of isotopic dating provides reliable data showing that the duration of the Tuchengzi Formation is from 156 Ma to 139 Ma, covering the late Jurassic to early Cretaceous period. The J/K boundary lies within this interval. Huge chronostratigraphic data challenge the traditional biostratigraphic results. The chronostratigraphic unit, otherwise, has to be indicated by a biotic boundary marker. Before a biostratigraphic division of high precision has been worked out, we attempt to make an option for the J/K boundary marker according to the data in our possession. After recognizing the fossil assemblages, the location of the J/K boundary is between the Jurassic conchostracan Pseudograpta-Monilestheria-Sinograpta (P-M-S) and ostracode Cetacel-lasubstriata-Mantelliana alta-Darwinula bapanxiaensis (C-M-D) assemblages, and Cretaceous conchostracan Yanshano-leptestheria-Pingquania-Lingyuanella (Y-P-L) and ostracode Djungarica yangshulingensis-Mantelliana reniform-is-Stenestroemia yangshulingensis (D-M-S) assemblages. It is also indicated by the first appearance of spore and pollen Ci-catricosisporites-Lygodioisporites-Jiaohepollis (C-L-J) Assemblage. Lithologically, the boundary is between the members 2 and 3 of the Tuchengzi Formation and of ~145 Ma in age. The Batuying sections in Beipiao are recommended as the type sequence of the formation. Based on the occurrence of the earliest Cretaceous fossil assemblages in the member 3, we pro-pose a “Batuying Stage” as the lowermost terrestrial chronostratigraphic unit of the Cretaceous in China. The duration of the stage is 145–139 Ma, correlating roughly to the international Berriasian Stage. The members 1–2 are referred to the upper-most “5th stage” which approximately corresponds to the Kimmeridgian–Tithonian stages of the Upper Jurassic. The present suggestion is only to provide a consultation for the terrestrial Cretaceous chronostratigraphic study.
    15  NEW PROGRESSES ON AMBER RESEARCH IN CHINA: PREFACE
    WANG Bo
    2020, 59(1). DOI: 10.19800/j.cnki.aps.2020.01.002
    [Abstract](702) [HTML](0) [PDF 380.18 K](4175)
    Abstract:
    This paper briefly summarizes the history of amber research in China and introduces the content of this special issue. The special issue includes 13 papers of 26 authors in 14 universities or institutes and covers some new progresses about plants, vertebrates, gastropods, and insects in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber biota.

    Current Issue


    Volume , No.

    Table of Contents

    Archive

    Volume

    Issue

    Most Read

    Most Cited

    Most Downloaded



    WeChat

    Mobile website