The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and on...The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and one taxon previously unknown from China.Among them 5 genera are Oligocene holdovers and 11 genera/species are known to make their first appearances in Early Miocene,indicating an Early Miocene age for the Gucheng Fauna.The absence of Oligocene survivors such as Tataromys,Yindirtemys,Eucricetodon and Tachyoryctoides,which usually occur in the Xiejian age of Early Miocene,and the presence of newcomers Protalactaga,Megacricetodon and Gobicricetodon,that made their first appearance only in the Shanwangian age of late Early Miocene,suggest that the Gucheng Fauna is of a later age of Early Miocene.The new species,Sinolagomys guchengensis,showing more derived morphology than in S.ulunguensis,seems to support an assessment of the fauna in Shanwangian age.Thus,the Gucheng Fauna may belong to late Early Miocene Shanwangian,partially equivalent to MN 3/4 of the European land mammal zonation.Ecological analysis of the fauna indicates that the palaeoecological condition of the Gucheng area might still be a predominantly arid shrub-steppe in late Early Miocene.展开更多
The origin of birds from theropod dinosaurs,by any measures,is the most eye-catching evolutionary transition in the history of life,which encompasses numerous extensive morphological and biological changes.Compared to...The origin of birds from theropod dinosaurs,by any measures,is the most eye-catching evolutionary transition in the history of life,which encompasses numerous extensive morphological and biological changes.Compared to postcranium,little progress has been made regarding the evolutionary assemblage of the birds’skull,because of few detailed early records of cranial materials of stem lineages.Anchiornis is the oldest known record of the Paraves(~160 Ma),the most inclusive clade that contains all living birds but not Caudipteryx or Epidexipteryx.With hundreds of known specimens,Anchiornis constitutes an ideal taxon for investigating morphological modifications across the theropod-bird transition,but its cranial morphology remains enigmatic.Here we present in-depth description of the cranial morphology of Anchiornis based on three-dimensional reconstruction of a well-preserved specimen,including elements from the temporal and palatal regions that are poorly recognized previously.Our study shows that Anchiornis retains the plesiomorphic dinosaurian condition in having a diapsid akinetic skull.The mixture of cranial characters,shared with dromaeosaurids,troodontids,and stemward avialans,present in Anchiornis demonstrates the complex history of early avialan cranial evolution.展开更多
Several tritylodontid taxa have been reported from the Upper Jurassic of the Wucaiwan area in the Junggar Basin of Xinjiang,northwestern China,including Yuanotherium minor.The original study described the partially pr...Several tritylodontid taxa have been reported from the Upper Jurassic of the Wucaiwan area in the Junggar Basin of Xinjiang,northwestern China,including Yuanotherium minor.The original study described the partially preserved postcanine teeth in the middle of the left upper maxilla.After detailed re-examination of the specimen and by CT scanning,3D reconstruction,and scanning electron microscopy observations,we provided a more detailed description of the osteology,neurosensory,and tooth wear pattern for all the bones preserved in this specimen and clarified some characters.Based on new information about the cusp wear pattern,the chewing movement pattern of the dentition and detailed cusp morphology,we discussed the cuspal homology of upper cheek teeth of tritylodontids and postulate a standardized method for cusp identification.We hypothesize that the unique maxilla characteristics furnish the evidence for transitional stages about the evolution of the upper jaw-palate structure in tritylodontids.展开更多
Stegolophodon is an age-informative genus of mammals that had a widespread distribution during the Neogene.This paper reports the discovery of Stegolophodon fossils from the Middle Miocene lower Fotan Formation at the...Stegolophodon is an age-informative genus of mammals that had a widespread distribution during the Neogene.This paper reports the discovery of Stegolophodon fossils from the Middle Miocene lower Fotan Formation at the Zhangpu locality,Fujian Province,China.This discovery represents the first evidence of Neogene proboscidean fossils in southeastern China.The newly found molar materials have low tooth crowns,very straight lophs/lophids,and an indistinct median sulcus.The mesoconelets and posterior cingulum are well-developed,while the second posterior pretrite central conule is significantly reduced.These specimens closely resemble Stegolophodon pseudolatidens in cheek tooth morphology,and can thus be attributed to the same species.This discovery fills a gap in the fossil record of large mammals in this region during the Neogene and provides valuable insights into the evolution of proboscideans and paleoenvironments.展开更多
A controversial taxon,Hipparion plocodus,is reviewed in the present study.Hi.plocodus has been confirmed to be a valid species with definite diagnostic characteristics,represented by cranial specimens from Baode,Shanx...A controversial taxon,Hipparion plocodus,is reviewed in the present study.Hi.plocodus has been confirmed to be a valid species with definite diagnostic characteristics,represented by cranial specimens from Baode,Shanxi Province.The phylogenetic analysis performed in the present study,with a new matrix,shows that Hi.plocodus forms a monophyletic group with a European species,Hippotherium malpassii.Actually,no close relationship between so-called Hm.malpassii and the genus Hippotherium has been identified,and the record of stratigraphic range of this genus in late stage of Late Miocene is currently absent.Herein previously Hi.plocodus and Hm.malpassii have both attributed into“Hipparion”before the discovery of better material.Evolutionary stages and correlative absolute age showed that these two species should derive independently from some primitive clade.During the late stage of the Late Miocene,the development of the Asian summer monsoon enhanced the humidity of China,with forest and wood habitats expanding considerably under this setting.As the result,one Eurasian closed-habitat lineage thus extended its range into China,which had become very suited for it,give rise to“Hi.”plocodus.展开更多
Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of...Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of the vegetation,and it is therefore possible to take such diversities as forest or vegetation dynamic proxies.The present work selected 36 Pleistocene faunas of large mammals from monsoon-dominated provinces in China as materials and calculated the diversities of forest dwellers and herbivores with different approaches,as well as the consensus gradient coefficients of all the selected faunas in different flora regionalized subkingdoms.The results show that with the evolution and transitions of the East Asian summer and winter monsoon intensities,the forest vitality decreased while steppe vitality increased gradually in a fluctuated way from the Early Pleistocene to the Late Pleistocene,especially in the provinces north of the Qinling-Huaihe Line.The analyses of such diversities of the faunas can help to determine the forest dynamic proxies.Moreover,the correlation of such proxies to loess-paleosol sequences and marine isotope stages can in turn help to improve the accuracy of dating fauna ages and paleoenvironment reconstruction.展开更多
The Upper Cretaceous of Tantou Basin in western Henan has yielded many vertebrate fossils,which are featured by several non-avian dinosaurs.Meanwhile,studies on their eggs were yet inadequate though many eggshells hav...The Upper Cretaceous of Tantou Basin in western Henan has yielded many vertebrate fossils,which are featured by several non-avian dinosaurs.Meanwhile,studies on their eggs were yet inadequate though many eggshells have been reported.The newly discovered material 41HⅤ0199 was excavated from the Upper Cretaceous Qiupa Formation in 2021.The block preserves eight complete eggs arranged in two partial rings that form a partial clutch,and there are some scattered eggshells preserved closely with the block,showing a concave-up to concave-down ratio of 54.5:45.5,which indicates that the scattered eggshells come from the clutch and the clutch had been partially broken before it was buried.Based on morphological and microstructural characteristics,the eggs and eggshells can be assigned to Macroolithus yaotunensis(Elongatoolithidae),an oospecies known to be related to oviraptorids,which leads Yulong mini to be its probable producer.Besides,some eggshells show microstructural signs indicating egg retention,which marks the second example of egg retention in the oofamily Elongatoolithidae.展开更多
Here we report a left cheek plate of Psarolepis,a postparietal shield of Youngolepis,a skull of Diabolepis,and a scale of Styloichthys from the Lianhuashan and Nahkaoling formations(Lochkovian,Lower Devonian)of Nannin...Here we report a left cheek plate of Psarolepis,a postparietal shield of Youngolepis,a skull of Diabolepis,and a scale of Styloichthys from the Lianhuashan and Nahkaoling formations(Lochkovian,Lower Devonian)of Nanning,Guangxi.This marks the first report of Diabolepis and Styloichthys beside Qujing,Yunnan,and the latest occurrence of Psarolepis to date.The fossil community displays significant similarities to the Xujiachong Assemblage,and provides new data for the Lower Devonian stratigraphic correlation between southwestern China and northern Vietnam.Given the latest dating constraint based on the conodont evidence,we regard that the Xujiachong Assemblage has a much longer range than previously supposed,extending from the latest Lochkovian to the end of Pragian.We propose that the transition of the Nahkaoling and Lianhuashan formations in Nanning might correspond to the Guijiatun Formation in Qujing.The relatively large size of fish individuals from Guangxi is probably attributed to the increase in the oxygen content of the ocean.展开更多
Perleididae is a group of stem neopterygian fishes known only from the Triassic.Here,we report the discovery of a new perleidid,Teffichthys wui sp.nov.,based on six well-preserved specimens from the late Smithian(Olen...Perleididae is a group of stem neopterygian fishes known only from the Triassic.Here,we report the discovery of a new perleidid,Teffichthys wui sp.nov.,based on six well-preserved specimens from the late Smithian(Olenekian,Early Triassic)marine deposits of Jurong,Jiangsu and Chaohu,Anhui,China.This new discovery documents the third and youngest species of Teffichthys,which is slightly younger than the Dienerian(Induan)T.elegans from Guizhou and the early Smithian T.madagascariensis from Madagascar.The new species shows diagnostic features of Teffichthys(presence of a spiracular,38-41 lateral line scales,and no more than three epaxial rays in the caudal fin)but differs from T.madagascariensis and T.elegans in some autapomorphies(e.g.,a horizontal opercle/subopercle contact and smooth scales with a nearly straight posterior margin).The diagnostic features for the genus Teffichthys and the family Perleididae are emended based on detailed comparisons of the new taxon with other perleidids.The phylogenetic relationships of perleidids with other stem neopterygians are discussed using a cladistic approach,and the results provide new insights into the phylogeny and classification of main stem neopterygian clades.展开更多
Pantodonta was one of the first groups of eutherians to evolve at the beginning of Cenozoic era,including the largest herbivores at that time.Pantodonta shows considerable diversity during the Paleocene and Eocene,wit...Pantodonta was one of the first groups of eutherians to evolve at the beginning of Cenozoic era,including the largest herbivores at that time.Pantodonta shows considerable diversity during the Paleocene and Eocene,with most of the species having been discovered in Asia and North America.Here,we report on a new pantodont,represented by lower jaws with well-preserved dentition,discovered from the Middle Paleocene Nongshan Formation of the Nanxiong Basin,Guangdong Province,China.Its unique dental and mandibular characteristics distinguish it well from any known Asian pantodont,but are quite consistent with North American taxa,especially Pantolambda and Titanoides.The new specimen is identified as Nanxiongilambda yei gen.et sp.nov.,characterized by the combination of the following morphological features:thick and robust mandible with a conspicuous anteroexternal flange,high positioned condyloid process,posteriorly protruding angular process,robust but not elongated lower canines,double-rooted p1,small but distinct talonids on posterior lower premolars,talonids nearly as wide as trigonids on lower molars,and m3 with a well-developed hypoconulid and a distinct entoconid.The new discovery marks the first record of a pantolambdid pantodont outside of North America,suggesting a broader geographical distribution and intercontinental dispersal of this clade during the Paleocene.Considering the more primitive Pantolambda only found from Torrejonian to early Tiffanian NALMA(equivalent to middle-late Shanghuan to early Nongshanian ALMA),which is slightly earlier than Nanxiongilambda(early Nongshanian ALMA),pantolambdids have likely undergone a particular wave of migration from North America to Asia during the Early-Middle Paleocene.Previous researches have suggested that pantodonts had dispersed only from Asia to North America during the Early Paleocene,but our new specimen indicates the biotic dispersal may have occurred in the opposite direction.The new specimen also contributes to the renewal of the evolutionary history of pantodonts and provides further insights into the migration and dispersal of Paleocene mammals.展开更多
During the Late Miocene,numerous medium to large-sized herbivores,that resemble the living Ovibos in skeletal morphology,dispersed throughout the Holarctic realm and comprised eleven genera:Lantiantragus,Shaanxispira,...During the Late Miocene,numerous medium to large-sized herbivores,that resemble the living Ovibos in skeletal morphology,dispersed throughout the Holarctic realm and comprised eleven genera:Lantiantragus,Shaanxispira,Tsaidamotherium,Criotherium,Mesembriacerus,Hezhengia,Urmiatherium,Parurmiatherium,Plesiaddax,Sinotragus,and Prosinotragus.These genera are primarily found in eastern Asia,in which nine genera are found in northern China,as well as in countries in eastern Europe and western Asia.They are distinguished by unique characteristics,including a perpendicular braincase,specialized horn cores,and a robust basioccipital.Previous studies have often classified these‘ovibovin’bovids as part of the conventional subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini,along with extant Ovibos.Nevertheless,an increasing number of studies do not support the monophyly of the subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini,nor is a close relationship likely between these Late Miocene‘ovibovin’bovids and extant Ovibos.Among the eleven genera of‘ovibovin’bovids,Plesiaddax,Hezhengia,and Urmiatherium are often considered to have a very close relationship and conventionally form the tribe Urmiatheriini.However,previous phylogenetic analyses do not support the monophyly of Urmiatheriini.This paper presents a summary of the transmutation of the terms Ovibovidae/Ovibovinae/Ovibovini/Ovibovina,the temporal and spatial distribution of the Late Miocene‘ovibovin’bovids in Eurasia,the principal characteristics of these taxa,and the previous phylogenetic analyses.展开更多
Within the dicynodont genus Turfanodon,there are two recognized species,T.bogdaensis and T.jiufengensis.Both species are known by relatively complete cranial materials,but the mandibles and most postcranial bones have...Within the dicynodont genus Turfanodon,there are two recognized species,T.bogdaensis and T.jiufengensis.Both species are known by relatively complete cranial materials,but the mandibles and most postcranial bones have been described only for T.jiufengensis.This paper reports new dicynodont specimens from Turpan,Xinjiang,referring them to T.bogdaensis.They can clearly be differentiated from T.jiufengensis by the flatter lateral surface of the snout region,a prominent swelling on the lateral dentary shelf,and the rounded femoral head.The diagnosis of Turfanodon is revised.The combination of a flat circumorbital rim,posterior portion of anterior pterygoid rami with converging ventral ridges,and a possible autapomorphy,a deep notch on scapula forming procoracoid foramen,are confirmed.It also differentiated from all dicynodonts other than Myosaurus,Kembawacela and Lystrosaurus by having accessory ridges lateral to the median palatal ridge.展开更多
Several therocephalian species,mainly represented by cranial material from the late Permian,have been reported from China in recent years.Here we describe a tiny new baurioid therocephalian,Jiucaiyuangnathus confusus ...Several therocephalian species,mainly represented by cranial material from the late Permian,have been reported from China in recent years.Here we describe a tiny new baurioid therocephalian,Jiucaiyuangnathus confusus gen.et sp.nov.,from the Jiucaiyuan Formation,Xinjiang,China.The new taxon is represented by a partial snout with occluded partial lower jaw and two postcranial skeletons.Although juvenile in stage,the new species is diagnosed by the following features:round pit in middle of lateral surface of maxilla;lacrimal contact nasal;fossa for dentary tooth on the posterior end of the premaxilla,lateral to the anterior choana;two small vertical triangular ridges extending dorsally and ventrally on the vomerine anterior portion,and bordering a thin vomerine foramen laterally;anterior projection of the lateral part of the frontal on the nasal;symphyseal region of the dentary projected anteriorly;5 upper premaxillary teeth,upper and lower canines absent,diastema between the last premaxillary upper incisor and first maxillary tooth present,no diastema separating anterior from posterior dentition in the mandible,10 maxillary teeth and 12 dentary teeth,posterior postcanine expands mesiodistally,having a main large cusps and tiny anterior and posterior accessory cusps in line;neural arches of the atlas fused by the neural spine,neural spine of the axis projected posteriorly,procoracoid foramen lies between procoracoid and scapula.Features of the dentition resembles those of the small baurioid Ericiolacerta parva from South Africa and Silphedosuchus orenburgensis from Russia.The specimens provide the rare opportunity to know in detail the postcranial skeleton of baurioids.展开更多
The Tyrannosauridae,which is characterized by specialized pachydont dentition and putative bone-cracking predatory strategies,is one of the most extensively studied theropod lineages.Although tooth replacement pattern...The Tyrannosauridae,which is characterized by specialized pachydont dentition and putative bone-cracking predatory strategies,is one of the most extensively studied theropod lineages.Although tooth replacement patterns,crucial for understanding feeding behaviors,have been thoroughly studied in this group,studies on non-tyrannosaurid tyrannosauroids are relatively scarce.This study utilizes high-resolution CT data to investigate the tooth replacement pattern in two specimens of Guanlong wucaii,a Late Jurassic tyrannosauroid,and provides insights into the evolution of tooth replacement across Tyrannosauroidea.Second-generation replacement teeth,a rarity observed mainly in giant predatory theropods(e.g.some tyrannosaurids),were detected in the dentary dentition of the juvenile Guanlong.Zahnreihen reconstructions display a consistent cephalad alternating tooth replacement pattern in the maxilla and the dentary of both of the examined individuals,with Z-spacing values exceeding 2.0.As Guanlong grows,the Z-spacing value in the maxillary dentition increases,resembling the ontogenetic changes documented in the Tyrannosauridae.Additionally,like Tarbosaurus,Guanlong also displays a discontinuity between the tooth replacement waves at the premaxilla-maxilla boundary.This study thus demonstrates that some tyrannosaurid-like tooth replacement patterns were acquired before the origin of the Tyrannosauridae.展开更多
X-ray computed tomography(CT)has been an important technology in paleontology for several decades.It helps researchers to acquire detailed anatomical structures of fossils non-destructively.Despite its widespread appl...X-ray computed tomography(CT)has been an important technology in paleontology for several decades.It helps researchers to acquire detailed anatomical structures of fossils non-destructively.Despite its widespread application,developing an efficient and user-friendly method for segmenting CT data continues to be a formidable challenge in the field.Most CT data segmentation software operates on 2D interfaces,which limits flexibility for real-time adjustments in 3D segmentation.Here,we introduce Curves Mode in Drishti Paint 3.2,an open-source tool for CT data segmentation.Drishti Paint 3.2 allows users to manually or semi-automatically segment the CT data in both 2D and 3D environments,providing a novel solution for revisualizing CT data in paleontological studies.展开更多
The early Silurian Chongqing Lagerstätte(middle Telychian)yields exceptionally preserved articulated jawless and jawed fishes.Here,we describe a new eugaleaspiform(Galeaspida,jawless stem-Gnathostomata),Miaojiaas...The early Silurian Chongqing Lagerstätte(middle Telychian)yields exceptionally preserved articulated jawless and jawed fishes.Here,we describe a new eugaleaspiform(Galeaspida,jawless stem-Gnathostomata),Miaojiaaspis dichotomus gen.et sp.nov.,from the Chongqing Lagerstätte in Xiushan,Chongqing,China.The new form resembles Tujiaaspis vividus in the short medial dorsal canal,and the presence of the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.They differ in that T.vividus has highly developed subordinate branches of the sensory canals that form a reticulate sensory canal system,and the median dorsal opening is more elongated.Our phylogenetic analysis recovers M.dichotomus and T.vividus as a monophyletic clade(Tujiaaspidae fam.nov.),which is supported by two synapomorphies:the short medial dorsal canal,and the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.Tujiaaspidae forms a trichotomy with Shuyuidae and a clade comprising Anjiaspis,Sinogaleaspidae,Yongdongaspidae,and the‘eugaleaspid cluster’.The sensory canal patterns in galeaspids are compared to show the transformation sequence of the sensory canal system in Eugaleaspiformes.展开更多
文摘The micromammal fossils collected from the Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin,Gansu,are described here.The assemblage consists of 16 species of 13 genera belonging to 7 families,including one new species and one taxon previously unknown from China.Among them 5 genera are Oligocene holdovers and 11 genera/species are known to make their first appearances in Early Miocene,indicating an Early Miocene age for the Gucheng Fauna.The absence of Oligocene survivors such as Tataromys,Yindirtemys,Eucricetodon and Tachyoryctoides,which usually occur in the Xiejian age of Early Miocene,and the presence of newcomers Protalactaga,Megacricetodon and Gobicricetodon,that made their first appearance only in the Shanwangian age of late Early Miocene,suggest that the Gucheng Fauna is of a later age of Early Miocene.The new species,Sinolagomys guchengensis,showing more derived morphology than in S.ulunguensis,seems to support an assessment of the fauna in Shanwangian age.Thus,the Gucheng Fauna may belong to late Early Miocene Shanwangian,partially equivalent to MN 3/4 of the European land mammal zonation.Ecological analysis of the fauna indicates that the palaeoecological condition of the Gucheng area might still be a predominantly arid shrub-steppe in late Early Miocene.
文摘The origin of birds from theropod dinosaurs,by any measures,is the most eye-catching evolutionary transition in the history of life,which encompasses numerous extensive morphological and biological changes.Compared to postcranium,little progress has been made regarding the evolutionary assemblage of the birds’skull,because of few detailed early records of cranial materials of stem lineages.Anchiornis is the oldest known record of the Paraves(~160 Ma),the most inclusive clade that contains all living birds but not Caudipteryx or Epidexipteryx.With hundreds of known specimens,Anchiornis constitutes an ideal taxon for investigating morphological modifications across the theropod-bird transition,but its cranial morphology remains enigmatic.Here we present in-depth description of the cranial morphology of Anchiornis based on three-dimensional reconstruction of a well-preserved specimen,including elements from the temporal and palatal regions that are poorly recognized previously.Our study shows that Anchiornis retains the plesiomorphic dinosaurian condition in having a diapsid akinetic skull.The mixture of cranial characters,shared with dromaeosaurids,troodontids,and stemward avialans,present in Anchiornis demonstrates the complex history of early avialan cranial evolution.
文摘Several tritylodontid taxa have been reported from the Upper Jurassic of the Wucaiwan area in the Junggar Basin of Xinjiang,northwestern China,including Yuanotherium minor.The original study described the partially preserved postcanine teeth in the middle of the left upper maxilla.After detailed re-examination of the specimen and by CT scanning,3D reconstruction,and scanning electron microscopy observations,we provided a more detailed description of the osteology,neurosensory,and tooth wear pattern for all the bones preserved in this specimen and clarified some characters.Based on new information about the cusp wear pattern,the chewing movement pattern of the dentition and detailed cusp morphology,we discussed the cuspal homology of upper cheek teeth of tritylodontids and postulate a standardized method for cusp identification.We hypothesize that the unique maxilla characteristics furnish the evidence for transitional stages about the evolution of the upper jaw-palate structure in tritylodontids.
文摘Stegolophodon is an age-informative genus of mammals that had a widespread distribution during the Neogene.This paper reports the discovery of Stegolophodon fossils from the Middle Miocene lower Fotan Formation at the Zhangpu locality,Fujian Province,China.This discovery represents the first evidence of Neogene proboscidean fossils in southeastern China.The newly found molar materials have low tooth crowns,very straight lophs/lophids,and an indistinct median sulcus.The mesoconelets and posterior cingulum are well-developed,while the second posterior pretrite central conule is significantly reduced.These specimens closely resemble Stegolophodon pseudolatidens in cheek tooth morphology,and can thus be attributed to the same species.This discovery fills a gap in the fossil record of large mammals in this region during the Neogene and provides valuable insights into the evolution of proboscideans and paleoenvironments.
文摘A controversial taxon,Hipparion plocodus,is reviewed in the present study.Hi.plocodus has been confirmed to be a valid species with definite diagnostic characteristics,represented by cranial specimens from Baode,Shanxi Province.The phylogenetic analysis performed in the present study,with a new matrix,shows that Hi.plocodus forms a monophyletic group with a European species,Hippotherium malpassii.Actually,no close relationship between so-called Hm.malpassii and the genus Hippotherium has been identified,and the record of stratigraphic range of this genus in late stage of Late Miocene is currently absent.Herein previously Hi.plocodus and Hm.malpassii have both attributed into“Hipparion”before the discovery of better material.Evolutionary stages and correlative absolute age showed that these two species should derive independently from some primitive clade.During the late stage of the Late Miocene,the development of the Asian summer monsoon enhanced the humidity of China,with forest and wood habitats expanding considerably under this setting.As the result,one Eurasian closed-habitat lineage thus extended its range into China,which had become very suited for it,give rise to“Hi.”plocodus.
文摘Monsoon has an important impact on the development of vegetation that subsequently has significant influence on the evolution of plant consumers.The diversities of forest dwellers or herbivores follow the evolution of the vegetation,and it is therefore possible to take such diversities as forest or vegetation dynamic proxies.The present work selected 36 Pleistocene faunas of large mammals from monsoon-dominated provinces in China as materials and calculated the diversities of forest dwellers and herbivores with different approaches,as well as the consensus gradient coefficients of all the selected faunas in different flora regionalized subkingdoms.The results show that with the evolution and transitions of the East Asian summer and winter monsoon intensities,the forest vitality decreased while steppe vitality increased gradually in a fluctuated way from the Early Pleistocene to the Late Pleistocene,especially in the provinces north of the Qinling-Huaihe Line.The analyses of such diversities of the faunas can help to determine the forest dynamic proxies.Moreover,the correlation of such proxies to loess-paleosol sequences and marine isotope stages can in turn help to improve the accuracy of dating fauna ages and paleoenvironment reconstruction.
文摘The Upper Cretaceous of Tantou Basin in western Henan has yielded many vertebrate fossils,which are featured by several non-avian dinosaurs.Meanwhile,studies on their eggs were yet inadequate though many eggshells have been reported.The newly discovered material 41HⅤ0199 was excavated from the Upper Cretaceous Qiupa Formation in 2021.The block preserves eight complete eggs arranged in two partial rings that form a partial clutch,and there are some scattered eggshells preserved closely with the block,showing a concave-up to concave-down ratio of 54.5:45.5,which indicates that the scattered eggshells come from the clutch and the clutch had been partially broken before it was buried.Based on morphological and microstructural characteristics,the eggs and eggshells can be assigned to Macroolithus yaotunensis(Elongatoolithidae),an oospecies known to be related to oviraptorids,which leads Yulong mini to be its probable producer.Besides,some eggshells show microstructural signs indicating egg retention,which marks the second example of egg retention in the oofamily Elongatoolithidae.
文摘Here we report a left cheek plate of Psarolepis,a postparietal shield of Youngolepis,a skull of Diabolepis,and a scale of Styloichthys from the Lianhuashan and Nahkaoling formations(Lochkovian,Lower Devonian)of Nanning,Guangxi.This marks the first report of Diabolepis and Styloichthys beside Qujing,Yunnan,and the latest occurrence of Psarolepis to date.The fossil community displays significant similarities to the Xujiachong Assemblage,and provides new data for the Lower Devonian stratigraphic correlation between southwestern China and northern Vietnam.Given the latest dating constraint based on the conodont evidence,we regard that the Xujiachong Assemblage has a much longer range than previously supposed,extending from the latest Lochkovian to the end of Pragian.We propose that the transition of the Nahkaoling and Lianhuashan formations in Nanning might correspond to the Guijiatun Formation in Qujing.The relatively large size of fish individuals from Guangxi is probably attributed to the increase in the oxygen content of the ocean.
文摘Perleididae is a group of stem neopterygian fishes known only from the Triassic.Here,we report the discovery of a new perleidid,Teffichthys wui sp.nov.,based on six well-preserved specimens from the late Smithian(Olenekian,Early Triassic)marine deposits of Jurong,Jiangsu and Chaohu,Anhui,China.This new discovery documents the third and youngest species of Teffichthys,which is slightly younger than the Dienerian(Induan)T.elegans from Guizhou and the early Smithian T.madagascariensis from Madagascar.The new species shows diagnostic features of Teffichthys(presence of a spiracular,38-41 lateral line scales,and no more than three epaxial rays in the caudal fin)but differs from T.madagascariensis and T.elegans in some autapomorphies(e.g.,a horizontal opercle/subopercle contact and smooth scales with a nearly straight posterior margin).The diagnostic features for the genus Teffichthys and the family Perleididae are emended based on detailed comparisons of the new taxon with other perleidids.The phylogenetic relationships of perleidids with other stem neopterygians are discussed using a cladistic approach,and the results provide new insights into the phylogeny and classification of main stem neopterygian clades.
文摘Pantodonta was one of the first groups of eutherians to evolve at the beginning of Cenozoic era,including the largest herbivores at that time.Pantodonta shows considerable diversity during the Paleocene and Eocene,with most of the species having been discovered in Asia and North America.Here,we report on a new pantodont,represented by lower jaws with well-preserved dentition,discovered from the Middle Paleocene Nongshan Formation of the Nanxiong Basin,Guangdong Province,China.Its unique dental and mandibular characteristics distinguish it well from any known Asian pantodont,but are quite consistent with North American taxa,especially Pantolambda and Titanoides.The new specimen is identified as Nanxiongilambda yei gen.et sp.nov.,characterized by the combination of the following morphological features:thick and robust mandible with a conspicuous anteroexternal flange,high positioned condyloid process,posteriorly protruding angular process,robust but not elongated lower canines,double-rooted p1,small but distinct talonids on posterior lower premolars,talonids nearly as wide as trigonids on lower molars,and m3 with a well-developed hypoconulid and a distinct entoconid.The new discovery marks the first record of a pantolambdid pantodont outside of North America,suggesting a broader geographical distribution and intercontinental dispersal of this clade during the Paleocene.Considering the more primitive Pantolambda only found from Torrejonian to early Tiffanian NALMA(equivalent to middle-late Shanghuan to early Nongshanian ALMA),which is slightly earlier than Nanxiongilambda(early Nongshanian ALMA),pantolambdids have likely undergone a particular wave of migration from North America to Asia during the Early-Middle Paleocene.Previous researches have suggested that pantodonts had dispersed only from Asia to North America during the Early Paleocene,but our new specimen indicates the biotic dispersal may have occurred in the opposite direction.The new specimen also contributes to the renewal of the evolutionary history of pantodonts and provides further insights into the migration and dispersal of Paleocene mammals.
文摘During the Late Miocene,numerous medium to large-sized herbivores,that resemble the living Ovibos in skeletal morphology,dispersed throughout the Holarctic realm and comprised eleven genera:Lantiantragus,Shaanxispira,Tsaidamotherium,Criotherium,Mesembriacerus,Hezhengia,Urmiatherium,Parurmiatherium,Plesiaddax,Sinotragus,and Prosinotragus.These genera are primarily found in eastern Asia,in which nine genera are found in northern China,as well as in countries in eastern Europe and western Asia.They are distinguished by unique characteristics,including a perpendicular braincase,specialized horn cores,and a robust basioccipital.Previous studies have often classified these‘ovibovin’bovids as part of the conventional subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini,along with extant Ovibos.Nevertheless,an increasing number of studies do not support the monophyly of the subfamily/tribe Ovibovinae/Ovibovini,nor is a close relationship likely between these Late Miocene‘ovibovin’bovids and extant Ovibos.Among the eleven genera of‘ovibovin’bovids,Plesiaddax,Hezhengia,and Urmiatherium are often considered to have a very close relationship and conventionally form the tribe Urmiatheriini.However,previous phylogenetic analyses do not support the monophyly of Urmiatheriini.This paper presents a summary of the transmutation of the terms Ovibovidae/Ovibovinae/Ovibovini/Ovibovina,the temporal and spatial distribution of the Late Miocene‘ovibovin’bovids in Eurasia,the principal characteristics of these taxa,and the previous phylogenetic analyses.
文摘Within the dicynodont genus Turfanodon,there are two recognized species,T.bogdaensis and T.jiufengensis.Both species are known by relatively complete cranial materials,but the mandibles and most postcranial bones have been described only for T.jiufengensis.This paper reports new dicynodont specimens from Turpan,Xinjiang,referring them to T.bogdaensis.They can clearly be differentiated from T.jiufengensis by the flatter lateral surface of the snout region,a prominent swelling on the lateral dentary shelf,and the rounded femoral head.The diagnosis of Turfanodon is revised.The combination of a flat circumorbital rim,posterior portion of anterior pterygoid rami with converging ventral ridges,and a possible autapomorphy,a deep notch on scapula forming procoracoid foramen,are confirmed.It also differentiated from all dicynodonts other than Myosaurus,Kembawacela and Lystrosaurus by having accessory ridges lateral to the median palatal ridge.
文摘Several therocephalian species,mainly represented by cranial material from the late Permian,have been reported from China in recent years.Here we describe a tiny new baurioid therocephalian,Jiucaiyuangnathus confusus gen.et sp.nov.,from the Jiucaiyuan Formation,Xinjiang,China.The new taxon is represented by a partial snout with occluded partial lower jaw and two postcranial skeletons.Although juvenile in stage,the new species is diagnosed by the following features:round pit in middle of lateral surface of maxilla;lacrimal contact nasal;fossa for dentary tooth on the posterior end of the premaxilla,lateral to the anterior choana;two small vertical triangular ridges extending dorsally and ventrally on the vomerine anterior portion,and bordering a thin vomerine foramen laterally;anterior projection of the lateral part of the frontal on the nasal;symphyseal region of the dentary projected anteriorly;5 upper premaxillary teeth,upper and lower canines absent,diastema between the last premaxillary upper incisor and first maxillary tooth present,no diastema separating anterior from posterior dentition in the mandible,10 maxillary teeth and 12 dentary teeth,posterior postcanine expands mesiodistally,having a main large cusps and tiny anterior and posterior accessory cusps in line;neural arches of the atlas fused by the neural spine,neural spine of the axis projected posteriorly,procoracoid foramen lies between procoracoid and scapula.Features of the dentition resembles those of the small baurioid Ericiolacerta parva from South Africa and Silphedosuchus orenburgensis from Russia.The specimens provide the rare opportunity to know in detail the postcranial skeleton of baurioids.
文摘The Tyrannosauridae,which is characterized by specialized pachydont dentition and putative bone-cracking predatory strategies,is one of the most extensively studied theropod lineages.Although tooth replacement patterns,crucial for understanding feeding behaviors,have been thoroughly studied in this group,studies on non-tyrannosaurid tyrannosauroids are relatively scarce.This study utilizes high-resolution CT data to investigate the tooth replacement pattern in two specimens of Guanlong wucaii,a Late Jurassic tyrannosauroid,and provides insights into the evolution of tooth replacement across Tyrannosauroidea.Second-generation replacement teeth,a rarity observed mainly in giant predatory theropods(e.g.some tyrannosaurids),were detected in the dentary dentition of the juvenile Guanlong.Zahnreihen reconstructions display a consistent cephalad alternating tooth replacement pattern in the maxilla and the dentary of both of the examined individuals,with Z-spacing values exceeding 2.0.As Guanlong grows,the Z-spacing value in the maxillary dentition increases,resembling the ontogenetic changes documented in the Tyrannosauridae.Additionally,like Tarbosaurus,Guanlong also displays a discontinuity between the tooth replacement waves at the premaxilla-maxilla boundary.This study thus demonstrates that some tyrannosaurid-like tooth replacement patterns were acquired before the origin of the Tyrannosauridae.
文摘X-ray computed tomography(CT)has been an important technology in paleontology for several decades.It helps researchers to acquire detailed anatomical structures of fossils non-destructively.Despite its widespread application,developing an efficient and user-friendly method for segmenting CT data continues to be a formidable challenge in the field.Most CT data segmentation software operates on 2D interfaces,which limits flexibility for real-time adjustments in 3D segmentation.Here,we introduce Curves Mode in Drishti Paint 3.2,an open-source tool for CT data segmentation.Drishti Paint 3.2 allows users to manually or semi-automatically segment the CT data in both 2D and 3D environments,providing a novel solution for revisualizing CT data in paleontological studies.
文摘The early Silurian Chongqing Lagerstätte(middle Telychian)yields exceptionally preserved articulated jawless and jawed fishes.Here,we describe a new eugaleaspiform(Galeaspida,jawless stem-Gnathostomata),Miaojiaaspis dichotomus gen.et sp.nov.,from the Chongqing Lagerstätte in Xiushan,Chongqing,China.The new form resembles Tujiaaspis vividus in the short medial dorsal canal,and the presence of the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.They differ in that T.vividus has highly developed subordinate branches of the sensory canals that form a reticulate sensory canal system,and the median dorsal opening is more elongated.Our phylogenetic analysis recovers M.dichotomus and T.vividus as a monophyletic clade(Tujiaaspidae fam.nov.),which is supported by two synapomorphies:the short medial dorsal canal,and the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.Tujiaaspidae forms a trichotomy with Shuyuidae and a clade comprising Anjiaspis,Sinogaleaspidae,Yongdongaspidae,and the‘eugaleaspid cluster’.The sensory canal patterns in galeaspids are compared to show the transformation sequence of the sensory canal system in Eugaleaspiformes.
