铁杉属的起源、扩散与传播——基于化石证据【封面文章】

铁杉属是松科的重要组成部分,具有典型的北美—东亚间断分布特征。关于该属的起源、扩散与传播,目前存在较多的争议。本次研究收集了亚洲铁杉属大化石记录,整合了铁杉属花粉记录,获取地质历史时期该属在中国的分布,推测该属的起源和传播路径。该属大约起源于晚白垩世的西欧地区,于马特斯里赫特期—达宁期通过欧亚大陆传播到中国,而在古新世—始新世时期通过北大西洋陆桥传播到北美。早始新世以后北美与东亚的铁杉属植物可以通过白令陆桥进行物种交流,当图尔盖海峡在渐新世干涸后,铁杉属能够通过西西伯利亚和中亚哈萨克斯坦地区在欧亚大陆上交流。在晚中新世铁杉属可以通过北大西洋陆桥进行交流。依据化石记录推断的铁杉属起源和传播的结果与分子学研究存在一定差异,需要更多的铁杉属化石记录及分子学研究提供更可靠的证据。     

环境因子对全自养脱氮颗粒污泥功能菌协同效应的影响

以全自养脱氮颗粒污泥为研究对象,在采用MiSeq高通量测序技术探明其微生物菌群结构的基础上,通过单因子批次实验,系统考察了溶解氧（DO）浓度、反应温度（t）、初始氨氮（NH₄⁺-N）浓度和溶液pH对好氧与厌氧氨氧化菌（AOB和AMX）之间协同作用的影响,以期为新工艺的运行调控提供理论参考.结果表明,以Nitrosomonas属（相对丰度32.9%）和Candidatus Kuenenia属（相对丰度9.8%）为代表的AOB和AMX在颗粒污泥中占据优势地位.当初始NH₄⁺-N浓度为100 mg·L^-1时,颗粒污泥的总氮比降解速率[q（TN）]在DO=2 mg·L^-1时达到最大值（17.7±1.0）mg·（g·h）^-1.过低或过高的DO浓度将分别导致亚硝化和厌氧氨氧化成为脱氮的限速步骤.依据反应自由能可知,AMX活性较AOB更易受到低温条件的抑制.当t<30℃时,系统中出现亚硝态氮累积现象,q（TN）值显著降低.在相同的供氧条件下,初始NH₄⁺-N浓度低于100 mg·L^-1不能充分发挥污泥中AMX的脱氮能力.但当初始NH₄⁺-N浓度超过150 mg·L^-1时,供氧不足和高游离氨又会导致q（TN）值的持续下降.此外,颗粒污泥中两类氨氧化菌在pH 7.0~8.5范围内都表现出了良好的协同作用.     

内质网应激在氟暴露致小鼠睾丸损伤中的作用

探讨了内质网应激在亚慢性氟暴露致小鼠睾丸损伤中的作用及分子机制.选用健康初断乳ICR雄性小鼠30只,随机分为对照组（C）、低氟组（LF）和高氟组（HF）,分别饮用自来水、5、30 mg·L^-1氟化钠水溶液90 d.亚慢性氟暴露结束后,以睾丸脏器系数、睾丸组织氧化/抗氧化酶和形态结构、精子质量、睾丸细胞凋亡、葡萄糖调节蛋白78（GRP78）、CCAAT/增强子结合蛋白同源蛋白（CHOP）、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶12（CASPASE-12）、半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶3（CASPASE-3）为观测点.结果表明,与对照组比,LF组和HF组LDH、SOD、T-AOC活性下降,MDA含量上升,HF组GSH-PX活性下降,差异有统计学意义（p<0.05或p<0.01）;LF组可见细胞层次减少、间隙变大,成熟精子数量减少,HF组细胞溶解、层次紊乱,空泡化严重,少见成熟精子;LF组和HF组小鼠的精子活力降低,HF组小鼠精子数量下降,畸形率上升,差异有统计学意义（p<0.05或p<0.01）;LF组和HF组睾丸细胞凋亡指数上升,差异有统计学意义（p<0.01）;LF组和HF组Grp78、Caspase-12、Caspase-3基因表达水平上升,差异有统计学意义（p<0.05或p<0.01）.结果提示,除氧化应激以外,Caspase-12和Caspase-3基因表达异常可能是氟暴露致小鼠睾丸细胞凋亡异常的分子机制之一.     

东湖氮循环细菌分布及其作用

用最大可能数法测定东湖不同水期水体及底泥中亚硝化、硝化、反硝化和氨化细菌的分布,并分析其作用.结果表明,水体中亚硝化菌的最大可能数丰水期最高,平水期居中,枯水期最小;硝化菌丰水期小于其他2期,而反硝化、氮化细菌均是平水期最高、丰水期次之,枯水期最小.底泥中亚硝化菌n(MPN)丰水期高于另2期,硝化菌枯水期最高,而反硝化菌枯水期低于其它2水期,氮化细菌无差别.对比水相、泥相发现,亚硝化菌丰水期、枯水期泥相均大于水相(p<0.01),平水期无差别.硝化菌在平水、丰水2期的水相中占优势,枯水期差别不大反硝化菌n(MPN)仅在平水期泥相占优势,氨化细菌2相中无差别.氮循环细菌的分布及微环境的差异,促进了有机氮的分解、氮态氮的硝化和挥发及硝酸盐的反硝化作用.研究还发现,水体、底泥中反硝化细菌和氨化细菌1g[n(MPN)]与其气体截流量之间有显著相关(p<0.001),且不同水期产气量不同(p<0.05),表明氨化作用和反硝化作用随水期变化较大.氨化作用可将有机氮转化为铵和氨,促进水体及底泥中的氮以气态氨的形式挥发;反硝化作用将硝酸盐转化为N₂O、N₂,促进氮素释放.     

骆马湖浮游植物演替规律及驱动因子

江苏骆马湖作为南水北调工程的重要调蓄湖泊,水生态系统结构变化不容忽视.为研究骆马湖浮游植物群落结构演替规律及其与环境因子的关系,于2014~2018年进行了逐月监测.研究期间骆马湖总氮、高锰酸盐指数、电导率等参数呈逐年升高趋势,氟离子浓度呈逐年下降趋势.共鉴定有浮游植物7门71属,月均生物量变化范围0.16~5.51mg·L^-1.硅藻和绿藻为绝对优势门类,其次为甲藻及隐藻;主要优势属为针杆藻（Synedra sp.）、隐藻（Chroomonas spp.）、直链硅藻（Aulacoseira spp.）、锥囊藻（Dinobryon sp.）、栅藻（Scenedesmus spp.）、脆杆藻（Fragilaria spp.）、转板藻（Mougeotia sp.）、纤维藻（Ankistrodesmus sp.）和裸藻（Euglena spp.）.2014~2018年骆马湖浮游植物群落结构年际差异较大,其变化主要体现在浮游植物生物量的再分配,硅藻和绿藻继续保持优势外甲藻和蓝藻的优势度增加.非度量多维尺度分析显示,骆马湖浮游植物群落变化与总氮、氟离子、水温、总磷、溶解氧、pH、电导率和高锰酸盐指数等因素有关,广义可加模型同样显示总氮、氟离子浓度和水温是主导骆马湖浮游植物群落结构变化的主要因素.总氮、氟离子浓度是影响浮游植物群落年际变化的环境因子,而水温是引起浮游植物群落季节变化的主要因子.结合近几年管理部门采取的措施,浮游植物群落年际变化可能与骆马湖实行禁止采砂和拆除围网等管理修复措施有关.     

焦化废水中酚降解菌及其降解基因的研究

酚类化合物是焦化废水的主要污染物,微生物降解在废水处理中起着主要作用.为获得焦化废水活性污泥中主要降解菌,本研究通过富集与平板涂布对某焦化公司的2个活性污泥中的降解菌进行了分离鉴定.通过BOX-PCR和16S rDNA序列分析去除重复菌株后,共获得分属于20个属的28个种的28株细菌,它们主要为变形菌纲β和γ亚群,其中4株菌可能是潜在的新种.间甲酚富集后筛选得到2株高效降解菌株Pseudomonas monteilii GCS-AE-J-1 和Pseudomonas plecoglossicida GCS-AN-J-3;前者在48 h内对791 mg/L间甲酚的降解率达到94.6%,而后者对763mg/L间甲酚的降解率也达到了92.2%.通过PCR从菌株GCS-AE-14、 GCS-AE-J-1、GCS-AN-J-3和GCS-AN-3得到了苯酚羟化酶基因序列.本研究所获得的降解菌新颖多样,在工业焦化废水的处理中可能起着重要作用,有进一步研究开发的价值.     

青藏高原高寒湿地春夏两季根际与非根际土壤反硝化速率及nirS型反硝化细菌群落特征分析

反硝化是生态系统氮循环的关键过程.目前对于生态系统氮排放及反硝化细菌群落的研究大多基于人为影响显著的环境,对于人为干扰较低的自然生态系统的研究较少.本研究选取青藏高原黄河源区不同海拔（唐克、久治、玛多和达日）不同季节（春季和夏季）的高寒湿地植物根际与非根际土壤作为研究对象,采用¹⁵N同位素标记法测定反硝化速率,高通量测序技术测定nirS反硝化细菌群落组成及相对丰度,并探究环境因子（气温、海拔）和土壤理化性质（pH、土壤有机碳、铵态氮、硝态氮和亚硝态氮）对nirS型反硝化细菌群落的影响.结果表明,高寒湿地土壤反硝化速率范围为0.80~14.98 nmol·（g·h）^-1,对总N₂释放的贡献率为11.23%~71.16%.唐克、久治和达日的土壤样品,均呈现出根际土壤反硝化速率高于非根际的趋势（P<0.05）.Proteobacteria是青藏高原高寒湿地植物根际和非根际土壤中主要的反硝化细菌门;在属水平上,各土壤样本中相对丰度最高的是一种未分类的变形杆菌（unclassified Proteobacteria,2.86%~29.41%）,这表明主导青藏高原高寒湿地反硝化作用的可能有一些独特的未被鉴定的反硝化菌属,相对丰度其次为假单胞菌属（Pseudomonas,2.45%~26.52%）和贪铜菌属（Cupriavidus,0%~34.14%）.基于距离的冗余分析结果表明,高寒湿地的反硝化细菌群落结构主要受到海拔、pH、NO₂^-含量影响（P<0.05）;相关分析表明反硝化速率和Shannon指数与pH呈显著负相关（P<0.05）,且主要反硝化菌群相对丰度受到温度和pH的影响.本研究结果可为进一步了解青藏高原高寒湿地这一特殊生境中的氮循环提供参考依据.     

菲尔德斯半岛南部新生界火山岩系古地磁及地质意义

菲尔德斯半岛南部火山岩系由下而上,玛瑙滩段和化石山段MI=-76.9°,MD=59.7°,属新生界下第三系始新统中下部极性(?)合带中的正向亚带;按磁偶极子模式,平均古地磁极(S)的位置是64.3°S,116.4°W;采点古纬度南纬约65°。长山段I=77.6°,D=211.6°,为上述极性混合带中的反向亚带;虚地磁极(N)位置是75.9°S.118.7°W;采点古纬度南纬约66°。位于化石山段之上,长山段之下的岩块山段,数据具有随机性,这与其形成的地质背景有关。结果表明:1、化石山段与岩块山段之间,是早、晚两个喷发旋回的界线所在。2、菲尔德斯半岛自早第三纪始新世以来,总趋势是向赤道方向移动了大约3°     

New postcrania of Deccanolestes from the Late Cretaceous of India and their bearing on the evolutionary and biogeographic history of euarchontan mammals

Extant species of the supraordinal mammal clade Euarchonta belong to the orders Primates, Scandentia, or Dermoptera. The fossil record of euarchontans suggests that they underwent their initial radiation during the Paleocene (65–55 million years ago) in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. The time and place of origin is poorly resolved due to lack of definitive fossils of euarchontan stem taxa. We describe a fragmentary humerus and two fragmentary ulnae from the latest Cretaceous of India that bear significantly on this issue. The fossils are tentatively referred to Deccanolestes cf. hislopi due to their small size and the fact that Deccanolestes is the only eutherian dental taxon to have been recovered from the same locality. The new fossils are used to evaluate the existing behavioral hypothesis that Deccanolestes was arboreal, and the competing phylogenetic hypotheses that Deccanolestes is a stem eutherian versus a stem euarchontan. The humerus resembles those of euarchontans in possessing a laterally keeled ulnar trochlea, a distinct zona conoidea, and a spherical capitulum. These features also suggest an arboreal lifestyle. The ulnar morphology is consistent with that of the humerus in reflecting an arboreal/scansorial animal. Detailed quantitative comparisons indicate that, despite morphological correlates to euarchontan-like arboreality, the humerus of Deccanolestes is morphologically intermediate between those of Cretaceous “condylarthran” mammals and definitive Cenozoic euarchontans. Additionally, humeri attributed to adapisoriculids are morphologically intermediate between those of Deccanolestes and definitive euarchontans. If adapisoriculids are euarchontans, as recently proposed, our results suggest that Deccanolestes is more basal. The tentative identification of Deccanolestes as a basal stem euarchontan suggests that (1) Placentalia began to diversify and Euarchonta originated before the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary and (2) the Indian subcontinent, Eurasia, and Africa are more likely places of origin for Euarchonta than is North America.     

Skeletal remains of a diminutive primate from the Paleocene of Germany

Most living mammal orders, including our own, started their career during the first 10 million years of the Cenozoic, the Age of Mammals. The fossil record documents that early Paleogene adaptive radiations of various clades included tiny species of the size of living shrews. Remains of particularly diminutive limb bones are described from the late Paleocene site of Walbeck, Sachsen-Anhalt. Discovered in 1939, it has remained the only known Paleocene mammal-bearing locality from Germany. The remains are referred to the family Adapisoriculidae, which is considered on the basis of the present postcranial evidence to represent plesiadapiform primates rather than alleged lipotyphlan insectivores as previously proposed. The Walbeck fossils compete with the Early Eocene species Toliapina vinealis from Europe and Picromomys petersonorum from North America for the status of the smallest known primate, fossil and living. Their estimated body weights are as small as 10 g. The limb bones show features related to enhanced flexion at the elbow and hip joint, suggesting arboreal habits and environments such as terminal branches. The diminutive size and tooth morphology suggest feeding on small insects and other invertebrates. Postcranials are important to assess early radiations, such tiny specimens as the present ones are extremely scarce in the fossil record, however.     

Evidence for high taxonomic and morphologic tyrannosauroid diversity in the Late Cretaceous (Late Campanian) of the American Southwest and a new short-skulled tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits formation of Utah

The fossil record of late Campanian tyrannosauroids of western North America has a geographic gap between the Northern Rocky Mountain Region (Montana, Alberta) and the Southwest (New Mexico, Utah). Until recently, diagnostic tyrannosauroids from the Southwest were unknown until the discovery of Bistahieversor sealeyi from the late Campanian of New Mexico. Here we describe an incomplete skull and postcranial skeleton of an unusual tyrannosaurid from the Kaiparowits Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Utah that represents a new genus and species, Teratophoneus curriei. Teratophoneus differs from other tyrannosauroids in having a short skull, as indicated by a short and steep maxilla, abrupt angle in the postorbital process of the jugal, laterally oriented paroccipital processes, short basicranium, and reduced number of teeth. Teratophoneus is the sister taxon of the Daspletosaurus + Tyrannosaurus clade and it is the most basal North American tyrannosaurine. The presence of Teratophoneus suggests that dinosaur faunas were regionally endemic in the west during the upper Campanian. The divergence in skull form seen in tyrannosaurines indicates that the skull in this clade had a wide range of adaptive morphotypes.     

Survival of Theriosuchus (Mesoeucrocodylia: Atoposauridae) in a Late Cretaceous archipelago: a new species from the Maastrichtian of Romania

Small terrestrial non-eusuchian mesoeucrocodylians are common components of Cretaceous assemblages of Gondwanan provinces with notosuchians and araripesuchids as flagship taxa in South America, Africa and Madagascar, well into the Late Cretaceous. On the other hand, these are exceedingly rare in Laurasian landmasses during the Late Cretaceous. Small terrestrial mesoeucrocodylians from Europe were often referred to the genus Theriosuchus, a taxon with stratigraphic range extending from the Late Jurassic to the late Early Cretaceous. Theriosuchus is abundantly reported from various European localities, although Asiatic and possibly North American members are also known. It has often been closely associated with the first modern crocodilians, members of the Eusuchia, because of the presence of procoelous vertebrae, a widespread key character diagnosing the Eusuchia. Nevertheless, the relationships of Theriosuchus have not been explored in detail although one species, Theriosuchus pusillus, has been extensively described and referred in numerous works. Here, we describe a new basal mesoeucrocodylian, Theriosuchus sympiestodon sp. nov. from the Maastrichtian of the Haţeg Basin, Romania, suggesting a large temporal gap (about 58 myr) in the fossil record of the genus. Inclusion of the new taxon, along with Theriosuchus guimarotae, in a phylogenetic analysis confirms its referral to the genus Theriosuchus, within a monophyletic atoposaurid clade. Although phylogenetic resolution within this clade is still poor, the new taxon appears, on morphological grounds, to be most closely related to T. pusillus. The relationships of Atoposauridae within Mesoeucrocodylia and especially to Neosuchia are discussed in light of the results of the present contribution as well as from recent work. Our results raise the possibility that Atoposauridae might not be regarded as a derived neosuchian clade anymore, although further investigation of the neosuchian interrelationships is needed. Reports of isolated teeth referable to a closely related taxon from the Upper Cretaceous of Romania and France, together with the presence of Doratodon and Ischyrochampsa, indicate a previously unsuspected diverse assemblage of non-eusuchian mesoeucrocodylians in the Late Cretaceous European archipelago.     

Impacts of Climate Change on the Distribution of Larix Spp. and Pinus Sylvestris and Their Climatypes in Siberia

Inter- and intraspecific effects of climate change were assessed for the dominant conifers of Siberia (60–140^∘E and 48–75^∘N): Larix spp. (L. sibirica, L. dahurica, and L. sukaczewii) and Pinus sylvestris . The approach employed a tri-variate (degree-days above 5 ^∘C, degree-days below 0 ^∘C, and a moisture index) estimate of the climatic envelope within which exists the actual ecological distribution of a species and their constituent climatypes (genotypes physiologically attuned to similar environments). Limits of the actual ecological distribution were approximated by reducing the climatic envelope according to effects of permafrost and interspecific competition. Climatypes were mapped within the climatic envelope according to the climatic interval that must separate populations for reasonable assurance of genetic differentiation. This interval was calculated from response functions that related 13-year growth and survival of a species to the difference in climate between the provenance of a climatype and the climate of numerous test sites distributed across Russia. Mapping species' distributions and their climatypes was done for the contemporary climate and for future climates predicted by the HadCM3GGa1 scenario of Hadley Centre. The results showed that if the forests of the future are to reflect the adaptedness of today, the distribution of species will shift and genotypes within species will be redistributed. Some contemporary climatypes are projected to disappear from Siberia while others common elsewhere would evolve. To mitigate these effects, climatypes should be transferred today to the expected future location of their climatic optima, a distance that is likely to approach 700–1200 km for these species.     

A new phylogeny for basal Trechnotheria and Cladotheria and affinities of South American endemic Late Cretaceous mammals

The endemic South American mammals Meridiolestida, considered previously as dryolestoid cladotherians, are found to be non-cladotherian trechnotherians related to spalacotheriid symmetrodontans based on a parsimony analysis of 137 morphological characters among 44 taxa. Spalacotheriidae is the sister taxon to Meridiolestida, and the latter clade is derived from a primitive spalacolestine that migrated to South America from North America at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. Meridiolestida survived until the early Paleocene (Peligrotherium) and early Miocene (Necrolestes) in South America, and their extinction is probably linked to the increasing competition with metatherian and eutherian tribosphenic mammals. The clade Meridiolestida plus Spalacotheriidae is the sister taxon to Cladotheria and forms a new clade Alethinotheria. Alethinotheria and its sister taxon Zhangheotheria, new clade (Zhangheotheriidae plus basal taxa), comprise Trechnotheria. Cladotheria is divided into Zatheria (plus stem taxa, including Amphitherium) and Dryolestida, including Dryolestidae and a paraphyletic array of basal dryolestidans (formerly classified as “Paurodontidae”). The South American Vincelestes and Groebertherium are basal dryolestidans.     

生物卵化石研究进展简述

卵生是动物界最普遍的繁殖方式,卵的孵化对繁殖季节突发的气候变化响应敏感,孵化成败又与生物种群数量变动和群落演替密切相关,因此卵化石具有重要的古生物学、古气候学、古生态学研究价值。但由于卵生动物种类十分丰富,卵形态特征多样,研究领域广泛,有必要总结梳理卵化石的研究进展。本文通过对主要卵生动物类群卵的形态特征,以及卵化石在古生物学、古气候学、古生态学方面研究进展的回顾,发现卵化石的研究主要集中在脊椎动物类群,为脊椎动物演化提供了重要证据,但是由于脊椎动物卵化石通常难以建立连续的长序列记录,其古生态学和古气候学研究极为不足。然而,无脊椎动物卵化石由于数量丰富,具有统计意义,其在古生态学、古气候学研究领域具有重要意义,但是其在古生物学,包括种属鉴定等方面的研究需要加强。在无脊椎动物中,蜗牛及其卵化石在黄土-古土壤地层中保存丰富且地层分布连续,最有可能建立卵化石的长序列。通过现代过程研究,明确蜗牛卵的气候指示意义,建立第四纪蜗牛卵化石长序列,发挥蜗牛卵化石的古气候学和古生态学研究价值,是亟需开展的研究工作。     

同质环境下不同锦鸡儿属植物根际土壤细菌群落结构差异及其影响因素

采用高通量测序技术分析同质环境下小叶锦鸡儿、中间锦鸡儿和荒漠锦鸡儿根际土壤细菌多样性及群落结构,以期探讨驱动锦鸡儿属植物根际土壤细菌群落结构构建的关键因子.结果表明,土壤样品中共检测到细菌42门55纲123目244科558属,优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、蓝藻门(Cyanobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)和酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)(相对丰度>1%),优势属为苯基杆菌属(Phenylobacterium)、剑菌属(Ensifer)和鞘氨醇菌属(Chitinophaga).双因素方差分析表明,物种间差异显著影响土壤细菌香农指数和辛普森指数(P<0.05),种源和物种交互作用对土壤细菌的物种数、 Chao1指数、香农指数和辛普森指数均影响显著(P<0.05).主坐标分析表明,3种锦鸡儿属植物根际土壤细菌群落结构差异显著(P<0.05),且聚类分析显示来自不同种源地的中间锦鸡儿和荒漠锦鸡儿根际土壤细菌群落结构组成不同.通过冗余分析发现...     

A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) with Asian affinities from the latest Cretaceous of North America

Dromaeosaurids from the Maastrichtian of North America have a poor fossil record and are known largely from isolated teeth, which have typically been referred to taxa based on more complete material from earlier Campanian strata. An almost complete maxilla with well-preserved dentition and an associated dentary from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana are used to establish a new dromaeosaurid taxon in the latest Maastrichtian, immediately prior to the end-Cretaceous extinction event. Acheroraptor temertyorum gen. et sp. nov. is differentiated from other dromaeosaurids on the basis of a hypertrophied postantral wall that projects posteriorly into the antorbital fenestra, a maxillary fenestra positioned low in the antorbital fossa and directly posterior to the promaxillary fenestra, and distinctive dentition with marked apicobasal ridges. The new material allows a dromaeosaurid from the Maastrichtian of North America to be placed within a phylogenetic framework for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis suggests Acheroraptor is a velociraptorine that is more closely related to Asian dromaeosaurids, including Tsaagan and Velociraptor, than it is to Dromaeosaurus, Saurornitholestes, or any other taxon from North America. As part of the Lancian Tyrannosaurus–Triceratops fauna, A. temertyorum is the latest occurring dromaeosaurid. Its relationships and occurrence suggest a complex historical biogeographic scenario that involved multiple, bi-directional faunal interchanges between Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous.     

Direct and indirect fossil records of megachilid bees from the Paleogene of Central Europe (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Aside from pollen and nectar, bees of the subfamily Megachilinae are closely associated with plants as a source of materials for nest construction. Megachilines use resins, masticated leaves, trichomes and other plant materials sometimes along with mud to construct nests in cavities or in soil. Among these, the leafcutter bees (Megachile s.l.) are the most famous for their behaviour to line their brood cells with discs cut from various plants. We report on fossil records of one body fossil of a new non-leafcutting megachiline and of 12 leafcuttings from three European sites—Eckfeld and Messel, both in Germany (Eocene), and Menat, France (Paleocene). The excisions include the currently earliest record of probable Megachile activity and suggest the presence of such bees in the Paleocene European fauna. Comparison with extant leafcuttings permits the interpretation of a minimal number of species that produced these excisions. The wide range of size for the leafcuttings indirectly might suggest at least two species of Megachile for the fauna of Messel in addition to the other megachiline bee described here. The presence of several cuttings on most leaves from Eckfeld implies that the preferential foraging behaviour of extant Megachile arose early in megachiline evolution. These results demonstrate that combined investigation of body and trace fossils complement each other in understanding past biodiversity, the latter permitting the detection of taxa not otherwise directly sampled and inferences on behavioural evolution.