Landing in basal frogs: evidence of saltational patterns in the evolution of anuran locomotion

All frogs are assumed to jump in a similar manner by rapidly extending hindlimbs during the propulsive phase and rotating the limbs forward during flight in order to land forelimbs first. However, studies of jumping behavior are lacking in the most primitive living frogs of the family Leiopelmatidae. These semi-aquatic or terrestrial anurans retain a suite of plesiomorphic morphological features and are unique in using an asynchronous (trot-like) rather than synchronous “frog-kick” swimming gait of other frogs. We compared jumping behavior in leiopelmatids to more derived frogs and found that leiopelmatids maintain extended hindlimbs throughout flight and landing phases and do not land on adducted forelimbs. These “belly-flop” landings limit the ability for repeated jumps and are consistent with a riparian origin of jumping in frogs. The unique behavior of leiopelmatids shows that frogs evolved jumping before they perfected landing. Moreover, an inability to rapidly cycle the limbs may provide a functional explanation for the absence of synchronous swimming in leiopelmatids.     

New Early Cretaceous fossil from China documents a novel trophic specialization for Mesozoic birds

We report on a new Mesozoic bird, Longirostravis hani, from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of northeastern China. The new taxon has a long, slender rostrum and mandible, and a small number of rostralmost teeth. Postcranial characters such as a furcular ramus wider ventrally than dorsally, a centrally concave proximal margin of the humeral head, and a minor metacarpal that projects distally more than the major metacarpal, support the placement of Longirostravis within euenantiornithine Enantiornithes, the most diverse clade of Mesozoic birds. The morphology of the skull, however, suggests that Longirostravis had a probing feeding behavior, a specialization previously unknown for Enantiornithes. Indeed, this discovery provides the first evidence in support of the existence of such a foraging behavior among basal lineages of Mesozoic birds.     

Earliest zygodactyl bird feet: evidence from Early Cretaceous roadrunner-like tracks

Fossil footprints are important in understanding Cretaceous avian diversity because they constitute evidence of paleodiversity and paleoecology that is not always apparent from skeletal remains. Early Cretaceous bird tracks have demonstrated the existence of wading birds in East Asia, but some pedal morphotypes, such as zygodactyly, common in modern and earlier Cenozoic birds (Neornithes) were unknown in the Cretaceous. We, herein, discuss the implications of a recently reported, Early Cretaceous (120–110 million years old) trackway of a large, zygodactyl bird from China that predates skeletal evidence of this foot morphology by at least 50 million years and includes the only known fossil zygodactyl footprints. The tracks demonstrate the existence of a Cretaceous bird not currently represented in the body fossil record that occupied a roadrunner (Geococcyx)-like niche, indicating a previously unknown degree of Cretaceous avian morphological and behavioral diversity that presaged later Cenozoic patterns. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Possible postcranial pneumaticity in the last common ancestor of birds and crocodilians: evidence from Erythrosuchus and other Mesozoic archosaurs

Birds and crocodilians (extant archosaurs) have differing, distinctive morphologies. Birds have respiratory airsacs with diverticula that pneumatize the postcranial skeleton, a feature absent in crocodilians. Bony correlates of pneumatic sinuses are known in the vertebrae of some non-avian dinosaurs and in pterosaurs - taxa more closely related to birds than crocodilians. This and the apparent absence of pneumatic postcranial bones in fossil archosaurs more closely related to crocodilians than to birds, has been interpreted as evidence that postcranial pneumaticity is a derived character of birds and their nearest fossil relatives. The presence of apparent osteological correlates of postcranial pneumaticity is here reported in some non-crown-group archosaurs, and some of the fossil taxa more closely related to crocodilians than to birds. This suggests that the last common ancestor of birds and crocodilians might have had a pneumatized postcranium, and that the absence of this feature in crocodilians might be derived.     

A new Early Oligocene peradectine marsupial (Mammalia)from the Burqin region of Xinjiang,China

Tertiary marsupial records are very scarce in Asia. A new peradectine marsupial, Junggaroperadectes burqinensis gen. et sp. nov., is reported from the Early Oligocene Keziletuogayi Formation in the Burqin region, Xinjiang, China. This new species is based on a single right upper M2. The tooth possesses a straight centrocrista, a characteristic of peradectines. Its main cusps lean buccally, with the paracone being smaller and lower than the metacone. The conules and stylar cusps are weakly developed. These characters distinguish J. burqinensis from Euro-American Tertiary peradectines, but they also imply a close phylogenetic relationship to Siamoperadectes and Sinoperadectes, two Asian Early Miocene peradectines.     

A new azhdarchoid pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China and its implications for pterosaur phylogeny and evolution

Toothless pterosaurs played a key role in broadening the taxonomic, morphological and ecological diversity of Cretaceous pterosaurs. Here we report a complete, articulated skeleton of a 1.4-m-wingspan pterosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province, China which is identified as a new genus and species, Shenzhoupterus chaoyangensis gen. et sp. nov. The new taxon is edentulous, with a relatively large skull and a remarkably large, tall nasoantorbital fenestra that extends well above the main part of the braincase. Phylogenetic analysis shows that Shenzhoupterus gen. nov. belongs in a distinct clade of azhdarchoid pterosaurs, formally recognised here as a new family, Chaoyangopteridae, that also includes Chaoyangopterus, Jidapterus and Eoazhdarcho from the Jiufotang Formation and Eopteranodon from the Yixian Formation. These new data clarify recent confusion surrounding the systematics of these Lower Cretaceous taxa and provide new insights into the evolutionary history of pterosaurs.     

古鄱阳湖中生代盆地充填序列和演化特征

古鄱阳湖中生代盆地的研究表明，该盆地并不是简单的白垩纪盆地，而是历经多次构造旋回的复杂盆地。盆地多次成生、萎缩、上升，均是燕山运动的结果。     

Fossil evidence for the early ant evolution

Ants are one of the most studied insects in the world; and the literature devoted to their origin and evolution, systematics, ecology, or interactions with plants, fungi and other organisms is prolific. However, no consensus yet exists on the age estimate of the first Formicidae or on the origin of their eusociality. We review the fossil and biogeographical record of all known Cretaceous ants. We discuss the possible origin of the Formicidae with emphasis on the most primitive subfamily Sphecomyrminae according to its distribution and the Early Cretaceous palaeogeography. And we review the evidence of true castes and eusociality of the early ants regarding their morphological features and their manner of preservation in amber. The mid-Cretaceous amber forest from south-western France where some of the oldest known ants lived, corresponded to a moist tropical forest close to the shore with a dominance of gymnosperm trees but where angiosperms (flowering plants) were already diversified. This palaeoenvironmental reconstruction supports an initial radiation of ants in forest ground litter coincident with the rise of angiosperms, as recently proposed as an ecological explanation for their origin and successful evolution.     

Heterogeneity in the relationship between carbon emission performance and urbanization: evidence from China

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change - Global change caused by carbon emissions alone has become a common challenge for all countries. However, current debates about urbanization...     

青藏高原隆升对我国西南地区气候的影响——从季风角度研究

青藏高原隆升作为新生代最重要的地质事件,对亚洲乃至全球气候演化产生了深刻的影响。我国西南地区因紧邻青藏高原、地形地貌复杂,该区青藏高原隆升的气候效应至今仍存在许多需要探讨的问题。本文通过整理总结青藏高原隆升与亚洲季风各子系统形成与发展的相关性,从季风的角度分析了高原隆升对西南地区气候的影响。主要结论如下：（1）对西南地区气候起控制性作用的东亚季风、南亚季风以及高原季风的形成与青藏高原的隆升密切相关。虽然东亚夏季偏南风在约22 Ma就因海陆差异形成,但冬季风却是在约7.2 Ma因青藏高原隆升才出现;南亚夏季风（西南季风）约在12 Ma因喜马拉雅山脉及临近山脉形成而出现,而其冬季风形成时间及原因与东亚冬季风相似,同样离不开青藏高原的隆升;高原季风形成的直接因素就是高原隆升,其约在36 Ma青藏高原主体隆升至约1500 m时才开始形成。（2）亚洲季风各子系统对西南地区的气候演变有重要影响。尽管东亚冬季风不能直接影响西南地区,但青藏高原隆升增强了海陆差异及其热源作用,在一定程度上扩大了东亚夏季风的影响范围,并给西南地区带来水汽;南亚冬季风使得西南地区变得相对寒冷干燥,而南亚夏季风因青藏高原的隆升得到进一步加强,其通过形成南北向的水汽通道成为西南地区温暖湿润气候的主导者;高原冬、夏季风随着青藏高原隆升使得西南地区季节性干冷与湿润气候的差异更加显著。     

The origin and early evolution of birds: discoveries,disputes, and perspectives from fossil evidence

The study of the origin and early evolution of birds has never produced as much excitement and public attention as in the past decade. Well preserved and abundant new fossils of birds and dinosaurs have provided unprecedented new evidence on the dinosaurian origin of birds, the arboreal origin of avian flight, and the origin of feathers prior to flapping flight. The Mesozoic avian assemblage mainly comprises two major lineages: the prevalent extinct group Enantiornithes, and the Ornithurae, which gave rise to all modern birds, as well as several more basal taxa. Cretaceous birds radiated into various paleoecological niches that included fish- and seed-eating. Significant size and morphological differences and variation in flight capabilities, ranging from gliding to powerful flight among early birds, highlight the diversification of birds in the Early Cretaceous. There is little evidence, however, to support a Mesozoic origin of modern avian groups. Controversy and debate, nevertheless, surround many of these findings, and more details are needed to give a better appreciation of the significance of these new discoveries.     

东南沿海中生代安山岩的地质意义

在中国东部大陆边缘中生代火山岩带中 ,东南沿海火山岩岩性岩相出露最全 ,火山地质调查研究程度较高。以往的研究主要集中于大面积酸性火山岩和与之共生的玄武岩 ,而对安山岩注意不够。作为过渡性岩类 ,安山岩的成因研究对于探讨中生代火山岩带物质来源、岩浆分异演化、大地构造背景等具有不可替代的作用。近年来在东南沿海新生代玄武岩中陆续发现了一些基性麻粒岩包体 ,为研究底侵作用与壳幔作用过程提供了珍贵的实物材料。结合基性麻粒岩包体的研究 ,进行系统的安山岩成因研究 ,对于研究中生代火山岩带成因、进而探讨东部大陆边缘形成演化动力学过程 ,具有重要意义     

A new clade of archaic large-bodied predatory dinosaurs (Theropoda: Allosauroidea) that survived to the latest Mesozoic

Non-avian theropod dinosaurs attained large body sizes, monopolising terrestrial apex predator niches in the Jurassic–Cretaceous. From the Middle Jurassic onwards, Allosauroidea and Megalosauroidea comprised almost all large-bodied predators for 85 million years. Despite their enormous success, however, they are usually considered absent from terminal Cretaceous ecosystems, replaced by tyrannosaurids and abelisaurids. We demonstrate that the problematic allosauroids Aerosteon, Australovenator, Fukuiraptor and Neovenator form a previously unrecognised but ecologically diverse and globally distributed clade (Neovenatoridae, new clade) with the hitherto enigmatic theropods Chilantaisaurus, Megaraptor and the Maastrichtian Orkoraptor. This refutes the notion that allosauroid extinction pre-dated the end of the Mesozoic. Neovenatoridae includes a derived group (Megaraptora, new clade) that developed long, raptorial forelimbs, cursorial hind limbs, appendicular pneumaticity and small size, features acquired convergently in bird-line theropods. Neovenatorids thus occupied a 14-fold adult size range from 175 kg (Fukuiraptor) to approximately 2,500 kg (Chilantaisaurus). Recognition of this major allosauroid radiation has implications for Gondwanan paleobiogeography: The distribution of early Cretaceous allosauroids does not strongly support the vicariant hypothesis of southern dinosaur evolution or any particular continental breakup sequence or dispersal scenario. Instead, clades were nearly cosmopolitan in their early history, and later distributions are explained by sampling failure or local extinction.     

Behavioral and faunal implications of Early Cretaceous deinonychosaur trackways from China

Deinonychosaurian theropods, the dinosaurian sister group of birds, are characterized by a large raptorial claw borne on a highly modified second digit that was thought to be held in a retracted position during locomotion. In this study, we present new trackway evidence for two coeval deinonychosaurian taxa from the Early Cretaceous of Shandong, China that indicate a hitherto unrecognized body size diversity for this period and continent. These fossil tracks confirm diversity and locomotory patterns implied by phylogeny and biogeography, but not yet manifested in the body fossil record. Multiple parallel and closely spaced trackways generated by the larger track maker provide the best evidence yet discovered for gregarious behavior in deinonychosaurian theropods.     

The earliest record of birch mice from the Early Miocene Nei Mongol,China

The earliest species of birch mouse, Sicista primus sp. nov., was recovered from the 17-Ma-old (Early Miocene) Gashunyinadege locality, central Nei Mongol, China. It is ~9 Ma older than the previous first appearance datum of Sicista in Eurasia. This study indicates that North American Macrognathomys is a synonym of Eurasian Sicista, having 12 shared dental characters. As a result, the biogeography of dipodids indicates that Asian Sicista dispersed to North America as opposed to the hypothesis that Sicista originated from the North American clade. Sicista is one of the few extant rodent genera that originated as early as the Early Miocene.