Fossil proxies of near-shore sea surface temperatures and seasonality from the late Neogene Antarctic shelf

We evaluate the available palaeontological and geochemical proxy data from bivalves, bryozoans, silicoflagellates, diatoms and cetaceans for sea surface temperature (SST) regimes around the nearshore Antarctic coast during the late Neogene. These fossils can be found in a number of shallow marine sedimentary settings from three regions of the Antarctic continent, the northern Antarctic Peninsula, the Prydz Bay region and the western Ross Sea. Many of the proxies suggest maximum spring–summer SSTs that are warmer than present by up to 5 °C, which would result in reduced seasonal sea ice. The evidence suggests that the summers on the Antarctic shelf during the late Neogene experienced most of the warming, while winter SSTs were little changed from present. Feedbacks from changes in summer sea ice cover may have driven much of the late Neogene ocean warming seen in stratigraphic records. Synthesized late Neogene and earliest Quaternary Antarctic shelf proxy data are compared to the multi-model SST estimates of the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) Experiment 2. Despite the fragmentary geographical and temporal context for the SST data, comparisons between the SST warming in each of the three regions represented in the marine palaeontological record of the Antarctic shelf and the PlioMIP climate simulations show a good concordance.     

Paleoenvironmental conditions in the Spanish Miocene–Pliocene boundary: isotopic analyses of Hipparion dental enamel

Expansion of C₄ grasses during Late Miocene and Early Pliocene constitutes one of the most remarkable biotic events of the Cenozoic era. The Teruel–Alfambra region (northeastern Spain) contains one of the most complete Miocene–Pliocene sequences of mammalian fossil sites in the world. In this study, stable isotope (δ ¹³C and δ ¹⁸O) analyses have been performed on the tooth enamel from the equid Hipparion from 19 localities spanning a time interval from approximately 10.9 to 2.7 Ma. This time range starts with the first appearance of this genus in Spain and ends at its extinction. An increase in δ ¹³C at about 4.2 Ma has been observed, indicative of a shift toward a more open habitat. This shift may be related to a large scale vegetation change which occurred across the Miocene–Pliocene boundary when C₄ grasses expanded. This expansion might in turn be linked to global tectonic events such as the uplift of the Himalaya and/or the closure of the Panama Isthmus. However, other more regional factors may have ultimately enhanced the trend toward more open habitats in the Western Mediterranean Basin. The Messinian Salinity Crisis was a major environmental event that may have been responsible for the isotopic changes seen in the equid Hipparion from the Iberian Peninsula along with an increase in the aridity detected ~4.6 Ma ago in the Sahara. Even though the exact factor triggering the isotopic change observed in the Hipparion enamel remains mostly unknown, this study demonstrates that the global environmental changes detected across the Miocene–Pliocene boundary are also recorded in the realm of the Iberian Peninsula. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

长江三角洲之沉降

大量第四纪钻孔揭示了长江三角洲南北平原在基底构造和地层分布上存在着明显的差异。前第四纪的三角洲北部是一个巨大的沉积盆地。新第三系沉积地层可达一千多米 ,而此时南部却是由古生代和中生代火成岩、碳酸岩和沉积岩组成的台地 ,第三系沉积地层几乎缺失。然而 ,第四系地层厚度在长江三角洲南北两地的分布已经持平 ,且地层最厚处已转移到长江口崇明岛一带 ,全新统地层更有继承此演化特征。这表明了本区沉降中心从北部逐渐向南转移的趋势 ,反映了南部基底构造在第四纪以来有明显下沉的迹象 ,是长江主河道南迁的主要地质引力。由于大量全新世沉积堆积在崇明岛前缘的沉降中心 ,重力压实作用导致该中心前部出现“泥火山” ,周围地层变形明显。本研究提出在长江河口区进行大型桥遂工程建设时应充分考虑到上述由基底改造沉降和重力沉降产生的效应     

长江三角洲平原南部上新世以来古环境演变及多重地层划分

对长江三角洲平原BZK01钻孔进行沉积物¹⁴C测年、粒度、磁学、孢粉和微体古生物分析,结合伽玛测井、岩性地层讨论了上新世以来钻孔揭示的孢粉组合、沉积环境演化、沉积相和古气候特征,建立了钻孔的第四纪多重地层划分对比框架。结果表明,受原始地形地貌、海平面变化、海陆变迁、古气候冷暖更替及新构造运动的影响,研究区上新世以来经历了多次环境变化。钻孔自下而上揭示岩性地层依次为基岩长河组、新近纪-第四纪沉积的嘉兴组、前港组、东浦组、宁波组、镇海组,孢粉组合可划分出16个孢粉带,按暖期温暖潮湿-冷期寒冷干燥古气候旋回变化的周期律,BZK01钻孔反映该区域共存在7个古气候旋回。建立的钻孔多重地层划分对比揭示151.9～278.0 m为河流相和河湖相交替沉积的上新世-早更新世时期,存在两个气候旋回过程;83.5～151.9 m为河流相-河湖相-浅湖相沉积环境的中更新世,包含两个气候旋回过程;15.4～83.5 m为晚更新世,沉积环境自下而上为河口相-河湖相-潮坪相-滨海相-河湖相,与王店海侵-杭州海侵时期对应,包括两个气候旋回;0～15.4 m为河口相-河湖相-泻湖相沉积环境的全新世,对应富阳海侵,包括一个气候旋回。     

A new Dasypodini armadillo (Xenarthra: Cingulata) from San Gregorio Formation,Pliocene of Venezuela: affinities and biogeographic interpretations

We describe Pliodasypus vergelianus gen. et sp. nov., a Dasypodini armadillo from the middle Pliocene of Venezuela (Vergel Member, San Gregorio Formation). Although scarce, the remains are remarkable because of their geochronologic proximity to the main phase of Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). The cladistic analysis conducted reveals that Pliodasypus groups with Dasypus and both are sister taxa of Propraopus, whereas Anadasypus is at a basal position. With respect to the records of tribe Dasypodini, after its oldest representative (Anadasypus, middle and late Miocene), the chronologically subsequent form is Pl. vergelianus (middle Pliocene), followed by Dasypus bellus in higher northern latitudes (late Pliocene), and then by widespread occurrences in the Pleistocene of North America (D. bellus) and South America (Propraopus, Dasypus punctatus, and Dasypus novemcinctus). Thus, we infer that Dasypus differentiated in the late Pliocene at low latitudes in the northern South America. It leads to two alternative hypotheses of dispersal: (a) some early Dasypus remained cryptically in South America until the Pleistocene, whereas others dispersed to North America between 2.2 and 2.7 Ma, or (b) they dispersed to North America subsequently to the emersion of the Panamanian isthmus and D. bellus differentiated there; later, during the Pleistocene, D. bellus entered South America and experienced speciation. The same process of re-ingression has been proposed to other xenarthrans, breaking with the traditional assumption that the GABI was unidirectional.     

Miocene to recent history of the western Altiplano in northern Chile revealed by lacustrine sediments of the Lauca basin (18°15′–18°40′ S/69°30′–69°05′W)

The intramontane Lauca Basin at the western margin of the northern Chilean Altiplano lies to the west of and is topographically isolated from the well-known Plio-Pleistocene lake system of fluvio-lacustrine origin that covers the Bolivian Altiplano from Lake Titicaca to the north for more than 800?km to the Salar de Uyuni in the south. The Lauca Basin is filled by a sequence of some 120?m of mainly upper Miocene to Pliocene clastic and volcaniclastic sediments of lacustrine and alluvial origin. Volcanic rocks, partly pyroclastic, provide useful marker horizons. In the first period (6–4?Ma) of its evolution, the 'Lago Lauca' was a shallow ephemeral lake. Evaporites indicate temporarily closed conditions. After 4?Ma the lake changed to a perennial water body surrounded by alluvial plains. In the late Pleistocene and Holocene (2–0?Ma) there was only marginal deposition of alluvial and glacial sediments. The basin formed as a half-graben or by pull-apart between 10 and 15?Ma (tectonic displacement of the basal ignimbrite sequence during the 'Quechua Phase') and 6.2?Ma (maximum K/Ar ages of biotites of tuff horizons in the deepest part of the basin). Apart from this early basin formation, there has been surprisingly little displacement during the past 6?Ma close to the Western Cordillera of the Altiplano. Also, climate indicators (pollen, evaporites, sedimentary facies) suggest that an arid climate has existed for the past 6?Ma on the Altiplano. Together, these pieces of evidence indicate the absence of large scale block-faulting, tilt and major uplift during the past 5–6?Ma in this area.     

邦多-措麦地区新构造运动特征及其演化简析

文章将邦多—措麦地区新构造运动划分为冈底斯北缘稳定上升区、冈底斯掀斜上升区和纵贯南北的当惹雍错—许如错地堑区。概述了研究区新构造运动以垂直运动、水平运动和火山、地震活动等为主要表现形式。从现代地貌格局、活动构造形迹、近代岩浆作用和地热、地震等方面，阐述了研究区新构造运动的基本特征。根据中新世以来的构造作用、沉积特征、岩浆活动等特征，对区内的新构造运动的演化作了初步总结，大致划分为4个强烈活动期，即中新世晚期、上新世末—早更新世初、早更新世末和中更新世末—晚更新世。     

苏北变质地质的几个问题

本文运用构造一地层法重新厘定了苏北变质地层层序,系统研究了变质岩群序列及其接触关系、区域变质岩和变质作用、混合岩及混合岩化作用、变质变形序列和构造演化等几个主要问题。新建了东海群和“石桥群”。在特征变质矿物的研究基础上,确定了东海群是中压低角闪岩相为主,海州群和“石桥群”属高压高绿片岩相到低绿片岩相,各群都具多期变质变形。     

First Castorid (Mammalia,Rodentia) from the Middle Miocene of Southeast Asia

Today and in the Tertiary, the geographical distribution of castorids is limited throughout all of the northern continents. Fossils of the Castoridae genus Steneofiber are abundant in many localities of Eurasia from the late Oligocene to Pliocene period. Recently, Steneofiber fossils were discovered in two localities of northern Thailand, Mae Moh and Chiang Muan coal mines, in layers of late middle Miocene age. These discoveries represent the first records of castorids from Southeast Asia and correspond to their southernmost known range. The focus of this study is to describe this new Thai species of Steneofiber and to define its wear stages from the molar occlusal surfaces by using micro-CT scan analysis. The CT scan technique permits the analysis of the virtual occlusal surface changes from wear, allowing easier comparison to related species of Steneofiber cheek teeth without destroying the teeth. The new species, Steneofiber siamensis n. sp., can be distinguished from the other species of Steneofiber by several distinct characters, longer mesostriid on p4, presence of premesostria and metastria on P4, which are smaller than most of the other known species. The occurrence of this new castorid also supports a subtropical to tropical paleoclimate for these two localities of northern Thailand.     

Diversity in the later Paleogene proboscidean radiation: a small barytheriid from the Oligocene of Dhofar Governorate,Sultanate of Oman

Despite significant recent improvements to our understanding of the early evolution of the Order Proboscidea (elephants and their extinct relatives), geographic sampling of the group’s Paleogene fossil record remains strongly biased, with the first ~30 million years of proboscidean evolution documented solely in near-coastal deposits of northern Africa. The considerable morphological disparity that is observable among the late Eocene and early Oligocene proboscideans of northern Africa suggests that other, as yet unsampled, parts of Afro-Arabia might have served as important centers for the early diversification of major proboscidean clades. Here we describe the oldest taxonomically diagnostic remains of a fossil proboscidean from the Arabian Peninsula, a partial mandible of Omanitherium dhofarensis (new genus and species), from near the base of the early Oligocene Shizar Member of the Ashawq Formation, in the Dhofar Governorate of the Sultanate of Oman. The molars and premolars of Omanitherium are morphologically intermediate between those of Arcanotherium and Barytherium from northern Africa, but its specialized lower incisors are unlike those of other known Paleogene proboscideans in being greatly enlarged, high-crowned, conical, and tusk-like. Omanitherium is consistently placed close to late Eocene Barytherium in our phylogenetic analyses, and we place the new genus in the Family Barytheriidae. Some features of Omanitherium, such as tusk-like lower second incisors, the possible loss of the lower central incisors, an enlarged anterior mental foramen, and inferred elongate mandibular symphysis and diminutive P₂, suggest a possible phylogenetic link with Deinotheriidae, an extinct family of proboscideans whose origins have long been mysterious.     

Eocene bunoselenodont Artiodactyla from southern Thailand and the early evolution of Ruminantia in South Asia

Although Asia is thought to have played a critical role in the basal radiation of Ruminantia, the fossil record of early selenodont artiodactyls remains poorly documented in this region. Dental remains of a new bunoselenodont artiodactyl are described from the late Eocene of Krabi, southern Thailand. This new form, Krabitherium waileki gen. et sp. nov, is tentatively referred to the Tragulidae (Ruminantia) on the basis of several dental features, including a weak Tragulus fold and the presence of a deep groove on the anterior face of the entoconid. Although this new form is suggestive of the enigmatic ?Gelocus gajensis Pilgrim 1912 from the “base of the Gaj” (lower Chitarwata Formation) of the Bugti Hills (Central Pakistan), K. waileki most likely represents an early representative of a relatively bunodont group of tragulids that includes the genus Dorcabune, known from the Miocene of south Asia. This addition to the Eocene record of early ruminants attests to the antiquity of the group in Southeast Asia and lends support to the hypothesis that the Tragulidae represents one of the first offshoots in the evolutionary history of Ruminantia.     

喀喇昆仑山-西昆仑山地区晚新生代隆起过程及自然环境变化初探

喀喇昆仑山、西昆仑山及其山前地区的上新统与下更新统之间虽然为整合连续沉积,但两者岩相上存在着巨大差异,由此推论本区强烈隆起的时代为上新世末至第四纪初。早更新世与中更新世之间的构造运动使山前地区的上新统和下更新统发生褶皱变形,并与中更新统呈不整合接触。中更新世山体强烈上升,本区山地发生第一次冰川作用。晚更新世发生两次冰川作用,其规模是晚期小于早期。晚更新世晚期气候强烈干旱化,湖面退缩、大湖解体,一些外流水系变为内流水系,高原植被出现半荒漠—草原—荒漠的演替过程,此时昆仑山北坡黄土发育。     

Comparisons of dental morphology in river stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) with new fossils from the middle Eocene of Peruvian Amazonia rekindle debate on their evolution

Endemic South American river stingrays (Potamotrygonidae), which include the most diversified living freshwater chondrichthyans, were conspicuously absent from pre-Neogene deposits in South America despite the fact that recent phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest an older origination for this clade. To date, the rare representatives of this family were mostly represented by ambiguous isolated remains. Here, we report 67 isolated fossil teeth of a new obligate freshwater dasyatoid (Potamotrygon ucayalensis nov. sp) from the fossiliferous level CTA-27 (Yahuarango Formation), near Contamana, in the Peruvian Amazonia. We assigned this sample to a new representative of Potamotrygon by comparison with numerous fresh jaws of living specimens of Potamotrygonidae, thus providing the first detailed review of dental morphology for this poorly understood clade. These new fossils fill a long stratigraphic gap by extending the family range down to the middle Eocene (～41 Mya). Moreover, the relative modernity and diversity in tooth morphology among Eocene freshwater stingrays (including Potamotrygon ucayalensis nov. sp. and coeval North American dasyatoids) indicate that the hypothetically marine ancestor of potamotrygonids probably invaded the rivers earlier than in the middle Eocene. The first potamotrygonids and affiliates were possibly more generalized and less endemic than now, which is consistent with an opportunistic filling of vacated ecospace.     

Pleistocene survival of an archaic dwarf baleen whale (Mysticeti: Cetotheriidae)

Pliocene baleen whale assemblages are characterized by a mix of early records of extant mysticetes, extinct genera within modern families, and late surviving members of the extinct family Cetotheriidae. Although Pleistocene baleen whales are poorly known, thus far they include only fossils of extant genera, indicating Late Pliocene extinctions of numerous mysticetes alongside other marine mammals. Here a new fossil of the Late Neogene cetotheriid mysticete Herpetocetus is reported from the Lower to Middle Pleistocene Falor Formation of Northern California. This find demonstrates that at least one archaic mysticete survived well into the Quaternary Period, indicating a recent loss of a unique niche and a more complex pattern of Plio–Pleistocene faunal overturn for marine mammals than has been previously acknowledged. This discovery also lends indirect support to the hypothesis that the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is an extant cetotheriid, as it documents another cetotheriid nearly surviving to modern times.     

A long-bodied centriscoid fish from the basal Eocene of Kabardino-Balkaria, northern Caucasus, Russia

The Paleocene–Eocene transition is of crucial interest for interpreting the Cenozoic evolutionary radiation of vertebrates. A substantial increase of the number of vertebrate families occurred between the Late Paleocene and Early Eocene, with the appearance of most of the representatives of extant lineages. Basal Eocene marine fish diversity is currently poorly known, exclusively restricted to two assemblages from Denmark and Turkmenistan, respectively. Exceptionally well-preserved articulated skeletal remains of fishes have recently been discovered from a basal Eocene sapropelitic layer exposed along the Kheu River in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, northern Caucasus, Russia. Here, we report on Gerpegezhus paviai gen. et sp. nov., a new peculiar syngnathoid fish from this new Ciscaucasian locality. The morphological structure of the single available specimen suggests that it is the first long-bodied member of the superfamily Centriscoidea, representing the sole member of the new family Gerpegezhidae, which forms a sister pair with the extant family Centriscidae.     

Genese des mitteleuropäischen Buntsandsteins

The continental Buntsandstein red beds represent the parastratigraphically subdivided germanotype facies of the Lower Triassic in Middle Europe. Fluvial deposits are widespread in proximal and medial parts of the sedimentation area. Additionally, aeolian dune sands, alluvial-fan deposits, mud-flow sediments, palaeosols, lacustrine, deltaic, tidal, lagoonal, brackish, marine and evaporitic deposits are present. Numerous isolated occurrences and several concentrations of faunal and floral elements in the generally poorly fossiliferous sequence reflect a diversified and partially rich biosphere of the Buntsandstein. Evolution and zoning testify the control of tectonics on depositional history. The depositional history leads from the end of the saline Zechstein period via predominantly silty-clayey and oolitic shallow-water sediments to a mainly fluvial series which is characterized by the intercalation of aeolian dune sands in its upper part, before by another fluvial sequence in the marginal areas and precipitation of thick halite layers in the basin centre the marine terminal stage is reached which passes into the carbonate Muschelkalk succession.     

海岸带表层沉积物中磷的地球化学特征

通过连续提取法对莱州湾主要入海河流及近岸海域表层沉积物中5种形态磷进行了定量分析.结果表明,近海沉积物自生钙结合磷含量(45.6%)高于河流(37.3%),而铁结合磷(Fe-P)含量(18.2%)却低于河流(31.3%).在近海,可交换或弱结合磷含量和粉砂比例呈正相关,表明该形态磷主要吸附于细粒粉砂．河流沉积物Fe-P与Fe浓度呈显著正相关(P<0.01),表明河流沉积物Fe-P分布受沉积物活性铁含量的控制．河口处Fe-P普遍低于相应河流,这可能与海相泥沙输入及河口厌氧区硫酸盐还原或硫化物累积有关.近海沉积物总可提取态磷平均浓度总体呈现出由海洋向河口方向递减的趋势.     

The oldest African bat from the early Eocene of El Kohol (Algeria)

The Afro-Arabian Paleogene fossil record of Chiroptera is very poor. In North Africa and Arabia, this record is limited, thus far, to a few localities mainly in Tunisia (Chambi, late early Eocene), Egypt (Fayum, late Eocene to early Oligocene), and Sultanate of Oman (Taqah, early Oligocene). It consists primarily of isolated teeth or mandible fragments. Interestingly, these African fossil bats document two modern groups (Vespertilionoidea and Rhinolophoidea) from the early Eocene, while the bat fossil record of the same epoch of North America, Eurasia, and Australia principally includes members of the ??Eochiroptera.?? This paraphyletic group contains all primitive microbats excluding modern families. In Algeria, the region of Brezina, southeast of the Atlas Mountains, is famous for the early Eocene El Kohol Formation, which has yielded one of the earliest mammalian faunas of the African landmass. Recent fieldwork in the same area has led to the discovery of a new vertebrate locality, including isolated teeth of Chiroptera. These fossils represent the oldest occurrence of Chiroptera in Africa, thus extending back the record of the group to the middle early Eocene (Ypresian) on that continent. The material consists of an upper molar and two fragments of lower molars. The dental character association matches that of ??Eochiroptera.?? As such, although very fragmentary, the material testifies to the first occurrence of ??Eochiroptera?? in Algeria, and by extension in Africa. This discovery demonstrates that this basal group of Chiroptera had a worldwide distribution during the early Paleogene.     

基于A-train卫星对中国北方地区气溶胶分布的研究

利用A-train(CALIPSO和MODIS-Aqua)卫星的数据资料,对比分析了中国北方地区(分为3个部分西部-W区,中部-M区和东部-E区)2007年1月~2010年10月AOD的年平均和季节平均分布特征,结果发现:MODIS-Aqua的卫星资料在我国北方地区区域基本具有适用性;MODIS和CALIPSO卫星反演的AOD年平均分布特征基本一致,AOD的高值区分布在南疆盆地(主要受沙尘气溶胶的影响)和地势较低的华北平原地区;MODIS和CALIPSO卫星反演的北方地区AOD季节平均分布的结果基本一致:W区AOD的高值区在季节上分布特征是:春季最高,夏季次之,秋季最小,冬季又慢慢增大;E区AOD的高值区的分布特征是:夏季最大,春季次之,秋冬季最小.     

Earliest and first Northern Hemispheric hoatzin fossils substantiate Old World origin of a “Neotropic endemic”

The recent identification of hoatzins (Opisthocomiformes) in the Miocene of Africa showed part of the evolution of these birds, which are now only found in South America, to have taken place outside the Neotropic region. Here, we describe a new fossil species from the late Eocene of France, which constitutes the earliest fossil record of hoatzins and the first one from the Northern Hemisphere. Protoazin parisiensis gen. et sp. nov. is more closely related to South American Opisthocomiformes than the African taxon Namibiavis and substantiates an Old World origin of hoatzins, as well as a relictual distribution of the single extant species. Although recognition of hoatzins in Europe may challenge their presumed transatlantic dispersal, there are still no North American fossils in support of an alternative, Northern Hemispheric, dispersal route. In addition to Opisthocomiformes, other avian taxa are known from the Cenozoic of Europe, the extant representatives of which are only found in South America. Recognition of hoatzins in the early Cenozoic of Europe is of particular significance because Opisthocomiformes have a fossil record in sub-Saharan Africa, which supports the hypothesis that extinction of at least some of these “South American” groups outside the Neotropic region was not primarily due to climatic factors.