Many insects and their relatives are renowned for sophisticated compound eyes,which are also preserved in the fossil record.Yet there are other types of eyes,notably the so-called stemmata of holometabolans,such as be...Many insects and their relatives are renowned for sophisticated compound eyes,which are also preserved in the fossil record.Yet there are other types of eyes,notably the so-called stemmata of holometabolans,such as beetles,bees,and butterflies.Stemmata are not as effective as compound eyes,except in some predatory larvae.Here we report three lacewing larvae with large forward-directed stemmata from Cretaceous Kachin amber,Myanmar.The stemmata are large relative to those of other fossil lacewing larvae,comparable to the simple eyes of modern larvae capable of image formation.The head is very wide in one larva,representing a new type of morphology as demonstrated by a quantitative comparison of the head and stylets of over 400 fossil and extant lacewing larvae.The arrangement of the exceptionally large stemmata of the larvae reported here provides stereoscopic vision.These new specimens demonstrate the convergent evolution of highly developed simple eyes in at least two additional lineages of lacewings,showcasing the enormous diversity of lacewing larvae in the Cretaceous.展开更多
A new species,Sinocurvicubitus haotianus Xu,Shih,Ren&Wang,sp.nov.(Curvicubitidae),is described from the Upper Permian Leping Formation in Jiangxi Province,South China.This constitutes the second definitive occurre...A new species,Sinocurvicubitus haotianus Xu,Shih,Ren&Wang,sp.nov.(Curvicubitidae),is described from the Upper Permian Leping Formation in Jiangxi Province,South China.This constitutes the second definitive occurrence of Curvicubitidae in the Late Permian.Through comparative wing morphology and cladistic analyses,we resolved phylogenetic relationships within the superfamily as((Ignotalidae+Pereboriidae*)+Curvicubitidae)and validated the exclusion of Scytophara extensa from Pereboriidae.Additionally,we estimated divergence times across Pereborioidea lineages,reconstructed ancestral distribution ranges,and elucidated the origin centers and dispersal routes for Curvicubitidae.Wing eyespots and bands suggested predator mimicry,a novel defense strategy in Permian insects.展开更多
Accurate taxonomic identification based on mammalian craniodental features remains critical for evolutionary,ecological,and paleontological research,yet conventional approaches are time-intensive and demand expert inp...Accurate taxonomic identification based on mammalian craniodental features remains critical for evolutionary,ecological,and paleontological research,yet conventional approaches are time-intensive and demand expert input.To overcome these limitations,a deep learning framework,HISNET-FF,was developed with a dual-stream architecture that integrates global cranial morphology with local diagnostic signals from teeth and auditory bullae.The model operates within a hierarchical classification pipeline,processing from genus-level discrimination to species-level resolution.Evaluation on an extensive image dataset encompassing 51 species across 18 genera of Talpidae achieved exceptional accuracy at both the genus(99.6%±0.4%)and species(96.5%±1.3%)levels.This species-level performance substantially exceeded that of single-stream models employing either flat(91.2%±2.3%)or hierarchical(93.9%±2.1%)strategies.To support endto-end automation,a YOLO-based annotation module was implemented to localize key morphological traits with 97.8%recall,97.9%precision,and 81.5%mean average precision(mAP@[.50:.95]).Incorporating this module incurred only a marginal reduction of 1.9%in identification accuracy.Thus,HISNET-FF offers a robust and accurate framework that accelerates morphology-based species identification and enables automated taxonomic classification,with strong potential for broader implementation across diverse biological research domains.展开更多
The Early Pleistocene Yeka Fauna was first identified during the Hengduan Mountains Scientific Expedition in the 1980s.New mammal fossil remains were collected during the execution of the Second Tibetan Plateau Scient...The Early Pleistocene Yeka Fauna was first identified during the Hengduan Mountains Scientific Expedition in the 1980s.New mammal fossil remains were collected during the execution of the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Project(STEP)in 2020 and 2024.The most recent findings have been identified as 5 orders,12 families,15 genera,and 15 species.The updated Shangri-La fossil mammal combination(Yeka and Zhongdian faunas)has been compared to several Early Pleistocene faunas in China.It has been found to be most closely correlated to the Yuanmou Man Fauna.The faunal composition of the Shangri-La fossil mammal combination is distinguished by the co-occurrence of boreal and austral elements,a pattern that is analogous to the modern biogeography observed in the Hengduan Mountains.Faunal analysis suggests that during the Early Pleistocene,the Shangri-La region was characterized by a moderate-elevation forest intermingled with open grassland.展开更多
Pseudoscorpiones are a group of small-sized to medium-sized arachnids under the species-rich Chelicerata.They are found in many terrestrial habitats,normally cryptic,including leaf litter and soil,under tree bark or r...Pseudoscorpiones are a group of small-sized to medium-sized arachnids under the species-rich Chelicerata.They are found in many terrestrial habitats,normally cryptic,including leaf litter and soil,under tree bark or rocks.The fossil record of pseudoscorpions is mainly composed of species belonging to extinct genera in extant families,with a small number of taxa described from the famous Kachin amber,sometimes referred to as Burmese amber or Burmite(12 species in six families).Here,we describe a well preserved male specimen of pseudoscorpion from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber,representing the first fossil record of Cheliferidae from Burmese amber.This new taxon,Echinochelifer curvatus gen.&sp.nov.,is characterized by elongate tubercle-bearing pedipalps and several trichobothrial features.Based on these,we discuss the systematic placement and palaeoecological implications of the new taxon in Burmese amber.展开更多
Our purpose in this paper is to describe the hamster-like rodents(Cricetidae)from a Late Miocene age site in Linxia Basin,Gansu Province,and discuss their significance for the changing ecology of central Asia.The micr...Our purpose in this paper is to describe the hamster-like rodents(Cricetidae)from a Late Miocene age site in Linxia Basin,Gansu Province,and discuss their significance for the changing ecology of central Asia.The micromammal site known as Yihachi was introduced previously(Qiu et al.,2023;Qiu and Li,2023),when its squirrels were discussed in some detail.We take this opportunity to describe the more abundant cricetids.There are four genera,common Nannocricetus and Sinocricetus plus the less abundant living Mesocricetus.A few specimens represent the high-crowned and lophodont Rhinocerodon.The cricetids and other faunal elements indicate an early Late Miocene age,and the pattern of occurrence of the hamster species is consistent with a picture of a changing paleoenvironment due to increasing effects of the East Asia monsoon system.After the disappearance of older and archaic genera,Yihachi represents growing endemism in the Late Miocene of northern China due to increasing seasonal rain and the declining average temperature.展开更多
Autostyly,defined by fusion of the palatoquadrate to the neurocranium and loss of the hyomandibula as a suspensory element,is a hallmark of lungfish cranial organization among sarcopterygians,yet its evolutionary orig...Autostyly,defined by fusion of the palatoquadrate to the neurocranium and loss of the hyomandibula as a suspensory element,is a hallmark of lungfish cranial organization among sarcopterygians,yet its evolutionary origin remains incompletely understood.This study elucidates this transition through a detailed comparative analysis of the palatoquadrate and its articulations in three sequentially diverging stem dipnoans:Youngolepis,Diabolepis,and the earliest eudipnoan Paleolophus.Youngolepis exhibits a reoriented palatoquadrate,indicating functional reorganization of jaw mechanics prior to autostyly.In Diabolepis,reduction of the pars autopalatina and retention of a primitive suborbital articulation suggest further modification of jaw suspension.Paleolophus documents the earliest unambiguous autostyly,with direct palatoquadrate-neurocranial integration preceding complete fusion with the lateral commissure,along with an enlarged adductor fossa.Comparison with Middle and Late Devonian lungfishes indicates that full autostyly was achieved only after the development of a robust,integrated otic process.These results demonstrate that lungfish autostyly evolved stepwise,driven by increasing biomechanical demands associated with durophagous feeding.展开更多
Eospalax,one of the only two extant genera within the Myospalacinae,has a high species richness.Each species is distinguished by unique cranial and dental morphologies,as well as variations in temporal and spatial dis...Eospalax,one of the only two extant genera within the Myospalacinae,has a high species richness.Each species is distinguished by unique cranial and dental morphologies,as well as variations in temporal and spatial distribution.Consequently,Eospalax serves as a reliable indicator for the biochronologic and paleoenvironmental studies of the Quaternary of East Asia.A recent discovery of a complete fossil skull in a conglomerate deposit,a part of the Lower Pleistocene Sanmen Formation,near Jianyucha Town,Zichang County,northern Shaanxi Province,has been subjected to a detailed analysis.The specimens were identified as Eospalax simplicidens,an extinct species of Eospalax,based on dental morphology.The recent discovery of E.simplicidens in Jianyucha offers significant insights into the species’cranial morphology and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of its geographical distribution.The distinctive feature of the posterodorsal location of the external acoustic meatus indicates either a plesiomorphy or an evolutionary convergence among E.simplicidens,African root rats(Tachyoryctes),and bamboo rats(Rhizomyini).A skull(IVPP V5398.1)and four upper jaws(V5398.2)from Gongwangling in Lantian,Shaanxi,previously identified as Myospalax fontanieri,is transferred to the species E.lingtaiensis.A skull(IVPP RV35055)from Jingou,Xin’an,Henan,previously identified as E.simplicidens,is transferred to the species E.youngianus.In this study,body mass estimates are made for extinct Eospalax.Both E.lingtaiensis and E.simplicidens are small-sized zokors,with an estimated body mass of less than or approximately 300 g,respectively.展开更多
火山活动长期以来被视为驱动恐龙演化及灭绝过程的重要地质因素之一,探究二者的时空关联关系,对于进一步理解恐龙的适应性演化、空间迁移模式乃至集群灭绝事件有着重要意义。当前对火山活动与恐龙演化的时空关联研究仍存在明显不足,尤...火山活动长期以来被视为驱动恐龙演化及灭绝过程的重要地质因素之一,探究二者的时空关联关系,对于进一步理解恐龙的适应性演化、空间迁移模式乃至集群灭绝事件有着重要意义。当前对火山活动与恐龙演化的时空关联研究仍存在明显不足,尤其是在地质大数据快速发展的背景下,缺乏基于多源数据库整合与定量空间分析的系统性研究,这在一定程度上制约了对二者协同演变规律的深入解析。本研究在数据驱动框架下,整合了古生物学数据库(The Paleobiology Database,PBDB)和深骨数据库(Deepbone Database,DBD)的恐龙化石记录以及大陆和海洋岩石的地球化学数据库(Geochemistry of Rocks of the Oceans and Continents,GEOROC)的火山岩数据。在此基础上,结合古地理重建、核密度估计及K-D树最近邻搜索等方法,系统解析了晚三叠世至晚白垩世恐龙演化与火山活动的时空关联特征。结果表明:在中生代整体温暖气候背景下,恐龙分布呈现以中纬度地区为分布峰值的纬度梯度格局;中大西洋大火成岩省喷发和卡鲁费拉尔大火成岩省喷发显著影响恐龙演化,在时间和空间上二者表现出高度相关性;空间距离分析进一步揭示,恐龙化石与火山岩的距离分布呈现递减趋势与双峰特征,第一峰值位于0~200 km,第二峰值位于约450 km处。该空间分布模式可能是火山喷发引发的短期环境灾害效应、火山物质输入带来的长期生态增益作用以及构造活动塑造的古地理格局共同作用的结果。展开更多
Body size is among the key subjects in macroecology and macroevolution with important implications for conservation.Two major rules have been proposed to explain how body size changes over evolutionary time(Cope's...Body size is among the key subjects in macroecology and macroevolution with important implications for conservation.Two major rules have been proposed to explain how body size changes over evolutionary time(Cope's rule)and across temperature gradients(Bergmann's rule).To date,however,the applicability of both rules to global terrestrial vertebrates(tetrapod)remains elusive.Here,using the newly available data,we comparatively examined the temporal variation in species body size of the world's extant tetrapod species(tetrapoda as a whole)and of each class,amphibians(Amphibia),reptiles(Reptilia),mammals(Mammalia),and birds(Aves),through the Cenozoic Era.When all four classes were considered together,the species'body size had increased over time and was negatively correlated with global surface temperature.However,separate analyses on each of the four classes showed that reptiles and mammals tended to support Cope's rule,while birds and amphibians did not.Also,we found no clear difference in temporal body size variation between endothermic and ectothermic species.Overall,the support for Bergmann's rule was much stronger than that for Cope's rule.Future research using more complete and compatible body size data from fossils is needed to better understand how species'body size evolves over time and across space.展开更多
Galeaspids are an extinct group of jawless armored fishes that are integral to understanding the origin of anatomical innovations of jawed vertebrates.Resolving the nature of the jawless ancestor of jawed vertebrates ...Galeaspids are an extinct group of jawless armored fishes that are integral to understanding the origin of anatomical innovations of jawed vertebrates.Resolving the nature of the jawless ancestor of jawed vertebrates requires resolution of the anatomy of the earliest galeaspids,which is currently poorly known.Here we describe a new dayongaspid,Xihaiaspis wuningensis gen.et sp.nov.,from the Early Telychian(Early Silurian)Qingshui Formation of Lixi Town,Wuning County,Jiujiang City,Jiangxi Province,China.This first report of dayongaspids from the Lower Yangtze region supports the relative proximity of,and faunal exchange between,South China and Tarim during the Early Telychian.It also informs on the monophyly of Dayongaspidae and the early branching position of this family within Galeaspida.In particular,Xihaiaspis wuningensis gen.et sp.nov.provides insights into the nature of the last common ancestor of Dayongaspiformes,Eugaleaspidiformes and Polybrachiaspiformes.These include the nature of the median dorsal opening,which was transversely oriented and slit-shaped,as well as on the presence of ventro-lateral finfolds and dorsal spines,which were likely present in the ancestral galeaspid.展开更多
In addition to its well-known fossils,the Upper Miocene Baogeda Ula Formation is coupled with multiple basaltic lava flows,creating an ideal setting for studying its depositional history,geochronology,and associated v...In addition to its well-known fossils,the Upper Miocene Baogeda Ula Formation is coupled with multiple basaltic lava flows,creating an ideal setting for studying its depositional history,geochronology,and associated vertebrate fossils.This paper,in honor of Prof.Qiu Zhanxiang for his widely admired emphasis on the geological contexts of vertebrate fossils,attempts to synthesize known contact relationships,existing K-Ar dates,and capping basalt elevations to reframe our concept of the lithostratigraphy,magnetostratigraphy,and lateral distribution of the Baogeda Ula Formation.Within this new framework,the Baogeda Ula Formation is defined by unconformable contact with the underlying Tunggur Formation at the lower boundary and a capping basalt at the upper boundary.In many sections,two or three layers of basalts are interbedded within sedimentary strata,with the capping basalts typically belonging to the top two basalts.The newly defined Baogeda Ula Formation includes a lower member as exemplified by Halajin Hushu section and Ulan Hushuyin Nur section,and an upper member at Baogeda Ula section.This expanded concept of the Baogeda Ula Formation includes two major faunas,i.e.,the Bahean Halajin Hushu Fauna and Baodean Baogeda Ula Fauna,both falling within the Upper Miocene.We also describe rare fossil skunks(Promephitis)found in recent years that support the age assessments presented herein.展开更多
基金supported by a Volkswagen Foundation Lichtenberg professorship,the German Research Foundation(DFG Ha 6300/6-1)LMUexcellent+1 种基金the Imaging Center of the Department of Biology,University of Greifswald and the German Research Foundation(DFG INST 292/119-1 FUGGDFG INST 292/120-1 FUGG)for funding imaging there.
摘要Many insects and their relatives are renowned for sophisticated compound eyes,which are also preserved in the fossil record.Yet there are other types of eyes,notably the so-called stemmata of holometabolans,such as beetles,bees,and butterflies.Stemmata are not as effective as compound eyes,except in some predatory larvae.Here we report three lacewing larvae with large forward-directed stemmata from Cretaceous Kachin amber,Myanmar.The stemmata are large relative to those of other fossil lacewing larvae,comparable to the simple eyes of modern larvae capable of image formation.The head is very wide in one larva,representing a new type of morphology as demonstrated by a quantitative comparison of the head and stylets of over 400 fossil and extant lacewing larvae.The arrangement of the exceptionally large stemmata of the larvae reported here provides stereoscopic vision.These new specimens demonstrate the convergent evolution of highly developed simple eyes in at least two additional lineages of lacewings,showcasing the enormous diversity of lacewing larvae in the Cretaceous.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42272004,42472001,32020103006)financially supported by the Beijing Government.
摘要A new species,Sinocurvicubitus haotianus Xu,Shih,Ren&Wang,sp.nov.(Curvicubitidae),is described from the Upper Permian Leping Formation in Jiangxi Province,South China.This constitutes the second definitive occurrence of Curvicubitidae in the Late Permian.Through comparative wing morphology and cladistic analyses,we resolved phylogenetic relationships within the superfamily as((Ignotalidae+Pereboriidae*)+Curvicubitidae)and validated the exclusion of Scytophara extensa from Pereboriidae.Additionally,we estimated divergence times across Pereborioidea lineages,reconstructed ancestral distribution ranges,and elucidated the origin centers and dispersal routes for Curvicubitidae.Wing eyespots and bands suggested predator mimicry,a novel defense strategy in Permian insects.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170452)Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022B1515020033)+4 种基金Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund(U23A20161)Open Project of Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands,Hainan Normal University(HNSF-OP-2024-3)Guangzhou Higher Education Teaching Quality and Teaching Reform Engineering Special Talent Training Plan Project(2022ZXRCPR007)Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung(BMBF Project KI-Morph 05D2022)National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC2601200)。
摘要Accurate taxonomic identification based on mammalian craniodental features remains critical for evolutionary,ecological,and paleontological research,yet conventional approaches are time-intensive and demand expert input.To overcome these limitations,a deep learning framework,HISNET-FF,was developed with a dual-stream architecture that integrates global cranial morphology with local diagnostic signals from teeth and auditory bullae.The model operates within a hierarchical classification pipeline,processing from genus-level discrimination to species-level resolution.Evaluation on an extensive image dataset encompassing 51 species across 18 genera of Talpidae achieved exceptional accuracy at both the genus(99.6%±0.4%)and species(96.5%±1.3%)levels.This species-level performance substantially exceeded that of single-stream models employing either flat(91.2%±2.3%)or hierarchical(93.9%±2.1%)strategies.To support endto-end automation,a YOLO-based annotation module was implemented to localize key morphological traits with 97.8%recall,97.9%precision,and 81.5%mean average precision(mAP@[.50:.95]).Incorporating this module incurred only a marginal reduction of 1.9%in identification accuracy.Thus,HISNET-FF offers a robust and accurate framework that accelerates morphology-based species identification and enables automated taxonomic classification,with strong potential for broader implementation across diverse biological research domains.
摘要The Early Pleistocene Yeka Fauna was first identified during the Hengduan Mountains Scientific Expedition in the 1980s.New mammal fossil remains were collected during the execution of the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Project(STEP)in 2020 and 2024.The most recent findings have been identified as 5 orders,12 families,15 genera,and 15 species.The updated Shangri-La fossil mammal combination(Yeka and Zhongdian faunas)has been compared to several Early Pleistocene faunas in China.It has been found to be most closely correlated to the Yuanmou Man Fauna.The faunal composition of the Shangri-La fossil mammal combination is distinguished by the co-occurrence of boreal and austral elements,a pattern that is analogous to the modern biogeography observed in the Hengduan Mountains.Faunal analysis suggests that during the Early Pleistocene,the Shangri-La region was characterized by a moderate-elevation forest intermingled with open grassland.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42293280)the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province(Grant No.202401BC070012)to Yu Liu who is further supported by the Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program+1 种基金the Scientific Research and Innovation Project of Postgraduate Students in the Academic Degree of Yunnan University(Grant No.KC-24249960 to Feng Chen)the Yunnan Fundamental Research Projects(Grant No.202401CF070193 to Qingqing Zhang).
摘要Pseudoscorpiones are a group of small-sized to medium-sized arachnids under the species-rich Chelicerata.They are found in many terrestrial habitats,normally cryptic,including leaf litter and soil,under tree bark or rocks.The fossil record of pseudoscorpions is mainly composed of species belonging to extinct genera in extant families,with a small number of taxa described from the famous Kachin amber,sometimes referred to as Burmese amber or Burmite(12 species in six families).Here,we describe a well preserved male specimen of pseudoscorpion from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber,representing the first fossil record of Cheliferidae from Burmese amber.This new taxon,Echinochelifer curvatus gen.&sp.nov.,is characterized by elongate tubercle-bearing pedipalps and several trichobothrial features.Based on these,we discuss the systematic placement and palaeoecological implications of the new taxon in Burmese amber.
摘要Our purpose in this paper is to describe the hamster-like rodents(Cricetidae)from a Late Miocene age site in Linxia Basin,Gansu Province,and discuss their significance for the changing ecology of central Asia.The micromammal site known as Yihachi was introduced previously(Qiu et al.,2023;Qiu and Li,2023),when its squirrels were discussed in some detail.We take this opportunity to describe the more abundant cricetids.There are four genera,common Nannocricetus and Sinocricetus plus the less abundant living Mesocricetus.A few specimens represent the high-crowned and lophodont Rhinocerodon.The cricetids and other faunal elements indicate an early Late Miocene age,and the pattern of occurrence of the hamster species is consistent with a picture of a changing paleoenvironment due to increasing effects of the East Asia monsoon system.After the disappearance of older and archaic genera,Yihachi represents growing endemism in the Late Miocene of northern China due to increasing seasonal rain and the declining average temperature.
摘要Autostyly,defined by fusion of the palatoquadrate to the neurocranium and loss of the hyomandibula as a suspensory element,is a hallmark of lungfish cranial organization among sarcopterygians,yet its evolutionary origin remains incompletely understood.This study elucidates this transition through a detailed comparative analysis of the palatoquadrate and its articulations in three sequentially diverging stem dipnoans:Youngolepis,Diabolepis,and the earliest eudipnoan Paleolophus.Youngolepis exhibits a reoriented palatoquadrate,indicating functional reorganization of jaw mechanics prior to autostyly.In Diabolepis,reduction of the pars autopalatina and retention of a primitive suborbital articulation suggest further modification of jaw suspension.Paleolophus documents the earliest unambiguous autostyly,with direct palatoquadrate-neurocranial integration preceding complete fusion with the lateral commissure,along with an enlarged adductor fossa.Comparison with Middle and Late Devonian lungfishes indicates that full autostyly was achieved only after the development of a robust,integrated otic process.These results demonstrate that lungfish autostyly evolved stepwise,driven by increasing biomechanical demands associated with durophagous feeding.
摘要Eospalax,one of the only two extant genera within the Myospalacinae,has a high species richness.Each species is distinguished by unique cranial and dental morphologies,as well as variations in temporal and spatial distribution.Consequently,Eospalax serves as a reliable indicator for the biochronologic and paleoenvironmental studies of the Quaternary of East Asia.A recent discovery of a complete fossil skull in a conglomerate deposit,a part of the Lower Pleistocene Sanmen Formation,near Jianyucha Town,Zichang County,northern Shaanxi Province,has been subjected to a detailed analysis.The specimens were identified as Eospalax simplicidens,an extinct species of Eospalax,based on dental morphology.The recent discovery of E.simplicidens in Jianyucha offers significant insights into the species’cranial morphology and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of its geographical distribution.The distinctive feature of the posterodorsal location of the external acoustic meatus indicates either a plesiomorphy or an evolutionary convergence among E.simplicidens,African root rats(Tachyoryctes),and bamboo rats(Rhizomyini).A skull(IVPP V5398.1)and four upper jaws(V5398.2)from Gongwangling in Lantian,Shaanxi,previously identified as Myospalax fontanieri,is transferred to the species E.lingtaiensis.A skull(IVPP RV35055)from Jingou,Xin’an,Henan,previously identified as E.simplicidens,is transferred to the species E.youngianus.In this study,body mass estimates are made for extinct Eospalax.Both E.lingtaiensis and E.simplicidens are small-sized zokors,with an estimated body mass of less than or approximately 300 g,respectively.
摘要火山活动长期以来被视为驱动恐龙演化及灭绝过程的重要地质因素之一,探究二者的时空关联关系,对于进一步理解恐龙的适应性演化、空间迁移模式乃至集群灭绝事件有着重要意义。当前对火山活动与恐龙演化的时空关联研究仍存在明显不足,尤其是在地质大数据快速发展的背景下,缺乏基于多源数据库整合与定量空间分析的系统性研究,这在一定程度上制约了对二者协同演变规律的深入解析。本研究在数据驱动框架下,整合了古生物学数据库(The Paleobiology Database,PBDB)和深骨数据库(Deepbone Database,DBD)的恐龙化石记录以及大陆和海洋岩石的地球化学数据库(Geochemistry of Rocks of the Oceans and Continents,GEOROC)的火山岩数据。在此基础上,结合古地理重建、核密度估计及K-D树最近邻搜索等方法,系统解析了晚三叠世至晚白垩世恐龙演化与火山活动的时空关联特征。结果表明:在中生代整体温暖气候背景下,恐龙分布呈现以中纬度地区为分布峰值的纬度梯度格局;中大西洋大火成岩省喷发和卡鲁费拉尔大火成岩省喷发显著影响恐龙演化,在时间和空间上二者表现出高度相关性;空间距离分析进一步揭示,恐龙化石与火山岩的距离分布呈现递减趋势与双峰特征,第一峰值位于0~200 km,第二峰值位于约450 km处。该空间分布模式可能是火山喷发引发的短期环境灾害效应、火山物质输入带来的长期生态增益作用以及构造活动塑造的古地理格局共同作用的结果。
基金supported by the Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(2023ZKZD36).
摘要Body size is among the key subjects in macroecology and macroevolution with important implications for conservation.Two major rules have been proposed to explain how body size changes over evolutionary time(Cope's rule)and across temperature gradients(Bergmann's rule).To date,however,the applicability of both rules to global terrestrial vertebrates(tetrapod)remains elusive.Here,using the newly available data,we comparatively examined the temporal variation in species body size of the world's extant tetrapod species(tetrapoda as a whole)and of each class,amphibians(Amphibia),reptiles(Reptilia),mammals(Mammalia),and birds(Aves),through the Cenozoic Era.When all four classes were considered together,the species'body size had increased over time and was negatively correlated with global surface temperature.However,separate analyses on each of the four classes showed that reptiles and mammals tended to support Cope's rule,while birds and amphibians did not.Also,we found no clear difference in temporal body size variation between endothermic and ectothermic species.Overall,the support for Bergmann's rule was much stronger than that for Cope's rule.Future research using more complete and compatible body size data from fossils is needed to better understand how species'body size evolves over time and across space.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42572008,9225530,42130209)the Leverhulme Trust(No.RF-2022-167)。
摘要Galeaspids are an extinct group of jawless armored fishes that are integral to understanding the origin of anatomical innovations of jawed vertebrates.Resolving the nature of the jawless ancestor of jawed vertebrates requires resolution of the anatomy of the earliest galeaspids,which is currently poorly known.Here we describe a new dayongaspid,Xihaiaspis wuningensis gen.et sp.nov.,from the Early Telychian(Early Silurian)Qingshui Formation of Lixi Town,Wuning County,Jiujiang City,Jiangxi Province,China.This first report of dayongaspids from the Lower Yangtze region supports the relative proximity of,and faunal exchange between,South China and Tarim during the Early Telychian.It also informs on the monophyly of Dayongaspidae and the early branching position of this family within Galeaspida.In particular,Xihaiaspis wuningensis gen.et sp.nov.provides insights into the nature of the last common ancestor of Dayongaspiformes,Eugaleaspidiformes and Polybrachiaspiformes.These include the nature of the median dorsal opening,which was transversely oriented and slit-shaped,as well as on the presence of ventro-lateral finfolds and dorsal spines,which were likely present in the ancestral galeaspid.
摘要In addition to its well-known fossils,the Upper Miocene Baogeda Ula Formation is coupled with multiple basaltic lava flows,creating an ideal setting for studying its depositional history,geochronology,and associated vertebrate fossils.This paper,in honor of Prof.Qiu Zhanxiang for his widely admired emphasis on the geological contexts of vertebrate fossils,attempts to synthesize known contact relationships,existing K-Ar dates,and capping basalt elevations to reframe our concept of the lithostratigraphy,magnetostratigraphy,and lateral distribution of the Baogeda Ula Formation.Within this new framework,the Baogeda Ula Formation is defined by unconformable contact with the underlying Tunggur Formation at the lower boundary and a capping basalt at the upper boundary.In many sections,two or three layers of basalts are interbedded within sedimentary strata,with the capping basalts typically belonging to the top two basalts.The newly defined Baogeda Ula Formation includes a lower member as exemplified by Halajin Hushu section and Ulan Hushuyin Nur section,and an upper member at Baogeda Ula section.This expanded concept of the Baogeda Ula Formation includes two major faunas,i.e.,the Bahean Halajin Hushu Fauna and Baodean Baogeda Ula Fauna,both falling within the Upper Miocene.We also describe rare fossil skunks(Promephitis)found in recent years that support the age assessments presented herein.