Table of Content

15 December 2001, Volume 39 Issue 04

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EARLY TRIASSIC HYBODONTOIDEA FROM TIANDONG OF GUANGXI, CHINA ———First Report on the Fish Sequence Study Near the Permian-Triassic Boundary in South China

WANG Nian-Zhong, YANG Shou-Ren, JIN Fan, WANG Wei

2001, 39(04):  237-250. 

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The materials dealt with in this paper were collected from the Luolou Formation of Zuodeng area, Tiandong County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Figs. 1 ,2). They include three hybodontoid species: Hybodus zuodengensis (Yang et al., 1984), H. yohi (Yang et al., 1984) and Polyacrodus tiandongensis sp. nov., and an indeterminate osteichthyan fish. The two species of Hybodus were initially identified as conodonts — Pachycladina zuodengensis and Pseudogondalella yohi by Yang et al. in 1984. This is the first report on the occurrence of marine Early Triassic Hybodontoidea in China. With the reassignment and new discovery of these fishes, a fish assemblage (Hybodus zuodengensis-H. yohi Zone) is established, which is the only Triassic fish zonation in China. The age of this zonation is Early Triassic (early Spathian of Olenekian Stage) for it makes its appearance just in the conodont Neospathodus homeri-N. t riangularis Zone.

THE ANATOMY OF THE FIRST ARCHOSAURIFORM (DIAPSIDA) FROM THE TERRESTRIAL UPPER TRIASSIC OF CHINA

WU Xiao-Chun, LIU Jun, LI Jin-Ling

2001, 39(04):  251-265. 

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Yonghesuchus sangbiensis, a new genus and species of the Archosauriformes, is erected on the basis of its peculiar cranial features. This taxon represents the first record of tetrapods from the Late Triassic terrestrial deposits of China. Its discovery is significant not only to our study on the phylogeny of the Archosauriformes but also to our understanding of the evolution of the Triassic terrestrial vertebrate faunae in China. The presence of pterygoid teeth may exclude the new form from the Archosauria, and the apomorphic position of the foramen for the internal carotid artery indicates that the new form appears to be phylogenetically closer to the Archosauria than are Turfanosuchus and the Proterochampsidae. Comparisons with these taxa suggest that the Y. sangbiensis-bearing Tongchuan Formation is probably of early Late Triassic age.

NEW MATERIAL OF MAM ENCHISAURUS HOCHUANENSIS FROM ZIGONG, SICHUAN

YE Yong, OU YAN G Hui, FU Qian-Ming

2001, 39(04):  266-271. 

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A nearly complete skeleton of sauropod from the Upper J urassic of Zigong, Sichuan, is described in this paper. The new specimen (ZDM0126) is included in M. hochuanensis as its main similar features. But it has skull, teeth, the posterior caudals, pectoral girdle and fore limb which are absent in the holotype of M. hochuanensis, therefore, it complements some important features to this species, as follows: The features of the skull is generally similar to M. youngi. The skull is light and of Camarasaurus-type. The occipital condyle is hemispherical shaped. The basioccipital process is well developed. The paraoccipital process is well developed, its distal end is expanded and fan-shaped. The occipital keel of supreoccipital is well developed and triagle-shaped in dorsal view. The basipterygoid process of the basisphenoid is slender. The middle part of the parictal is very narrow, only 46mm in width. No pineal foramen is present. The frontal is thin and wide. The premaxillary is relatively short and thin, with a well developed nasal process. The maxillary is relatively long and large. The dentary is long and thin with relatively droopy anterior end. Teeth are small and spatulate, the crowns are relatively high and narrow. The medial ridges in the internal surface of the crown are well developed. Denticles are well developed on the anterior edge of teeth crown of the unworn teeth. The posterior caudals are fused with each other, their centra are not expended, the neural arch is remarkably expanded and the size of the neural canal and the height of the neural spines increased. In lateral view, the posterior caudals are cockscomb-shaped. The scapula is large and long, with a slender shaft. The coracoid is pointed and oval-shaped. The sternum is small and oval-shaped. The clavicle is short, with two processes in the proximal end. The humerus is short, almost 70 % the length of the femur. Both the proximal and distal ends are remarkably expanded, the deltoid crest is not well developed. The ulna is longer than the radius and 70 % the length of the humerus. The proximal end of the uala is relatively expanded with a prominent radiale-fossa. The radius is straight and flat. The femur is long and flat, its two ends are remarkably expanded. In the known species of Mamenchisaurus, cervical, dorsal, sacral, mid-anterior caudals are well preserved except for the posterior caudals. Therefore, the features of the posterior caudals are not known. The new materials show that the posterior caudals are fused with each other and are expanded and cockscombs-haped, which differ distinctly from the hammer-shaped tail of Shunosaurus and Omeisaurus. We suggest that its posterior caudals have two main functions: it serves not only as a defensive weapon, but also as an acute sense organ.

A NEW SAUROPOD DINOSAUR OF CRETACEOUS FROM JIANGSHAN, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE

TANG Feng, KANG Xi-Min, JIN Xing-Sheng, WEI Feng, WU Wei-Tang

2001, 39(04):  272-281. 

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The specimen described herein represents a new genus and species Jiangshanosaurus lixianensis of sauropod referable to the Titanosauridae. The specimen was collected by Wei Feng, Wu Wei2Tang and Kang Xi2Min in Jiangshan, Zhejiang allegedly from the lower part of Jinhua Formation in Albian (105Ma) horizon. The preserved part is fairly complete. Compared to the sauropod skeletons in China and other nations from Late Jurassic and Cretaceous, the diagnosis of scapulocoracoid and vertebrae of the new genus is most similar to those of Titanosauridae, especially Alamosaurus. The new fossil is described as the Titanosauridae for the first time in China, and provides new material for studying the evolution and distribution of Cretaceous Sauropoda, Titanosauridae in China.

A LONG-NECKED THERIZINOSAUROID DINOSAUR FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS IREN DABASU FORMATION OF NEI MONGOL, PEOPL E’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

ZHANG Xiao-Hong, XU Xing, ZHAO Xi-Jin, Paul SERENO, KUANG Xue-Wen, TAN Lin

2001, 39(04):  282-290. 

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Two partial skeletons are described from the Upper Cretaceous Iren Dabasu Formation of Nei Mongol that represent a new therizinosauroid theropod. Neimongosaurus yangi gen. et sp. nov., is the first therizinosauroid to preserve most of the axial column and nearly all of the long bones of a single individual. Distinctive characteristics of the new species include anterior caudal vertebrae with a circular fossa under the transverse process, radius with a prominent biceps tuberosity, proximal pedal phalanges with well developed heels, tibia with an extremely long fibular crest that is much longer than the half length of the tibia, lateral surface of preacetabular process twisted to face dorsally, and caudal vertebrae with widely divergent prezygapophyses. Neimongosaurus displays a few characters that are not reported in other therizinosauroids but do occur in some advanced maniraptorians, such as highly pneumatized vertebra and derived shoulder girdle. Particularly the elongated neck and shortened tail provide further evidence for a close relationship between therizinosauroids and oviraptorsaurs.

NEW MATERIAL OF AN THRACO KER YX B RIMANICUS FROM GUANGXI, CHINA

LI Qian, CHEN Geng-Jiao

2001, 39(04):  291-296. 

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Summary can be seen in PDF.

GLIRID AND GERBILL ID RODENTS FROM THE MIDDL E MIOCENE QUANTOUGOU FAUNA OF LANZHOU, GANSU

QIU Zhu-Ding

2001, 39(04):  297-305. 

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The present paper describes one species of dormouse Microdyromys wuae Qiu, 1996 and two new species of gerbils Mellalomys gansus sp. nov. and Myocricetodon plebius sp. nov. collected from the upper Xianshuihe Formation at Quantougou, Gausu, followed by a discussion of the Quantougou Fauna biochronology, biogeography and paleoecology. Gerbils in this fauna represent the earliest record of the family Gerbillidae in China. Faunal correlation indicates that the Quantougou Fauna resembles the middle Miocene Tunggur Fauna of Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia) both chronologically and ecologically. The occurrence of gerbils at Quantougou suggests that the Quantougou Fauna was adapted to a more xeric open habitat than the Tunggur Fauna.

NEW REMAINS OF PAREL ASMOTHERIUM (PERISSODACTYLA, RHINOCEROTIDAE) FROM THE LATE MIOCENE IN DONGXIANG, GANSU, CHINA

DENG Tao

2001, 39(04):  306-311. 

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Parelasmotherium linxiaense sp. nov., discovered from the Hipparion fauna in Dongxiang County ,Gansu Province, China, has large size, relatively weak enamel plications, and marked crista and hypocone to be distinguished from P. schansiense and P. simplum. The first discovery of the lower cheek teeth of Parelasmotherium is very important, because we can recognize more characters of Parelasmotherium different from those of Sinotherium based on them. This new species has an accurate horizon ,and its age is the early Late Miocene.