Table of Content

15 June 2013, Volume 51 Issue 2

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A new oviraptorid from the Upper Cretaceous of Nei Mongol, China, and its stratigraphic implications 

XU Xing, TAN Qing-Wei, WANG Shuo, Corwin SULLIVAN, David W. E. HONE, HAN Feng-Lu, MA Qing-Yu, TAN Lin, XIAO Dong

2013, 51(2):  85-101. 

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Here we report a new oviraptorid taxon based on a specimen collected from the Upper Cretaceous Wulansuhai Formation of Bayan Mandahu, Linhe, China. This new taxon is distinguishable from other oviraptorid species by the following unique features: the ventral extremity of the large and elongate external naris is located below the mid-height of the premaxilla, the strap-like jugal process of the maxilla extends well beyond the preorbital bar posteriorly and overlaps the jugal, and the anterodorsal process of the surangular is basally constricted in lateral view. Although diagnosable as an oviraptorid, this new taxon possesses several plesiomorphic features absent in other oviraptorids but reminiscent of more basal oviraptorosaurs, suggesting a relatively basal position within the Oviraptoridae. The infratemporal fenestra has a narrow dorsal border, the anterior and posterior processes of the lacrimal are relatively long, the ectopterygoid is located relatively posteriorly, the external mandibular fenestra is comparatively posterior in position, the scapula is relatively short and slender, the pubic peduncle of the ilium is both more ventrally extended and much wider anteroposteriorly than the ischial peduncle, the ischium is relatively short, and metatarsal III is compressed between metatarsals II and IV. This taxon, Wulatelong gobiensis gen. et sp. nov., is therefore inferred to be a basal oviraptorid. A preliminary analysis of the Bayan Mandahu dinosaur fauna supports the view that the Bayan Mandahu strata are the oldest Upper Cretaceous red beds exposed in the Gobi area of the MongolianPlateau.

A new oospecies of parafaveoloolithids from the Pingxiang Basin, Jiangxi Province of China

ZOU Song-Lin, WANG Qiang, WANG Xiao-Lin

2013, 51(2):  102-106. 

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Pingxiang, Jiangxi Province; Late Cretaceous; Zhoutian Formation; dinosaur egg

Two theropod track assemblages from the Jurassic of Chongqing, China, and the Jurassic stratigraphy of Sichuan Basin

XING Li-Da, Martin G. LOCKLEY, CHEN Wei, Gerard D.GIERLIŃSKI, LI Jian-Jun, W. Scott PERSONS IV, Masaki MATSUKAWA, YE Yong, Murray K. GINGRAS, WANG Chang-Wen

2013, 51(2):  107-130. 

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Four Jurassic dinosaur tracksites have been reported fromChongqing Municipality. These include the Lower Jurassic Dazu site in the Zhenzhuchong Formation, which yields the oldest sauropod trackway known from China. Two of the remaining three sites (Nan’an, and Jinji sites), variously regarded as Middle and Upper Jurassic, are here described in detail for the first time and regarded as Upper Jurassic, both from the Shangshaximiao Formation. The fourth site (Chengyu), so far not accessible to the present authors, is not described. The Nan’an site, and type locality of Chongqingpus nananensis, has yielded a large sample of theropod tracks from the heart of Chongqing Municipality, at a site that has been lost in theurban development. Fortunately the sample is preserved at ChongqingMuseum of Natural History and has been studied independently on two occasions to produce the results presented here. C. nananensis is a medium-sized track (mean track length ~29 cm) that may best be accommodated in ichngenus Kayentapus, and may in some cases preserve ill-defined hallux traces. Associated tracks are attributed to cf. Anomoepus. Other smaller ichnospecies from other localities outside Chongqing Municipality, and from older middle Middle Jurassic formations, were previously assigned to ichnogenusGrallator. The Jinji site has yielded a single long theropod trackway of a robust form tentatively labeled cf. Therangospodus. This Jinjitrackway also provides intermittent evidence of a hallux. Althoughtheropod tracks are becoming increasingly well-known in the Jurassic sections of Chongqing Municipality, the Sichuan Basin and the broader region, determining their precise age and assigning them to valid ichnotaxa remain challenging. This is because Jurassic theropod tracks, despite being abundant, show a continuous range of morphological, and preservational variation that is difficult to define and differentiate in space and time. 

Incisor fossils of Aprotodon (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) from the Early Miocene Shangzhuang Formation of the Linxia Basin inGansu, China

 DENG Tao

2013, 51(2):  131-140. 

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 Lower incisor fossils of Aprotodon lanzhouensis collected from the Early Miocene deposits in the Linxia Basin, are described in this paper. Characteristically, they are relatively robust and strongly curved. The discovery of the new specimens causes the occurrence of Aprotodon across the Oligo-Miocene boundary in the Linxia Basin to be completely confirmed. The chronological and geographical distribution of Aprotodon was essentially coincident with that of giant rhinos, but the localities and numbers of individuals recording Aprotodon were relatively rare. The mandibular morphological function of Aprotodon suggests that this form lived in sparseriparian mosaics within the arid part of northwestern China, and South andCentral Asia from the Late Eocene to the Early Miocene. Aprotodonexperienced total extinction before the Middle Miocene, which possibly resulted from climatic changes. The pattern of occurrence of Aprotodon also indicates that the climatic and environmental conditions of the Linxia Basinduring the Early Miocene were similar to relatively open woodlands of the Late Oligocene, in contrast to dense forests of the Middle Miocene.

The Miocene Hipparion (Equidae, Perissodactyla) from Shihuiba Locality, Lufeng, Yunnan

SUN Bo-Yang

2013, 51(2):  141-161. 

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The Shihuiba locality (Lufengpithecus site) at Lufeng, Yunnan is one of the most important Miocene mammal fauna sites in China. The Hipparion fossils collected from this locality from 1975 to 1983 were identified as Hipparion sp. 1 and Hipparion sp. 2. Recently, a further study of these fossils indicated that they represent two species.

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of the Triassic Ermaying and Tongchuan formations in Shanxi, China and its stratigraphic implications

LIU Jun, LI Lu, LI Xing-Wen

2013, 51(2):  162-168. 

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 Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb dating was carried out using zircons from tuffs in the Ermaying and Tongchuan formations of Shanxi, China. The results show weighted mean ages of 245.9±3.2 Ma for a sample from Member II of the Ermaying Formation, 243.1±3.9 Ma for a sample from Member I of the Tongchuan Formation, and 238.6±2.6 Ma and 234.6±6.5 Ma for two samples from the upper part of Member II of the Tongchuan Formation. These ages indicate that the lower part of the Ermaying Formation, which contains the Shaanbeikannemeyeriaassemblage, is mostly likely Lower Triassic in age, whereas, the Tongchuan Formation is likely late Anisian to Ladinian, Middle Triassic.