Everyone loves a nice plate of pasta. After all, starch is the ultimate energy food. Now, we have proof that carbo-loading has been a thing for at least 280 million years. A team from NIGPAS, University of Münste, Germany and some other institutions has discovered the oldest unequivocal fossilized starch ever found, in the form of granular caps on the megaspores of a Permian-age plant called a lycopsid. The researchers also found evidence that these high energy treats may have been the power bars of early spore spreading, by attract and reward animals for megaspore dispersal. The study, published online ahead of print for the journal Geology, also provides early evidence for mutualism between plants and animals. Lycopsids were vascular plants, ancestors of modern club mosses. They thrived in the teeming swamp forests of the Permian, about 280 million years ago. The fossil megaspores of lycopsids, with remarkably well-preserved starch granule toppings, were found in Permian-age coal in northern China. Plant seeds store starch internally to nourish seedlings. But after analyzing the starch masses in the fossil megaspores using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and comparing them to modern seeds, the researchers concluded that the starch caps were only outside, not inside, the megaspore. That means the starch wasn't part of the lycopsids' embryo nutrient system. Instead, the granules likely existed specifically as a spore-spreading device. Ants, birds, and mammals weren't around 280 million years ago, so the researchers speculate that snails, along with arthropods like millipedes and cockroaches, may have been the main consumers of the scrumptious starch snacks. In turn, they dispersed the lycopsid megaspores. While starch certainly existed long before the Permian, this discovery dishes up new insights into its ecological role. It can help us better understand the terrestrial animal food habit and the complexity of biotic interactions in deep geological time. Plus, it shows that starchy food was a creature comfort long before the days of fettucine. Reference: Liu, F., Bomfleur, B., Peng, H.P., Li, Q., Kerp, H. Zhu, H.C., S. 2018. 280-million-year old fossil starch reveals early plant-animal mutualism. Geology, 46(5), 423-426.
An international research team from China and US reported the fossil footprints for animal appendages in the Ediacaran Period (about 635–541 million years ago) from China, which was considered as the earliest footprint fossil record of animal.The research was published in Science Advances on June 6, 2018. Trackways and burrows excavated in situ from the Ediacaran Dengying Formation (Image by NIGP) On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong put the first footprint on the moon. But when did animals leave the first footprint on Earth? Recently, an international research team reported discovering fossil footprints for animal appendages in the Ediacaran Period (about 635–541 million years ago) in China. This is considered the earliest animal fossil footprint record. The research was published in Science Advances on June 6, 2018. Bilaterian animals such as arthropods and annelids have paired appendages and are among the most diverse animals today and in the geological past. They are often assumed to have appeared and radiated suddenly during the "Cambrian Explosion" about 541–510 million years ago, although it has long been suspected that their evolutionary ancestry was rooted in the Ediacaran Period. Until the current discovery, however, no fossil record of animal appendages had been found in the Ediacaran Period. Researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Virginia Tech in the United States studied trackways and burrows discovered in the Ediacaran Shibantan Member of the Dengying Formation (551–541 million years ago) in the Yangtze Gorges area of South China. The trackways are somewhat irregular, consisting of two rows of imprints that are arranged in series or repeated groups. The characteristics of the trackways indicate that they were produced by bilaterian animals with paired appendages that raised the animal body above the water-sediment interface. The trackways appear to be connected to burrows, suggesting that the animals may have periodically dug into sediments and microbial mats, perhaps to mine oxygen and food. These trace fossils represent some of the earliest known evidence for animal appendages and extend the earliest trace fossil record of animals with appendages from the early Cambrian to the late Ediacaran Period. The body fossils of the animals that made these traces, however, have not yet been found. Maybe they were never preserved. The study entitled "Late Ediacaran trackways produced by bilaterian animals with paired appendages" was published in Science Advances. The research was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the U.S. National Science Foundation, and the National Geographic Society. Reference: Z. Chen, X. Chen, C. Zhou, X. Yuan, S. Xiao, Late Ediacaran trackways produced by bilaterian animals with paired appendages. Sci. Adv. 4, eaao6691 (2018).
Stratigraphic logs of the Nantuo Formation from South China The Cryogenian Marinoan glaciation (~650 to 635Ma) is the most severe icehouse event that our planet ever experienced. In South China, the Marinoan glaciation is represented by Nantuo Formation. Geological and paleomagnetic evidences indicate that ice sheets have extended to low latitude areas during this glaciation, inspiring a hard “Snowball Earth” hypothesis. The “Snowball Earth” hypothesis proposed that the Earth’s surface was completely frozen during the Cryogenian global glaciations. Global freezing resulted in the stagnation in hydrological cycle, leading to a weak continental weathering and negligible marine sedimentation. The Earth remained completely frozen until a catastrophic meltdown of the global glaciation at 635 Ma ago, resulting a rapid deposition of glacial diamictite. On the contrary, climate model proposed that surface temperature decline would enhance the rate of dissolved organic matter remineralization in deep anoxic ocean, which would increase the atmospheric CO2 concentration in turn and prevent a whole frozen Earth, leading to the “Slushball Earth” hypothesis. The Slushball Earth hypothesis postulates that ice-free ocean must exist during the Marinoan glaciation, providing a favorable condition for active hydrological cycle and marine sedimentation. Up to date, contradictions between these two hypotheses still exist. The root cause of this problem is less sedimentological study of the global glaciation. Recently, Dr. LANG Xiantuo from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Prof. SHEN Bing from Peking University, carried out detailed sedimentological study of the Nantuo Formation in South China. On the basis of detailed sedimentary observations of 4 field outcrops and 2 drill cores ranging from the open shelf to basin facies, 10 lithofacies were identified in Nantuo Formation. Guided by the glacial facies model, three facies associations were synthesized: proximal glacial marine facies association, distal glacial marine facies association and non-glacial marine facies association. The vertical stacking pattern of facies associations can be correlated among the five slope and basin sections, while their correlation with the shelf section remains obscure. Facies analysis indicate two episodes of glaciation that are separated by an interglacial interval during the Nantuo glaciation. The first glacial episode is recorded by successions of coarse-grained facies (e.g., massive diamictite) in the lower part of the Nantuo Formation. The re-appearance of massive diamictite in the middle to upper part of the Nantuo Formation indicates onset of the second glacial episode. These two glacial episodes were separated by a siltstone/shale sequence of several 10s m thick, suggesting an interglacial period with limited influence from glaciation. The top of Nantuo Formation consists of gravelly siltstone/siltstone, representing the deglacial sequence of the Nantuo glaciation. The discovery of non-glacial facies association in the top of the Nantuo Formation suggests that the melting of the Nantuo glaciation was earlier than the deposition of the Doushantuo cap carbonate. This study demonstrates that the Nantuo Formation may deposit under a cyclic cold-warm climatic condition rather than a long-lasting global glaciation with the Earth’s surface being entirely frozen. This study greatly improved the sedimentologcial resolution of the Nantuo Formation. It also helps to resolve the controversial about the climate during the Cryogenian Marinoan glaciation. Schematic diagram showing the evolution of the Nantuo glaciation This study was financially supported by Natural Science Foundation of China and the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Article information: Lang, X., Chen, J., Cui, H., Man, L., Huang, K.-J., Fu, Y., Zhou, C., Shen, B., 2018. Cyclic cold climate during the Nantuo Glaciation: Evidence from the Cryogenian Nantuo Formation in the Yangtze Block, South China. Precambrian Research 310, 243–255.
Earliest known halysitid tabulate coral Catenipora tongchuanensis from the middle of the Jinghe Formation (Sandbian; early Late Ordovician) at Taoqupo, north-central China Catenipora is one of the most common tabulate coral genera in the Upper Ordovician Jinghe and Beiguoshan formations on the southern margin of the Ordos Basin, north-central China. Recently, Dr. LIANG Kun from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his collegues distinguished and identified the species of Catenipora using multivariate morphometric procedures. Cluster analysis based on morphological characters of coralla yields a dendrogram showing five morphospecies. The validity and distinctiveness of the morphospecies are evaluated by discriminant analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling. To identify the species represented by the morphospecies, type specimens of species that are morphologically similar from north-central China (Sino-Korean Block) and surrounding palaeocontinents are compared with the morphospecies by non-metric multidimensional scaling and descriptive statistics. The result indicates that one morphospecies represents C. daliangensis (Yu), another represents C. subovata Yu, and the others are considered to be new species named C. tongchuanensis, C. jingyangensis and C. tiewadianensis. Catenipora tongchuanensis from the middle of the Jinghe Formation (Sandbian; early Late Ordovician) is the earliest confirmed halysitid tabulate. Species of Catenipora in north-central China (Sino-Korean Block) show the highest morphological diversity (i.e. disparity) in terms of corallite size and shape, compared with other palaeocontinents in China. Species of Catenipora in North Qilian share more common components with those from north-central China than any other palaeocontinent in China. The different morphological characteristics in terms of corallite shape and ranks in some Katian species of Catenipora from East Junggar, Mongolia, South China and Estonia suggest that some species may have originated separately during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, and Catenipora is possibly polyphyletic. Paper information: Liang, K., Elias, R.J., Lee, D.-J. 2018. The early record of halysitid tabulate corals, and morphometrics of Catenipora from the Ordovician of north-central China. Papers in Palaeontology.
The paleogeographic evolution of the Lhasa Block during the Permian time has been a focused issue. It is closely related to the initial opening time of both the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean and the Neotethys Ocean. The climatic warming after the Permian glaciation and rifting of the Cimmerian continent have resulted in the formation of special paleobiogeographic affinities in different blocks. Thus, the paleobiogeography of the Lhasa Block plays an important role in understanding the opening times for these oceans. Recently, Prof. ZHANG Yichun and his colleagues from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as experts from the Chengdu Center, China Geological Survey and Sichuan Geological Survey have given a detailed study of strata and foraminifer faunas from the Xiadong and Zhabuye areas in central Tibet. In this study, the foraminifer genus Shanita has been found in the Zhabuye area. Previously, this genus has been rarely reported from the Xiala Formation in the Xainza area (Zhang et al., 2016). By contrast, Shanita, which associated with Neoschwagerina and Verbeekina, is abundant in the Zhabuye area, that indicated a Middle Permian age. The presence of this genus account for that the Lhasa Block, similar to the South Qiangtang, Baoshan, Tengchong and Sibumasu blocks, was in the Cimmerian Province in paleobiogeography. Most importantly, the special fusuline Nankinella-Chusenella assembalge was found in the upper part of the Xiala Formation in the Xiadong section. According to available data, this fusuline assemblage occurs only in many sections in the Lhasa and Tengchong blocks such as Xiadong section in Tsochen County, Xiala and Mujiuco sections in Xainza County, Bashor County in eastern Lhasa Block and northern Tengchong Block. And, they have not been reported from adjacent blocks/areas such as South Qiangtang, Baoshan, Sibumasu blocks and northern Indian margin. This special distribution pattern for Nankinella-Chusenella assemblage implies that the Lhasa and Tengchong blocks were isolated from adjacent blocks. Furthmore, the Bangong-Nujiang Ocean in the north and the Neotethys Ocean in the south would have opened before the Middle Permian. This paper will be published recently in the Journal “Journal of Asian Earth Sciences”. Paper information: Yi-chun Zhang, Shu-zhong Shen, Yu-jie Zhang, Tong-xing Zhu, Xian-yin An, Bo-xin Huang, Chun-lin Ye, Feng Qiao, Hai-peng Xu, 2018. Middle Permian foraminifers from the Zhabuye and Xiadong areas in the central Lhasa Block and their paleobiogeographic implications. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, Middle Permian fusulines from the Xiadong section
Microdictyon sp. from the Xinji Formation, Cambrian Stage 4 The isolated minute net-like phosphatic plates of Microdictyon are a quite common component among the small shelly fossils in the early Cambrian. The zoological affinity of these plates was unknown until Prof. CHEN Junyuan and his colleagues discovered the articulated soft-bodied specimens of Microdictyon from the Chengjiang Biota in 1989. Their discovery shows that these net-like plates were originally positioned on the two sides of an elongated caterpillar-like trunk possessing paired uniramous lobopod limbs, demonstrating an affinity of Lobopodia for these net-like plates. Although the isolated plates of Microdictyon have a near cosmopolitan distribution in the lower and middle Cambrian, they were previously not known from the North China Platform. Recently, PAN Bing from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his international colleagues from Durham University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History reported the discovery of isolated plates of Microdictyon from the lower Cambrian Xinji Formation along the southern margin of the North China Platform when they worked on the small shelly fossils from the Xinji Formation (Cambrian lower Stage 4). Based on analysis and comparison of the plate morphology of Microdictyon species established on isolated plates, the authors consider that studies dealing with taxonomy of isolated plates should comprehensively analyze whether the morphological variability observed in the assemblage could represent intraspecific or ontogenetic variation, and caution against establishing new species based on a small number of plates. The plates of Microdictyon from the Xinji Formation are similar to those of other species established on the basis of isolated plates but do bear some new features, such as mushroom-shaped nodes with a single inclined platform-like apex and an upper surface that displays radial lines. However, the plates reported from North China are left under open nomenclature due to inadequate knowledge of intraspecific and ontogenetic variation and low specimen numbers. They also summarize the stratigraphic occurrences and palaeogeographic distribution of Microdictyon in early and middle Cambrian. In addition, they argue against the use of Microdictyon as the index fossil of Cambrian Stage 3 and suggest that low mushroom-shaped nodes could be a primitive and conservative character of Microdictyon while tall mushroom-shaped nodes may be a derived character. The discovery of the isolated plates of Microdictyon from North China not only extends the palaeogeographic distribution of Microdictyon but also provides very important material to study the evolution and biostratigraphic significance of Microdictyon in the early and middle Cambrian. Reference: Pan, B., Topper, T.P., Skovsted, C.B., Miao L.Y., Li G.X., 2018, Occurrence of Microdictyon from the lower Cambrian Xinji Formation along the southern margin of the North China Platform. Journal of Paleontology, 92(1), 59-70.
Triassic pollen, spores and acritarchs from southern Xizang（scale bar = 20 μm） Triassic period is a time interval witnessing the significant global geographic changes with the rift of Gondwana and the expansion of Neo-Tethys. The southern area of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, which was located on the northern margin of Gondwana in the Triassic, is a key area to investigate these geological events. However, the Triassic terrestrial floras of this area and their phytogeographic affinities are so far poorly known. This study was carried out by Dr. PENG Jungang and colleagues from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. Vivi Vajda and Dr. Sam M. Slater from the Swedish Natural History Museum. Palynological analysis was carried out on Middle to Upper Triassic strata from Tulong, Nyalam County, southern Xizang (Tibet), China. Four formal and one informal biozones based on stratigraphically important taxa and compositional changes through the succession. They are in ascending order: the Triplexisporites Interval Zone (Anisian), the Staurosaccites quadrifidus Taxon-range Zone (upper Anisian to lower Norian), the Striatella Interval Zone (lower Norian), the Craterisporites rotundus Taxon-range Zone (middle to upper Norian) and the informal ‘Dictyophyllidites harrisii zone’ (Rhaetian). They are correlative with the representative palynological sequences across Gondwana, contributing to the Triassic strata division and correlation in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Analysis on palynofloral composition and key taxa shows that the Late Triassic palynoflora of southern Xizang is similar to the Onslow palynoflora of Gondwana, but distinct from the North and South China palynofloras, calling for a new Late Triassic palynofloral province of China—Southern Xizang Palynofloral Province. This new province is a supplement to the Late Triassic phytogeography of China. This study was funded by the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Research Council and the China Scholarship Council. Article information: Peng Jungang, Li Jianguo, Slater S.M., Li Wenben, Zhu Huaicheng, Vajda V., 2018. Triassic palynostratigraphy and palynofloral provinces: evidence from southern Xizang (Tibet), China. Alcheringa 42(1), 67？86.
The Late Ordovician biotic crisis was associated with a brief but intense glaciation episode in earth history. Post-glacial marine transgression created vast habits in epicontinental seas, in which benthic faunas established and diversified, with brachiopods being one of the most abundant and diverse fossil groups. Recently, to reveal diversification patterns of brachiopods after the end Ordovician mass extinction, a study carried on by Prof. HUANG Bing and CAS Academician RONG Jiayu from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences together with Prof. Jin Jisuo from Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. Based on detail data of brachiopod occurrences after the end Ordovician mass extinction, together with newly published information, they analyzed the diversification patterns of brachiopods from the Rhuddanian to the Aeronian (early Silurian) by Network Analysis and Frequency Distribution Analysis. The study discovered that Rhuddanian brachiopod faunas were characterized by low diversity and localized high abundance, except for a relatively high-diversity early Rhuddanian fauna in Avalonia-Baltica and South China. Invariably, these faunas were predominated by re-established holdover and once-cosmopolitan taxa from the Late Ordovician, primarily orthides and strophomenides. By the Aeronian, global brachiopod diversity nearly doubled in comparison with the Rhuddanian, owing to a major diversification of Silurian-type brachiopods in both the paleotropics and high-latitude Gondwana, as well as the concomitant proliferation of endemic and cosmopolitan taxa, in association with a global expansion of epicontinental seas and heterogeneity of specialized local habitats. A drastic turnover of brachiopods from the Ordovician to the Silurian type significantly affected the Paleozoic evolutionary fauna. With the ordinal data of brachiopods in major palaeoplates, we discussed the turnover process. Compared with orthides and strophomenides of typical Ordovician brachiopods globally increased their diversity after the extinction, atrypides and pentamerides of Silurian group displayed a drastic diversification from Rhuddanian to Aeronian only in lower latitude continents, demonstrated the two new orders more preferred warm water environments than the Ordovician groups. Atrypides recovered from the early Rhuddanian, whereas diversification of pentamerides delayed until to Aeronian typically demonstrated by the record of many endemic taxa from South China. The Silurian-type atrypide and pentameride communities thrived mainly in relatively shallow environments (BA2–3) during the Rhuddanian, but expanded and dominated in deeper, mid-shelf and outer-shelf settings (BA3–5) by the Aeronian. Article information: Bing HUANG, Jisuo JIN, Jiayu RONG, 2018. Post-extinction diversification patterns of brachiopods in the early–middle Llandovery, Silurian. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 493, 11-19. Network diagram showing the diversification process through the three time slices. Note the increase in cosmopolitan and endemic taxa in the major paleoplates, as well as the faunal connections among them
Palaeoenvironments and ostracod assemblages from the Lower Member of the Hongguleleng Formation, western Junggar, NW China Ostracoda are microcrustacea that first appeared in the Early Ordovician and are still developed today. They are very sensitive to the ambient environment conditions and variations, such as salinity, bathymetry, temperature, hydrodynamics, oxygenation and nutrients. Ostracods have attracted much attention from (palaeo)biologists and (palaeo)ecologists as sensitive ecological markers, offering special insights for palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical reconstruction. The western Junggar region is located in the northwest of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, NW China, which is an important component of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt during the Palaeozoic. The Late Devonian Hongguleleng Formation cropping out in the Shaerbuerti Mountains was deposited in the back-arc basin of the Zharma–Saur arc, which yield abundant and diversified faunas and floras. Recently, Dr. SONG Junjun from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with Prof. GONG Yiming from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and Prof. CRASQUIN Sylvie from Université Pierre et Marie Curie studied the Late Devonian benthic ostracods from western Junggar. Three assemblages of ostracods in the open oceanic island arc are first proposed based on ostracod faunas from the Hongguleleng Formation, i.e., OA1 (Ostracod Assemblage-1), OA2 (Ostracod Assemblage-2) and OA3 (Ostracod Assemblage-3), which represent foreshore, nearshore and offshore environments. They are more flexible and complicated than the ostracod ecological assemblages in the continental margins. The hydrodynamic condition is considered as the major environmental factor controlling the composition of the ostracod assemblages from the Hongguleleng Formation. Salinity fluctuations may also influence the composition of the ostracod assemblages. Article information: Song J, Crasquin S, Gong Y. Late Devonian benthic ostracods from western Junggar, NW China: Implications for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Geological Journal. 2018;1–10.
Revised stratigraphic framework of Hirnantian shelly rocks on the Upper Yangtze Platform of South China, indicating the interpreted association of these strata with Hirnantian glaciation Considerable uncertainties over many aspects of process and mechanism of end-Ordovician extinction still remain. One of the major difficulties is the problematic stratigraphic correlation of Hirnantian rocks between South China, where the Hirnantian GSSP is situated, and shallow water carbonate platforms in low latitudes. In South China, black graptolitic shales are well developed, and shelly strata have been widely considered as being represented only by the early to mid-Hirnantian Kuanyinchiao Formation (and its stratigraphic equivalents) deposited during the major Hirnantian glaciation. In shallow-water carbonate platforms from low-latitude regions, for example, Laurentia and Baltica, shelly fossils are dominant, and graptolites are either absent or very rare. Recently, Dr. WANG Guangxu from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues further reveals the temporal and spatial distribution of Hirnantian near-shore carbonates and shelly fossils in many areas of northern Guizhou, South China, which allows a critical stratigraphic revision and hence the establishment of a robust regional stratigraphic correlation. The Kuanyinchiao formation is revised to include three informal subdivisions, that is, units A, B, and C, in ascending order. Unit B of the formation typically is dominated by peloidal or oolitic grainstones, and unit C is composed of skeletal wackestone and calcareous mudstone, both units sharing distinctive coral and brachiopod faunas. This contrasts sharply with unit A of the formation, consisting of mudstone, silty mudstone, or calcareous mudstone, that yields the cool-water Hirnantia fauna and associated coral fauna. In view of the presence of carbonate ooids and peloids, rugose corals, and a distinctive brachiopod assemblage, all indicative of warm-water conditions, unit B, as well as unit C yielding the same shelly fauna, is interpreted as representing postglacial sedimentation immediately following the major Hirnantian glaciation, thus marking a significant climatic shift. More importantly, new findings indicate that biotic recovery after end-Ordovician extinction and its associated Hirnantian deglaciation probably have started from middle Hiranntian. Article information: Wang, G. X., Zhan, R. B., Rong, J. Y., Huang, B., Percival, I. G., Luan, X. C., Wei, X. 2018. Exploring the end-Ordovician extinctions in Hirnantian near-shore carbonate rocks of northern Guizhou, SW China: A refined stratigraphy and regional correlation. Geological Journal, 1–11.
