New fossils discovered in Northern China suggest that life "went large" on Earth more than 1.5 billion years ago, or nearly one billion years earlier than previously thought.
Decimetre-scale multicellular fossils from the 1.56-billion-year-old rocks of North China (Picture by ZHU Maoyan) New fossils discovered in Northern China suggest that life "went large" on Earth more than 1.5 billion years ago, or nearly one billion years earlier than previously thought. This research has been published in Nature Communications DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11500, on May 18, 2016. According to the report by Prof. ZHU Maoyan from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues, these 1.56-billion-year-old, macroscopic multicellular eukaryotes fossils are preserved as carbonaceous (carbon-rich) compressions with size up to 30 cm long and 8 cm wide, which are discovered in the mudstone of the Mesoproterozoic "Gaoyuzhuang Formation" in the Yanshan region, Hebei Province. Among the total 167 measurable fossils, 53 fossils exhibit at least four regular shapes (linear, cuneate, oblong and tongue-shaped). Organic fragments extracted by acid maceration from the host rocks of the macroscopic Gaoyuzhuang fossils show extraordinarily well-preserved multicellular cell structure. Based on the morphometric analyses of these macrofossils and syngenetic cellular microfossils, authors interpret these Gaoyuzhuang fossils as benthic, multicellular and likely photosynthetic eukaryotes with unprecedentedly large size and a modest diversity populated in early Mesoproterozoic seas. However, their exact affinity remains uncertain. Further research will help to shed light into these ancient marine ecosystems. Before discovery of the Gaoyuzhuang macrofossils, eukaryotes with comparable size do not know in the fossil record until ca. 600 million years ago in Ediacaran seas, so this new discovery predates diversification of macroscopic multicellular eukaryotes by nearly 1,000 million years. The Gaoyuzhuang macrofossils represent the compelling evidence for the early evolution of organisms large enough to be visible with the naked eye, and totally renew the current knowledge on early history of life written in textbook that the oldest known macroscopic organism is Grypania, a coiled and ribbon-like fossil of less two millimeters wide and few centimeters long during the early Proterozoic. Therefore, the discovery provides a crucial benchmark for our understanding of early evolution of eukaryotes, and stimulate new thinking on the Proterozoic Earth-life system which has been called as the "Boring Billion" or "Earth’s middle age" exhibiting evolutionary stasis. The research project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the China Geological Survey, and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Contact: Prof. ZHU Maoyan State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy (LPS) Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences E-mail: myzhu@nigpas.ac.cn Related News: BBC News: Life forms 'went large' a billion years ago Phys.org: Complex life a billion years earlier than thought? Daily Mail: Is this the world's first multicellular life? ABC: Seaweed-like fossils may be earliest large multicellular life forms on Earth Washington Post: Did you know Earth had a boring phase? Neither did these huge fossils redOrbit: Complex life formed 1.5 billion years ago, study finds Science News: 1.56-billion-year-old fossils add drama to Earth’s ‘boring billion’
Recently, scientists from China, France, Germany, Lebanon and other countries comprehensively studied a peculiar group of small insects from 100 million-year-old Burmese amber. These insects are named Archipsyllidae, a group previously often shown in the Middle Jurassic Daohugou biota, and they can be traced back in more ancient geological time. Compression fossils of Archipsyllidae are usually compared with the modern Psocoptera, although they are not exactly the same. Despite their minute body sizes (about 2 mm long), the exceptional preservation of amber inclusions provides important new morphological details for understanding the morphology and early evolution of these insects. The study was mainly focused on the complex mouthparts of these insects, which represent an evolutionary link documenting the transition from chewing to piercing mouthparts in relation to suction feeding. Considering other peculiar structures, these “missing link” fossils are attributed to a new order Permopsocida, a group comprising more than 20 extinct species from Permian to Cretaceous. Fossils from the Burmese amber represent the latest occurrences for the order, and they persisted for about 200 million years. The permopsocid mouthparts are highly specialized, which can be inferred from Jurassic forms from Daohugou. Possible lycopod sporangia were found from the gut of a Jurassic form. Interestingly, in the abdomen of an amber fossil thousands of pollen grains were recognized, and they are referred to the angiosperm family Nyssaceae. Their unique mouthparts were well adapted to feed on Nyssaceae pollens (about 10 mm in diameter). Nyssaceae is now still living in Southeast Asia and North America, but Permopsocida have become extinct for a long time. After the emergence of angiosperms, they evolved complex co-evolutionary relationships with insects, resulting in radiation of modern angiosperms many insects. However, direct evidence indicating insect-mediated pollination in the Mesozoic is rare. The study provides an excellent example for understanding the co-evolution between plants and insects. Related information of this paper: Huang Diying, Bechly G., Nel P., Engel M. S., Prokop J., Azar D., Cai Chenyang, Kamp T. van de, Staniczek A., Garrouste R., Krogmann L., Rolo T. dos S., Baumbach T., Ohlhoff R., Shmakov A. S., Bourgoin T., Nel A., 2016: New fossil insect order Permopsocida elucidates major radiation and evolution of suction feeding in hemimetabolous insects (Hexapoda: Acercaria). Scientific Reports 6, 23004, doi: 10.1038/srep23004 Holotype of Psocorrhyncha burmitica, preserved in Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.Life history reconstruction. Specimens depicted as flying or feeding on flowers of Nyssaceae.
The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota, one of the most important Mesozoic lagerst？tten in East Asia, is especially well-known for occurrences of fossil feathered dinosaurs and early angiosperms. However, the terrestrial biodiversity, especially the fossil wood record, is poorly known. In recent years, Prof. WANG Yongdong from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS (NIGPAS) and his team have investigated several structurally preserved coniferous wood specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation from the Heichengzi Basin in Beipiao of western Liaoning, Northeast China. Four species referred to four genera of fossil wood are described, including Taxodioxylon heichengziense sp. nov., Thujoxylon beipiaoense sp. nov., Sciadopityoxylon liaoningense Ding and Protocedroxylon shengjinbeigouense sp. nov. These new records enlarge the fossil wood diversity of the Yixian Formation up to 10 species in 9 genera, and provide further insights into the forest vegetation composition of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Systematic analysis of the floral constitution indicates that the petrified forests of the Yixian Formation are dominated by conifers, represented by Araucariaceae, Podocarpaceae, Sciadopityaceae, Pinaceae and Cupressaceae in the western Liaoning region. Palaeoclimatical analysis of the fossil wood assemblage implies that the western Liaoning region was dominated by a cool temperate, wet and seasonal climate with variable interannual water supply in the western Liaoning region during the Early Cretaceous. This may provide potential links of palaeoclimate variations and occurrences of feathered dinosaurs of the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Information of publication: Ding QH, Tian N*, Wang YD*, Jiang ZK, Chen SW, Wang D, Zhang W, Zheng SL, Xie AW, Zhang GQ, Liu ZJ, 2015. Fossil coniferous wood from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota in western Liaoning, NE China: new material and palaeoclimate implications. Cretaceous Research, 61, 57-70.
Thujoxylon beipiaoense sp. nov. and its anatomical features from the Early Cretaceous of Yixian Formation in western Liaoning, China Sciadopityoxylon liaoningense from and its anatomical features from the Early Cretaceous of Yixian Formation in western Liaoning, China
Fossil Ginkgophyta are one of the most widely used indicators for estimating the paleoatmospheric CO2 levels from the Triassic to present day. There are quite a few CO2 estimates for the Triassic to Jurassic interval; however, the data from China are still limited. Recently, Dr. WU Jingyu, Post Doc of NIGPAS and associate Professor of Lanzhou University, in collaboration with Prof. WANG Yongdong in NIGPAS, have investigated two fossil Ginkgoites species, G. magnifolius Du Toit and G. obrutschewii (Seward) Seward from collections from the Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic in Huating County, Gansu Province, Northwest China. The fossil leaf morphology and epidermal structure were studied and the stomatal parameters were analyzed for the reconstruction of paleoatmospheric CO2 concentrations. The results were recently published in the international “Pal？ontologische Zeitschrift” published in Germany. The paleoatmospheric CO2 levels during the Late Triassic of China is estimated for the first time based on fossil material from Gansu. This study demonstrates that fossils yield paleo-CO2 values of 1962 ppmv in the Late Triassic and 1320 ppmv in the Middle Jurassic. Compared with previous estimates of atmospheric CO2 concentration based on stomatal parameter of fossil Ginkgo/Ginkgoites from Northwest China, the change of Jurassic paleo-CO2 levels accord with the trend of CO2 concentration proposed by GEOCARB III and Crustal Production models. The results demonstrate that the paleo-CO2 of the Late Triassic was higher than that of the Early to Middle Jurassic; but an increasing trend of paleo-CO2 could be detected from the Early to the Middle Jurassic. The present data provide an independent check for the paleo-CO2 value estimation based on isotopic analysis. This represents the follow up study results by Wang Yongdong’s research team in recent years after significant results were get published in Earth-Science Reviews on Cretaceous palaeo-CO2 variation and greenhouse climate.
Information of publication: Wu Jing-yu, Ding Su-ting, Li Qi-jia, Sun Bai-nian, Wang Yong-dong*, 2016. Reconstructing paleoatmospheric CO2 levels based on fossil Ginkgoites from the Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic in Northwest China. Pal？ontologische Zeitschrift, Doi: 10.1007/s12542-016-0300-1. Cuticles and stomata of fossil leaves of Ginkgoites Paleo-CO2 variations during the Late Triassic to the Middle Jurassic based on the stomatal ratios of Chinese plant fossils, and comparison with geochemical models
Conchostracans Eosestheria sp. from the middle Upper Member of Bayingebi Formation in the Celaomiao region, western Inner Monglia, China. When Laurasia began to break up in the Early Cretaceous, the freshwater and terrestrial Jehol Biota appeared and was widely distributed in eastern Eurasia. As the earliest biota of the Modern Biosphere represented by thriving angiosperms, birds, and mammals, it is generally divided into three stages: the early, the middle, and the late Jehol Biota. They have different biological characters and geographical distributions. In northern Hebei and western Liaoning provinces, the major distribution areas of the Jehol Biota, the Jehol Group (strata bearing the Jehol Biota) has been well studied. The early Jehol Biota is recorded from the Dabeigou Formation and its coeval horizons, the middle Jehol Biota from the Yixian Formation and the late Jehol Biota from the Jiufotang Formation and their respectively coeval strata. Recent investigation conducted by the group led by Professor ZHANG Haichun from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences cooperated with colleagues from University of Hong Kong and China University of Petroleum, reports some typical components of the Jehol Biota for the first time from the Bayingebi Formation in the Celaomiao region, western Inner Mongolia, China, including conchostracans Eosestheria sp., the mayfly Ephemeropsis trisetalis Eichwald, 1864, the aquatic beetle Coptoclava longipoda Ping, 1928, and a fragmentary dragonfly. This discovery indicates that the middle Upper Member of Bayingebi Formation can be correlated with the upper Yixian and the lower Jiufotang formations in western Liaoning Province. Combining it with the radio-isotopic dating result, they further indicate that the Upper Member of Bayingebi Formation could be roughly correlated with the Yixian, Jiufotang, and Shahai formations, and the overlying Suhongtu Formation with the Fuxin Formation in western Liaoning Province. Fossil insects from the middle Upper Member of Bayingebi Formation in the Celaomiao region, western Inner Mongolia, China. In the major Bayingebi Basin, palaeontological and radio-isotopic dating evidence shows that the Bayingebi Formation has a long depositional history of over 30 Ma: its Upper Member bearing the Jehol Biota and the early Fuxin Biota is probably coeval to the Yixian, Jiufotang and Shahai formations and has a Barremian–early Albian age; its Lower Member may be Berriasian–Hauterivian in age and could be correlated with the upper Tuchengzi, Zhangjiakou, and Dabeigou formations in northern Hebei Province. This suggests that the Bayingebi Formation should be promoted to the stratigraphic rank of group and subdivided into several secondary units (formations). Unlike the previous result, the Yingen Formation is considered across the Lower Cretaceous–Upper Cretaceous boundary and being late Albian–early Turonian in age. Related information: Li, S., Zheng, D.R., Zhang, Q., Liao, H.Y., Wang, H., Wang, B., Wang J., Lu, H.B., Chang, S.C., Zhang, H.C.*, 2016. Discovery of the Jehol Biota from the Celaomiao region and discussion of the Lower Cretaceous of the Bayingebi Basin, northwestern China. Palaeoworld, 25: 76-83.
Comparison of typical characters of T. gregaria gen. et sp. nov. and T. orientalis (Rong et al., 1974). Earliest Silurian brachiopod faunas have been described from a number of regions. Among them, the brachiopods fauna from Norway and South China are totally different in many aspects, such as diversity, relative abundance and preservation. Recently, A new brachiopod genus Thulatrypa gen. nov. is formally erected by Dr. HUANG Bing from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues based on their collections from both Norway and China. There are two species assigned to the new genus. T. gregaria gen et sp. nov. from Norway and T. orientalis (Rong et al., 1974) from South China that occurred in the recovery interval after the end Ordovician mass extinction, are systematically described in detail. The related localities and stratigraphic information are reported in detail and compared for the two species. Their palaeobiogeographical implications are discussed. This study indicates that T. gregaria is later than T. orientalis in age, suggesting that Thulatrypa may have originated in South China in the middle Rhuddanian and drifted to east Baltica in the late Rhuddanian. Moreover, the larvae of the genus may have drifted along a channel from the east to the south-west of Baltica, which supports reconstruction of palaeo-currents for the early Silurian in previous palaeogeographical studies. Global palaeogeography at about 440 Ma in the early Silurian (revised from Rong & Cocks 2014). WSEC and solid arrows—Western South Equatorial Currrent. Dashed arrows—the cold-water mid-latitude return current. Related information: Huang Bing, Baarli B.G., Zhan Renbin, Rong Jiayu. 2016. A new early Silurian brachiopod genus, Thulatrypa, from Norway and South China, and its palaeobiogeographical significance. Alcheringa, 40: 83-97.
Holotype and reconstruction of Juraherba bodae Left: the holotype. Right: a, the whole plant; b, fructification; c, distal portion of a leaf In contrast to woody habit with secondary growth, truthful herbaceous habit lacking secondary growth is restricted to angiosperms among seed plants. Although angiosperms might have occurred as early as in the Triassic and herbaceous habit theoretically may have been well adopted by pioneer angiosperms, pre-Cretaceous herbs are missing hitherto, leaving the origin of herbs and evolution of herbaceous angiosperms mysterious. In a paper published on Acta Geologica Sinica (English edition), the team led by Professor WANG Xin from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences report Juraherba bodae gen. et sp. nov, a whole plant herbaceous angiosperm, from the Middle Jurassic (>164 Ma) at Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China, a fossil Lagerst？tten that is worldwide famous for various fossil finds. The angiospermous affinity of Juraherba is ensured by its enclosed ovules/seeds. The plant is small but complete, with physically connected hairy root, stem, leaves, and fructifications. The Middle Jurassic age recommends Juraherba as the earliest record of herbaceous seed plants, demanding a refresh look at the evolutionary history of angiosperms. Related information: Han G, Liu Z-J, Liu X, Mao L, FMB Jacques, Wang X*, 2016, A whole plant herbaceous angiosperm from the Middle Jurassic of China, Acta Geologica Sinica (English edition), 90(1):19-29
Investigations of Emsian conodonts from Bahe, Liujing and Daliantang sections in South China yielded abundant collections of Ozarkodina prolata Mawson, 1987 and O. midundenta (Wang and Ziegler, 1983). Initially named Pandorinellina exigua midundenta by Wang and Ziegler (1983) without any information regarding the Sa element of the apparatus by which Pandorinellina mainly differs from Ozarkodina, midundenta is re-assigned back to Ozarkodina and raised to species level herein. Based on morphological analysis of O. prolata and O. midundenta, it seems plausible that the latter developed from the former by progressive fusion of denticles in the middle third of the blade above the basal cavity in the Pa element. Related information: Lu Jianfeng, 2016. Morphological analysis of Ozarkodina prolata Mawson and Ozarkodina midundenta (Wang & Ziegler) (Emsian conodonts) from South China. Alcheringa, 40(1): 129-146. Scatter diagram showing the relationship between total length of the unit (TL) and length of anterior blade (AL) or length of anterior blade together with basal cavity area (ACL) in Ozarkodina prolata Mawson, 1987 and Ozarkodina midundenta (Wang & Ziegler, 1983)
Representative brachiopods from the lower Niuchang Formation at Xinglongchang section
Following the end-Ordovician mass extinction, the interval of the latest Ordovician to the earliest Silurian was marked by a widespread transgression. The earliest Silurian brachiopod fauna has been documented from a number of regions. However, with rare exceptions, the precise age of most of those assemblages is not certain. Recently, a recovery brachiopod fauna was found in the lower Niuchang Formation (upper Rhuddanian-lower Aeronian, Llandovery) of the Xinglongchang section, Meitan County, northern Guizhou Province, South China, by Dr. HUANG Bing from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues. Nine collections were made at the section, all of which are dominated by brachiopods, and three associations are recognized here and their paleoecology is discussed. Paleoenvironmental analysis shows a shallowing upward trend for the lower Niuchang Formation although a global transgression was happening at that time. The balance between the global transgression and the regional Qianzhong Uplift guaranteed a stable environment for the formation of the Niuchang Formation and the recovery of brachiopods in South China after the end-Ordovician mass extinction. In addition to the traditional methods of PCA and CA, a relatively new technique to paleontology, “Network Analysis” (NA), is applied successfully in this study. It is suggested that Network Analysis could be used as one of the supporting methods in investigating brachiopod paleoecology. Related information: Huang Bing, Zhan Renbin, Wang Guangxu. 2016. Recovery brachiopod associations from the lower Silurian of South China and their paleoecological implications. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. Vol 53: DOI: 10.1139/cjes-2015-0193. Nine collections made in the lower Niuchang Formation (upper Rhuddanian to lowermost Aeronian, Llandovery, lower Silurian) at Xinglongchang section The bipartite network diagram of NA, three brachiopod-dominated associations were consistently recognized
the lycopsid cormose rhizomorph from the Middle Devonian of North Xinjiang, the whole specimens the partial enlargement. Lycopsids have the longest evolutionary history among extant vascular land plants. The group originated in the late Silurian from herbaceous forms, peaked in both diversity and abundance in the Carboniferous when arborescent forms dominated tropical coal swamps, and they have extant herbaceous counterparts such as Isoetes L. The lycopsids are a monophyletic group with various growth forms in the Devonian and Carboniferous. The Middle Devonian witnessed the first appearance of forests, with, among others, arborescent rhizomorphic and/or heterosporous lycopsids. The Middle Devonian was also the key period for the evolution and diversification of lycopsids in terms of growth forms and increasing diversity. The characterization of the rhizomorphs is important for interpreting the evolution and taxonomy of lycopsids. However, well-preserved Devonian lycopsid rhizomorphs are rare. Recently, Prof. XU Honghe and Prof. WANG Yi from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Scineces recognized a cormose rhizomorph of probable lycopsid affinity from the upper Middle Devonian (c. 387 Ma) of West Junggar, Xinjiang, Northwest China. They suggested that by the Middle Devonian, rhizomorphic lycopsids had diversified and different types of lycopsid rooting systems had developed. The cormose rhizomorph might have had an earlier origination than previously thought. Related information: Xu H-H, Wang Y, 2016. The earliest cormose rhizomorph of putative lycopsid affinity from the Middle Devonian of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 226, 54–57. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2015.12.005
