scholarly journals Presence of the Jehol Biota turtle <i>Ordosemys liaoxiensis</i> in the Early Cretaceous Hengtongshan Formation of southern Jilin Province, China

Fossil Record ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Fu Zhou ◽  
Wen-Hao Wu ◽  
Márton Rabi

Abstract. Recently, a vertebrate assemblage of the Jehol Biota has been reported from the Early Cretaceous Hengtongshan Formation of Xingling Town, Meihekou City, Jilin Province, China. It is dominated by the fishes Lycoptera and Sinamia and the sinemydid turtle Ordosemys. Here, we describe the turtle specimens and referral to Ordosemys liaoxiensis, otherwise known from the older Yixian Formation of the Jehol Biota. It is characterized by a subcircular shell, wide vertebral scales, well-developed plastral fenestrae, and a major contribution from the xiphiplastra to enclose the hypo-xiphiplastral fenestra. As the first Mesozoic turtle of Jilin Province, this record represents the first tetrapod to indicate the presence of the Jehol Biota in the region. Given the geographic and temporal distance from the Yixian Formation, future collections from the Hengtongshan Formation have good potential for evaluating spatiotemporal patterns of the Jehol Biota.

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2676 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHANG-FU ZHOU

A new eucryptodiran turtle from the Jiufotang Formation of Lamadong, Jianchang County, represents the third turtle taxon, Liaochelys jianchangensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Jehol Biota of western Liaoning Province, China. This taxon is diagnosed by a character combination including a midline contact of the prefrontals, vertebrals wider than long, third costals strongly expanded distally, and a medial contact of the eighth costals. A preliminary cladistic analysis places Liaochelys jianchangensis along the phylogenetic stem of Cryptodira in a position more derived than the taxa, Manchurochelys manchoukuoensis and Ordosemys liaoxiensis, known from the underlying Yixian Formation. This discovery opens a new window into the osteology and evolution of primitive eucryptodiran turtles.


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2534 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHANG-FU ZHOU

Within the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China, the turtle Manchurochelys manchoukuoensis Endo & Shikama, 1942 was one of the first discovered tetrapod fossils, but no additional information on this enigmatic taxon has become available during the past half century since its discovery. Here, a new turtle skeleton from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province is identified as referable to M. manchoukuoensis on the basis of an elongate oval shell, long and narrow second to fourth vertebral scutes, and two suprapygals, of which the second is much larger than the first. This specimen therefore represents the second specimen of M. manchoukuoensis, the holotype of which was probably lost during World War II. This discovery not only provides essential material that allows the validity of M. manchoukuoensis to be tested, but also substantially expands understanding of its bony anatomy, especially with regard to cranial morphology. Among other features, M. manchoukuoensis is characterized by a postorbital that does not contact the quadrate/squamosal and a deep temporal emargination, which support a close relationship with Sinemys spp. and distinguish it from the co-existing Ordosemys liaoxiensis. A cladistic analysis that includes M. manchoukuoensis further supports the hypothesis that Sinemydidae is a monophyletic group that includes Sinemys spp. and Dracochelys bicuspis.


2012 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenyang Cai ◽  
Andrew E. Z. Short ◽  
Diying Huang

The first skiff beetle fossil and earliest myxophagan,Hydroscapha jeholensisn. sp., is described and illustrated on the basis of a single specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou of Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, Northeastern China. Based on the combination of diagnostic characters of this specimen (e.g., minute and fusiform body, short elytra, tapered abdomen, separated meso- and metacoxae, and 3-segmented tarsi), we suggest that it is a definitive representative of Hydroscaphidae belonging to the widespread hydroscaphid genusHydroscaphaLeConte, 1874. It also represents the only impression fossil of the beetle suborder Myxophaga. This find displays great significance for shedding light on the preservation of the minute aquatic beetles, since it is the first well-preserved impression fossil reported for the suborder, rather than amber inclusion.


2015 ◽  
Vol 153 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
JINYOU MO ◽  
ERIC BUFFETAUT ◽  
HAIYAN TONG ◽  
ROMAIN AMIOT ◽  
LIONEL CAVIN ◽  
...  

AbstractThe vertebrate assemblage from the Early Cretaceous non-marine Xinlong Formation of the Napai Basin, in the south-western part of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (southern China), is reviewed. The assemblage includes chondrichthyans (at least six species of hybodont sharks includingHybodus, Thaiodus, HeteroptychodusandAcrorhizodus), actinopterygians (Halecomorphi and Ginglymodi), turtles (the adocidShachemysand the carettochelyidKizylkumemys), crocodilians (cf.Theriosuchus) and dinosaurs (the sauropodsFusuisaurusandLiubangosaurus, carcharodontosaurid and spinosaurid theropods, iguanodontians and a possible psittacosaurid). This assemblage shows many similarities to those from non-marine formations of the Khorat Group of north-eastern Thailand. It seems to be particularly close to that from the Khok Kruat Formation, considered as Aptian in age, as shown especially by sharks and turtles and by the presence of iguanodontians. An Aptian age is therefore proposed for the Xinlong Formation. A study of the stable oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of reptile apatite suggests that this part of South China experienced subtropical arid conditions during the deposition of the Xinlong Formation. In its composition, the vertebrate fauna from the Xinlong Formation seems to be more similar to coeval faunas from SE Asia than to assemblages from northern China (including the Jehol Biota). Although this may partly reflect different depositional and taphonomic environments (fluvial for the Xinlong Formation versus lacustrine for the Jehol Biota) it seems likely that, during Early Cretaceous time, southern China and SE Asia were part of a distinct zoogeographical province, different from that corresponding to northern China. This may be the result of both climatic differences (with relatively cool climates in northern China versus a subtropical climate in the south) and geographical barriers such as mountain chains.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis M. Chiappe ◽  
Meng Qingjin ◽  
Francisco Serrano ◽  
Trond Sigurdsen ◽  
Wang Min ◽  
...  

During the last decade, several Bohaiornis-like enantiornithine species—and numerous specimens—have been recognized from the celebrated Jehol Biota of northwestern China. In this paper, we describe the anatomy of another “bohaiornithid” species from the 125 million-year-old Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China. The new taxon differs from previously recognized “bohaiornithids” on a number of characters from the forelimb and shoulder girdle. We also provide a new phylogenetic framework for enantiornithine birds, which questions the monophyly of the previously recognized bohaiornithid clade and highlights ongoing challenges for resolving enantiornithine interrelationships. Additionally, we offer the first assessment of the flight properties of Bohaiornis-like enantiornithines. Our results indicate that while “bohaiornithids” were morphologically suited for flying through continuous flapping, they would have been unable to sustain prolonged flights. Such findings expand the flight strategies previously known for enantiornithines and other early birds.


2013 ◽  
Vol 385 ◽  
pp. 221-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaichun Wu ◽  
Shihong Zhang ◽  
Ganqing Jiang ◽  
Tianshui Yang ◽  
Junhua Guo ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. SP521-2021-141
Author(s):  
Chang-Fu Zhou ◽  
Xinyue Wang ◽  
Jiahao Wang

AbstractCtenochasmatid pterosaurs flourished and diversified in the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota. Here, a partial mandible of Forfexopterus is described based on a three-dimensional reconstruction using high-resolution X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) data. The first nine pairs of functional teeth of the rostral dentition revealed along with their replacements. The functional teeth are evenly arranged with a tooth density of 2.2 teeth/cm. The tooth crown is distinctly reduced from its base to the tip, and framed by two weak ridges, possibly as a pair of vestigial carinae. The replacement teeth are sharp and pointed, and have erupted slightly against the medial surface of the functional teeth. Surprisingly, tooth wear is observed in this specimen, the first record of tooth-tooth occlusion in ctenochasmatids. The wear facets exhibit high-angled lingual and lower-angled labial facets, implying a tooth-tooth occlusion in pterosaur clade. This discovery indicates that the Jehol ctenochasmatids possibly employed a more active feeding strategy than other filter-feeding pterosaurs (e.g. Ctenochasma, Pterodaustro, Gnathosaurus).Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5722060


2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangfang TENG ◽  
Junchang LÜ ◽  
Xuefang WEI ◽  
Yufu HSIAO ◽  
Michael PITTMAN

Fossil Record ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-196
Author(s):  
Chang-Fu Zhou ◽  
Jiahao Wang ◽  
Ziheng Zhu

Abstract. In the Jehol Biota, the filter-feeding ctenochasmatid pterosaurs flourished with a high biodiversity. Here, we report a new wing skeleton of the ctenochasmatid Forfexopterus from the Early Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Jianchang, western Liaoning, China. The specimen exhibits the sole autapomorphy, the first wing phalanx shorter than the second and longer than the third. Interestingly, it exhibits a skeletal maturity with co-ossified elements, but it is only about 75 % the size of the immature holotype. This discrepancy reveals developmental variation of Forfexopterus, but its relationship with sexual dimorphism needs to be certain by more available material.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document