Chorilingia (Neuroptera: Grammolingiidae): a new genus of lacewings with four species from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China

SHI, C.F., WANG, Y.J., YANG, Q. & REN, D., September 2012. Chorilingia (Neuroptera: Grammolingiidae): a new genus of lacewings with four species from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. Alcheringa 36, 311–320. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new grammolingiid genus, Chorilingia containing four new species (C. euryptera, C. parvica, C. translucida and C. peregrina) is described and illustrated from the Jiulongshan Formation at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The new genus is differentiated mainly on the first branch of vein Rs (Rs1) separating distal to the forks of both CuA and CuP. A key to species of the genus is provided.     

A new Miocene carnivorous marsupial,Barinya kutjamarpensis (Dasyuromorphia), from central Australia

Binfield, P., Archer, M., Hand, S.J., Black, K.H., Myers, T.J., Gillespie, A.K. & Arena, D.A., June 2016. A new Miocene carnivorous marsupial, Barinya kutjamarpensis (Dasyuromorphia), from central Australia. Alcheringa 41, xx–xx. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new dasyuromorphian, Barinya kutjamarpensis sp. nov., is described on the basis of a partial dentary recovered from the Miocene Wipajiri Formation of northern South Australia. Although about the same size as the only other species of this genus, B. wangala from the Miocene faunal assemblages of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland, it has significant differences in morphology including a very reduced talonid on M₄ and proportionately wider molars. Based on the structural differences and the more extensive wear on its teeth, the central Australian species might have consumed harder or more abrasive prey in a more silt-rich environment than its congener, which hunted in the wet early to middle Miocene forests of Riversleigh.

Pippa Binfield [pippa.binfield@outlook.com], Michael Archer [m.archer@unsw.edu.au], Suzanne J. Hand [s.hand@unsw.edu.au], Karen H. Black [k.black@unsw.edu.au], Troy J. Myers [t.myers@unsw.edu.au] Anna K. Gillespie [a.gillespie@unsw.edu.au] and Derrick A. Arena [rick@sitc.net.au], PANGEA Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales 2052, Sydney, Australia.     

Howchinia Cushman, 1927 (Foraminifera) from the Mississippian Bei’an Formation and its distribution in South China

Shen, Y. & Wang, X.L., July 2016. Howchinia Cushman, 1927 (Foraminifera) from the Mississippian Bei’an Formation and its distribution in South China. Alcheringa 40, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Howchinia Cushman is a useful biostratigraphic marker for Mississippian rocks. In South China, Howchinia has been reported from four sections: the Bei’an, Baping, Naqing and Yashui sections; with high species diversity in the Bei’an section. Ten species from the Mississippian Bei’an Formation in the Bei’an section are described in this paper: Howchinia bradyana, H. beleutensis, H. gibba, H. plana, H. convexa, H. subconica, H. subplana, Howchinia sp. A, Howchinia sp. B. and Howchinia beianensis sp. nov. Howchinia ranges from late Visean to early Bashkirian in South China. Howchinia species inhabited both shallow-water and relatively deep-water environments.

Yang Shen [shenybj@126.com] and Xun-Lian Wang [wxl@cugb.edu.cn], State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, 29 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, PR China.     

西周金文形声字的形成及构形特点考察

本文通过对西周金文形声字的全面考察,得出了西周金文形声字的主要形成方式有增加义符、增加声符、形声相益、变形声化四种;构形上具有声符、义符位置不固定、形体不固定、数量不固定等特点,这些为认识早期形声字的面貌及理解后世形声字声符兼义现象提供了帮助。     

Formation processes of desiccated and carbonized plant remains – the identification of routine practice

The taphonomic or formation processes of desiccated and carbonized plant remains are reviewed and compared. Both types of assemblage frequently consist of material of mixed origin, but despite a high degree of mixing, the various routes of entry are still identifiable, and it is concluded that archaeological plant assemblages are more robust than often assumed. Case studies where the accurate identification of the formation processes has been critical are examined and guidelines on how to assess the formation processes are presented. It is argued that the coherence of archaeobotanical assemblages is due to the fact that they represent day-to-day routine behavioural practices. As these routine practices are socially and culturally structured, the identification of formation processes of plant remains can help identify social and cultural behaviour and changes therein.     

Beyond the buildings: Formation processes of ancient Maya houselots and methods for the study of non-architectural space

The success of activity areas research in domestic contexts has highlighted the need for archaeologists working in the tropics to explore both indoor and outdoor spaces. The preservation of houselot boundaries at ancient Chunchucmil, Yucatán, Mexico, provides an ideal environment to explore methods for the investigation of broad spaces beyond buildings, to test ethnoarchaeological models of activity areas and refuse disposal, and to demonstrate the importance of open spaces to understanding ancient economic organization. The results of methodological experiments reported in this paper favor the use of systematic subsurface sampling (as opposed to surface collections) for characterizing specific uses of space around houses. Formation processes dictate that soil chemistry, paleoethnobotany, and other laboratory techniques should supplement excavations. Our explorations of three houselots suggest that ethnoarchaeological models of the use of space in contemporary houselots serve as successful templates for interpreting the use of space in ancient times. Post-abandonment deposition within houselots, however, can confuse these interpretations. This paper therefore reports a new ethnoarchaeological study that helps illuminate the nature of post-abandonment discard. After resolving critical issues of methodology and formation processes, this paper assesses the economic contribution of houselot activities. Given Chunchucmil’s agricultural marginality, such home economics played an important role in the subsistence needs of this urban center.     

A new fossil petalurid dragonfly (Odonata: Petaluroidea: Aktassiidae) from the Cretaceous of China

LI, Y.J., HAN, G., NEL, A. REN, D., PANG, H. & LIU. X.L., September 2012. A new fossil petalurid dragonfly (Odonata: Petaluroidea: Aktassiidae) from the Cretaceous of China. Alcheringa 36, 321–324. ISSN 0311-5518.

The new petalurid species Pseudocymatophlebia boda is described from Lower Cretaceous strata of Inner Mongolia, China. It provides additional morphological characters for this genus, which has been previously recorded from the Lower Cretaceous of England. Together with Aktassia, it is the second aktassiid genus with a very wide distribution, even though this family remains known only from Eurasia. Furthermore, a new name, Brachaktassia gen. nov., is proposed to replace the brachiopod genus Aktassia Popov, 1976.     

Possible fossil impression in sandstone from the late Palaeoproterozoic-early Mesoproterozoic Semri Group (lower Vindhyan Supergroup), central India

The Lower–Middle Ordovician Zitai Formation of the South China palaeoplate consists of a succession of purple red, nodular argillaceous limestones. Palaeogeographically, it is distributed along the southeastern margin of the Yangtze Platform, and is of late Floian to Dapingian age, correlative with the Dawan Formation of the Middle and Lower Yangtze Platform. In Shitai County, Anhui Province, East China, the Zitai Formation is rich in conodonts, enabling the recognition of four biozones based on first appearance data. Detailed palaeontological and biostratigraphical study of these conodonts reveals that the Ordovician conodont radiation in the Lower Yangtze Platform attained its first diversity peak low in the Oepikodus evae Biozone. This diversification is generally consistent with macroevolutionary trends of brachiopods of South China and graptolites of the Upper Yangtze Platform, but was earlier than that of trilobites and acritarchs of the same palaeoplate. Correlation with the sea-level curve for South China suggests that conodont diversity change during the Ordovician radiation was mainly controlled by regional sea-level fluctuations.     

First fossil pollen record of Auriculiidites Elsik, 1964 in Australia

Macphail, M.K. & Partridge, A.D., June 2012. First fossil pollen record of Auriculiidites Elsik, 1964 Elsik, W. C. 1964. A new sporomorph genus from eastern Peru. Pollen et Spores, 6: 601–604.  [Google Scholar] in Australia. Alcheringa 36, 283–286. ISSN 0311-5518.

Fossil auriculate pollen assigned to Auriculiidites Elsik is preserved in middle early Eocene estuarine facies near Strahan, on the west coast of Tasmania. This is the first record of this otherwise Late Cretaceous–Paleocene morphogenus in Australia and possibly the Southern Hemisphere. Auriculiidites is one of several, now tropical, taxa found at Strahan and underscores the area's importance in understanding the impact of early Eocene global warming at high latitudes.

Mike Macphail [mike.macphail@anu.edu.au], Department of Archaeology & Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, ACT 0200, Australia; Alan D. Partridge, Biostrata Pty. Ltd. 302 Waiora Rd., Macleod, Victoria 3085, Australia. Received 28.8.2011, revised 5.2.2012, accepted 16.2.2012.     

Lark Quarry revisited: a critique of methods used to identify a large dinosaurian track-maker in the Winton Formation (Albian–Cenomanian), western Queensland,Australia

Thulborn, R.A., 2013. Lark Quarry revisited: a critique of methods used to identify a large dinosaurian track-maker in the Winton Formation (Albian–Cenomanian), western Queensland, Australia. Alcheringa, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03115518.2013.748482

A remarkable assemblage of dinosaur tracks in the Winton Formation (Albian–Cenomanian) at Lark Quarry, a site in western Queensland, Australia, has long been regarded as evidence of a dinosaurian stampede. However, one recently published study has claimed that existing interpretation of Lark Quarry is incorrect because the largest track-maker at the site was misidentified and could not have played a pivotal role in precipitating a stampede. That recent study has identified the largest track-maker as an ornithopod (bipedal plant-eating dinosaur) similar or identical to Muttaburrasaurus and not, as formerly supposed, a theropod (predaceous dinosaur) resembling Allosaurus. Those iconoclastic claims are examined here and are shown to be groundless: they are based partly on misconceptions and partly on fabricated data that have been assessed uncritically using quantitative measures of questionable significance. Such ill-founded claims do not reveal any substantial flaw in the existing interpretation of the Lark Quarry dinosaur tracks.