A mixed-feeding Equus species from the Middle Pleistocene of South Africa     

Thomas M. Kaiser  Tamara A. Franz-Odendaal   《Quaternary Research》2004,62(3):316-323

The dietary regime of Equus capensis from the Middle Pleistocene of South Africa is investigated by mesowear analysis. Results indicate that the mesowear signature of this species resembles that of two extant mixed feeders, the Grant's Gazelle (Gazella granti) and the Thomson's Gazelle (Gazella thomsoni), suggesting a mixed feeding dietary strategy for E. capensis. The mesowear signature of a contemporaneous population of Equus mosbachensis from Europe (Arago, France) is also determined for comparative purposes and has a typical grazing signature. In general, all extant species of Equus are believed to be almost exclusively grazers. However, a considerable degree of dietary flexibility is recently reported. The dietary signal of E. capensis is considered to be the result of feeding on the unique fynbos vegetation, which was beginning to establish itself at this time in southwestern South Africa. Grasses are a minor component of this floral kingdom. Our findings thus provide further evidence for the unexpected flexibility in feeding strategies of Equus, the most widely distributed equid taxon in the Quaternary. They highlight the potential use of the attrition–abrasion wear equilibrium as a habitat indicator, by mirroring the availability of food items in mammalian herbivore ecosystems.  相似文献   

Geochronology of Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna and Gigantopithecus in Guangxi Province, southern China     

W.J. Rink  W. Wei  D. Bekken  H.L. Jones 《Quaternary Research》2008,69(3):377-387

Pleistocene faunas from south China are difficult to subdivide based on the long temporal ranges of many taxa and a reduced number of genera in comparison to faunas from temperate north China. In south China, the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna is a very general one and includes a relatively stable suite of genera that apparently persisted for long periods of time. These attributes have made constraining its time range difficult. Application of electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth enamel constrains the ages well where uranium uptake was minor. Where uranium uptake into teeth was significant, an approach combining ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U isotopic analysis also yields excellent ages. Previous estimates of early, middle and late Pleistocene time ranges previously determined by biostratigraphic seriation for the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna are confirmed in all cases but are made more precise with our approach, including specific time ranges for certain archaic taxa. Absolute dating also yields an extended time range for Gigantopithecus blacki of 1200 to 310 ka.  相似文献   

辽东大连新元古代臼齿构造（Molar-tooth）形态与沉积微环境关系探讨   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

彭楠  柳永清  旷红伟 《高校地质学报》2012,18(1):180-188

臼齿构造（Molar tooth）,简称MT,是一种仅发育于前寒武纪碳酸盐岩地层中的特殊沉积现象。在全世界的许多地区
广泛发育。中国辽宁大连地区新元古代碳酸盐岩中发育了大量的臼齿构造。野外和室内的观察研究将MT 形态划分为2 大类
（原地MT 和异地MT）,5 亚类（条带状、杆状、蠕虫状、斑状和碎屑状）,主要发育浅潮下带-潮间带环境。通过对MT 形
态及发育的微环境特征分析得出,大连地区MT 形态与沉积微环境存在一定的对应关系。泻湖中以MT1-1 和MT1-2 类型为主,
潮间带中部主要发育MT1-3 和MT4 类型,潮间带中部-潮间带上部常见MT2 和MT3类型,浅潮下带风暴浪基面附近或潮间
带下部高能环境多见MT5 类型。由此推断,在水体安静并且陆源碎屑物质干扰小的环境中,容易产生平直或弯曲的宽、长
条带状MT,而在动荡的水体中或是陆源碎屑物质含量高的环境中,往往形成短小的MT。因此,MT 的形态类型一定程度受
到沉积水动力条件和陆源碎屑物质混入的影响。此外,大量的陆源碎屑物质的混入或抑制MT形成或减小MT 的发育规模。  相似文献   

A Megatheropod Tooth from the Early Cretaceous of Fusui,Guangxi, Southern China     

MO Jinyou  HUANG Chaolin  XIE Shaowen  Buffetaut ERIC 《《地质学报》英文版》2014,88(1):6-12

A nearly complete right maxillary or left dentary tooth（NHMG 10858） from the Lower Cretaceous Xinlong Formation of the Napai Basin, Fusui County, Guangxi, southern China, is described. The tooth is large in size, with a CBL of 37 mm. Given the geological age and its crown morphology, including the size, it is most likely that the tooth belongs to a carcharodontosaurid. The recovered specimen represents one of the largest theropod teeth hitherto reported from the Early Cretaceous of Asia.  相似文献