Siluro-Devonian vertebrate biostratigraphy and biogeography of China

Zhao, Wei; Zhu, Min

doi:10.1016/j.palwor.2009.11.007

Cited by 83 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Recent discoveries reveal that Silurian gnathostomes were far more diverse and widely distributed than previously recognized1011. Of particular importance is Xiaoxiang fauna of Yunnan Province, southwestern China, based on fossils from a series of marine sediments of which the Kuanti Formation is by far the most productive1213.…”

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The largest Silurian vertebrate and its palaeoecological implications

Choo

Zhu

Zhao

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

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An apparent absence of Silurian fishes more than half-a-metre in length has been viewed as evidence that gnathostomes were restricted in size and diversity prior to the Devonian. Here we describe the largest pre-Devonian vertebrate (Megamastax amblyodus gen. et sp. nov.), a predatory marine osteichthyan from the Silurian Kuanti Formation (late Ludlow, ~423 million years ago) of Yunnan, China, with an estimated length of about 1 meter. The unusual dentition of the new form suggests a durophagous diet which, combined with its large size, indicates a considerable degree of trophic specialisation among early osteichthyans. The lack of large Silurian vertebrates has recently been used as constraint in palaeoatmospheric modelling, with purported lower oxygen levels imposing a physiological size limit. Regardless of the exact causal relationship between oxygen availability and evolutionary success, this finding refutes the assumption that pre-Emsian vertebrates were restricted to small body sizes.

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The largest Silurian vertebrate and its palaeoecological implications

Choo

Zhu

Zhao

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

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“…Fish remains have been assigned to the Diabolepis-Nanpanaspis macrovertebrate assemblage II sensu Zhu, Wang & Wang (2000) and the Cuifengshan assemblage sensu Zhao & Zhu (2010), indicating a mid-late Lochkovian age. Fish remains have been assigned to the Diabolepis-Nanpanaspis macrovertebrate assemblage II sensu Zhu, Wang & Wang (2000) and the Cuifengshan assemblage sensu Zhao & Zhu (2010), indicating a mid-late Lochkovian age.…”

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confidence: 92%

Lochkovian plants from the Xitun Formation of Yunnan, China, and their palaeophytogeographical significance

Xue

2011

Geol. Mag.

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A megafossil plant assemblage containing three zosterophyll plants (Gen. nov. A, aff. Huia sp. and a unnamed spike) is described from the Lower Devonian Xitun Formation (Lochkovian) of Qujing, Yunnan Province, China, providing new data on the diversity of plant types during the Lochkovian, a time poorly represented by fossil vascular plants. Gen. nov. A has a character combination of naked axes, a diagnostic branching pattern (i.e. K-type branching as well as small lateral branches scattered along the axes) and lateral stalked sporangia. Aff. Huia sp. has ovate and stalked sporangia which are arranged in loose spirals and are reflexed adaxially. Combining the plants previously reported from the Xitun Formation (i.e. Xitunia spinitheca, Zosterophyllum shengfengense and Z. minorstachyum), the Xitun flora is dominated by zosterophylls and exhibits varied vegetative and fertile morphologies. Unlike the coeval plant assemblages in many localities of Laurussia and western Gondwana, which are mainly composed of plants with isotomous branching and terminal sporangia, the Lochkovian flora of South China is dominated by zosterophylls, documenting the existence of a distinct Northwest Gondwanan phytogeographic unit in the Lochkovian and a strong effect of phytogeographical isolation.

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“…The fishes, Donfangaspis and Sanqiaspis rostrata were thought to indicate a Pragian age. Hence the lower part of the group was considered to be Siegenian/Pragian and possibly partly Gedinnian/Lochkovian in age ([23,24,25,26,27] and also in Fig 1 of Turner et al, 1995 [28]). However all the fish species are endemic making global correlation less secure.…”

Section: Stratigraphy and Agementioning

confidence: 99%

New Plants from the Lower Devonian Pingyipu Group, Jiangyou County, Sichuan Province, China

Edwards

Geng

2016

PLoS ONE

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Descriptions of Lower Devonian plants from Yunnan, South China, have revolutionized concepts of diversity and disparity in tracheophytes soon after they became established on land. Sichuan assemblages have received little attention since their discovery almost 25 years ago and require revision. With this objective, fieldwork involving detailed logging and collection of fossils was undertaken in the Longmenshan Mountain Region, Jiangyou County and yielded the two new taxa described here. They are preserved as coalified compressions and impressions that allowed morphological but not anatomical analyses. Yanmenia (Zosterophyllum) longa comb nov is based on numerous rarely branching shoots with enations resembling lycophyte microphylls, without evidence for vasculature. The presence of sporangia is equivocal making assignation to the Lycopsida conjectural. The plant was recently described as a zosterophyll, but lacks strobili. These are present in the second plant and comprise bivalved sporangia. The strobili terminate aerial stems which arise from a basal axial complex displaying diversity in branching including H- and K- forms. These features characterise the Zosterophyllopsida, although the plant differs from Zosterophyllum in valve shape. Comparisons indicate greatest similarities to the Lower Devonian Guangnania cuneata, from Yunnan, but differences, particularly in the nature of the sporangium border, require the erection of a new species, G. minor. Superficial examination of specimens already published indicate a high degree of endemism at both species and generic level, while this study shows that Yanmenia is confined to Sichuan and Guangnania is one of the very few genera shared with Yunnan, where assemblages also show a high proportion of further endemic genera. Such provincialism noted in the Chinese Lower Devonian is explained by the palaeogeographic isolation of the South China plate, but this cannot account for differences/endemism between the Sichuan and Yunnan floras. Such an enigma demands further integrated geological, palaeobotanical and palynological studies.

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Siluro-Devonian vertebrate biostratigraphy and biogeography of China

Cited by 83 publications

References 41 publications

The largest Silurian vertebrate and its palaeoecological implications

The largest Silurian vertebrate and its palaeoecological implications

Lochkovian plants from the Xitun Formation of Yunnan, China, and their palaeophytogeographical significance

New Plants from the Lower Devonian Pingyipu Group, Jiangyou County, Sichuan Province, China

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