New Jehol papers in Geological Journal

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler bh480@scn.org

In case these new articles have not been mentioned yet-- 
note they're advance online articles:

Wang Xiaolin, Zhou Zhonghe 
Pterosaur assemblages of the Jehol Biota and their 
implication for the Early Cretaceous pterosaur radiation .
Geological Journal (in press)
Abstract 
The Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota from northeast China is 
well known for many beautifully preserved feathered 
dinosaurs, early birds and angiosperms. A great number of 
pterosaurs have also been discovered from the same 
deposits in recent years, representing arguably the best 
pterosaur assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous. Two 
pterosaur assemblages are recognized from the Jehol Biota, 
and represent two major adaptive radiations in the Early 
Cretaceous. The first radiation was preserved mainly in 
the Yixian Formation, and shows a strong resemblance to 
the Upper Jurassic pterosaur radiation in the Solnhofen 
Limestone of Germany. The second radiation was preserved 
in the Jiufotang Formation, with many of its taxa much 
similar to those of the pterosaur assemblages from the 
Lower Cretaceous Santana Formation of Brazil. Recent 
biostratigraphic work and radiometric datings of the 
Yixian and Jiufotang formations have provided a reliable 
geochronologic framework for the Jehol pterosaur 
radiations. The two major radiations occurred at about 125 
Ma and 120 Ma, respectively. The radiations of the Jehol 
pterosaurs are characterized by a remarkable taxonomic 
diversity, great variation in body size, significant 
dietary differentiation, and occupancy of diverse niches. 
The appearance of several biological novelties was also 
critical in the success of the Jehol pterosaur radiations. 
The adaptive radiation of the Jehol pterosaurs was 
obviously coupled with the competition or co-evolution 
with many other groups of the Jehol Biota. Among the 
flying animals in the Jehol Biota, pterosaurs were the 
major competitors for niches and food with birds. Although 
the Jehol pterosaurs probably fed mainly on fishes, the co-
evolution between plants and pterosaurs in the Jehol Biota 
might also have played a significant role in the pterosaur 
radiations, as is the case for plants and insects, birds, 
mammals and dinosaurs. 

Order Pterosauria
Suborder Rhamphorhynchoidea
Family Rhamphorhynchidae
Genus Pterorhynchus Czerkas and Ji, 2002
Pterorhynchus wellnhoferi Czerkas and Ji, 2002 (Daohugou 
Mb., Yixian Fm.)
Family Anurognathidae
Genus Jeholopterus Wang, Zhou, Zhang and Xu, 2002
Jeholopterus ningchengensis Wang, Zhou, Zhang and Xu, 2002 
(Daohugou Mb., Yixian Fm.)
Genus Dendrorhynchoides (Ji and Ji, 1998)
Dendrorhynchoides curvidentatus (Ji and Ji, 1998) 
(Jianshangou Mb., Yixian Fm.)
Suborder Pterodactyloidea
Family Pterodactylidae
Genus Eosipterus Ji and Ji, 1997
Eosipterus yangi Ji and Ji, 1997 (Jianshangou Mb., Yixian 
Fm.)
Genus Haopterus Wang and Lu¨ , 2001
Haopterus gracilis Wang and Lu¨ , 2001 (Jianshangou Mb., 
Yixian Fm.)
Family Ctenochasmatidae
Genus Beipiaopterus Lu¨ , 2003
Beipiaopterus chenianus Lu¨ , 2003 (Jianshangou Mb., 
Yixian Fm.)
Genus Cathayopterus Wang and Zhou, 2006
Cathayopterus grabaui Wang and Zhou, 2006 (Dawangzhangzi 
Mb., Yixian Fm.)
Family Ornithocheiridae
Genus Boreopterus Lu¨ and Ji, 2005a
Boreopterus cuiae Lu¨ and Ji, 2005a (Jianshangou Mb., 
Yixian Fm.)
Family ?Gallodactylidae
Genus Feilongus Wang, Kellner, Zhou and Campos, 2005a
Feilongus youngi Wang, Kellner, Zhou and Campos, 2005a 
(Jianshangou Mb., Yixian Fm.)
Family Pteranodontidae
Genus Chaoyangopterus Wang and Zhou, 2003b
=Jidapterus Dong, Sun and Wu, 2003 (Jiufotang Fm.)
=Eopteranodon Lu¨ and Zhang, 2005 (Jiufotang Fm.)
=Eoazhdarcho Lu¨ and Ji, 2005b (Jiufotang Fm.)
Chaoyangopterus zhangi Wang and Zhou, 2003c (Jufotang Fm.)
Family Istiodactylidae
Genus Nurhachius Wang, Kellner, Zhou and Campos, 2005a
Nurhachius ignaciobritoi Wang, Kellner, Zhou and Campos, 
2005a (Jiufotang Fm.)
Genus Liaoxipterus Dong and Lu¨ , 2005
Liaoxipterus brachyognathus Dong and Lu¨ , 2005 (Jiufotang 
Fm.)
Family Anhangueridae
Genus Liaoningopterus Wang and Zhou, 2003d
Liaoningopterus gui Wang and Zhou, 2003a (Jiufotang Fm.)
Family Tapejaridae
Genus Sinopterus Wang and Zhou, 2003a
=Huaxiapterus Lu¨ and Yuan, 2005 (Jiufotang Fm.)
Sinopterus dongi Wang and Zhou, 2003a (Jiufotang Fm.)
Sinopterus gui Li, Lu¨ and Zhang, 2003 (Jiufotang Fm.)

---------------------------


Zhou Zhonghe
Evolutionary radiation of the Jehol Biota: chronological 
and ecological perspectives. 

Geological Journal (in press)

Abstract 
The Jehol Biota, preserved in the lacustrine sediments of 
Liaoning Province, northeast China, has provided a new 
window for understanding Early Cretaceous terrestrial 
ecosystems. Based on recent geochronological and 
biostratigraphic studies of the fossil-bearing deposits, a 
preliminary temporal framework has been established and 
suggests that the Jehol Biota had lasted for at least 11 
Ma during the late Early Cretaceous (131-120 Ma). The 
development of the Jehol Biota can be divided into three 
major phases, with the most significant biological 
radiations occurring in the second phase between the 
Barremian and Aptian (approximately 125 Ma). Thanks to a 
diverse forest environment, major vertebrate groups, i.e. 
pterosaurs, dinosaurs, birds and mammals, in the Jehol 
Biota are characterized by a remarkably high percentage of 
arboreal and herbivorous forms. In addition to strong 
phylogenetic and morphological differentiation and high 
taxonomic diversity, the Jehol Biota is also characterized 
by significant dietary differentiation and biological 
interactions, i.e. competition and co-evolution between 
various animal groups, in an environment shaped by 
tectonic activities and palaeoclimatic changes both at a 
global and local scale.