Taphonomic characteristics of the Late Cretaceous cluster dinosaur fossils in eastern China and comparison between domestic and abroad
Wang Nengsheng1, Kuang Hongwei1, Liu Yongqing1, Peng Nan1, Xu Huan1,Zhang Peng2, Wang Mingwei3, Wang Baohong3, An Wei1
1 Institute of Geology,Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences,Beijing 100037; 2 School of Earth Sciences and Resources,China University of Geosciences(Beijing),Beijing 100083; 3 School of Earth Sciences,Yangtze University,Wuhan 430100,Hubei
Abstract This paper analyzes the Late Cretaceous dinosaur bones according to stratigraphic successions,dinosaur species,articulation and association,diversity,the quantity and quality of preservation and the arrangement of dinosaur fossils from the eastern China by method of taphonomy and sedimentology, and make a comparison between demestic and abroad from the points of occurrence age, and taphonomic facies and characteristics. The studies suggest that: Although the concrete preservation times are different,the species, taphonomic facies and characteristics are similar,which reflecting the similarity of palaeoenvironment, palaeoecology, and palaeoclimate during the Late Cretaceous in a global scale. (1)The burial process of dinosaur bones in China during the Late Cretaceous can be divided into two stages: the early stage of Cenomanian and the late stage of Santonian to Maastrichtian. Foreign burial events appeared during the late Campanian in America and Mongolia,and the Campanian-Maastrichtian transitional period and Maastrichtian in Europe. (2)In China,bones were buried mainly in purple rocks of alluvial fan facies and fluvial facies,and the dinosaur species are mainly Ornithopod hadrosaurs and theropods. Compared with dinosaur mass extinction abroad, they were mainly preserved in lacustrine and flood plain. Hadrosaurs and ceratopsids were flourishing in America and Mongolia, while dinosaurs in Europe and Mongolia are different. The characteristics are different in different successions,which are closely related with palaeogeography,palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate. (3)By combination of taphonomic and basin evolution characteristics,it concluded that burial types are autochthonous and allochthonous,and the probable burial comprehensive factors are: the change of palaeogeography,volcanism,high temperature etc.,then a taphonomic model were built. It is significant for further study of bone taphonomy and palaeogeography,palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate,and proposes many new materials and evidence for the research of palaeogeography,palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate.
About author: Wang Nengsheng,born in 1991,is a master degree candidate. He majors in sedimentology and energy geology. E-mail: wangnengsheng0103@126.com. About the corresponding authors Kuang Hongwei,born in 1969,is a professor. She is mainly engaged in sedimentology and petroleum geology and exploration research.E-mail: kuanghw@126.com.Liu Yongqing,born in 1960,is a research professor. He is mainly engaged in sedimentary geology,sedimentary palaeogeography and palaeoecology. E-mail: liuyongqing @ cags.ac.cn.
Cite this article:
. Taphonomic characteristics of the Late Cretaceous cluster dinosaur fossils in eastern China and comparison between domestic and abroad[J]. JOPC, 2015, 17(5): 593-610.
. Taphonomic characteristics of the Late Cretaceous cluster dinosaur fossils in eastern China and comparison between domestic and abroad[J]. JOPC, 2015, 17(5): 593-610.
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