The Cicadomorpha is a hemipteran phytophagous insect suborder with high palaeo-diversity and abundant extant representatives. As one of the three modern cicadomorphan superfamilies, the Cercopoidea (froghoppers) is inferred to have originated in the Triassic and has three extinct families recorded in the Jurassic and Cretaceous. We herein erect a new cercopoid family, Myanmalidae Chen, n. fam. along with Myanmala zireni Chen, n. gen. n. sp. on the basis of a male adult insect fossil trapped in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber from northern Myanmar. The new family bears a series of body structures and wing characteristics different from its known consuperfamilials, such as lateral ocelli almost touching coronal posterior margin, thin crown anteriorly extending distinctly beyond postclypeus, and tegminal basal cell greatly shortened. This new family shares some features with the primitive families Procercopidae and Sinoalidae, and also displays some derived traits similar to modern cercopoids. Our new finds suggest froghoppers have a complex evolutionary history in the Mesozoic, with high morphological disparity. (c) 2026 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The early Bajocian event represents a major climatic transition marked by pronounced perturbations of ocean–atmosphere circulation, yet the response of radiolarians and the mechanisms driving enhanced siliceous sedimentation during this interval remain poorly constrained. Here, we report newly discovered and well-preserved late Bajocian–early Bathonian radiolarian assemblages (83 species belonging to 50 genera) from bedded radiolarites of the Cuobuzha section in the western Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone, southern Tibet. These assemblages represent the most diverse Middle Jurassic radiolarian fauna documented in this suture zone. Major and trace element geochemistry indicates a predominantly biogenic silica origin with negligible hydrothermal influence. Integration of these datasets with a compilation of global Bajocian–Bathonian radiolarian occurrences, combined with quantitative palaeobiogeographic analyses, reveals strong faunal connectivity across the Tethyan and Paleo-Pacific realms. Our results support a model in which early Bajocian climatic cooling strengthened monsoon-driven atmospheric circulation and associated oceanic upwelling.

Sinoalidae is an extinct froghopper family with high palaeo-biodiversity documented in the Mesozoic. Up to now, two subfamilies along with four tribes (Fangyuaniini and Sinoalini in Sinoalinae, Wangalini and Juroalini in Juroalinae, respectively) have been attributed into this family. A new genus and species, Shuixiuia yuchenae gen. et sp. nov., is herein described from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber. This new taxon bears some typic traits of Fangyuaniini (Sinoalinae), but also displays remarkably unique morphological characteristics not recorded in other sinoalids, such as the habitus with the body very elevated near wing apex and much higher than other parts, tegmina gradually widened from the wing base to sub-apex, clavus and postcostal cell very narrow, and the stigmal cell and cell C5 broad and somewhat quadrangular. Our new find further reveals the diversity of the Sinoalidae in the Kachin amber biota and also suggests the high level of morphological disparity of extinct froghoppers in the mid-Cretaceous.

The expansion of marine anoxia is widely invoked as a primary driver for the late Cambrian Steptoean Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion (SPICE) and associated trilobite extinctions; however, the redox state of the shallow water remains contentious. Here, we re-evaluate these dynamics using high-resolution carbonate-associated sulfate sulfur isotopes (delta S-34(CAS)) and iodine content (I/(Ca + Mg)) datasets from the Xishan and Jiulongshan sections of the North China Platform (NCP). Both sections document a positive delta S-34(CAS) excursion (from similar to 31 parts per thousand to similar to 49 parts per thousand) superimposed onto a long-term decreasing trend, marking the first identification of this excursion alongside the SPICE delta C-13 record in the NCP. Simultaneously, a pronounced nadir in I/(Ca + Mg) (<0.5 mu mol/mol) during the rising limb of the SPICE in the Jiulongshan section provides robust evidence for transient shallow-water deoxygenation, coinciding with the observed turnover of shallow-water trilobites. The long-term decreasing trend in delta S-34(CAS) was likely driven by intensified weathering inputs of isotopically light sulfur, whereas the positive delta C-13 and delta S-34(CAS) excursions reflect the seafloor anoxia expansion and enhanced organic carbon and pyrite burial. While this increased burial potentially served as a substantial atmospheric oxygen source, our iodine data highlight that local eutrophication, fueled by intensified continental weathering and nutrient fluxes, likely counteracted this global oxygenation trend to induce shallow-water deoxygenation and trilobite turnovers. Given the occurrence of similar low iodine concentrations in other regions, this shallow-water deoxygenation likely exerted a widespread influence, particularly within the marginal settings such as North China and South China. The subsequent recovery of iodine levels during the falling limb reflects an increase in dissolved oxygen levels, representing the cumulative result of enhanced organic carbon and pyrite burial throughout the SPICE event. These findings highlight the complex interplay between global biogeochemical cycles and localized environmental stressors in shaping Cambrian marine ecosystems.

At the Lushan Xianrendong (XRD-I) cave site in Henan Province, Central China, the discovery of an early modern human cranium, along with faunal remains and lithic tools, has been reported. Uranium-series dating and radiocarbon results place the fossils at approximately 40,000–30,000 cal BP. In this study, we collected sequential sediment samples and micromorphological blocks to investigate the formation processes of the cave. Our analysis suggests that the cave was too wet to inhabit during the initial stages of its formation. Animals began to appear in the cave only during drier periods, starting around 100 ka BP. By approximately 70 ka BP, the presence of lithic debris suggests early human activities. Although strata 1 and 2 was disturbed by pedogenesis and bioturbation, the lower layer (stratum 5) may have preserved in-situ evidence of early modern human activities around 70 ka BP.

A new species of anaxyelid wood wasp genus Orthosyntexis (Syntexinae) is described from mid-Cretaceous (lower Cenomanian) amber found in the Kachin State of northern Myanmar. The new taxon can be distinguished by: antenna with swollen scape; 14 flagellomeres; forewing with Sc, 1r-rs and 2rs-m absent; 1-Rs shorter than 1-M and proclival; 2Rs + M present but short; and 3r-m being remarkably curved. This evidences a second anaxyelid species (represented by a male individual) in Kachin amber insect assemblage, and adds to the morphological diversity of the family. A key to the species of Orthosyntexis is provided.Ziqing Wang [1554245607@qq.com], Institute of Geology and Paleontology (College of Education), Linyi University, Shuangling Road, Linyi 276000, PR China; De Zhuo [405425109@qq.com], Beijing Xiachong Amber Museum, Shuanghe Middle Road, Beijing, 100023, PR China; Han Wang [hanwang@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Jun Chen [rubiscada@sina.com], Institute of Geology and Paleontology (College of Education), Linyi University, Shuangling Road, Linyi 276000, PR China; Haichun Zhang [hczhang@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Alexander P. Rasnitsyn [rasna@online.ru], Palaeontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647, Russia, and The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK; Yan Zheng* [zhengyan536@163.com], Institute of Geology and Paleontology (College of Education), Linyi University, Shuangling Road, Linyi 276000, PR China.

AbstractThe Paleozoic paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of the North China Block (NCB) are poorly constrained due to the polarity ambiguity of its early Paleozoic paleopoles. Here we present magnetostratigraphic results of two upper Cambrian limestone‐dominated marine successions in the NCB that span the Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion (SPICE), a global carbon‐cycle perturbation concomitant with trilobite extinctions. Stepwise thermal demagnetization reveals three‐component magnetizations with the high‐temperature component being a primary remanence as substantiated with paleomagnetic and rock magnetic analysis. A composite polarity sequence across the SPICE is established for the NCB and is correlated with coeval polarity sequence of Siberia, allowing to assign a reversed polarity for the NCB during the SPICE. This inter‐continental correlation, together with paleobiogeographic affinities, supports a southern hemispheric low‐latitude location adjacent to the west of East Gondwana for the NCB during the late Cambrian, thus constraining further paleogeographic‐tectonic reconstructions around East Gondwana during the Paleozoic.

A new procercopid species Stellularis kazuoensis sp. nov. is established and described from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in the Kazuo Basin, western Liaoning Province, NE China. It is characterised by the tegmen with singular RA, RP and M veins; vein M+CuA about half length of vein R; vein RA curved in apical area; and crossvein m-cua apicad of CuA(2) end but basad of ir and r-m. The new species not only increases the diversity of Procercopidae but also provides more tegminal information of the genus Stellularis. The venational distinctions on tegmen between S. kazuoensis sp. nov. and the other species of Stellularis are schematically shown and discussed. The record of fossil insects from the Jiufotang Formation is also summarised.

The spread of marine anoxia is believed to have played a key role in the development of the SPICE (Steptoean Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion) event and the end-Marjuman extinction in the late Cambrian (similar to 497.5 m.y. ago), but their cause-and-effect relationship is poorly constrained. Here we present an integrated analysis of carbonate delta 13C, cerium anomalies (Ce/Ce*), and genus-level diversity data of trilobites from the North China Platform. Our results show tightly coupled changes between the SPICE, an increase in Ce/Ce*, and a trilobite turnover event, which we interpret as indicating enhanced productivity and organic remineralization, leading to the development of low-oxygen conditions in shallowwater settings. This study therefore establishes a direct link between local ecological stress and trilobite turnover during the global SPICE event. Furthermore, the presence of low-oxygen rather than fully anoxic conditions during the peak of the SPICE event could explain the nature of the end-Marjuman crisis, which was characterized by the replacement of shallowwater fauna by deeper-water counterparts that were potentially more tolerant of hypoxia.

The thermal structure of the lithosphere is key to understanding its thickness, properties, evolution, and geothermal resources. Cratons are known for their low heat flow and deep lithospheric roots. However, present-day cratons in East China have geothermal characteristics that are highly complex, with variable heat flow values, diverging from the typical thermal state of cratons. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of the geothermal geological background of the cratons in East China, summarizing the thermal state and tectono-thermal processes of different tectonic units, calculating the temperature at various depths, and discussing differences in temperature and thermal reservoirs at different depths. The observed lithospheric thermal thickness within the North Jiangsu Basin and the Bohai Bay Basin is notably reduced in comparison to that of the Jianghan Basin and the Southern North China Basin. The phenomenon of craton destruction during the Late Mesozoic emerges as a pivotal determinant, enhancing the geothermal resource prospects of both the Bohai Bay Basin and the North Jiangsu Basin. Our findings contribute significantly to the augmentation of theoretical frameworks concerning the origins of heat sources in global cratons. Furthermore, they offer invaluable insights for the methodical exploration, evaluation, advancement, and exploitation of geothermal resources.

The relationship between the Middle-Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota and the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota has long been unresolved due to an approximately 20 Ma "vertebrate fossil gap". However, a large number of dinosaur tracks have been reported from the Tuchengzi/Houcheng Formation in northern Hebei -western Liaoning, which occupies the stratigraphic position between the Yanliao Biota and the Jehol Biota. This paper presents new discoveries of diverse dinosaur track assemblages from the Upper Jurassic -Lower Cretaceous Houcheng Formation in the Shangyi Basin, northwestern Hebei Province, China. Based on the ichnological analyses, tracks are assigned to the sauropod Parabrontopodus, theropod Grallator, Anchisauripus, Eubrontes, and Therangospodus. The theropod tracks were likely produced by small-sized feathered theropod dinosaurs (Coelurosauria) that thrived in both the Yanliao Biota and the Jehol Biota. These findings imply that these two biotas evolved successively, without evidence of a complete turnover or extinction of biotas. Sedimentological studies of the tracksites reveal their occurrence in diverse sedimentary environments, including braided sandbar, floodplain, and deltaic plain. The coexistence of highly diverse dinosaur tracks with various preservation environments indicates that the living environment during that time was relatively comfortable. The increased diversity of dinosaur tracks in the upper part of the Houcheng Formation closely aligns with the intense volcanic activity of the Zhangjiakou Formation in northwestern Hebei Province. This suggests that volcanic activity likely served a crucial function in the proliferation of the dinosaur fauna in the Shangyi Basin and northern North China during the earliest Cretaceous. (c) 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the base-Wuchiapingian Stage was formally ratified at the Penglaitan section in South China in 2005. However, the riverside GSSP section at Penglaitan and its auxiliary section at Tieqiao have been permanently flooded since 2020. We herein designate an excavated section at Penglaitan as the new GSSP and the Fengshan section as a new Standard Auxiliary Boundary Stratotype (SABS). In addition, we revised the original definition based on a detailed restudy of the conodont succession from the two sections. We define the GSSP of the base-Wuchiapingian by the First Appearance Datum (FAD) of Clarkina postbitteri within the lineage Jinogondolella granti -> Clarkina postbitteri -> C. dukouensis. . It represents a major evolutionary turnover in conodonts from Jinogondolella to Clarkina and marks the end-Guadalupian extinction event. The U-Pb date of 259.51 +/- 0.21 Ma from the uppermost part of the Emeishan basalt is adopted for the GLB age. delta C-13(carb) chemostratigraphy at the SABS exhibits several excursions between 3% and 5% across the GLB interval. Carbonate Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio is 0.707244 at the GLB. Remarkably, the SABS contains six normal and six reverse geomagnetic polarity zones in the uppermost Capitanian and three in the lowest Wuchiapingian.

Revised conodont biostratigraphy and new carbon isotope data through the Cambrian/Ordovician transition are presented for the Yaowangshan section in the eastern North China Platform. Eight conodont zones are recognized, including the Proconodontus muelleri Zone, Eoconodontus Zone, Cordylodus proavus Zone, C. caboti Zone, C. intermedius Zone, C. lindstromi Zone, C. angulatus Zone, and Rossodus manitouensis Zone, in ascending order. The Eoconodontus Zone can be subdivided into the E. notchpeakensis Subzone and the overlying Cambrooistodus minutus Subzone. The new δ13Ccarb data from the Chaomidian Formation are well constrained by the conodont biozonation and indicate pronounced carbon excursions and spike, Top of Cambrian Excursion (TOCE), Cordylodus proavus spike (CPS), and Cambrian–Ordovician Transition Isotopic Carbon Excursion (COTICE). The isotopic excursions are generally consistent with those of other sections in North China, South China, Tarim, North America, Argentina, and Baltica.

The application of hyperspectral imagery coupled with deep learning shows vast promise in plant species discrimination. Reshaping one-dimensional (1D) leaf-level reflectance data (LLRD) into two-dimensional (2D) grayscale images as convolutional neural network (CNN) model input demonstrated marked effectiveness in plant species distinction. However, the impact of the image shape on CNN model performance remained unexplored. This study addressed this by reshaping data into fifteen distinct rectangular formats and creating nine CNN models to examine the effect of image structure. Results demonstrated that irrespective of CNN model structure, elongated narrow images yielded superior species identification results. The ‘l’-shaped images at 225 × 9 pixels outperformed other configurations based on 93.95% accuracy, 94.55% precision, and 0.94 F1 score. Furthermore, ‘l’-shaped hyperspectral images consistently produced high classification precision across species. The results suggest this image shape boosts robust predictive performance, paving the way for enhancing leaf trait estimation and proposing a practical solution for pixel-level categorization within hyperspectral imagery (HSIs).

A new genus and two new species of Xyelidae Newman, 1834 (Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758), Platyxyela tenuis sp. nov. and Scleroxyela daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Beds of Ningcheng, Inner Mongolia, China. Platyxyela tenuis sp. nov. (Xyelinae Newman, 1834, Liadoxyelini Rasnitsyn, 1966) can be distinguished from its congeners by short forewing length and ovipositor sheath strongly narrowed toward acute apex. Scleroxyela daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov. is placed within Macroxyelinae Ashmead, 1898, Xyeleciini Benson, 1945 based on pterositigma completely sclerotised and costal space sclerotised before ptrostigma, 1-Rs half as long as 1-M, and 1m-cu short. It is the first recorded species of Xyeleciini in Daohugou Beds. Furthermore, an updated key of identification of subfamilies and tribes of Xyelidae is provided. Our findings of new morphological data provide insights into the early evolution of Hymenoptera, as well as effectively enrich our understanding of the diversity of Xyelidae in the Mesozoic.

Because of the physical character of soil from granite weathering and the typhoon rains in South China, the model for early warnings of existing shallow landslides cannot be well applied in that area. This study developed a new shallow landslide model based on the effect of soil macropores for determining the rainfall threshold to post an early warning of the possibility of a shallow landslide in South China. We studied the hydrological effects of macropore flow and proposed a mechanistic model of the formation of shallow landslides by introducing the macropore coefficient of granite residual soil. The rainfall threshold of each slope unit was calculated by combining the hydrological model with the proposed shallow landslide model. Lastly, we tested the calculated result in the Maguihe watershed, Guangdong province, South China, which experienced a group of massive shallow landslides on 21 September 2010. The study results showed that the macropores of vegetation roots had a significant effect by increasing the permeability of granite residual soil. Coniferous forest land has the highest initial infiltration rate and stable infiltration rate, followed by shrub forest land, and then bare land. Statistical verification showed that the accurate prediction rate of the proposed model was 80.65%, which is adequate for early warning of shallow landslides in South China. We discuss the application conditions and parameter calibrations of the proposed model, and offer recommendations for future research.

The Mars Surface Composition Detector (MarSCoDe) is a remote sensing instrument mounted on the front deck of the Zhurong rover in China’s Tianwen-1 mission. The MarSCoDe adopts Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), along with Short Wave Infrared Spectroscopy (SWIR) and a telescopic micro-imager, to perform in situ detection of the chemical composition of soils, rocks, and minerals on the Martian surface. Since the MarSCoDe LIBS system works in extraterrestrial environments, it is important to equip the system with a set of onboard calibration targets, which are used for assessing the real-time performance of the instrument under various environmental conditions and conducting instrumental response calibration. Twelve dedicated LIBS reference samples were embedded as the MarSCoDe calibration target (MCCT) set, which plays a critical role in LIBS calibration before conducting LIBS analysis. This paper elaborates on the selection, development, characterization and testing of the MCCT set. The underlying scientific reasons and technical requirements that determine the selection of MCCT samples are introduced. The development procedures and mechanical performance test of both the calibration samples and the assembly holder are presented. Then, a comparison of the MCCTs and the characterization and scientific testing are described. The LIBS spectra of the MCCTs collected in three different atmospheric scenarios, namely laboratory-simulated Martian, normal terrestrial, and in situ Martian atmosphere, were investigated. The laboratory results and in situ behaviour show that the MarSCoDe instrument and the MCCT set can soundly adapt to the Martian environment with sufficient performance, as indicated by the fact that the spectral lines of the main elements in the calibration targets can be well identified and distinguished, including Ti, Si, Al, Fe, Mg, P, Ca, Na, K, O, C, H, S, etc. The MCCT samples provide a good reference for analysing Martian surface material composition and formulating the transfer relationship between the LIBS spectra measured in different atmospheric environments.

地球自5.4亿年前现代生态系统形成至今,发生了多次与碳循环扰动有关的重大气候事件.这些事件的触发机制、发展过程、环境变化及其伴随的生物响应型式为科学评估当今全球变化背景下生物多样性现状提供重要借鉴.然而,古-今生态系统变化时间尺度大不相同,高分辨率关键环境因子（温度、CO 2 、降雨量、海洋氧化还原条件等）在深时记录中亦难以获取,深时海陆生物多样性模式尚缺乏高分辨率记录.因此,当今全球变化与深时记录对比存在巨大鸿沟.地球5.4亿年以来大部分时间处于两极无冰的温室状态,期间伴随多次极冷和极热气候事件,但地球深时重大生物演化和气候事件的关系复杂.生物多样性在变冷的奥陶纪早期、晚古生代大冰期、晚新生代大冰期以及中-晚三叠世和白垩纪热室期均呈现稳定增加,而在奥陶纪末冰期快速降温期间和二叠纪末、三叠纪末、白垩纪末火山排气作用导致的快速升温过程中急剧下降.地质时期生物多样性对气候变化的不同响应型式表明,生物多样性变化的根本驱动因素可能不是简单的温度、大气CO 2 浓度等环境因子的背景值高或低,而是环境因子的变化速率（环境变率）.变率较小,环境相对稳定,生物有足够的时间适应环境变化,生物多样性不会丧失,甚至繁盛.反之,若环境因子变率过大,超出了生态系统的承受力,生物来不及适应,生物多样性就会显著降低,甚至引发大灭绝.已有模拟和计算表明,当今地球碳排放的速度有可能超过了地质历史时期任何一次生物大灭绝事件.因此,避免环境突变事件和生物大灭绝的再次发生成为政界、科学界和普通民众关注的焦点.打通地球多圈层界限,开展古-今地质记录、冷-热极端气候、海-陆生态系统和长-短时间尺度的综合对比研究,并通过建立适用于深时的地球系统模型,模拟重大生物和环境事件的背景与发生过程,是地球系统科学未来发展的重要方向.