Triassic and Jurassic carbonates across the Middle East host large amounts of hydrocarbons, but the degree of sedimentary heterogeneity across different scales in carbonates varies significantly. In this study we investigate the regional evolution of a carbonate ramp across the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic on the Musandam Peninsula (UAE and Oman) in a series of wadis, 45 km apart. Lithostrat...

Two new species of the genus Sinosmylites Hong are described from the Middle Jurassic locality at Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China): Sinosmylites fumosussp. n. and Sinosmylites rasnitsynisp. n. This is the oldest known occurrence of the family Berothidae. The berothid affinity of this genus is confirmed by examination of the hind wing venation characteristic of the family. The Late Triassic fami...

In this paper a complete specimen of fossil Palaeontinidae, Suljuktocossus yinae sp. nov. from Daohugou (Jiulongshan Formation) in Inner Mongolia, China is described. This new species is established based on both complete forewings and hindwings. According to this specimen, the diagnosis of the genus Suljuktocossus is revised. Moreover, based on the distribution of the genus Suljuktocossus, we ...

Middle Jurassic fluvio-deltaic and turbiditic mudstones of the Kashafrud Formation, are important hydrocarbon sources in the gas-rich Kopet-Dagh Basin, northeast Iran. Clay mineral assemblages are important for interpretation of sediment provenance and for understanding burial diagenetic cementation in sandstones. The clay mineral assemblages in mudrocks in two areas, Saleh-Abad and Senjedak, w...

BACKGROUND Lacewings (insect order Neuroptera), known in the fossil record since the Early Permian, were most diverse in the Mesozoic. A dramatic variety of forms ranged in that time from large butterfly-like Kalligrammatidae to minute two-winged Dipteromantispidae. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We describe the intriguing new neuropteran family Parakseneuridae fam. nov. with three new genera and 15 new ...

This report summarizes the international divisions and ages in the Geologic Time Scale, published in 2012 (GTS2012). Since 2004, when GTS2004 was detailed, major developments have taken place that directly bear and have considerable impact on the intricate science of geologic time scaling. Precam brian now has a detailed proposal for chronostratigraphic subdivision instead of an outdated and ab...

A paleomagnetic study of rocks from the northern foot of the Tien Shan and the southern border of the Dzungar Basin, east of Urumqi (44.2°N, 86.0°E), spanning ages from middle Jurassic to early Tertiary was carried out to constrain the tectonic evolution in central Asia since Mesozoic time. Five middle Jurassic sites reveal a remagnetized direction close to the present Earth field in geographic...

Cretaceous ichthyosaurs have typically been considered a small, homogeneous assemblage sharing a common Late Jurassic ancestor. Their low diversity and disparity have been interpreted as indicative of a decline leading to their Cenomanian extinction. We describe the first post-Triassic ichthyosaur from the Middle East, Malawania anachronus gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous of Iraq, and...

Complete, articulated starfish fossils are rare. However, more frequently encountered dissociated skeletal elements (ossicles) permit reliable taxonomic identification, making them a valuable data source for diversity estimates. Nearly 300 asteroid ossicles, collected from the middle Toarcian marls in western France can be assigned to five species. Four species and two genera are described: Com...

A new dinosaur tracksite in the Vale de Meios quarry (Serra de Aire Formation, Bathonian, Portugal)preserves more than 700 theropod tracks. They are organized in at least 80 unidirectional trackways arranged in a bimodal orientation pattern (W/NW and E/SE). Quantitative and qualitative comparisons reveal that the large tridactyl, elongated and asymmetric tracks resemble the typical Late Jurassi...