Elphidium wakkanabense, new name for Elphidium asanoi Kaiho, 1984 (preoccupied)

A new name for the species Elphidium asanoi Kaiho, 1984 is proposed, the species being a junior homonym of E. asanoi Matsunaga (1963, p. 109, pl. 36, figs. 6a, b). The name Elphidium wakkanabense, nov. nom. is hereby designated to encompass the description and holotype in my previous work (Kaiho, 1984, p. 124-125, pl. 10, figs. 1a, b). The species name is given after the Wakkanabe Formation from which the species occurred

Paleogene Foraminifera from Hokkaido, Japan Part 1. Lithostratigraphy and Biostratigraphy including Description of New Species

Foraminiferal assemblages from Paleogene-outcropping areas in Hokkaido, Japan are described, giving a full account of their systematics and stratigraphic distribution. Employing five benthic foraminiferal events which are useful for intra-regional stratigraphic correlation and some other important foraminiferal changes, a sequence of Eocene to lower Oligocene strata is biostratigraphically divided into eight benthic foraminiferal zones. These zones are named, in upward sequence, as follows : The Elphidium asanoi-Reophax tappuensis Assemblage-zone, Elphidium ishikariense-Bulimina yabei Assemblage-zone, Haplophragmoides tanaii-Haplophragmoides subevolutus Assemblage-zone, Haplophragmoides umbilicatus-Haplophragmoides subevolutus Assemblage-zone, Bulimina schwageri-Haplophragmoides umbilicatus Assemblage-zone, Haplophragmoides subevolutus-Cyclammina pacifica Assemblage-zone, Bulimina schwageri-Gyroidina yokoyamai Assemblage-zone, and Nonion ezoensis-Cyclammina pacifica Assemblage-zone. The discovery of nine planktonic foraminiferal species in these Paleogene strata provides a better age determination than that given by previous workers. The major part of the Poronai and Momijiyama Formations in the Yubari area and the Utsunai Formation in the Nakatombetsu area are considered to lie within an Upper Eocene to Lower Oligocene interval. By means of the distribution of the above-mentioned zones and ages, correlation of Paleogene strata in Hokkaido has been carried out and it is concluded that the "Paleo-Poronai Sea (Kaiho, 1983)" transgressed northward and reached the Tempoku region (northern most region of Japan) during a late Eocene to early Oligocene period. Additionally, radiolarian abundance, lithofacies and benthic foraminifera of the Poronai and Momijiyama Formations in the Yubari area clearly exhibit a southward deepening. Most of the Poronai and Momijiyama Formations are considered to represent outer neritic to bathyal depths on the western continental slope of central Hokkaido. A rapid flourishing of calcareous foraminifera recognized in the vicinity of Eocene/Oligocene boundary in the studied area may have a relation to the rapid deepening of CCD in that time proposed by van Andel and Moore (1974). In the section of Systematic Paleontology, a total of 142 species and 3 subspecies are described. Of these, 39 species and 1 subspecies are proposed as new to science

Haplophragmoides apertiumbilicatus, new name for Haplophragmoides umbilicatus Kaiho, 1984 (preoccupied)

A new name for the species Haplophragmoides umbilicatus Kaiho, 1984 is proposed, the species being a junior homonym of H. umbilicatum Pearcey (1914, p. 1008, pl. 2, figs. 8-1O). The name Haplophragmoides apertiumbilicatus, nov. nom. is hereby designated to encompass the description and holotype in my previous work (Kaiho, 1984, p. 115-116, pl. 7, figs. 6a, b). The species name is given because of its somewhat open umbilicus

Paleogene Foraminifera from Hokkaido, Japan Part 2. Correlation of the Paleogene System in Hokkaido and Systematic Paleontology

On the basis of benthic foraminiferal zones and ages derived from planktonic foraminiferal evidence, Paleogene formations of Hokkaido are correlated as follows : The Shimokine and Tappu Formations of the Rumoi region with the lower and middle parts of the Poronai Formation of the Ishikari region : The Shitakara Formation of the Kushiro region with the lower or middle part of the Poronai Formation : The lower part of the Charo Formation of the Kushiro region with the upper part of the Poronai Formation : The upper part of the Charo and Nuibetsu Formations of the Kushiro region with the Momijiyama Formation of the Ishikari region : The Utsunai Formation of the Tempoku region with the upper part of the Poronai and Momijiyama Formations : The Magaribuchi Formation of the Tempoku region with the Momijiyama Formation. The Poronai and Momijiyama Formations are considered to have been deposited for the most part in depths ranging from outer neritic to middle bathyal zones on a southeastward deepening, westside slope of the Paleo-Poronai Sea inundated the central part of Hokkaido. The Paleo-Poronai Sea transgressed northward and reached the northernmost region of Japan during a Late Eocene to Early Oligocene time. In the eastern Hokkaido, transgression of the Paleogene sea is interpreted to have occurred during a Late Eocene, submerging the area to inner to middle neritic depths. After a short retreat of the sea, another transgression occurred between Late Eocene and Early Oligocene with the sedimentary basin deepening to upper bathyal environments. A rapid flourishment of calcareous foraminifera which has taken place near the vicinity of the Eocene/Oligocene boundary in the studied area may be related to the rapid deepening of CCD around that time. The systematic description of Paleogene foraminifera excluding new taxa is also given

Post-extinction brachiopod faunas from the late Permian Wuchiapingian coal series of South China

This paper describes fourteen brachiopod species in eleven genera from the Late Permian Wuchiapingian Coal Series (Lungtan Formation) of South China. Of these, the shell bed fauna from the basal Lungtan Formation is interpreted to represent the onset of the recovery of shelly faunas in the aftermath of the Guadalupian/Lopingian (G/L) mass extinction in South China. The post-extinction brachiopod faunas in the Wuchiapingian are characterized by the presence of numerous Lazarus taxa, survivors, and newly originating taxa. These elements capable of adapting their life habits were relatively more resistant to the G/L crisis. The post-extinction faunas, including survivors and the elements originating in the recovery period, have no life habit preference, but they were all adapted to a variety of newly vacated niches in the Late Permian oceans. Two new species, Meekella beipeiensis and Niutoushania chongqingensis, are described, and two Chinese genera, Niutoushania and Chengxianoproductus, are emended based on re-examination of the type specimens and new topotype materials from the Lungtan Formation.<br /

An animal crisis caused by pollution, deforestation, and warming in the late 21st century and exacerbation by nuclear war

An environmental–animal crisis is currently ongoing and is becoming increasingly severe due to human activity. However, the magnitude, timing, and processes related to this crisis are unclear. This paper clarifies the likely magnitude and timing of animal extinctions and changes in the contribution rates of select causes (global warming, pollution, deforestation, and two hypothetical nuclear conflicts) of animal extinctions during 2000–2300 CE. This paper demonstrates that an animal crisis marked by a 5–13% terrestrial tetrapod species loss and 2–6% marine animal species loss will occur in the next generation during 2060–2080 CE if humans do not engage in nuclear wars. These variations are due to magnitudes of pollution, deforestation, and global warming. The main causes of this crisis will change from pollution and deforestation to deforestation in 2030 under the low CO2 emission scenarios but will change from pollution and deforestation to deforestation in 2070 and then to deforestation and global warming after 2090 under the medium CO2 emissions. A nuclear conflict will increase animal species loss up to approximately 40–70% for terrestrial tetrapod species and 25–50% for marine animal species, including errors. Therefore, this study shows that the animal species conservation priority is to prevent nuclear war, reduce deforestation rates, decrease pollution, and limit global warming, in this order