The Honggong pluton is the largest ferroan alkalic (A-type) granite intrusion emplaced along the Jiangshan–Shaoxing fault zone in southwestern Zhejiang Province, and has important implications for understanding the Late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of SE China. U–Pb ages of 138.7 ± 0.8, 134.2 ± 1.1, 128.5 ± 1.5 and 126.1 ± 0.9 Ma were obtained from zircon by laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, indicating that the Honggong pluton formed in the Early Cretaceous. The Honggong pluton has a clear ferroan alkalic (A-type) granite geochemical signature with, for example, high total alkali contents and FeOt/(FeOt + MgO) values. The Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic compositions suggest that there was juvenile material in the magma source. Geochemical evidence indicates that the pluton was derived through extensive fractionation of melts that contained both asthenospheric mantle and Mesoproterozoic crustal components. These rare granites in southern China were emplaced during five episodes at 235–225, 190, 165–155, 100–90 and 140–120 Ma. The age of the Honggong pluton suggests that localized extension in southwestern Zhejiang Province began as early as ~138 Ma and continued to 126 Ma. This Early Cretaceous extensional event was triggered by localized rollback of the subducting Pacific Plate.

A long-debated aspect of cone-in-cone structures is whether the mineral aggregates composing the structure precipitated with their conical form (primary cone-in-cone), or whether the cones formed after precipitation (secondary cone-in-cone). A calcite deposit from the Cretaceous of Jordan bears all the defining characteristics of the structure. Trace dolomite within the sample supports the primary cone-in-cone hypothesis. The host sediment is a biosiliceous mudstone containing abundant rhombohedral dolomite grains. Dolomite rhombohedra are also distributed throughout the calcite of the cone-in-cone. The rhombohedra within the calcite locally have dolomite overgrowths that are aligned with calcite fibres. Evidence that dolomite co-precipitated with calcite, and did not replace calcite, includes (i) preferential downward extension of dolomite overgrowths, in the presumed growth-direction of the cone-in-cone, from the dolomite grains on which they nucleate, and (ii) planar, vertical borders between dolomite crystals and calcite fibres. Because dolomite overgrows host-sediment rhombohedra and forms part of the cones, it follows that the host-sediment was incorporated into the growing cone-in-cone as the calcite precipitated, and not afterward. The host-sediment was not injected into the cone-in-cone along fractures, as the secondary-origin theory suggests. This finding implies that cone-in-cone in general does not form over multiple stages, and thus has greater potential to preserve the chemical signature of its original precipitation.

The widely quarried and commercially exploited Gonioclymenia Limestone of the western and southern Tafilalt Platform (Anti-Atlas, SE Morocco) represents a transgressive but strongly condensed and shallowing upwards unit that overlies conformably or unconformably Famennian to Lower Devonian deposits. It is characterized by abundant, giant-sized Gonioclymenia speciosa, which characterizes the Famennian V-B, and rare Leviclymenia ramula sp. nov. Associated conodont faunas fall in the Bispathodus costatus Subzone of the B. aculeatus aculeatus (= Middle expansa) Zone. A rare outcrop at Jebel Ihrs West proved that Kalloclymenia and conodont faunas of the B. ultimus ultimus (= Upper expansa) Zone occur in a separate, overlying unit of the lower part of Famennian VI. Consequently, joint occurrences of Gonioclymenia and Kalloclymenia on large limestone slabs that are on offer in rock shops are artificial assemblages; there is no evidence for a regional co-occurrence of both genera. This is supported by correlation into thicker sections of the adjacent Maider and Tafilalt Basins. The Tafilalt Gonioclymenia Transgression may represent the regional expression of a eustatic pulse in the B. costatus Subzone that is known on the Ardennes Shelf as the transgressive Epinette Event. The conodont faunas yielded Neopolygnathus fibula sp. nov., Pseudopolygnathus primus tafilensis ssp. nov., new morphotypes of B. spinulicostatus and Pseudopolygnathus primus primus, the oldest Siphonodella (Eosiphonodella) and variable ‘siphonodelloids’ that are currently left in open nomenclature.

The Maestrat basin was one of the most subsident basins of the Mesozoic Iberian Rift system, developed by a normal fault system which divided it into sub-basins. Its Cenozoic inversion generated the N-verging Portalrubio–Vandellòs fold-and-thrust belt in its northern margin, detached in the Triassic evaporites. In the hinterland, a 40 km wide uplifted area, in the N–S direction, developed, bounded to the N by the E–W-trending, N-verging Calders monocline. This monocline is interpreted as a fault-bend fold over the ramp to flat transition of the E–W-trending, N-verging Maestrat Basement Thrust, and also indicates the transition from a thick-skinned (S) to a thin-skinned (N) style of deformation. This paper presents a kinematic evolutionary model for the northern margin of the basin and a reconstruction of the Maestrat Basement Thrust geometry, generated by the inversion of the Mesozoic normal fault system. It contains a low-dip ramp (9°) extended southwards more than 40 km, attaining a depth of 7.5 km. As this thrust reached the Mesozoic cover to the foreland, it propagated across the Middle Muschelkalk evaporitic detachment, generating a nearly horizontal thrust which transported northwards the supra-salt cover, and the normal fault segments within it, for c. 11–13 km. The displacement of the basement in the hanging-wall of the low-dip basement ramp generated the 40 km wide uplifted area, while the superficial shortening was accumulated in the northern margin of the basin – which contains the thinnest Mesozoic cover – developing the Portalrubio–Vandellòs fold-and-thrust belt.

The Early to Late Triassic development of a carbonate ramp system in the subtropical belt of the NW Tethys was controlled by the interplay of several global and regional factors: geotectonic setting (slow continuous subsidence on a passive continental margin), antecedent topography (low-gradient relief inherited from preceding depositional regime), climate and oceanography (warm and dry climatic conditions, storm influence), relative sea-level changes (Olenekian to Anisian eustatic rise, middle Anisian to early Carnian sea-level fall), lack of frame-builders (favouring the maintenance of ramp morphology), and carbonate production (abundant formation of lime mud, non-skeletal grains and marine cements, development of diverse biota controlled by biological evolution and environmental conditions). Elevated palaeorelief affected the ramp initialization on a local scale, while autogenic processes largely controlled the formation of peritidal cyclicity during the early stage of ramp retrogradation. Probably fault-driven differential subsidence caused a local distal steepening of the ramp profile in middle–late Anisian time. The generally favourable conditions promoted long-term maintenance of homoclinal ramp morphology and accumulation of carbonate sediments having great maximum thickness (~500 m). Shutdown of the carbonate factory and demise of the ramp system in the early Carnian resulted from relative sea-level fall and subsequent emergence. After a period of subaerial exposure with minor karstification, the deposition of continental quartz arenites suggests the possible effect of the Carnian Pluvial Episode.

Using carbon and oxygen isotopic relationships from dental enamel, diet and habitat were inferred for both mesomammals and megamammals that lived in Cedral (San Luis Potosi, north-central México) during Late Pleistocene time. δ13C and δ18O values show that bison, some horses and mammoth were eating C4 plants and lived in open areas, while tapir, camel and some llamas ate C3 plants and inhabited closed areas. All other studied herbivores (pronghorn, glyptodont, mylodont ground sloth, javelina, mastodon, and other llamas, horses and mammoth) had a C3/C4 mixed diet, living in areas with some percentage of tree coverage. On the other hand, American lion and dire wolf ate either C4 or mixed-diet herbivores, and short-faced bear ate C3 herbivores. At Cedral, more humid conditions existed than presently, allowing the presence of a forested area near the grassland.

The Cenozoic-age Lower Rhine Basin is located in the NW part of the European Cenozoic Rift System. In Miocene times, a combination of warm climatic conditions and basin subsidence resulted in the deposition of up to 100m of lignite (i.e. Main Seam of the Ville Formation). The Main Seam can be subdivided into the Morken, Frimmersdorf and Garzweiler seams, separated by two intercalated transgressive sand units, namely the Frimmersdorf and Neurath sands, deposited in a shallow-marine, tide-dominated environment. The lignite seams of the Ville Formation are currently worked by RWE Power AG, in the Garzweiler II open-cast mine. In the Frimmersdorf Seam (between the Frimmersdorf Sand and the Neurath Sand), the presence of small-scale sand bodies, together with their variable dimensions, affects the industrial exploitation of the seam. Moreover, their irregular distribution complicates their precise and early recognition. Indeed, so-called barren lignite (≥ 17% of sand) and completely clean units can occur within a few metres of each other. Initial classification of these highly variable sand bodies suggests a variety of both pre- and post-depositional causal mechanisms, providing evidence of an extremely complex depositional and post-depositional system. Syn-depositional sand bodies were deposited in a swamp area that was located in the fluvial-dominated sub-environment of an extended tidal estuary. The post-depositional formation of sand bodies is related to the intrusion of fluidized sands from the underlying Frimmersdorf Sand. These sand injectites within the Frimmersdorf Seam are considered to be linked to seismic activity within the Lower Rhine Basin.

The Chinese Altai is renowned for its rich rare-element resources. Nine representative rare-element (REL) pegmatites were dated using LA-ICP-MS and 40Ar–39Ar methods. The columbite grains yield a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 239.6±3.8 Ma for the Dakalasu (Be-Nb-Ta) pegmatite and concordia U–Pb ages of 258.1±3.1 Ma and 262.3±2.5 Ma for the Xiaokalasu (Li-Nb-Ta) pegmatite. The zircons display a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 198.5±2.5 Ma for the Husite (Be) pegmatite and concordia U–Pb ages of 194.3±1.6 Ma and 248.2±2.2 Ma for the Qunkuer (Be) and Taerlang (barren) pegmatites. The muscovite 40Ar–39Ar dating gives plateau ages of 286.4±1.6 Ma, 297.0±2.6 Ma, 265.2±1.5 Ma, 178.8±1.0 Ma, 162.2±0.9 Ma, 237.7±1.3 Ma, 237.4±1.2 Ma and 231.9±1.2 Ma for the Talate (Li-Be-Nb-Ta), Baicheng (Nb-Ta), Kangmunagong (barren), Husite (Be), Qunkuer (Be-Nb-Ta), Xiaokalasu (Li-Nb-Ta), Weizigou (Be) and Taerlang (barren) pegmatites, respectively. These new ages coupled with previous geochronological work suggest that the REL pegmatites in the Chinese Altai formed during early Permain – Late Jurassic time. The REL pegmatites located in the Central Altaishan terrane are younger than those in the Qiongkuer–Abagong terrane, showing a correlation with the coeval and adjacent granites. The formation of the REL pegmatites and these granites indicates frequent and strong magmatic activity in the post-orogenic and anorogenic setting. The spatial and temporal distribution of pegmatites and granites reveals a magmatism path from the SE (of age early–middle Permian), to the NW (middle Permian – Middle Triassic) and finally to the central part (Middle Triassic – Jurassic) of the Chinese Altai.

The Maastrichtian–Danian benthic foraminiferal diversity and assemblages through sequence stratigraphy were studied at Dakhla Oasis, Egypt. Benthic foraminifera numbers (BFN), high-flux species and characteristic benthic foraminiferal species and genera distribution are also incorporated to assess palaeobathymetry, palaeoenvironment and palaeoproductivity. All these proxies are then taken together to construct a sea-level curve and interpreted in terms of regional tectonics, climate and eustasy. Data suggest a remarkably highly equitable benthic environment deposited in a brackish littoral and/or marsh setting with moderate (?) to low oxygen conditions and reduced salinity (oligotrophic), possibly due to increased precipitation and terrestrial runoff. The interrupted dominance of calcareous forms and high-organic-flux species suggests occasional marine incursions and high palaeoproductivity, due to local upwelling. The inferred sea-level curve replicates the global eustatic curve and suggests that the curve is more influenced by the prevailing climate and global eustasy rather than by regional tectonics. The post-Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary displays improvement in the environment in terms of diversity and number of species and specimens, with a marked reduction in the abundance of high-organic-flux species during early Paleocene (Danian) time, indicating a shift from a more mesotrophic open marine environment to much reduced oligotrophic conditions.

3D seismic data and wireline logs from 17 wells in the onshore East Nile Delta were utilized to study the stratigraphic architecture and evolution of Oligocene deposits. The Oligocene is readily recognized on seismic cross-sections by a series of northward prograding clinoforms. The Oligocene sequences show lateral facies changes from fluvial to deepwater via a shelf-edge delta. Such deltaic features include distributary channels, interdistributary bay fill, and a delta plain and front, gradually changing downslope into prodelta and slope deposits. The slope deposits include three main depositional elements: a deeply incised channel, a complex of laterally switched leveed channels and lobes, and crevasses and frontal splays. These depositional elements are formed in the main western slope basin and local eastern intraslope ponded sub-basin. The reactivated E–W- and NW-trending faults as well as NE–SW inverted structures are the main controls on slope physiography that formed the main corridors for Oligocene sediment distribution. Two main globally correlated Oligocene sequences are encountered being separated by the major drop in global eustatic sea level at 28.1Ma. The lower Oligocene sequence has two main stages: (1) the formation and filling of a basal canyon; and (2) the formation and progradation of shelf deltas to form shelf-edge deltas, and then progradation with an ascending shelf-edge trajectory (clinoforms 1). The upper Oligocene sequence is characterized by accretionary shelf-edge deltas with descending and then flat trajectories (clinoforms 2–4). The frontal splay and lobe complex exhibits potentially favourable reservoir continuity and areal coverage followed by the slope channels.

The author apologizes that the FirstView publication of this article (Selim, 2016) included a figure (Fig. 12) for which permission had not been granted by the owners, Dana Gas PJSC.

The article has been recast, replacing the original Fig. 12 with a new version.