Records of diagenetically mineralized, filamentous, cavity-dwelling microorganisms extend back to strata from the early Paleoproterozoic (2400 Ma). In North Greenland (Laurentia), they are first known from the Ediacaran (Neoproterozoic; ca. 600 Ma) Portfjeld Formation of southern Peary Land, in association with a biota similar to that of the Doushantuo Formation of China. The Portfjeld Formation cavity dwellers are compared with more widespread occurrences in Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4, Miaolingian Series) strata from the same region in which assemblages in postmortal shelter structures within articulated acrotretoid brachiopods and other invertebrates are common. All specimens were recovered by digestion of carbonate samples in weak acids. The described fossils are preserved as mineral encrusted threads but this diagenetic phosphatization unfortunately obscures their biological identity.

A revision of the rhinocerotid material from the Negev (Israel), dating back to the early Miocene (MN3 in the European Mammal Biochronology), highlights the presence of Brachypotherium and a taxon close to Gaindatherium in the Levantine corridor. A juvenile mandible, investigated using CT scanning, displays morphologically distinct characters consistent with Brachypotherium cf. B. snowi rather than with other Eurasian representatives of this genus. Some postcranial remains from the Negev, such as a humerus, display features that distinguish it among Miocene taxa. We attribute these postcrania to cf. Gaindatherium sp., a taxon never recorded outside the Siwaliks until now. This taxon dispersed into the Levantine region during the late early Miocene, following a pattern similar to other South Asian taxa. Brachypotherium cf. B. snowi probably occurred in the Levantine region and then in North Africa during the early Miocene because its remains are known from slightly younger localities such as Moghara (Egypt) and Jebel Zelten (Libya). The occurrence cf. Gaindatherium sp. represents a previously unrecorded range expansion out of Southeast Asia. These new records demonstrate the paleogeographic importance of the Levantine region showcasing the complex role of the Levantine corridor in intercontinental dispersals between Asia and Europe as well as Eurasia and Africa.

Despite the abundant literature on limnic Cretaceous ostracode faunas, the database on mid-Late Cretaceous taxa is still scarce. The Songliao Basin in northeastern China preserves a diverse assemblage of ostracode fossils from the Santonian–Campanian Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations. This rather unique material is of major importance to comprehend Early to mid-Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Campanian) limnic ostracode faunas and therefore the evolution of Late Cretaceous basins in China. A study of this fauna was conducted to detail the taxonomy of ostracode species from members 1 and 2 of the Nenjiang and Sifangtai formations in the Songliao Basin. Well-preserved specimens of 14 ostracode species were recovered from samples of the ZKY2-1 well in southwestern Songliao Basin: Scabriculocypris liaukhenensis Liu in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea acclinia Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea cavernosa Galeeva, 1955, Cypridea gracile Netchaeva in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Cypridea lepida Ye in DOFEAD, 1976, Cypridea squalida Sou in Netchaeva et al., 1959, Fabaeformiscandona? Disjuncta (Hao in Hao et al., 1974), Lycopterocypris profunda Lübimova, 1956, Mongolocypris magna (Hou, 1958), Mongolocypris tera (Su in Netchaeva et al., 1959), Talicypridea obliquecostae (Szczechura and Błaszyk, 1970), Talicypridea reticulata (Szczechura, 1978) and Renicypris renalata (Su in Hao et al., 1974). Four of the species identified received emended descriptions and diagnoses. Other important results include the first discussion on sexual dimorphism in Cypridea acclinia and Fabaeformiscandona? disjuncta, the first study on the ontogeny of Ilyocyprimorpha netchaevae, and the reassignment of Cypridea liaukhenensis to the genus Scabriculocypris. Several species recorded herein are also found in other continental far-eastern Asian basins, while genera range from worldwide to far-eastern Asian distribution; these results support strong affinities among faunas of Mongolia, China, and Japan.

Clinal variation is systematic, morphologic variation within a species along a geographic or ecologic gradient. While common among today's biotas, it has rarely been well documented in the fossil record. It is, however, clearly displayed among the large populations of the Trentonian brachiopod genus Sowerbyella. In general, shallow agitated waters were populated by specimens with flat or round pedicle valve exteriors and ornately sculptured brachial valve interiors. Deeper, quieter facies were populated by forms with medial folds on pedicle valve exteriors and plain brachial valve interiors. This clinal variation was apparently the product of heterochrony with either the shallow-water forms having been peramorphic or the deeper water forms having been paedomorphic.

The distributions of the Sowerbyella clines are directly related to the facies developed within approximately eight million years of continuously deposited strata of the Trenton Limestone. Evolution of the Trentonian species of Sowerbyella appears to have been phyletic and locally adaptive. New clinal variants evolved by orthoselection during episodes when new environments were becoming available for occupation. The lower Trentonian transgression and the middle Trentonian shallowing were the major examples. Some clinal variants were eliminated when they failed to pass through facies bottlenecks in the lower and upper Trentonian. Thus, the history of the Sowerbyella lineage of the Trenton Group is the product of the facies-controlled production and selection of clinal variants. Clinal variation appears to be a central factor of phyletic evolution.

Sowerbyella kayi n. sp. is described.

Well-preserved, laterally flattened, farreid hexactinellid sponges of the new species Farrea rugosa have been recently discovered in the upper Miocene Puente Shale in the Peralta Hills in southeastern Anaheim, Orange County, California. This is the first farreid sponge reported from the Miocene of California and is one of the few Miocene sponges reported from North America. The cluster is of upward bifurcating, moderately complex sponges in which branches are regularly rugose and skeletons are each a single layer of dictyid net, with aborted proximal and distal rays in the otherwise laterally fused quadruled skeleton of original silica. The sponges occur in pinkish brown sandy siltstone in the limited exposure beneath older alluvium that blankets much of the local area.

A new species of Graptocarcinus is the stratigraphically youngest known member of the genus; it is here described together with a new species of the genus Caloxanthus from the late Maastrichtian of The Netherlands. The known stratigraphic distribution and paleobiogeography of both genera are discussed. The range of Graptocarcinus is extended from the Aptian to the late Maastrichtian.

Ardmosteges orchamus, new genus, new species, from the Early Pennsylvanian Morrowan sequence in southern Oklahoma, is characterized by a well-developed early aulostegid stage, followed by a fully developed richthofenoid stage. It differs markedly from any previously described genus. The nature of the early development, with a rounded aulostegid shell and a prominent interarea in the ventral valve, suggests that it evolved from the Aulostegidae. The most unique feature of Ardmosteges is that it shows for the first time, a documented mechanism for the addition of new shell material above the hinge area in the ventral valve in shells that proceeded to develop a richthofenoid cone. Shell layers were extended posteriorly from the margins of the ventral valve onto the interarea of that valve indicating that the mantle grew onto the hinge area from each side. This irregular and asymmetrical process gradually filled the space above the hinge and was followed by the upward growth of a typical richthofenoid cone. In the proposed development of the Permian richthofenoids from Ardmosteges it is postulated that the characteristic interarea of Ardmosteges was suppressed during extreme development of a distinctly cylindrical cone.

Ardmosteges provides the missing link between the Aulostegidae and the Richthofenoidea. Its characters are primitive compared to those of the Permian richthofenoids but it is similar in having a deeply recessed opercular dorsal valve, protective spines in the vestibule above the dorsal valve, and in being attached by rhizoid spines.

A sequence of unusual vertical tubes, arranged in multiple groups, and each tube several meters high occurs in the Middlesboro Member of the Lee Formation (Lower Pennsylvanian). These structures are controversial with various interpretations suggesting either plant or animal origin. Observations supporting a plant origin include: 1) numerous C- and D-shaped, and multichambered tube cross sections are similar to fern and seed fern structures, 2) numerous membrane relicts loosely enclosing the tubes are similar to fern and seed fern tissues, 3) microscopic bundles are observed in cross-sectional thin sections, 4) presence of carbonaceous material and reported fecal pellets over a vertical distance in excess of 5 m are consistent with deteriorating plant material, not escape structures, 5) tubes are composed of casts and molds, but lack spreite or other features typical of escape structures, 6) tubes occur in clusters about one meter in diameter and are associated with coaly material at their base, which suggests that the clusters represent trees, 7) other trace fossils are absent in the enclosing sandstone, 8) tubes branch upward, which is a common structure in plants but unlikely in escape structures, 9) a coalified root structure was found at the base of the sandstone, and 10) all the tubes extend from the bottom of the sandstone to the top. The probability of burrowing animals escaping through as much as 8 m of sand with 100 percent survivorship is low.

The structures may represent a stand of pteridosperms with each “tree” approximately 1–1.5 m in diameter. The individual pipe-organ structures represent aerial stems, shoots, and adventitious roots; each cluster of pipe-organ structures represents a single tree.

Based upon sedimentologic features such as presence of 1) channel form, 2) scoured base, and 3) fining-upward sequence, we interpret the sandstone containing the pipe-organ structures to have been deposited in a sandy fluvial or tidal channel. The unidirectional cross-bed dips, poor sorting, occurrence only of very restrictive fauna and terrestrial flora, position of the sandstone above a possible floodplain facies, and lack of characteristic tidal structures suggest that the sandstone is more probably a sandy fluvial channel that may have minor tidal influence.

The component subfamilies of the Delthyridoidea are critically reviewed and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. This shows the presence of two clades, assigned to the Delthyrididae and Acrospiriferidae, within the superfamily. The subfamilial categories are redefined mainly on the basis of the characters used in the phylogenetic analysis. The spiriferid, mainly delthyridide, Gaspé fauna is formally revised and redescribed. This new taxonomic treatment leads to more precise biostratigraphy and to the recognition of a new subfamily, the Gaspespiriferinae, based on the new genus Gaspespirifer. Five new species are described: Howellella (Howellella) forillonensis, Brachyspirifer (Brachyspirifer) briseboisi, Paraspirifer desbiensi, Brevispirifer florentinus, and B. quebecensis, The occurrence of Brevispirifer species with Middle Devonian chonetaceans confirms the presence of marine Eifelian strata in the Matapédia Valley. Paraspirifer desbiensi n. sp. and two species left in open nomenclature, Vandercammenina sp. and Mucrospirifer sp., have considerable biostratigraphic and biogeographic significance in the Lower Devonian. The first occurrence in the Eastern Americas Realm of the typically Rhenish genera Brachyspirifer, Paraspirifer, and Vandercammenina are in Gaspé. This reinforces the hypothesis that Gaspé served as a stepping stone for Rhenish species invading North America in Pragian and Emsian times, as previously suggested by bivalve biogeography.

A gastropod assemblage is described from the middle Lower Devonian (Pragian) of Alai Ridge, Kyrgyzstan. It includes eight species, six of which are new. Two new genera are established, Alaionema and Barroisocaulus. Newly named species belonging to the above genera include: Alaionema kyrgyzensis and Barroisocaulus oliveri. In addition, four new species belonging to extant genera are also described: Omphalocirrus kaukensis, Ruedemannia tienshanica, Oriostoma sarydalchaensis, and Goniasma? asiatica.

Upper Cretaceous rocks of the Kuskokwim Group are exposed in a large region of southwestern Alaska and are mainly composed of deformed turbidite deposits that contain few fossils other than inoceramid bivalves. This paper documents the taxonomy of the inoceramids in the Kuskokwim Group, develops an inoceramid biostratigraphy based on known ranges in other regions, and analyzes biogeographic patterns, paleoecology, and depositional history of the Kuskokwim Group.

Most of the inoceramid bivalves present in the Kuskokwim Group are of Cenomanian and Turonian age, and an assemblage of species typical of late Turonian age rocks is particularly well developed. Only two localities appear to be as young as Santonian age. The following 16 species or subspecies are discussed and illustrated in detail: Birostrina tamurai Matsumoto and Noda, Inoceramus virgatus Schlüter, I. pennatulus Pergament, I. pictus minus Matsumoto, I. cf. I. yabei Nagao and Matsumoto, I.? sp. aff. I. costatus Nagao and Matsumoto, I. hobetsensis Nagao and Matsumoto, I. longealatus Tröger, I. frechi Flegel, I. waltersdorfensis waltersdorfensis Andert, I. cf. I. waltersdorfensis hannovrensis Heinz, I. kuskokwimensis n. sp., Mytiloides cf. M. opalensis (Böse), M. teraokai (Matsumoto and Noda), M. cf. M. incertus (Jimbo), and Sphenoceramus naumanni (Yokoyama). In addition, a specimen with affinities to Mytiloides striatoconcentricus carpathicus (Simionescu) and a specimen that may belong to the I. (Cremnoceramus?) rotundatus–I. (C.) erectus lineage are illustrated.

Most of the taxa present in the Kuskokwim region are found in other regions of the North Pacific, particularly Japan and eastern Siberia, or are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Only one species, I. kuskokwimensis n. sp., is new and may be endemic. North Pacific taxa are predominant in the Kuskokwim region, but intervals near the Cenomanian–Turonian Stage boundary and in the upper Turonian contain taxa characteristic of Europe and the Western Interior basin of North America; some of these taxa have not been recorded previously in the North Pacific region. Turonian heteromorph ammonite assemblages associated with inoceramids in the finer grained facies of the Kuskokwim region are similar to those found in coeval rocks of Japan and Germany.

The depositional area of the Kuskokwim Group can be broken into two northeast-trending subbasins, the Kuskokwim River subbasin to the northwest and the Mulchatna River subbasin to the southeast, connected by the Nushagak Hills corridor. Within the Kuskokwim River subbasin, deposition apparently started earlier in the north (middle Cenomanian) than in the south (late Cenomanian to early Turonian), and prograding deltaic sedimentation along the western margin also appears to have started earlier in the north. No marine fossils younger than latest Turonian to earliest Coniacian are known from the Kuskokwim River subbasin. The youngest fossils identified are Santonian in age and are from deep-water deposits in the Nushagak Hills corridor. Few fossils are known from the Mulchatna River subbasin and age control is limited.

The biofacies of the Lower Palmatolepis rhenana Biozone to Palmatolepis triangularis Biozone in the Mae Sariang section, northwestern Thailand, are marked by alternations of Palmatolepis-dominated biofacies and Polygnathus-dominated biofacies related to fluctuations in seawater depth. Fine-grained limestone accumulated through the Lower Palmatolepis rhenana Biozone, Upper Palmatolepis rhenana Biozone, Palmatolepis linguiformis Biozone, Palmatolepis subperlobata Biozone, and Palmatolepis triangularis Biozone. A regression in the Upper rhenana Zone was followed by a recovery transgression that extended up through the linguiformis Zone. Conodont faunas increased until near the end of the linguiformis Zone, but in the overlying subperlobata Zone and triangularis Zone, conodont numbers dropped and most conodont species disappeared. It is possible the event coincides with a glacially forced regression, but there is no evidence of this in the section apart from a positive spike in δ13C. Another possible cause of the global marine extinction event is toxic levels of metals resulting from widespread volcanism. New taxa in this paper are Palmatolepis chaemensis new species, Palmatolepis thamensis new species, and Polygnathus tenellus surinensis new subspecies.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/f2b55ba8-fe49-46f6-a2d5-bfd0208f1460

From new and more complete material, which includes frond fragments with casts of tracheid remains of the rachis, it can be demonstrated that the putative liverwort Hepaticites iporangae Ricardi-Branco, Faria, Jasper, and Guerra-Sommer, 2011, from the early Permian Rio Bonito Formation (Sakmarian) of the Paraná Basin, Brazil, is not a bryophyte but a tracheophyte. The new material was collected from the same locality and layer as the type material, in the Quitéria outcrop in the municipality of Encruzilhada do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. From the morphology of the deeply dissected pinnatifid pinnules with narrow laminar lobes, the taxon is provisionally reassigned to the genus Rhodeopteridium. Thus we propose the new combination ‘Rhodeopteridium’ iporangae new combination for this taxon. This new systematic interpretation contributes to our understanding of early liverworts (by removing Hepaticites iporangae as a possible taxon thereof) and clarifies an issue of diversity of the flora of the early Permian Rio Bonito Formation resulting from the original misidentification.

A bryozoan fauna containing 11 species is described from the Lower Devonian (middle Lochkovian) of Arroyo del Agua, Sierra de Guadarrama, Guadalajara, Spain. One genus containing one species is new: rhabdomesine cryptostome Fehlerpora insolita n. gen. n. sp. Six additional new species are described: three cystoporates: Cystiramus gracilis n. sp., Fistuliramus guadarramaensis n. sp., and Fistuliphragma tenuis n. sp.; and three trepostomes: Eridotrypella hispanica n. sp., Boardmanella dubia n. sp., and Leptotrypella inesae n. sp. Four further trepostome species were identified: Leioclema incompositum Duncan, 1939, Minussina spinosoformis Astrova, 1964b, Leptotrypella verisimilis Astrova, 1970, and Leptotrypella vulgata Astrova, 1964b. The association is distributed over three different sedimentary environments. The high-energy one representing accumulation of debris from bryozoan-coral-pelmatozoan thickets contains eight species dominated by erect branched forms (six species). Tabulate corals are present, especially branches which most likely belong to Subcladopora? abnormis (Mironova, 1974). The environment with moderate to low wave influence contains only two bryozoan species, one erect branched and one encrusting. The third setting represents bryozoan thickets in situ situated in deeper water, the most tranquil environment characterized by four bryozoan species, dominated by three erect forms. Fenestrate bryozoans are absent from the two higher energy environments, whereas the bryozoan thickets in deeper water contain rare unidentified fragments of fenestrates. The bryozoan fauna shows distinct relations to the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) of Ukraine, one species is known from the Middle Devonian of U.S.A.

Echinoderms are important faunal components in the Curdsville Member of the Lexington Limestone. Numerous clades are represented, including Crinoidea (Springer, 1911; Parsley, 1981), Paracrinoidea (Parsley and Mintz, 1975; Parsley, 1981), Cyclocystoidea (undescribed), Edrioasteroidea (Miller and Gurley, 1894; Bell, 1976, 1979), and Stylophora (Parsley, 1981, 1991). Although some of these taxa are well preserved (Springer, 1911), most have been recovered from residues of acidized samples. These later specimens are poorly preserved, obscuring much of the information. Here we describe well preserved specimens recently collected by members of the Kentucky Paleontological Society (Lexington) of two species that add significantly to our understanding of lesser known components of the Curdsville Fauna. Bistomiacystis schrantzi n. sp. is a large paracrinoid bearing two separate ambu1acral systems that lead to two peristomial openings. Our research suggests that this unusual arrangement is consistent with oral areas of other derived blastozoans bearing oral plates. Edrioaster priscus (Miller and Gurley) is a poorly known large edrioasterid edrioasteroid previously known only from specimens preserved in coarse beekite. The new material of this taxon allows for a thorough characterization of this poorly known edrioasteroid and shows that previous assessments of its size and morphology need revision.

Middle Pennsylvanian, Atokan and Desmoinesian, crinoids and echinoids are described from the Belden and Minturn Formations of the Central Colorado Trough. The echinoderms from the Minturn Formation were living in an active intermontane trough setting. They are found in two environments, on the flanks of phylloid algal reefs and in patches on abandoned delta lobes on the gently sloping substrate. Faunas are dominated by cromyocrinids and are similar to stable platform Terrigineous Facies Belt faunas of the Midcontinent.

New species described are Dicromyocrinus beldenensis, Neoprotencrinus rockensis, and Sciadiocrinus wipsorum. Goleocrinus, and the columnal genera Blothronagma, Cyclocaudex, and Platyplateium are reported for the first time from the Minturn Formation. The columnal taxa Blothronagma cinctutum and Floricyclus angustimargo are believed to be cromyocrinids. B. cinctutum may be synonomous with Synarmocrinus molasensis, and Floricyclus angustimargo may be synonymous with Ulocrinus rockymontanus.

A third known specimen of the ammonite Rhaeboceras burkholderi Cobban, 1987, has been discovered in the upper part of the Pierre Shale of early Maastrichtian age (Late Cretaceous) Baculites eliasi zone of Dawson County, Montana. This finding extends both the geographical and stratigraphic ranges of the species. In addition, R. cedarense new species is described from the Baculites baculus/grandis zone of the same region, which extends the stratigraphic range of the genus as currently recognized. The new species is a small form of Rhaeboceras that appears to be closely related to and probably descended from R. burkholderi.

This paper presents new descriptions of Anacardiaceae fossil woods from the Ituzaingó Formation (late Cenozoic) at the Toma Vieja, Curtiembre, and Arroyo El Espinillo localities, Argentina. We describe eight silicified woods assigned to four different species in three genera, one of which, Parametopioxylon crystalliferum n. gen. n. sp., is new. Similarities between these three genera and the six Anacardiaceae species previously recorded from the late Cenozoic in northeastern Argentina are investigated using multivariate analysis techniques (correspondence and cluster analysis). Our study is based on 33 characters scored for 17 fossil specimens (10 Astroniumxylon Brea, Aceñolaza, and Zucol 2001; five Schinopsixylon Lutz, 1979; and two Parametopioxylon n. gen.) and four extant species (Astronium balansae Engl., Astronium urundeuva Engl., Schinopsis balansae Engl., and Metopium sp.). Our main goal is to determine the wood anatomical features useful for distinguishing among these species. Results of the multivariate analyses support the previous classification where Schinopsixylon is distinguished from Astroniumxylon by having exclusively paratracheal axial parenchyma, ≥30% multiseriate rays, and multiseriate rays that are ≥5 cells wide and commonly 301–400 μm in height. Additionally, we propose that Schinopsixylon heckii Lutz, 1979 is synonymous with S. herbstii Lutz, 1979. A diagnostic key for the fossil species studied is given. Wood anatomy of Anacardiaceae fossil woods from Argentina (late Cenozoic) suggests a warm, dry to semi-humid climate for this region, supporting previous studies.

The genus Salopina Boucot (in Boucot et al., 1960) is now widely recognized in Silurian to Middle Devonian rocks (Walmsley et al., 1969); its Ludlovian type species is S. lunata J. de C. Sowerby (Walmsley, 1965). From the outset, a variety of morphs and named species have been gathered within the genus Salopina, although some significant differences have been evident. The most obvious difference is size, which is often ignored as a consequence only of ontogenetic variation. Size can also be a hallmark of habitat, or biofacies, or position in the benthic community chain.