Devonian (Eifelian) disparid crinoids from the Zeravashan range,southern Tien Shan,Uzbekistan

No Devonian disparid crinoids have been described from Uzbekistan, although parahexacrinid thecae and assorted columnals have been described in several papers in the past 50 years. Discovery of a cup of Pisocrinus and a thecae of Haplocrinites are the first of these genera known from Uzbekistan. The stratigraphic range of Haplocrinites is revised to be late Early Devonian (Emsian) to Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian) because Silurian species assigned to the genus are based on loose ossicles that morphologically do not belong to the genus. The paleogeographic ranges of Pisocrinus and Haplocrinites are extended into Uzbekistan. Haplocrinites uzbekistanensis n. sp. is described.     

Bryozoans, corals, and microfacies of Lower Eifelian (Middle Devonian) limestones at Kierspe, Germany

The Lower Eifelian Meinerzhagener Korallenkalk (= upper Cultrijugatus Beds) at Kierspe, Sauerland, contains a rich reefal fauna. Eight bryozoan species are described, two of them are new: the cystoporate Fistuliporella kierspensis n. sp. and the trepostome Leptotrypella sophiae n. sp. The bryozoans from the Meinerzhagener Korallenkalk shows distinct similarities to the Lower–Middle Devonian of Spain (Santa Lucía Formation, Emsian–Eifelian), and to the Middle Devonian (Eifelian) of Transcaucasia. The coral fauna comprises five tabulate corals and one rugose coral that document a paleobiogeographic relationship between Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The associated fauna is represented by brachiopods, ostracods, and echinoderms. The studied limestones also commonly contain calcimicrobes represented by three species. The faunal and microfacial characteristics indicate a shallow marine depositional environment just above the storm wave base, with a supposed depth of 20 m, within the photic zone. The nutrient regime was at least a mesotrophic. The upper boundary of the Cultrijugatus Beds coincides with the Chote?-Event that strongly affected brachiopods, whereas corals and bryozoans were insensitive to this event.     

Integrated Middle Devonian chitinozoan and miospore zonation of the Amazonas Basin, northern Brazil

Middle Devonian chitinozoans were studied from 13 deep wells in the central part of the Amazonas Basin, northern Brazil, and compared with a newly established regional miospore zonation. Of the 23 chitinozoan species encountered, four are newly described: Ancyrochitina multibrachiata, Lagenochitina praeavelinoi, Ramochitina autasmirimense, and Ramochitina herculesi and seven species are retained in open nomenclature because of an insufficient number of well-preserved specimens. The stratigraphic intervals investigated herein correspond to three miospore interval range zones previously defined for the Amazonas Basin, namely, the Grandispora/Samarisporites spp. (GS); late Emsian-early Eifelian, Grandispora permulta (Per); late early Eifelian through the Eifelian-Givetian transition, and Geminospora lemurata-Chelinospora ex. gr. ligurata (LLi); early Givetian. A regional Middle Devonian chitinozoan biozonation, also consisting of three zones, is proposed for the investigated interval. These zones are the interval zone of Angochitina n. sp. A (early Eifelian), the interval zone of Alpenachitina eisenacki (late early to late Eifelian), and the total range zone of Ramochitina stiphrospinata (early Givetian).     

A new Middle Devonian gasterocomid crinoid from central Turkey and revision of the Gasterocomidae

A juvenile cup, disarticulated arm plates, and columnals of the crinoid Arachnocrinus sarizensis n. sp. are described from the Eastern Taurus Mountains of central Turkey. This is the first Paleozoic crinoid based on a cup and arm plates reported from Turkey. Suggested revision of the Gasterocomidae includes transfer of Arachnocrinus and Ancyrocrinus to the family and rejection of Kopficrinus from the family. The stratigraphic range of Arachnocrinus is extended upward into the Middle Devonian from the Early Devonian. The Devonian of Turkey is of special interest because it includes Laurasian and Gondwanan components on different tectonic blocks. The paleogeographic range of Arachnocrinus is extended from the North American plate onto the Anatolian block, which would have been located on the southern edge of the Paleotethys Sea in the Middle Devonian in a shelf basin off the northern coast of Gondwana at approximately 42° south latitude.     

Eine neueOtarion-Art (Trilobita, Arthropoda) aus dem Greifensteiner Kalk (unteres Mittel-Devon, Unter-Eifelium) von Greifenstein bei Herborn (Hessen, Deutschland)

en|This paper deals with a new species ofOtarion [Otarion (Otarionella) greifensteinen.se n. sp.] from the ‘Greifenstein Limestone’ of the ‘Wiege’ near Greifenstein, close to the village Greifenstein near Herborn (Lahn-Dill area, Hesse, Germany), which is described, figured and compared with all known species of this subgenus. It is a typical trilobite of the hercynian-bohemian shallow marine facies near the Lower-/Middle Devonian boundary (Upper Emsian / Lower Eifelian), which extends up into the lower part of the Middle Devonian (Lower Eifelian). The trilobites are transported for short distances only and, thus, are parautochthonous elements of the Greifenstein Facies.     

Latest Permian Palaeolithocycliidae (Radiolaria) from South China

The family Palaeolithocycliidae Kozur and Mostler was formerly thought to be ranging from Devonian to Carboniferous. However, a lot of radiolarians assignable to this family were discovered in the late Changhsingian (Latest Permian) of South China. Six species, including Palaeolithocyclia pilata n. sp., Palaeolithocyclia platta n. sp., Paramphibrachium woni n. sp., Klaengspongus spinosus Sashida, Klaengspongus formosus n. sp. and Klaengspongus umbilicatus n. sp., have been identified. In this paper, these species are illustrated and described.     

华南中泥盆世艾菲尔期浅海相四射珊瑚的组合特征和古生物地理区系

虽然在华南中泥盆世艾菲尔期(Eifelian)较深水或斜坡相地层中产有许多国际标准的牙形类带化石,但在广阔的浅海相地层中却很难寻觅到其踪影。华南浅海相沉积地区是否缺失艾菲尔阶?在野外众多剖面的实地考察中表明,从下泥盆统埃姆斯阶到中泥盆统吉维特阶都是连续沉积,中间并没有发现地层的缺失或间断现象。浅海相的艾菲尔阶与其上覆的吉维特阶和下伏的埃姆斯阶都是连续沉积,说明可能是由于海水太浅,不太适合那些国际标准分子的生存而已。艾菲尔期中期末发生一次生物灭绝事件(Mid-Eifelian event),favositids,heliolitids和许多古老类型的珊瑚在地球上灭绝。华南艾菲尔期四射珊瑚可以划分成下、上两个完全不同的组合:1)Utara-tuiasinen sis-Sociop hyllum minor组合(牙形类partitus带—costatus带);2)Columnaria spinosa-Dendrostella praerhenana组合(牙形类australis带—kocklianus带)。     

New radiolarians from the Devonian of the southern Ural Mountains: 1. Early-Middle Devonian (Late Emsian-Early Eifelian)

Late Emsian-Early Eifelian radiolarians from the southern Ural Mountains are recorded and described for the first time. They come from the Kamennaya Gora section on the Tanalyk River near the town of Buribay, Bashkiria. The new Late Emsian-Early Eifelian radiolarian assemblage consists of 20 species of 11 genera of spherical, discoidal, spindle-shaped, pylomate, and spiny radiolarians. Four new species, i.e., Entactinia rostriformis sp. nov., Palaeodiscaleksus tumefactus sp. nov., Primaritripus buribayensis sp. nov., and P. chuvashovi sp. nov., are described. The diagnosis of the genus Primaritripus Afanasieva, 2000 is amended. The fact that the oryctocenosis is dominated by discoidal radiolarians suggests that, in the Late Emsian-Early Eifelian, the area under study was occupied by a relatively shallow marine basin. Based on radiolarians, a new Upper Emsian-Lower Eifelian biostraton, beds with Primaritripus buribayensis-Entactinia rostriformis, is established. The history of the study of Early Devonian radiolarians is considered.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelekysgnathus jeppssoni</Emphasis>, a new conodont species from the Eifelian Stage of the Bryansk Region,Russia

Distribution of the Devonian conodont genus Pelekysgnathus is considered. A new species, P. jeppssoni sp. nov. from the Mosolovian Regional Stage (Middle Devonian, Eifelian) of the Voronezh Anteclise is described.     

Description of Pella maoershanensis sp. n. (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) associated with Lasius spathepus from Guangxi,South China

Pellamaoershanensis Song & Li, sp. n., collected from a colony of Lasius (Dendrolasius) spathepus in Maoershan Natural Reserve, Guangxi, is diagnosed, described and illustrated. The discovery represents the first record of the genus in South China.     

Erster Nachweis der GattungAmplexocarinia (Rugosa) im Eifelium der Nord-Eifel (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge)

The rugose coral genusAmplexocarinia Soshkina, 1928 is recorded for the first time from the Freilingen Formation (Upper Eifelian) of the Sotenich syncline (North Eifel, Rheinisches Schiefergebirge). A new species,Amplexocarinia freilingensis, is described, figured and compared toAmplexocarinia sp. from Eifelian/Givetian boundary beds of Moravia (Czechoslovakia) and to similar forms from different Devonian strata. Some remarks concerning the stratigraphy of the Freilingen Formation of the Sotenich syncline are given.     

Agelacrinitid Edrioasteroidea (Echinodermata) from the Middle Devonian of the Eifel (Rhenish Massif, Germany)

The few isolated reports of agelacrinitid edrioasteroids (“Timeischytes”) from the Middle Devonian of the Eifel (Rhenish Massif, Germany) are revised. In this context, a specimen-rich but low-diversity edrioasteroid association is described from the threshold of the Eisen and Latistriatus Members of the Junkerberg Formation (Eifelian, Middle Devonian) of the Blankenheim Syncline. Predominantly, the autochthonously preserved edrioasteroids settled fixosessile-epibenthically on the frequent-occurring orthid brachiopod Schizophoria schnuri blankenheimensis and represent a wide spectrum of ontogenetic growth stages. They are associated with epibenthic brachiopods, microconchids, bryozoans, and auloporids—exemplifying synecological interactions. Roundish, shallow concavities with the shape and size of preserved adjacent edrioasteroids within encrusting colonies of the bryozoan Eostenopora clivosa are of special interest. It is suggested that the depressions represent former positions of the adjacent edrioasteroids. The new Bellastrella eifeliana n. gen. n. sp. is described, and genus Krama Bell, 1976 is reported from the Middle Devonian of Germany for the first time.     

广西中泥盆世腕足动物空间分布及古环境意义

统计广西中泥盆世不同沉积相区二十条剖面的腕足动物化石记录共计13目45科69属167种,其中Eifelian期47属73种,Givetian期32属100种.对不同级别分类单元的多样性分析表明,从Eifelian期到Givetian期,不仅腕足动物各个目的组成及多样性结构有明显改变,而且各个时期不同沉积环境下的腕足动物...     

Lower Emsian biostratigraphy and event stratigraphy of Ha Giang Province,northern Vietnam

A new species of rugose coral, Sanidophyllum dubium n. sp., and the typical Emsian (Early Devonian) rugose coral Xystriphylloides nobilis are described from the Mia Le Formation in northern Vietnam. The lower Emsian index conodonts ranging from the Polygnathus excavatus zone to the P. nothoperbonus zone are illustrated. The biostratigraphic correlation between northern Vietnam and South China shows that the Mia Le Formation in northern Vietnam is early Emsian in age, and its upper part can be correlated with the lower part of the Shizhou Member of the Yukiang Formation in Liujing, Guangxi and its equivalents in South China. Based on the study of the lower Emsian biostratigraphic sequence, the disappearance of Xystriphylloides nobilis fauna in the overlying bed of the uppermost Mia Le Formation and the extinction of the “tonkinensis fauna” (sensu lato) in the interval between the basal Si Phai Formation and the uppermost Mia Le Formation demonstrate the influence of the Yujiang Event in northern Vietnam.     

New radiolarians from the Devonian of the southern Ural Mountains: 2. Middle-Late Devonian

Middle-Late Devonian Radiolarians are recorded for the first time in the southern Ural Mountains in Bashkortostan, in a section of Kariukmas Mountain (Upper Eifelian) and on the southern slope of Argagan Mountain (Middle Frasnian). The new Late Eifelian assemblage is composed of 17 species of 11 genera, and Middle Frasnian radiolarians comprise 13 species of 7 genera of spherical, discoidal, pylomate, and spiny radiolarians. A new species, Primaritripus kariukmasensis, sp. nov., is described. The prevalence of discoidal forms in the oryctocenosis suggests shallow marine conditions in the Late Eifelian and Middle Frasnian basins. Two new biostratons, the Upper Eifelian beds with Primaritripus kariukmasensis and Middle Frasnian beds with Primaritripus chuvashovi, are established based on radiolarians.     

An update to the taxonomy of the genus Gastroserica Brenske (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sericini)

Based on the examination of newly collected material and additional specimens housed in Chinese collections, our knowledge of Gastroserica Brenske, 1897, is expanded. Here, seven new species are described, including habitus photographs and illustrations of the male genitalia: Gastroserica haoyui sp. n. (China: Zhejiang Prov.), G. fengduana sp. n. (China: Sichuan Prov.), G. wenzhui sp. n. (China: Guangxi Prov.), G. damingshanica sp. n. (from China: Guangxi Prov.), G. jinxiuensis sp. n. (China: Guangxi Prov.), G. liboensis sp. n. (China: Yunnan Prov.) and G. carolusi sp. n. (Laos). Additionally, we provide a distribution map of the new taxa and new distribution records of the known taxa.     

Restudy of the Early Devonian rugose coral Xystriphylloides from South China

Early Devonian rugose coral Xystriphylloides in South China is restudied from the perspective of its taxonomic definition, biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and implication for the Yujiang Event. The diagnostic characters of the genus are clarified and its taxonomic position is also revised. In particular the septa of Xystriphylloides are shown to be fibrous rather than trabeculate. Xystriphylloides distinctus Yu n. sp. is described. Species of Xystriphylloides are widely distributed in South China and North Vietnam, so they are useful for regional biostratigraphic correlation and regional geological mapping. As an important biostrome builder, Xystriphylloides became extinct below the base of the nothoperbonus Conodont Zone, so it can be considered as one of the important pieces of evidence for recognizing the first episode of the Early Devonian Emsian Yujiang Event, which is also significant for studying paleoecology and event stratigraphy.     

Eifelian (Middle Devonian) species of Bipennatus from the Beiliu Formation at Nalai,South China

A conodont fauna from the uppermost part of the Beiliu Formation at the Nalai section (Guangxi, South China) is studied. Four species of Bipennatus Mawson are described, of which B. hemilevigatus n. sp. is differentiated by a short sulcus flanked by a smooth left margin and a nodose right margin, and B. planus n. sp. is characterized by a distinctly flat, smooth, and narrow platform in the middle part of the blade above the basal cavity. Another species in open nomenclature, Bipennatus? sp., is distinguished by an extremely primitive sulcus or a totally fused and adenticulate ridge above the basal cavity. This paper also reports occurrences of ‘Ozarkodina’? sp. B, Polygnathus nalaiensis n. sp., and P. costatus costatus Klapper. The conodont fauna situates the investigated samples in the lower Eifelian costatus Zone. Taking specimens of Bipennatus from the Hillesheimer Mulde and Bergischen Land (Germany) into consideration, the conodont material furnishes new data on the diversification and phylogeny of this genus. A taxonomic revision of Bipennatus is conducted, and this genus includes B. bipennatus (Bischoff and Ziegler), B. hemilevigatus, B. montensis (Weddige), B. planus, B. scalaris (Mawson), and B. mayri (Uyeno), the latter two are raised herein to species level. More importantly, the prominent diversification of Bipennatus in the costatus Zone cannot be interpreted by previously proposed hypotheses on the phylogeny of Bipennatus, which specifically focus on the development of a characteristic sulcus on the upper margin above the basal cavity. It is apparent that the ornamentation of the narrow or wide platform above the basal cavity is more complicated and variable than previously estimated, and that this genus needs further investigation, especially on the lowest occurrences of its assigned species.     

Snakefly diversity in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera)

The Albian amber from Spain presently harbors the greatest number and diversity of amber adult fossil snakeflies (Raphidioptera). Within Baissopteridae, Baissoptera? cretaceoelectra sp. n., from the Peñacerrada I outcrop (Moraza, Burgos), is the first amber inclusion belonging to the family and described from western Eurasia, thus substantially expanding the paleogeographical range of the family formerly known from the Cretaceous of Brazil and eastern Asia. Within the family Mesoraphidiidae, Necroraphidia arcuata gen. et sp. n. and Amarantoraphidia ventolina gen. et sp. n. are described from the El Soplao outcrop (Rábago, Cantabria), whereas Styporaphidia? hispanica sp. n. and Alavaraphidia imperterrita gen. et sp. n. are describedfrom Peñacerrada I. In addition, three morphospecies are recognized from fragmentary remains. The following combinations are restored: Yanoraphidia gaoi Ren, 1995, stat. rest., Mesoraphidia durlstonensis Jepson, Coram and Jarzembowski, 2009, stat. rest., and Mesoraphidia heteroneura Ren, 1997, stat. rest. The singularity of this rich paleodiversity could be due to the paleogeographic isolation of the Iberian territory and also the prevalence of wildfires during the Cretaceous.