New brachiopod species from the order acrotretida from the Cambrian of central Kazakhstan

Four new brachiopod species from the order Acrotretida (class Lingulata): Picnotreta saryarkensis sp. nov., Stilpnotreta propria sp. nov., Anabolotreta firma sp. nov., and Batenevotreta variabilis sp. nov. are described from the Agyrek Mountains, northeastern Central Kazakhstan from two olistoliths of limestones, which contain the uppermost Middle and lowermost Upper Cambrian fauna and are located in the Upper Ordovician olistostrome. These new species supplement the described earlier brachiopod assemblage from this region (Koneva and Ushatinskaya, 2008). Strong age and intraspecific variability of some Kazakh acrotretids is shown.     

‘Cambrian’ demosponges in the Ordovician of Morocco: Insights into the early evolutionary history of sponges

Cambrian spicular sponge faunas are dominated by a distinctive assemblage of demosponges and hexactinellids that are known from Burgess shale-type faunas worldwide. Most of these are previously unknown outside the Lower-Middle Cambrian (and perhaps Tremadoc) and have no obvious close relatives in later sequences. This paper describes examples of Choia sp., Pirania auraeum sp. nov. and Hamptonia christi sp. nov. from the Arenig of Morocco, associated with isolated hexactinellid spicules. A summary of the stratigraphic ranges of the major Cambrian sponge lineages is provided. These indicate an environmental contrast in the Lower Palaeozoic evolution of hexactinellids and non-lithistid demosponges, with demosponges probably undergoing cryptic diversification in nearshore environments during the Upper Ordovician.     

Inarticulate they are not!

Popov, L. & Holmer, L.E. 1994 Cambrian-Ordovician lingulate brachio-pods from Scandinavia, Kazakhstan, and South Ural Mountains. Fossils and Strata , No. 35,156 pp. and 115 figures.     

The messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage (Ordovician: late Tremadoc-early Arenig) of the Barriga Shale Formation, Sierra Morena (SW-Spain)

The "messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage" is currently considered to be characteristic of latest Tremadoc-earliest Arenig cold-water environments on the periphery of Gondwana, at high latitudes in the southern hemisphere. An integrated biostratigraphical study on both acritarchs and graptolites was until now only available for localities in northwest England. Reinvestigation of the "messaoudensis-trifidum acritarch assemblage" from the Barriga Formation (Sierra Morena, southwestern Spain), which contains some graptolite horizons that can be attributed to the latest Tremadoc (pre-phyllograptoides and pre-approximatus graptolite biozones), strengthens the biostratigraphical potential of the "messaoudensis-trifidum assemblage", and the importance of some of the acritarch taxa recovered from these levels. It is concluded that the acritarch genera Coryphidium Vavrdová, 1972, Peteinosphaeridium Staplin et al., 1965 emend. Playford et al., 1995, Striatotheca, Burmann, 1970, and the Veryhachium lairdii group (rectangular veryhachiids) appear in the latest Tremadoc, and should not be considered as indicators of the base of the Arenig, as previously suggested.     

The structure and spatial organization of the butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera,Rhopalocera) of the Ural Mountains

The butterfly fauna of the Ural Mountains contains 233 species: Papilionidae (6 species), Pieridae (23), Lycaenidae (64), Nymphalidae (60), Satyridae (57), and Hesperiidae (23). The number of butterfly species in seven regional and 29 local faunas generally increases gradually from north to south. The mean number of species in the local butterfly faunas is 127 in the southern Urals and slightly over 50 in the Polar Urals. The arealogical structure of the fauna is determined by the distribution of species recorded in 24 meridional and 19 latitudinal groups which together result in 80 distribution patterns. Based on comparison of the local butterfly faunas of the Urals, two large, historically formed faunistic complexes are distinguished: southern and northern. Either complex contains two faunistic complexes of the second order, hypoarctic and boreal in the former, and southern boreal and subboreal in the latter. The faunas of the Kazakhstan part of the Urals form a separate subboreal semi-arid complex, whereas the extreme boreal fauna of Pay-Khoy forms an independent arctic complex.     

The Cambro - Ordovician boundary

Henningsmoen, G.: The Cambro-Ordovician boundary.
The Cambrian and Ordovician Systems were established in Britain, and it seems appropriate to define the Cambro-Ordovician boundary in Britain or where there is a closely related faunal succession at the junction. When Lapworth erected the Ordovician System in 1879, his intention was that its lower boundary should separate the so-called primordial (or first) and second Palaeozoic faunas. He drew this boundary at the base of the Lower Arenig, but apparently included the Upper Tremadoc in the Lower Arenig. It seems problematic to base the Cambro-Ordovician boundary on grounds of historical priority, and we seem to be free to decide whether to have the boundary at the base of the Tremadocian, at the base of the Arenigian, or within the Tremadocian (e.g. at the base of the Upper Tremadoc). The alternatives are shortly discussed. Arguments are put forward for placing the boundary not at a break, but preferably in a sequence with cosmopolitan fossils, either in a sequence of uniform facies or perhaps rather in a sequence with frequently alternating facies.     

湖北宜昌奥陶系庙坡组疑源类

湖北宜昌地区庙坡组是达瑞威尔阶/桑比阶界线附近的地层,该段地层产出分异度较高,丰度适中的疑源类组合。该组合包括16属,28种,其中7个未定命名种,可与国内、外同期疑源类组合进行对比。庙坡组疑源类组合既产出晚奥陶世特征分子,也产出阿伦尼格期(弗洛阶上部—达瑞威尔阶底部)的特征分子,显示出一定的过渡特色。组合以Baltisphaeridium(17%—52%),Leiosphaeridia(6%—78%)占优势;反映了其沉积环境为离岸较远的外陆棚环境。     

New mammal remains from the Late Cretaceous Bostobe Formation (Northeast Aral Sea Region,Kazakhstan)

Four recently collected mammal specimens from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian–?Campanian) Bostobe Formation in the northeastern Aral Sea Region, Kazakhstan are attributed to Asioryctitheria indet. (an edentulous dentary fragment) and the zhelestid Parazhelestes sp. cf. P. mynbulakensis (a maxillary fragment with a double-rooted canine, an M1, and a dentary fragment including m3). These new records double the known mammal fauna from this formation, which previously included the zhelestid Zhalmouzia bazhanovi and Zhelestidae indet. The taxonomic and ecological structure of the mammal assemblage from the Bostobe Formation can, on present evidence, be considered close to the other eutherian dominated Late Cretaceous mammal assemblages of Central Asia. This region is important in particular in the search for Late Cretaceous ancestors of crown-group eutherian mammal clades (Placentalia).     

Books Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
NOE-NYGAARD N.: Ecological, sedimentary, and geoshemical evolution of the late-glacial to postglacial hose lacustrine basin, Denmark.
BUTERL˜ELD, N. J.; KNOLL, A. H.; SWETT, K.: Paleobiology of the Neoproterozoic Svanbergfjellet Formation, Spitsbergen.
POPOV, L.; HOLMER, L.: Cambrian-Ordovician lingulate brachiopods from Scandinavia, Kazakhstan, and South Ural Mountains.
LILJEDAHL, L.: Silurian nuculoid and modiomorphid bivalves from Sweden.     

Palynostratigraphy of Middle Cambrian to lowermost Ordovician stratal sequences in the High Zagros Mountains, southern Iran: Regional stratigraphic implications, and palaeobiogeographic significance

A palynological investigation of Cambro-Ordovician stratal sequences in the High Zagros Mountains of southern Iran permits the definition of a series of successive acritarch assemblage zones of chronostratigraphic significance, much improving the current knowledge of the Lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy of this important area for oil exploration. The five acritarch assemblage zones can be readily correlated with previously established palynostratigraphic schemes constrained by co-occurrence of independent age evidence, confirming the utility of organic-walled microfossils for the detailed biostratigraphic characterization of sedimentary units. The proposed biozonation will facilitate accurate dating of the southern Iranian Cambrian sequences during future drilling of deep test oil wells. Acritarch assemblage zone I (Middle Cambrian), occurs at the base of Member C of the Mila Formation; assemblages zone II (late Middle to earliest Late Cambrian) extends through the middle and upper part of the same lithostratigraphic unit; zone III (early Late Cambrian in age) characterizes the lower part of the Ilebeyk Formation; zone IV (middle Late Cambrian up to Cambrian/Ordovician transitional levels) occurs in the middle and upper part of the Ilebeyk Formation; finally, acritarch assemblage zone V ranges through the basal part of the Zardkuh Formation and proves an early Tremadocian age for the latter unit. The Mid-Late Cambrian acritarch associations show a marked Avalonian palaeobiogeographical affinity, also sharing a high proportion of taxa with typical Baltican and North Africa–Gondwanan assemblages; on the other hand, they are clearly different from known Laurentian (North America) fossil microphytoplankton suites. These results are in general agreement with current palaeogeographical models which place Avalonia, Baltica, and the North African part of Gondwana, all at relatively high southern palaeolatitudes, in contrast with the sub-equatorial position of Laurentia. However, the presence of many typical “Avalonian” taxa in the Iranian Mid-Late Cambrian assemblages would suggest a closer position of Iran to Avalonia than currently envisaged. The observed breakdown of acritarch biogeographic differentiation in earliest Ordovician times possibly represents a major disruption of oceanic current patterns and a lessened palaeolatitudinal thermal gradient.     

Cambrian agnostid communities in Tasmania

Jago, J. B.: Cambrian agnostid communities in Tasmania.
Two or possibly three different agnostid trilobite assemblages can be distinguished in the late Middle and early Upper Cambrian sequences of northern and western Tasmania. This is significant because in recent years agnostid trilobites have been widely used in local and international correlations of Middle and Upper Cambrian rocks. The three assemblages recognized are (1) an agnostid assemblage in which polymerid trilobites are abscnt, rare or present as thanatocoenotic fossils, (2) a ptychagnostid-non-nepeid assemblage, and (3) a nepeid-clavagnostid-peronopsid assemblage in which non-agnostid trilobites are abundant but ptychag-nostids are absent. It is proposed that assemblage (1) represents an open sea fauna, with assemblages (2) and (3) occurring in progressively shallower water.     

Oligocene vertebrate assemblages in central Kazakhstan: Faunas,biogeography and paleoecology

The history of research in Oligocene paleozoology of Central Kazakhstan is described. Continental Oligocene strata may be recognized on the basis of different Oligocene fossil vertebrates, taking into account the stratigraphic occurrence of mammal genera and species, their belonging to subdivisions of the General Stratigraphic Scale as well as statistical determination of assemblage formation time. At least two stratigraphic levels occur in this region. These are: Saryin (Myneskesuyek, Mogila Saty localities), the lower part of Chelkarnura (Shintuzsay) Svitas (upper half of the Lower Oligocene—Upper Oligocene); and the upper part of Chelkarnura (Chelkar‐Teniz) and Betpakdala (Kyzyl‐Kak) Svitas (Upper Oligocene). Apparently the Chelkar‐Teniz vertebrate assemblage originated in several stages. They require future studies of stratigraphic position of fossils.

Origin and ways of migration of mammalian genera from the Oligocene faunistic assemblages of Central Kazakhstan are discussed.

A preliminary paleoecological study suggests that animals of open and rarefied landscapes dominated in the Myneskesuyek region, the faunistic assemblage of which appears to have been the most ancient. Vertebrate inhabitants of partly open and open, as well as forest habitats probably were present in Chelkar‐Teniz. Animals primarily of forest and scattered woodland dwellers predominated in the Kyzyl‐Kak locality.     

New Upper Cambrian Lingulata (Brachiopoda) from the Agyrek mountains (northeastern central Kazakhstan)

Two new genera, Repkinella and Aristotreta, and five new species from the class Lingulata (Brachiopoda) are described from the Upper Cambrian olistolith limestone enclosed in the Upper Ordovician olistostrome from the Agyrek mountains (northeastern Kazakhstan). The family Curticiidae Walcott et Schuchert is referred to the order Lingulida, not order Acrotretida, where it was previously placed.     

Nouveau site Paléolithique supérieur ancien au nord de l’Asie Centrale

In this paper we present the results of two years (2016 and 2017) excavations at new stratified Upper Paleolithic site of Ushbulak, situated in Shiliktinskaia Valley, Eastern Kazakhstan. There are eight lithological layers, which contain the archaeological material from Holocene to Initial Upper Paleolithic. The most significant number of artifacts was discovered in the layers 6 and 7. The debitage assemblages from these layers represent primary knapping oriented towards blade production by parallel uni- and bidirectional methods of volumetric core reduction. The tool assemblage includes several types, such as end-scrappers, burins on blades, truncated-faceted pieces, and points with basal trimming, bitruncated blades and burin-cores. These features together with a date 45.249–44.012 cal.BP from layer 6 allow us to attribute these two layers 6 and 7 to the Initial Upper Paleolithic and to consider Eastern Kazakhstan as a region between synchronous sites of the Initial Upper Paleolithic in Altai Mountains, Dzungaria and Mongolia.     

Late Tremadoc to early Arenig graptolite faunas of southern Bolivia and their implications for a worldwide biozonation

The graptolite faunal succession of the late Tremadoc to early Arenig in southern Bolivia is established from the Cieneguillas and Culpina sections and compared with faunas from other regions. The succession yields important data for the discussion on the proposed GSSP at the base of the Tetragraptus approximatus Zone and the completeness of the successions in eastern North America and Scandinavia. The graptolite faunas of the Aorograptus victoriae, Kiaerograptus supremus, Araneograptus murrayi, Hunnegraptus copiosus and Tetragraptus phyllograptoides zones are reviewed and the faunal associations discussed. The Kiaerograptus supremus Zone is regarded as a local Scandinavian biozone.     

Evolution of Devonian biodiversity of radiolarians with two porous spheres and one main spine

Features and major distinctions in the appearance and distribution of radiolarians with two porous spheres and one main spine in the Devonian basins are considered. Four solitary population waves and expansion scenario of radiolarians of this morphotype have been recognized in the Devonian. A new species, Radiobisphaera rozanovi sp. nov., from the Upper Emsian, Upper Eifelian, and Middle Frasnian of the southern Ural Mountains, from the Upper Eifelian of the Prague Basin (Barrandian), from the Middle-Upper Frasnian of the Rudnyi Altai, and from the Lower Famennian of the Timan-Pechora Basin and the Polar Ural Mountains is described.     

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.     

New Devonian Palliocerida (Cephalopoda, Astrovioidea)

Eight new species of Ostreioceratidae are described from the Lower and Upper Devonian of Novaya Zemlya, Lower Devonian of the Pechora River basin, North Ural Mountains, and the Zeravshan Range: Ostreioceras admotum, O. simile, O. abruptum, O. sobolevi, Plagiostomoceras kuzmini, P. adumbratum, P.? acerbum, and P. vinogradovi. A new family Bogoslovskyidae is established in the order Palliocerida.