Late Ordovician Brachiopods From The Otar Member Of The Chu-Ili Range, South Kazakhstan

Brachiopods from the Otar Member (upper Caradoc) of the Dulankara Formation, Kazakhstan, are revised. Twenty-one species are represented of which the orthoid genus Bokotorthis and strophomenoid genus Karomena are new. New species are Phaceloorthis reconditaPlaesiomys fidelisAnoptambonites kovalevskii, Karomena squalidaDzhebaglina plicata. Three ecological associations are identified, the Altaethyrella-Nalivkinia (Pronalivkinia) Association, the Ctenodonta-Sowerbyella Association and the Dinorthis Association, all living in shallow-water (BA2) environments. The fauna shows closest affinity with South China, but contains two genera only known elsewhere from Australia.     

The first representative Pliocene assemblages of passerine birds in Asia (Northern Mongolia and Russian Transbaikalia)

Passerine birds from two late Pliocene localities, Shaamar in northern Mongolia and Beregovaya in Transbaikalia (East Russia), represent the first known Neogene fossil assemblages of perching birds from Asia. A total of 11 families and 15 taxa are recognized, including a new genus and species of bunting, Pliocalcarius orkhonensis, apparently related to the Longspurs, and new species within the genera Hirundo and Rhodospiza, which are described. The avifauna is composed of open land and bush dwellers; it contains a few arid species, representing the oldest finds of the corresponding genera or lineages. This may indicate that the living Asian arid avian complex originated in Central Asia in the Neogene. Several genera (Rhodospiza, Paradoxornis) are documented in this paper for the first time in pre-Pleistocene deposits. Report of Calcarius is the first pre-Holocene evidence of the occurrence of this genus in Asia, which together with the remains of Synaptomys lemmings at Shaamar, illustrates faunal interchanges between North America and Asia in the Pliocene.     

A new platanaceous genus Tasymia (Angiosperms) from the Turonian of Siberia

A new extinct genus of arborescent angiosperms, Tasymia gen. nov., is described from the Turonian deposits of the upper part of the Simonovo Formation on the Kas River (left-bank tributary of the Yenisei River, Krasnoyarsk Region). The epidermal characters of leaves of the new genus testify to its platanaceous affinity. A comparison with other extinct taxa of the Platanaceae from the Chulym-Yenisei Depression and other regions of the Northern Hemisphere is accomplished.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zittelina massei</Emphasis> n. sp., a new dasycladacean alga from the Lower Cretaceous strata of Pădurea Craiului (Apuseni Mountains,Romania)

A new taxon has been found in the Upper Aptian (Clansayesian)-Albian limestones of Pădurea Craiului (Northern Apuseni Mountains). It is the second representative of the genus Zittelina identified in deposits older than the Cenozoic. This new species differs from Z. hispanica—described from Hauterivian deposits—for its axial cavity is narrower (with proportionally longer laterals and a lower d/D ratio) and the median part of the laterals are fused in verticillar planes. It also shows general features that distinguish it from related taxa in Cenozoic strata.     

Spirorbinae (Polychaeta:Serpulidae) from the Red Sea, including descriptions of a new genus and four new species

A new genus, a new subgenus, four new species and four previously described species are recorded from the Red Sea. The new genus Anomalorbis has four and a half thoracic segments. Re-discovery of the sinistral variety of Janua (Dexiospira) steueri confirms Sterzinger's observation that this species may coil in either direction. Janua (Fauveldora) anticorrugata sp. nov. is also sinistral and a shallow water species. It therefore appears that the Red Sea may have been the centre of origin for sinistral mutants of the Janua complex. Other of the new forms live in fairly deep water. The assemblage encountered shows closest affinity with the Indo-Pacific, but suggests a high degree of endemism, which may be related to the high temperatures prevailing at all depths in the Red Sea.     

Description of a new Eocene osteoglossid fish and additional information on †Singida jacksonoides Greenwood and Patterson, 1967 (Osteoglossomorpha), with an assessment of their phylogenetic relationships

A new genus and species of osteoglossomorph fish is described from the Eocene Mahenge site in north central Tanzania. The new species is sympatric with the previously described osteoglossomorph † Singida jacksonoides , but is easily distinguished from it by the presence in the new species of teeth on the jaws and entopterygoid. The new species shares characters with the Heterotidinae, such as the two arms of the preopercle being of similar length and the posterior end of the maxilla lying on the dentary, and other characters with the Osteoglossinae (including † Phareodus ), for example the enlarged pectoral fin ray and the shape of the opercular bone. New specimens of † S. jacksonoides also have been recovered from the site, providing more information on the osteology of this fish. The relationships of these two Mahenge osteoglossomorphs are assessed, with both fishes placed within the Osteoglossidae, but of uncertain position in the family. Addition of the new species to previous cladistic data sets, and the revised information for † S. jacksonoides , causes the subfamily Osteoglossinae to be nonmonophyletic.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 144 , 213–228.     

Ougandatherium napakense nov. gen. nov. sp., le plus ancien Rhinocerotidae Iranotheriinae d’Afrique

Ougandatherium napakense nov. gen. nov. sp., the earliest Rhinocerotidae Iranotheriinae from Africa. The Uganda Palaeontology Expedition discovered an exceptionally rich fossiliferous channel deposit at Napak I, Karamoja, in 1999, which yielded two partial skeletons of a new genus and species of early Miocene Rhinocerotidae, together with various other mammals and gastropods typical of Faunal Set I of East Africa. The age of the deposits on the basis of both faunal correlation (biochronology) and radio-isotopic dating is ca 19–20 Ma. The new genus and species is a hornless rhinoceros about the size of a small horse, with long slender limb bones and metapodials and hypsodont upper cheek teeth whose enamel is undulate, and fossettes cement-filled. Upper premolars possess an inner wall; this is clearly an iranotheriine morphology. As such it is the earliest known African member of this subfamily, close to the oldest member of the subfamily recently discovered at Bugti in Pakistan, a site whose age is about the same.     

Fossil legumes from the Middle Eocene (46.0 Ma) Mahenge Flora of Singida, Tanzania

Middle Eocene age caesalpinioid and mimosoid legume leaves are reported from the Mahenge site in north-central Tanzania. The Mahenge flora complements a sparse Paleogene tropical African fossil plant record, which until now consisted of a single macrobotanical assemblage, limited palynological studies in West Africa and Egypt, and fossil wood studies primarily from poorly dated deposits. Mahenge leaf macrofossils have the potential to add significantly to what is known of the evolutionary history of extant African plant groups and to expand our currently limited knowledge of African Paleogene environments. The site is associated with a kimberlite eruption and demonstrates the potential value of kimberlite-associated lake deposits as much-needed resources for African Paleogene floras. In this report we document a relatively diverse component of the flora consisting of the leaves of at least five species of Leguminosae. A new species of the extant genus Acacia (Mimosoideae), described herein, is represented by a bipinnate leaf. Another taxon is described as a new species of the extant genus Aphanocalyx (Caesalpinioideae), and a third leaf type may be related to the extant genus Cynometra (Caesalpinioideae). Two additional leaf types are less well understood: one appears to be referable to the Caesalpinioideae and subfamily affinities of the other taxon are unknown.     

A new species of the catfish Nigerium from the Palaeogene of the Tilemsi Valley,Republic of Mali

Abstract: The phosphate deposits of the Tilemsi Valley, Republic of Mali, West Africa, are well known for their rich fossil vertebrate fauna including fishes, crocodilians, snakes and mammals. Despite this, the exact age of the deposits has been in some doubt. Here, a new species of catfish, Nigerium tamaguelense sp. nov., is described from the phosphate deposits at Tamaguélelt, Tilemsi Valley, based on a large collection of 29 well‐preserved crania. The crania are compared with the known species of Nigerium, N. wurnoense White and N. gadense White. The genus Nigerium is reviewed and now placed in the family Claroteidae based on a combination of three derived characters. Nigerium is compared with other African fossil catfish genera and the fossil record of catfish families in Africa is reviewed. The new evidence presented here shows the Claroteidae to be the earliest occurring catfish family in Africa. Evidence is also presented for an Early Eocene age for the phosphate deposits at Tamaguélelt.     

On the hoplonemertean, Kameginemertes parmiornatus (Iwata, 1957) gen. n., comb. n. from Sagami Bay, Japan

The hoplonemertean Amphiporus parmiornatus Iwata,1957, from Sagami Bay, Japan, has beenredescribed and named Kameginemertes gen. n. asa member of the reptantic Polystilifera. Anatomicallythe new genus shows affinity to the genus Drepanophorus belonging to the EureptantiaAequifurcata, but because of differences in thecerebral sensory organs, nervous system,blood-vascular system, and rhynchodaeal wall, a newgenus is proposed for it.     

Petrocha notogaea gen. et sp.n., a neotenic interstitial polychaete (Dorvilleidae) from the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand

Petrocha notogaea represents a new interstitial dorvilleid genus from subtidal medium coarse sands. With its distinctly neotenic characters, such as one pair of short palps, ciliary rings on all parts of the body, setigers with uniramous parapodia, simple capillaries, simple heterogomph falcigers and comparatively small size (1.2–1.4 mm), it shows close phylogenetic affinity to several other taxa of the Dorvilleidae, such as Ikosipodus, Microdorvillea, Arenotrocha and Pusillotrocha , which have only been described in the last four years.     

Ulphaceaster sarthacensis,nouveau genre et nouvelle espèce d’échinide Archiaciidae du Cénomanien (Sarthe,France)

A new genus and a new species of the echinoid family Archiaciidae from Cenomanian deposits in Sarthe (Paris Basin, France) are described. The genus Ulphaceaster nov. gen. can be distinguished from other archiaciids by its anterior ambulacrum, which is located in a deep groove running from the peristome to the apex where the test enlarges in a tea-spoon shape. The apical rostrum is taller and more slender than for species of the close genus Claviaster. The species Uphaceaster sarthacensis sp. nov. is known from the Saint-Ulphace locality only (Sables et Grès de Lamnay Formation, La Garenne quarry), where it is found in shallow marine sandy limestones, from infralittoral deposit environments.     

A NEW SNAKE MACKEREL FROM THE MIOCENE OF ALGERIA

Abstract:  A new genus and species of gempylid is described from the Late Miocene (Messinian) diatomite deposits of the Chelif Basin, north-east Algeria. Although its skeleton is incomplete, Chelifichthys goujeti gen. et sp. nov. possesses a unique combination of features that justifies its recognition as a new genus. Chelifichthys goujeti is characterized by remarkably elongate and serrated dorsal-fin spines, the absence of external pelvic-fin elements, and sculptured frontals and opercular bones. Chelifichthys appears to be closely related to the living genera Nealotus , Prometichthys , Rexea and Rexichthys . Chelifichthys goujeti represents the third record of the family Gempylidae in the Neogene of the Mediterranean.     

Fish otoliths from the pre-evaporitic (Early Messinian) sediments of northern Italy: their stratigraphic and palaeobiogeographic significance

The study of otolith assemblages from the pre-evaporitic Messinian deposits allows the reconstruction of a fauna of 79 taxa of which 35 could be identified at the specific level. Three of these are new: Diaphus rubus, Myctophum coppa, and Uranoscopus ciabatta. The assemblages reflect mainly a neritic environment influenced by the oceanic realm. Analysis of the global present-day geographic distribution of 42 of the recognised Messinian genera indicates that 88% of these are still living in the Mediterranean, 98% in the Atlantic and 78% in the Indo-Pacific realm. These results are in good agreement with the evolutionary trends documented for the Oligocene and Miocene teleost fauna, specifically an increase in percentage of genera inhabiting the modern Mediterranean, a very high percentage of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific genera, and a slight fall of the importance of present-day Indo-Pacific genera from the Rupelian up to the Late Miocene. Analysing the composition of the Early Messinian fauna at the level of nominal species indicates that about 53% of the species represented in the assemblages are still living in the Recent Mediterranean, and that a significant number of these were already present in the Tortonian. It is interesting that these species are mainly neritic. This seems to confirm that the close affinity of the fossil assemblage with the present-day Mediterranean neritic fauna, which was already recorded at the genus level for the Rupelian fauna, persists during the Neogene and continues until the Pleistocene.     

Neogene Deep-sea Smelts (Argentiniformes: Microstomatidae) from the Far East Russia

Deep-sea smelts (Argentiniformes: Microstomatidae, Bathylaginae) from the Miocene of Far East Russia (Sakhalin and Urup islands) are described. The specimens described belong to four taxa, one of which is assigned to a new species of the genus Leuroglossus. Like Recent smoothtongues, the new species has thickened medial rays in the caudal fin. The small number of abdominal vertebrae makes the new species similar to the extant southern smoothtongue L. stilbius, which occurs along the eastern coasts of the Pacific Ocean. The new species differs from extant smoothtongues in the short snout, which is not longer than the orbit. Phylogenetic analysis of morphological features of the new species, using a matrix of characters of living deepsea smelts, shows that it occupies a basal position in the genus Leuroglossus. Three other extinct taxa cannot be reliably classified below the level of the subfamily Bathylaginae or tribe Bathylagini because of insufficient preservation of available specimens. The new records of deep-sea smelts in Far East Russia show that this fish subfamily was widespread and highly morphologically differentiated in the Neogene.     

SKULL MORPHOLOGY AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF A NEW DIMINUTIVE BALAENID FROM THE LOWER PLIOCENE OF BELGIUM

Abstract:  A new small balaenid is described and compared to all fossil and living balaenid taxa. The specimen represents a new genus and species and is named Balaenella brachyrhynus . It was discovered in the Lower Pliocene of Kallo (north-west Antwerp, Belgium) and adds new information on the diversity and evolution of Balaenidae. Based on both comparative morphology and phylogenetic analysis, Balaenella brachyrhynus is morphologically closer to the genus Balaena , including the living Greenland Bowhead whale ( B. mysticetus ), and two Pliocene species ( B. montalionis and B. ricei ) from central Italy and the eastern USA. Balaenella brachyrhynus has very short nasals, a short rostrum relative to the total skull length and a horizontal supraoccipital. A cladistic treatment of 81 morphological character states scored for 10 balaenids and nine non-balaenid cetaceans revealed that the other small balaenids generally included in the genus Balaenula (including Balaenula astensis, B. balaenopsis and a Pliocene Balaenula sp. from Japan) are closer to the living genus Eubalaena (the Right whale). As the new skull is so different from the nominal Balaenula species, and as it is more closely related to Balaena than to Eubalaena , it is concluded that a small body size was a common condition in different Balaenidae clades.     

A molecular phylogeny of the Littorininae (Gastropoda: Littorinidae): unequal evolutionary rates,morphological parallelism,and biogeography of the Southern Ocean

A molecular phylogeny is presented for the subfamily Littorininae (including representatives of all subgeneric taxa and all members of a group of southern-temperate species formerly classified as 'Nodilittorina'), based on sequence data from two nuclear (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA) and two mitochondrial (12S rRNA, CO1) genes. The phylogeny shows considerable disagreement with earlier hypotheses derived from morphological data. In particular, 'Nodilittorina' is polyphyletic and is here divided into four genera (Echinolittorina, Austrolittorina, Afrolittorina new genus, and the monotypic Nodilittorina s.s.). The phylogenetic relationships of 'Littorina' striata have been controversial and it is here transferred to the genus Tectarius, a surprising relationship for which there is little morphological support. The relationships of the enigmatic Mainwaringia remain poorly resolved, but it is not a basal member of the subfamily. The two living species of Mainwaringia are remarkable for a greatly elevated rate of evolution in all four genes examined; it is suggested that this may be connected with their protandrous hermaphroditism, which is unique in the family. The molecular phylogeny provides a new framework for the adaptive radiation of the Littorininae, showing more frequent shifts between habitats and climatic regimes than previously suspected, and striking parallelism of morphological characters. The fossil record of littorinids is poor, but ages of clades are estimated using a calibration based on a Lower Eocene age of the genus Littoraria. Using these estimates, the antitropical distribution of Littorina and Afrolittorina is an ancient pattern of possibly Cretaceous age. The five members of Austrolittorina show a Gondwanan distribution in Australia, New Zealand, and South America. Based on the morphological uniformity within this clade, relatively recent (Plio-Pleistocene) trans-Pacific dispersal events seemed a likely explanation, as proposed for numerous other congeneric marine taxa. However, molecular estimation of ages of divergence suggest an initial vicariance between Australian and South American lineages at 40-73Ma, contemporary with the later stages of fragmentation of the Gondwanan supercontinent, followed by more recent (but still mid-Cenozoic) dispersal events across the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Afrolittorina is another Cretaceous clade, now restricted to southern Africa and southern Australia, but divergence between these lineages (29-55Ma) post-dates Gondwanan fragmentation. Within both Austrolittorina and Afrolittorina all sister-species divergences are estimated to fall in the range 10-47Ma, so that there is no evidence for speciation events in the Plio-Pleistocene.