On the occurrence of the ammonite aptychi Lamellaptychus cf. rectecostatus (Peters, 1854) from the Ogrodzieniec quarry (southern Poland)

The largely Kimmeridgian-Tithonian (Late Jurassic) aptychus Lamellaptychus rectecostatus (Peters, 1854) is considered to represent the jaw apparatus of the ammonite superfamily Haploceratoidea (Family Oppeliidae). However, here, from the Ogrodzieniec quarry (southern Poland), we present its unusual allochthonous occurrence embedded in a perisphinctid, Perisphinctes (Kranosphinctes) sp., and co-occurring with a late early Oxfordian Cordatum Subzone (Cordatum Zone) ammonite assemblage. The assemblage includes Cardioceras (Cardioceras) cf. cordatum (Sowerby), Neocampylites delmontanus (Oppel), Lissoceratoides erato (d’Orbigny), Bukowskites distortus (Bukowski), Trimarginites cf. arolicus (Oppel), Glochiceras sp., Holcophylloceras zignodianum (d’Orbigny) and Euaspidoceras (Euaspidoceras) perarmatum (Sowerby).     

L’assemblage à Cardioceras (Cardioceras) cordatum (J. Sowerby, 1812) et sa place au sein de la succession ammonitique de l’Oxfordien Inférieur (Jurassique Supérieur). Apport des données ardennaises (Province Subboréale)

Some temporary outcrops at Villers-le-Tourneur/Neuvizy (Ardennes, France), made possible the observation and biostratigraphical dating of Uppermost Callovian to Early Middle Oxfordian poorly known formations. Especially, the “Oolite Ferrugineuse de Villers-le-Tourneur–Neuvizy” is a quite thick marly unit, yielding some silicified fossils well known since the XIX^th century. With details, the Formation displays the succession of several faunal associations, characterizing the main subzones of the Cordatum Zone (Late Lower Oxfordian) and the Plicatilis Zone (Early Middle Oxfordian). Amongst many other species, Cardioceras cordatum (Sowerby, 1812) corresponds to a rare taxon or morphotype, yielded by the bottom part of the Formation. Then, the ultimate Lower Oxfordian faunal association is dominated by ammonites related to C. persecans. These Early Oxfordian are widely dominated by the family Cardioceratidae, commonly associated with Aspidoceratidae; such a structure is related to the “subboreal associations”, typically represented in Great Britain. Immediately after the Middle Oxfordian boundary, some “subtethysian” ammonites (mainly Perisphinctidae), occur in a larger number without being dominant, that emphasizing the northern location of the Ardennes margin. Then locally, two faunal associations succeed, which are characterized by C. cordatiforme (with Euaspidoceras perarmatum), and C. densiplicatum, respectively. Both are typical associations of the Vertebrale Subzone (Early Middle Oxfordian).     

Les faunes de Cardioceratinae (Ammonoidea) du Callovien terminal et de l'Oxfordien inférieur et moyen (Jurassique) de la Suisse septentrionale: Stratigraphie,paléoécologie,taxonomie préliminaire

The first photographs of Cardioceratinae out of exactly defined horizons from the Latest Callovian to the Middle Oxfordian of northern Switzerland are given in this article. Most specimens were either collected in large-scale excavations, or from measured sections. The Cardioceratinae from the Cordatum Subzone are important because they are very numerous, and because particularly well-preserved specimens are abundant. Cardioceratinae of this subzone are uncommon elsewhere in Europe. All representatives of the subfamily from the Cordatum Subzone, macro- as well as microconchs, are grouped into the single genus Cardioceras. An abrupt morphological change has been recognized between the Cardioceratinae of the Densiplicatum Zone and those of the Transversarium Zone.Most of the figured specimens have been found in an incomplete sequence of thin or even condensed horizons. These beds are the distal, starved basin facies of a thick, argillaceous, shoaling-up succession in northwestern Switzerland. Sedimentologic and taphonomic methods have been used in order to work out the time sequence of sediments and ammonite faunas in condensed beds, and to arrive at a correct zonation. These methods as well as observations on the distribution of chamosite and glauconite, and the ammonite assemblages, in two coeval horizons lead us to the conclusion that the Cardioceratinae of the Cordatum Subzone in northern Switzerland lived preferentially in water less than about 100 m deep.     

The age of Orrorin tugenensis,an early hominid from the Tugen Hills,Kenya

Throughout the history of the East African Rift valley, tectonic depressions and volcanic dams formed within the graben in which Middle Miocene to Recent volcanic rocks and lacustrine to fluvial sediments accumulated. During the Late Miocene, voluminous trachytes erupted in the vicinity of Kabarnet and almost filled the valley to its brim. Continued tectonic activity formed new basins floored by the Kabarnet Trachyte, one of which was located in the region immediately east of the present day Tugen Hills. The Lukeino sediments that accumulated in this basin crop out over an area of 44 km × 13 km. In 2000, Orrorin tugenensis, which is important for understanding the earliest stages of human evolution, was found in the Lukeino Formation 〚12〛, 〚13〛. It is concluded that the Lukeino formation accumulated between 6.0 and 5.7 Ma.     

Cyrtocrinids (Crinoidea) and associated stalked crinoids from the Lower/Middle Oxfordian (Upper Jurassic) shelfal deposits of southern Poland

Five cyrtocrinid crinoid taxa previously unknown from the epicratonic deposits of Poland, as well as associated millericrinids and isocrinids, are described. The studied materials were derived mainly from the Lower and Middle Oxfordian, but crinoids are also from uppermost Callovian and/or lowermost Oxfordian sediments of the Polish Jura Chain (southern Poland). The crinoids, preserved as more or less complete (e.g., basal circlets) cups, include Lonchocrinus dumortieri, Phyllocrinus belbekensis, Remisovicrinus polonicus, Remisovicrinus aff. polonicus, Tetracrinus moniliformis and Sclerocrinus sp. The occurrence of Remisovicrinus polonicus in the late Middle Oxfordian of the southern Poland is confirmed. Moreover, the present study extends the geographic range of all cyrtocrinid species studied and discusses their unusual environmental adaptations.     

Utilisation préhistorique de la technique minière d’abattage au feu dans le district cuprifère de Cabrières (Hérault)

Fire-setting to open up mines has been used on hard rock since prehistoric times. In the copper-mining district of Cabrières, the existence of metre-sized spherical or sub-spherical cavities, sometimes spaced along the same vertical in an ore seam, has usually been ascribed to this method 〚12〛, 〚13〛, 〚20〛. Two AMS ¹⁴C dating of micro-charcoal found in dolomite and of burnt ore breccias related to extraction in these cavities give the ages 3830 ± 40 BP, cal BC 2340–2130 and 3900 ± 40 BP, cal BC 2480–2280, which is the first evidence in France of the use of fire-setting in prehistoric mines.     

Tithonia oxfordiana,a new irregular echinoid associated with Jurassic seep deposits in south‐east France

Abstract: The infaunal irregular echinoid, Tithonia oxfordiana, is described and compared to congeneric species previously described from Upper Jurassic and lowermost Cretaceous strata. This new species characterizes a monospecific echinoid assemblage, which occurs only in some places where deep‐marine middle Oxfordian deposits are exposed in south‐east France. Specimens are closely packed and clearly concentrated at the top of small carbonate chemoherms; a close connection of the echinoids with the emission of reduced chemicals, which were oxidized by chemoautotrophic bacteria, is highly probable. Based on general test shape and plate architecture, T. oxfordiana probably was a deposit feeder on chemosynthetic organic matter produced by such bacteria. In view of the fact that T. oxfordiana is the sole species of the Jurassic genus Tithonia known from Oxfordian strata, it is postulated that chemoherms possibly acted as refugia for these peculiar echinoids, which have an episodic record between the Callovian and Valanginian.     

Hrabalicrinus zitti gen. et sp. nov., and other Upper Jurassic crinoids (Echinodermata,Crinoidea) from the Brno area (Czech Republic)

Jurassic (Oxfordian) crinoids from the Brno area (Czech Republic) are described in details for the first time. A rich crinoid assemblage consisting of cups, isolated cup elements, brachial plates, columnals, pluricolumnals, and cirrals is assigned to isocrinids Isocrinus amblyscalaris (Thurmann), Balanocrinus subteres (Münster), B. pentagonalis (Goldfuss), Isocrinida indet., comatulid Hrabalicrinus zitti gen. et sp. nov., cyrtocrinids Lonchocrinus sp., Cyrtocrinus cf. nutans (Goldfuss), Pilocrinus moussoni (Desor), Tetracrinus moniliformis Münster, Cyrtocrinida indet., and millericrinids (Millericrinida indet.). Crinoids already mentioned from the Jurassic strata of the Czech Republic are subsequently revised. Apart from the isolated remains of Isocrinida, Millericrinida, and Thiolliericrinida, the presence of any other taxon reported from this area should be treated with extreme caution. A rare example of non-regenerative columnal healing (the so-called callus) in I. amblyscalaris is also described. Based on sedimentology and microfacies, the Jurassic limestones were deposited in various palaeoenvironments of upper carbonate platform and shelf lagoon (0 to > 50 m palaeodepth).     

Bryozoans from the Mitikha Formation (Lower Famennian, Upper Devonian) of the Kuznetsk Basin, Russia

Bryozoans from the Mitikha Formation (Lower Famennian, Upper Devonian) in the Kuznetsk depression are described for the first time. This bryozoan assemblage comprises both the well-known species Leioclema numerosum Moroz., L. ramosum Nekh., and Nicklesopora graciosa Troiz. and new taxa: L. kusmense sp. nov. and Megacanthopora glubokaensis sp. nov. The bryozoan assemblage contains some species common with the Famennian bryozoan assemblage of Kazakhstan.     

Neoselachian sharks from the Callovian–Oxfordian (Jurassic) of Ogrodzieniec,Zawiercie Region,southern Poland

Abstract: Callovian and Oxfordian strata in Ogrodzieniec near Zawiercie, southern Poland, have yielded two shark tooth assemblages that collectively include 14 neoselachian taxa. A previously unrecognised member of the Orectolobiformes, Akaimia altucuspis gen. et sp. nov., is described and characterised by a dentition remarkably similar to modern wobbegong sharks (Orectolobidae) by convergence. The assemblages also include the first anterior teeth ever found of the palaeospinacid ‘Synechodus’prorogatus Kriwet, in addition to teeth from two other palaeospinacids, Sphenodus spp., four different orectolobiforms, two hexanchids and Protospinax spp. These shark tooth assemblages contribute to the poorly known Callovian and Oxfordian neoselachian faunas and indicate that the diversity was higher than previously appreciated, particularly within the Orectolobiformes.     

Pollen and spore assemblages in the Luwumbu Coal Formation (Lower Karroo) of the North Luangwa Valley,Zambia, and their biostratigraphic significance

Pollen and spore assemblages from the Luwumbu Coal Formation (Lower Karroo) of the northern part of the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, are described. Two assemblages have been recognised, one from banded siltstones and mudstones in the lower part of the formation, and the other from the overlying carbonaceous sediments of the upper part of the formation. The older assemblage is dominated quantitatively by monosaccate forms (Cannanoropollis and Plicatipollenites), and is generally similar to assemblages recorded by other workers from the Lower Karroo glacial and peri-glacial rocks of Zaire.The younger assemblages comprises a variety of supra-generic groups; the most common forms are disaccate (striate and non-striate) and trilete, but monosaccate, polyplicate, colpate, monolete and alete forms all occur. Genera which are especially common include Protohaploxypinus, Vesicaspora and Acanthotriletes. Cannanoropollis is abundant in the lower part of the younger assemblage. In general, the assemblage is similar to that recorded from the upper part of the Lower Coal Measures of the Ketewaka/Mchuchuma coalfield of Tanzania.     

A new species of Dyoros (Brachiopoda; Chonetoidea) from Nevada (United States) and stratigraphic implications for the Pennsylvanian and Permian Antler Overlap assemblage

Newly discovered fossil localities in coarse-grained deposits of the Pennsylvanian and Permian Antler overlap assemblage in the southern Shoshone Range, north-central Nevada have yielded a low-diversity assemblage consisting chiefly of a new species of chonetoidean brachiopod: Dyoros (Lissosia) nevadaensis nov. sp. The subgenus Dyoros (Lissosia), is known from Leonardian and lower Guadalupian strata in North America, mainly in Texas.The coarse-grained lithology of the host strata, their unconformable relation on deformed lower Paleozoic rocks, and the Leonardian and(or) lower Guadalupian age indicated by Dyoros (Lissosia) provide evidence that host strata are younger than strata of the Antler overlap assemblage in nearby areas of the southern Shoshone Range and suggest that an unconformity of local extent may be present within the overlap assemblage. The fossil age ranges and lithologic data suggest that the host strata may be correlative with the Guadalupian Edna Mountain Formation, an unconformity-bounded unit that forms the upper part of the Antler sequence in the Battle Mountain area to the north. This correlation suggests that the unconformity beneath these strata may have regional extent in north-central Nevada. The origin of the inferred regional unconformity is unknown and may have resulted from relative changes of sea level or regional extensional or contractional tectonism in the area of the former Antler highlands, which forms the substrate for the Antler overlap assemblage.     

STUDIES OF CARBONIFEROUS FUNGI. II. THE STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF MYCOCARPON,SPOROCARPON, DUBIOCARPON,AND COLEOCARPON (ASCOMYCOTINA)

The problematic organism, Sporocarpon, was among the first fossil fungi to be described. The genus was actually a heterogeneous assemblage of fungal forms, and was eventually divided into several taxa including Sporocarpon, Dubiocarpon, and Mycocarpon. In the present paper these organisms, as well as a similar, previously undescribed genus, Coleocarpon; are described from Lower, Middle, and Upper Pennsylvanian strata in North America, and from Upper Carboniferous sediments in England. Although initially considered to be radiolarian-like protozoa, these structures show far more similarity to ascomycetous cleistothecia. All forms are ornamented, spherical bodies with a complex wall which encloses scattered asci and ascospores. Taxa are distinguished primarily by differences in the organization of the cleistothecial wall. Structurally similar organisms are found today among the Eurotiales.     

Age constraints of the Hungshihyen Formation (Early to Middle Ordovician) on the western margin of the Yangtze Platform,South China: New insights from chitinozoans

The Hungshihyen Formation represents the Lower to Middle Ordovician near-shore siliciclastic deposits on the western margin of the Yangtze Platform, South China. However, its age is still debated, largely because of insufficient studies. Here we documented the Bursachitina maotaiensis–B. qianbeiensis chitinozoan assemblage from the lower part of the Hungshihyen Formation at Songliang, Qiaojia County, eastern Yunnan Province. This assemblage is remarkably similar to an assemblage that roughly correlates to the middle part of the Corymobograptus deflexus graptolite Biozone in northern Guizhou Province, indicating that the Hungshihyen Formation at Songliang is probably of late Floian age and may extend into the early Dapingian. Additionally, a revision on the chitinozoans previously documented from the strata assigned to the same formation in the Wuding area was made according to the latest classification. The revision allows the recognition of the Euconochitina symmetrica–Eremochitina brevis assemblage, and therefore suggests a late Tremadocian age for this interval based on regional and global chitinozoan biostratigraphic correlations. Considering also its lithologic succession, we argue that the chitinozoan-bearing strata in the Wuding area previously assigned to the Hungshihyen Formation correspond most likely to the uppermost part of the underlying Tangchi Formation or the lowermost part of the Hungshihyen Formation. The base of the Hungshihyen Formation appears therefore to be diachronous in eastern Yunnan Province.     

Palynological investigation in the lower jurassic of the vicentinian alps (Northeastern Italy)

The present paper emphasizes the applicability of palynological data as an aid to the solution of the problems related to the correlation of non-ammonitiferous Liassic strata in the Southern Alps with the ammonoid-based standard stages as recognized in the outer-Alpine part of Europe.In the Noriglio Grey Limestone Formation of the Vicentinian Alps, northeastern Italy, rich and well-preserved Liassic palynological assemblages can be abundantly found in the marly intercalations of its upper part; in the lower part palynological assemblages have appeared to be very rare. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the assemblages has indicated the presence of a single palynological assemblage zone. Minor compositional differences do not warrant a zonal subdivision.The overall composition of the assemblages is characterized by the general dominance of Circulina and smooth trilete spores in combination with a large amount of relatively rarely occurring forms of spores, pollen grains and other acid-resistant microfossils.Because of the presence of rich and well-preserved material, it has been possible to detect a relatively wide range of variability within species of Tigrisporites, Foveosporites, Porcellispora and Crassosphaera.Among the forms which could not be matched with previously described taxa the new formgenus Skarbysporites is formally erected together with the new species Skarbysporites elsendoornii, Skarbysporites puntii, Foveosporites visscheri and Tigrisporites jonkeri. Moreover, an emended diagnosis of Circulina is proposed, implicating the assignment to this formgenus of most forms generally included in Classo pollis. Also the generic diagnosis of Tigrisporites is emended.An evaluation of the Liassic palynological assemblages from the outer-Alpine part of Europe with special reference to their potential in characterizing the ammonoid-based chronostratigraphical subdivisions may indicate that two temporal subdivisions of the Liassic Series on the basis of palynological characteristics are now slowly becoming discernable: an assemblage zone characterizing the Hettangian, Sinemurian and Lower Pliensbachian, and an assemblage zone characterizing the Upper Pliensbachian and Toarcian.Because of the possibility of a correlation with the latter zone, the assemblages from the Noriglio Grey Limestone Formation can be reasonably regarded to be indicative of a Late Pliensbachian—Toarchian age of the source-strata.When considering the ammonoid evidence from the overlying “Cape San Vigilio Oolite” it may be concluded that the upper part of the lower subdivision of the Noriglio Grey Limestone Formation and the Rotzo Member represent the Upper Pliensbachian—Lower Toarcian.Because of its potential in correlating non-ammonitiferous strata from the Southern Alps with the successions in northwestern Europe, it is believed that palynology may earn a prominent place in regional Liassic chronostratigraphy.     

New Ichneumonids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Khasurty Locality

A new species of Ichneumonidae, Amplicella minor sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia (Khasurty locality). The diagnosis of Amplicella mininae Kopylov, 2011 is amended. Ichneumonids from Khasurty are only represented by two genera, Amplicella and Khasurtella, both belonging to the subfamily Tanychorinae. This assemblage seems to be the most basal ichneumonid assemblage ever known.     

New Early Cretaceous hymenopterous insects (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from Sierra del Montsec (Spain)

Four new species of Hymenoptera are described from the Early Cretaceous (Lower Barremian) lithographic limestones of the Sierra del Montsec (Lérida Province, NE Spain):Prosyntexis montsecensis n. sp. (Sepulcidae),Manlaya lacabrua n. sp. (Gasteruptiidae),Meiagaster cretaceus n. gen., n. sp. (Bethylonymidae),Angarosphex lithographicus n. sp. (Sphecidae). The Spanish assemblage extends our knowledge of the distribution of the Lower Cretaceous hymenopteran fauna and will throw light on its character in a probably dry environment with seasonal rainfall.     

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.     

Lower Cambrian (Botomian) polycystine Radiolaria from the Altai Mountains (southern Siberia, Russia)

Relatively well-preserved polycystine Radiolaria are here described from Lower Cambrian (Botomian) strata of the Shashkunar Formation, Altai Mountains in southern Siberia (Russia). These radiolarians display a test formed of a disorderly and three-dimensionally interwoven meshwork of numerous straight and curved bars branching from a five-rayed point-centered spicule located within the inner shell surface. The shell structure allows their assignment to the family Archeoentactiniidae, thus extending the known age range of the family down to the Lower Cambrian. The Botomian age is based essentially on trilobites (Parapagetia-Serrodiscus zone), but also on archaeocyathids identified in earlier publications. The study of the radiolarian-bearing sedimentary sequence confirms the presence of polycystine radiolaria in the external platform environments of Lower Cambrian ecosystems.