The Kuehneotheriidae (Mammaliaformes) from Saint-Nicolas-de-Port (Upper Triassic,France): a Systematic Review

The origin and first diversification of mammals in the Upper Triassic remain poorly understood, in part because many fossil discoveries are not fully studied, and in part because the material remains poor. The Saint-Nicolas-de-Port quarry (Rhaetian, France) is the second most important locality that yielded remains of Kuehneotherium, after the fissure-fillings of the Glamorganshire (Lower Jurassic, Wales). This study identifies one new species of Kuehneotherium, K. stanislavi, sp. nov., and a new genus of Kuehneotheriidae, Fluctuodon necmergor, gen. et sp. nov. For these two new species, lower and upper molars are described and the first reconstructions of the postcanine row are proposed. Comparisons with material of Kuehneotherium from other Upper Triassic sites (Syren in Luxembourg, Emborough in England, and Jameson Land in Greenland) suggest two distinct Upper Triassic specific kuehneotheriid assemblages, respectively, west and east of the London Brabant Massif. They also suggest that the extinction event during the Triassic/Jurassic transition did not have a great impact on Kuehneotherium.     

New Triassic beetles (Coleoptera) from northern European Russia

Beetle remains from the Triassic Khey-Yaga locality, Nenets National District, Korotaikha Basin, Nyadeita Formation, Olenekian-Anisian are described. Only isolated elytra have been found. Tetracoleus tshalyshevi gen. et sp. nov. and T. minimus sp. nov. are described and assigned to Tricoleidae, and six new species are described in formal taxa. Tetracoleus is close to Permian tricoleids just found in the Newcastle Group of Australia and the Vyatkian Aristovo locality of northern European Russia. The composition of elytra in the locality is closer to that of Lower Triassic localities than other Middle Triassic localities and characterizes the beginning of a recovery after the Permian-Triassic ecological crisis. Longxianocupes Hong in Liu, Liu et Hong, 1985 is shown to be a junior synonym of Sogdelytron Ponomarenko, 1969. The species Palademosyne ovum Ponomarenko, 2004, P. elongatum Ponomarenko, 2004, and P. latum Ponomarenko, 2004 are transferred to the genus Pseudochrysomelites Handlirsch, 1906.     

The Asteroidea (Echinodermata) of the Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic of Germany)

Trichasteropsis Eck, from the Muschelkalk of Germany is the only Triassic asteroid known from more than fragmentary material. Most spécimens representT. weissmanni (Münster) whereasT. senfti ECK,T. bielertorum n. sp., andBerckhemeraster charistikos n. gen. et n. sp., are each known from few individuals.Parsimony analysis hère treats the füll Ordovician to Récent history of the Asteroidea using a somasteroid (a pre-asteroid stelleroid) outgroup. Ambulacral évolution is critical in echinoderm history; the ambulacral arrangement of crown-group asteroids first appears in Paleozoic sister groups, and the subclass Ambuloasteroidea n. subcl. is proposed for Paleozoic and younger taxa with critical ambulacral apomorphies. Muschelkalk asteroids are assigned to the family Trichasteropsiidae n. fam., superorder Forcipulatacea. The recently described Triassic genusNoriaster belongs to the extant family Poraniidae, superorder Valvatacea.Trichasteropsis andNoriaster represent separate major phylogenetic branches of the post-Paleozoic infraclass Neoasteroidea, and together they indicate that diversification of modern-type asteroids was under-way during the Triassic, although the Mesozoic marine révolution largely was a Jurassic and later event. Post-Paleozoic asteroids appear to hâve returned to Paleozoic life modes in spite of new morphological expressions. Trichasteropsis is skeletally robust, suggesting protection from wave impact or predators. It is found in sédiments associated with shell banks but not from within the banks.Trichasteropsis senfti commonly occurs with brachiopods whereasT. weissmanni does not, although brachiopods are found in associated strata. Aspects of morphology of both species are similar to those of récent predatory Asteriidae suggesting similar behavior, but feeding habits ofTrichasteropsis are unverified.     

Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tripaphylus musteli</Emphasis> (van Beneden, 1851) (Copepoda: Sphyriidae) and the relegation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paeon</Emphasis> Wilson, 1919 to synonymy with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tripaphylus</Emphasis> Richiardi in Anonymous, 1878

Tripaphylus musteli (van Beneden, 1851) (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Sphyriidae) is redescribed from an adult female collected from the branchial chamber of a starry smooth-hound, Mustelus asterias Cloquet (Carcharhiniformes, Triakidae), captured in the English Channel off Portland, UK. The new account of T. musteli is the first based on a complete adult female and highlighted the lack of a robust distinction separating Tripaphylus Richiardi, in Anonymous, 1878 and Paeon Wilson, 1919 prompting us to relegate Paeon to a junior subjective synonym of Tripaphylus. In the light of this synonymy the eight former species of Paeon are transferred to Tripaphylus as follows: T. ferox (Wilson, 1919) new combination, T. elongatus (Wilson, 1932) new combination, T. vassierei (Delamare Deboutteville & Nuñes-Ruivo, 1954) new combination, T. lobatus (Kirtisinghe, 1964) new combination, T. asymboli (Turner, Kyne & Bennett, 2003) new combination, T. versicolor (Wilson, 1919) new combination, T. australis (Kabata, 1993) new combination, and T. triakis (Castro Romero, 2001) new combination. Comparisons between terminology used in this report and that in the literature indicate that all transformed adult females of Tripaphylus probably possess a full complement of cephalic appendages and maxillipeds. All limbs, with the exception of the maxillae share a general morphological similarity to the corresponding appendages of conspecific males. The maxilla of the transformed adult female of Tripaphylus is a small digitiform protuberance associated with a swelling in some species.     

New long-horned caddisflies in Eocene Baltic amber (Insecta,Trichoptera)

We describe two new extinct caddisflies, Electroadicella kuenowi sp. nov. and Triaenodes simoni sp. nov., embedded in Baltic amber. Both species belong to the tribe Triaenodini and enlarge the family Leptoceridae to a remarkable number of 18 extinct Eocene species from Baltic amber. The extinct Electroadicella and the extant Triaenodes are possibly closely related, by a distinct synapomorphy, a recurved process from the basal plate of the inferior appendages of the ninth abdominal segment in the male genitalia.     

New fossil insects from the Anisian (Lower to Middle Muschelkalk) from the Central European Basin (Germany and The Netherlands)

The Palaeozoic–Mesozoic transition is characterized not only by the most massive Phanerozoic mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, but also its extensive aftermath and a prolonged period of major biotal recovery during the succeeding Middle to Late Triassic. Particularly, Anisian insect species from units of the Lower to Middle Muschelkalk from the Central European Basin are rare. The specimens described here originated from the Anisian Wellenkalk facies (Lower Muschelkalk), Vossenveld Formation of the Winterswijk quarry, The Netherlands, and from the orbicularis Member (lowermost Middle Muschelkalk, Anisian) of Esperstedt near Querfurt (Saxony-Anhalt). Thus, the described insect remains from Winterwijk and Esperstedt expand our knowledge about Middle Triassic terrestrial arthropod communities and their palaeodiversity. A new species of Chauliodites (C. esperstedti sp. nov) is introduced.     

Updates on East Asian <Emphasis Type="Italic">Asterostroma</Emphasis> (Russulales,Basidiomycota): new species and new records from Thailand and China

Two new species from northern Thailand, Asterostroma bambusicola and A. vararioides, are described and illustrated. Asterostroma bambusicola is characterized by globose, echinulate, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on rotten bamboo. Asterostroma vararioides is distinguished by the presence of Vararia-like dichohyphae, subglobose, smooth, and amyloid basidiospores and growing on bark of living angiosperm trees. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from a combined dataset of ITS and nLSU sequence data of Peniophoraceae, A. bambusicola forms a distinct lineage in the sect. Asterostroma clade, whereas A. vararioides and A. laxum form the sect. Laevispora clade. Asterostroma andinum, reported from China for the first time, forms a distinct lineage sister to Gloiothele spp. and Scytinostroma portentosum group. Asterostroma muscicola is reported from Thailand and China for the first time. A key to the species of Asterostroma from Thailand and China is provided.     

Molecular phylogeny,morphology and pathogenicity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudopestalotiopsis</Emphasis> species on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ixora</Emphasis> in Taiwan

Pestalotiopsis-like species are phytopathogenic, causing numerous diseases on different hosts, and are widely distributed in tropical and temperate ecosystems. These taxa were recently segregated into several genera and species having brown to dark brown or olivaceous median cells, with or without knobbed apical appendages, were classified under the new genus Pseudopestalotiopsis. Pseudopestalotiopsis species are well known for their capability to produce novel medicinal compounds that may have medicinal, agricultural and industrial applications. Ixora is among the largest genera in the family Rubiaceae and is cultivated throughout Taiwan, as a garden plant. During a survey of fungal diseases associated with Ixora species in Taiwan, several Pestalotiopsis-like species causing leaf spot were isolated. Based on morphology coupled with single- and multi-gene (ITS, TUB, TEF) phylogenies, these taxa belong to two novel species of Pseudopestalotiopsis and are introduced herein as Ps. ixorae and Ps. taiwanensis. These two new taxa fit well with Pseudopestalotiopsis in having dark concolourous median cells with knobbed apical appendages, but differ from the known species in the size of conidiomata, size of the conidia, the number of apical appendages, the length of basal appendages plus ecology and distribution. Pathogenicity testing showed that Ps. ixorae and Ps. taiwanensis are capable of causing leaf disease on Ixora and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of Pseudopestalotiopsis species associated with leaf spots of Ixora in Taiwan.     

Studies of the true bugs of Xinjiang,Northwestern China. III. Water bugs and semiaquatic bugs (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha,Gerromorpha)

In Xinjiang (Western China), the fauna of water bugs and semiaquatic bugs comprises 28 species of 7 families belonging to the infraorders Nepomorpha Popov, 1968 and Gerromorpha Popov, 1971. The present paper provides new data on the distribution of 19 species of 6 families (Nepidae, Corixidae, Naucoridae, Notonectidae, Hebridae, and Gerridae). Four species of the family Corixidae, Micronecta griseola Horváth, 1899, Hesperocorixa linnaei (Fieber, 1848), Paracorixa kiritshenkoi (Lundblad, 1933), and Sigara seistanensis (Distant, 1920), and one species of the family Hebridae, Hebrus pilipes Kanyukova, 1997, are recorded for the first time for China. The family Hebridae and three species of the family Corixidae, Cymatia rogenhoferi (Fieber, 1864), Corixa dentipes Thomson, 1869, and Paracorixa caspica (Horváth, 1878), are new to the fauna of Xinjiang. The record of Gerris odontogaster (Zetterstedt, 1828) whose distribution in Northwestern China had been considered doubtful was confirmed. A key to the species of the genus Micronecta from Middle Asia and Western China is given. Differences between the two closely related species Sigara seistanensis (Distant, 1920) and S. striata (Linnaeus, 1758) are discussed, and their distinctive features are listed.     

Revision of the superfamily Acrotheloidea (Brachiopoda,class Linguliformea,order Lingulida) from the Lower and Middle Cambrian of the Siberian Platform

This paper continues our revision of Yu.L. Pelman’s collection of the superfamily Acrotheloidea (phosphatic brachiopods) and of our own material from the Early–Middle Cambrian of the Siberian Platform. The following representatives of the superfamily Acrotheloidea (order Lingulida, class Linguliformea) are restudied and revised based on new techniques: the genus Botsfordia (family Botsfordiidae Schindewolf, 1955) and the genera Acrothele, Eothele, and Orbithele (family Acrothelidae), which are widespread on the Siberian Platform. Only one out of the three Acrothele species described by Pelman is recognized as a valid species, and one new species of this genus that comprises some part of the brachiopods that Pelman figured and placed in another taxon is described. All these species are described using data on shell microsculpture and microstructure. In addition, the genera Eothele and Orbithele are described for the first time from the Siberian Platform.     

Holothurien-Sklerite aus dem Dachsteinkalk (Ober-Trias) der nördlichen Kalkalpen

By dissolving Dachstein-limestone with acetic acid, Holothurian sclerites were obtained, i. e. sieve plates and wheels. One new species of the genusCalclamna, two new species of the genusCalclamnella, and the well known speciesFissobractites subsymmetrica Kristan-Tollmann were received within the family Calclamidae. For the first time the family Priscopedatidae is represented in the Triassic by two new species of the genusPriscopedatus and byStaurocumites cf.bartensteini Deflandre-Rigaud. Within the family Theeliidae four new species can be adjoined to the genusTheelia whileAcanthotheelia spinosa Frizzell & Exline could be confirmed by comparison.     

The species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lentaria</Emphasis> (Gomphales,Basidiomycota) from China based on morphological and molecular evidence

Lentaria Corner is a widespread basidiomycetous genus composed of 17 known species. Most members of this genus are lignicolous and play important roles as decomposers in forest ecosystems. Lentaria specimens collected from China were studied using morphological and molecular methods. Five species were recognized, two of which, L. bambusina and L. uncispora, were described as new species. In addition, L. patouillardii was confirmed to be a new record from China. The remaining two species, L. byssiseda and L. surculus, were previously found in China. The two new species were described in detail, illustrated with line drawings and photographs, and compared with similar species. The other three species were redescribed to clarify their morphological characters and distribution patterns. Phylogeny of this genus was analyzed based on internal transcribed spacer sequences. Additionally, a key to Lentaria species in China is provided. Holotypes of the two new species are deposited in the Mycological Herbarium of Hunan Normal University.     

New species and new Chinese records of Bionectriaceae (Hypocreales,Ascomycota)

Collections of bionectriaceous fungi from different areas of China were examined, in which 3 new species were encountered. Bionectria intermedia is characterized by smooth perithecia, 2-layered perithecial wall, cylindrical to clavate asci with an apical ring, ascospore striations composed of separate warts, and dimorphic conidiophores. Hydropisphaera yunnanensis has hairy ascomata which are cupulate when dry, clavate asci with a simple apex, and spinulose and very narrow ascospores fusiform and constricted at septum. Nectriopsis apiosporae possesses laterally pinched perithecia when dry, 1-layered perithecial wall, rough perithecial surface, clavate asci with a simple apex, spinulose ascospores with 3 septa, and on Apiospora sp. Four species, Bionectria epichloë, B. kowhaii, B. subquaternata and Hydropisphaera suffulta, are reported as new to China.     

New Weevils (Coleoptera,Curculionoidea) from the Eocene of the Green River,United States: Part 1

New genera, Pseudochirotenon gen. nov. (with the type species P. eocaenicus sp. nov.), Archaeoheilus gen. nov. (type species A. scudderi sp. nov.), Primocentron gen. nov. (type species P. wickhami sp. nov.), and Pseudophaops gen. nov. (type species Otiorhynchus perditus Scudder, 1876), and new species, Pseudochirotenon eocaenicus sp. nov., Perapion rasnitsyni sp. nov., Archaeoheilus scudderi sp. nov., A. ovalis sp. nov., Primocentron wickhami sp. nov., and Eudiagogus vossi sp. nov., from the Early–Middle Eocene of the Green River are described. New combinations of names (Apionion evestigatum (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., Archaeoheilus packardii (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., A. provectus (Scudder, 1876), comb. nov., A. deleticius (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., A. lacoei (Scudder, 1893), comb. nov., Pseudophaops perditus (Scudder, 1876), comb. nov.) are established. The first fossil records of the tribe Ecelonerini from the New World and genus Perapion from the Green River Formation are provided.     

New tempospondyl amphibians from the basal Triassic of the Obshchii Syrt Highland,Eastern Europe

Two new genera (monotypic Samarabatrachus gen. nov. (S. bjerringi sp. nov.) and Syrtosuchus gen. nov. (including S. samarensis (Sennikov, 1981) and S. morkovini sp. nov) and a new species of the genus Selenocara Bjerring (S. rossica sp. nov.) are described based on revision of the original material of the form previously known as Wetlugasaurus samarensis. The genera Selenocara and Samarabatrachus gen. nov. positioned at the base of radiation of Triassic capitosaurids are combined into a new subfamily, Selenocarinae subfam. nov. The genus Syrtosuchus gen. nov., which is undoubtedly a derivative of early capitosaurids (Selenocara or a closely related genus), shows some typical benthosuchid features and is assigned to a separate benthosuchid subfamily, Syrtosuchinae subfam. nov. The diagnoses of the genera Wetlugasaurus Riabinin and Selenocara are amended. For the territory of the Obschii Syrt Highland, the genera Selenocara, Samarabatrachus gen. nov., and Syrtosuchus gen. nov. are regarded as key members of a separate Early Triassic tetrapod assemblage (Selenocara–Syrtosuchus Fauna), which is intermediate between the Tupilakosaurus and Benthosuchus faunas and dated Late Induan (Dienerian).     

Miocene ants (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) from Crimea

Ant imprints, new and previously known, from Middle Miocene deposits near Kerch (Crimean Peninsula, Russia) are described or redescribed. A new Myrmicinae species, Solenopsis atavinus sp. nov., is described based on a wingless female. A winged female similar to the earlier described Dolichoderus tauricus Dlussky, 1981 is found: due to the excellent preservation of this specimen, the new specimen and the holotype of D. tauricus are redescribed and can be reclassified as Ponerites tauricus (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. Oecophylla taurica sp. nov. is described based on a partly preserved imprint of a female thorax with a forewing, the venation of which allows it to be positively identified as a weaver ant. Two other species are transferred from the formal genus Camponotites to Oecophylla based on forewing venation: O. kraussei (Dlussky et Rasnitsyn, 1999), comb. nov. (Early Eocene, United States) and O. macroptera (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. (Middle Miocene, Stavropol, Russia). One of the studied forewing imprints is similar in venation to Paraphaenogaster microphthalmus Dlussky, 1981, described from the Middle Miocene of Vishnevaya Balka (Stavropol province, Russia) and so is attributed to this species. Dolichoderus tavridus sp. nov. is described based on a forewing.