New Upper Devonian brachiopod genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paraimbrexia</Emphasis> (Order Spiriferida) from the Abyshevo Horizon of the Kuznetsk Basin

A new spiriferid genus Paraimbrexia with the type species Imbrexia topkensis Besnossova, 1959 is established within the family Imbrexiidae Carter, 1992 from the Abyshevo Horizon, Famennian, Upper Devonian of the Kuznetsk Basin. Revision of the type material of I. topkensis revealed that this species strongly differs from the other species of Imbrexia Nalivkin, 1937 in details of shell exterior and interior.     

Microornamentation and types of punctation in the Devonian spiriferids of the East European Platform

The microornamentation and types of punctation of the Devonian spiriferids Tokmospirifer Oleneva, 2010, Adolfia Gurich, 1909, Echinospirifer Ljaschenko, 1973, Komispirifer Ljaschenko, 1973, Cyrtospirifer Nalivkin in Frederiks, 1924, Uchtospirifer Ljaschenko, 1957, Rotundospirifer Oleneva, 2010, Pyramina Ljaschenko, 1969, Warrenella Crickmay, 1953, Thomasaria Stainbrook, 1945 of the order Spiriferida Waagen, 1883 and Cyrtina Davidson, 1858, Cyrtinaria Oleneva, 2004, Ljaschenkovia Oleneva, 2010, Komiella Ljaschenko, 1985 of the order Spiriferinida are described. New classification of punctate spiriferids is elaborated.     

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.     

On the Emsian (Lower Devonian) arthropods of the Rhenish Schiefergebirge: 1.Xenarachne, an enigmatic arachnid from Willwerath, Germany

A new fossil arachnid,Xenarachne willwerathensis n. gen., n. sp. is described from the Lower Devonian (upper Lower Emsian) Klerf-beds of Willwerath, Germany. This intriguing fossil has a pedicel and pygidium, indicating that it belongs to the tetrapulmonate arachnids, but cannot be referred with confidence to any particular order. It is placed as Tetrapulmonata incertae sedis, though has similarities to whip spiders (Amblypygi) and spiders (Araneae).Xenarachne could even represent a very early spider, though the Devonian arachnid fauna could have included taxa which did not belong in any currently recognised order.Xenarachne may be an example of just such a fossil.     

Devonian floral assemblages and plant megafossils from the Iberian Peninsula: A review

This paper presents a review and critical analysis of the literature on Devonian floras of the Iberian Peninsula. Although the known outcrops of Devonian strata in the Iberian Peninsula are marine, in some cases, a few fragmentary remains of vascular plants are associated with faunal remains. Records include largely specimens from the Lower Devonian of Barrancos (Alentejo, Portugal) and the Upper Devonian of Sierra de Hornachos in Badajoz province, southwest Spain; the remainder consists of drifted plant fragments from scattered sites in the Iberian Peninsula ranging in age from Lochkovian to Upper Devonian-Earliest Carboniferous. The vegetation inferred for the Lower Devonian of the Iberian Peninsula is mainly based on palynological data and corresponds to herbaceous types characterised by bryophytes, rhyniophytes (Horneophyton, Cooksonia, Rhynia), trimerophytes (Psilophyton, Pertica and Hostinella), primitive lycophytes (Drepanophycus) and incertae sedis such as Nothia and Chaleuria, all flora that developed near the coast in low-lying and, at least periodically, wet areas. In the Middle Devonian, two vegetation strata can be recognised: herbaceous (Psilophyton) and semi-arboreal (Cladoxylales). Although three levels of vegetation in the Upper Devonian, have been described from outcrops worldwide, the scarce available data from the Iberian Peninsula only indicate an arborescent lycopsid vegetation and species with uncertain botanical affinity such as Sphenopteridium keilhauii Nathorst.     

Fluctuations in a late devonian-early Mississippian phytoplankton flora of Ohio,U.S.A

Fossil diversity and abundance fluctuations of Late Devonian (Famennian)—Early Mississippian (Tournaisian) phytoplankton assemblages were determined in a stratigraphic sequence of samples in Barberton test core 3, from northeast Ohio. Both diversity and abundance were relatively high during deposition of the lower Chagrin Shale (Upper Devonian) and both decreased during deposition of the upper Chagrin Shale. The overlying Cleveland Shale (Upper Devonian) is characterized by sharply increased abundance with a corresponding (although less marked) increase in diversity; in contrast, both abundance and diversity were at relatively low levels during deposition of the Lower Mississippian Bedford Shale, the uppermost unit of the sequence. These trends agree with the phytoplankton periodicity model presented by Tappan, which indicates large-scale extinction at the end of the Devonian.Many of the acritarch and prasinophycean algal taxa have restricted stratigraphic occurrences within the section studied, making them useful for local and perhaps worldwide correlation. The stratigraphically restricted taxa provide a basis for the proposal of five biostratigraphic zones within the Upper Famennian (Upper Devonian) and a portion of the Lower Mississippian. In ascending order occur: the Gorgonisphaeridium ohioense Assemblage Zone, the Acriora petala Assemblage Zone, the Muraticavea enteichia Range Zone, the Cymatiosphaera labyrinthica Range Zone, and the Navifusa drosera Assemblage Zone.     

Sphenophyllum Brongniart (Sphenopsida) from the Upper Devonian of South China

Sphenophyllum Brongniart constitutes a common and important element in the Carboniferous and Permian floras around the world, but its records in the Devonian Period are limited and remain to be investigated with respect to their morphology, anatomy, and distribution. Diversity of Sphenophyllum during Late Devonian in South China was significant with the presence of the well-known species including S. lungtanense Gothan and Sze, S. pseudotenerrimum Sze, and S. changxingense Huang et al. In this article, we describe a new species of the genus, S. fanwanense n. sp., from the Fanwan section of Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, characterized by having at least two orders of axes, with six spoon-shaped leaves attached at the node. A comprehensive review of previous records of Sphenophyllum from the Upper Devonian of South China shows that at least four species (S. fanwanense, S. lungtanense, S. pseudotenerrimum and S. changxingense), each with distinct leaf morphology, occur in South China in the Late Devonian, mostly from the Wutong Formation (Famennian). Given the lack of concrete evidence for anisophylly or heterophylly among the Devonian Sphenophyllum species (and more broadly, the Devonian sphenopsids), we suggest that the development of these features later in the Carboniferous and Permian periods was likely related to an increase in complexity of forest communities through time.     

Re-study of Minostrobus chaohuensis Wang (Lycopsida) from the Upper Devonian of Anhui,South China

Minostrobus chaohuensis Wang was previously known only as a lycopsid megasporangiate strobilus from the Upper Devonian of Anhui Province, South China. Our comprehensive study of the newly collected materials reveals the details of its morphology, anatomy, and reproduction, which allow us to emend its generic and specific diagnoses. M. chaohuensis is reconstructed as a plant with multi-dichotomous branching system, helically arranged leaves, and monoecious and monosporangiate strobili (i.e., separate megasporangiate and microsporangiate strobili in one individual). The anatomy of both fertile and sterile portions of Minostrobus indicates that the exarch primary xylem strand is the solid protostele, with the peripheral protoxylem ridges and Williamson's striations in metaxylem tracheids. The key reproductive and anatomical characters suggest that Minostrobus chaohuensis is far more likely to represent a distal shoot of pseudo-herbaceous or arborescent lycopsids within the order Isoëtales sensu lato. It is suggested that the monosporangiate-strobilus clade in the Isoëtales may include primitive, monoecious taxa in the Late Devonian and advanced, dioecious ones in the Carboniferous. The hypothesis that the more phylogenetically advanced monosporangiate-strobilus clade might have well diverged from the basal bisporangiate-strobilus clade of arborescent lycopsids by the Late Devonian is further supported.     

Les vertebres devoniens de l'Iran central. III: Antiarches

The Upper Devonian of the Kerman region (Central Iran) has yielded but a few remains of antiarchs. Some ofthem may be referred to the almost world-wide distributed genus Asterolepis, whereas others are suggestive of the genera Byssacanthus and Stegolepis, previously recorded only from the Middle and Upper Devonian of Soviet Union.     

Discussion of the Early Devonian rhynchonellid brachiopod genus Borealirhynchia Su, 1976

The Early Devonian brachiopod genus Borealirhynchia was established by Su, 1976. Phylum Brachiopoda (Cambrian to Devonian). In: Paleontological Atlas of North China, Inner Mongolia Volume 1. Geological Publishing House Beijing, pp. 155-227 (in Chinese). It has not been previously described in detail, nor have transverse serial sections of the internal features of Borealirhynchia delerensis, the type species, been published. In this paper Borealirhynchia, along with a few species previously assigned to it, is analysed and discussed. Detailed transverse serial sections of the internal features of B.? lata Su, 1976, are provided, based on well-preserved specimens collected from the Lower Devonian strata of Dong Ujimqin Qi, northeastern Inner Mongolia. Borealirhynchia? gigantea Su, 1976 and Latonotoechia multicosta Su, 1976 are considered to be synonyms of B.? lata Su with the same external and internal characters present in all three species. Some Lower Devonian strata, in which Borealirhynchia was found and reported, from Dong Ujimqin Qi, northeastern Inner Mongolia, are fully described.     

On some eurypterids (Eurypterida, Chelicerata) from the Devonian of South Siberia

Fossil eurypterids from the Lake Shunet area (Lower Devonian of the Republic of Khakassia) and the Torgashino locality (Devonian of Krasnoyarsk Region) have been reexamined. New species of eurypterids are described: Stylonuroides orientalis sp. nov., Parahughmilleria longa sp. nov., and Nanahughmilleria notosibirica sp. nov.     

Feeding biomechanics in Acanthostega and across the fish–tetrapod transition

Acanthostega is one of the earliest and most primitive limbed vertebrates. Its numerous fish-like features indicate a primarily aquatic lifestyle, yet cranial suture morphology suggests that its skull is more similar to those of terrestrial taxa. Here, we apply geometric morphometrics and two-dimensional finite-element analysis to the lower jaws of Acanthostega and 22 other tetrapodomorph taxa in order to quantify morphological and functional changes across the fish–tetrapod transition. The jaw of Acanthostega is similar to that of certain tetrapodomorph fish and transitional Devonian taxa both morphologically (as indicated by its proximity to those taxa in morphospace) and functionally (as indicated by the distribution of stress values and relative magnitude of bite force). Our results suggest a slow tempo of morphological and biomechanical changes in the transition from Devonian tetrapod jaws to aquatic/semi-aquatic Carboniferous tetrapod jaws. We conclude that Acanthostega retained a primitively aquatic lifestyle and did not possess cranial adaptations for terrestrial feeding.     

A new early Frasnian (Late Devonian) foraminifer from eastern Taurides (Turkey): Evolutionary and paleobiogeographic implications

A complete Devonian sequence is well exposed in the eastern Taurides, forming more than 1000 m-thick succession of carbonate and siliciclastic sediments. The carbonate succession, stratigraphically ranging from Middle Devonian to early Late Devonian and mostly comprising limestones, dolomitic limestones and reefal limestones, contains abundant and diverse assemblages of foraminifers, corals, stromatoporoids, calcareous algae, bivalves, brachiopods, ostracods, and conodonts. The limestone samples collected from a more closely sampled stratigraphic section have been investigated for their foraminiferal content. The micropalaeontological analyses carried out on these samples have revealed the presence of an early Frasnian foraminiferal assemblage including predominantly unilocular parathuramminid species and multilocular forms of the genera Nanicella, Paratikhinella and Semitextularia? and further indicated the presence of a new genus and a new species Halevikia deveciae n. gen. n. sp. which appears as an important phylogenetic and stratigraphic transitional taxon between the families Baituganellidae n. fam. and Tournayellinidae, the phylogenetic potentiality of which during the Late Devonian is currently probably underestimated.     

New Famennian bryozoans (Upper Devonian) from Azerbaijan and Armenia

New bryozoans are described from the Famennian of Southern Transcaucasia: Petalotrypa myunkhbalaensis sp. nov. and Eridotrypella danzikensis sp. nov. (order Trepostomata) and Rectifenestella kadrluiensis sp. nov. and R. famenniensis sp. nov. (order Fenestrata). The paleobiogeographic relations that existed between Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan) and Armenia and other regions of Eurasia and the United States at the end of the Devonian are investigated.     

New Lower Devonian brachiopods of the family Reticulariidae Waagen (order Spiriferida) of northeastern Russia

New Lower Devonian brachiopod taxa of the family Reticulariidae (order Spiriferida) are described from northeastern Russia: Havlicekospirifer gen. nov. with the type species H. mirabilis sp. nov. (subfamily Reticulariinae) and Pavlovispirifer gen. nov. with the type species P. pelagicus sp. nov. (subfamily Rhenothyridinae).     

Two new Middle Devonian megaspores from Saudi Arabia

Two new megaspore species, Biharisporites jubahensis and Verrucisporites yabrinensis, are described from the Middle Devonian Jubah Formation of south central Saudi Arabia. Miospore-based biostratigraphy indicates that the age of the megaspore-bearing interval is no older than the early Givetian Geminospora lemurata Interval Zone, and not younger than Givetian. The presence of similar species in both Arctic Canada and Saudi Arabia suggests that the megaspore-producing plants achieved wide distribution in the Middle Devonian.     

Die systematische Stellung von Angustiphyllum cuneiforme n. gen. n. sp., einer eigenartigen Tetrakoralle aus dem Mitteldevon Nordspaniens

The newly found tetracoralAngustiphyllum cuneiforme n. gen. n. sp. from theGosseletia-Sandstein (Couvinium) of Candás/Prov. Oviedo (Northern Spain) is described and designed an ancestor of the so called “cuneate corals”Homalophyllum Simpson, 1900,Xenocyathellus Bassler, 1937 andHomalophyllites Easton, 1944 from the Devonian and Mississippian of North-America. Because of their undoubtful genetic relations the whole group of cuneate corals is joined to the subfamily Homalophyllidae n. subfam. within the family ZaphrentoididaeSchindewolf, 1938. Evidently the evolution developed in a progressive orthogenetic manner from the new genesAngustiphyllum (Middle Devonian) toXenocyathellus (higher Middle Devonian) andHomalophyllites (Mississippian), whileHomalophyllum (Middle Devonian) separated from this line in a early stage and thenceforth had its own evolution.     

<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.