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).     

First gall midges (Diptera,Cecidomyioidea) from Late Cretaceous amber of the Taimyr Peninsula

Gall midges from Santonian amber of Yantardakh (Taimyr Peninsula) are investigated for the first time. Eight new genera and eight new species belonging to five tribes of the subfamily Micromyinae (Lestremiidae) are described. These are Caputmunda yantardakhica gen. et sp. nov. (Catochini), Cretoperomyia taimyrica gen. et sp. nov. (Peromyiini), Palaeostrobliella dmitrii gen. et sp. nov., Yantardakhiella pusilla gen. et sp. nov., and Zherikhiniella pedicellata gen. et sp. nov. (Strobliellini), Menssana norilsk gen. et sp. nov. (Micromyini), and Cretomycophila ekaterinae gen. et sp. nov., and Corporesana khatanga gen. et sp. nov. (Aprionini). A representative of Porricondylinae (Cecidomyiidae, Porricondylinae, Holoneurini) is recorded. The diagnoses based on morphometric parameters of tribes and previously established genera are emended. The species composition of gall midges from three Cretaceous amber faunas of different ages are analyzed.     

A new subfamily of ichneumonids from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia and Mongolia (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

A new subfamily of ichneumonids, Palaeoichneumoninae, is described from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia (Baisa locality) and Mongolia (Bon Tsagan and Kholbotu Gol localities). The new subfamily is intermediate between the archaic subfamily Tanychorinae and the Recent Ichneumonidae. It includes 12 new species, described in three new genera: Palaeoichneumon freja gen. et sp. nov., P. ornatus sp. nov., P. danu sp. nov., P. micron sp. nov., P. mirabilis sp. nov., P. tenebrosus sp. nov., P. townesi sp. nov., Rudimentifera mora gen. et sp. nov., R. suspecta sp. nov., Dischysma maculata gen. et sp. nov., D. similis sp. nov., and D. ramulata sp. nov.     

Ants of the tribe Formicini (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) from Late Eocene amber of Europe

The tribe Formicini (Formicinae) from the Late Eocene Baltic, Bitterfeld, Rovno, and Scandinavian ambers is revised. Ants are recorded for the first time from the Bitterfeld and Scandinavian ambers. Two new genera (Cataglyphoides gen. nov. and Conoformica gen. nov.) and six new species (Cataglyphoides intermedius sp. nov., Conoformica bitterfeldiana sp. nov., Formica kutscheri sp. nov., F. palaeopolonica sp. nov., F. radchenkoi sp. nov., F. zherikhini sp. nov.) are described. A new combination, Cataglyphoides constrictus (Mayr, 1868), comb. nov., is established. A lectotype of Camponotus constrictus Mayr, 1868 and a neotype of Formica phaethusa Wheeler, 1915 are designated. Formica clymene Wheeler, 1915 is recognized as a new synonym of F. phaethusa Wheeler, 1915. An identification key for workers of Formicini species from Late Eocene European ambers is provided.     

New radiolarian genera and species from the Lower Permian of the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary

Two new genera and five new species of Lower Permian radiolarians, Arcoclathrata alekseevi gen. et sp. nov., Entactinia pinrasensis sp. nov., Microporosa rozhnovi gen. et sp. nov., M. aktastensis sp. nov., and Somphoentactinia saecularis sp. nov., from the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary are described. The new spherical radiolarian taxa belong to three orders: Entactiniata, Cancelliata, and Spongiata of two classes, Sphaerellaria and Spumellaria.     

New and little known orthopteroid insects (Polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 3

New taxa of Orthoptera Ensifera are described in the families Mogoplistidae [Protomogoplistes asquamosus gen. et sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous) in the subfamily Protomogoplistinae subfam. nov. and Archornebius balticus gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Pseudarachnocephalus gen. nov., P. dominicanus sp. nov., and P. latiusculus sp. nov. (all Miocene) in Mogoplistinae] and Gryllidae [Eopentacentrus borealis gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), ?Grossoxipha feminea sp. nov. (Miocene), and Apentacentrus copalicus sp. nov. in the subfamily Pentacentrinae, ?Cyrtoxipha electrina sp. nov. and ?Cyrtoxipha illegibilis sp. nov. (both Miocene) in Trigonidiinae, and Baltonemobius fossilis gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene) in Nemobiinae]. The Miocene genera Proanaxipha Vickery et Poinar and Grossoxipha Vickery et Poinar are transferred from the subfamily Trigonidiinae to Pentacentrinae. P. latoca Vickery et Poinar and Abanaxipha longispina Vickery et Poinar are redescribed; the male of the latter species is described for the first time.     

New weevils (Curculionidae) in Baltic amber

The new subtribes Palaeorhamphina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Rhamphini and Eocenesibiniina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Tychiini, new genera Archaeoeugnomus gen. nov. (type species A. balticus sp. nov.), Palaeorhamphus gen. nov. (type species P. primitivus sp. nov.), and Eocenesibinia gen. nov. (type species E. prussica sp. nov.), new subgenus Palaeoleiosoma subgen. nov. (type species L. klebsi sp. nov.) of the genus Leiosoma Stephens, and new species Leiosoma klebsi sp. nov., Caulophilus rarus sp. nov., C. squamosus sp. nov., Ceutorhynchus alekseevi sp. nov., C. electrinus sp. nov., Dorytomus nudus sp. nov., Pachytychius eocenicus sp. nov., Archaeoeugnomus balticus sp. nov., Palaeorhamphus primitivus sp. nov., Orchestes tatjanae sp. nov., and Eocenesibinia prussica sp. nov. are described. Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 placem. nov. is transferred from the tribe Derelomini of the subfamily Curculioninae to the tribe Acicnemidini of the subfamily Molytinae. Succinostyphlus erectosquamata (Rheinheimer, 2007) placem. nov. et comb. nov. is transferred from the genus Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 to the genus Succinostyphlus Ku?ka, 1996. These are the first records of representatives of the tribes Plinthini, Acicnemidini, Eugnomini, and Rhamphini in the Baltic amber.     

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 cryptostomide bryozoans from the Upper Devonian of Transcaucasia and some aspects of the evolution of the order Cryptostomida

New bryozoans of the suborder Ptilodictyina of the order Cryptostomida are described from the Upper Famennian of Transcaucasia: those of the family Worthenoporidae, i.e., a genus Geranopora gen. nov. comprising three species G. fabulosa sp. nov. (type species), G. fida sp. nov., and G. finitima sp. nov., and those of a new family Mysticellidae fam. nov., i.e., a genus Mysticella gen. nov. comprising four species M. labyrinthica sp. nov. (type species), M. laudativa sp. nov., M. sacrosancta sp. nov., and M. ortiva sp. nov. Thus, a Late Devonian part of the evolutionary line of ptilodictyines is revealed that shows their radiation at the levels of families, genera, and species.     

Species of two paleoendemic sap beetle genera of the Tribe Nitidulini (Nitidulidae: Coleoptera) from the Baltic and Dominican amber

Omositoidea gigantea Schaufuss, 1892 is redescribed; O. pubescens sp. nov. from the Baltic amber, Palaeometopia dominicana gen. et sp. nov. and P. colorata gen. et sp. nov. from the Dominican amber are described. The taxonomic position of the two genera and their probable bionomy are discussed.     

Apophyses,verticiles, and denticles in skeletons of Late Paleozoic radiolarians of the subfamily Entactiniinae

Morphostructural analysis of secondary skeletal elements, such as apophyses on the main spines and verticiles on the secondary spines of certain Late Paleozoic radiolarians of the subfamily Entactiniinae allow their taxonomic rank to be raised to genus. The presence of denticles on the secondary spines is only evidence of particular species. Three skeleton morphotypes are established: primary morphotype A, verticillate morphotype B, and apophyseal morphotype C. A new species, Entactinia mariannae sp. nov., and two new genera, Apophysiacus gen. nov. with five species, A. ichikawai (Caridroit et De Wever, 1984), A. minuta (Feng, 2007), A. praepycnoclada (Nazarov et Ormiston, 1983), A. pycnoclada (Nazarov et Ormiston, 1985), and A. sakmaraensis (Kozur et Mostler, 1989), and Verticillides gen. nov. with three species, V. nazarovi nom. nov., V. nestellae sp. nov., and V. verticillatus sp. nov., are described.     

Fossil Mesozoic and Cenozoic weevils (Coleoptera,Obrienioidea, Curculionoidea)

All known extinct species of Mesozoic and Cenozoic weevils are listed. Ten species of Obrienioidea and 895 Curculionoidea species are recognized, including 88 Nemonychidae, 43 Anthribidae, 44 Ithyceridae, 65 Scolytidae, 12 Belidae, 67 Brentidae, 508 Curcuionidae, 45 Rhynchitidae, six Attelabidae, and 16 Platypodidae. The Triassic beds have yielded six fossil species; Jurassic, 64; Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, 2; Cretaceous, 105; Paleogene, 510; Neogene, 190; and Pleistocene–Holocene, 22 (5 are synonyms). A new subfamily, Montsecbelinae Legalov, subfam. nov. (with the type genus Montsecbelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 1997); the new tribes Cretochoragini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Cretochoragus Soriano et al., 2006), Montsecanomalini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Montsecanomalus Soriano et al., 2006), Montsecbelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Montsecbelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 1997), Gratshevibelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Gratshevibelus Soriano, 2009), Davidibelini Legalov, trib. nov. (with the type genus Davidibelus Zherikhin et Gratshev, 2004); the new genera Allandroides Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Allandroides vossi Legalov, sp. nov.), Baissabrenthorhinus Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Baissabrenthorhinus mirabilis Legalov, sp. nov.), Ithyceroides Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Ithyceroides klondikensis Legalov, sp. nov.), Furhylobius Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Furhylobius troesteri Legalov, sp. nov.), Electrauletes Legalov, gen. nov. (with the type species Electrauletes unicus Legalov, sp. nov.); new species Allandroides vossi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Glaesotropis gusakovi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. succiniferus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. alleni Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), G. gratshevi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Baissabrenthorhinus mirabilis Legalov, sp. nov. (Baissa locality), Ithyceroides klondikensis Legalov, sp. nov. (Republic Graben locality), Melanapion poinari Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), M. gusakovi Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), Furhylobius troesteri Legalov, sp. nov. (Mors locality), Baltocar convexus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber), and Electrauletes unicus Legalov, sp. nov. (Baltic amber) are newly described.     

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George (Order Spiriferida) from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia are described: Bisinocoelia despecta sp. nov.; Yakutospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Y. krivensis sp. nov.; Micospirifer gen. nov. with the type species M. simplex sp. nov.; Kolymospirifer gen. nov. with the type species K. optatus sp. nov. (subfamily Ambocoeliinae); Datnospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. alius sp. nov.; Khalimospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Kh. microscopicus sp. nov.; Gerospirifer gen. nov. with the type species G. normalis sp. nov., and G. gerensis sp. nov.; Dogdospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. yolkini sp. nov. (subfamily Rhynchospiriferinae).     

New seeds of gymnosperms from the Lower Permian of the Ural mountains

New taxa of detached seeds are described from the Kungurian (Lower Permian) of the Middle Cis-Urals: Laevigatospermum compressum gen. et sp. nov., Hirsutospermum paniculatum gen. et sp. nov., Rugosospermum callosum gen. et sp. nov., and Craspedosperma filiferum sp. nov. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed.     

Two new genera of cuckoo wasps (Chrysididae: Amiseginae) from Rovno and Baltic ambers

Cuckoo wasps of the subfamily Amiseginae, Eosega heterotarsata gen. et sp. nov. and Foveorisus kilimniki gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Eocene Baltic (Russia) and Rovno ambers (Ukraine), respectively, are described. Primitive Eosega is close to the extinct genus Palaeobethylus Brues in Kieffer, 1914 and represents the so-called American series of genera of Amiseginae. Foveorisus is found to be morphologically close to a number of extant oriental genera. All known fossil Amiseginae are listed. Stick insects of the family Archipseudophasmatidae, possible hosts of the Eocene amisegines, are recorded in the Rovno amber for the first time.     

Ichneumonid parasitoid wasps from the Early Eocene Green River Formation: five new species and a revision of the known fauna (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae)

The parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae is one of the most species-rich groups of organisms, but its fossil record remains very poorly studied, which impedes inferences of the origin of its diversity. We here describe two new fossil genera and five new species of Ichneumonidae from the Eocene Green River Formation: Carinibus molestus gen. et sp. nov., Ichninsum appendicrassum gen. et sp. nov., Mesoclistus? yamataroti sp. nov., Scambus? mandibularis sp. nov., and Scambus? parachuti sp. nov. The newly described Mesoclistus? yamataroti represents the first record of the subfamily Acaenitinae from this fossil locality. In addition, we revise the ten previously described fossil ichneumonids from the Green River Formation, following a conservative approach when re-assessing their taxonomic positions: we keep the current placement of six revised fossils, but express the uncertainty in genus-assignment according to open nomenclature rules: Eclytus? lutatus Scudder, Glypta? transversalis Scudder, Pimpla? eocenica Cockerell, Phygadeuon? petrifactellus Cockerell, Plectiscidea? lanhami Cockerell and Rhyssa? juvenis Scudder. We exclude three fossil genera from their current subfamilies and place them within Ichneumonidae incertae subfamiliae: Eopimpla Cockerell, Lithotorus Scudder and Tilgidopsis Cockerell. Furthermore, we move Tryphon amasidis Cockerell and LeVeque to the new genus Trymectus gen. nov. In the light of these revisions, we discuss the importance of careful taxonomic placement of fossils and difficulties in ichneumonid palaeontology caused by host-related homoplasies and a lack of knowledge about the age of the recent subfamilies.     

Echinocampidae fam. nov., a new family of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous radiolarians of Arctic Siberia

When studying Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous radiolarians from the Nordvik section (Arctic Siberia), unique morphotypes of multicyrtoid nassellarians with many horns in the apical part of the shell, which continue the rays A, V, 2l, D, and 2L of the cephalic spicule, were recorded. These morphotypes are assigned to a new family, Echinocampidae fam. nov., including three new genera (Echinocampe gen. nov., Nordvikella gen. nov., and Arctocapsula gen. nov.) and eight new species. The family Echinocampidae was probably restricted to high latitudes and belonged to the boreal fauna of the terminal Jurassic and the basal Cretaceous.     

Myrothecium-like (Ascomycota,Hypocreales) species from tropical areas: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Digitiseta</Emphasis> gen. nov. and additions to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inaequalispora</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parvothecium</Emphasis>

Inaequalispora and Parvothecium are two myrothecium-like, closely related genera of Hypocreales. They are also morphologically similar, sharing sporodochial conidiomata, penicillate conidiophores, fusiform to ellipsoidal conidia accumulating in a green slimy drop, and hypha-like setoid extensions emerging through the conidial mass. During a revision of myrothecium-like isolates originating from rainforest areas of South America (Ecuador, Brazil) and Southeast Asia (Singapore), multilocus phylogenetic inferences (based on DNA sequence data of ITS, partial nuc 28S, and partial tef1a, rpb2 and tub2) and morphological studies concordantly revealed the occurrence of two undescribed species of Inaequalispora (I. longiseta sp. nov. and I. cylindrospora sp. nov.) and one undescribed species of Parvothecium (P. amazonensesp. nov.). Myrothecium setiramosum, M. dimorphum, and two undescribed taxa form the base of a new lineage, sister to the current Parvothecium lineage. This lineage is recognized as Digitiseta gen. nov., typified by D. setiramosa comb. nov. Digitiseta dimorpha comb. nov. is also proposed, and the new species D. parvodigitata sp. nov. and D. multidigitata sp. nov. are described.     

New and little-known orthopteroid insects (Polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 4

New taxa of Ensifera and Caelifera orthopterans (Insecta, Orthoptera), from the families Gryllotalpidae [Marchandiinae, subfam. nov. (Lower Cretaceous)], Haglotettigoniidae [?Haglotettigonia aenigmatosa, sp. nov. (Lower Cretaceous)], Tettigoniidae [Meconematinae: Archixizicus occidentalis, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Eogrigoriora gracilis, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene), Miophlugis rostratus, gen. et sp. nov. (Miocene)], Stenopelmatidae [Siinae: Electrosia baltica, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene); Gryllacridinae: Plesiolarnaca prior, gen. et sp. nov. (Eocene)] and Tridactylidae [Mongoloxyinae: Birmitoxya intermedia, gen. et sp. nov. (Upper Cretaceous). The Eocene species Lipotactes martynovi Zeun. and L. bispinatus Weidn. are transferred to the genus Eomortoniellus Zeun. (Tettigoniidae: Tympanophorinae); Prorhaphidophora zeuneri Chop. and P. tachycinoides Chop. are transferred to the genus Protroglophilus Gor. (Rhaphidophoridae: Protroglophilinae). The Eocene species E. handlirschi Zeun., species of the genus Protroglophilus, and a possible member of the genus Succinotettix Piton (Tetrigidae: Tetriginae), as well as a Miocene representative of the genus Archaeoellipes Heads (Tridactylidae: Tridactylinae) are also discussed.