First record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chadronoxylon</Emphasis> fossil wood (Angiospermae,Dicotyledones) from Russia

A new species, Chadronoxylon sakhalinensis sp. nov. (Angiospermae, Dicotyledones), from the Upper Cretaceous of Sakhalin (Russian Far East) is described based on the anatomical characters of fossil wood. The fossil wood of Chadronoxylon is found in Russia for the first time.     

The family Phryganeidae (Insecta,Trichoptera) from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic of Asia (with a brief worldwide overview of the fossil caddisfly fauna)

The following new taxa of the family Phryganeidae are described: Proagrypnia sinitsae gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous of Russia (Chernovskie Kopi locality) and Baissophryganoides popovi sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia (Anda-Khuduk locality). A larval case of Folindusia (Acrindusia) phryganoides sp. nov. from the Paleocene of Russia (Arkhara–Boguchan brown coal field) is described. A worldwide overview of the records of fossil adult insects and larval cases of Phryganeidae is presented.     

Mesozoic leaf beetles of the tribe Mesolpinini trib. nov. (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from the Lower Cretaceous

This publication is based on recent studies of Lower Cretaceous leaf beetles from the Yixian Formation (Liaoning, China), which are represented by five new species of one new genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. (M. antenattus sp. nov. [type species], M. adapertilis sp. nov., M. angusticollis sp. nov., M. basicollis sp. nov., and M. trapezicollis sp. nov.) assigned to a new tribe, Mesolpinini trib. nov. of the subfamily Chrysomelinae. This tribe, which includes only species from the Jehol biota, is the oldest known group of the family in the fossil record. A key to species of the genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. is provided and the position of the new tribe is discussed. A brief overview of the Mesozoic data on the subfamily Chrysomeloidea is given.     

Late Cretaceous (Santonian-Campanian) sea lilies (Echinodermata,Crinoidea) from the glacial rafts of northwestern Poland

Seven Santonian (Isocrinus? minutus, Tetracrinus jagti, Cyathidium senessei, Bourgueticrinidae indet., Notocrinidae indet., Glenotremites paradoxus, Marsupites testudinarius) and seven Campanian (Nielsenicrinus carinatus, Austinocrinus sp., Bourgueticrinidae indet., Bourgueticrinus cf. constrictus, B. ellipticus, B.? suedicus, Roveacrinina gen. et sp. indet.) crinoid taxa from the Cretaceous glacial rafts of northwestern Poland (near Wolin Island) are described for the first time. The taphonomy and palaeogeographic implications are discussed. The present assemblage differs taxonomically from the crinoid faunules recently described from the glacial rafts of eastern Poland. However, these faunules are similar to crinoids from the autochthonous Upper Cretaceous sediments of southern and eastern Poland (Miechów Trough, Kraków-Cz?stochowa Upland, Middle Vistula River valley). An update of Late Cretaceous crinoids from the Miechów Trough and Kraków-Cz?stochowa Upland is also given.     

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.     

New Insects (Insecta: Trichoptera,Reculida, Eoblattida) from the Mesozoic of Asia

New caddisflies, reculid and eoblattid insects from the Mesozoic of Asia are described. Caddisflies of the families Philopotamidae (Mesoviatrix paradoxa gen. et sp. nov. and Kempia piotri gen. et sp. nov.) and Polycentropodidae (Polylongevus eskovi gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of the Kempendyai locality in Yakutia are described. A short review and comparison of fossil members in these families are provided. New Gryllones insects, Shurabia tanga sp. nov., Sauk batkenicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Sauk Tan’ga locality (Lower Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan), Say kirgizicus gen. et sp. nov. from the Shurab III locality (Reculida: Geinitziidae; Lower or Middle Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan) Griphopteron iya sp. nov. (Eoblattida: Blattogryllidae) from Iya locality (Middle Jurassic of Russia) are described.     

The first occurrence of a lingulid brachiopod from the Cretaceous of Sergipe,Brazil, with a restudy of ‘<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lingula</Emphasis>’ <Emphasis Type="Italic">bagualensis</Emphasis> Wilckens, 1905 from southern Patagonia

The lingulid brachiopod Lingularia? notialis sp. nov. is described from the upper Turonian (Cretaceous) of the Sergipe Basin in northeastern Brazil. The rare but well-preserved new material shows morphological characters such as muscle scars, mantle canals and a baculate shell structure. In a preliminary note L.? notialis was referred to Lingularia? bagualensis (Wilckens, 1905) from the uppermost Cretaceous of southern Patagonia, a species restudied here and referred conditionally to Credolingula Smirnova in Smirnova and Ushatinskaya, 2001.     

New jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the Cretaceous of Russia,Kazakhstan, and Mongolia

A new jewel beetle genus, with one species (Cretofrontolina kzyldzharica gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan is described based on a body; and three new species of the formal genus Metabuprestium are described based on isolated elytra: Metabuprestium sibiricum sp. nov. and M. arkagalense sp. nov. come from the Arkagala locality (Upper Cretaceous of Russia) and M. ichbogdense sp. nov. is from the Shar Tologoi locality (Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia).     

The fossil fallow deer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dama geiselana</Emphasis> (Cervidae,Mammalia, upgrade to species level) in the context of migration and local extinctions of fallow deer in the Late and Middle Pleistocene in Europe

The fossil fallow deer Dama dama geiselana Pfeiffer from Neumark-Nord (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) is upgraded to species level and discussed within the current taxonomy of recent and fossil fallow deer. Typical antler and skeletal characteristics are discussed in comparison with the recent Dama dama, Dama mesopotamica and the fossil species Dama clactoniana, Dama nestii and Dama rhenana. The phylogenetic relationship of fallow deer can be traced back to the Late Pliocene and distinguished morphologically from Cervus elaphus, Cervus nippon and Axis axis. Late and Middle Pleistocene finds from Germany are presented and discussed in the context of the finds from the Mediterranean region and Great Britain. The differences in antler morphology and bone dimensions in West German and North-East German fallow deer from the Late Pleistocene support the hypothesis of different immigration channels, on the one hand from the eastern Mediterranean along the Danube and on the other from the west along the Rhone and Rhine. In the Middle Pleistocene, Dama mesopotamica is considered as the typical fallow deer in the eastern Mediterranean, while in the west, Dama clactoniana is widespread. The hypothesis of immigration from the eastern Mediterranean is supported by the fossil record in Germany with the fallow deer from Edesheim. Conversely, Dama geiselana probably influenced East Mediterranean populations. Special tooth characteristics of Dama geiselana occur with lower frequency in Dama mesopotamica. In the Bronze Age, the fallow deer from Kastanas (Macedonia) shares antler characteristics, the high frequency of specific features of the scapula, and the astragalus with Dama geiselana. A relict population of Dama geiselana probably reached the Eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of the last cold stage.     

New evidence of nearshore Mid-Triassic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zoophycos</Emphasis>: morphological and paleoenvironmental characterization

Zoophycos is a well-known trace fossil common throughout the Phanerozoic. Paleozoic forms show important differences in morphology and habitat distribution with respect to the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Cenozoic ones. Therefore, Early–Middle Triassic is considered a crucial time-span for the understanding of the evolution of this trace fossil. So far, Early Triassic Zoophycos is unknown and Middle Triassic forms were recorded only in deposits from Thuringia. The morphology and paleoenvironment of Zoophycos from the middle–upper Muschelkalk of the Iberian Range is herein described. The best-preserved trace fossils occur in a dolomicritic bed Ladinian in age, and are represented by small forms with a subcircular, slightly lobed outline and very little penetration depth. They were deposited in a very shallow, quiet-water environment with transition to supratidal/emerged areas. The low diversity of both trace fossils and skeletal remains point to stressful conditions related to strong salinity variations and/or poor water circulation. A comparison was made with Zoophycos from Anisian deposits of the Muschelkalk in Germany. This showed that both forms are quite simple and penetrate only the shallowest tiers, although they are different in whorl outline and lobe shape. This confirms that, notwithstanding the morphological variability of this group, Zoophycos still maintained a quite simple structure in the Triassic. A shallow-water environment was deduced for both localities, confirming that at least until the Early Jurassic Zoophycos had not definitively migrated toward deep-water areas.     

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.     

Upper Cretaceous paleosols of the Bain-Dzak section,southern Mongolia

Three paleosol profiles (FPS-profiles) are described from the Djadokhta Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Campanian), outcropping in the Bain-Dzak section (southern Gobi aimag, Mongolia). The new data allow the climate at the time of the formation of the Late Cretaceous FPS-profiles to be interpreted as semiarid with seasonal precipitation. The isolated fossil roots of higher plants preserved in situ in the FPS-1 profile of the Bain-Dzak section are described as a new species, Radicites gobiensis Naugolnykh, sp. nov.     

Fossil wood of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus priamurensis</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Pinaceae) from the Miocene deposits of the Erkovetskii Brown Coal Field,Amur Region

New species of the pine fossil wood, Pinus priamurensis sp. nov. (Pinaceae) from the Sazanka Formation (upper Middle Miocene–Upper Miocene) of the Erkovetskii Brown Coal Field (Amur Region) is described. The new species shares some wood anatomical features with modern species of the subsection Pinus (section Pinus, subgenus Pinus). This is the first record of fossil wood of Pinus in the Amur Region.     

Redescription of a fossil loach <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triplophysa opinata</Emphasis> (Yakowlew, 1959) from the Miocene of Kirgizia (Balitoridae: Nemacheilinae)

The only known fossil representative of the genus Triplophysa, T. opinata from the middle-upper Miocene of Kirgizia is redescribed. It is suggested that this species is closest to the species groups “dorsalis” and “labiata” (sensu Prokofiev, 2002, 2004a). The fossil finding clearly suggests that Triplophysa developed no later than in the middle of the Neogene.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Weitschataster intermedius</Emphasis> gen. et sp. nov., a goniasterid starfish (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from the Upper Cretaceous of Germany

Weitschataster intermedius gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Hannover (Lower Saxony, N Germany). The new species is characterized by its conspicuous rimmed pedicellariae scars covering almost the complete actinal surface and by small body size. W. intermedius represents a transitional state between W. decipiens comb. nov. from the Lower Campanian and the well-known W. undulatus comb. nov. from the Lower Maastrichtian of NW Europe. Among Spencer’s types of W. undulatus, one paratype is recognized as belonging to the genus Parametopaster.     

The origin of the North Indian sugarcanes

The “North Indian sugarcanes”, cultivated by Indian peasants during many centuries, have been studied morphologically very exactly byC. A. Barber from 1910 to 1920. They were named “Saccharum Barberi” byJeswiet. Barber distinguished four groups. In 1931 the present author found the following chromosome numbers in these groups: 2n=116 and 2n=82 in the Sunnabile group; 2n=82 in the Mungo group; 2n=124 and 2n=107 in the Nargori group and about 91 in the Saretha group. The first three groups are sterile, the last is fertile. It is shown that the North Indian sugarcanes are hybrids between ancient indigenous sugar canes with a basic number of 17 chromosomes, and forms ofS. spontaneum withn=40,n=48 andn=56 respectively. Differences in the numbers of chromosomes contributed by the mother type may in part have their origin in endo-duplication, as commonly observed inSaccharum hybrids. Details are presented in Table 2. The differences found between different forms of IndianS. spontaneum in respect to chromosome number, sugar content and mosaic resistance may be attributed to intercrossing with canes of the fertile Saretha group.     

Shell microstructure and variability of cell imprints of the mantle outer epithelium in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Suiaella</Emphasis> Moisseev (Brachiopoda,Rhynchonellida) from the Lower Cretaceous of Crimea

The shell microstructure of the Lower Cretaceous Suiaella weberi Moisseev, 1949 (superfamily Norelloidea) from the Lower Barremian of Crimea is studied for the first time. The fibers of Suiaella are shown to differ strongly in size and outline of cross section from the fibers of the superfamily Rhynchonelloidea. Suiaella is shown to differ from rhynchonellids of the superfamily Basilioloidea in the presence of straight or slightly curved fibers and absence of twisted fibers and overlapping adjacent fibers within one and the same bundle, it also differs in the presence of capillation and fine ribbing. Numerous cell imprints of the mantle outer epithelium have been found in fossil Norelloidea for the first time.