Eocene siliceous sponges from the Ebro Basin (Catalonia, Spain)

The Eocene (Bartonian) marls of the La Guixa Member and Gurb Member, Vic Marls Formation (Ebro Basin, Catalonia, Spain), contain a very rich and diversified siliceous sponge fauna. The fauna is dominated by hexactinellids; lithistids and other demosponges are rare. It consists of 16 species representing 16 genera. Eleven new species and two new genera are proposed for these sponges: Reguantella cavernosa nov. gen. nov. sp., Regadrella concinna nov. sp. (both Hexactinellida, Lyssacinosa), Eurete clava nov. sp., Pleuroguettardia iberica nov. sp., Aphrocallistes almeriae nov. sp., Hexactinella informis nov. sp. (all Hexactinellida, Hexactinosa), Brachiolites munterensis nov. sp., Centrosia viquensis nov. sp., Callicylix eocenicus nov. sp., Rhizocheton robustus nov. sp. (all Hexactinellida, Lychniscosa), Propetrosia pristina nov. gen. nov. sp. (Demospongia, Haplosclerida). Some genera of sponges in this fauna are still extant, but, in general, the predominant ones are very close in morphology, and, without doubt, closely related to the Late Cretaceous sponges. This fauna also differs considerably, in terms of composition, from most other described faunas of Tertiary sponges from the Mediterranean region, which are dominated by lithistid sponges. Lithistid sponges are rare in this investigated assemblage, which seems most similar to an as yet undescribed Eocene fauna from Italy. There is ecological differentiation in the proportions of particular sponges in various outcrops and/or stratigraphical levels that is clearly associated with water-depth-related controlling factor(s): Munter, Tona and Sta. Cecilia represent the deepest facies, Gurb is intermediate, and St. Roc and Vespella are the most shallow. The exact bathymetric position of the sponge fauna is difficult to estimate, but it seems that 100 m (but probably 200 m and more in the case of the deepest parts) of water depth may be inferred for this facies.     

早寒武世马哈螺类的骨骼化特征、分类和演化意义

马哈螺类（maikhanellids)是已知最古老的单板类,以往缺乏系统研究,并在分类上争议较大,文中以滇东早寒武世梅树村阶微小骨骼化石的丰富材料为依据,详细阐述该类群的形态特征和超微结构,探讨其亲缘关系和演化趋势,研究表明,马哈螺类由6个属组成,包括Maikhanella,Ramenta,Ramentoides gen.nov.,Mediata gen.nov.,Yunnanopleure和Purella。各属之间壳形变化较大,但裸露的壳顶和普遍发育的鳞片状或条状突起表明它们在明显的亲缘关系,并显示两个演化方向,即Maikhanella Ramentoides gen.nov.Ramenta和Maikhanella Mediata gen.nov.Yunanopleura-Purella。马哈螺类分布于梅树村期早,中期,Maikhanella是最原始的马哈螺,最先出现在梅树村阶小歪头山段,也是中谊村段下磷矿层唯一的马哈螺,而在该段上磷矿层马哈螺类发生了明显的属种分异,在大少段所有的马哈螺类突然消失,马哈螺类的壳体曾被描述为：骨针状的外骨骼”,“骨片状外骼”和“包裹在中间基质中的骨针”,但当前研究表明,以Maikhanella pristinis和Ramenta cambrina为代表的马哈螺类的内壳层具有早期单板类中较常见的水平交错纤状结构,指示了马哈螺类具有致密成层的壳壁,文中新建2亚科,2属和5种,即Maikhanellinae subfamily nov.,Purellinae subfamily nov.,Maikhanella Perelegans sp.nov.,Ramenta superata sp.nov.,Ramentoides latispinus gen.et sp.nov.,Mediata kunyangensis gen.et sp.nov.,Yunnanopleura longidens sp.nov。     

A new basal tapiromorph (Perissodactyla, Mammalia) from the middle Eocene of Myanmar

A new genus and species of tapiromorph, Skopaiolophus burmese nov. gen., nov. sp., is described from the middle Eocene Pondaung Formation in central Myanmar. This small form displays a striking selenolophodont morphology associated with a mixture of primitive “condylarthran” dental characters and derived tapiromorph features. Skopaiolophus is here tentatively referred to a group of Asian tapiromorphs unknown so far. The occurrence of such a form in Pondaung suggests that primitive tapiromorphs might have persisted in southeast Asia until the late middle Eocene while they became extinct elsewhere in both Eurasia and North America.     

New Genera and Species of Psychodoid Flies from the Lower Cretaceous Amber Lebanon

Until now, only two Psychodoidea were known from Lebanese amber. We describe two new genera and species of Phlebotomidae ( Mesophlebotomites hennigi gen. et sp. nov., Libanophlebotomus lutfallahi gen. et sp. nov.) and four new genera with six new species of Psychodidae ( Paleopsychoda solignaci gen. et sp. nov., Paleopsychoda jacquelinae sp. nov., Protopsychoda nadiae gen. et sp. nov., Protopsychoda hammanaensis sp. nov., Libanopsychoda abillamai gen. et sp. nov., Cretapsychoda inexpectata gen. et sp. nov.) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Hammana/Mdeirij, Lebanon. These fossils are included in a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamilies of Psychodoidea. This superfamily was probably as diverse in the Early Cretaceous as now.     

New genera and species of Scelionidae (Insecta: Proctotrupoidea) from Rovno amber

Two new genera and three new species of parasitic wasps from the family Scelionidae are described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber: Pseudotelea gracilis Kononova, gen. et sp. nov. (subfamily Scelioninae), Pseudidris striatus Kononova, gen. et sp. nov., and Ceratobaeoides cornutus Kononova, sp. nov. (subfamily Baeinae). The new taxa are compared with representatives of the Recent fauna.     

Omomyid primates (Tarsiiformes) from the Early Middle Eocene at South Pass,Greater Green River Basin,Wyoming

Recent fieldwork in the Gardnerbuttean (earliest Bridgerian) sediments along the northeastern edge of the Green River Basin at South Pass, Wyoming, has yielded a large and diverse sample of omomyid (tarsiiform) primates. This assemblage includes two species each of Artimonius gen. nov., Washakius, and Omomys, one species of Anaptomorphus, Trogolemur and Uintanius, and a new, primitive species of the rare omomyine genus,Utahia. Utahia is known elsewhere only from its type locality in the Uinta Basin and its phylogenetic position is poorly understood. Utahia carina sp. nov. allows for re-evaluation of the affinities of this genus relative to other omomyines. In most characters, such as a lesser degree of molar trigonid compression, more widely open talonid notches, and a lack of molar talonid crenulation, the new species is more primitive than U. kayi. The dental anatomy of U. carina also indicates that Utahia is morphologically intermediate between washakiins and omomyins, although the balance of anatomical features places Utahia as the sister taxon to a broadly defined "Ourayini" clade. Morphological similarity between U. carina, Loveina zephyri, and primitive Washakius suggests that while the omomyin and washakiin clades may have diverged by the middle Wasatchian, substantial morphological distinctions are first evidenced only in the early Bridgerian. This may be due either to a lack of appropriate faunal samples from older sediments, or, more likely, because ecological circumstances in the early Bridgerian favored omomyine diversification and subsequent replacement of previously occurring taxa. This hypothesis is further supported by the stratigraphic co-occurrence of U. carina, W. izetti, and a primitive variant of W. insignis at South Pass, a marginal area. Basin margins have been hypothesized to provide heterogeneous habitats conducive to the production of evolutionary innovation. Basin margin samples have also been cited as evidence that anaptomorphines were relegated to upland refugia as omomyine taxa began to appear in the later part of the early Eocene. Another possible explanation for the unusual co-occurrence of species at South Pass relates to fluctuating lake levels in the Green River Basin, which intermittently would have made lowland environments inhospitable for arboreal fauna. This would have created a situation whereby species which would normally be allopatric become sympatric at South Pass.     

LUTETIACADER, A PUZZLING NEW GENUS OF CANTACADERID LACE BUGS (HETEROPTERA: TINGIDAE) FROM THE MIDDLE EOCENE MESSEL MAAR, GERMANY

Abstract:  A new genus of cantacaderid lace bugs, Lutetiacader gen. et sp. nov., is described from the lower Middle Eocene of Messel Quarry, Germany. It clearly belongs to the cantacaderid lineage of Tingidae, and is the second known fossil genus of the tribe Cantacaderini (after Paleocader Froeschner). It appears to be most similar to extant species of the genera Nectocader Drake (Brazil) and Teratocader Drake (Malay Peninsula). Lutetiacader occupies a central position with respect to the geographical gap between the ranges of these two extant genera. Its biogeographical significance is discussed.     

New macrostomatan snake from the Paleogene of northwestern Argentina

The lower Eocene Lumbrera Formation in Salta province, northwestern Argentina, outstands for providing snake remains from a non-Patagonian Paleogene site. The material consists of articulated precloacal vertebrae that represent a new medium-sized macrostomatan snake, namely Amaru scagliai nov. gen., nov. sp. The vertebral characters of Amaru scagliai nov. gen., nov. sp., suggest affinities with advanced clades, which is consistent with the recognition of derived macrostomatans in the early Paleocene of Bolivia and early Eocene of Brazil. The new snake confirms the presence of macrostomatan snakes in South America as early as the Eocene and suggests that the southern continents may have played an unsuspected role in the origin and evolution of advanced macrostomatans during the earliest Cenozoic.     

NEW MYSIDIELLIDAE (BIVALVIA) FROM THE ANISIAN (MIDDLE TRIASSIC) OF QINGYAN, SOUTH-WEST CHINA

Abstract:  Three new genera including four new species of the bivalve family Mysidiellidae are described from late middle to early late Anisian (Middle Triassic) deposits of Qingyan, Guizhou Province, south-west China. The new taxa Leidapoconcha gigantea gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella elegans gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella speciosa gen. et sp. nov. and Qingyaniola mirabilis gen. et sp. nov. significantly increase the known taxonomic diversity within the Mysidiellidae. These findings suggest a somewhat endemic evolutionary development within this small bivalve family during the Middle Triassic in south-west China.     

New acrodont lizards (Lacertilia) from the Middle Eocene of southern Mongolia

The problematic lizard family Changjiangosauridae, representatives of which inhabited Asia in the Early Paleogene, is discussed. Six new species of this group, including Acrodontopsis robustus gen. et sp. nov., Agamimus gracilis gen. et sp. nov., Graminisaurus interruptus gen. et sp. nov., Khaichinsaurus reshetovi gen. et sp. nov., Lavatisaurus elegans gen. et sp. nov., and Lentisaurus giganteus gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Eocene of the Khaichin Uul 2 locality (southern Gobi, Mongolia) are described. It is shown that Changjiangosauridae are probably related to the Late Cretaceous Isodontosauridae and recent Uromastycidae; independent development of a number of dental features in different lineages of Acrodonta (Iguania) is corroborated.     

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 Eocene dinoflagellate cysts from the southern edge of the Junggar Basin,Xinjiang, China

The Anjihaihe Formation in the southern edge of the Junggar Basin was previously considered a series of freshwater lacustrine depositions. However, abundant marine dinoflagellate cysts were recently recovered from the middle to upper part of the middle member of the formation. Two new genera, six new species and one new subspecies among the abundant dinoflagellate cysts are described and illustrated, i.e. Circulodinium? laeve sp. nov., Kaiwaradinium abbreviatum sp. nov., Spiniferites adnatus subsp. latispinus subsp. nov., Oligosphaeropsis accreta gen. et. sp. nov., Oligosphaeropsis complex gen. et. sp. nov., Oligosphaeropsis megaprocessa gen. et. sp. nov. and Tianshandinium biconicum gen. et. sp. nov. They are rare to common constituents of the dinoflagellate assemblage in the Anjihaihe Formation and may prove useful for regional biostratigraphic correlation and palaeoenvironment re-establishment.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rovnoecus</Emphasis>, a new genus of digger wasps (Hymenoptera,Crabronidae, Pemphredoninae) from the Rovno amber

A new fossil digger wasp Rovnoecus klesovicus gen. et sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Pemphredoninae, Pemphredonini) is described from the Upper Eocene Rovno amber. The genus Rovnoecus gen. nov. is characterized by an incomplete occipital carina, partly reduced second discoidal cell, and the presence of spines on all tibiae. Rovnoecus gen. nov. is most similar to the fossil genus Eoxyloecus Budrys, 1993 from the Baltic amber. The two genera form a monophyletic group that is a sister group to the group formed by the genera Passaloecus Shuckard, 1837 and Eopinoecus Budrys, 1993. This indirectly corroborates the hypothesis of the geographically different origin of the Rovno and Baltic ambers.     

New tribe,genus, and species of paedogenetic gall midges (Diptera,Lestremiidae: Krassiloviolini trib. nov.) from the Late Cretaceous Taimyr amber

Paedogenetic fossil midges of the family Lestremiidae are revealed for the first time. Only eight species of eight gall midge genera belonging to five tribes of the subfamily Micromyinae (Lestremiidae) and two species of two genera of Porricondylinae (Cecidomyiidae: Porricondylinae sp., Holoneurini sp.) have previously been described from the Santonian Taimyr amber of Yantardakh. The new tribe Krassiloviolini trib. nov. differs from other tribes of Lestremiidae in the strong reduction of veins and flagellomeres, slightly differing in length first and second tarsomeres of the middle and hind tarsi, 3-segmented apical plates of the ovipositor, and the presence of paedogenesis. A new genus and species, Krassiloviola geniusloci gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a female that is characterized by the first front tarsomere 1.3 times as long as the second, short 2+7-segmented antennae, presence of stem and large narrow sensoria on flagellomeres, wide wings with strongly reduced vein R5, slightly forked Cu, and absence of fragment C behind the fusion with R5. The presence of two very large specific eggs is evidence of the existence of paedogenesis in the Late Cretaceous. Previously, fossil paedogenetic eggs have only been known in Miastor vlaskini (Fedotova et Perkovsky) described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber.     

TELYCHIAN (LLANDOVERY, SILURIAN) BIVALVES FROM SPAIN

Abstract:  Twenty species of bivalves (14 new) and 14 genera (six new) are described from two localities in the Silurian, upper Telychian, Oktavites spiralis Biozone of Spain: Cardavia cathleenae gen. et sp. nov., C. hafi sp. nov . , C. stefani sp. nov.; Copenychia franta gen. et sp. nov., C. pristina sp. nov.; Stolidotus marco sp. nov.; Telycardia malinka gen. et sp. nov.; Silurinka vetula gen. et sp. nov.; Bolsopteria lentilka gen. et sp. nov.; Nennapteria ibericola gen. et sp. nov., N. ollicula sp. nov.; Actinopteria dakryodes sp. nov., A. isabelae sp. nov. and Dceruska hispanica sp. nov. They comprise two closely related communities, the Copenychia-Cardavia-Actinopteria Community and the Dceruska-Copenychia-Stolidotus Community, which belong to the Snoopyia Community Group. The occurrence of Dceruska Barrande, 1881, Dualina Barrande, 1881, Patrocardia Barrande, 1881, Silurinka , gen. nov., Slava Barrande, 1881 and Stolidotus Hede, 1915 in the Telychian of the Central Iberian Domain, Spain, supports palaeogeographical relationships with other Lower Silurian regions of north Gondwanan and Perunican Europe: the Carnic Alps (Austria), the Montagne Noire (France), Sardinia (Italy) and the Prague Basin (Bohemia), and also to Avalonia: the Welsh Borderland (Great Britain) and Baltica–Skåne (Sweden). These genera together with the new genera Cardavia, Copenychia (the earliest known representatives of the Silurian family Cardiolidae), Telycardia (the oldest known representative of the family Praecardiidae) and Silurinka belong to a Bohemian type of bivalve. Bolsopteria lentilka is closely related to Bolsopteria elliptica (Hind, 1910) from the Aeronian (middle Llandovery) of Scotland.     

辽西义县组长节锯蜂科(昆虫纲,膜翅目)昆虫化石

描述产自辽宁西部北票上园地区和凌源大王杖子义县组长节锯蜂科（Ｘｙｅｌｉｄａｅ）巨长节锯蜂亚科（Ｍａｃｒｏｘｙｅｌｉｎａｅ）昆虫化石１２种,归于４族８属,其中６新属１２新种,包括Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｒｏｂｕｓｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｅｘｃｕｌｐｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｓｕｓｐｅｃｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｅｎｄｅｍｉｃａ ｓｐ．ｎｏ     

Upper Devonian Sponges from the Holy Cross Mountains, Central Poland

The rich fauna of Late Devonian (Late Frasnian) siliceous sponges from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland is composed of 15 species and 11 genera. Both astylospongid demosponges (lithistids) and hexactinosan hexactinellids are present. The following new genera and/or species are proposed: D regulara Rigby and Pisera sp. nov., Jazwicella media Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Astyloscyphia irregularia Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., A. turbinata Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Astylotuba modica Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Paleoregulara cupula Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Paleoramospongia bifurcata Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Cordiospongia conica Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Paleocraticularia elongata Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., P gigantia Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Polonospongiadevonica Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., P fistulata Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., Urnospongia modica Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov., and Conicospongia annulata Rigby and Pisera gen. et sp. nov. The investigated fauna contains the youngest astylospongiids known and the oldest well-preserved, and most diversified Palaeozoic hexactinosans. The sponge fauna constituted a significant element of a brachiopod-coral-sponge assemblage that inhabited a deep slope of the local Dyminy Reef structure, during its final phase of growth, in a clearly hemipelagic setting. This fauna is limited to the intrashelf depression within an incipiently drowned carbonate platform.     

New Late Cretaceous Pollen Genera and Species in the Jiaag Han Basin of Hubei

In this paper, five new pollen genera and twenty new pollen species of angiospermae from the Late Cretaceous of a certain basin in central China are described. Four new organ genera and their species include: Morinoipollenites normalis gen. et sp. nov., Morinoipollenites minor gen. et sp. nov., Morinoipollenites polyprojectus gen. et sp. nov., Morinoipollenites rhombiformis gen. et sp. nov., Jianghanpollis ringens gen. et sp. nov., Jianghanpollis, mikros gen. et sp. nov., Jianghanpollis radiatus gen. et sp. nov., Jianghanpollis sayangensis gen. et sp. nov., Jianghanpollis arciformis gen. et sp. nov., Myoporumpollonites variabilis gen. et sp. nov., Myoporumpollenites striatus gen. et sp. nov., Lythraites giganteus Yu, Guo et Mao gen. et sp. nov. Lythraites clavatus sp. nov., Lythraites dilutus sp. nov., Lythraites magnus sp. nov., Lythraites varrustriatus sp. nov., Lythraites pachyrrhachis sp. nov.; the new-form genus and its species are: Crassimarginpollenites reticulatus gen. et sp. nov., Crassimerginpollenites mirus gen. et sp. nov., Crassimarginpollenites psilatus gen. et sp. nov. The new pollen genera and their species described herein have been compared in some details with recent pollens and considered their affinity with such recent families as Dipsacaceae, Myoporaceae, Apocynaceae and Lythraceae. According to the age of the pollen-bearing strata, a preliminary discussion is made regarding to the taxonomy of the recent plants families with which our new described pollens are related. Hence, this study may provide some mieropalaeobotanical information for deciphering 'the phylogeny of these plants.     

New gall midges of the subfamily Lestremiinae (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) from the Rovno amber

Two new genera and eight new species of the gall midges subfamily Lestremiinae, viz. Berestella insuperabilis gen. et sp. nov., Monardia impellucida sp. nov., Xylopriona aristata sp. nov. (Micromyini), Aprionus improvisus sp. nov., A.? vlaskini sp. nov. (Aprionini), Vicemyia immediata gen. et sp. nov. (Peromyiini), Cordylomyia cauta sp. nov. (Campylomyzini) and Bryomyia necessaria sp. nov. (Bryomyiini) from the Late Eocene Rovno amber are described. New combinations, i.e., Cordylomyia declinata (Fedotova, 2004), comb. nov. and Cordylomyia magnifica (Nel et Prokop, 2006), comb. nov. (both are transferred from Neurolyga) are proposed. No species in common with the fauna from the Baltic amber are recorded.     

贵州关岭新铺晚三叠世早期(Carnian)康尼克贝类腕足动物一新属--Pseudokoninckina

Pseudokoninckinagen.nov.归于康尼克贝类。模式种Pseudokoninckina xinpuensisgen.etsp.nov.的模式标本采自贵州关岭县城西南约35km新铺乡喇嘛村上三叠统下部(Carnian)竹杆坡组中部黑灰或黄灰色石灰岩。其贝体强烈膝曲,拖曳部长;背壳极为深凹,侧坡高又陡峭,两侧区和拖曳部呈薄壳状;两耳翼端强烈向背方膝曲;背三角孔覆有背三角双板,但腹三角孔洞开。腹内两侧隔板极高又长;腹中隔脊低宽,前部二分叉,后部三分叉。背内第三壳层厚,在背壳底两侧区隆起呈两条隆脊;主突起高强。壳表饰有微弱同心线和毛发状放射纹。这些特征在康尼克贝类中是很独特的。