Triassic radiolarians of Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands,Arctic)

Triassic radiolarians from Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands, Arctic Region) are studied. Radiolarians occur in the Middle and Upper Triassic beds, which are well dated by ammonoids, nautiloids, and bivalves. In the Middle Triassic beds, which are composed of dark gray and black clays and claystones with interbeds of combustible schist, siltstone, clayey limestone, and many phosphatic concretions, the following two assemblages are recognized: (1) a Late Anisian assemblage, including Glomeropyle clavatum Bragin, sp. nov., G. boreale Bragin, G. manihepuaensis Aita, G. insulanum Bragin, sp. nov., Triassospongosphaera multispinosa (Kozur et Mostler), Tetraspongodiscus hibernus Bragin, sp. nov., T. borealis Bragin, sp. nov., Eptingium abditum Bragin, sp. nov., E. manfredi Dumitrica, Spongostephanidium japonicum (Nakaseko et Nishimura), and Ladinocampe vicentinensis Kozur et Mostler; (2) Late Ladinian assemblage, with Muelleritortis firma (Gorican), M. kotelnyensis Bragin, sp. nov., Tiborella nivea Bragin, sp. nov., Pseudostylosphaera goestlingensis (Kozur et Mostler), P. omolonica Bragin, Triassospongosphaera multispinosa (Kozur et Mostler), Sarla cincinnata Bragin, sp. nov., S. obscura Bragin, sp. nov., S. prava Bragin, sp. nov., and Eonapora stiriaca Bragin, sp. nov. The Upper Triassic beds, composed of gray and black clays and claystones with lenses of clayey limestones, with sideritic and phosphatic-calciferous concretions have yielded (1) an Early Carnian assemblage, with Pentactinocarpus colum Bragin, sp. nov., Glomeropyle cuneum Bragin, sp. nov., G. algidum Bragin, sp. nov., G. aculeatum Bragin, sp. nov., Kahlerosphaera isopleura Bragin, sp. nov., Stauracanthocircus folium Bragin, sp. nov., Tetraspongodiscus uncatus Bragin, sp. nov., Poulpus costatus (Kozur et Mostler), Eonapora robusta Kozur et Mostler, Planispinocyrtis kotelnyensis Bragin, sp. nov., Annulotriassocampe baldii (Kozur), and Pseudoeucyrtis annosus Bragin, sp. nov.; (2) a Middle-Late Carnian assemblage with Pseudostylosphaera glabella Bragin, sp. nov., P. gracilis Kozur et Mock, P. voluta Bragin, sp. nov., P. gelida Bragin, sp. nov., Kahlerosphaera unca Bragin, sp. nov., K. aspinosa Kozur et Mock, K. fuscinula Bragin, sp. nov., K. acris Bragin, sp. nov., Capnuchosphaera kuzmichevi Bragin, sp. nov., C. triassica De Wever, C. angusta Bragin, sp. nov., Sarla intorta Bragin, sp. nov., S. compressa Bragin, sp. nov., S. aequipeda Bragin, sp. nov., Betraccium irregulare Bragin, B. kotelnyensis Bragin, sp. nov., Spongotortilispinus carnicus Kozur et Mostler, S. subtilis Bragin, sp. nov., Dumitricasphaera simplex Tekin, D. aberrata Bragin, sp. nov., D. arbustiva Bragin, sp. nov., Zhamojdasphaera epipeda Bragin, sp. nov., Z. proceruspinosa Kozur et Mostler, Vinassaspongus subsphaericus Kozur et Mostler, Palaeosaturnalis triassicus Kozur et Mostler, Paronaella concreta Bragin, sp. nov., P. aquilonia Bragin, sp. nov., Tetraspongodiscus cincinnalis Bragin, sp. nov., Annulotriassocampe baldii (Kozur), Canoptum zetangense Wang et Yang, Whalenella speciosa (Blome), Syringocapsa turgida Blome, Droltus gelidus Bragin, sp. nov., and D. niveus Bragin, sp. nov.; (3) an Early Norian assemblage with Pseudostylosphaera glabella Bragin, sp. nov., P. gelida Bragin, sp. nov., P. voluta Bragin, sp. nov., Kahlerosphaera retunsa Bragin, sp. nov., Capnuchosphaera deweveri Kozur et Mostler, Sarla globosa Bragin, sp. nov., Palaeosaturnalis mocki Kozur et Mostler, Paronaella aquilonia Bragin, sp. nov., Syringocapsa turgida Blome, and Droltus gelidus Bragin, sp. nov.; (4) a Middle Norian assemblage with Sarla globosa Bragin, sp. nov., Sarla sp., Syringocapsa turgida Blome, Canoptum sp., and Laxtorum? sp. The fact that these assemblages include taxa that are recorded more southerly, including paleotropical localities, and support dating based on mollusks, enables the use of these data for Boreal-Tethyan correlation. The greatest similarity to Tethyan associations is observed in the Late Carnian and Early Norian, that is, the periods of the greatest penetration of thermophilic mollusks into this basin. A total of 69 radiolarian species of 3 orders, 18 families, and 29 genera are described; 44 species are newly described; the stratigraphic and geographical ranges of the majority of taxa are improved considerably.     

Late Norian (Triassic) Radiolaria from the Kotel’nyi Island (New Siberian Islands,Arctic, Russia)

Two radiolarian assemblages were recovered from upper Norian strata of the Kotel’nyi Island (Russia); the first assemblage, from the Monotis zabaikalica Subzone (lower part of Upper Norian), is represented by Betraccium inornatum Blome, Dumitricaella (?) parva Sugiyama, Ferresium titulense Blome and 24 other species; the second assemblage, from the Monotis subcircularis Subzone (upper part of Upper Norian), is represented by Crucella sp. cf. C. angulosa Carter, Kahlerosphaera acris Bragin, K. sp. cf. K. parvispinosa Kozur & Mostler, Pseudohagiastrum crassum (Carter) and 11 other species. Both assemblages have common taxa with Upper Norian and Rhaetian radiolarian assemblages of British Columbia and they display clear Boreal features: low taxonomic diversity, abundance of taxa known from high-latitude regions, absence or rare presence of taxa known from low-latitude areas. The presence of early representatives of nassellarian genera Droltus and Parahsuum is very distinctive. Six new species are described: Pseudohagiastrum spinosum nov. sp., Cantalum boreale nov. sp., Plafkerium carteri nov. sp., Droltus guttaeformis nov. sp., Laxtorum blomei nov. sp., L. glacialis nov. sp.     

Latest Permian Spumellaria and Entactinaria (Radiolaria) from South China

A diverse and well-preserved latest Permian radiolarian fauna was obtained from bedded siliceous rocks and siliceous mudstones of the Dongpan Section, southwest Guangxi, China. All encountered specimens of the order Spumellaria and a few specimens of the order Entactinaria were selected for the taxonomic study of this paper. Thirty-three species, 15 of which are new species, were identified. They belong to 15 genera, three of which (Paracopicyntra, Copiconulus, and Yujingella) are new. The most interesting result of our study is that eight typical Middle Triassic spumellarian genera (Paroertlispongus Kozur and Mostler, Tetrapaurinella Kozur and Mostler, Paurinella Kozur and Mostler, Lithelius Haeckel, Archaeospongoprunum Pessagno, Tamonella Dumitrica, Kozur and Mostler, Bistarkum Yeh, and Tetraspongodiscus Kozur and Mostler) were discovered in the upper Changhsingian strata studied herein. Therefore, the most important and characteristic spumellarian families of the Middle Triassic were already present in the Late Permian of South China.     

Middle Triassic radiolarians from the Southeastern Pamirs (Republic of Tajikistan)

Triassic radiolarians were studied from a limestone/chert succession of the Dzhangisu and Boztere formations, Southeastern Pamirs, Republic of Tajikistan. The middle part of the Dzhangisu Formation is characterized by a Late Anisian assemblage with Eptingium nakasekoi Kozur and Mostler, Archaeospongoprunum bispinosum Kozur and Mostler, A. mesotriassicum mesotriassicum Kozur and Mostler, Paroertlispongus multispinosus Kozur and Mostler, P. rarispinosus Kozur and Mostler and Hozmadia rotunda (Nakaseko and Nishimura) that belongs either to the upper part of the Tetraspinocyrtis laevis Zone or to the Spongosilicarmiger transitus Zone (Kozur, 2003). The lowermost part of the Boztere Formation is characterized by a Late Ladinian assemblage with Muelleritortis cochleata (Nakaseko and Nishimura), M. expansa (Kozur and Mostler), Spongoserrula rarauana Dumitrica that corresponds to the M. cochleata Zone. Pamirian localities have a transitional position between the Western Tethys (Alpine–Mediterranean region) and the Eastern Tethys–Pacific junction (Southern China and Thailand). The assemblages are Tethyan in affinity.     

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.     

New radiolarians from the Devonian of the southern Ural Mountains: 2. Middle-Late Devonian

Middle-Late Devonian Radiolarians are recorded for the first time in the southern Ural Mountains in Bashkortostan, in a section of Kariukmas Mountain (Upper Eifelian) and on the southern slope of Argagan Mountain (Middle Frasnian). The new Late Eifelian assemblage is composed of 17 species of 11 genera, and Middle Frasnian radiolarians comprise 13 species of 7 genera of spherical, discoidal, pylomate, and spiny radiolarians. A new species, Primaritripus kariukmasensis, sp. nov., is described. The prevalence of discoidal forms in the oryctocenosis suggests shallow marine conditions in the Late Eifelian and Middle Frasnian basins. Two new biostratons, the Upper Eifelian beds with Primaritripus kariukmasensis and Middle Frasnian beds with Primaritripus chuvashovi, are established based on radiolarians.     

Ladinian radiolarian fauna from West Sichuan, China

A poorly preserved, but diversified radiolarian fauna was recovered from thin-bedded cherts occurring in the southeast of Daofu, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. Twenty-two radiolarian species belonging to 10 genera are identified and three new species (Paroertlispongus daofuensis n. sp., Falcispongus heinzi n. sp., Falcispongus pauliani n. sp.) are described. Falcispongus heinzi represents a transitional species between genera Oertlispongus inaequispinosus Dumitrica, Kozur and Mostler and Falcispongus Dumitrica. The fauna is divided into two assemblages, namely Muelleritortis cochleata and Oertlispongus inaequispinosus assemblages, which can be well correlated with the Ladinian radiolarian zones from Europe. The fauna indicates that basaltic rocks occurring in the Xianshuihe Belt were formed mainly during the Middle Triassic. Our results thus extend the previously known geological age of the Xianshuihe Belt to the Middle and Late Triassic interval.     

On the status of the Permian radiolarian genus Multisphaera Nazarov and Afanasieva, 2000

Based on the detailed morphological study of the type species of the genus Multisphaera Nazarov and Afanasieva, the author emends the status and diagnosis of this genus and of the subfamily Multisphaerinae Nazarov and Afanasieva. He found that the initial spicule of the type species is not multi-rayed, as initially thought, but a tetrahedral spicule. Accordingly, the genus is assigned to the former tribe Tetrentactiniini Kozur and Mostler that is herein raised to the family rank and comprises all Upper Devonian to lower Permian genera with a tetrahedral initial spicule. Consequently, the subfamily Multisphaerinae is considered a junior synonym of the family Tetrentactiniidae. To better solve the taxonomic problems of this family the author compares the morphological diversity of its members with the morphological diversity of the lower Tithonian (uppermost Jurassic) tetrahedral spicule-bearing entactinarian Radiolaria occurring in the Solnhofen area, southern Germany. Although these genera have the same type of spicule as the Paleozoic ones, they seem to belong to a new family because between the lower Tithonian and the lower Permian genera there is a long time interval of about 120 Ma in which no radiolarians with a tetrahedral initial spicule have been recorded so far. This comparison shows once more the conservative character of the initial spicule and the wide morphological diversity of the extraspicular shell.     

A new coral‐associated decapod assemblage from the Upper Miocene (Messinian) Upper Coralline Limestone of Malta (Central Mediterranean)

Abstract: A rich coral‐associated decapod assemblage is recorded from the ‘Depiru Beds’ of the upper part of the Upper Coralline Limestone (Messinian, Upper Miocene), from the island of Malta. Nineteen species within 17 genera have been discovered, where 14 genera are new for Malta. Four new species are described, namely Micippa annamariae sp. nov., Pilumnus scaber sp. nov., Panopeus muelleri sp. nov. and Herbstia melitense sp. nov. Herbstia melitense sp. nov. constitutes the first record of the genus from the fossil record in the Mediterranean region. This discovery more than doubles the number of known fossil decapod species from Malta. The fossil bivalve Jouannetia (J.) semicaudata Des Moulins, 1830 and the extant decapod Maja goltziana D’Oliveira, 1888, are also recorded for the first time from Malta. Other Neogene coral‐associated decapod assemblages are investigated and correlated with the new assemblage from Malta. The migration of taxa between the Mediterranean region and the Paratethys, particularly during the Lower Badenian (Langhian), is evidenced by the strong affinity of the Maltese decapod assemblage with that of the Middle Miocene Badenian assemblages from Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. Upper Miocene, Messinian assemblages from Spain, Algeria and Morocco are also similar to that from Malta.     

Latest Permian Palaeolithocycliidae (Radiolaria) from South China

The family Palaeolithocycliidae Kozur and Mostler was formerly thought to be ranging from Devonian to Carboniferous. However, a lot of radiolarians assignable to this family were discovered in the late Changhsingian (Latest Permian) of South China. Six species, including Palaeolithocyclia pilata n. sp., Palaeolithocyclia platta n. sp., Paramphibrachium woni n. sp., Klaengspongus spinosus Sashida, Klaengspongus formosus n. sp. and Klaengspongus umbilicatus n. sp., have been identified. In this paper, these species are illustrated and described.     

New materials of Cisuralian (early Permian) radiolarians from western Cambodia: Paleobiogeographic implications in the Paleotethys

Radiolarians, including the new species Entactinia pailinensis Ito n. sp., were obtained from the Pailin area, western Cambodia. The radiolarians indicated an age around the Asselian–Sakmarian of the Cisuralian (early Permian). The new species is characterized by an evenly-sized-porous exosphere composed of a polygonal outer porous plate and circular inner porous plate with some radial outer spines. A previous study concluded that Entactinia Foreman rapidly expanded in the early–middle Cisuralian. Our discovery of this new species adds further occurrence data of Entactinia in the early–middle Cisuralian. In addition, another previous study highlighted the uneven distribution of Pseudotormentus De Wever and Caridroit compared with the wider distribution of Quadriremis Nazarov and Ormiston through the Permian, in particular the Guadalupian (middle Permian). Our results combined with those of previous studies indicate that the uneven distribution might extend back to the Sakmarian of the Cisuralian at least.     

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.     

Family coelotubuliporidae fam. nov. and morphological parallelisms in the evolution of bryozoans

Morphologically complex bryozoans from the Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous of Eurasia that some research workers include in the order Rhabdomesida and others place in the order Trepostomata are studied. The axial zooecium is demonstrated to be of zooidal nature. A new family, Coelotubuliporidae fam. nov., is established and its position in the order Trepostomata is substantiated. It includes two genera (one new), 11 species (1 new), and four subspecies. Diagnoses of a new family, Coelotubuliporidae, the genus Coelotubulipora Yang, Hu et Xia, 1988, and a new genus, Dunaevella Gorjunova gen. nov., are presented. The following species are described: Coelotubulipora irinae Gorjunova, sp. nov., Dunaevella shishovae (Schulga-Nesterenko, 1955), and D. peristomata (Schulga-Nesterenko, 1955). The emergence of axial zooecia in representatives of the order Trepostomata is considered as one of the evolutionary ways of bryozoans due to morphological parallelisms. It is shown that data presented on the stratigraphic range and paleogeography of the family Coelotubuliporidae are of great significance for solving the problems of biostratigraphy and correlation of deposits of the Upper Devonian and Lower Carboniferous of Eurasia.     

New cretaceous radiolarian species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Afens</Emphasis> Riedel et Sanfilippo

Diverse radiolarians from the Upper Cretaceous Perapedhi and Moni formations (southern Cyprus) are studied. Many representatives of the genus Afens Riedel et Sanfilippo, 1974 are recognized. The diagnosis of the genus Afens is emended and three new species of this genus, Afens perapediensis sp. nov., Afens moniensis sp. nov., and Afens concinnus sp. nov., are described. In addition, the species Afens liriodes Riedel et Sanfilippo, 1974 is redescribed.     

云南墨江上三叠统歪古村组燧石质砾石中的晚古生代放射虫化石及其地质意义

云南哀牢山缝合带由于长期未找到晚石炭世至二叠纪深海环境的化石及沉积地层记录,对哀牢山古特提斯盆地演化历史存在着不同认识。文中报道了采自云南墨江坝留地区上三叠统歪古村组底砾岩中的早石炭世和中二叠世放射虫化石,所有放射虫化石发现于4件燧石质砾石中,共计11属9种和7未定种及1属种未定放射虫。其中,3件砾石含有Albaillella deflandrei Gourmelon,Albaillella sinuosa Won and Seo等早石炭世放射虫化石组合,另1件砾石含有Pseudoalbaillella spp.,Quadricaulis scalae Caridroit and De Wever,Cauletella sp.和Ishigaum sp.等中二叠世放射虫化石组合。由此表明,哀牢山缝合带存在着早石炭世和中二叠世深海盆地沉积地层记录,哀牢山深海盆地应该在中二叠世之后封闭。该成果为探讨哀牢山古特提斯盆地演化提供了放射虫古生物学证据,进而说明哀牢山缝合带与金沙江缝合带一样,也存在石炭纪和二叠纪深水洋盆沉积地层记录,指示其演化历史是相同的。     

New late Permian Chonetids (brachiopoda) from Southeastern Pamirs

New chonetid genera and species Subtilichonetes pamiricus gen. et sp. nov. (subfamily Undulellinae, family Rugosochonetidae) and Parvichonetes igrimiusensis gen. et sp. nov. (subfamily Tornquistiinae, family Anopliidae) are described from the Takhtabulak Formation, Changhsingian Stage of the Upper Permian of Southeastern Pamir.     

The species composition of rotifers in the water reservoirs of Central Vietnam

The rotifer fauna has been studied in four water reservoirs in the Khanh Hoa Province, Central Vietnam. A total of 65 species and subspecies and 22 genera representing 15 families have been found; 25 species and subspecies are identified as new to Vietnam. Morphometric characteristics are given for Filinia camascela Myers, Brachionus donneri Brehm, and B. dichotomus reductus Koste et Shiel. The rotifer fauna of Central Vietnam and those of other countries of Southeast Asia are compared. Some of the tropical and subtropical species recorded have been repeatedly reported from Russia.     

Radiolaria and planktonic foraminifera from Sarama composite section of the Kannaviou Formation (Campanian,Upper Cretaceous,Cyprus)

Radiolarians and planktonic foraminifers were studied from a series of continuous outcrops of the Upper Cretaceous (upper Campanian) Kannaviou Formation near Sarama Village (southwestern Cyprus). The composite study section has a narrow stratigraphic interval that covers the upper Campanian, with a total thickness of more than 70 m. The Amphipyndax tylotus (radiolarian) Zone is found within the study section. According to foraminiferal data the studied interval corresponds to the middle-upper Campanian age (from Contusotruncana plummerae Zone to the lower part of Gansserina gansseri Zone).     

New dasycladalean algae from the Middle Norian (Upper Triassic) of northern Italy (Mt. Pramaggiore, Carnic Prealps)

In the Eastern Southern Alps of northern Italy (Carnic Prealps, Friuli region), the shallow-water carbonate platform deposits of the Dolomia Principale Fm. (Norian–Rhaetian, Upper Triassic) show best-preserved platform to basin facies transition. The palaeontological study of an algal-rich level recovered from the platform margin facies (Mt. Pramaggiore) has displayed a very interesting association of Dasycladales. Two new genera (Bystrickyella and Elliottporella) and four new species (Bystrickyella ottii, Elliottporella morelloae, Palaeodasycladus lorigae and Holosporella conradii) have been described. These new data suggest that the Norian represents a period of turnover in the evolutionary history of the green algae community. This stage, placed between two extinctions, end-Ladinian and end-Norian, is here interpreted as a re-organization period of the evolutionary schemes of Dasycladales. The new lineages originated in the Norian developed further and characterized the Early Jurassic scenery. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

New bugs of the family Archegocimicidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Upper Jurassic of Mongolia

Two new genera and five new species of Archegocimicidae are described from the Upper Jurassic of the Shar-Teg locality in Mongolia: Shartegocimex rasnitsyni, gen. et sp. nov., S. distans, sp. nov., Shartegocorpus paranotalis, gen. et sp. nov., Saldonia formosa, sp. nov., S. insolita, sp. nov.