New Middle Miocene Caviomorph Rodents from Quebrada Honda,Bolivia

The rodents of the middle Miocene fauna of Quebrada Honda Bolivia are described. The most abundant rodent is the chinchillid Prolagostomus sp. More precise identification of this species will require revision of early to middle Miocene lagostomines, taking into account variation in modern populations. The next most common rodents are the tiny octodontoid Acarechimys, sp. nov.?, and the caviid Guiomys unica. The Acarechimys species may be unique to Quebrada Honda, but verification awaits revision of this geographically and temporally widespread genus. Guiomys unica is a recently described species otherwise known only from two Patagonian localities, El Petiso and Río Chico. Two rodents are unique to Quebrada Honda. Mesoprocta hypsodus, gen. et sp. nov., is a dasyproctid distinguished by its very hypsodont, cement-covered cheek teeth. Quebradahondomys potosiensis, gen. et sp. nov., is an adelphomyine echimyid distinguished by the less oblique lophids of its trilophodont cheek teeth, among other features. The rodents of Quebrada Honda are more similar to those of Patagonia than those of northern South America, paralleling patterns seen in other mammal groups from this fauna.     

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.     

The Oldest Cranium of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sinomastodon</Emphasis> (Proboscidea,Gomphotheriidae), Discovered in the Uppermost Miocene of Southwestern China: Implications for the Origin and Migration of This Taxon

The origin of the Old World brevirostrine gomphotheriid taxon Sinomastodon has been debated intensively. The discovery of the oldest known Sinomastodon cranium, reported herein, supports its endemic origin and contradicts the prevalent theory of its North America origin. The new cranium was discovered from the Shuitangba locality, southwestern China, and is dated at about 6.5–6.0 Ma, corresponding to the latest Miocene. The new specimen shows distinct characters from the other species of Sinomastodon and was therefore named Sinomastodon praeintermedius, sp. nov. Newly discovered, isolated Sinomastodon-like teeth from the upper Miocene to the lower Pleistocene of southwestern China and Southeast Asia indicate a long evolution of Sinomastodon endemically. Remains of this species are frequently accompanied by those of stegodontid species. These two groups may have had a similar migration route, invading northern China and Japan during the latest Miocene, and retreating or becoming extinct from the Palearctic realm by the end of the Pliocene. The migrations of proboscideans may have been sparked by major paleoenviromental changes, i.e., the strengthened summer monsoon beginning in the late Miocene (~7–8 Ma) and global cooling due to the expansion of ice sheets from the middle Pliocene to the early Pleistocene. The new finding reveals a close relationship of the early Pliocene fauna of northern China and the latest Miocene fauna of southwestern China, and thus provides novel insight into the origin and components of Pliocene fauna in northern China.     

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.     

New and little known orthopteroid insects (polyneoptera) from fossil resins: Communication 2

New taxa of the suborder Blattina (order Dictyoptera), possibly belonging to the family Corydiidae (Erucoblatta semicaeca gen. et sp. nov., Miocene; Proholocompsa gen. nov., Eocene; and Holocompsa nigra sp. nov. and H. abbreviata sp. nov., Miocene) and belonging to the family Ectobiidae (Plectoptera electrina sp. nov., Miocene; Agrabtoblatta symmetrica gen. et sp. nov. and ?Symploce rete sp. nov., Pleistocene) are described. The taxonomic position of the enigmatic genus Raphidiomimula Grimaldi et Ross from the Upper Cretaceous is discussed.     

New Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inoceramus</Emphasis>-like Bivalves of the Subfamily Kolymiinae from the Middle Permian of Northeastern Asia

Middle Permian Inoceramus-like bivalves of the genera Kolymia Licharew and Cyrtokolymia Astafieva endemic to the East Boreal Biogeographic Realm are considered. Cyrtokolymia, previously regarded by the author as endemics of the Verkhoyansk–Okhotsk Province and including only the type species, are also recorded in the Kolyma–Omolon Province, where they are represented by the endemic species C. bobini sp. nov. An emended diagnosis of the genus Cyrtokolymia is provided. The genus Kolymia comprises about 30 species. The greatest diversity of Kolymia (24 species, 13 of which are endemic) is known from the Verkhoyansk–Okhotsk Province, which is the center of diversification of this genus. The Kolyma–Omolon Province is characterized by 12 species, only three of which are endemic. In other provinces of the East Boreal Realm, only individual members of Kolymia are known. From the Middle Permian of the Omolon Massif, northern Verkhoyansk Region, and Penzhinsky Ridge, the following new species are described: Kolymia posneri Muromzeva, Kusnezov et Biakov, sp. nov., K. pontoneica Biakov, sp. nov., K. simkiniformis Biakov, sp. nov., and Cyrtokolymia bobini Biakov, sp. nov.     

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.     

Cystoporida (Bryozoa) from the Emsian Stage (Lower Devonian) of the Salair Ridge and Gorny and Rudny Altai

Eight bryozoan species of the order Cystoporida are described from the Emsian Stage of the Lower Devonian in the western Altai-Sayan Folded Area. Five of them are new species: Fistulipora salairiensis sp. nov., Fistuliramus fasciculus sp. nov., Fistuliphragma sibirica sp. nov., F. moniliformis sp. nov., and Fistulocladia cincinnata sp. nov. The others belong to the genera Ganiella, Physallidopora, and Fistuliporidra. Most of the cystoporid species studied from the Emsian Stage in the Altai-Sayan Folded Area are widespread laterally. Six cystoporid species have a narrow stratigraphic range and are, therefore, characteristic species of the bryozoan biostratigraphic zones of this region. The species of Physallidopora cantabrica Ernst et Buttler and Fistuliporidra hibera Ernst et Buttler, for the first time encountered in the Emsian of Gorny and Rudny Altai, were previously described from coeval deposits in northwestern Spain.     

Miocene ants (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) from Crimea

Ant imprints, new and previously known, from Middle Miocene deposits near Kerch (Crimean Peninsula, Russia) are described or redescribed. A new Myrmicinae species, Solenopsis atavinus sp. nov., is described based on a wingless female. A winged female similar to the earlier described Dolichoderus tauricus Dlussky, 1981 is found: due to the excellent preservation of this specimen, the new specimen and the holotype of D. tauricus are redescribed and can be reclassified as Ponerites tauricus (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. Oecophylla taurica sp. nov. is described based on a partly preserved imprint of a female thorax with a forewing, the venation of which allows it to be positively identified as a weaver ant. Two other species are transferred from the formal genus Camponotites to Oecophylla based on forewing venation: O. kraussei (Dlussky et Rasnitsyn, 1999), comb. nov. (Early Eocene, United States) and O. macroptera (Dlussky, 1981), comb. nov. (Middle Miocene, Stavropol, Russia). One of the studied forewing imprints is similar in venation to Paraphaenogaster microphthalmus Dlussky, 1981, described from the Middle Miocene of Vishnevaya Balka (Stavropol province, Russia) and so is attributed to this species. Dolichoderus tavridus sp. nov. is described based on a forewing.     

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).     

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).     

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.     

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

A new species, Laricioxylon erkovetskiense sp. nov. (Pinaceae) identified on the basis of anatomical features of fossil wood from the Sazanka Formation (upper Middle Miocene–Upper Miocene) of the Erkovetskii Brown Coal Field (Amur Region) is described. The new species shares some characters with the extant larches Larix cajanderi and L. olgensis.     

Trilobites of the Galgenberg Member (Tannenknock Formation), middle Cambrian Stage 5, Franconian Forest,Germany: a paradigmatic lowermost middle Cambrian West Gondwanan fauna

Earliest middle Cambrian rocks in the Franconian Forest, formerly known as the ‘Galgenberg Formation’, include a moderately diverse fauna with a characteristic West Gondwanan, Atlas-type trilobite assemblage with often surprisingly well-preserved specimens. The hitherto inadequately characterised and poorly described assemblage includes Kingaspidoides frankenwaldensis, K. sp. aff. usitata, K. alberti sp. nov., K. meieri sp. nov., K.? sp. A, Ornamentaspis cf. crassilimbata, Latikingaspis sp. aff. alatus, Enixus sp. aff. juvenis, Acadoparadoxides sp. A, Parasolenopleura wurmi sp. nov., Parasolenopleura parabolica sp. nov. and Acanthomicmacca franconica Geyer, 2016. In addition to precise documentation of the species’ morphology and ontogenetic development, this study exemplifies allometric developments during the ontogeny of ellipsocephaloid and early solenopleurid trilobites, particularly Kingaspidoides and Parasolenopleura, and effects of deformation and distortion caused by diagenesis and tectonics. It further discusses the aspects of the trilobites’ ecology and taphonomy, and it characterises generic differences within the Kingaspis clade, particularly of Kingaspidoides, Latikingaspis and Ornamentaspis.     

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 Devonian brachiopods from northeastern Russia

Brachiopods from the Devonian of northeastern Russia are described: Eoprokopia gen. nov., with the type species E. aequalis sp. nov. (subfamily Prokopiinae, order Orthida); Davoustia settedabanica sp. nov. and D. verkhojanica sp. nov. (family Anopliidae, order Chonetida); and Alkhovikovia gen. nov. with the type species A. libera sp. nov. and A. importuna sp. nov. and Tikhyspirifer gen. nov. with the type species T. globosus sp. nov. (subfamily Rhynchospiriferinae, order Spiriferida).     

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.     

Review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Banjos</Emphasis> (Perciformes: Banjosidae) with descriptions of two new species and a new subspecies

A taxonomic review of the genus Banjos (Perciformes: Banjosidae), previously restricted to a single species, Banjos banjos (Richardson 1846), recorded from the northwestern Pacific Ocean from the South China Sea north to Japan, as well as Lombok (Indonesia), New Caledonia and Australia, resulted in the recognition of three species, including B. banjos (northwestern Pacific Ocean, Indonesia and western Australia), Banjos aculeatus sp. nov. (eastern Australia) and Banjos peregrinus sp. nov. [northern Australia (Timor Sea)]. Records of B. banjos from New Caledonia probably also represent B. aculeatus, which is clearly distinct from other congeners in having a relatively long, strongly serrated spine at the posteroventral angle of the preopercle and an entirely dusky membrane on the spinous dorsal fin in juveniles < ca. 70 mm SL, in addition to slightly longer first and second dorsal-fin spines. Banjos peregrinus is characterized by a relatively greater head length, orbit diameter, postorbital length and pre-pelvic-fin length, as well as poorly developed serration of the exposed margin of the cleithrum. Within B. banjos, a population from the southeastern Indian Ocean, including Indonesia and western Australia, is regarded as a distinct subspecies (Banjos banjos brevispinis ssp. nov.), distinguishable from B. b. banjos from the northwestern Pacific Ocean by a relatively narrow least interorbital width, and shorter second and eighth dorsal-fin spines. Ontogenetic morphological changes within the genus and the status of the holotype of Anoplus banjos Richardson 1846 are discussed in detail.