The remarkable Middle Pliocene non-marine mollusc record from Ceresole d’Alba, Piedmont, north-west Italy: Biochronology, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology supported by fossil plants

A noteworthy, well-preserved non-marine mollusc fauna has been recorded from Middle Pliocene silty sediments at Ceresole d’Alba (Piedmont, NW Italy), a site described by F. Sacco in the 19th century. The fauna is characterised by rich assemblages of terrestrial and aquatic taxa showing a high degree of species diversity and the dominance of archaic land prosobranchs and pulmonates. A high rate of extinct taxa (at least 50%) and a good percentage of endemics are recognised. Many species are restricted to the Middle Pliocene and for some species, a Mio-Pliocene central-western European origin is noticed. The palaeoecological features of two distinct assemblages show dominant hygrophilous and thermophilous forest elements in the first one and prevailing freshwater taxa, testifying an environment of swamps or small water bodies, in the latter. A direct record of ancient vegetation has been provided by fruit and seed assemblages recovered from an organic layer and from two leaf assemblages sampled in the overlaying laminated muds. The fruit and seed assemblages clearly represent the record of a few azonal plant communities growing very close to the deposition site. On the ground of the ecological preferences of the modern plant analogues, both leaf and fruit assemblages indicate swamp communities poor in arboreal species. The percentage of extinct plant species is surely higher than 29% (nine species out of 31), and most probably close to 48% (15 species out of 31). The plant assemblages provide limited climatic indications, whereas warm-temperate and humid climate conditions are pointed out on the basis of modern preferences of several mollusc taxa. These climatic indications agree with those obtained from rich plant assemblages of neighbouring Pliocene sites. A correlation of the recorded palaeofauna and palaeoflora with the faunistic and floristic assemblages from the Middle Pliocene sediments of one of the most important non-marine palaeontological sites in the Piedmont Basin, the Villafranchian type-succession at Villafranca d’Asti (RDB quarry), is inferred.     

Life strategies of solitary undissepimented rugose corals from the upper member of the Picos de Europa Formation (Moscovian, Carboniferous, Cantabrian Mountains, NW Spain)

Rugose corals belonging to the orders Metriophyllina, Stereolasmatina and Plerophyllina have been identified in the upper member of the Picos de Europa Formation (Moscovian). Corals occur in crinoidal limestones containing common bryozoans. The coral assemblage shows a high diversity. Mode of preservation and spatial distribution of corals demonstrate close relationships with biogenic components such as crinoids, bryozoans, brachiopods and bivalves. The morphology of corals provides valuable data for identifying their life strategies, four of which have been identified: liberosessile with straight growth, liberosessile with curved growth, fixosessile with straight growth and fixosessile with curved growth. Most corals from the Picos de Europa Formation appear to have been fixosessile with straight growth; they attached themselves to bioclasts and subsequently developed radiciform processes (mainly talons) to remain straight.     

Late Miocene marine ostracods from Santa Maria island,Azores (NE Atlantic): Systematics,palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

The nine oceanic islands that comprise the Azores archipelago are located in the middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean. In this isolated archipelago, there is a rich fossil record in one of the islands, Santa Maria. In this island, samples were collected in the Upper Miocene composite section of Malbusca outcrop, located in the southern shore of the island, and the fossil marine Ostracoda were studied. This work represents the first report of fossil ostracods from the Azores archipelago. Thirteen species were found, representing seven families and 12 genera (Xestoleberis, Loxoconcha, Callistocythere, Leptocythere, Dameriacella, Aurila, Heliocythere, Pachycaudites, Neonesidea, Cyamocytheridea, ?Quadracythere and Paracypris). Among the identified species, one new species, Leptocythere azorica n. sp., is described. Loxoconcha (two species) was the most diversified genus. The collected species are mainly ornamented and typical of warm waters and epi-neritic habitats (～ 10–50 m of depth).     

Paleocene-Early Eocene ostracodes from the Southern Galala Plateau (Eastern Desert, Egypt): Taxonomy, impact of paleobathymetric changes

Ostracode faunas obtained from nine sections spanning the Paleocene-Early Eocene interval from a platform-basin transect in the Southern Galala Plateau area (Eastern Desert, Egypt) have been investigated. The study focuses on taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the ostracode assemblages across the P/E boundary, with supporting comments on paleoecology and paleobiogeography. The studied nine sections yielded 60 taxa belonging to 39 genera. Five species are new. The P/E transition is characterized by the appearance of new taxa rather than extinctions. During the Early and early Late Paleocene, the ostracode assemblages throughout the study area are largely similar, being dominated by middle-outer neritic taxa. In the late Late Paleocene and Early Eocene, changes in the paleobathymetry from deeper marine environments in the distal area in the south to shallower marine environments in the proximal area in the north become pronounced. Many of the recorded taxa have a wide geographic distribution throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Similarities with basins of West Africa are also found, reflecting faunal exchanges between this area and southern Tethys during the Paleocene and Early Eocene.     

Palaeoenvironmental analysis based on rugose corals and microfacies: a case study at La Cornuda section (early Serpukhovian, Guadiato Area, SW Spain)

Combined analysis of microfacies and rugose coral features provides a useful tool for palaeoenvironmental studies in areas where outcrops are not appropriate for field observations. A detailed study of Serpukhovian rugose corals from La Cornuda section (Guadiato Area, SW Spain) by means of thin sections allowed the identification of environments where they lived. All corals were collected in unit 1 of the section where three different but intimately connected environments have been identified. Corals developed mainly in small mounds built jointly by microbial communities, algae and corals. Some corals also lived in calcareous shoals mainly composed of echinoderm plates. Finally, some corals occur in Oncoidal limestone that represents a shallow ramp, but they were mainly transported from shoals and mounds.     

Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) calcareous microfossils from Cedro Peak (New Mexico,USA). Part 1: Algae and Microproblematica

At Cedro Peak (Manzanita Mountains, central New Mexico), the Pennsylvanian succession is divided into four formations: Sandia, Gray Mesa, Atrasado, and lower part of Bursum. The sampled limestones of the Gray Mesa and Atravasado formations yielded three age distinctive fossil assemblages: (a) latest Atokan/early Desmoinesian; (b) late early Desmoinesian, and (c) middle Virgilian. The calcareous algae, incertae sedis algae and cyanobacterial-foraminiferal consortia are described here. The following new taxa are named: Epimastoporaceae n. fam.; Anthracoporellopsis novamexicana n. sp.; Tubiphytidae n. fam.; and Latitubiphytes n. gen.     

Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous) calcareous microfossils from Cedro Peak (New Mexico,USA). Part 2: Smaller foraminifers and fusulinids

The Pennsylvanian stratigraphic section of the Manzanita Mountains (central New Mexico, USA) is restudied at Cedro Peak. This Pennsylvanian succession is divided into the Sandia Formation, Gray Mesa Fm, Atrasado Fm, and lower part of Bursum Fm. The sampled limestones of the Gray Mesa and Atrasado formations yielded three age-distinctive fossil assemblages: they are of (a) latest Atokan/early Desmoinesian, (b) late early Desmoinesian, and (c) middle Virgilian. The following new taxa of foraminifers are proposed: Endoteboidea n. superfam.; Spireitlinidae n. fam.; Millerellinae n. subfam.; Pseudonovella marshalli n. sp.; Pseudonovella ohioicus nom. nov.; Pseudoacutella n. gen.; Pseudoacutella hoarei nom. nov.; Plectofusulina manzanensis n. sp. Translated or emended names are: Staffelloidea, Ozawainelloidea, Ozawainellidae, and Profusulinellidae.     

The palaeoxylological record of Metapodocarpoxylon libanoticum (Edwards) Dupéron-Laudoueneix et Pons and the Gondwana Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous continental biogeography

Aim Vertebrates, palynomorphs and leaf floras each give a different picture of continental biogeography of Northern Gondwana during the Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous interval. A new biogeographical marker is required to get a clearer picture. Location Northern part of the Gondwana during the Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous interval. Methods Comparisons and correlations of wood data from the literature and new material. Results We have selected Metapodocarpoxylon Dupéron‐Laudoueneix et Pons because it has a restricted distribution, temporally and geographically; it is a well‐defined Mesozoic fossil wood monospecific genus, and there are wide‐ranging data on its distribution. Conclusions Metapodocarpoxylon distribution draws a clear latitudinal belt extending from Lebanon westward to Peru. Climate being the main factor of plant distribution at a global scale, the Metapodocarpoxylon area probably underlines a climatic belt. This has several implications, for example, choosing among different Global Circulation Models or discussing dinosaur distribution.     

Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) brachiopods in Asturias (Northern Spain): Stratigraphic distribution, critical events and palaeobiogeography

Brachiopod assemblages recorded in the Toarcian outcropping of the Asturian coast, between Gijón and Ribadesella, are described. In the Tenuicostatum Zone of the Early Toarcian, an assemblage dominated by Gibbirhynchia cantabrica nov. sp., which also includes some other species of North European affinities, has been recorded. Brachiopods disappear in the region at the end of this Zone, coinciding with a sedimentary episode of black shales, and they are not recorded again until the Variabilis Zone of the Middle Toarcian. Between this zone and the Aalensis Zone, several species appear with wide stratigraphic distribution but scarce representation, except for Soaresirhynchia renzi, which is very abundant, particularly in the Insigne Subzone. This assemblage differs from the ones recorded in other nearby Spanish basins and can be related to the ones described in part of the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal), Western Pyrenees and South-Western France. This similarity can be related to environmental characteristics, such as the existence in these cases of an external, relatively deep platform environment.     

Late Pennsylvanian to Middle Permian revised algal and foraminiferan biostratigraphy and palaeobiogeography of the Lycian Nappes (SW Turkey): Palaeogeographic implications

Shallow-marine limestones associated to a Palaeotethyan seamount in the Teke Dere unit of the Tavas Nappe (Lycian Nappes, SW Turkey) are essentially latest Moscovian-Kasimovian in age. The wide range of microfauna and -flora of the series show biogeographic affinities comparable to those from the northern Palaeotethyan borders (especially to assemblages from the Carnic Alps, Urals, Donbass and Darvaz). These biogeographic affinities seem to persist until the end of the Early Permian (Artinskian). The Middle Permian fauna is represented by the typical warm, tropical assemblages known at the same time in the Palaeotethys (NW Caucasus, Darvaz, south China, Primorie and Japan), and in the Neotethys (Transcaucasia, central Iran, southern Afghanistan and Sibumasu). The new Kasimovian algae and incertae sedis Novantiellopsis elliottii n. gen. n. sp., Uvanellopsis fluegelii n. gen. n. sp., Tubiphytes rauzerae n. sp. and Asselodiscus davydovi n. sp. are described.     

Taxonomy notes on Vandeae (Orchidaceae) from China: Five new species and two new records

Five new species (Gastrochilus yei, Gastrochilus minimus, Luisia simaoensis, Taeniophyllum xizangense, Tuberolabium subulatum) and two newly recorded species (Cleisostoma tricornutum, Luisia inconspicua) of Vandeae (Orchidaceae) from China are described and illustrated. Gastrochilus yei is similar to G. affinis and G. nepalensis, but differs from them by having an epichile not lobed, the apex of the hypochile not bilobed, and a tine on the apex of the leaf. Gastrochilus minimus is similar to G. acinacifolius, but can be distinguished from the latter by having a flabellate epichile that is densely hirsute on the adaxial surface and an inconspicuous central cushion; in addition, the hypochile of G. minimus has a keel that extends to the apex of the epichile. Taeniophyllum xizangense is similar to T. stella and T. radiatum, but it is distinguished from them by having much bigger flowers, inflorescences densely covered with short-bristly hairs, papillae on the external surface of sepals, and bigger triangular-ovate viscidium. Luisia simaoensis is similar to L. magniflora and L. ramosii, but can be easily distinguished from them by having lateral sepals longer than dorsal sepals and petals, lip with irregular and waved margins, and lip with bilobed apex. Luisia inconspicua is moved from Gastrochilus to Luisia based on phylogenetic analyses of plastid matK sequence data. Tuberolabium subulatum is similar to T. carnosum, but it can be easily distinguished from the latter by having an inflorescence much shorter than the leaves, yellow sepals and petals, and many small papillae outside the lip lobes.     

Fish and tetrapod communities across a marine to brackish salinity gradient in the Pennsylvanian (early Moscovian) Minto Formation of New Brunswick,Canada, and their palaeoecological and palaeogeographical implications

Euryhaline adaptations in Pennsylvanian vertebrates allowed them to inhabit the marine to freshwater spectrum. This is illustrated by new assemblages of fish and tetrapods from the early Moscovian Minto Formation of New Brunswick, Canada. Fish include chondrichthyans (xenacanthids and the enigmatic Ageleodus), acanthodians (gyracanthids and acanthodiforms), sarcopterygians (rhizodontids, megalichthyids and dipnoans), and actinopterygians (eurynotiforms). Tetrapods include small‐ to medium‐sized, and largely aquatic, stem tetrapods (colosteids) and anthracosaurs (embolomeres). A key finding is that the parautochthonous fossil assemblages are preserved across a salinity gradient, with diversity (measured by the Simpson Index) declining from open marine environments, through brackish embayments, and reaching a nadir in tidal estuaries. Chondrichthyans dominate the entire salinity spectrum (65% of fossils), a distribution that demonstrates a euryhaline mode of life, and one large predatory chondrichthyan, Orthacanthus, may have practised filial cannibalism in coastal nurseries because its heteropolar coprolites contain juvenile xenacanthid teeth. In contrast, other fish communities were more common in open marine settings while tetrapods were more common in coastal brackish waters. While all these faunas were also likely to have been euryhaline, their osmoregulation was, perhaps, less versatile. The demonstration of widespread euryhalinity among fish and aquatic tetrapods explains why Pennsylvanian faunas generally show a cosmopolitan biogeography because taxa were able to disperse via seaways. It also resolves the paradox of enriched strontium isotopic signatures observed in these faunas because organisms would have been, at times, exposed to continental water bodies as well. Therefore, our new findings contribute to the long‐running debate about the ecology of Pennsylvanian fishes and tetrapods.     

Systematics,palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography of the Neogene fossil sharks from the Azores (Northeast Atlantic)

The Azores Archipelago is a group of isolated islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean. One of these oceanic islands – Santa Maria – exhibits marine fossiliferous sediments of late Miocene/early Pliocene and also of Pleistocene age. Recent research provided new selachian fossil material, with three new records (Carcharias acutissima, Megaselachus megalodon, and Carcharhinus cf. leucas) increasing the number of fossil sharks reported from the Azores (Santa Maria Island) to seven species (Notorynchus primigenius, C. acutissima, Cosmopolitodus hastalis, Paratodus benedenii, Isurus oxyrinchus, M. megalodon, and C. cf. leucas). So far, no teeth of batoids or small sharks have been found despite the screen-washing of several sediment samples from Santa Maria. The Azorean Mio-Pliocene selachian fauna clearly differs from those described from sediments deposited on continental shelves, in which batoids and small benthic sharks (e.g., scyliorhinids) are usually well represented. During the late Miocene/early Pliocene, subtropical to warm-temperate seas were prevalent in the area of the Azores, as deduced from palaeontological, geological and isotopic data, all indicating a warmer climate than in the present.     

Early Silurian (Rhuddanian) rugose corals and sponges from the Ak-Kerme Peninsula,Kazakhstan

An assemblage of earliest Silurian (Llandovery, Rhuddanian) fossils from South Kazakhstan (Ak-Kerme Peninsula, Lake Balkhash) contains solitary rugose corals (Calostylis denticulata, Streptelasma? sp., and Cystipaliphyllum sp.) and the demosponge Calycocoelia typicalis, which are described here. This assemblage occurs with previously described brachiopods and constitutes a post extinction survival fauna; such faunas are poorly known and this study fills a gap in our knowledge. All three genera of Rugosa were transitional across the Ordovician–Silurian boundary and are also reported from other parts of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan during the Llandovery. Streptelasma had already been present in Kazakhstan during the Ordovician, while during the Rhuddanian Calostylis immigrated from Baltica or China, and Cystipaliphyllum from the Australian part of Gondwana. Demosponges are rare during the Llandovery but probably had a cosmopolitan distribution. Calycocoelia typicalis marks the first Rhuddanian record of lithistid demosponges, and the first record of Silurian demosponges from Kazakhstan.     

Sclerospiroxylon xinjiangensis nov. sp., a gymnospermous wood from the Kungurian (lower Permian) southern Bogda Mountains,northwestern China: Systematics and palaeoecology

A new silicified wood, Sclerospiroxylon xinjiangensis Wan, Yang et Wang nov. sp., is described from the Cisuralian (lower Permian) Hongyanchi Formation in southeast Tarlong section, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. The fossil wood is composed of pith, primary xylem and Prototaxoxylon-type secondary xylem. The pith is solid, circular, heterocellular, with sclerenchyma and parenchyma. The primary xylem is endarch to mesarch, with scalariform thickenings on tracheid walls. The secondary xylem is pycnoxylic, composed of tracheids and parenchymatous rays. Growth rings are distinct. Tracheids have mostly uniseriate, partially biseriate araucarian pitting on their radial walls. Helical thickenings are always present on both the radial and the tangential walls. Rays are 2–14 cells high, with smooth walls. There are 2 to 7, commonly 2 to 4 cupressoid pits in each cross-field. Leaf traces suggest that S. xinjiangensis nov. sp. was evergreen with a leaf retention time of at least 15 years. Based on the sedimentological evidence, growth rings within the S. xinjiangensis nov. sp. could have been caused by seasonal climatic variations, with unfavorable seasons of drought or low temperature. Low percentage of latewood in each growth ring is probably due to the intensity of climatic seasonality and/or long leaf longevity.     

Description of a new species of Alboglossiphonia Lukin, 1976 (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae) from Egypt

Abstract

Alboglossiphonia disugi n.sp. was collected from the Nile and freshwater channels in the delta region of Egypt during 1988. The morphology, anatomy and taxonomy of the leech are dealt with.     

Rugose corals and associated carbonate microfossils from the Brigantian (Mississippian) of Castelsec (Montagne Noire, southern France)

The disused quarry east of Castelsec offers a view of shallow-marine carbonates of the poorly known Uppermost Mississippian of the Montagne Noire. At Castelsec, sections are studied in two characteristic facies types (bioclastic wackestone and microbial dominated boundstone) of the Upper Mississippian. The succession is rich in rugose corals and carbonate microfossils. Six genera with seven species belonging to a rugose coral fauna consisting of at least eight genera with several species are described herein; Dibunophyllum castelsecensis sp. nov. is described as new. Twenty-seven carbonate microfossils of different groups have been identified. The Castelsec succession is Brigantian in age, based on the stratigraphic occurrence of rugose corals, foraminifers, and calcareous algae observed in both sections. The rugose coral fauna shows relationships with the well-known fauna of northwestern Europe and the Ouralian-Asian Province. Typical elements of northwestern Europe are missing at Castelsec and vice versa. This differentiation between north and south is interpreted as responses to different palaeolatitudes and tectonic settings.