A new species of eastmanosteid arthrodire (Pisces: Placodermi) from Gogo, Western Australia

A new species of Eastmanosteus Obruchev is described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as E. calliaspis sp. nov. It is at the pachyosteomorph level of organization having no contact between the plates of the flank and those of the ventral shield behind the pectoral fin. Well preserved material of the parasphenoid and scapulocoracoid throws further light on the structure of these elements in arthrodires. The genus Eastmanosteus is reviewed.     

A pachyosteomorph arthrodire from Gogo, Western Australia

A new monotypic genus of eubrachythoracid arthrodire is described from die Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as Incisoscutum ritchiei gen. et sp. nov. It is at die pachyosteomorph level of organization, having no contact between the plates of die flank and those of the ventral shield behind the pectoral fin. It is interchangeable widi Coccosteus spp. and a number of earlier described Gogo forms in a sketch dadogram for arthrodires, but its phylogenedc relationships are unknown. Well preserved material of die scapulocoracoid throws new light on die structure of this element in arthrodires, particularly widi respect to variations in die pattern of canals and foramina.     

A primitive eubrachythoracid arthrodire from Gogo, Western Australia

A new eubrachythoracid arthrodire, Hanytoombsia elegans gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Devonian Gogo formation of Western Australia. Its structure and relationships are discussed within the framework provided by a new sketch cladogram for arthrodires. H. elegans is morphologically similar to Coccosteus cuspidatus , but its relationships among primitive eubrachythoracids are unknown.     

A second eubrachythoracid arthrodire from Gogo, Western Australia

A new genus of long-snouted, eubrachythoracid arthrodire, Camuropiscis gen. nov., is described from the Upper Devonian Gogo formation of Western Australia. It is represented by two species, the type C. concinnus sp. nov. and C. laidlawi sp. nov. These species are interchangeable with Coccosteus spp. in a sketch cladograin for arthrodires; their phylogenetic relationships are not known in any detail. C. concinnus has a well-preserved pelvic girdle and throws new light on the structure of this element in arthrodires.     

A eubrachythoracid arthrodire with a snubnose from Gogo, Western Australia

A new eubrachythoracid arthrodire, Simosteus tuberculatus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia and its structure and relationships are discussed. It is related to the trematosteids, leiosteids and hadrosteids on the evidence of 'fused' preorbital and postnasal bones.     

New durophagous arthrodires from Gogo, Western Australia

Three new monotypic genera of eubrachythorarid arthrodires with crushing toothplates are described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as Bruntonichthys multidens gen. et sp. nov., Bullerichthysfascidens gen. et sp. nov. and Kendrickkhthys cavemosus gen. et sp. nov. Their structure and relationships are discussed within the framework provided by a sketch cladogram. All three are interchangeable with Coccosteus spp. but their phylogenetic relationships are not known in any detail. However, Kendrickkhthys does appear to be immediately related to Dinomylostoma from North America.     

A new pachyosteomorph arthrodire (Pisces: Placodermi) from the Upper Frasnian of the Central Devonian Field,Russia

A new genus and species of pachyosteomorph arthrodire, Omalosteus krutoensis gen. et sp. nov. from shallow-water marine deposits of the Evlanovo Regional Stage (Upper Frasnian, Upper Devonian) of the Central Devonian Field is described. It is tentatively referred to the family Trematosteidae Gross, 1932, which was earlier believed to be endemic to central Europe. The new genus is characterized by a rounded, dorsoventrally compressed cross section of the pectoral region and smooth head shield and postcranial membrane bones. The centrale is elongated, forming a narrow lateral lobe. The praeorbitale, postorbitale, and centrale come in contact in the center of the orbital region. The mediodorsale is wide, its carinal process projects considerably posteriorly. The anterior margin of the anterior ventrolaterale lacks articular facets for the interlaterale.     

Eubrachythoracid arthrodires with tubular rostral plates from Gogo, Western Australia

Two monotypic genera of tubular-snouted eubrachythoracid arthrodires are described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as Rolfosteur gen nov. and Tubonnsus gen. nov. They are most closely related to Camuropiscis Dennis & Miles, also from the Gogo Formation, and all three are therefore placed in the family Camuropiscidae nov. Rolfosteus and Tubonasus are jointly the sister-group of Camuropiscis .     

A new actinolepid arthrodire (Class Placodermi) from the Lower Devonian Sevy Dolomite, East-Central Nevada

A new genus and species of actinolepid arthrodire, Aleosteus eganensis , is described from the Lower Devonian (Late Emsian) Sevy Dolomite in the Egan Range of east-central Nevada. A cladistic analysis of the family Actinolepidae is presented for the first time and shows the Baltic Actinolepis species form the primitive sister-group of all other actinolepids. Rapid evolution of the Actinolepidae during the Lochkovian is reflected in the dispersal of the family around the Old Red Sandstone Continent at this time followed by the development of endemic faunas through the Lower Devonian and into the Middle Devonian.     

A New Eurypterid (Chelicerata: Eurypterida) from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia, With A Review of the Rhenopteridae

A new eurypterid, Rhenopterus waterstoni sp. nov., is described from the Gogo Formation (Frasnian, Upper Devonian) of Western Australia. This species is distinguished from related forms by the tuberculation of the anteriormost tergite and crenulated posterior margins of the carapace and opisthosomal segments. It is the only eurypterid specimen known from the Gogo Formation, the most complete eurypterid from Australia, and also the youngest representative of Rhenopterus in the fossil record. Structures retrieved from between the prosomal-opisthosomal juncture comprise polygonal tubes 30–40 μm in diameter, which are interpreted as sarcomeral sheaths of muscular tissue. Rhenopterus is reviewed: R. latus Størmer, 1936 is synonymized with R. diensti Størmer, 1936 as it is here recognized as a female sexual dimorph; R. maccarthyi (Kjellesvig-Waering, 1934) is an orthocone nautiloid.     

Eubrachythoracid arthrodires from Gogo, Western Australia

Two monotypic genera of coccosteoid eubrachythoracid arthrodires are described from the Upper Devonian Gogo Formation of Western Australia as Compagopiscis gen. nov. and Gogopiscis gen. nov. They are most closely related to Torosteus Gardiner & Miles, also from the Gogo Formation, and all three are placed in the family Plourdosteidae Vezina, 1990; Compagopiscis and Gogopiscis are jointly the sister-group of Torosteus.     

New genus and five new species of heat-tolerant tiphiid wasps from Western Australia (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae: Thynninae)

Abstract Thynnine wasps are a dominant part of the Australian insect fauna. They are parasites of soil-dwelling scarab-beetle larvae. These wasps are found during the spring and summer months and some are active during the hottest hours of the summer day. The new genus Beithynnus, from Western Australia, is one of these heat-tolerant groups. The genus is based on the new species B. sulfureus , and four additional new species, B. amplus , B. moorensis, B. multimaculatus , and B. tinkeri .     

A new parascylliid species, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parascyllium sparsimaculatum</Emphasis>, from Western Australia (Elasmobranchii: Orectolobiformes)

Parascyllium sparsimaculatum sp. nov. is described using external and skeletal morphologies on the basis of three female specimens collected from the continental slope off Western Australia. This new species is clearly distinguished from four congeners by having a relatively large head (length greater than 16% of TL); a large eye (horizontal diameter of eye greater than 11% of HL); a large pectoral fin (anterior margin more than 10% of TL); relatively tall, erect dorsal fins with angular apices; 43–49 tooth rows on upper jaw; a yellowish-brown body with large, diffuse-edged, rusty-brown spots; and an extremely faint, collar-like saddle over the gill region. A key to species is provided. Received: November 27, 2000 / Revised: August 27, 2001 / Accepted: September 18, 2001     

The morphology of Yujiangolepis liujingensis (Placodermi,Arthrodira) from the Pragian of Guangxi (south China) and its phylogenetic significance

The morphology of the arthrodire placoderm Yujiangolepis liujingensis Wang, Pan & Wang, 1998, from the Lower Devonian of Guangxi is redescribed, and compared to that of the basal arthrodires Antarctaspis White, 1968 from Antarctica, Toombalepis Young & Goujet, 2003 and Wuttagoonaspis Ritchie, 1973 from Australia, and Yiminaspis Dupret, 2008 from south China. A very small plate of the skull roof at the junction of the nuchal, marginal, postorbital, and paranuchal plates is considered as the vestigial homologue of the anterior paranuchal plate in the Petalichthyida and Acanthothoraci. Yujiangolepis is attributed to the family ‘Antarctaspididae’ White, 1968, together with the genera Antarctaspis and Toombalepis. A computerized phylogenetic analysis resolved Yujiangolepis as the most basal arthrodire, and the family ‘Antarctaspididae’ appears paraphyletic, Yujiangolepis being possibly the most basal. The family Wuttagoonaspididae contains the genera Wuttagoonaspis and Yiminaspis, and remains monophyletic. A Chinese origin of the ‘Antarctaspididae’ is proposed, together with a southward dispersal into Gondwana during the Early Emsian.     

A new species ofArnoglossus (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae) from the southwestern coast of Australia

A new bothid flounder,Arnoglossus micrommatus, is described from the southwestern coast of Australia (off Albany, Western Australia). This species is distinguished from other species ofArnoglossus by combination of the following characters: gill-rakers serrated on posterior margin; upper jaw length 2.83–3.12 in head length (HL); upper eye diameter 4.17–5.51 in HL; scales in lateral line 52–62; vertebrae 11+28−29=3t-40.     

Reanalysis of Heintzichthys gouldii (Newberry), an aspinothoracid arthrodire (Placodermi) from the Famennian of northern Ohio, with a review of brachythoracid systematics

Heintzichthys gouldii is redescribed based on new material from the Interstate 71 Paleontological Salvage Project (Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1966-67). Phylogenetic analysis of brachythoracid arthrodires clearly shows the monophyly of Camuropiscidae and the aspinothoracid arthrodires. Heintzichthys gouldii and Gorgonichthys clarki are removed from Dinichthyidae and placed within aspinothoracid arthrodires. The remaining members in the family Dinichthyidae are united solely by plesiomorphic characters. A number of putative synapomorphies for the eubrachythoracid arthrodires are questioned; however, the validity of this taxon is supported by three synapomorphies.