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.     

云南曲靖下泥盆统西山村组四营鱼属(Siyingia)一新种(英文)

主要采用形态学与比较解剖学的方法,对采自云南曲靖地区下泥盆统西山村组中的1件盔甲鱼类标本进行了详细的形态学研究,建立了多鳃鱼类四营鱼属1新种:宽棘四营鱼(Siyingia perlatuspinosa sp.nov.),并据此修订了四营鱼属的特征。在此基础上,应用分支系统学对多鳃鱼类属一级的系统发育关系进行了重新分析与探讨,确定了四营鱼在多鳃鱼类中的系统发育位置。系统发育分析结果显示,四营鱼(Siyingia)与多鳃鱼(Polybranchiaspis)亲缘关系最近,二者形成了一个单系类群,与宽甲鱼(Laxaspis)+坝鱼(Damaspis)组成的单系类群互为姊妹群。宽棘四营鱼的发现不仅拓宽了四营鱼在华南的时空分布范围,而且丰富了多鳃鱼类的多样性,并为多鳃鱼类的深入研究提供了可靠的化石新证据。     

A new species of Zelkova (Ulmaceae,Ulmoideae) with leaves and fruits from the Oligocene of South China and its biogeographical implications

A new fossil species of Zelkova is described from the Oligocene Ningming Formation of Guangxi, South China. Zelkova ningmingensis sp. nov. is characterized by leaves with craspedodromous venation pattern and drupaceous fruit type. The new species possesses elliptical to ovate leaves, bearing 7–12 pairs of secondary and simple toothed margin, as well as epidermal cells with straight or rounded anticlinal walls. The species is compared with extant and other fossil species hitherto reported of the genus. It is most similar to the living Zelkova schneideriana in the leaf gross morphology and epidermal characters, which may be suggested to be the ancestral type of Zelkova schneideriana. The discovery of Zelkova ningmingensis sp. nov. in Guangxi indicates that Zelkova has already existed in southern China as early as the Oligocene. In combination with Zelkova material from the Oligocene of Europe, it can be inferred that Eurasian Zelkova had begun to diversify by at least the Oligocene. Because China is the biodiversity centre of modern Zelkova, the fossil herein provides new insights into Zelkova biogeography.     

New Sphenophyllum plant from the Upper Devonian of Zhejiang Province,China

Sphenophyllum was an important and long-surviving sphenopsid genus in the Paleozoic floras, with a worldwide distribution. A new species, Sphenophyllum changxingense sp. nov., is described from the Upper Devonian Wutong Formation of Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China. This plant is characterized by two orders of slender axes and wedge-shaped leaves borne in whorls. The axes bear short spines and show longitudinal ridges and furrows on surface. Three to eight isophyllous leaves, with one, two, or no second-order axes, are attached at each node of first-order axes. Leaves bear spines and show a bilobate morphology; the two leaf lobes divide distally to form several marginal segments, each segment with a leaf vein. Sphenophyllum changxingense represents an early and primitive species within the genus, in light of the absence of heterophylly and specialized hook-like leaves. Like some Carboniferous and Permian species, it appears to have formed dense mats with mutually supportive axes. This plant adds to the known diversity of early sphenopsids in the Late Devonian.     

A new Devonian species of the enigmatic Carboniferous conodont Dollymae

Arrow-shaped P₁ elements of Dollymae are characteristic for the Tournaisian conodont faunas worldwide but the phylogeny of this conodont remains obscure and its origin is cryptic. Dollymae peregrina n. sp., from the upper Famennian (upper expansa Zone) strata in the Holy Cross Mountains (central Poland), is the oldest representative of the Dollymae lineage. The morphology of the new species’ P₁ element shows primitive features in comparison to other members of this genus and is transitional in the number of element processes. Thus D. peregrina n. sp. is most probably ancestral to the remaining species. The genus appears to be monophyletic, probably rooted in Pelekysgnathus within the Icriodontidae.     

A new species of Laccognathus (Porolepiform Crossopterygii) from the Devonian of Latvia

A new species of the genus Laccognathus, L. grossi sp. nov., from the upper strata of the Gauja Formation of the Main Devonian Field (Lode locality, Latvia) is established. Morphological similarity and differences of the new species from the previously described L. panderi Gross from the lower strata of the Gauja and the Amata Formation of Latvia are discussed.     

New ischnacanthid acanthodians from the Early Devonian of Australia, with comments on acanthodian interrelationships

Rockycampacanthus milesi n.gen., n.sp. is described from a single jaw from the Rocky Camp member of Lower Devonian Buchan Group, E Victoria. Rockycampacanthus differs from other ischnacanthiforms in having large multicuspidate teeth with dual rows of secondary cusps forming a posteromesial flange, a mesial tooth row beginning opposite the fourth cusp of the main tooth row, and in the gnathal bone being deepest in the anterior half. Taemasacanthus erroli n. gen., n. sp. is described from several jaw bones from the Lower Devonian Murrumbidgee Group, New South Wales. Taemasacanthus has a well developed posterolabial flange with secondary cusps developed, vertical rows of denticles on the cusps of the main tooth row and a well developed mesial tooth row separated from the main row by a prominent ridge. The labial face of the jaw has a circular ridge which may have supported labial cartilages. The complex mandibular joint in climatiforms, acanthodiiforms and some primitive sharks differs from the simple jaw articulation of ischnacanthids. It is suggested that ischnacanthids are the plesiomorphic sister group to climatiforms plus acanthodiiforms. The interrelationships of ischnacanthids, climatiforms and acanthodiforms are discussed.     

New birkeniid anaspid from the Lower Devonian of Scotland and its phylogenetic implications

Abstract: A new possible stem gnathostome, Kerreralepis carinata gen. et sp. nov., is described on the basis of a single specimen from the Lower Devonian of the island of Kerrera in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. It is recognized as an anaspid by the chevron‐like arranged rod‐shaped scales on the trunk, gill openings extending behind the orbits in a slanting row and a series of median dorsal ridge scales. This specimen also has a series of median ventral plates, indicating the presence of a preanal fin‐fold, which in turn has consequences for interpretations of other problematic stem gnathostomes and their phylogenetic context. A cladistic analysis supports a monophyletic Anaspida including the scale‐covered birkeniids but excluding Lasanius as well as anaspid‐like forms such as Euphanerops and Jamoytius. The establishment of a new genus and species increases the diversity of anaspids and allows for a more detailed study of anaspid interrelationships. An ingroup analysis using Lasanius as an outgroup resolves Birkenia as a rather basal anaspid, sister to all other anaspids, alternatively sister to a clade represented by the taxa from Ringerike, Norway, and the closely associated taxon from Saaremaa Island, Estonia. These topologies agree rather well with the present fossil record of anaspids.     

A new species of psammosteiform heterostracan (Agnatha) from the Givetian (Middle Devonian) of the Voronezh Region

A new pycnosteid species, Schizosteus shkurlatensis sp. nov. (Agnatha, Psammosteiformes), from the Staryi Oskol beds (Givetian, Middle Devonian) of the Voronezh Region is described. This is the first species of the genus Schizosteus Obruchev from the Central Devonian Field. The similarity between species of this genus and early species of Psammolepis is discussed.     

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 new homosporous,arborescent lycopsid from the Middle Devonian of Xinjiang,Northwest China

Abstract: A new arborescent lycopsid, Hoxtolgaya robusta gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Devonian of Xinjiang, Northwest China. It has stems up to 90 mm wide with fusiform leaf bases and long linear microphylls. Sporophylls are not aggregated into strobili and are isomorphic, with sporangia homosporous and bearing Acinosporites‐type microspores. A syndrome of characters in Hoxtolgaya, including the arborescence and the homospory, implies that the arborescent habit is not necessarily correlated with the heterospory in the early evolution of arborescent lycopsids. Homosporous, arborescent lycopsids probably represent one of the transient forms between the Devonian herbaceous protolepidodendrids and the Devonian–Carboniferous heterosporous arborescent lycopsids.     

A new species of Tetraxylopteris (Aneurophytales) from the Devonian of Venezuela

Recent investigations of the Middle and Upper Devonian Campo Chico Formation, north-west Venezuela, led to the discovery of a new aneurophytalean progymnosperm, Tetraxylopteris reposana sp. nov. The fossils allow the most detailed morphological outline of a species of Tetraxylopteris Beck to date, and indicate there was more variation within the genus than yet recognized. Tetraxylopteris reposana was probably a bushy plant which formed dense interlocking thickets. Its morphology highlights the similarity between Tetraxylopteris and Proteokalon Scheckler & Banks, and the potential synonymy of these taxa is discussed . Furthermore, there is a morphological continuum between the fertile organs of Tetraxylopteris and Rellimia Leclercq & Bonamo. As the first definitive documentation of Tetraxylopteris in Gondwana, this study indicates aneurophytalean progymnosperms were more widespread than formerly understood. The diversity of the Campo Chico Formation floras and similarity of their composition to northern palaeocontinent assemblages (e.g. the Catskills Clastic Wedge) support the concept of a largely uniform worldwide vegetation.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 148 , 275–303.     

A new species of Castanopsis (Fagaceae) from the upper Pliocene of West Yunnan,China and its biogeographical implications

Two fossil leaves identified as Castanopsis presclerophylla n. sp. collected from a diatomite bed in the upper Pliocene (3.3–2.8 Ma) in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, Southwest China, are characterized by elliptic laminar shapes with acuminate apex, convex base, simple trichome bases and cyclocytic stomata. The cuticles of extant leaves from six selected Castanopsis species that are similar to the Pliocene fossil leaves in laminar shape were examined in detail for the comparison. Based on the analysis of leaf architecture and cuticular characteristics, the present fossil leaves most closely resemble the extant leaves of Castanopsis sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott., which prefers a subtropical climate. The published fossil records of Castanopsis also indicate that it was once widely distributed in North America, Europe and Asia before the Pliocene, and then rapidly retreated to the East and Southeast Asia as a result of the Pleistocene glaciation.     

A new genus of Devonian tetrapod from North‐East Greenland,with new information on the lower jaw of Ichthyostega

Abstract: A new genus and species of Devonian tetrapod has been identified from material collected in 1947 from the southern slope of Mt. Celsius, Ymer Ø, North‐East Greenland. The specimen preserves both lower jaws, partial palate, premaxillae and maxillae, with a natural mould of parts of the shoulder girdle. The new taxon, Ymeria denticulata, shows differences in dentition, skull ornament and lateral line expression from both Acanthostega and Ichthyostega, but it shows a closer resemblance to the latter. A cladistic analysis not only suggests that Ymeria lies adjacent to Ichthyostega on the tetrapod stem, but also reveals substantial topological instability. As the third genus and the fifth species of tetrapod identified from North‐East Greenland, it demonstrates the high diversity of Devonian tetrapods in that region.     

Kowala Lagerstätte: Late Devonian arthropods and non‐biomineralized algae from Poland

A rich and diverse assemblage of arthropods and non‐biomineralized macroalgae occurs in the Upper Devonian marine deposits of the Holy Cross Mountains, central Poland. The phrase Kowala Lagerstätte is herein proposed for the fossil‐bearing deposits confined to the lower Famennian marly shale and limestone succession of the famous Kowala Quarry. The arthropod fauna is represented by phosphatic exoskeletal remains that still preserve the fine micro‐ornamentation of the cuticle. The fauna includes crustaceans and crustacean‐like taxa such as thylacocephalans, phyllocarids and angustidontids (in order of abundance). The non‐biomineralized algae, represented by at least three morphotypes, occur as carbonaceous compressions of their thalli while still preserving fine details including bundles of thin tubular projections. Although their general appearance is reminiscent of some Early Palaeozoic non‐calcified Dasycladales algae, their true taxonomic position is still uncertain. Lithology, as well as faunal and phytoplankton content point to a pelagic sedimentary environment. Impoverished benthic fauna, sediment lamination and geochemical signatures indicate at least periodic bottom‐water dysoxic to anoxic conditions. Thus, the preservation of arthropod cuticle and non‐calcified algae was primarily governed by oxygen‐deficient bottom waters that prevented bioturbation and scavenging during their burial.     

云南早泥盆世一流线型盔甲鱼及其分类学与古生态学意义(英文)

记述了云南昭通早泥盆世布拉格期坡松冲组华南鱼目一新属、新种——剑裂甲鱼(Rhegmaspis xiphoidea gen.et sp.nov.)。新属的主要特征是:具有鱼雷形头甲,细长吻突,眶孔位于头甲腹侧位,鳃穴向头甲腹面弯曲,角、内角和腹环丢失。鉴于以上特征,新属被归到了包括鸭吻鱼和乌蒙山鱼在内的鸭吻鱼科。根据新材料提供的信息,修订了鸭吻鱼科,包括鸭吻鱼和乌蒙山鱼的鳃穴、腹环、角、内角等特征。裂甲鱼属是该地区发现的第一个具有流线形体型的盔甲鱼类,指示了该地区一些盔甲鱼类可能开始了一种营上底栖的生活方式,具有更加主动的取食行为。新属的发现不仅丰富了该地区华南鱼目的多样性,而且提供了盔甲鱼类在早泥盆世布拉格期通过占据新的生态位而发生的最后一次辐射演化的证据。     

A new microphyllous plant from the Lower Devonian of Yunnan Province, China

Sterile and fertile shoots of a microphyllous vascular plant are described from the Lower Devonian Posongchong Formation (? upper Siegenian), Yunnan Province, southern China and placed in the new taxon Halleophyton zhichangense gen. et sp. nov. The sterile axes are characterized by conspicuous, contiguous swollen rhomboidal to hexagonal leaf bases and relatively broad spatulate laminae. The relief of the leaf bases is not so pronounced in the fertile areas, which bear numerous cauline sporangia with two equal valves. In vegetative characters the new fossils, although smaller and more fragmentary, resemble Drepanophycus gaspianus but in the absence of information on the fertile parts of the latter and because of the controversy surrounding the concept of the genus Drepanophycus, we decided to erect a new genus. Its relationship to the lycophytes sensu stricto is equivocal as exact details of the relationship of sporangium with leaf and sporangium vascularization remain unknown.