THE GEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SINACANTHUS FROM TARIM, CHINA

TheSinacanthusfossiIlocalitieswererestrictedtotheYangtzeregionbeforethediscoveryoftheTarimfossils.TheyusedtobereferredtoasDevonianorEarlyDevonianinage,butlaterdiscoverieshavedemostratedthattheageofSinacanthus-bearingbedsshou1dbeSilurian(Li,198O).In1988,fiveSinacanthusfossill,edswerefoundintheTataertagPormationofKalping,NWTarimandtheageoftheTataertagFormationwasconsideredMiddle-LateSilurian(Table2).Inthesummerofl992,WangJunqing,ZhuMinandtheauthorofthispaperfoundalotoffossilfinspinesi…     

THE BRAINCASE and JAWS OF CLADODUS FROM THE LOWER CARBONIFEROUS OF SCOTLAND

Abstract:  The jaws and an allegedly associated orbitotemporal region of a shark braincase are described from the Lower Carboniferous (Upper Viséan, Brigantian Stage, Clackmannan Group, Lower Limestone Formation) of Lugton, Ayrshire, Scotland. The braincase specimen is important because it is associated with a tooth of Cladodus elegans Newberry and Worthen, 1870, a form considered to be close to the type species Cladodus mirabilis Agassiz, 1843. An occipital fragment, a basicranium and a fragment of palatoquadrate from the same locality are also described. All the material probably represents the same species, and it is even possible that some of the material came from a single individual. The braincase resembles those of Cladodoide s and Tamiobatis , especially in the proportions of its otic region, the presence of an extensive dorsum sellae, and the arrangement of canals for major nerves and blood vessels. The internal structure of the occipital region is remarkably like that found in Tamiobatis braincases in having a prominent subnotochordal septum and paired subnotochordal and paroccipital chambers. Cladodus is no longer regarded as a nomen dubium , since only a few species founded on isolated teeth are now retained in the re-diagnosed genus, and one of these ( C. elegans ) is now associated with skeletal remains. The best systematic placement for Cladodus sensu stricto is among the Ctenacanthiformes or even the Ctenacanthidae. Cladodus may be a synonym of Ctenacanthus , but this cannot be confirmed with the available material.     

A NEW DIPNOAN FISH FROM THE MIDDLE DEVONIAN (EIFELIAN) OF SCOTLAND

Abstract:  A new dipnoan fish, Pinnalongus saxoni gen. et sp. nov., is described from a suite of recently discovered specimens from Caithness and East Sutherland, northern Scotland. The stratum where Pinnalongus occurs is within the middle Eifelian of the Middle Devonian. Pinnalongus has a skull roof consisting of a mosaic of small bones at the anterior end, a feature more typically found in Early Devonian dipnoans. The posterior part of the skull roof is more typical of later advanced Middle Devonian dipnoans with the B-bone separating the I-bones. The postcranial body is now considered not to be so important with respect to the classification of dipnoans as originally proposed by Dollo in 1895, who thought there was an evolutionary transformation series. Nevertheless, the postcranial body of Pinnalongus has more in common with later Middle and Late Devonian dipnoans such as Scaumenacia , with a very long second dorsal fin. Based on the skull morphology, Pinnalongus is most closely related to Tarachomylax from the Lower Devonian of Severnaya Zemlya, Russia. Pinnalongus represents the earliest known complete articulated dipnoan with tooth plates.     

A NEW GENUS OF ARCHIPOLYPODAN MILLIPEDE FROM THE COSELEY LAGERSTÄTTE, UPPER CARBONIFEROUS, UK

Abstract:  A new archipolypodan millipede, Anaxeodesmus diambonotus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian B) Coseley Lagerstätte, West Midlands, UK. This taxon is unique amongst Archipolypoda in having tergites unornamented by spines or tubercles. It appears to have archidesmidan affinities as it shares similarities in sternal morphology with the Early Devonian archipolypodan Palaeodesmus tuberculata (Brade-Birks) from the Midland Valley of Scotland. Anaxeodesmus diambonotus significantly increases the ordinal diversity of Archipolypoda in the Late Carboniferous as all other Archipolypoda from this time period belong to the spiny Euphoberiida.     

广西下泥盆统南极鱼类(盾皮鱼纲:节甲鱼目)一新属(英文)

依据采自广西平果早泥盆世郁江组中部的化石材料,记述了盾皮鱼纲节甲鱼目南极鱼科的一新属、新种——小眼坡塘鱼(Potangaspis parvoculatusgen.et sp.nov.)。该新属的眶孔很小,且为颅顶甲骨片所完全包围;中点线沟发育,与眶上感觉沟、中心感觉沟和后点线沟一起共同向颈片的骨化中心辏合。系统发育分析表明新属和发现于南极洲中泥盆统的南极鱼属构成姐妹群关系,支持了南极鱼科位于节甲鱼目最基干位置的假说,同时为早埃姆斯期东冈瓦纳大陆与中国南方之间的古地理密切联系提供了新的证据。     

ZOSTEROGRAMMIDA, A NEW ORDER OF MILLIPEDES FROM THE MIDDLE SILURIAN OF SCOTLAND AND THE UPPER CARBONIFEROUS OF EURAMERICA

Abstract:  New Palaeozoic millipedes, Zosterogrammus stichostethus gen. et sp. nov. and Casiogrammus ichthyeros gen. and sp. nov., are described from the Francis Creek Shale Member of the Carbondale Formation (Upper Carboniferous: Pennsylvanian), Mazon Creek, Illinois, and the Hagshaw Hills Inlier (Middle Silurian: Wenlock) of the Midland Valley of Scotland, respectively. These millipedes, together with Purkynia lata Fritsch from the Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian D) of Nýřany, Czech Republic, are placed in the new family Zosterogrammidae within the new order Zosterogrammida. All of these millipedes have very broad terga with a microsculpture consisting of fine transverse terrace lines along the anterior of the terga and oblique terrace lines across the remainder. Zosterogrammida have a trunk-ring architecture consisting of an arched diplotergite, a pair of free ventral diplopleurites and a pair of free ventral sternites, indicating a relatively basal phylogenetic position within Chilognatha. Although the exact phylogenetic position is indeterminate, Zosterogrammus stichostethus has divided sternites, indicating a possible affinity with the Pentazonia. The Hagshaw Hills millipede contributes significantly to the high-rank diversity of Middle Silurian millipedes as all previously described taxa of this age belong to the Archipolypoda.     

华南浅海相泥盆系吉维特阶和弗拉阶四射珊瑚组合特征

中泥盆世吉维特晚期(更精确的说是在中吉维特期末)发生的生物更替事件使大量的头贝、全部的泡沫珊瑚亚目以及大多数的绳珊瑚科和内板珊瑚科惨遭灭绝。晚泥盆世弗拉期出现了许多新生分子,诸如Micto-phyllum,Wapitiphyllum,Pseudozaphrentis,Peneckiella等。根据珊瑚的不同组合特征可以鉴别出它们的地质时代。华南自上而下可划分出4个四射珊瑚组合,分别为上泥盆统弗拉阶(Frasnian):4)Disphyllum-Wapitiphyl-lum组合(牙形类gigas或rhenana带和hassi-jamieae带),3)Mictophyllum-Pseudozaphrentis组合(牙形类asymmetricus带);中泥盆统吉维特阶(Givetian):2)Endophyllum-Sunophyllum组合(牙形类varcus带的中部和下部之上段),1)Stringophyllum-Paramixogonaria组合(牙形类hemiansatus带-varcus带最下部)。     

陕北延长群一新古鳕类及其生物地层意义

本文记述了在陕西北部耀县铜川组发现的古鳕科一新属、种——延长三叠鳕(Triassodusyanchangensis,gen.et sp.nov.)。在对其形态特征作较详细描述的基础上,认为它既与美国晚三叠世的吐鲁瑟欧鳕(Turseodus)很接近,又与我国四川须家河组(晚三叠世)的蜀鳕(Sh-uniscus)相似。基于上述的理由,认为铜川组的时代是晚三叠世。根据迄今在我国晓三叠世发现的鱼类,探讨了我国晚三叠世的鱼群与北美的关系。     

湖南零陵晚泥盆世叶虾类一新种——Echinocaris hunanensis sp. nov.

描述了湖南零陵普利桥晚泥盆世锡矿山组叶虾类一新种——Echinocaris hunanensis sp.nov..晚古生代叶虾类化石较为稀少,Echinocaris在亚洲是首次发现.     

湘西溶溪组的棘鱼化石及其层位

本文介绍了目前我国最低含鱼化石地层,即湘西早志留世(Llandovery 期)溶溪组的地区性地质剖面和产自该组七个类型的棘鱼鳍刺化石,并根据其同层中所产的无脊椎动物化石论证鱼化石层的层位.鱼化石本身所表现出的原始特性与这一结论是谐调的.     

A NEW SPECIES OF BRITTLESTAR (OPHIUROIDEA, ECHINODERMATA) FROM THE HUNSRÜCK SLATE (LOWER EMSIAN, LOWER DEVONIAN) OF GERMANY

Abstract:  Lapworthura lehmanni , a new species of ophiuroid, is described from four specimens from the Lower Devonian Hunsrück Slate of Germany. It is the only known ophiuroid in the Hunsrück Slate with paired but unfused ambulacrals, and it exhibits unique rows of spine-bearing dorsal arm ossicles. The genus Lapworthura Gregory was previously known only from the Ordovician of Scotland and the Silurian of England and Australia.     

云南沾益中泥盆世小肢鱼(Microbrachius)一新种

本文记述胴甲鱼类(Antiarchi)小肢鱼(Microbrachius)的一新种——中华小肢鱼(M.sinensis sp.nov.),发现于云南沾益中泥盆世曲靖组上部,这是小肢鱼化石在中国及亚洲_的初次发现,具有重要的生物地层和生物地理学意义。     

ENIGMATIC WORM-LIKE ORGANISMS FROM THE UPPER DEVONIAN OF NEW YORK: AN APPARENT EXAMPLE OF EDIACARAN-LIKE PRESERVATION

Abstract:  The supposed polychaete annelid Protonympha salicifolia , from the Upper Devonian (Frasnian) of New York State, USA, is redescribed. P .  salicifolia has a bilateral and segmented body, but appears to have a 'mattress-like' construction with blade-like extensions along the margins. The affinities of P. salicifolia remain unresolved, but a proposed relationship to the annelids is unlikely. The preservation of the three known fossils, as mouldic imprints in sandstones, is strongly reminiscent of the circumstances associated with Ediacaran fossilization, and as such is an anomalous occurrence of such soft-part preservation in Phanerozoic sediments. Material associated with these enigmatic fossils has been referred to Palaeochaeta devonica , and also compared with the annelids. Such an assignment is also rejected. These fossils appear to be arthropodan, and are possibly myriapods. A supposed example of Protonympha (' P '.  marcellensis ) from the Middle Devonian of New York State is now excluded from this genus, and it may be a crustacean.     

广西早泥盆世一新型胴甲鱼化石并初步探讨其系统分类位置

本文描述的胴甲鱼化石标本,采自广西象州大乐早泥盆世地层.化石系内、外模,但保存非常完整,包括自然连接的头部、躯干、胸鳍及躯甲后的尾部.头甲、躯甲的特征较为接近星鳞鱼 (Asterolepis) 的特征,而某些特征又与云南鱼 (Yunnanolepis) 类似.胸鳍分为近节和远节,鳍片排列近似欧洲的翼甲鱼 (Pterichthyodes) 型的胸鳍.根据头甲、躯甲及胸鳍的特征,笔者建立了一新属、新种——Liujiangolepis suni gen. et sp. nov.,代表胴甲鱼类中—新科——Liujiangolepidae fam. nov..文中对新属种的胸鳍结构和新属种在胴甲鱼类中的分类位置做了初步探讨.     

PTERYGOTUS ANGLICUS AGASSIZ (CHELICERATA: EURYPTERIDA) FROM ATHOLVILLE, LOWER DEVONIAN CAMPBELLTON FORMATION, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

Abstract:  Specimens of the large eurypterid Pterygotus from the Early Devonian Campbellton Formation outcropping at Atholville, New Brunswick, are identified as Pterygotus anglicus Agassiz. The locality, in the Atholville beds near the western end of the Campbellton Formation exposure, is best known for its vertebrate fauna of ostracoderms, arthrodires, acanthodians and chondrichthyans, first described in 1881. Although a significant series of pterygotid fossils was acquired by the Natural History Museum, London, in 1892, it received little attention. A few small specimens from the Geological Survey of Canada collections were named Pterygotus atlanticus by Clarke and Ruedemann, considered here to be an invalid taxon. They suggested that P. atlanticus might turn out to be a small specimen of P. anglicus . The new material described here, including one relatively complete individual, confirms their suspicions and provides evidence of Pterygotus anglicus in the Lower Devonian of North America.     

Devonian antiarchs (Pisces,Antiarchi) from central and Southern European Russia

Antiarchi (Pisces, Placodermi) from the Devonian of central and southern European Russia (Central Devonian Field) are studied. Antiarchs belong to three families, the Asterolepididae, Remigolepididae (suborder Asterolepidoidei), and Bothriolepididae (suborder Bothriolepidoidei). The diagnoses of the order, two suborders, three families, and five genera (two of which are new) are given. Sixteen species, including one new, are described; ten taxa are determined in open nomenclature. Morphological structures of representatives of these families are considered in detail. Classifications of antiarchs and their position in the system of the lower vertebrates are discussed. Devonian vertebrate localities of central and southern European Russia that have yielded antiarchs are listed. Each locality is characterized by its ichthyoassemblage.     

The characters of Palaeozoic jawed vertebrates

Newly discovered fossils from the Silurian and Devonian periods are beginning to challenge embedded perceptions about the origin and early diversification of jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes). Nevertheless, an explicit cladistic framework for the relationships of these fossils relative to the principal crown lineages of the jawed vertebrates (osteichthyans: bony fishes and tetrapods; chondrichthyans: sharks, batoids, and chimaeras) remains elusive. We critically review the systematics and character distributions of early gnathostomes and provide a clearly stated hierarchy of synapomorphies covering the jaw‐bearing stem gnathostomes and osteichthyan and chondrichthyan stem groups. We show that character lists, designed to support the monophyly of putative groups, tend to overstate their strength and lack cladistic corroboration. By contrast, synapomorphic hierarchies are more open to refutation and must explicitly confront conflicting evidence. Our proposed synapomorphy scheme is used to evaluate the status of the problematic fossil groups Acanthodii and Placodermi, and suggest profitable avenues for future research. We interpret placoderms as a paraphyletic array of stem‐group gnathostomes, and suggest what we regard as two equally plausible placements of acanthodians: exclusively on the chondrichthyan stem, or distributed on both the chondrichthyan and osteichthyan stems. © 2014 The Authors. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Linnean Society of London