The fossil record of Cunoniaceae: new evidence from Late Cretaceous wood of Antarctica?

Fossil angiosperm wood from Upper Cretaceous sediments of Livingston Island and James Ross Island in the northern Antarctic Peninsula region is identified as having the combination of anatomical characters most similar to modern Cunoniaceae. The material is characterised by predominantly solitary vessels, opposite to scalariform intervessel pitting, scalariform perforation plates, heterocellular multiseriate and homocellular uniseriate rays, diffuse axial parenchyma. Anatomically, the specimens conform most closely to the fossil organ genus Weinmannioxylon Petriella which has been placed within the Cunoniaceae. The presence of Weinmannioxylon in Late Cretaceous sediments suggests that taxa within or stem taxa to the Cunoniaceae might have been a notable component of the forest vegetation that covered the Antarctic Peninsula during the Late Mesozoic and may therefore represent the earliest record of this family.     

Cretaceous (Late Albian) coniferales of Alexander Island, Antarctica. 1: Wood taxonomy: a quantitative approach

Silicified conifer woods are very common in the mid-Cretaceous (Late Albian, 100Ma) Triton Point Member of the Neptune Glacier Formation (Fossil Bluff Group), SE Alexander Island, Antarctica. These occur as up to 7m high in situ tree trunks and stumps rooted in carbonaceous palaeosols and as allochthonous logs and wood fragments in fluvial channel and sheet sandstone facies. Sixty-eight wood samples were examined in this study and were classified in terms of five form taxa using a quantitative approach. Araucarioxylon (1.5% of specimens) is characterised by dominantly multiseriate, alternately arranged bordered pitting on radial tracheid walls and by 1-4 araucarioid cross-field pitting. Araucariopitys (11.8% of specimens) is characterised by dominantly uniseriate tracheid pitting with subordinate biseriate, alternate tracheid pitting and by 1-4 araucarioid cross-field pitting. Podocarpoxylon sp. 1 (63.1% of specimens) is characterised by contiguous, uniseriate tracheid pitting and 1-2 podocarpoid cross-field pits. Podocarpoxylon sp. 2 (22.1% of specimens) is similar to P. sp. 1, differing only in that ray height is lower, tracheid pits are dominantly spaced more than one pit diameter apart and abundant axial parenchyma is present. These first four taxa all possess growth rings with subtle boundaries. Taxodioxylon (1.5% of specimens) is characterised by 1-2 seriate, oppositely arranged, bordered tracheid pitting, 1-2 taxodioid cross-field pitting and very marked ring boundaries. These woods were derived from large trees with basal stump diameters of up to 0.5m and probable heights of up to 29m. Data from leaf traces suggest that Araucariopitys and Podocarpoxylon sp. 1 and sp. 2 (97% of specimens) were evergreen with leaf retention times of >5years. These predominantly evergreen conifer forests grew in a mild, high latitude (75 degrees S) environment during the mid-Cretaceous greenhouse climate phase.     

On some petrified plants from the cretaceous of Choshi,Chiba prefecture VI

Described are seven species including four new to science:Matoniostipes mesozoica gen, et sp. nov.,Taxaceoxylon japonomesoziocum sp. nov.,Planoxylon tylosissimum sp. nov., andProtocedroxylon pseudo-araucarioides sp. nov. New to Japan inCupressinoxylon sachalinense which was formerly discovered in Saghalien. Anatomy of secondary wood and pith is elucidated inCycadeoidella japonica which has had little attention except for leaf base armors in the material from Hokkaido.Araucarioxylon hujinamiense is new to the locality. Contributions from the Laboratory of Phylogentic Botany, Chiba University, No. 56. Supported by a Grant in Aid of Scientific Research of Ministry of Education, No. 75144.     

内蒙古霍林河煤田罗汉松科几种丝炭化木化石的研究

对采自内蒙古霍林河煤田霍林河组下含煤段的丝炭化木化石进行了扫描电镜观察和描述。经鉴定属于Ｐｏｄｏｃａｒｐｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｄａｃｒｙｄｉｏｉｄｅｓ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ。、Ｐｏｄｏｃａｒｐｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｓｐ．、Ｐｈｙｌｌｏｃｌａｄｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｓｐ．１和Ｐｈｌｌｏｃｌａｄｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｓｐ．２。Ｐｏｄｏｃａｒｐｏｘｙｌｏｎ和Ｐｈｙｌｌｏｃｌａｄｏｘｙｌｏｎ是罗汉松科的两种古老的木材类型。     

NEW MYSIDIELLIDAE (BIVALVIA) FROM THE ANISIAN (MIDDLE TRIASSIC) OF QINGYAN, SOUTH-WEST CHINA

Abstract:  Three new genera including four new species of the bivalve family Mysidiellidae are described from late middle to early late Anisian (Middle Triassic) deposits of Qingyan, Guizhou Province, south-west China. The new taxa Leidapoconcha gigantea gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella elegans gen. et sp. nov., Waijiaoella speciosa gen. et sp. nov. and Qingyaniola mirabilis gen. et sp. nov. significantly increase the known taxonomic diversity within the Mysidiellidae. These findings suggest a somewhat endemic evolutionary development within this small bivalve family during the Middle Triassic in south-west China.     

辽西义县组长节锯蜂科(昆虫纲,膜翅目)昆虫化石

描述产自辽宁西部北票上园地区和凌源大王杖子义县组长节锯蜂科（Ｘｙｅｌｉｄａｅ）巨长节锯蜂亚科（Ｍａｃｒｏｘｙｅｌｉｎａｅ）昆虫化石１２种,归于４族８属,其中６新属１２新种,包括Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｒｏｂｕｓｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｅｘｃｕｌｐｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｓｕｓｐｅｃｔａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ａｎｇａｒｉｄｙｅｌａ ｅｎｄｅｍｉｃａ ｓｐ．ｎｏ     

辽西义县组细蜂总科（昆虫纲，膜翅目）昆虫化石

描述了产自辽宁北票上园地区黄半吉沟上株罗统义县组下部细蜂总科（Proctotrupoidea)昆虫化石10属12种,其中8属12新种,这些化石分属于3科,其中Gurvanotrupes stolidus sp.nov.,Gurvanotrupes exiguus sp.nov.,Liaoserphus perarus gen.et sp.no.,alloserphus saxosus gen.et sp.nov.,Scalprogaster fossilis gen.et sp.nov.,steleoserphus beipiaoensis gen.et sp.nov.,Saucrotrupes decorosus gen.et sp.nov和Ocnoserbphous sculptus gen.et sp.nov.归入细蜂科（Serphidae=Proctotrupidae);Protocyrtus validus sp.nov.和Spherogaster cornoata gen.et sp,nov。归入柄腹细蜂科（heloridae);Liaoropronia leonina gen.et sp.nov和Liaoropronia regia gen.et sp.nov.归入窄腹细蜂科（Roproniidae),对我们中生代细蜂总科化石的研究状况作了回顾。     

中国东北辽宁省西部几种中生代化石木

对产自辽宁省西部中生代化石木进行了解剖学研究。经鉴定,它们是：朝阳原始云杉型木（新种）（Ｐｒｏｔｏｐｉｃｅｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｃｈａｏｙａｎｇｅｎｓｅ Ｄｕａｎ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．）,西部南洋杉型木（Ａｒａｕｃａｒｉｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｓｉｄｕｇａｗａｅｎｓｅ Ｓｈｉｍａｋｕｒａ）,巴图南洋杉型木（新种）（Ａｒａｕｃａｒｉｏｘｙｌｏｎ ｂａｔｕｅｎｓｅ Ｄｕａｎ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．）和辽西紫杉型木（新种）（Ｔａｘｏｘ     

Macroscopic plant remains from the base of the Ust’-Pinega formation (Upper Vendian of the Arkhangelsk Region)

Plant macrofossil remains from the Lyamtsa and Arkhangelsk beds of the Ust’-Pinega Formation (Vendian) are reported for the first time. Three new taxa of vendotaenid algae showing cellular parenchymatous morphology are described: Archyfasma lamellata sp. nov., Favosiphycus wukii gen. et sp. nov., and Gandvikia caudata gen. et sp. nov. Phytostratigraphic characteristics allow the author to correlate the deposits under study with the base of the Mogilev Formation (Vendian of Podolia). A distinctive Lower Redkino vendotaenid flora is described for the first time. It is shown to precede the Upper Redkino Eoholynialen flora.     

Paleogene New Pollen Genera and Species of South China Sea

In Hal Nan Island, Lei Zhou Peninsula and some basins of Guang Dong Province Tertiary deposits are up to 5000 meters thick, contaning very rich pollen and spores. Palynological research has been going on since 1975. This paper is only dealing with some new pollen types and main palynofloristical characters. 4 new genera and 9 new species are described. They are: Trilobapollis gen. nov., Operculumpollis gen. nov., Utriculariapollis gen. nov. and Trilobapolliseptus gen. nov. et sp. nov., Trilobapollis ellipticus gen. nov. et sp. nov., Pilosipollis elegans gen. nov. et sp. nov., Oper culumpollis operculatus gen. nov. et sp. nov., Utriculariapollis tetratremites gen. nov. et sp. nov., Utriculariapollis tritremites gen. nov. et sp. nov., IlexpoUenites membranous sp. nov., Tricolpites tenuicolpus sp. nov., Vcrrutricolporites pachydermis.     

Additions to the silicified upper devonian/lower carboniferous flora from ballyheigue,Ireland

Continuing study of the uppermost Devonian flora from Ballyheigue, County Kerry, Ireland (Tn1a-Tn1b) has resulted in the addition of four taxa. Two plants, Tristichia sp. and cf. Tetrastichia bupatides, are described for the first time from Ireland. Tetrastichia also occurs in Scotland and Tristichia has been described from Scotland and France. New genera include Kerryoxylon hexalobatum gen. et sp. nov. (called “Plant A” in a previous paper), a probable lyginopterid pteridosperm, and Rhizoxylon ambiguum gen. et sp. nov., a new organ genus for seed fern roots similar to Kaloxylon.     

A new gymnosperm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sylvocarpus armatus</Emphasis> gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Permian of the Ural Mountains

A Permian gymnosperm is described as a new genus and new species, Sylvocarpus armatus gen. et sp. nov., on the basis of half-closed seed-bearing capsules. The new plant is assigned to the Angaropeltidaceae, a family related to the Peltaspermales and Caytoniales.     

EXCEPTIONALLY WELL-PRESERVED MIDDLE ORDOVICIAN SPONGES FROM THE LLANDEGLEY ROCKS LAGERSTÄTTE, WALES

Abstract:  A diverse fauna of three-dimensionally preserved sponges is described from nearshore volcanogenic sandstones near Llandrindod, Mid-Wales. The fauna was preserved through early marginal silicification, in rare examples with silicification of soft tissue, and includes aspicular and spicular demosponges, hexactinellids, and a heteractinid. The fauna is largely endemic, with the following new species, genera and families erected: Onerosiconcha gregalia gen. et sp. nov., Ordinisabulo quadragintaforma gen. et sp. nov., Miritubus erinaceus gen. et sp. nov., Vadosifistula milvus gen. et sp. nov., Polycornua trescelestus gen. et sp. nov. (Pseudolanciculidae fam. nov.), P. entropus sp. nov., Palaeocallyoides improbabilis gen. et sp. nov., Reticulicymbalum tres gen. et sp. nov., Triactinella rigbyi gen. et sp. nov. (Triactinellidae, fam. nov.), Spissiparies minuta gen. nov., Brevicirrus arenaceus gen. et sp. nov., Pyritonema scopula sp. nov. (Pyritonemidae, fam. nov.) and Microastraeum tenuis gen. et sp. nov. In addition, Pseudolancicula Webby and Trotter is recorded outside Australia for the first time, although only as isolated spicules. The environment represented by this fauna has not previously yielded articulated sponges, and thus the apparent endemism may be misleading.     

New gall midge taxa of the subfamilies porricondylinae and lasiopterinae (Diptera,Cecidomyiidae) from the Rovno amber

Five new gall midge taxa of the subfamilies Porricondylinae and Lasiopterinae are described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber: Adsumyia integra gen. et sp. nov. (Dicerurini), Gratomyia inexigentis gen. et sp. nov. (Holoneurini), Winnertzia recusata sp. nov. (Winnertziini), Kovaleviola injusta gen. et sp. nov., and Spungisiola insuperabilis gen. et sp. nov. (Brachineurini).     

New seeds of gymnosperms from the Lower Permian of the Ural mountains

New taxa of detached seeds are described from the Kungurian (Lower Permian) of the Middle Cis-Urals: Laevigatospermum compressum gen. et sp. nov., Hirsutospermum paniculatum gen. et sp. nov., Rugosospermum callosum gen. et sp. nov., and Craspedosperma filiferum sp. nov. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed.     

印度梅加拉亚晚白垩世沉积中的三突口器类花粉

作者在研究梅加拉亚盆地（Meghalaya)晚白垩世,特别是白垩－第三纪界线附近孢粉时发现大量三突口器类以及其他类型的花粉,这些花粉主要包括：Aquilapolleniotes indicus,A.nemuroensis,A.truncatus sp.nov.,以及新属Farabeipollis,该新属包括3个新种：还有Integricorpus brevicoplatum sp.nov.,Integicorpus langparensis sp.nov., Mancicorpus albertensis,Striaticorpus pyriforme.S.striatum。孢粉地层学研究显示早马斯特里赫期孢粉植物群中正型粉类居统治地位,而三突口器类花粉的种类和数量都较少,三突口器类花粉是在晚白垩世正型粉类消失后才开始分异发育的。     

New fossil mantidflies (Insecta: Neuroptera: Mantispidae) from the Mesozoic of north‐eastern China

Abstract:  Three new genera and four new species of the extinct mantidfly subfamily Mesomantispinae (Insecta: Neuroptera: Mantispidae) are described from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning and the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Inner Mongolia: Archaeodrepanicus nuddsi gen. et sp. nov., A. acutus gen. et sp. nov., Sinomesomantispa microdentata gen. et sp. nov., (Yixian Formation) and Clavifemora rotundata gen. et sp. nov. (Jiulongshan Formation). The specimens described herein represent the first Mesozoic mantidfly compression fossils to have body parts preserved, including the specialized raptorial forelegs articulated to the prothorax anteriorly, an autapomorphy of the family. These new taxa further confirm the placement of the subfamily Mesomantispinae within the family Mantispidae; however, the monophyly of Mesomantispinae has not been confirmed, and it is likely that it will prove to be paraphyletic.     

Some Fossil Plants from Gutian Formation of Lianyang,Guangdong Province and Their Significance

This paper deals with the fossil plants from Gutian Formation in Lianyang, Guangdong, totaling 14 genera and 18 species. They are: Paracalamites sp., Annularia pinglogensis (Sze) Gu et Zhi, Lobatannularia cathaysiana Yao, L. Multifolia Kon’on et Asama, L. sp., Schizoneura wangtangiana sp. nov., Pecopteris hemitelioides Brongn., P. valida sp. nov., Cladophlebis vavia sp. nov., Danaeites guangdongensis sp. nov., Ptychocarpus unauriculatus sp. nov., Odontopteris plicatoides sp. nov., Neuropteridiopsis longovata gen. et sp. nov., Compsopteris contracta Gu et Zhi, Gigantonoclea crassa sp. nov., Gigantopteris ?nicotianaefolia Schenk, G. parvipinnulata sp. nov. and Rhipidopsis sp. Among them one new genus, 9 new spp. and 2 undetermined spp. are described. According to the fusulinids lived in the late Early Permian era are descovered at the top of this Formation, the geological era of present flora must not be later than late Early Permian. Therefore, the geological era of Gutian Formation are certain to be the Late Early Permian.     

Neoselachian sharks and rays from the British Bathonian (Middle Jurassic)

Extensive sampling of Bathonian sediments from localities across southern and central England has produced over 8000 neoselachian teeth. These comprise diverse faunas, with over 25 species being represented in total, most of them previously undescribed. Seventeen new species and seven new genera are named: Palaeoscyllium tenuidens sp. nov., Praeproscyllium oxoniensis gen. et sp. nov., Eypea leesi gen. et sp. nov., Proheterodontus sylvestris gen. et sp. nov., Paracestracion bellis sp. nov., Palaeobrachaelurus mussetti sp. nov., Heterophorcynus microdon gen. et sp. nov., Dorsetoscyllium terraefullonicum gen. et sp. nov., Ornatoscyllium freemani gen. et sp. nov., Pseudonotidanus semirugosus gen. et sp. nov., Synechodus duffini sp. nov., Protospinax magnus sp. nov., P. bilobatus sp. nov., P. carvalhoi sp. nov., Belemnobatis kermacki sp. nov., B. stahli sp. nov. and Spathobatis delsatei sp. nov. In addition, a new family, the Pseudonotidanidae fam. nov., is defined and the status of Paranotidanus Ward and Thies, 1987, Hybodus levis Woodward, 1889 and Breviacanthus brevis (Phillips, 1871) are discussed. These taxa show strong facies specificity, with different species being restricted to different palaeoenvironments.