New representatives of the family Melagathiceratidae (Ammonoidea) from the Lower Triassic of South Primorye

A new ammonoid genus, Ussurijuvenites (Melagathiceratidae), is described from the early Olenekian of South Primorye, represented by two new species (U. popovi sp. nov. and U. artyomensis sp. nov.); data on the inner shell structure of melagathiceratid ammonoids (based on U. artyomensis sp. nov.) are presented for the first time.     

Review of the stratigraphic distribution of Permian grylloblattida (Insecta), with descriptions of New Taxa

New taxa of grylloblattid insects (Grylloblattida) are described: Tshekardomina mongolica, sp. nov. (Tshekardominidae) from Bor-Tologoi locality (Severodvinian Stage of Mongolia), Permoshurabia mesenensis, gen. et sp. nov. (Geinitziidae) from Soyana fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Arkhangelsk oblast), Khosaridelia vyatica, sp. nov. (Permotermopsidae) from Karaungir II locality (Vyatkian Stage of Kazakhstan), Euremisca kazanica, sp. nov. (Euremiscidae) from Soyana fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Arkhangelsk oblast), Megakhosarina vyaznikensis, sp. nov. (Megakhosaridae) from Balymotikha locality (Vyatkian Stage of Vladimir oblast), and Parascalicia prokopensis, gen. et sp. nov. (Skaliciidae) from Prokop’evsk fossil site (Kazanian Stage of Kemerovo oblast). The genera Lodevopterum Béthoux, Nel, Lapeyrie et Gand, 2005 (Lodève fossil site, France), Elmopterum Béthoux et Beckemeyer, 2007, and Sigmophlebia Béthoux et Beckemeyer, 2007 (Elmo and Midco fossil sites, United States) are transferred from Grylloblattida incertae sedis to families Euremiscidae, Aliculidae, and Tshekardominidae, respectively. The stratigraphic distribution of Permian grylloblattid families is reviewed.     

Upper Silurian microplankton of the Leintwardine Group, Ludlow Series, in the type Ludlow area and adjacent regions

The acritarchs and prasinophyte algae from the Upper Bringewood, Lower Leintwardine, Upper Leintwardine and Lower Whitcliffe formations of the Ludlow type area and surrounding regions are described. The following new taxa are proposed: Cymatiosphaera pumila sp. nov., Melikeriopalla pustula sp. nov., Cheleutochroa beechenbankensis sp. nov., Cymbosphaeridium molyneuxii sp. nov., Flammulasphaera bella gen. et sp. nov., Percultisphaera incompta sp. nov., Salopidium aldridgei sp. nov. and Umbellasphaeridium? wicanderi sp. nov. A holotype is defined for Lophosphaeridium galeatum Hill and a further 34 new taxa are described under open nomenclature. Two biozones, identified by the first appearance of the zone taxon, are defined in the Sunnyhill section, Ludlow [Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for the base of the Ludfordian Stage, Ludlow Series]. The base of the Leoniella vilis Biozone is identified at 4.52m below the top of the Upper Bringewood Formation at Beechenbank, Aymestrey. The base of the Triangulina sanpetrensis Biozone is identified at 15.49m above the base of the Lower Leintwardine Formation and Ludfordian Stage at the Sunnyhill section. These biozones allow correlation with sections in north–west Spain, Podolia and Gotland. The possibility of using Visbysphaera whitcliffense and U.? wicanderi as biozonal indicators is suggested.     

New bryozoans from the Devonian of Gorny Altai (Russia)

New bryozoans Saffordotaxis altaicus sp. nov. from the Givetian Stage (Middle Devonian) and Cyphotrypa olgae sp. nov. and Crustopora aliena sp. nov. from the Famennian Stage (Upper Devonian) are described from the Devonian of Gorny Altai.     

Ammonites of Tethyan origin from the Ryazanian of the Russian platform: Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Subalpinites</Emphasis> Mazenot

The ammonite genus Subalpinites is known from the Berriasian of southern and central Europe, North Africa, Mangyshlak, and Ryazanian Stage of Central Russia. New species are described: S. gruendeli sp. nov., S. faurieformis sp. nov., S. remaneiformis sp. nov. These species and also S. krischtafowitschi Mitta characterize the lower subzone of the Riasanites rjasanensis Zone in the Moscow Region. The upper subzone of this zone in the Ryazan Region contained members of Subalpinites identified in open nomenclature.     

Ammonites of Tethyan origin in the Ryazanian stage of the Russian platform: Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Riasanella</Emphasis> gen. nov.

A new ammonite genus Riasanella is described from the Ryazanian Stage of the Russian Platform (type species R. rausingi sp. nov.). The new species R. plana sp. nov., R. olorizi sp. nov., and R. riasanitoides sp. nov. are described. These species come from the lower, strongly condensed beds of the Riasanites rjasanensis Zone of the Moscow Region. The upper subzone of this zone in the Ryazan Region contains specimens of Riasanella, identified in open nomenclature. The new genus is assigned to the family Himalayitidae; one of its species is a possible ancestor of Riasanites Spath.     

Ammonites of Tethyan origin in the Ryazanian Stage of the Russian Platform: Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mazenoticeras</Emphasis> and other Neocomitidae

Ammonites from the Riasanites rjasanensis Zone (Ryazanian Stage of the Russian Platform) of the family Neocomitidae are considered. The new species Mazenoticeras robustum sp. nov. and M. ceccai sp. nov. are described. Other members of this genus and of the genera Malbosiceras and Pomeliceras are identified in open nomenclature.     

Some evolutionary features of bryozoans of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neotrematopora</Emphasis> Morozova and new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neotrematopora</Emphasis> species from the Devonian of the Salair Ridge and Rudnyi Altai (Russia)

The evolution of the Neotrematopora species is shown to trend in the direction of developing stronger colonies, implemented in different ways: through changes in the diameter of apertures and thickness of walls of autozooecia, changes in the location and number of diaphragms, number of acanthozooecia and mesozooecia, and the degree to which the latter are filled. An increased development of some structural elements of the colony was compensated for by a decrease in the role of others. Based on the general direction of evolution in the genus Neotrematopora and the succession of its species changing each other in time, several phylogenetic lines in the development of the Early Devonian-Early Givetian Neotrematopora species in the Altai-Sayan folded region are outlined. During the Middle Emsian transgression the species of the Salair paleobasin invaded Gornyi Altai, and those of the Gornyi Altai invaded the Salair. New species from the Emsian (N. spinula sp. nov.) and Eifelian (N. alveolata sp. nov., N. ariadnae sp. nov.) stages of the Salair Ridge and from the Emsian Stage (N. rudnoaltaica sp. nov.) of Rudnyi Altai are described.     

New Permian stoneflies of the family Palaeonemouridae (Insecta: Perlida = Plecoptera) from the Isady locality

New stonefly species of the family Palaeonemouridae, Palaeonemoura issadensis, sp. nov., Palaeotaeniopteryx laeta, sp. nov., and P. triternata, sp. nov., are described from the Tatarian (Upper Permian) locality of Isady (Severodvinian Stage of the Vologda Region).     

New species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Piceoxylon</Emphasis> Gothan (Pinaceae) from the Cretaceous and Paleogene of the northwestern Kamchatka Peninsula

New fossil species of Piceoxylon (Pinaceae), P. talovskiense sp. nov. and P. kamtschatkiense sp. nov., are described on the basis of wood anatomy from the Cretaceous and Paleogene (respectively) of the Talovka River basin in the northwestern Kamchatka Peninsula. The Late Cretaceous P. talovskiense sp. nov. shows wood characters of modern Picea. The wood anatomy of the Paleogene Piceoxylon kamtschatkiense sp. nov. is somewhat similar to those of modern Picea sitchensis and P. jezoensis. Fossil woods of Piceoxylon have been found in the Kamchatka Peninsula for the first time.     

Revision of the family Idelinellidae,with a review of the Permian Eoblattida (Insecta)

Permian Eoblattida, which include the families Tillyardembiidae, Protembiidae (=Sylvardembiidae), Soyanopteridae, and Idelinellidae, are reviewed. The latter family is revised; it includes Idelinella macroptera Storozhenko, 1997 from the Middle Permian (Lower Kazanian Substage) of northern European Russia, Permostriga augustalis Novokshonov, 1999, Sylvastriga miranda Aristov, 2004, Strigulla cuculiophora (Aristov, 2002) comb. nov., Cucullistriga cucullata Aristov et Rasnitsyn, gen. et sp. nov., Scutistriga scutata Aristov et Rasnitsyn, gen. et sp. nov. from the Lower Permian (Kungurian Stage) of the Urals, Permeoblatta borealis Rasnitsyn et Aristov, 2010 from the Upper Permian (Upper Severodvinian Substage) of northern European Russia, and probably also Rasstriga americana Aristov et Rasnitsyn, gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Carboniferous (Desmoinesian Stage) of Illinois.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Icriodus jejunus</Emphasis>, a new conodont species from the Mosolovian Regional Stage (Middle Devonian,Eifelian Stage) of the Voronezh Anteclise

A new conodont species, Icriodus jejunus sp. nov., from the Mosolovian Regional Stage (Middle Devonian, Eifelian Stage) of the Voronezh Anteclise (central Russian Platform) is described.     

The genus Phyllomyza Fallén (Diptera: Milichiidae) from Japan, with descriptions of four new species

The Japanese species of the genus Phyllomyza Fallén are revised. Four new species, Phyllomyza kanmiyai sp. nov., P. amamiensis sp. nov., P. proceripalpis sp. nov. and P. japonica sp. nov., are described and illustrated. P. securicornis Fallén is recorded from Japan for the first time. A key to the Japanese species of Phyllomyza is presented.     

Precocious sexual dimorphism and the Lilliput effect in Neo‐Tethyan Ostracoda (Crustacea) through the Permian–Triassic boundary

The Elikah River section spanning the Lopingian (Late Permian) to the Griesbachian (Early Triassic) time interval in the Central Alborz Mountains (north Iran) was sampled for ostracod analysis. We report 79 species distributed among 38 genera. Four new species are described: Acratia? pervagata Forel sp. nov., Microcheilinella alborzella Forel sp. nov., Basslerella superarella Crasquin sp. nov. and Cavellina nesenensis Crasquin sp. nov. The ontogeny of 13 species is described and sexual dimorphism in the genus Microcheilinella is here undoubtedly recognized for the first time. Six species show precocious sexual dimorphism of their carapace as early as A‐5 juvenile. The Lilliput effect is for the first time recorded and quantified for two species. Rare long‐time span Palaeocopida species, known throughout the entire Permian, document relatively long‐term evolution, including the size and growth rate modifications associated with the earlier appearance of carapace sexual dimorphism through time. These patterns might be related to the Guadalupian–Lopingian events and/or to climatic modifications occurring during the Permian interval.     

Review of grylloblattid insects (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Solikamsk deposits of the Perm Region

The Solikamsk faunas of the Vorkuta series of the Pechora Basin and the Solikamsk Formation of the Perm Region of Russia are reviewed. New taxa are described from Tyul’kino locality (Solikamsk District): Artinska ufimica sp. nov., Sylvaprisca tyulkinensis sp. nov., Ufimoprisca gen. nov. (the type species Sylvaprisca alba Aristov, 2005), U. mica sp. nov., U. kamensis sp. nov. (family Lemmatophoridae), Sylvaella ovalis sp. nov. (family Liomopteridae), Ivakhosara prima sp. nov., and Megakhosarella prisca sp. nov. (family Megakhosaridae). Additionally, Uralioma sp. is described from Shchugor locality (Cherdyn’ District). Two species, Paraprisca solikamskensis Aristov, 2009 (family Lemmatophoridae) from Tyul’kino and Kolvidelia curta G. Zalessky, 1950 (family Ideliidae) from Pokcha locality (Cherdyn’ District)), are redescribed.     

Asterocherids (Copepoda; Siphonostomatoida) associated with invertebrates from California Reefs: Abrolhos (Brazil)

Four new asterocherid siphonostomatoid copepods are described, and several new geographical and host records are provided from California Reefs off the coast of Brazil. Acontiophorus monanchorae sp. nov. and Scottocheres youngi sp. nov. were both found associated with the sponge Monanchora sp. Asterocheres aplysinus sp. nov. and Asterocheres spongus sp. nov. were each associated with three genera of sponges. Asterocheres crenulatus previously recorded from the region, was associated with the sponge Xestospongia sp. Asterocheres paraboecki was recorded for the first time in the region. Asterocheres spinopaulus, previously reported from sponges, was found associated with bryozoans and cnidarians. Cletopontius titanus and Orecturus bahiensis were again recorded from the region and from sponges. Scottocheres laubieri, previously known from the Mediterranean Sea, was recorded for the first time in Brazilian waters, associated with the sponge Aplysina sp.     

New data on Cryptostomata (Bryozoa) from the Emsian Stage of the Salair Ridge

The species and generic compositions of bryozoans of the order Cryptostomata from the Emsian Stage of the Salair Ridge are discussed. A new genus, Vadimella gen. nov., comprising V. optima sp. nov. (type species) and V. devonica sp. nov. (kitabicus Zone), as well as the species Niigaella formosa L. Nekhorosheva (serotinus Zone), which has for the first time been recorded on the Salair Ridge, are described. The generic diagnosis of Niigaella is supplemented.     

A new coral‐associated decapod assemblage from the Upper Miocene (Messinian) Upper Coralline Limestone of Malta (Central Mediterranean)

Abstract: A rich coral‐associated decapod assemblage is recorded from the ‘Depiru Beds’ of the upper part of the Upper Coralline Limestone (Messinian, Upper Miocene), from the island of Malta. Nineteen species within 17 genera have been discovered, where 14 genera are new for Malta. Four new species are described, namely Micippa annamariae sp. nov., Pilumnus scaber sp. nov., Panopeus muelleri sp. nov. and Herbstia melitense sp. nov. Herbstia melitense sp. nov. constitutes the first record of the genus from the fossil record in the Mediterranean region. This discovery more than doubles the number of known fossil decapod species from Malta. The fossil bivalve Jouannetia (J.) semicaudata Des Moulins, 1830 and the extant decapod Maja goltziana D’Oliveira, 1888, are also recorded for the first time from Malta. Other Neogene coral‐associated decapod assemblages are investigated and correlated with the new assemblage from Malta. The migration of taxa between the Mediterranean region and the Paratethys, particularly during the Lower Badenian (Langhian), is evidenced by the strong affinity of the Maltese decapod assemblage with that of the Middle Miocene Badenian assemblages from Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. Upper Miocene, Messinian assemblages from Spain, Algeria and Morocco are also similar to that from Malta.     

Cystoporida (Bryozoa) from the Emsian Stage (Lower Devonian) of the Salair Ridge and Gorny and Rudny Altai

Eight bryozoan species of the order Cystoporida are described from the Emsian Stage of the Lower Devonian in the western Altai-Sayan Folded Area. Five of them are new species: Fistulipora salairiensis sp. nov., Fistuliramus fasciculus sp. nov., Fistuliphragma sibirica sp. nov., F. moniliformis sp. nov., and Fistulocladia cincinnata sp. nov. The others belong to the genera Ganiella, Physallidopora, and Fistuliporidra. Most of the cystoporid species studied from the Emsian Stage in the Altai-Sayan Folded Area are widespread laterally. Six cystoporid species have a narrow stratigraphic range and are, therefore, characteristic species of the bryozoan biostratigraphic zones of this region. The species of Physallidopora cantabrica Ernst et Buttler and Fistuliporidra hibera Ernst et Buttler, for the first time encountered in the Emsian of Gorny and Rudny Altai, were previously described from coeval deposits in northwestern Spain.     

Cryptostomid Bryozoans From The Sassito Formation,Upper Ordovician Cool‐Water Carbonates of the Argentinean Precordillera

Abstract: Two new bryozoan species are described from the Upper Ordovician Sassito Formation of the Argentinean Precordillera: Moyerella  spinata sp. nov. and Phylloporina  sassitoensis sp. nov. The bryozoans are found in cool‐water carbonates. The Silurian genus Moyerella is reported the first time in the Ordovician, showing palaeobiogeographic connections with Estonia and Siberia.