The Paleocene—Eocene boundary is of particular importance for the evolution of mammals and the poorly known Asian mammal faunas from this period have received much attention. The late Paleocene Subeng site in Inner Mongolia (China) has come under study only recently, and here we present the first complete description of its mammal fauna. Two new species are described, the neoplagiaulacid multituberculate Mesodmops tenuis sp. nov. and the praolestine nyctitheriid Bumbanius ningi sp. nov., representing stratigraphic range extensions of the respective genera into the Paleocene. Previously unknown parts of the dentition are described here for the eurymylid Eomylus bayanulanensis, the sarcodontid Hyracolestes ermineus, the cimolestid Tsaganius ambiguus, the carpolestid Subengius mengi, as well as the femur of the mesonychid Dissacus serratus. For most taxa, the new specimens from Subeng provide new phylogenetic and/or biostratigraphic information. We confirm the inclusion of Hyracolestes in the Sarcodontinae and elevate this group to the rank of family, the Sarcodontidae, separate from Micropternodontidae. In the case of Subengius mengi an updated cladistic analysis of carpolestids supports the hypothesis that Subengius is derived from an evolved Elphidotarsius-like ancestor in the early to middle Tiffanian of North America. A total of 17 species is identified, including well-known biostratigraphic markers for the late Paleocene Gashatan Asian Land Mammal Age such as Lambdopsalis bulla, Prionessus sp., Palaeostylops iturus, Pseudictops lophiodon, Tribosphenomys minutus, and Dissacus serratus. We propose that the Gashatan faunas are less endemic than previously thought, and result from a significant exchange with North American faunas from the late Paleocene.

Hakusanobaatar matsuoi gen. et sp. nov. and Tedoribaatar reini gen. et sp. nov. are multituberculate mammals recovered from the Lower Cretaceous (Barremian to lower Aptian) Kuwajima Formation of the Tetori Group in the Shiramine district, Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan. Hakusanobaatar matsuoi is an eobaatarid multituberculate characterized by a P4 with cusp formula 3:5, and a P5 with cusp formula 2:6: ?2. One of the specimens of H. matsuoi has the best preserved upper premolar series among known eobaatarid specimens. Based on the dentition of H. matsuoi, it is highly probable that the cimolodontan P4 is homologous with the “plagiaulacidan” P5. Tedoribaatar reini is also tentatively attributed to Eobaataridae, and shows a single-rooted p3 and loss of at least the permanent p2. On the basis of these apomorphic features, T. reini is considered to be the “plagiaulacidan” multituberculate that is most closely related to cimolodontans.

The early Eocene (Ypresian) Cambay Formation of Vastan Lignite Mine in Gujarat, western India, has produced a diverse assemblage of snakes including at least ten species that belong to the Madtsoiidae, Palaeophiidae (Palaeophis and Pterosphenus), Boidae, and several Caenophidia. Within the latter taxon, the Colubroidea are represented by Russellophis crassus sp. nov. (Russellophiidae) and by Procerophis sahnii gen. et sp. nov. Thaumastophis missiaeni gen. et sp. nov. is a caenophidian of uncertain family assignment. At least two other forms probably represent new genera and species, but they are not named; both appear to be related to the Caenophidia. The number of taxa that represent the Colubroidea or at least the Caenophidia, i.e., advanced snakes, is astonishing for the Eocene. This is consistent with the view that Asia played an important part in the early history of these taxa. The fossils come from marine and continental levels; however, no significant difference is evident between faunas from these levels. The fauna from Vastan Mine includes highly aquatic, amphibious, and terrestrial snakes. All are found in the continental levels, including the aquatic palaeophiids, whereas the marine beds yielded only two taxa. Vastan Mine is only the second locality in which the palaeophiids Palaeophis and Pterosphenus co-occur. The composition of the fauna from Vastan is on the whole similar to that of the early Eocene of Europe; however, comparisons with early Eocene faunas of other continents are not possible because they are poorly known or unknown.

The Pteraichnus trackmaker is usually hypothesized to be either a pterosaur or a crocodilian. Though the latter interpretation is recently not widely accepted, more experimental work on trackways of extant crocodilians is necessary to settle the debate. Here, the trackways of three species of modern crocodiles (Paleosuchus trigonatus, Crocodylus porosus, and Tomistoma schlegelii) in all major gaits and postures, namely sprawling, walking and running, were compared with Pteraichnus trackways. In all experimentally generated crocodilian trackways pentadactyl manus tracks are recognized, the external width between pes tracks is wider than the corresponding internal width between manus tracks, and tail marks are usually present. All crocodilian trackways collected in the present study revealed significant differences from Pteraichnus, which strongly suggests a non-crocodilian origin of Pteraichnus.

To evaluate stratigraphic evidence for the time of origin of the clade of extant amphibians (Lissamphibia), we attempt to establish a confidence interval on the lower bound of the stratigraphic range of this clade. This is based on the stratigraphic distribution of 1207 fossiliferous localities that have yielded lissamphibians, the relative area of sedimentary rocks from various periods (upper Paleozoic to present) exposed on the continents, and ten exponential-growth models of lissamphibian diversity that differ by the assumed effects of three major biological crises and the assumed starting times of lissamphibian diversification. The results suggest a more recent origin of Lissamphibia than advocated in most recent molecular studies. They are also more compatible with monophyly than with polyphyly of the extant amphibians, but heavily depend on poorly constrained assumptions about lissamphibian extinction rates during biological crises. Counts of lissamphibian diversity through time that consider ghost lineages and stage durations show moderate declines across the Cretaceous—Paleogene and Oligocene—Miocene boundaries.

During the last two decades, an abundant selachian assemblage has been collected from the late Ypresian (NP12) fossiliferous sands of Prémontré (Aisne, northern France) but has received little attention. Sharks of the family Triakidae (Carcharhiniformes) are particularly well represented and all are described and figured herein. Among them, two new species of the genus Galeorhinus are described: G. duchaussoisi sp. nov. and G. louisi sp. nov.; these are compared to the common Paleogene G. ypresiensis which is refigured. Another triakid taxon, the genus Gomphogaleus gen. nov., is described. Most of the triakids have been recorded elsewhere in the North Atlantic region, suggesting a wider distribution than expected for these small sharks during the Paleogene. The present paper updates the list of selachians from Prémontré, bringing the number of taxa from 19 to 33 (including 22 sharks and 11 batoids) and improving our knowledge of the ancient North Atlantic Ypresian selachian fauna. Despite this vastly improved record, it is clear that fossil data are still very incomplete and insufficient for calibrating phylogenetic hypotheses of living forms. Review of the Prémontré fauna shows that the Triakidae were much more diverse and broadly distributed than at present, suggesting that the limited distribution and low diversity of living forms is probably a recent phenomenon.

The two graptolite species Cochlograptus veles (Telychian, Upper Llandovery) and Testograptus testis (lower Homerian, upper Wenlock) are remarkably and uniquely similar in being strongly ventrally and planispirally coiled and in demonstrating an abrupt deflection in the immediate post-sicular regions of their rhabdosomes. The two species, however, are separated by a relatively large biostratigraphic gap and a global mass extinction, and they differ morphologically in the proportion of thecal overlap, different angles of inclination of the interthecal septa, relative proportions of the widths occupied by the free metathecae, the position of the sharp dorsal flexure relative to the tip of the sicula, and the presence of a distinctive, keel-like structure on T. testis. It is suggested therefore, that in spite of the strong proximal morphological parallelism between the two species, their origin is best explained as a remarkable example of convergent evolution. It is suggested that C. veles perhaps evolved from some modified monograptid such as Stimulograptus, whereas the small Testograptus group may have derived from some monograptid such as Monograptus flemingii. Cladistic analysis fully supports the independent derivation the two species. If correct, this hypothesis supports the validity of separate generic names for the two species, despite the close and unique rhabdosomal similarities, including proximal metathecal form.

The arthropod Oelandocaris oelandica from the upper Middle Cambrian “Orsten” of Sweden was recently recognized as a member of the early phase of crustacean evolution based on additional morphological detail from new specimens. Here we present a detailed investigation of all available material. It includes the description of a 400 µm long specimen probably representing an early developmental stage. Variation in size correlated with variation of trunk-segment numbers allowed recognition of different instars. The largest specimens do not exceed an estimated length of about 1 mm, indicating that our material may consist only of immature specimens. The characteristic, extremely long antennula of O. oelandica branches into three long rods. It may have served as the major structure to sweep in food, aided by the two subsequent appendages. These and the more posterior limbs were also responsible for locomotion. Minute pores on the outer edges of the posterior limbs and on the trunk tergites possibly contained sensilla originally, which may have served as water-current detectors. The presence of a minute proximal endite only on the third head appendage suggests a rather basal position of this species within Crustacea, because comparable developmental stages of other known stem crustaceans have such an endite on more of their appendages. Reconstruction of O. oelandica and its life attitudes (referred to the largest instar known) benefited from the application of 3D modelling. These helped, e.g., in identifying the combination of the plesiomorphic feeding function of the antennulae and the specialisation of the exopods of the next two appendages as a step toward the development of a sweep-net mode of feeding, one of the key novelties in the evolution of Crustacea. Such a mode of feeding coupled with locomotion of the three anterior appendages is still practiced in the naupliar and metanaupliar phases of many extant eucrustaceans, and even some adults.

This paper describes 37 species (4 new) belonging to 27 genera (1 new), 14 families, and 6 orders (Lingulida, Craniida, Strophomenida, Productida, Orthotetida, and Orthida) of silicified brachiopods from the middle Tournaisian (Mississippian, lower Carboniferous) of the vicinity of Gedongguan and Muhua villages (southern China). All specimens come from acid etching of detrital and oolitic limestone lenses scattered within grey to black laminated basinal micrite and marl of the Muhua Formation. The formation, which attains about 1–10 meters in thickness, is dated to the Siphonodella crenulata Zone. More than 10,000 silicified brachiopod specimens belonging to about 70 species were recovered from over 900 kg of the sampled limestone lenses, the most diverse brachiopod fauna of that age. The characteristic feature of the studied material is the prevailing disarticulation and fragmentation of skeletal parts due to their down slope transportation into a deeper water environment. Within Lingulida, one linguloid and one discinoid species are described. Craniida are represented by five species including Nematocrania pilea sp. nov. Strophomenida are represented by fragmentarily preserved specimens belonging to one species. The most diverse are Productida, which are represented by 7 chonetidine and 12 productidine species; new are Subglobosochonetes gedongguanensis sp. nov. and Globosochonetes gracilis sp. nov. New data on morphology of larval stage of Argentiproductus margaritaceus and its mode of attachment are presented. Orthotetida is represented by 5 species including Lamellispina spinosa gen. et sp. nov. Orthida is represented by 3, mostly cosmopolitan species. This study of a middle Tournaisian brachiopod fauna from Muhua, together with published data on the Mississippian brachiopods from other regions of South China, allow to study the Devonian—Carboniferous biotic crisis and post-crisis recovery.

Cretaceous cold-seep deposits of the Yezo Group on Hokkaido, Japan, yield a rich and well-preserved mollusk fauna. The systematics of nine bivalve species previously reported from these deposits can now be reevaluated using newly collected fossils. The fossils include a Cenomanian specimen of Nucinella gigantea with a drill hole possibly made by a naticid, by far the oldest record of a drill hole from a cold seep site. In Japan, Cretaceous seep bivalve assemblages are characterized by (i) the unique occurrence of large specimens of Nucinella (Manzanellidae), (ii) the commonly present nuculid Acila (Truncacila), and (iii) a high diversity of lucinids, possibly as many as four distinct genera. Two new species described are the Albian Acharax mikasaensis (Solemyidae) and the Albian to Campanian Thyasira tanabei (Thyasiridae), of which the former had previously been misidentified as the oldest vesicomyid, the latter as the oldest Conchocele.