The ichnospecies Lunulipes obscurus is reevaluated and a new diagnosis provided. All samples from Early Jurassic lacustrine deposits of the Deerfield Basin in Massachusetts, USA that were previously determined to bear Lunulipes or Lunulipes-like traces were examined. This reevaluation revealed that the ichnospecies is restricted only to two slabs. The morphology of Lunulipes obscurus suggests that its arthropod maker beat a single pair of legs synchronously. This type of locomotion is used by aquatic insects such as backswimmers (Notonectidae), water boatmen (Corixidae), and predaceous diving beetles (Dytiscidae). Neoichnological experiments with these three taxa indicate that water boatmen produce trackways that are the most similar to the fossil, and hence we conclude that a water boatman or an unknown insect that employed a similar method of swimming produced the Early Jurassic traces. These trackways provide the first tentative evidence of water boatmen in the Deerfield Basin, and, if correctly identified, represent the first trace fossils of this aquatic insect group anywhere.

Here is given an account, based on museum collections, of the fossil land and freshwater gastropods from Dischingen (Baden-Württemberg state, SW Germany). The fossiliferous outcrops belong to the Silvana Beds unit of the Upper Freshwater Molasse group, of late Early to early Middle Miocene age (Neogene European Land Mammal Zone MN 5). In total, 35 gastropod species were found (seven freshwater and 28 terrestrial), mainly belonging to Pulmonata, but also with representatives of Neritimorpha and Caenogastropoda. Seven species are reported here for the first time from Dischingen: Palaina diezi, Radix socialis, Granaria sp., Serrulina? sp., Discus pleuradrus, Punctum pumilio, and Oxyloma minima.

We describe two caddisflies from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, with unusual hair fan modifications on the legs: Cretaganonema dongi nov. gen. et nov. sp. (Calamoceratidae) possesses greatly elongated hind legs with hairtufts at the tarsal apex; Cretahelicopsyche liuyani nov. gen. et nov. sp. (Helicopsychidae) bears a hair-fan on the tibia of the middle legs. The functions of the leg modifications in the fossils are unknown, possibilities are briefly discussed. The species described here represent the third known calamoceratid and the first helicopsychid from the Cretaceous, thus increasing our scant knowledge on the Cretaceous Trichoptera biota and their adaptations.

The lithostratigraphy and ammonite fauna of the Early Aalenian Opalinuston Formation (Zillhausen Member) at Donzdorf-Grünbach is described. A new chronospecies of Leioceras, L. hansrieberi, is erected. It characterizes the hansrieberi biohorizon of the Opalinum Subzone (Opalinum Zone). The macroconchs of L. hansrieberi represent the largest specimens hitherto described within the genus Leioceras. In addition, the associated macrofauna is described which allows to draw some conclusions on the palaeoecology of this locality.

This study of ostracods from 26 samples from the Aalenian and Lower Bajocian of Geisingen (Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany) has yielded five faunal assemblages. The assemblages from the Lower Aalenian are dominated by small-sized ostracod species and are in general less diverse than those assemblages recorded from the Middle and Upper Aalenian. First order microfaunal changes occur at the base of the Lower Aalenian “Comptum” Subzone, at the Bradfordensis/Gigantea Subzonal boundary and at the Bradfordensis/Concavum Zonal boundary. A second order microfaunal change is also noted at the Aalenian/Bajocian boundary (Concavum/Discites Zones). The following new species are described: Polycope circulosa, Cardobairdia tesakovae, Cytheropterina alacostata, Cytheropterina bicuneata, Infracytheropteron bisulcatum, Procytheropteron catena, Aphelocythere dilgeri, Praeschuleridea concentrica, Pleurocythere ohmerti, Progonocythere scutula, and Kinkelinella (K.) geisingensis. 13 presumably new species of Cytherurids, 1 “Monoceratina” sp. and 1 Kinkelinella sp. as well as 6 specimens ‘incertae sedis’are figured, but left in open nomenclature. The holotype and a paratype of Polycope pelta Fischer, 1961 are figured for the first time in SEM photographs.

The capitosaur Parotosuchus nasutus, exclusively known by historical finds from Merkel's Quarry at Bernburg (Saale), forms one of the most frequent tetrapods of the continental Triassic. A revision of the surviving material reveals a remarkable size range (14–44 cm skull length) of this large temnospondyl. P. nasutus is characterized by (1) quadrate condyles well posterior to occipital ones, (2) supratemporal in adults anteriorly twice as wide as posteriorly, (3) palatine very slender, distance between choana and interpterygoid vacuity much shorter than choana, and (4) interpterygoid vacuity twice the length of vomer plus premaxilla. Ontogenetic changes include broadening of the nasal, frontal, parietal, postfrontal, supratemporal, and tabular horn, whereas the proportions of snout and skull table are isometrically correlated. Phylogenetic analysis finds P. nasutus to nest with P. haughtoni, P. orenburgensis and P. helgolandicus within a monophyletic Parotosuchidae, which in turn is confirmed as basalmost clade of Capitosauroidea.

From the Coniacian to Santonian of the Gosau Group in Austria, six new genera (Astraraeatrochus, Geroastrea, Pachyheterocoenia, Pachyphylliopsis, Paractinacis, Synhydnophora) within the families Astraraeidae, Heterocoeniidae, Negoporitidae, Phyllosmiliidae, and Synastraeidae, and 12 new species of Scleractinian corals are established (Astraraeatrochus bachi, Crinopora ireneae, Crinopora thomasi, Geroastrea alexi, Gosaviaraea aimeae, Nefocoenia seewaldi, Nefocoenia werneri, Pachyheterocoenia leipnerae, Pachyphylliopsis magnum, Paractinacis uliae, Proplesiastraea rivkae, and Synhydnophora wagreichi). The new taxa emerged during a systematic revision of the coral fauna of the so-called Gosau facies in the area of Rußbach and Gosau (Austria), which was for the first time carried out by the systematic preparation of thin sections and the application of more profound measurements of the corallite dimensions.

The extinct caddisfly genus Palerasnitsynus (Psychomyiidae) is revised, based on nine new species embedded in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. They can be distinguished from all other extinct and extant psychomyiid genera by the absence of fork III in their fore- and hindwings and by the presence of latero-apical dark sporns at the 3^rd maxillary palp segment. These species belong to the smallest Trichoptera hitherto known, with forewing lengths of 1.8–2.6 mm. Moreover, the micro-caddisflies of the genus Palerasnitsynus are very common and comprise almost 60 % of all caddisflies in Burmese amber. Some amber pieces contain aggregations of specimens which indicates swarming activities of the adults.

The passendorferiine perisphinctid ammonite genus Graefenbergites Schairer & Schlampp, 2003 is recorded for the first time from the Upper Jurassic of Baden-Württemberg. It is represented by a well-preserved phragmocone of a macroconch from the semimammatum Horizon (Hypselum Zone) of the Plettenberg quarry near Balingen. The specimen cannot be accurately referred to one of the two nominal species. Since it shares more characters with G. arancensis (Meléndez, 1989) than with G. idoceroides (Dorn, 1930), it is tentatively assigned to G. cf. arancensis (Meléndez, 1989). The new record closes a biogeographic gap, since the genus Graefenbergites, which is typical of the Submediterranean upper Oxfordian (Grossouvrei to Semimammatum subzones), was hitherto only recorded from the Jurassic of Franconia, Spain, France, and Poland. Its palaeogeographic distribution and biochronological significance are briefly discussed.