The plesiosoricids from two fissure fillings from Möhren on the Franconian in South Germany are described. All belong to Butselia biveri. Möhren 12 correlates with the early Oligocene standard level Soumailles, corresponding to the Paleogene mammal unit MP 21, and Möhren 13 with the standard level Villebramar, which corresponds to MP 22. These occurrences represent the first record of the genus Butselia in Germany. A review of the known plesiosoricid species and a cladistic analysis of Butselia and Plesiosorex are presented. It shows the basal position of Butselia with respect to Plesiosorex, and the basal position of Plesiosorex soricinoides with respect to the other Plesiosorex species.

Until recently, the only mammal remains to be obtained from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian, Wealden Group) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, southern England were a poorly preserved left m2 and a well preserved left I2 crown representing one or possibly two plagiaulacoid multituberculate species. These were recovered in the early 1970s but despite subsequent efforts by a number of workers to recover additional Mesozoic mammal remains none were forthcoming until comprehensive bulk screening of the Wessex Formation was undertaken in a study commenced in 2002. This study resulted in the recovery of a number of new specimens representing an assemblage of at least six taxa. Among these are a well-preserved plagiaulacoid multituberculate left m1 and a similarly preserved left I3. The former permits diagnosis of a new species of eobaatarid, Eobaatar clemensi sp. nov. The previously recovered left m2 is also tentatively assigned to the same taxon. In addition, another left m1, somewhat worn as a result of dietary attrition, was recently obtained by a private collector. This is of very similar morphology to the holotype of E. clemensi but slightly larger. It is undoubtedly referable to the same taxon and provides some insight into intraspecific size, and other minor morphological variations in the teeth of the new species. The I3 may also be referable to the new species, in which case it is the first well preserved I3 of a member of Eobaataridae to be fully described.

A new genus and species of Tritylodontidae, Yuanotherium minor, is described and compared with other known tritylodontids. The new taxon is represented by a partially preserved upper jaw with three postcanines, collected from the upper part of the Shishugou Formation (Oxfordian, Late Jurassic) in the Wucaiwan area of the Junggar Basin, northwestern Xinjiang, China. Like other tritylodontids its maxillary teeth have three rows of blade-like trenchant cusps separated by deep furrows. The new species differs from other tritylodontids mainly in having posteriormost two cusps of the median row on upper postcanines closely placed. The new tritylodontid may have been omnivorous rather than herbivorous, as previously suggested for tritylodontids in general.

The distant evolutionary ancestry of mammals is documented by a rich therapsid fossil record. While sphenacodontid synapsids are considered the sister-group of therapsids, the place of origin of therapsids is an enigma, largely because of a long standing morphological and temporal gap (Olson's Gap) in their fossil record. We describe a new large predatory synapsid, Raranimus dashankouensis gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle Permian of Dashankou in China which has a unique combination of therapsid and sphenacodontid features. This specimen is of great significance as it is a basal therapsid which is the sister taxon to all other therapsids. The fact that it was found in association with Early Permian tetrapods (Anakamacops and Belebey) suggests that it is the oldest therapsid and provides the first evidence of therapsid-bearing rocks which cover Olson's Gap. It further supports that therapsids may have had a Laurasian rather than Gondwanan origin.

Six theropod teeth from a Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) bone bed in Langenberg Quarry of Oker (Goslar, Germany) are identified as a new dromaeosaurid taxon, here left in open nomenclature. Direct comparison reveals that the teeth are very similar to velociraptorine dromaeosaurid teeth from the Guimarota coal mine (Late Jurassic, Portugal) and to velociraptorine dromaeosaurid teeth from Uña (Barremian, Cuenca Province, Spain). Our data indicate that the teeth from the Kimmeridgian of Lower Saxony are of velociraptorine dromaeosaurid type, and therefore represent one of the oldest occurrences of the group Dromaeosauridae.

The Galinha tracksite reveals a sequence of Bajocian—Bathonian limestones belonging to the Serra de Aire Formation (West-Central Portugal) and is one of the few sites in the world where Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur tracks can be found. This tracksite is characterised by the presence of long, wide gauge sauropod trackways, the Middle Jurassic age of which suggests these dinosaurs were more widely distributed over time than previously thought. Two trackways contain unique pes and manus prints with morphologies that allow a new sauropod ichnotaxon to be described: Polyonyx gomesi igen, et isp. nov. On the basis of different manus/pes prints and trackway features, the proposal is made to subdivide Sauropodomorpha ichno-morphotypes into five groups: Tetrasauropus-like, Otozoum-like, Breviparopus/Parabrontopodus-like; Brontopodus-like, and Polyonyx-like. Polyonyx gomesi igen, et isp. nov. is thought to represent a non-neosauropod eusauropod, with a well developed manus digit I. The posterior orientation of this digit print suggests they were made by a eusauropod dinosaur with a posteriorly rotated pollex. The manus print morphologies observed in two trackways suggest a stage of manus structure intermediate between the primitive non-tubular sauropod manus and the tubular metacarpal arrangement characteristic of more derived sauropods. The low heteropody (manus:pes area ratio 1:2) of the trackway renders it possible they could have been made by eusauropods such as Turiasaurus riodevensis, which has a similar manus:pes area ratio. The Polyonyx igen. nov. trackway was made by non-neosauropod eusauropod, and suggests that wide gauge sauropod trackways were not exclusively made by Titanosauriformes.

Neogothograptus reticulatus sp. nov. from the upper Homerian Colonograptus praedeubeli Biozone, and N. thorsteinssoni and N. alatiformis from the Lobograptus progenitor Biozone, are described for the first time from three localities: borehole, Baltic erratic boulder of East European Platform and Holy Cross Mountains of Poland. N. reticulatus, presently the oldest known species of Neogothograptus, is also tentatively identified from upper Homerian strata of southeastern Australia. The two other species are previously known only from Arctic Canada, and possibly China. The morphology of the Neogothograptus reticulatus rhabdosome, its appendix, thecal profile, densely reticulated rhabdosome and genicular hoods suggest a close relationship to N. eximinassa from Colonograptus ludensis Biozone. N. reticulatus and N. eximinassa are most similar to Gothograptus nassa, the earliest-known retiolitid to appear immediately following the Cyrtograptus lundgreni extinction event. The biostratigraphic position of N. reticulatus suggests it might be considered as a potential ancestor to all younger (Ludlow) species of Neogothograptus. Cladistic analysis, however, provides no direct support for such an interpretation and, instead, suggests that Baculograptus batesi may be the ancestor. The occurrences of Neogothograptus, as well as G. nassa, from a number of Silurian terranes mostly from low paleolatitude regions, but also from high paleolatitudes, demonstrate their tolerance to a broad range of paleoenvironments.

Two extinct genera of ants from the late Eocene (ca. 40 Ma), Protomyrmica gen. nov. and Plesiomyrmex gen. nov. (family Formicidae, subfamily Myrmicinae), are described based on single specimens (males), from Baltic and Bitterfeld (also called Saxonian) ambers respectively; both genera belong to the tribe Myrmicini. In gross morphology they are similar to modern Myrmica but have a series of apomorphies combined with characters that are plesiomorphic not only in the tribe Myrmicini, but also in the subfamily Myrmicinae. The most significant plesiomorphies concern the antennal structure and wing venation of both genera. The antennal scape is short and the funiculus is filiform, having no apical club. Moreover, the antennae of Protomyrmica are “sphecoid” with the length of the funicular segments gradually decreasing towards the apex (i.e., the longest is basal, starting from the second, and the shortest is apical); this type of structure is basal for the family Formicidae as a whole. Although we consider the wing venation of Protomyrmica to represent the prototype of wings in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it has an apomorphy absent in the modern Myrmicini genera—the antennae are inserted into the head well behind the posterior margin of the clypeus. Plesiomyrmex also has a peculiar apomorphy not found in any other genus of Myrmicinae: the antennae are inserted into toruli located on short sub-vertical tube-like or cup-like structures that protrude distinctly above the head surface. As a result, we do not consider either of the newly described genera to be the direct ancestors of modern Myrmicini; nevertheless, the presence of very ancient plesiomorphies may indicate their antiquity, and thus the latest estimated time for the origin of the tribe Myrmicini should be at least the early Eocene.

Vestimentiferan tube worms living at deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps have been considered as a clade with a long and continuing evolutionary history in these ecosystems. Whereas the fossil record appears to support this view, molecular age estimates do not. The two main features that are used to identify vestimentiferan tubes in the fossil record are longitudinal ridges on the tube's surface and a tube wall constructed of multiple layers. It is shown here that chaetopterid tubes from modern vents and seeps—as well as a number of fossil tubes from shallow-water environments—also show these two features. This calls for a more cautious interpretation of tubular fossils from ancient vent and seep deposits. We suggest that: current estimates for a relatively young evolutionary age based on molecular clock methods may be more reliable than the inferences of ancient “vestimentiferans” based on putative fossils of these worms; not all of these putative fossils actually belong to this group; and that tubes from fossil seeps should be investigated for chitinous remains to substantiate claims of their potential siboglinid affinities.

A new, relatively diverse gastropod fauna is reported from the Chubut province of west-central Patagonia. The gastropod association at the “El Córdoba” fossiliferous locality (Lower Toarcian of Osta Arena Formation) consists of three new species: the eucyclid Amberleya? espinosa sp. nov. and two procerithiids Cryptaulax damboreneae sp. nov. and Cryptaulax nulloi sp. nov. Other members of the association are the ataphrid Striatoconulus sp., discohelicid Colpomphalus? sp., and an undetermined zygopleurid. Knowledge on Early Jurassic gastropods from South America and other southern continents is reviewed to show that the taxonomic composition of the El Cordoba association strongly resembles other gastropod associations of this age (even those from Europe), suggesting a wide distribution of cosmopolitan genera.

Sixteen gastropod species from two Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) hydrocarbon seep localities in Hokkaido, Japan are described. Seven species are new: the acmaeid limpet Serradonta omagariensis; three turbinids: Homalopoma abeshinaiensis, Cantrainea yasukawensis, and C. omagariensis; the trochid Margarites sasakii; the seguenzioid Cataegis nakagawensis; and the provannid Provanna nakagawensis. The most common species in the investigated localities are acmaeid limpets (S. omagariensis), tiny turbinids (H. abeshinaiensis, C. yasukawensis, C. omagariensis), and provannids/hokkaidoconchids (P. nakagawensis and Hokkaidoconcha hikidai). The Upper Cretaceous associations described here do not resemble Lower Cretaceous associations known from other regions but are composed of species similar to gastropods from Recent hydrocarbon seeps and hydrothermal vents in the Northwestern Pacific. This strongly suggest that this region possesses a regional pool of gastropods in chemosynthesis-based communities at least since Late Cretaceous time. The only group of gastropods described here which has no Recent counterpart is the Hokkaidoconchidae. A comparison to gastropods from plesiosaur falls and sunken wood of the same age and region strongly suggest that these invertebrate communities do not differ significantly from the coeval hydrocarbon seep communities described herein.

Five cephalopod specimens from the Lower Devonian of Bohemia (Czech Republic) preserve colour patterns. They include two taxonomically undeterminable orthoceratoids and three oncocerid nautiloids assigned to the genus Ptenoceras. The two fragments of orthocone cephalopods from the lowest Devonian strata (Lochkovian, Monograptus uniformis Zone) display colour patterns unusual in orthoceratoids. They have irregular undulating and zigzag strips that are preserved on counterparts of adapertural regions of specimens flattened in shale, despite their original aragonitic shell having been completely dissolved. These are probably the result of the proteinous pigment inside the shell wall, being substituted during diagenesis by secondary minerals leaving only an altered trace of the original shell. Orthoceratoids from sediments unsuitable for preservation of this feature discussed here thus demonstrate an exceptional case of preservation of colour patterns, not only within Devonian cephalopods but also within other Devonian molluscs. Three specimens of Ptenoceras that preserve colour patterns come from younger Lower Devonian strata. Oblique spiral adaperturally bifurcating bands are preserved in P. alatum from the Pragian and zigzags in P. nudum from the Dalejan. Juvenile specimen of Ptenoceras? sp. from the Pragian exhibits highly undulating transversal bands—a pattern resembling colour markings in some Silurian oncocerids. Dark grey wavy lines observed on the superficially abraded adapical part of a phragmocone of nautiloid Pseudorutoceras bolli and interpreted formerly to be colour markings are here reinterpreted as secondary pigmented growth lines. Other Devonian fossils including a single brachiopod and several gastropods from the Barrandian Area with preserved colour patterns are mentioned. Variety of cephalopod colour patterns, their taxonomic significance, function and significance for palaeoecological interpretation, palaeoenvironmental conditions favouring colour pattern preservation and systematic affiliation of taxa with colour pattern preserved are discussed.

A minute Silurian oncocerid Cyrtoceras pollux, from the Prague Basin is assigned here to the genus Pomerantsoceras. The only so far known species of this genus comes from the Upper Ordovician (Hirnantian) of Estonia. Pomerantsoceras thus represents, except for un-revised poorly understood taxa, the single known oncocerid genus surviving the end-Ordovician extinction events. Cyrtoceras pollux is unusual among the Silurian nautiloids because of its small shell. Colour pattern characterised by a few longitudinal bands on the entire circumference of the shell is here reported in oncocerids. Longicone and only slightly curved small shells as in Pomerantsoceras are unusual among nautiloids and resemble straight shells of orthocerids and pseudorthocerids, in which the colour pattern consists of straight colour bands. Consequently the shell shape as well as the colour pattern should be regarded as adaptive convergence with orthocerids and pseudorthocerids. It supports the hypothesis that colour pattern functioned as camouflage and its evolution was under adaptive control. In addition, several types of the shell malformations including anomalous growth of septa, shell wall and pits on an internal mould are described.

A new scleritome-bearing organism with eight sclerite types, Trachyplax arctica gen. et sp. nov., is described from the lower Cambrian Paralledal Formation of North Greenland. The originally calcareous sclerites are now silicified; no microstructures are preserved. The dominant sclerite type (A; maximum dimension 19.3 mm) is bilaterally symmetrical, strongly arched, with an oval shield showing co-marginal growth lines and a projecting rostrum with prominent radial ornamentation. A similar sclerite morphology can be identified in Silurian—Carboniferous multiplacophoran molluscs but the remaining sclerite types, which also display a combination of concentric and radial ornamentation, find no clear equivalents. Two models for scleritome reconstruction are presented, based on the relative abundance of the sclerites, but neither promotes a satisfactory assignment to a higher taxon. Despite the morphological dissimilarities, possibly reflecting the age discrepancy, reference to the Multiplacophora is most attractive and entails a substantial extension of the known geological range of that group.

The tommotiid Camenella reticulosa is redescribed based on new collections of well preserved sclerites from the Arrowie Basin (Flinders Ranges), South Australia, revealing new information concerning morphology and microstructure. The acutely pyramidal mitral sclerite is described for the first time and the sellate sclerite is shown to be coiled through up to 1.5 whorls. Based on Camenella, a model is proposed by which tommotiid sclerites are composed of alternating dense phosphatic, and presumably originally organic-rich, laminae. Camenella is morphologically most similar to Lapworthella, Kennardia, and Dailyatia, and these taxa are interpreted to represent a monophyletic clade, here termed the “camenellans”, within the Tommotiida. Potential reconstructions of the scleritome of Camenella are discussed and although a tubular scleritome construction was recently demonstrated for the tommotiids Eccentrotheca and Paterimitra, a bilaterally symmetrical scleritome model with the sclerites arranged symmetrically on the dorsal surface of a vagrant animal can not be ruled out.

We present discoveries of internal bodies in problematic Silurian and Devonian organic-walled microfossils classified traditionally as polygonomorph, acanthomorph, sphaeromorph, and herkomorph acritarchs. These bodies are comparable with reproductive structures (auto- and/or aplanospores) of modern unicellular green algae (Chlorococcales). Our findings suggest that many of these microfossils may represent asexually reproducing (sporulating) vegetative cells of chlorococcalean algae. The presence of spore-like bodies in the studied acritarchs supports earlier suggestions, based on ultrastructural and biomarker studies, that some acritarchs can be affined with green algae.

The oldest known ceratopsians come from the Late Jurassic of China (Zhao et al. 1999; Xu et al. 2006). During the Early Cretaceous, the basal ceratopsian Psittacosaurus was among the most common dinosaurs in Asia but more derived basal neoceratopsians were quite rare on that continent (Xu et al. 2002; Makovicky and Norell 2006). Basal neoceratopsians became more abundant in the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia and China, although they are not known in this region from the latest Cretaceous (You and Dodson 2004; Alifanov 2008). In contrast, basal neoceratopsians are rare during the Early Cretaceous in North America but became common and diverse during the Campanian and Maastrichtian (You and Dodson 2004; Chinnery and Horner 2007). Little is known about the evolutionary history of this group in more inland regions of what are now Kazakhstan and adjoining countries. Asiaceratops documents the presence of basal neoceratopsians in the Cenomanian of Uzbekistan (Nessov et al. 1989). Here we report on the first record of a basal neoceratopsian in the Late Cretaceous of Kazakhstan, based on two cranial bones from the Turonian Zhirkindek Formation in the northeastern Aral Sea region.

A new fossil lacewing, Tenuosmylus brevineurus gen. et sp. nov., was collected from an outcrop of Middle Jurassic strata in the village of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The new genus is assigned to Gumillinae based on eleven defining characteristics of the subfamily. The affiliation of Tenuosmylus including other five genera of the subfamily is discussed. Our result supports the opinion that Epiosmylinae was a junior synonym of Gumillinae, which is likely a relic of ancient osmylids based on similarity of forewing venation. Veins Mp₂ and Cu₂ have complicated branches that are generally present in extinct as well as some extant subfamilies (Poriminae, Eidoporisminae, Stenosmylinae). A key is given to differentiate six known genera within Gumillinae.