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Throughout their evolutionary history, serpulids, the calcareous tube-dwelling suspension-feeding polychaetes, formed symbiotic relationships with cnidarians (32 relationships), molluscs (six relationships), brachiopods (three relationships), bryozoans (two relationships), echinoderms (one relationship), foraminifers (one relationship) and worms (one relationship). The absolute majority of symbiotic relationships with serpulids had cnidarian partners (micropredators) in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. There is no observed escalation in the evolution of symbiotic relationships in serpulids. There may be an optimal frequency of symbiotic relationships for serpulid fauna and when that value was achieved in the Jurassic, it stayed constant during the entire evolution of the group. However, the number of serpulid genera involved in symbiosis increased from the Jurassic (six genera) to the Cretaceous (thirteen genera). It seems that the ability to form symbiotic relationships was in general a useful trait as it spread to various branches of the serpulid phylogenetic tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new rhynchonellide brachiopod genus and species, Skadarirhynchia semicostata gen. et sp. nov., is described from the late Pliensbachian of Livari, Rumija Mountain, southeastern Montenegro. It occurs in shallow-water brachiopod-crinoid packstone beds (bioclastic limestones) of the periplatform facies of the Dinaric Carbonate Platform. Stratigraphy is constrained by means of 87Sr/86Sr dating indicating a late Pliensbachian age, and by the fact that the brachiopod beds lie immediately below the Toarcian marly limestones, which is consistent with the regional stratigraphical position. The new species has a circular to roundly pentagonal outline and semicostate shells with 10‒12 strong angular ribs. Internally, it shows reduced dental plates, narrow and thin hinge plates inclined dorsally with small crural bases, crescent-like and laterally convex, and hamiform crura. The shell microstructure of the new taxon is characterised by a homogeneous secondary layer (a single layer with no sublayers) built of rhombic fibres that are typically of coarse-fibrous type (eurinoid pattern) 35‒50 μm wide and 20‒30 μm thick. Other co-occurring rhynchonellide species such as Prionorhynchia fraasi and Cuneirhynchia dalmasi are also described. Shell microstructures for the genus Cuneirhynchia are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine published and new mineralogical data on most major taxa of brachiopods from all over the world, to investigate patterns and controls on brachiopod carbonate mineralogy. Measurements of 1726 specimens in 162 species (including 56 fossil species) ranged from 79°N to 74°S and from intertidal to almost 4000 m deep. Calcareous brachiopods mostly create strong resilient valves of very low-Mg calcite ($\bar{\chi }$ χ ¯ = 1.3 wt% MgCO3). The substrate-cemented Craniida ($\bar{\chi }$ χ ¯ = 8.9 wt% MgCO3) and Thecideida ($\bar{\chi }$ χ ¯ = 6.5 wt% MgCO3) are unusual in precipitating calcite with higher Mg content. This is the first study to find bimineralic brachiopods; a few species show a combination of low-Mg ($\bar{\chi }$ χ ¯ = 0.8 wt% MgCO3) and intermediate-Mg calcite ($\bar{\chi }$ χ ¯ = 7.2 wt% MgCO3) (sensu Smith AM, Key MM Jr, Gordon DP. 2006. Skeletal mineralogy of bryozoans: taxonomic and temporal patterns. Earth-Science Reviews. 78:287–306.). While Mg in calcite varies systematically among valve layers and sometimes along the growth axis, we found no consistent difference between valves of the same individual. A weak latitudinal signal indicates some overall temperature control of Mg, but in general, brachiopods are active calcifiers, precipitating low-Mg calcite even when Mg:Ca ratio in seawater is high. The drivers on brachiopod mineralogy are individual, environmental, and phylogenetic – resulting in complex variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The encrusted bivalve steinkerns in the Upper Ordovician of Estonia suggest that the rapid sea-floor cementation facilitated the early lithification of the sediment within the bivalve shell and the shell valves, likely aragonitic in composition, were dissolved due to calcite sea conditions similarly to many other regions in the Ordovician. The abandoned bivalve shells contained cryptic invertebrates. The coelobite fauna was dominated by encrusting brachiopods, followed by bryozoans and cornulitids. The bryozoans and cornulitids do not prefer specific regions of the shell interior, indicating that the waters within the shell were sufficiently nutrient-rich throughout. Encrusting brachiopods are always confined to valve margins, suggesting that the waters were nutrient-rich enough for the brachiopods only at the edge of the outer environment. Thus, it is possible that bryozoans and cornulitids were better adapted for a cryptic life than the encrusting brachiopods in the Late Ordovician of Estonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachiopod-rich accumulations of the well-known 'VilserKalk' calcareous units from the Middle Jurassic of Zehrer (Allgäuer Alps) have been recognised and analysed from a taphonomic standpoint. These brachiopod concentrations are frequent in the Jurassic deposits of various Alpine-Mediterranean localities, usually related to resedimentation processes generated by high-hydrodynamic episodes. In the four brachiopod-bearing accumulations recorded, high concentrations of mainly articulate shells are preserved in pocket-like deposits made up of brachiopod communities with quite different structure, size-frequency distribution, diversity and taxonomic composition. The analysed taphocharacters indicate different hydrodynamic regimes of diverse intensity for each accumulation, resulting in a gradation of the resedimentation processes. The inferred transport of the shells from the source area is minimal, the bioclastic levels constituting para-autochthonous assemblages without significant spatial averaging. The four defined taphofacies include different assemblages that chronostratigraphycally span the latest Toarcian-early Bajocian interval. These taphofacies are interpreted in terms of depth-related variations concurring with environmental disturbance events in several phases of the evolutionary history of the basin, progressively ranging from shallower proximal accumulations to shell-beds originated in more distal depositional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species Orbirhynchia mantilliana is newly documented in Algeria, identified within the Upper Campanian marly limestone of the Akhdar Member in the Abiod Formation at Djabel Gueroun, Batna Province, Aurès Basin. It is associated with Upper Campanian faunal markers such as the ammonite species Nostoceras (Bostrychoceras) polyplocum, found within the planktic foraminifera Globotruncana calcarata Zone. The O. mantilliana displays a restricted geographic distribution and biogeographic range, confined to Algeria, the United Kingdom, and Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of brachiopod symbiosis is closely tied to the evolution of brachiopod faunas and their partner groups during the early Palaeozoic. Brachiopod groups with a larger number of taxa had more symbiotic associations, and there was no specific group that was more prone to symbiosis during this time interval. The first symbiotic associations appeared soon after the emergence of certain brachiopod groups, with Cambrian brachiopods partnering with typical representatives of the Cambrian fauna. Bryozoans and tentaculitoid tubeworms, which became important partners during the Ordovician and Silurian, first diversified in the Ordovician. The gradual decrease in the number of brachiopod partner groups from the Cambrian to the Silurian was likely due to specialisation. However, the number of symbiotic associations did not increase faster than the number of brachiopod taxa. The GOBE-induced diversification of brachiopod taxa did not lead to an escalation in symbiotic relationships. Symbiotic associations involving brachiopods continued after the end-Ordovician mass extinction. Although early Palaeozoic brachiopods were vulnerable to kleptoparasites, the harm caused by these parasites was not enough to drive their associated brachiopods to extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Famennian Sarcheshmeh Member of the Khoshyeilagh Formation contains a sizeable rhynchonellide component comprised of eight genera and ten species, including Golestanirhynchus golestanicus sp. nov. Petasmaria sartenaeri sp. nov. Tilabadirhynchus azadshahrensis gen. et sp. nov. Tilabadirhynchus qeshlaqensis gen. et sp. nov. and Megalopterorhynchus chanakchiensis giganteus subsp. nov. The characters of brachiopod biostratigraphical distribution in the Sarcheshmeh Member and correlation with conodont biozonation suggest that Megalopterorhynchus chanakchiensis giganteus does not cross the lower boundary of the Bispathodus ultimus Zone, while Araratella anatolica is probably confined to it. The pugnacoidean genus Petasmaria is reported for the first time outside of North America. The broad paleobiogeographic affinities of the late Fammenian rhynchonellide assemblages from the Sarcheshmeh Member of the Alborz Region with the contemporaneous brachiopod faunas of Central Iran, Afghanistan and Transcaucasia corroborate the well-established pattern of increasing cosmopolitanism of the brachiopod faunas towards the end of the Devonian Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An upper Pliensbachian–Aalenian brachiopod succession is reported from Ponor Mountain, Western Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria. This includes nine species (6 rhynchonellides and 3 terebratulides) from eight genera. A new genus Bulgariarhynchia and two new species, Bulgariarhynchia ponorensis and Capillirhynchia brezenensis, are formally described. A single species Homoeorhynchia ? aff. prona was found in the upper Pliensbachian. Most of the brachiopods derived from the Toarcian–Aalenian interval, and comprise: Pseudogibbirhynchia jurensis, Rhynchonelloidea angulata, Globirhynchia subobsoleta, Sphaeroidothyris uretae, Lobothyris? hispanica, and Telothyris jauberti. The brachiopod assemblages were dated using coeval ammonite biostratigraphy. Both ammonites and brachiopods display clear northwest European affinities. The new brachiopod taxa are considered autochthonous for the Balkan Mountains. Three biofacies (BF2, BF3 and BF5) were recognised and implied alternating suboxic to anoxic bottom water conditions. A few geochemical proxies are indicative of the early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) in the stratigraphic column. The main T-OAE pulse was fixed at the coeval positive δ13C and negative δ18O excursions, as well as increases in Hg/TOC ratios and redox-sensitive elements. The late Pliensbachian–earliest Toarcian time span was found to be the most hostile for the brachiopods. Above it, brachiopods lived in less stagnant environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucalathis, a member of the brachiopod superfamily Cancellothyridoidea, is common in Recent seas. The 15 known species have an almost cosmopolitan distribution, but no known occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the rich Recent record, very little is known about the geological history of Eucalathis. In the Mediterranean, two fossil species are known from the Miocene of Italy. Two additional Eucalathis species from the Neogene of Italy are identified: E. davidi sp. nov. from NW Italy (Marmorito, Early Pliocene), and E. dorae sp. nov. from Sicily (Altavilla, Late Pliocene). It proves that Eucalathis did not disappear from the Mediterranean after the Messinian Salinity Crisis. Based on the four known species, Eucalathis (probably apart from the Messinian Crisis) was present in the Mediterranean from the Middle Miocene to the Late Pliocene. Its disappearance is possibly related to the Pleistocene cooling. Currently, three species of Eucalathis occur in the NE Atlantic, near the entrance to the Mediterranean. However, they are unable to enter because the distribution of all three species is restricted to deeper environments than the average 300 m deep Gibraltar sill. The circulation pattern of the Gibraltar area also prevents deeper water Atlantic species from entering the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parabadiella is considered the earliest trilobite representative in South China and was originally recovered from the mid-upper part of the Guojiaba Formation, in Liangshan section. Previous studies suggested that the earliest brachiopod co-occurred with the oldest trilobite, and the Parabadiella–Eoobolus association from the Xihaoping Member (Cambrian Series 2, Stage 3), in southern Shaanxi was considered the first trilobite–brachiopod assemblage zone in South China. Therein, brachiopods occur together with trilobites recovered in Well JS103 seemingly extending the First Appearance Datum deeply in the lower Cambrian at the central Yangtze Platform. Well JS103 is a shale gas exploration well that targets the lower Cambrian Jiulaodong Formation in southern Sichuan Basin. The uppermost fossiliferous layers are siliciclastic rocks nearly 10 metres thick. Here, two distinct trilobite zones are found, including the lower Parabadiella Zone and the upper Wutingaspis–Eoredlichia Zone. Additionally, the lowermost part of the Guojiaba Formation is poorly fossiliferous, and ranges from 200 to 250 metres in thickness. Thus, the discovery of the brachiopod–trilobite assemblage provides new insights into the biostratigraphy in Sichuan and is of great potentials for biostratigraphic correlation of the siliciclastic rocks in the western margin of the Yangtze Platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle Jurassic terebratulide brachiopods from the Jordan Valley are herein described and a new taxon is added to the previous faunal list. The Callovian rocks (Mughanniyya Formation) of the Tel el Dhahab section have yielded the following terebratulide taxa: Sphriganaria capax, S. costata, S. costellata, S. curtirostra, S. expansa, S. irregularis, S. subcircularis, S. nasuta, S. sp. 1, and S.? sp. 2. A new species Sphriganaria anyamiae sp. nov. is formally described herein. Internal characters of Sphriganaria costata, S. expansa, and S. nosuta have been studied. On the basis of shell microstructure, crural bases, outer and inner hinge plates were differentiated and defined for the first time in the genus Sphriganaria. The secondary layer is homogeneous built of very fine fibres, predominantly anisometric-like in cross-section, 25‒40 μm wide and 8‒15 μm thick. The Callovian Mughanniyya Formation of northwest Jordan is dominated by highly fossiliferous limestones intercalated with marlstone beds with very diverse brachiopod fauna, deposited in shallow, low-energy waters very near the equator. A paleobiogeographic interpretation of the brachiopod faunas in the Ethiopian Province suggests that brachiopods migrated from the north in the Early Jurassic and later became isolated for the remainder of the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lashkarak Formation (Lower–Middle Ordovician) in the Gerdkuh locality, 10 km west of Damghan city, northern Iran, has been found to contain acritarchs and chitinozoans. This study aimed to understand these chitinozoan and acritarch successions as well as brachiopods in this part of the Alborz Mountains, in a novel manner. Ninety-seven surface samples from this succession were collected and analysed. Thirty samples yielded well-preserved palynomorph taxa such as acritarchs, chitinozoans, and scolecodonts, as well as graptolite remains. In total, 53 taxa were identified among the acritarchs (38 species belonging to 21 genera) and chitinozoans (15 species belonging to 10 genera). Although scolecodonts and graptolite remains were also observed, they were not studied in detail. The palynological analyses revealed the presence of several diagnostic acritarchs in the Lashkarak Formation, including Vulcanisphaera simplex, Arbusculidium filamentosum, Coryphidium bohemicum, Dactylofusa velifera, Striatotheca mutua, Arkonia virgata, and Orthosphaeridium ternatum. These acritarchs allowed the recognition of five acritarch assemblage zones. Similarly, seven chitinozoan biozones were recognised: Eremochitina brevis, Desmochitina ornensis, Belonechitina henryi, Cyathochitina protocalix, Cyathochitina calix, Siphonochitina formosa, and Laufeldochitina clavata. These findings confirm the inclusion of the Alborz Mountains in the peri-Gondwana palaeoprovince during the Early–Middle Ordovician. The co-occurrence of the acritarch and chitinozoan taxa with previously identified brachiopods allowed for the establishment of a more detailed Early–Middle Ordovician biozonation, demonstrating their potential usefulness for global chronostratigraphy. Based on palynological and brachiopod assemblages, a shallow marine inner shelf setting is suggested for the Early–Middle Ordovician at the Gerdkuh locality. Moreover, in this study, four new morphotype species were erected, consisting of one new chitinozoan (Cyathochitina gerdkuhensis sp. nov.) and three new acritarchs (Baltisphaeridium razii sp. nov., Navifusa alborzensis sp. nov., and Orthosphaeridium iranense sp. nov.). However, Othosphaeridium cf. ternatum was left in open nomenclature. Palynomorphs from the Lower–Middle Ordovician (Lashkarak Formation) were recorded from the Alborz Mountains. 15 chitinozoan species (10 genera) were recorded from the Lashkarak Formation, S. Caspian Sea. 38 acritarch taxa (21 genera) were identified, indicating the N. Gondwanan Domain. The diagnostic acritarch taxa are Arbusculidium, Coryphidium, Striatotheca, and Arkonia. Chitinozoan biozones are E. brevis, D. ornensis, B. henryi, C. protocalix, C. calix, S. formosa, and L. clavata. Baltisphaeridium razii sp. nov., Navifusa alborzensis sp. nov., Cyathochitina gerdkuhensis sp. nov., and Orthosphaeridium iranense sp. nov. is recorded for the first time. A major hiatus corresponds to the Late Ordovician, Silurian, and Early–Middle Devonian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microconchid and anticalyptraeid tubeworms from the Middle Devonian of Morocco are described for the first time. The assemblage, coming from the locality of Madène el Mrakib (Mader Basin, eastern Anti-Atlas), consists of one microconchid species, Palaeoconchus sanctacrucensis, and one new anticalyptraeid species, Anticalyptraea madenensis. Both species encrusted uppermost Eifelian/lowermost Givetian brachiopod shells. P. sanctacrucensis was hitherto only known from the upper Emsian–upper Eifelian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland. Thus, its presence in the shelf habitats of northern Gondwana implies its migration from the southern margin of Laurussia during the transgression associated with the late Eifelian Kačák Episode. The encrustation patterns of the brachiopod shells by the Moroccan microconchids indicate that the brachiopods only served as favourable hard substrate for colonisation by the microconchid larvae. However, the occupation of different valves of the same brachiopod by microconchids and Anticalyptraea may imply that both encrusters potentially avoided direct competition for suspended food particles. Characteristics and position of Oichnus borings present on a few microconchids and anticalyptraeids indicate that they were not necessarily formed syn vivo and produced by predatory organisms. It is likely that they were drilled by some tiny suspension-feeders and may represent non-predatory domichnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and species of the archaeorthopteran order Caloneurodea are described and illustrated from the Salagou Formation (France) as Lodevogramma pumilia gen. et sp. nov. The particular wing venation of this species precludes its placement within one of the already described families of Caloneurodea. Consequently, the family Lodevogrammatidae fam. nov. is created to accommodate this specimen. A detailed comparison of the new species with other Caloneurodea is provided. This new species differs from all other Caloneurodea because it has: petiolate wings; the area between C and R/RA is very narrow; vein RA ends near the wing apex; vein RP has two branches; the fork of CuP basad the base of M; and two very short anal veins are present. This new species increases the diversity of Caloneurodea in the Salagou Formation and provides additional information on the diversity of the order around the late Capitanian extinction. We compared the diversity of Caloneurodea with that of Megasecoptera, another order with a similar history between the Carboniferous and the Permian, and hypothesized that the decrease in the size of both groups could be an indicator of their declines, possibly related to floral changes, following a pattern similar to that of Permian tetrapods. The decline of Caloneurodea could also be related to the diversification of the Orthoptera during the middle–late Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lower Devonian Klerf Formation is an exceptional Konservat-Lagerstätte, exposed at multiple sites in the Waxweiler region in the Eifel area, western Germany. It has been studied for its various fossils, mainly arthropods, fishes, plants, molluscs, brachiopods and crinoids. At Waxweiler, the strata are palaeoecologically interpreted as a prograding deltaic depositional system elongate from NW to SE in the Ardenno-Rhenish area. The Klerf Formation has, however, not been studied in full in terms of its microflora and microfauna. Our study of the formation from two different quarries in the Waxweiler area yielded fairly diverse miospore assemblages dominated by abundant organic matter in varying degrees of coalification. The miospore assemblages are mainly composed of classic Lower Devonian taxa of the Old Red Continent (Laurussia). These belong, among others, to the genera Ambitisporites, Apiculiretusispora and Retusotriletes. Biostratigraphically more important species recovered include Acinosporites lindlarensis, Apiculiretusispora brandtii, Cymbosporites asymetricus, Diatomozonotriletes franklinii, Emphanisporites annulatus, Verruciretusispora dubia and Verrucosisporites polygonalis. In addition, Emphanisporites foveolatus, which is known only from a limited area in the Ardenno-Rhenish region, is also identified, indicating an earliest Pragian to middle Emsian age for the composite section. These assemblages are found to be accompanied by reworked phytoplankton to a much lesser extent. Our results reveal a much larger palaeobotanical diversity from the Rhineland outcrops than previously known, indicating a well-developed Psilophyton-type vegetation with related plants. The results further suggest a likely presence of plants such as Leclercqia and Pertica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ziyang Fauna is a significant early Ordovician Floian fossil Lagerstätte, recovered from blackish-grey mud limestone and calcareous mudstone of possible slope facies in the Yangtze platform in Ziyang County, Shaanxi Province, China, distinguished by predominate trilobites, accompanied with graptolites, brachiopods, arthropods and some trace fossils. It is marked by high abundance of exceptionally preserved Seleneceme (Trilobita). Two trilobite species named Caputrotundum bashanense and C. ziyangensis, are reassigned here to Seleneceme based on a detailed study of more than one hundred well-preserved specimens. The taxonomic generic and ontogeny characters of Seleneceme are as follows: cephalon semicircular in outline, with axial spine and genal spines; without eye lobes; glabella subcircular in outline, with deep longitudinal glabellar furrows; thorax and pygidium with much parallel segments. The morphological variation during ontogeny of Seleneceme is characterised by the gradual increase of the length/width ratio (L/W) of the body, but with a constant width/length ratio (W/L) of the cephalon, and also a faster growth rate in the pygidium than in the thorax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting case of close external similarity (homoeomorphy) is revealed by the study of an Early Jurassic rhynchonellide brachiopod from Livari, Rumija Mountain, southern Montenegro. Shell microstructure was used as the primary diagnostic tool, applied before serial sectioning to study internal characters. Sepkoskirhynchia sphaerica gen. et sp. nov. is erected based on the presence of coarse fibrous shell microstructure and hamiform crura. Because of these primary diagnostic characters, the new genus is placed in the rhynchonellide family Basiliolidae. The shell microstructure of the new taxon is characterised by a differentiated secondary layer of coarse fibrous type. The fibres are rhombic or subquadrate in cross-section, in the external sublayer they are 55–60 μm wide and 40–50 μm thick, internally other sublayers are thinner with fibres 35–40 μm wide and 20–25 μm thick. The main character that distinguishes the new genus is that the secondary layer is differentiated into several sublayers, while in externally homoeomorphic Soaresirhynchia it is built of a single layer. The new taxon was found in the brachiopod and crinoidal limestones from the periplatform facies of the Dinaric Carbonate Platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachiopods belonging to order Atrypida originated in the Middle Ordovician and went extinct in the Late Devonian. Few cladistic studies have been undertaken for this group. Here we investigate their early evolution through Silurian time. We present a parsimony-based phylogenetic analysis of 41 characters and 70 genera representing all the early taxonomic groups within the order. The stratigraphical record of the fossil genera analysed strongly aligns with the phylogeny recovered from our parsimony analysis. Most currently recognized subfamilies and families may be identified within clades, except for the Atrypinae, Idiospirinae, and the Septatrypidae. This warrants subdivision of the former and redefinition of the latter two. The subfamily Atrypinae is redefined, and a new subfamily of the Atrypidae, the Protatrypinae, is split off. Tracing character evolution across the tree indicates that the calcified spiralia and a jugum or jugal processes characterize all members of the Atrypida, except the most basal clade, the Cyclospiridae, which lacks a calcified jugum. Ribs are a homoplasious character, occurring in numerous clades throughout the tree. Darriwillian through Sandbian ages represent times with rapid evolution when most new autapomorphies seen in the atrypides evolved. This interval is the first major part of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). Solid teeth, dorsal direction of spiralia, elaborate ornamentation, and frills evolved in the latest Katian into early Silurian time. Solid teeth seen in distantly related clades from latest Katian onwards may be an analogous feature. The Late Ordovician Mass Extinction (LOME) is indicated in the stratigraphical tree together with a possible event at the end of the Aeronian. The tree supports the long-held assumptions that the Plectatrypinae evolved from the Spirigerininae. It further suggests that the genus Tuvaella may be included with the Davidsonioidea. Likewise, the redefined Atrypinae is a sister group of the Lissatrypidae and a derived group in the phylogenetic tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article describes the ammonite fauna from the genus Nejdia, pertaining to the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) deposits of the upper Marrat Formation, exposed in the southwest of Riyadh, capital city of Saudi Arabia, Nejd region. The fossiliferous zone is spread within an area of circa 40 km long, consisting of: light-brown limestone, including interbedded lime-mud at the lower part, yellow and red, clayish limestone at the middle part, cream, dense limestone at the upper part. The cliff forming Marrat Formation contains ammonites Nejdia and Parahildaites belonging to the upper member as well as Bouleiceras and Protogrammoceras in the lower member. At least four species of ammonites from Nejdia genus have been identified. They can be essentially distinguished through the differences in suture line shapes and the whorl section. The associated fauna contains mainly: brachiopods Calyptoria, echinoids Acrosalenia, bivalves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Devonian of the Djebel Aberraz (Reggane basin, Algerian Sahara) shows clays/limestone alternances subdivided in two lithological formations: 'Adrar Morrat Clays' and the 'Azzel Matti Limestones'. The alternances yielded a benthic fauna composed of brachiopods associated to bryozoans, trilobites, crinoids and rare nectonic cephalopods. The taxonomic ranges of the brachiopods shows 14 species grouped into 13 genera, briefly described with their stratigraphic ranges. Most of the species are well known in the palaeobiogeographical Gondwana's realm. The sedimentary environment showed small variations between the offshore and offshore-transition during the Eifelian, marked by the presence of the Glyptogypa multiplicata ecozone associated to Leptaena sp. cf. dicax, Schizophoria (Schizophoria) cf. schnuri bicissa, Aulacella prisca, Atrypa (Planatrypa) squamifera, Productella sp. cf navicella, Kransia (Fatimaerhynchia) goldfussii, Kransia (Fatimaerhynchia) signata, Athyris curvata and Cyrtina intermedia. The Givetian strata evolved in an offshore environment with the Lebanzuelle? issoumourensis issoumourensis ecozone associated with Pseudocamarophoria undulataeformis, Cyrtina intermedia, Beckmannia beckmanni and Dicamara prunulum. The transgressive Middle Devonian strata of Djebel Aberraz constitute deepening-up sequence where the brachiopod stocks followed the bathymetric stress by less diversity and moderate richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematic position of the Early Jurassic brachiopod genus Arzonellina (Sulser) based on new material from Montenegro assigned to Arzonellina stachei (Bittner) and the type species Arzonellina exotica (Sulser), known from southern Switzerland, are discussed. Based on the unusual internal characters, hitherto unknown in detail, the new family Arzonellinidae is erected within the order Terebratulida. An emended diagnosis for the genus Arzonellina is given. The external and internal characters of Arzonellina stachei (Bittner) are described; the specimens came from talus blocks of white recrystallised limestone (rudstones) from Smokovac, southern Montenegro. Arzonellina was originally described from Arzo in the Southern Swiss Alps; the Dinaric Carbonate Platform of Montenegro can now be added to its palaeobiogeographic distribution, with both occurrences located on the Apulian microplate. Associated fauna at both Arzo and Smokovac point to a Sinemurian age for Arzonellina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qijiagou section on the southern margin of the Junggar Basin preserves thick and extensive Carboniferous carbonate rocks, and is the type section of the Upper Carboniferous in the Junggar Basin. Here, we studied the lithological assemblages and brachiopod fossils of the Upper Carboniferous Qijiagou Formation on the southern margin of the Junggar Basin. Outcrop observations indicate laterally variable thicknesses of this unit, comprising thick-bedded, fossiliferous, channelised, sandy, and calcareous limestone. Petrographic observations revealed four microfacies, indicating deposition of the formation in diverse depositional environments, including lagoonal to delta-dominated middle shelf settings. In addition, we identified 15 species of brachiopod fossils in 11 genera which belong to Spiriferida Waagen, Productida Sarycheva et Sokolskaya, and Strophomenida Öpik. Thus, based on the characteristics of the lithological assemblage and brachiopod fossils, we infer that the Qijiagou area had a relatively warm environment in the middle and late Late Carboniferous. This included a turbulent and shallow water body with two regressions which occurred in a carbonate platform sedimentary environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproduced with permission Due to the hilly terrain of the Cincinnati area, extensive erosion, creeks, road cuts, dam spillways, plus substantial commercial and residential development, there are numerous exposures of the region's typically soft Ordovician shales and thin-bedded limestones. Subsequently, a cooperative effort involving Trammel, the city, the University of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Dry Dredgers fossil club led to the founding of Trammel Fossil Park in 2003. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs by Ron Fine The city of Cincinnati sits in the middle of a geologic uplift known as the Cincinnati Arch, which covers a vast area in southwestern Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeastern Indiana. A Rafinesquina brachiopod with three specimens of an edrioasteroid, which is the official fossil of Trammel Fossil Park and of the city of Cincinnati. [Extracted from the article]

An Early Ordovician fauna of linguliform brachiopods and euconodonts is described from the Alum Shale Formation in northernmost Västerbotten County, northern Sweden. The fauna was recovered from a single carbonate concretion collected at an exposure near the northern shore of Lake Storvindeln. Despite of the fragmentary and tectonized preservation of the obtained fossils, at least eight different taxa of linguliform brachiopods and four species of euconodonts could be identified. Among the brachiopods, the ephippelasmatid Pomeraniotreta biernatae Bednarczyk, 1986 is most common; it is associated among others with the acrotretids Eurytreta cf. sabrinae (Callaway, 1877) and Ottenbyella sp., and a spinose specimen potentially representing the zhanatellid Thysanotos. Two of the brachiopod taxa appear to present new species, Pomeraniotreta n. sp. and Mytoella? n. sp., but additional material would be needed for a formal description. Euconodont specimens are rare and comprise coniform elements of Drepanodus arcuatus Pander, 1856, Drepanoistodus aff. amoenus (Lindström, 1955) sensu Löfgren (1994), Paroistodus numarcuatus (Lindström, 1955) and Rossodus aff. manitouensis Repetski & Ethington, 1983. Evaluation of the stratigraphic distribution of the different taxa of brachiopods and euconodonts under consideration of the local geology, suggests that the investigated sample represents a level in the upper part of the Tremadocian (Tr2) part of the Alum Shale Formation. The fauna represents the northernmost occurrence of age diagnostic Early Ordovician (Tremadocian) fossils in Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several beds hosting corals are found within the marine members of the Agrio Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Neuquén Basin). In one of them, free-living, soft-bottom pedunculate colonies of Stylomaeandra sp. occur commonly; their palaeoecology and sclerobiont community were surveyed. The best-preserved coral specimens were statistically analysed; their upper and lower surfaces were mapped. Stylomaeandra sp. morphology suggests that it lacked automobility. Sclerobionts were dominated by thecideid brachiopods followed by oysters; other sclerobiont taxa comprise tubicolous polychaetes, cyclostome bryozoans, calcareous sponges and encrusting corals. Sclerobionts are more speciose and abundant in the coral's lower surfaces, the upper ones being scarcely colonized, indicating likely in vivo encrustation. Serpulid tubes were often embedded within the coral's skeleton, an example of in vivo interaction by bioimmuration. On most undersurfaces sclerobionts were clustered, half or more of such surfaces remaining unoccupied. This suggests part of the colony undersurface rested on the seafloor, agreeing with the small pedicle and lack of automobility of Stylomaeandra sp. In the coral meadows, Stylomaeandra sp. dwelled among larger massive and ramose corals and in their vicinity; but unlike the latter, that coped better with sedimentation, the umbrella-shaped Stylomaeandra sp. were eventually smothered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Devonian fishes from South America tend to be fragmentary and sparse, catching little attention for palaeontological sampling. However, some of these remains demonstrate a wide variety of fishes which help understanding environmental and palaeogeographic patterns across the Devonian. In the Parnaíba Basin, the occurrence of Devonian fishes was thought to be restricted to the Pimenteira Formation (Middle Devonian; Eifelian-Givetian). It is described here for the first time fish remains from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) Longá Formation. These fossils represent at least two chondrichthyan (including acanthodians) taxa based on fin spines and a jaw fragment, and osteichthyan taxa based on dermal plates. Although fragmentary, these represent the first Devonian osteichthyan occurrence for the Parnaíba Basin and add to the scares Late Devonian fish record from Brazil. Recent studies have questioned the previous interpretations regarding the relationship between Gondwana and Euramerica, instead supporting more endemic vertebrate communities. Our results reinforce the palaeontological potential of the Palaeozoic strata of the Parnaíba Basin and call for additional work on the region, which may shed light on the diversification of vertebrates across Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Jurassic rocks of the El Bayadh Area (Central Saharan Atlas, Algeria) are composed of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate rocks, which were roughly assigned to a Kimmeridgian-Hauterivian age in previous studies. Based on our studies, the succession can be subdivided into five new formations; from base to top: the Theniet Et-Temar, Ksel, Laguremi, Boualem, and the Sfissifa formations. Brachiopod faunas have been recorded from two levels. The lower one is located in the Theniet Et-Temar Formation, and the upper one in the Sfissifa Formation. Two brachiopod species Lacunosella (Lacunosella) arolica and Moeschia alata from the first level and Xestosina arguta from the second level have been recorded for the first time not only in Algeria but also in Africa. Based on the new findings, the age of the studied section can be restricted to the middle Oxfordian at the base and to the upper Kimmeridgian at the top. The stratigraphic successions between the two levels are nearly barren except for dinosaur footprints, which were tentatively assigned to a Lower Cretaceous age by previous workers. However, this succession can be attributed to an upper Oxfordian-lower Kimmeridgian age now based on its brachiopod faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachiopods exhibit a particular preference for cryptic habitats such as submarine caves. However, their assemblages have rarely been investigated quantitatively in this habitat. In this work, brachiopod assemblages were studied in detail for the first time in two Aegean submarine caves, Fara and Agios Vasilios, Lesvos Island, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Six species of Recent brachiopods, i.e. Novocrania turbinata (Poli, 1795), Tethyrhynchia mediterranea Logan, 1994, Megathiris detruncata (Gmelin, 1791), Argyrotheca cuneata (Risso, 1826), A. cistellula (Searles–Wood, 1841), and Joania cordata (Risso, 1826), have been identified. The cave-exclusive species Tethyrhynchia mediterranea is reported for the first time from the Aegean Sea and Greek waters, increasing the regional brachiopod fauna to 13 species, and for the second time in the Eastern Mediterranean. Five species were present in both caves while T. mediterranea was found only in the internal dark ceilings and walls of Fara cave. In both caves the dominant species was Argyrotheca cuneata. Abundance and diversity increased towards the internal dark ceilings of both caves, which harboured a well-differentiated brachiopod assemblage compared to that of the outer cave zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Upper Cretaceous Cyclothyris from Spain and the revision of asymmetrical rhynchonellides from numerous European collections have led to improve some systematical, biostratigraphical and palaeobiogeographical questions, allowing to update taxonomically this group. The species studied here are the following: Cyclothyris difformis (Valenciennes in Lamarck, 1819); Cyclothyris nekvasilovae sp. nov.; Cyclothyris? contorta? (d'Orbigny, 1847); Cyclothyris zahalkai Nekvasilová, 1973; Cyclothyris segurai Berrocal-Casero, 2020; Cyclothyris cardiatelia Berrocal-Casero, 2020; Cyclothyris claudicans (Coquand, 1879); Cyclothyris globata (Arnaud, 1877); and Cyclothyris? vesicularis (Coquand, 1860). Starting from the preliminary interpretation about the functional meaning of the asymmetry in C. cardiatelia, a hypothesis about the origin of the obligate asymmetry in Upper Cretaceous Cyclothyris has been proposed here, which implies a phylogenetic relationship between C. segurai, C. cardiatelia, C. globata and, possibly, C.? vesicularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Parnaíba Basin, Devonian marine invertebrate macrofossils occur mainly in the Pimenteira Formation (Picos and Passagem Members), and are scarcer in the Longá Formation, which has poor preservation of the samples and a limited amount of material available to be analysed. There has been, to date, no description or proper taxonomic classification of its body fossils, despite the limited diversity. Brachiopod taxonomy is reviewed and analysed herein for the first time. It was possible to describe a new species from the order Orthotetida, belonging to the genus Schellwienella, named Schellwienella justinianoi n. sp. We also confirmed the presence of the inarticulate brachiopods 'Lingula'? and Orbiculoidea?, which have been tentatively identified by some authors. We emphasise the importance of the conservation of this Brazilian Geoheritage both in situ and ex situ. Future field studies are needed to document the entire biota of the Longá Formation, to elucidate the palaeobiogeographic affinities of Devonian invertebrate fossils of Brazil, and related faunas in South America, and to test ideas of marine connections between these areas. These studies provide insights regarding the impacts caused by late Devonian (Kellwasser and Hangenberg) biocrisis on the Brazilian fauna, and its palaeoecological aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle Jurassic terebratulide brachiopods from the Jordan Valley are herein revised and new taxa are added to the previous faunal list. The Callovian rocks (Mughanniyya Formation) of the Tel el Dhahab section has allowed recognising two new terebratulide taxa: Kutchithyris simoni sp. nov. and Trigonithyris wilsoni sp. nov, which are formally described herein. Additionally, three terebratulide species: Bihenithyris barringtoni, Ptyctothyris daghaniensis, and Sphriganaria cardioides are reported for the first time from Jordan, all of them recorded together Bihenithyris weiri, a more widespread taxa in the Ethiopian Province. The Callovian Mughanniyya Formation of northwest Jordan is dominated by highly fossiliferous limestone beds intercalated with marlstones deposited on a low angle carbonate ramp in a shallow protected, inner shelf setting. Brachiopods of the Jordanian Mughanniyya Formation can be correlated with the Callovian brachiopod faunas of the Aroussiah Formation in Sinai and the Zohar and Matmor formations in southern Israel. The high degree of endemism of the terebratulide brachiopods under study here is yet another confirmation of the pronounced Middle Jurassic endemism along the southern Tethyan margin of the Ethiopian Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New fossil discoveries are reported from the Grammajukku Formation at Luobákte south of Lake Torneträsk in northern Swedish Lapland, including a fauna of Small Shelly Fossils (SSF) from a limestone bed in the uppermost part of the formation and new occurrences of brachiopods and trilobites in siltstones of the lower part of the formation. The moderately diverse SSF fauna is the first of its kind reported from the Swedish Caledonides and includes the first record of the tommotiid Lapworthella schodackensis and the bradoriid spine Mongolitubulus spinosus from Baltica, together with fragmentary specimens of Bradoria sp. and remains of one additional bradoriid arthropod, a protoconodont and a helcionelloid mollusc. In addition, the limestone bed yields abundant specimens of the brachiopods Botsfordia cf. caelata and Eoobolus cf. priscus and an unidentified ellipsocephalid trilobite. Lower down in the Grammajukku Formation, specimens of both brachiopod taxa, orthothecid hyoliths, the trilobite Ellipsocephalus cf. gripi and an unidentified holmiid trilobite were found at several levels in a siltstone, previously regarded as unfossiliferous. These discoveries markedly increase the known diversity of the palaeobiota from the Grammajukku Formation in northern Lapland and provide new insights into the biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironment of the lower Cambrian in Scandinavia and the palaeobiogeography of Cambrian faunas in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of fishes represented in upper Paleocene microfossil localities in the Ravenscrag Formation near Roche Percée, Saskatchewan, is documented. Thirteen kinds of fishes are recognized. Two chondrosteans are present, a sturgeon and a paddlefish, both represented by small, irregularly shaped, ornamented bony plates. Four kinds of basal neopterygians are identified. Two of these, Atractosteus and Cyclurus, are widely distributed in both Paleocene and Upper Cretaceous localities. The remaining two are unnamed taxa designated Holostean A and Holostean B that were known previously from Upper Cretaceous localities but have not been reported from the Paleocene prior to this report. The presence of these taxa in the late Paleocene further supports the conclusion that basal neopterygians were little affected by the K/Pg mass extinction event. Seven teleosts are present in the assemblage. This assemblage of teleosts is similar to assemblages of upper Paleocene fishes from the Paskapoo Formation of Alberta in the presence of osteoglossomorphs, a gonorhynchiform, the esocid Esox, a percopsiform, and at least one other acanthomorph. It differs in the presence of a generically indeterminate protacanthopterygian designated here as morphotype ES-1 and a teleost of uncertain relationships designated morphotype PT-1. Neither of these taxa is present in the Late Cretaceous, suggesting that they first appeared in the area during the early or middle Paleocene. Comparison of the fish assemblages of the late Paleocene and early Eocene suggests that a major faunal transition occurred at the Paleocene/Eocene boundary, and that this involved a decrease in diversity of basal neopterygians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many fossil brachiopod genera are used to comprehend previous geological settings. Such fossils often provide trustworthy information about ancient earth configurations, such as the supercontinent Gondwana. This study presents a new occurrence of a discinoid brachiopod, from the Iapó and Vila Maria Formations of the Paraná Basin. Fossiliferous strata overlie deposits of glacial and post-glacial times, here interpreted as Hirnantian in age. This is the first occurrence of Kosoidea for Paleozoic strata of Brazilian Sedimentary Basins. A new discinoid species Kosoidea australis sp. nov. is erected. Disarticulated valves are extremely abundant as juveniles in transgressive marine mudrocks. The new species is characterised by a convexo-plane shell and a marked posterior triangular pedicle opening. The microornamentation consists of pits arranged in radial rays, mostly visible on the dorsal valve surface. Adults are rare, and a size-sorting process probably sieved and fragmented the valves during transportation and fossilisation. Medium to large discinoids – such as the one here described – are commonly associated with chilly waters. The presence of this genus both in Soom Shale (Cape Basin, South Africa) and in Paraná Basin, associated to sedimentological data points to a possible connection between the two in marginal basins of Gondwana, during the Early Paleozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Jurassic terebratulide brachiopods from the Jordan Valley, northwestern Jordan, are herein revised and systematically described and new taxa are added to the faunal list. A new genus and species Jordanithyris ardainensis gen. et sp. nov., is introduced from the upper Bathonian (Hamam Formation) and lower Callovian (Mughanniyya Formation) of the Arda section. In the upper Bathonian Hamam Formation (consisting of limestone, dolomite, alternating sandstone, and marlstone beds), Ptyctothyris quillyensis occurs. The assemblage Arabatia bihinensis, Ectyphoria sinaiensis, Ptyctothyris quillyensis, Dorsoplicathyris dorsoplicata, and Tubithyris jurayfahiensis is recorded in the lower Callovian limestone beds with marlstone interbeds of the Mughanniyya Formation. Brachiopods of the Jordanian Hamam and Mughanniyya formations can be correlated with the fauna of the Aroussiah Formation in Sinai and the Zohar and Matmor formations in southern Israel. The sedimentary environment is interpreted as the protected shallow inner shelf, and nutrient rich habitat resulting in high faunal diversity. The high degree of endemism of this fauna is yet another confirmation of the representative pronounced Middle Jurassic endemism along the southern Tethyan margin of the Ethiopian Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Silurian (Aeronian) post-extinction recovery brachiopod fauna of Iran and Afghanistan is characterized by a proliferation of the Stegocornu Brachiopod Association, which includes prominent endemic rhynchonellide and spiriferide components. A local variety of that association, recently recovered from the Shabdjereh Formation of Kerman Province, East-Central Iran, contains eight brachiopod species, including the rhynchonellide Kermanirhyncha granulata gen. et sp. nov., and the spiriferides Levanispirifer alatus gen. et sp. nov. and Mictospirifer obtusus sp. nov. A new phylogenetic analysis of the earliest Late Ordovician to Aeronian spiriferides, within the general context of the Ordovician radiation of rhynchonelliform brachiopods with calcified brachial supports, reveals the following two major centres of biodiversification and dispersal: (1) the Laurentian palaeocontinent, which is the likely place of origin and initial diversification of the atrypide suborders Lissatrypidina and Anazygidina; and (2) the assemblage of Kazakh island arcs and microplates (known also as Kazakh Archipelago), which was the centre of origin and initial dispersal of the atrypid suborder Atrypidina and the order Spiriferida. South China represents a major refuge, where spiriferides survived the terminal Ordovician extinction and from where they dispersed towards adjacent parts of Gondwana including the Iranian terranes. The latter areas were an important secondary centre of spiriferide biodiversification during the Aeronian Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several hundred fragments of limestone and cherts with debris of various macrofauna have been found in the glacial sediments among crystalline Precambrian erratics along the left bank of the Kremenchuk reservoir. The collection includes a variety of corals, chaetetids, brachiopods, orthoceratids, crinoids and other forms. In many cases, it was possible to identify species of the corals, chaetetids and brachiopods. The identified species showed its Carboniferous age. The stratigraphic distribution is limited to a rather narrow range spanning the time interval from the Upper Viséan to Serpukhovian. An overview of the outcrops where these rocks are now exposed indicates that the most likely source of the Carboniferous erratic pebbles and boulders is in the southern and western flanks of the Moscow Syneclise where fossil-rich Carboniferous rocks are exposed at the upper reaches of the Volga and Oka rivers. The configuration of the southern boundary of the Dnipro glacier indicates changes in its path from S to SW. This could have happened due to impingement of the glacier against the Central Russian Upland. The finding of a significant amount of Carboniferous erratics in glacial sediments of the southeastern part of the Dnipro lobe near the town of Hradyzk supports this conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micromorphic acrotretide brachiopods first appeared during Cambrian Epoch 2 and subsequently experienced a rapid diversification. However, our knowledge of acrotretide origins and early evolution is hampered by our poor understanding of their earliest representatives. Here, we describe one of the oldest known acrotretides from the Cambrian Series 2 Shuijingtuo Formation of southern Shaanxi and western Hubei, South China. The new genus Palaeotreta gen. nov. can be distinguished from all other genera, mainly by its unusual ontogeny and morphology; in Palaeotreta the pedicle foramen is located mostly outside of the metamorphic shell, the ventral intertrough is very short and the inclination of the ventral pseudointerarea changes from catacline to apsacline. Two ontogenetic stages (T1–T2) of post-metamorphic shell growth can be distinguished in the low cap-like Palaeotreta shannanensis gen. et sp. nov.; this type of development with a relatively long pedicle foramen forming stage (T1), a simple pedicle opening, weakly developed ventral apical process and dorsal median septum, can be considered to represent a plesiomorphy for the acrotretides. By contrast, the more derived Palaeotreta zhujiahensis (Li & Holmer, 2004) is characterized by paedomorphosis, expressed in an early enclosure of pedicle foramen and greatly decreased growth of the ventral intertrough during the intertrough-increasing stage (T3), producing a cap-like shape and retaining catacline inclination of the ventral pseudointerarea. Thus, heterochrony may have played an important role in the morphological divergence of acrotretides during the Cambrian evolutionary radiation, and promoted the subsequent radiation of acrotretides. The ontogenetic study of Palaeotreta gen. nov. also supports the notion that the ventral intertrough of acrotretide brachiopods may have formed by the 'rolling up' of the lingulide propareas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shell beds are sedimentary features that can potentially provide important palaeoenvironmental information. Stratigraphic, taphonomic, and paleontologic features frequency along with their occurrence in the shell beds in carbonate rocks of Khan Formation in Central Iran vary across lithofacies. In Khan Formation, four taphonomic and sedimentologic types of shell beds have been distinguished, which are fair weather wave concentrations (bryozoan dominated shells), storm wave concentrations (articulated brachiopod dominated shells), primary biogenic concentrations (fusulinid dominated shells), and proximal temoestite (including echinoderm dominated, gastropod dominated, bivalve dominated and disarticulated brachiopod dominated shells). Bryozoan shells were formed under strong hydrodynamic energy above fair weather base. The large articulated brachiopod shells are developed below the fair-weather wave-base ; Fusulinid shells formed in lagoon environment of homoclinal carbonate ramp which approve in situ concentration with no transportation. In echinoderm, gastropod and disarticulated bivalve and brachiopod shell beds, the occurrence of disarticulated and convex-up shells in packstone, sharp and erosional base, normal grading, parallel and hummocky lamination in the uppermost part, all indicate proximal tempestites in medium hydrodynamic force between the storm wave-base and fair-weather wave-base. These four types of shell concentrations are found in distinct positions within the depositional sequence of Khan Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PHOTO (COLOR) B That really friendly fluorite guy b in his signature striped jersey, who exhibits at the Tucson and Cincinnati shows and faithfully attends the Dallas Mineral Symposium, is Jim Gebel (pronounced "gable"). Consequently, in 2007 he decided to specialize and initially chose three foci: fluorite, quartz, and southern Illinois fluorspar district minerals. Gebel is now a master mineral collector and a true fluorite enthusiast who has built a collection that would be the pride of any museum. Zoned blue fluorite cube on fluorite (7.8 cm high), Minerva No. 1 mine, Cave-in-Rock, Hardin County, Illinois. [Extracted from the article]

Five species of Recent brachiopods (Terebratulida), i.e. Xenobrochus parvus (Cooper, 1977), Chlidonophora incerta (Davidson, 1878), Eucalathis ergastica Fischer & Œhlert, 1890, Nanacalathis atlantica Zezina 1991, and Leptothyrella incerta (Davidson, 1880) have been identified in the material collected during the 39th cruise of the RV Professor Logachev in the Russian Exploration Area in the central part of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge in February–March 2018. Only Chlidonophora incerta is numerous, the remaining species are very rare. This is the first confirmed occurrence of the genus Xenobrochus from the Atlantic Ocean. The distribution of the studied fauna and its comparison with adjacent regions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus and species, Micromartinia kwangsiella gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on material from the Talung Formation (upper Changhsingian), Guangxi, South China. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, the new genus is placed in a new family, Micromartiniidae He & Weldon. The genus and family are monotypic. Minutomarginifera nomen novum is proposed to replace Eileenella Racheboeuf in Wongwanich et al., 2004. Eileenella is a homonym that was first used for an insect genus. A review of the brachiopod fauna of the Talung Formation at Dongpan demonstrates that the species are highly endemic and the fauna has a strongly generic affinity with cool-water faunas outside of South China Basin. The associated fauna and facies also indicate that the Dongpan Section was deposited in a cool-water bathyal setting in the southern part (Youjiang Sub-basin) of the South China Basin. The section was linked to the open ocean in the Late Permian. Compared with the coeval faunas of Duanshan and Shaiwa in the Youjiang Sub-basin, the Dongpan brachiopod fauna was not so strongly influenced by the faunas from the adjacent carbonate platforms, because of the deeper, cool water setting which is hostile to the typical warm-water brachiopods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of Cambrian brachiopods and their phylogenetic relationship with other lophotrochozoans is far from clear. Lingulellotretidae, the oldest family of lingulate brachiopods, is typified by possessing a pouch-like coelomic extension beyond the hinge line, subtended in a triangular pseudointerarea. The early Cambrian (Stage 4) linguloid brachiopod – originally described as 'Lingulepis' malongensis Rong, and later referred to Lingulellotreta within the Family Lingulellotretidae – is here redescribed and assigned to Eoobolus within the Family Eoobolidae, based on new exceptionally preserved topotype material from the type locality, part of the Guanshan Lagerstätte (Wulongqing Formation), Kunming–Malong area, eastern Yunnan, South China. For the first time, we provide a record of the soft anatomy, including a pedicle for the cosmopolitan genus Eoobolus. Due to loss of the type specimen, a neotype of E. malongensis is selected. Differing from the Guanshan E. malongensis, the Chengjiang species is slightly bigger in shell size, and possesses an elongated ventral pseudointerarea. In addition, new flattened specimens of 'Lingulellotreta malongensis' from the Chengjiang (Stage 3) biota, preserved in lateral and dorsoventral views, demonstrate an interior lophophore organization and a well-developed pedicle foramen, typical of the genus Lingulellotreta. When compared to the type species – Lingulellotreta ergalievi Koneva – from the Shabakty Group (Cambrian Stage 4), Malyi Karatau Range, Kazakhstan, the Chengjiang species possessed a more elongated ventral pseudointerarea, accommodating an extended body cavity, deepening posteriorly, with a recurved digestive tract. Accordingly, the Chengjiang specimens are thus referred to a new species, Lingulellotreta yuanshanensis sp. nov. The elongated, tubular extended body cavity of Lingulellotreta, which is not present in the slightly younger Guanshan Eoobolus, has recently gained further phylogenetic significance, as support continues to emerge for the view that a 'tubular' body plan may be primitive within the lophotrochozoans, notably brachiopods. : [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like most of the benthos, brachiopods suffered huge losses in biodiversity during the end-Permian extinction and did not fully recover until the Anisian (Middle Triassic). Anisian brachiopod faunas are thus a key clade characterizing the recovered marine ecosystems in the early Mesozoic. Of these, the brachiopod fauna from Qingyan Town in Guizhou Province, south-western China has long been one of the best-known Anisian faunas in the world. The taxonomy of the Qingyan fauna, however, was last studied half a century ago, and thus requires revision. Here we describe 34 species (and subspecies) (including seven undetermined species) assigned to 29 brachiopod genera from the Qingyan Formation from the Leidapo and Wachangpo localities in the Qingyan section. Of these, 11 species are described for the first time from this area. Two new genera: Parabrekia and Caucasorhynchella (= Crurirhynchella Xu & Liu, 1983, a nomen nudum) and seven new species (Angustothyris dagysi, Angustothyris qingyanensis, Koeveskallina bifurcata, Neocyrtina xui, Nudirostralina minuta, Parabrekia yangi and Rutorhynchia? trigonalis) are also erected. The Qingyan brachiopod fauna is characterized by abundant endemic genera (33.3%) and exhibits a weak similarity with several coeval faunas reported from the western Tethys. In addition, faunal affinity analyses of 13 Anisian brachiopod faunas indicate that at least five biogeographical provinces (western Tethys, eastern Tethys, northern Siberia, Himalayas and New Zealand) were present during the Anisian, and the eastern Tethys province included three subprovinces: Yangtze, southern Qilian–western Qinling and central Qinghai. However, most faunas mutually share rather low Jaccard similarity coefficients (<0.4), except for those in the western Tethys, implying a continuity of the multi-provincial pattern established for Early Triassic brachiopod distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the results of the research gas discharge lamp constructive elements those made from niobium and zirconium alloy, sealing by means of melting titanium with its alloy with nickel are presented. It is performed construction peculiarities analysis of gas discharge lamp with sapphire shell. The requirements to sealing materials are formed. It is studied physical and chemical processes occurring in materials during lamp sealing and lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachiopods are a clade of marine organisms with a tremendously diverse and abundant fossil record but with fewer than 500 species extant today. Even if a better understanding of their biology and genetics could help to test hypotheses about their impressive decline, knowledge of genetics and evolutionary genomics in extant brachiopods is very poor. Here, we present the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the inarticulate Glottidia pyramidata, an eastern North American extant representative of the phylum Brachiopoda. Besides the general characteristics of the sequenced mitogenome, we present its unusual features such as deviant ATP8 protein sequence and supernumerary ORFs, and also unique gene order, considering the available genome sequences of other brachiopod species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports diverse spiriferellid brachiopods from the Permian rocks of Svalbard and adjacent areas (Arctic Canada and Subpolar Urals of Russia) located at the northern margin of Pangaea. In total, 11 brachiopod species in four genera are recognized and described in detail, including two new species (Spiriferella protodraschei and Arcullina? enokiani). According to our taxonomic investigation, morphological characteristics of the ventral sulcus and dorsal fold are relatively stable within each species, in spite of considerable intraspecific variations in shell outline and macro-ornamentation. In addition, both the arrangement of pustules, as a shell surface micro-ornamentation, and the development of delthyrial coverings are shown to be significant features for inferring phylogenetic relationships and for defining species. The best-known but still questionable taxon, Spiriferella keilhavii, is here identified as an endemic species restricted to Bjørnøya and, possibly, to central East Greenland; it is phylogenetically closest to S. loveni. Following the taxonomic revision, the stratigraphical ranges of the spiriferellids within the Kapp Starostin Formation in Spitsbergen are fully refined: three species, S. protodraschei, A. polaris and Timaniella wilczeki, are confined to the lowermost Vøringen Member (late Artinskian–early Kungurian), whereas S. loveni dominates the overlying members with a much longer stratigraphical range (late Kungurian–Lopingian?). This abrupt compositional change, along with comparable changes in other taxonomic groups, can be explained by a palaeoclimatic shift from cool to cold conditions between the Vøringen Member and the overlying Svenskeegga member. A similar biotic transition is identified between the Hambergfjellet and Miseryfjellet formations in Bjørnøya. On the other hand, S. loveni is abundant in the Late Permian strata of central East Greenland, but there it appears to be more costate in plication compared to its counterpart from Spitsbergen. It is suggested that this alteration in shell ornamentation may represent a possible response (adaptation) to warming arising from the southward migration of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predation on ancient shelled prey is an often-studied topic in paleoecology, but the early Paleozoic and the brachiopods that dominated the seafloor at that time are relatively underrepresented in the predation literature. We assessed predatory repair scar frequencies among the brachiopod genera from the Early Richmondian (Late Ordovician) Oregonia Member (Arnheim Formation) near Flemingsburg, Kentucky. We found higher repair frequencies on the concavo-convex Rafinesquina and Leptaena relative to the bi-convex genera. There were no trends in repair frequency through the stratigraphic section and no relationships between repair frequency and community diversity metrics. It is possible that concavo-convex brachiopods' flat shape, thin shell profile, and free-lying (no pedicle attachment) lifestyle made them more likely or appealing targets of Ordovician crushing predators. It is also possible that concavo-convex brachiopods were better suited to survive crushing attacks than biconvex taxa. We also found differences in shell ornament that may influence the visibility of repair scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series two marks a revolution in Cambrian predation when new predators and new predation methods appeared, which led to general increase in predation intensities and in the diversity of prey groups. The number of bored taxa and taxa with the predation scars is similar in the Cambrian. Most of the borings are associated with brachiopods and most of the scars with trilobites. Brachiopods, arthropods, molluscs, cnidarians and echinoderms were the most common prey in the Cambrian. The Cambrian record of predation is dominated by damage inflicted on brachiopods and trilobites. The fossils with predation signs are known from a majority of paleocontinents and all the Cambrian series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]