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Examination of normal pore canals, especially sieve-type pore canals, in living and fossil representatives of ten genera of the family Limnocytheridae, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, has revealed important diversity of structure. These complex pore canals have been studied via high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (the Cartographic Method) and analysed via the application of newly devised indices to assess patterns of consistency and variation in both detailed structure of individual pores and of their distribution on the calcified valve. The timiriaseviine taxa are compared with species of the genera Limnocythere, sub-family Limnocytherinae and Cyprideis (family Cytherideidae). The relationship between the living animal and its aquatic environment is discussed in the light of previous studies and of new evidence herein. The importance of normal pore canals for systematics is highlighted by the recognition and definition of the new tribe Gomphodellini Danielopol, Cabral & Lord nov. tribe, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, family Limnocytheridae.

This paper reports the deposition of a collection of type and figured material in the Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt-am-Main. It has proved necessary to make certain taxonomic revisions that have come to light in recent years concerning the paper by Damotte, Cabral & Berthou (1990) on the Aptian of Portugal. Original names are cited below.

Boreholes made to investigate the Neolithic occupation of the Rio Sizandro, western Portugal, were analysed for ostracods and associated micro-biota. Two boreholes in the middle reaches of the valley, near the village of Benfica, provide evidence of brackish estuarine conditions during the interval 6,500–6,200 cal BP of the late Neolithic followed by a decline in palaeosalinity towards freshwater conditions. Following the high-stand of eustatic sea level at about 6,500 cal BP, and possible formation of a coastal sand barrier, the influence of the rivers in the hinterland became predominant with dramatically increased erosion and sediment supply to the river valley, with consequent westward movement of marine conditions to the modern coastline.

New information about modern high-latitude marine ostracod faunas and about their occurrence in late Pliocene and Quaternary sequences promotes the application of these microfossils to palaeoenvironmental, palaeo-biogeographical and palaeoclimatological problems. Five poorly known species (Cluthia cluthae, Finmarchinella logani, Roundstonia globulifera, Roundstonia macchesneyi and Semicytherura complanata) from North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic areas are confirmed as extant and are used to demonstrate the potential of marine ostracods as tools for palaeoclimate studies. The genus Bonnyannella Athersuch, 1982 is shown to be a junior synonym of Roundstonia Neale, 1973.

The 1st International Symposium on Ostracoda (ISO) was held in Naples (1963). The philosophy behind this symposium and the logical outcome of what is now known as the International Research Group on Ostracoda (IRGO) are here reviewed, namely ostracodology over the last 50 years is sociologically analysed. Three different and important historic moments for the scientific achievements of this domain are recognised. The first one, between about 1963 and 1983, is related to applied research for the oil industry as well as to the great interest in the better description of the marine environment by both zoologists and palaeontologists. Another important aspect during this period was the work by researchers dealing with Palaeozoic ostracods, who had their own discussion group, IRGPO. Gradually, the merger of this latter group with those dealing with post-Palaeozoic ostracods at various meetings improved the communication between the two groups of specialists. A second period was approximately delineated between 1983 and 2003. During this time-slice, more emphasis was addressed to environmental research with topics such as the study of global events and long-term climate change. Ostracodologists profited also from the research “politics” within national and international programmes. Large international research teams emerged using new research methods. During the third period (2003–2013), communication and collaborative research reached a global dimension. Amongst the topics of research we cite the reconstruction of palaeoclimate using transfer functions, the building of large datasets of ostracod distributions for regional and intercontinental studies, and the implementation of actions that should lead to taxonomic harmonisation. Projects within which molecular biological techniques are routinely used, combined with sophisticated morphological information, expanded now in their importance. The documentation of the ostracod description improved through new techniques to visualise morphological details, which stimulated also communication between ostracodologists. Efforts of making available ostracod information through newsletters and electronic media are evoked.

Benthic foraminifera are described for the first time from the Gibraltar Limestone Formation of the Rock of Gibraltar. The new species Siphovalvulina colomiS. gibraltarensisRiyadhella praeregularis occur with Duotaxis metula Kristan, Everticyclammina praevirguliana Fugagnoli, Siphovalvulina sp.,an atypically early example of Textulariopsis sp., and Nodosaria sp. Microflora are present as the probable cyanobacterium Cayeuxia ?piae Frollo, the alga Palaeodasycladus ?mediterraneus (Pia), and the disputed alga Thaumatoporella ?parvovesiculifera (Raineri). The foraminifera compare most closely with poorly-known taxa from Italy, Spain and Morocco, and are consistent with an Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) age for the upper part of the &62;460-m-thick Gibraltar Limestone. Most are textulariids and more primitive than species well known from the later Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) of the Mediterranean region, especially Morocco and Italy. The biota as a whole is characteristic of inner carbonate platform environments widespread along the rifted western margins of the Early Jurassic Tethys, notably those recorded from Morocco, Italy and Greece as well as southern Spain.

Ostracod faunas at six locations are compared, and related to distributions in an Atlantic Ocean-wide data base. Five, widely developed, vertical faunal sequences are recognised at particular levels within deep water-masses: Henryhowella Fauna (lower part of Antarctic Intermediate Water); Krithe Fauna (Upper North Atlantic Deep Water); Poseidonamicus-Bosquetina Fauna (upper part of Lower NADW); Dutoitella Fauna (lower part of Lower NADW); Legitimocythere Fauna (Antarctic Bottom Water). These faunas are correlated with previously established deep water benthic foraminiferal assemblages, and their possible palaeo-oceanographic use is discussed.