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The type material of 45 Pridolian-Devonian brachiopod species, described in southern Belgium and northern France (1870-1945) and curated at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels), is re-investigated and illustrated in order to facilitate future taxonomic revision; such a catalogue should allow a better assessment of the brachiopod diversity during the considered time span. Furthermore, 28 other Silurian-Devonian species originally described in Belgium (1850-1950), but housed in other Belgian or foreign institutions, are also discussed. For taxonomical purposes, the lectotypes of several species are selected; the latter were described by Asselberghs (Stropheodonta couviniensis, Plethorhyncha percostata var. gdoumontensis, Athyris dorlodoti, Retzia gdoumontensis, Dielasma maillieuxi), Béclard (Orthis dorsoplicata, Orthis musischura, Rhynchonella parvula (non R. parvula Eudes-Deslongchamps)), de Ryckholt (Lingula amayana), Dewalque (Crania corneti), and Maillieux (Discina (Discina) forrierensis, Pholidostrophia extensa, Anoplia theorassensis, Schuchertella durbutensis, Streptorhynchus rahiri, Pentamerus loei). Re-investigation of the ambocoeliid Spirifer pentameroides Stainier highlighted the homonymy between Diazoma Dürkoop, 1970 (Brachiopoda) and Diazoma Lamarck, 1816 (Tunicata); the former genus must be rejected and replaced by a valid synonym, namely Kelusia Mamedov, 1978. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the late Frasnian extinctions, the rugose corals slowly recovered during the Lower and Middle Famennian (crepida to marginifera conodont zones) in southern Belgium and northern France (Avesnois) (Namur-Dinant Basin). Six genera represented by seven species are recognized and described here; one species (Breviphrentis superstes) is new. The rugose coral fauna described herein includes small solitary forms belonging to the so-called Cyathaxonia fauna and is similar or very close to those previously described within the same stratigraphic interval in Australia, China and Germany. It also contains a large species belonging to the genus Breviphrentis which was considered as extinct since the end of the Givetian (Middle Devonian) ("Lazarus taxon"). The tabulate corals from the Lower and Middle Famennian of this area, mainly represented by auloporids, are also briefly discussed. Rugosa only constituted a minor part of the fauna after the end-Frasnian crisis in the Namur-Dinant Basin contrary to the brachiopods, which were abundant and relatively diversified, and no rugose corals have been recovered from the early Lower Famennian (triangularis Zone). The first important Famennian coral radiation only took place during the Latest Famennian (Strunian). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Records of chondrichthyan egg capsule morphotypes from the paralic deposits of the Belgian Coal Measures Group (Pennsylvanian; Bashkirian-Moscovian; Namurian B-Westphalian B according to the traditional subdivision) are presented and discussed. These include several species of the hybodontiform type Palaeoxyris as well as the putative holocephalian types Vetacapsula and Crookallia. Furthermore, the type specimens of Scapellites cottoni and S. minor, two additional putative and enigmatic egg capsules from the same lithostratigraphic unit, are figured and discussed. Altogether, a highly diverse egg capsule assemblage documented from the Belgian deposits implies the presence of at least eleven different Carboniferous chondrichthyan species using the ancient aquatic environments for spawning and as nurseries. The absence of the xenacanthiform morphotype Fayolia, known from surrounding coeval Coal Measures areas of northern France, the Netherlands, and Germany, is conspicuous. This lack may be a result of collecting bias and does not reflect a real pattern., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

For the first time large numbers of thecideide brachiopods have been collected from the Mozambique Channel, more particularly from the western part of the Comorian Island of Mayotte (France). The moderately diverse brachiopod fauna is from a submarine cave situated on the second barrier reef encircling this island, with three different genera being found: Thecidellina, Ospreyella and Minutella. The last genus is represented by M. cf. minuta (Cooper, 1981), which was first discovered around Madagascar. Ospreyella is represented by a new species (O. mayottensis sp. nov.) as is Thecidellina, which is represented by T. leipnitzae sp. nov. This species is markedly distinct from T. europa Logan et al., 2015 from Europa Island in the southern Mozambique Channel (1,200 km south of Mayotte), providing an example of allopatric speciation in an isolated cryptic habitat.