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The vomerine toothplate of a chimaerid holocephalan (Chondrichthyes) is described from the Emael Chalk (Maastricht Formation, Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous) of Eben-Emael, Belgium. A survey and discussion of the vomerine toothplates of Mesozoic chimaeroids confirms the suggestion that the presence of transverse ridges on the post-oral surface of the toothplate is characteristic of chimaerids.

• Read more about A chimaerid (Holocephali, Chimaeriformes) vomerine toothplate from the Upper Cretaceous of Belgium

During the last two decades, a diverse assemblage of multicellular algae, spherical microfossils, bacteria and cyanobacteria (the Weng'an Biota) has been reported from the Terminal Proterozoic Doushantuo phosphorite in south China, which provides an important window for evolutionary studies of multicellular life just before the Ediacaran animal radiation. In this paper we report on three-dimensionally preserved acritarchs from the Doushantuo phosphorites at Weng'an in Guizhou Province and, for the first time, from Baokang in Hubei Province.

• Read more about Three-dimensional phosphatic preservation of giant acritarchs from the Terminal Proterozoic Doushantuo Formation in Guizhou and Hubei provinces, south China

A new partial skull of the Middle Triassic ichthyosaur Contectopalatus atavus allows many new osteological observations and makes the referral of several additional specimens, including lower jaw material, possible. This aids very much in the understanding of the anatomy of this highly derived mixosaurid species. The lectotype of Ichthyosaurus atavus is shown to be diagnostic and the recent proposal of a neotype is unnecessary. Contectopalatus shows thecodont dentition in all parts of the jaws. The teeth are labyrinthodont at their bases.

• Read more about The cranial osteology of the Middle Triassic ichthyosaur Contectopalatus from Germany

Parachaetetes asvapatii is a very common algal species in the Palaeogene deposits of the Tethyan realm and has been considered as a member of the heterogeneous family Solenoporaceae. This attribution is exclusively based on features of the vegetative tissue, since no reproductive structures have ever been recovered. However, detailed analysis of Late Cretaceous-Eocene material from Turkey has revealed nemathecia-like structures in one specimen attributable to P. asvapatii.

• Read more about Presence of nemathecia in Parachaetetes asvapatii Pia, 1936 (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales?): reproduction in 'solenoporaceans' revisited

The wood flora from Williams Point, Livingston Island, contains 12 wood types of gymnosperm and angiosperm origin. Recent collections of material have increased the biodiversity of a postulated species-rich vegetation. The gymnosperm wood can be readily assigned to four form-genera: Araucarioxylon Kraus, Araucariopitys Jeffrey, Podocarpoxylon Gothan and Sahnioxylon Bose and Sah. This indicates a diversity of coniferous araucarian and podocarp trees alongside woods of uncertain affinity (Sahnioxylon; Bennettitales).

• Read more about Fossil woods from Williams Point Beds, Livingston Island, Antarctica: a Late Cretaceous southern high latitude flora

The crinoids and blastoids from the Pilton (Beds) Formation of the type Devonian of north Devonshire are revised. These fossils were monographed by the Rev. G. F. Whidborne in 1898, but have not been studied since that time. Recent studies on various groups of fossils from the Pilton and related rocks in North Devon confirm that the great majority of these fossils are Famennian, although three specimens from Fremington are probably Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian).

• Read more about Revision of Late Devonian (Famennian) and some Early Carboniferous (Tournaisian) crinoids and blastoids from the type Devonian area of north Devon

Colubrifer campi Carroll, 1982 is a small reptile represented by a single skeleton from the Lower Triassic of South Africa. Carroll attributed the genus to the Squamata, proposing that it was a derived lizard with reduced limbs. Re-examination of the specimen permits a rather different interpretation of the skull. The holotype of Colubrifer is the skeleton of a small primitive procolophonian, almost certainly referable to the established South African genus Owenetta.

• Read more about The Early Triassic 'lizard' Colubrifer campi: a reassessment

The first Mesozoic japygid (Hexapoda: Diplura), Ferrojapyx vivax gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Crato Formation of north-east Brazil. There are only two previously described occurrences of japygids in the fossil record: in Miocene or Pliocene onyx marble from Arizona and from the Carboniferous (Westphalian D) Francis Creek Shale of Mazon Creek, Illinois.

• Read more about A new japygid dipluran from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil

Aysenspriggia apelegensis is a new genus and species of a chondrophorine (jellyfish-like hydrozoan) from the Lower Cretaceous Apeleg Formation of southern Chile. Despite their modern abundance chondrophorines are rare in the fossil record. The Apeleg Formation was deposited in a deep-water environment characterised by strong tidal currents. The fossils resulted from water-logged pelagic floats settling to the sea bed during periods of tidal slack water. Burial of the rigid three-dimensional chitinoid float resulted in preservation as imprints on the base of the overlying sandstone.

• Read more about A chondrophorine (medusoid hydrozoan) from the Lower Cretaceous of Chile

Trachelas poinari sp. nov. (Corinnidae), Miagrammopes sp. indet. (Uloboridae) and the first indisputable fossil Lycosidae (gen. et sp. indet.) are newly identified and described in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic. The following are junior synonyms: Nops segmentatus Wunderlich, 1988 of N. lobatus Wunderlich, 1988 (Caponiidae); Azilia muellenmeisteri Wunderlich, 1988 of A. hispaniolensis Wunderlich, 1988 (Tetragnathidae); and Lyssomanes galianoae Reiskind, 1989 of L. pristinus Wunderlich, 1986 (Salticidae). The specimens described as Nops sp.

• Read more about Advances in the taxonomy of spiders in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Arthropoda: Araneae)