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Cambroclaves are a major group of sclerite-bearing metazoans, known from the Lower Cambrian of China (south China, Xinjiang), USSR (Kazakhstan) and Australia. Zhijinites longistriatus Qian is redescribed on the basis of abundant material from the Hongchunping Formation at Maidiping, Sichuan. Sclerites show extensive morphological variability and have a taphonomic history of endolithic infestation and diagenetic phosphatization, the latter leading to replication of wall ultrastructure. Deiradodavus trigonus gen. et sp. nov. and Deltaclavus graneus gen. et sp. nov.

• Read more about Cambroclaves and paracarinachitids, early skeletal problematica from the Lower Cambrian of south China

A graptolite fauna of Early Hunneberg age is described from southern Scandinavia (Scania, Vastergotland, Oslo region). Correlation and boundaries within the interval are discussed and it is suggested that the Hunneberg Stage be elevated to series rank, interposed between the Tremadoc and the Arenig. One new dichograptid genus, Hunnegraptus, and three Scandinavian representatives of it, H. copiosus, H. tjernviki, and H. robustus, are erected. The genus is multiramous, with long first-order stipes, and shows presumed rejuvenation of gerontic specimens.

• Read more about Ordovician graptolites from the Early Hunneberg of southern Scandinavia

The oldest known spider, from the Devonian (Givetian) of Gilboa, New York, is Attercopus fimbriunguis (Shear, Selden and Rolfe), parts of which were originally described as a trigonotarbid, possibly of the genus Gelasinotarbus. Previous reports of Devonian spider fossils, from the Lower Emsian of Alken-an-der-Mosel, Germany, and the Pragian of Rhynie, Scotland, are shown to be erroneous identifications. Attercopus is placed as sister-taxon to all living spiders, on the basis of characters of the spinneret and the arrangement of the patella-tibia joint of the walking legs.

• Read more about A spider and other arachnids from the Devonian of New York, and reinterpretations of Devonian Araneae

The Lower Cretaceous vertebrate-bearing coaly marls and limestones of Una (Province of Cuenca, Spain) have yielded fragmentary reptilian egg shells. The shell is of gekkonid microstructure type, and thus they can be confidently assigned to the lizards. These fragments represent the oldest known gekko-like egg shells.

• Read more about Lizard egg shells from the Lower Cretaceous of Cuenca Province, Spain

Hand specimens and polished sections of the cuticle of the trilobite Ellipsocephalus polytomus Linnarsson from the Middle Cambrian of Oland, Sweden have been examined in incident light and, after etching, with the scanning electron microscope. A thin (25-50 micro m) outer layer comprises about twenty lamina units; the structure of these units is interpreted as representing the original inorganic material of the cuticle, and therefore also reflecting the structure of the original organic template.

• Read more about Cuticular ultrastructure of the trilobite Ellipsocephalus polytomus from the Middle Cambrian of Öland, Sweden

Two examples of contrasting feeding strategies in bivalves from the Silurian of Gotland are presented. The first shows a deposit-feeding community of protobranchs in which non-siphonate species greatly dominate siphonate ones. This is probably the result of extensive bioturbation by the non-siphonate species causing agitation of the fine-grained sediment and consequent disturbance of the feeding of siphonate species. Tiering of this community is also suggested, based on observations on abundant, silicified material.

• Read more about Contrasting feedings strategies in bivalves from the Silurian of Gotland

New, discoidal fossils preserved as moulds from the middle Ordovician (Caradoc) of the Southern Uplands are shown to possess characteristic coralline microarchitecture. They are solitary, zoantharian corals with cyclic, hexameral septal insertion. Successive cycles are arranged in a system of nested triads similar to patterns associated with septal substitution in scleractinian corals. The corallum lacks tabulae or dissepiments but is epithccatc with the point of origin a basal disc as in Scleractinia rather than a cone as in Rugosa. The new coral is named Kilbuchophyllum discoidea gen.

• Read more about A new scleractinian-like coral from the Ordovician of the Southern Uplands, Scotland

A new elkaniid brachiopod genus and species, Tilasia rugosa, is described from the Ashgill (Harju Series) Boda Limestone in the Siljan district (province of Dalarna), Sweden. It is the first record of the lingulacean family Elkaniidae from the Upper Ordovician. The material of T. rugosa, which is one of the largest described member of the family, is well preserved and allows an account of the micro-ornamentation and shell structure. The strongly rugose exterior has a divaricate ornamentation with minute rhomboid pits, previously not known among the elkaniids.

• Read more about The taxonomy and shell characteristics of a new elkaniid brachiopod from the Ashgill of Sweden

• Read more about Teuthid cephalopods from the Upper Jurassic of Antarctica

The rich bivalve fauna from the Middle Ordovician of Spain is reviewed, and some new taxa established: Dulcineaia manchegana gen. and sp. nov., Praenucula sharpei sp. nov. and Ekaterodonta hesperica sp. nov. Some palaeotaxodontids probably had archaic characters, such as the dentition of Ekaterodonta and the pedal muscles of Myoplusia. The common trend towards the production of crenulated teeth among actinodonts and their descendants is underlined; Dulcineaia is a new example among Redoniidae.

• Read more about Middle Ordovician bivalves from Spain and their phyletic and palaeogeographic significance