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A new species of amiid fish is described from a semi-articulated skeleton found in Middle Eocene freshwater shales of the Allenby Formation, Princeton Group, south-central British Columbia. The new species is assigned to Amia because it lacks Kindleia specializations such as styliform teeth, and it shares skull specializations with A. calva, A. scutata, and A. uintaensis. The new species is reconstructed as a deep-bodied piscivore with large jaws and strong, sharp teeth.

• Read more about A new species of the fish Amia from the Middle Eocene of British Columbia

A review is given of Recent and Quaternary organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts belonging to the genus Protoperidinium Bergh emend. Balech 1974. There is a similarity between the taxonomies based upon thecal and cyst morphologies, the major difference being one of hierarchy. A scheme is presented which attempts to amalgamate the two taxonomic systems, and which shows the range of cyst morphology attributable to a single living genus, the general non-conservative nature of certain cyst morphologies, and the use of common cyst forms amongst different dinoflagellates.

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Associated material from the Middle Triassic of Monte San Giorgio, Kt. Tessin, Switzerland, demonstrates that the sharks Nemacanthus tuberculatus and Acrodus bicarinatus constitute a single taxon that must be included in a new genus, Acronemus tuberculatus. Finspine structure of Acronemus is distinctly different from that of Nemacanthus monilifer, but does correspond to the general ctenacanthiform pattern. Other features of A. tuberculatus such as tooth structure and placoid scales have previously been reported for Triassic hybodontiform sharks only.

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A peculiar nodule from the Upper Liassic (Toarcian) shales of Whitby, Yorkshire, is interpreted as an infilled burrow system which was probably excavated by a shrimp-like crustacean (possibly Glyphea sp.)- This interpretation is supported by comparisons with fossil crustacean burrows in the ichnogenus Thalassinoides. The nodule had formerly been regarded as a cluster of fossil embryos from the aquatic reptile Plesiosaurus.

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• Read more about Limpet grazing on Cretaceous algal-bored ammonites

Six conodont zones, including one new one, the Paragnathodus multinodosus Zone, are represented in the Lower Carboniferous of the Cantabrian Mountains. The absence of conodont zones known to occur in north-west Europe points to four major stratigraphic gaps in the Spanish sequence, three in the Tournaisian and one in the Visean. High conodont abundances, indicating a low rate of sedimentation in the Tournaisian rocks, and the numerous gaps in the stratigraphic record point to a slow initial Carboniferous transgression.

• Read more about Conodonts, goniatites and the biostratigraphy of the earlier Carboniferous from the Cantabrian Mountains, Spain

Two species of salenioid echinoids, Salenia minima Agassiz and Desor, 1846 and Hyposalenia heliophora (Agassiz and Desor 1846) from the Danian strata in the Maastricht area, are described and discussed. Biometrical parameters are statistically treated and compared with those of some other salenioids. It is shown that both species are probably good index fossils for strata of Danian age.

• Read more about Two salenioid echinoids in the Danian of the Maastricht area

Miospore assemblages have been isolated from a Devonian sequence of Old Red Sandstone fades, on Fair Isle, Shetland. The special problems encountered in processing these palynomorphs with their high carbonization levels and subsequent darkening are mentioned. Thirty miospore species are recorded and their taxonomic problems and stratigraphical significance are discussed. Comparisons with similar assemblages from the northern hemisphere indicate a Givetian (in parts specifically late Givetian) age for the Fair Isle material. The genus Rhabdosporites Richardson 1960 is emended, and R.

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A new genus and species Konioria andrychoviensis assigned to the Zosterophyllophytina is described from the Lower Devonian (Emsian) of two boreholes in the Bielsko-Andrychow area of the Polish Western Carpathians. K, andrychoviensis possesses dichotomous axes covered on their lower part with long subulate spines and on their upper part with short triangular spines. Apices of axes form hooks. In addition to spines, the axes show 1-4 longitudinal wings. The reniform to rounded sporangia are borne singly at dichotomies.

• Read more about A new zosterophyll from the Lower Devonian of Poland

A new species, Pleuromeia jiaochengensis, is recorded from the early Triassic of Jiaocheng district in Shanxi (Shansi) Province, China. Its small size, morphological features of the strobilus and sporophylls, abortive leaves, and the undeveloping rhizophore separate this from all other species. The succulent sporophylls may be a major area of photosynthesis. Based on lithology and distance from known marine strata, an inland desert environment is suggested for this new species. Its stratigraphic significance is discussed.

• Read more about A new species of the lycopsid Pleuromeia from the early Triassic of Shanxi, China, and its ecology