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There are rare occurrences of Ordovician and Silurian species of the inarticulate brachiopod Schizocrania attached to orthoconic cephalopod shells. These were probably transported considerable distances prior to their deposition in onshore sediments, in which Schizocrania is not normally found. Relationships between host and encruster are discussed with a view to elucidating both encrustation sequences and inferred ecological associations.

• Read more about Anomalous occurrences of the lower Palaeozoic brachiopod Schizocrania

The apical and antapical series of peridinialean dinoflagellate thecal plates are redefined relative to the cingulum. They are then compatible with the Kofoidian pre- and postcingular series, and the need to recognize anterior and posterior intercalary series is removed. The concept of apical closing and antapical closing series is introduced. Homologous and corresponding plates are recognized in fifteen selected modern and fossil dinoflagellates by comparing interseries relationships with respect to a model plate pattern.

• Read more about Nomenclature and homology in peridinialean dinoflagellate plate patterns

The life habits of a huge Campanian patelliform gastropod, hitherto called 'Helcion giganteus', from Saghalien and Japan are discussed on the basis of several specimens adhering to enormous shells of Inoceramus (Sphenoceramus) schmidti. This gastropod is here transferred to the Capulidae of Mesogastropoda, and a new generic name, Gigantocapulus, is proposed for it. Its ecological relation with I. (S.) schmidti is regarded as parasitic by analogy to some living species of Capulus that attach to the valves of pectinids.

• Read more about Mode of life of a giant capulid gastropod from the Upper Cretaceous of Saghalien and Japan

A well-preserved araucarian cone measuring 4.5 x 5.0 cm is described from Jurassic age limestone from near Osmington Mills, Dorset. Four pieces of cone material representing a single specimen are somewhat flattened and lignitic, with intact seed and cone-scale tissues. The cone axis and bract apophyses are replaced with a calcitic matrix. Helically arranged cone-scale complexes with a prominent ligular sulcus surround a wide pith. One recurved wingless ovule 0.8 cm long is deeply sunken into the cone-scale tissue.

• Read more about Jurassic araucarian cone from southern England

The three-toed horse Hipparion is diagnosed by the presence of a preorbital facial fossa that anteriorly is poorly defined and posteriorly is moderately pocketed with a well-developed and continuous rim. The concept of the genus Hipparion sensu stricto (s.s.) is presently restricted in the Old World to H. prostylum from the genotypic locality at Mt. Leberon, France, and the species H. tehonense and H.forcei from New World localities with a similar configuration of the preorbital facial fossa.

• Read more about The Miocene horse Hipparion from North America and from the type locality in southern France

The 'Transition Bed' of Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire is the weathered or altered top of the Marlstone Rock Bed. In the top 0.05 m-0.3 m of the bed, the green ferrous minerals were oxidized to limonite, partly before deposition of overlying beds, partly recently in some areas. In another type of alteration, best seen at Harston, Leicestershire, much granular iron-pyrites was deposited in a highly irregular zone up to 0.08 m thick at the top of the bed.

• Read more about The Toarcian age of the upper part of the Marlstone Rock Bed of England

The eccoptochilinid trilobile fauna from the Ordovician of the Valongo area, north Portugal, is revised. The holotype of Eccoptochile (?Eccoptochile) mariana (Verneuil and Barrande, 1855) is redescribed and figured and the species is restricted to the type specimen and two specimens from Valongo. Specimens previously described as E. (?E.) mariana from Spain, north Portugal, and southern England, together with other and new material from Portugal are here included within the new species E. (Eccoptochile) almadenensis. E. (Eccoptochile) cf.

• Read more about The trilobite Eccoptochile from the Ordovician of northern Portugal

Collignoniceras Breistroffer, 1947 is represented by five species in the mid-Turonian of England and Touraine (the type area of the Turonian stage) in northern France. The cosmopolitan and highly variable type species C. woollgari (Mantell) is shown to be a senior synonym of C. schlueterianum (Laube and Bruder) and C. mexicanum (Bose) amongst others, and shows features indicating that Selwynoceras Warren and Stelck, 1940 (the type species of which S. boreale (Warren), is also redescribed) is a synonym of Collignoniceras sensu stricto. Other species referred to the genus are C.

• Read more about Collignoniceratid ammonites from the mid-Turonian of England and northern France

The meandering trace fossil Dictyodora Weiss, 1884 occurs in deep water greywacke/shale sequences in the Gala Group (lower Silurian) of Thornylee and Grieston Quarries, Galashiels. Two species are recognized; D. scotica (M'Coy, 1851) and D. tenuis (M'Coy, 1851); the former is distinguished by a more regular meandering form. These traces were originally named Crossopodia scotica and Myrianites tenuis. It is suggested that C. scotica be rejected as the type species of Crossopodia.

• Read more about Dictyodora from the Silurian of Peeblesshire, Scotland

The terebratulid brachiopods contained in the Gentil and Whitaker Collections from the Lower Cretaceous of south-west Morocco have been revised. Although the majority of the species are confined to south-west Morocco, the affinities of the fauna are with the faunas of the shallow marine regions bordering Tethys, such as the Jura region, eastern Spain, the Crimea, and the northern Caucasus; the Tethyan pygopid brachiopods characteristic of the Rif in northern Morocco are almost absent. The fauna thus constitutes a Jura-type assemblage situated on the southern side of Tethys.

• Read more about Lower Cretaceous Terebratulidae from south-western Morocco and their biogeography