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Geometric morphometric methods applied to the ventral muscle field outline of the various species of Svobodaina from south-western Europe identify criteria for discriminating among this key cluster of brachiopod species. These data indicate the close relationship between the patterns of the ventral muscle field in the Svobodaina species and the environmental conditions where each inhabited; the fields are better developed in species related to high-energy environments.

• Read more about Morphofunctional analysis of Svobodaina species (Brachiopoda, Heterorthidae) from south-western Europe

An assemblage of tannuolinid sclerites is described from the Amouslek Formation (Souss Basin) of the Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The assemblage contains two species, Tannuolina maroccana n. sp., which is represented by a small number of mitral and sellate sclerites, and Micrina sp., represented by a single mitral sclerite. Tannuolina maroccana differs from other species of the genus in the presence of both bilaterally symmetrical and strongly asymmetrical sellate sclerites.

• Read more about Tommotiids from the early Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 3) of Morocco and the evolution of the tannuolinid scleritome and setigerous shell structures in stem group brachiopods

A Darriwilian (late Middle Ordovician) brachiopod fauna from the Lower Formation of the Chiatsun Group at Jiacun, northern Nyalam, southern Tibet, consists of ten brachiopod species, forming a distinct Aporthophyla-Paralenorthis Association. Its taxonomic composition is typical of the Aporthophyla Fauna that occupied lower BA2 to upper BA3 benthic environments on sandy lime mud substrates. The occurrence of Paralenorthis in southern Tibet is confirmed for the first time, represented by P. costata sp. nov.

• Read more about Middle Ordovician Aporthophyla brachiopod fauna from the roof of the World, southern Tibet

A new spinicaudatan (clam shrimp), Hardapestheria maxwelli gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Jurassic Kalkrand Formation of central Namibia. Specimens were collected from a sedimentary interbed within a succession of flood basalts. These are the first spinicaudatans to be described from the Jurassic of south-western Africa. The new taxon is assigned to the family Eosestheriidae based on the combination of punctae and radial ornamentation on the carapace.

• Read more about Evidence for a dioecious mating system in Early Jurassic Hardapestheria maxwelli gen. et sp. nov. (Crustacea, Branchiopoda, Spinicaudata) from the Kalkrand Formation of Namibia

The first Sinopa species, S. jilinia sp. nov., from outside of North America is described. It comes from the Huadian Formation, locality Gonglangtou, Jilin Province, north-east China. The new species represents the northernmost and one of the latest and most complete Asian Prototomus-like hyaenodontidans known. It also represents one of the youngest specimens of Sinopa, because the age of the Huadian Formation is correlated to the later Uintan and only one doubtful citation of North American Sinopa younger than the early Uintan exists.

• Read more about The first species of Sinopa (Hyaenodontida, Mammalia) from outside of North America: implications for the history of the genus in the Eocene of Asia and North America

The only previously known Mesozoic fossils of the chilopod order Geophilomorpha are two species from the Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous, both known from single specimens that cannot be assigned with precision to a family. Four specimens from the Late Cretaceous (earliest Cenomanian) amber of Burma include three that can be identified as conspecific, described here as Kachinophilus pereirai gen. nov. sp. nov.

• Read more about Geophilomorph centipedes from the Cretaceous amber of Burma

The heteromorph ammonite Pravitoceras sigmoidale from the Upper Cretaceous Seidan Formation (Izumi Group) in south-west Japan is frequently encrusted by sessile anomiid bivalves. Fossils of P. sigmoidale with anomiids are often concentrated at the top of or just above turbidite sandstones. Projecting retroversal hooks and apertures of P. sigmoidale are usually intact, and some individuals are associated with jaw apparatuses near apertures.

• Read more about Commensal anomiid bivalves on Late Cretaceous heteromorph ammonites from south-west Japan

An adult skeleton of the pistosauroid sauropterygian Yunguisaurus liae reveals a number of morphological features not observed in the holotype, such as the complete morphology of the skull roof, stapes, atlas and axis, ventral view of the postcranium, and nearly complete limbs and tail. Size and morphological differences between the two specimens are mostly regarded as ontogenetic variation, and newly added data did not affect the phylogenetic relationships with other pistosauroids significantly.

• Read more about A new specimen of the Triassic pistosauroid Yunguisaurus, with implications for the origin of Plesiosauria (Reptilia, Sauropterygia)

Organised mineralised structures observed in large inoceramids (valves on a metre scale) from the Late Albian, Toolebuc Formation, Australia (Inoceramus sutherlandi McCoy, 1865), and the Santonian, Niobrara Formation, USA (Platyceramus sp.), were investigated using variable pressure scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses.

• Read more about Exceptional preservation of a novel gill grade in large Cretaceous inoceramids: systematic and palaeobiological implications

Calamitalean stems that are preserved in growth position in Carboniferous sedimentary deposits have been described many times in the literature as either pith casts or stem casts. Many of these in situ stems show branching, which gives some information on their patterns of growth. Their manner of preservation is discussed in the light of a new stand of well-preserved in situ stem and branch pith casts of Calamites discovered in mid to upper Duckmantian sandstone at Brymbo in the Wrexham Coalfield of North Wales.

• Read more about In situ stems: preservation states and growth habits of the Pennsylvanian (Carboniferous) calamitaleans based upon new studies of Calamites Sternberg, 1820 in the Duckmantian at Brymbo, North Wales, UK