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A new locality in the Shineton Shales of the Cardington district is referred to the Clonograptus tenellus Zone. The fossils are compared with related and similar forms previously known from the Wrekin district. The fauna includes three new species of trilobites—Asaphoon pithogastron gen. et sp. nov., Dichelepyge phylax sp. nov. and Myindella crux gen. et sp. nov. D. phylax represents the first recognition of Dichelepyge outside South America. Myindella crux suggests that the Family Myindidae is closely related to the Hapalopleuridae and should therefore be included in the Suborder Trinucleina.

• Read more about New trilobites from the Tremadoc Series of Shropshire

Variational and ontogenetic studies of Distichoceras bicostatum (Stahl) and Horioceras baugieri (d'Orbigny) have shown identity in their early stages. Variation in protoconch size is consistent and small, as is the diameter of the nepionic construction. Divergence in shell form occurs only at the onset of maturity, which in H. baugieri begins at about 8-10 mm. and in D. bicostatum at about 30-35 mm. It is concluded that the two 'species' are a sexually dimorphic pair. The name D. bicostatum has priority.

• Read more about Variation and ontogeny of some Oxford Clay ammonites: Distichoceras bicostatum (Stahl) and Horioceras baugieri (d'Orbigny), from England

Radstockia kidstonii sp. nov. is described from compression specimens contained in ironstone concretions discovered at the Mazon Creek (Illinois) locality. The botanical affinities are suggested as being close to marattiaceous ferns.

• Read more about On the structure and phylogenetic relationships of the fern Radstockia Kidston

Assemblages of spores are described from coals and shales of the Lower Carboniferous (Bewcastle Beds to the Lewis Burn Coal Group) of north-west Cumberland and Northumberland. Forty-three species are recorded. The following new taxa are proposed: (Megaspores) Setispora gen. nov., Aneuletes reticulata, Setispora pseudoreticulata, Triangulatisporites? membranatus, Zonalesporites conacies; (Miospores) Convolutispora planimuricata, Dictyotriletes plumosus, Lophotriletes plicatus, Lycospora rugulosa, Orbisporis convolutus, Tholisporites cumbriensis.

• Read more about Lower Carboniferous spores from north-west England

It has been widely assumed that water currents play a major role in determining the shape of the size-frequency distributions of molluscan and brachiopod shells in death assemblages, by the selective removal of small-size grades. To test this assumption, the commonest bivalve and gastropod species in two transported death assemblages, one fossil and one forming at present, have been subjected to size-frequency analysis. The interaction of varying growth and mortality rates among living bivalves is discussed and the results of experimental work on shell fragmentation presented.

• Read more about The interpretation of size-frequency distributions in molluscan death assemblages

The occurrence and ostracod fauna of the Hopkins Band, Lower Anthraconaia modiolaris Zone, of the Lower Coal Measures of Northumberland and Durham are described. In this Band the ostracod Geisina arcuata is associated with five species of Carbonita, newly recorded, and variants of the non-marine lamelli-branchs Anthracosia regularis, Carbonicola oslancis, Naiadites productus, and Anthraconaia modiolaris.

• Read more about A non-marine ostracod fauna from the Coal Measures of Durham and Northumberland

Palynological study of the Lower Kittanning coal seam of western Pennsylvania (Allegheny Series; lower Westphalian D) has revealed an orderly vertical and geographical distribution of spore and pollen assemblages.Assemblages characterized by Densosporites and Punctatisporites (P. obliquus) occur in the uppermost zones where the seam is directly overlain by marine and restricted-marine faunal facies, respectively, of the Lower Kittanning shale. The greatest vertical variation of assemblages occurs at these localities.

• Read more about Distribution of spore and pollen assemblages in the Lower Kittanning coal of western Pennsylvania

The structure of rugosans belonging to the family Spongophyllidae Edwards and Haime 1873 (here taken to include the Family Ptenophyllidae Wedekind 1923) is discussed in detail. Representatives of the Family occurring in the Emsian (or possibly early Eifelian) Garra Formation are revised or described. The Australian species ascribed to Acanthophyllum are reviewed, Pseudochonophyllum Soshkina is fully revised, and its type (and only) species, P. pseudohelianthoides (Sherzer) is shown to occur only in Czechoslovakia and eastern Australia.

• Read more about Spongophyllidae from the Devonian Garra Formation, New South Wales

New genera and species are described from the richly fossiliferous Late Precambrian strata in which a number of medusoid fossils were discovered by R. C. Sprigg in 1947 and from which various pennatulacean, annelid, and other fossils have been described since. The new genera and their type species are: Medusinites asteroides (Sprigg), Mawsonites spriggi sp. nov., Conomedusites lobatus sp. nov., Lorenzinites rarus sp. nov., Kimberia quadrata sp. nov., Rugoconites enigmaticus sp. nov., Arborea arborea (Glaessner), Ovatoscutum concentricum sp. nov., Praecambridium sigillum sp. nov.

• Read more about The Late Precambrian fossils from Ediacara, South Australia

The atrypacean Eocoelia occurs widely in the Upper Llandovery and is now known from the lower Wenlock. It shows evolutionary trends in the progressive suppression of ribs and in the modification and strengthening of the articulatory mechanism. These trends are used to define four successive species, Eocoelia hemisphaerica (J. de C. Sowerby) of C1-C2 age, E. intermedia (Hall) of C3-C4 age, E. curtisi sp. nov. of C5 age, and E, sulcata (Prouty) of C6-Wenlock age.

• Read more about The Silurian brachiopod Eocoelia hemisphaerica (J. de C. Sowerby) and related species