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A medium diversity silicified Middle Cambrian faunal assemblage occurs in an olistolith of bioclastic limestone within Silurian siliciclastic turbidites on the slopes of Arpatektyr Mountain in the eastern Alai Range, Kyrgyzstan. The fauna includes the trilobites Raragnostus cf. mirus, Altikolia kurshabica sp. nov., Corynexochina weberi, Dorypyge richthofeniformis, aff. Jincella sp., Olenoides comptus, Skreiaspis aff. spinosus and Suluktella mambetovi sp. nov. Three of these taxa (C. weberi, O. comptus and R.

• Read more about Silicified Middle Cambrian trilobites from Kyrgyzstan

The end-Permian mass extinction, 252 million years (myr) ago, marks a major shift in the posture of tetrapods. Before the mass extinction, terrestrial tetrapods were sprawlers, walking with their limbs extended to the sides; after the event, most large tetrapods had adopted an erect posture with their limbs tucked under the body. This shift had been suspected from the study of skeletal fossils, but had been documented as a long process that occupied some 15–20 myr of the Triassic.

• Read more about Tetrapod postural shift estimated from Permian and Triassic trackways

Up to now, more than 40 dinosaur sites have been found in the latest Jurassic - earliest Cretaceous sedimentary outcrops (Villar del Arzobispo Formation) of Riodeva (Iberian Range, Spain). Those already excavated, as well as other findings, provide a large and diverse number of sauropod remains, suggesting a great diversity for this group in the Iberian Peninsula during this time. Vertebrae and ischial remains from Riodevan site RD-13 are assigned to Turiasaurus riodevensis (a species described in RD-10, Barrihonda site), which is part of the Turiasauria clade.

• Read more about High European sauropod dinosaur diversity during Jurassic-Cretaceous transition in Riodeva (Teruel, Spain)

A new neosuchian crocodylomorph, Susisuchus jaguaribensis sp. nov., is described based on fragmentary but diagnostic material. It was found in fluvial-braided sediments of the Lima Campos Basin, north-eastern Brazil, 115 km from where Susisuchus anatoceps was found, in rocks of the Crato Formation, Araripe Basin. S. jaguaribensis and S. anatoceps share a squamosal–parietal contact in the posterior wall of the supratemporal fenestra. A phylogenetic analysis places the genus Susisuchus as the sister group to Eusuchia, confirming earlier studies.

• Read more about A new neosuchian crocodylomorph (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Early Cretaceous of north-east Brazil

Marked differences occur between the hinge plates of Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous British ‘inoceramid’ species. Albian and Upper Cretaceous inoceramids had the poiriform calcite hinge plate with closely spaced resiliifers that is widely associated with this extinct bivalve family. The whole structure was dominated by compressible ligament. Jurassic species, in contrast, had an ultrastructurally less familiar aragonite hinge plate with widely spaced resiliifers and a ligament reminiscent of Isognomon with equally spaced elastic and compressional components.

• Read more about A reconsideration of the origins of the ‘typical’ Cretaceous inoceramid calcitic hinge plate in the light of new ultrastructural observations from some Jurassic ‘inoceramids’

Microconchid tubeworms (Tentaculita) encrusting brachiopod shells have been investigated from the upper Frasnian – lower Famennian (Upper Devonian) deposits of the Central Devonian Field, Russia. The condition of microconchids and associated encrusting taxa is reported for the first time from the early Famennian recovery interval (crepida Chron) following the Frasnian–Famennian mass extinction. Two species, one new (Palaeoconchus variabilis sp. nov.) and the second one in open nomenclature (Palaeoconchus sp.), are described.

• Read more about Microconchid tubeworms across the upper Frasnian – lower Famennian interval in the Central Devonian Field, Russia

A rich and diverse coral fauna collected from the Livian (Viséan, Mississippian) of Zonguldak and Bartin (North-western Turkey) contains numerous specimens of Dorlodotia and related forms. The most common species, D. delepineiCharles, 1933, is redetermined as Dorlodotia briarti, an European species. A new species of Dorlodotia is described for very large, phaceloid forms: D. euxinensis. The genus Ceriodotia is created for species close to Dorlodotia with a cerioid habit. It comprises two species: C. bartinensis and C. petalaxoides, both common in the Viséan of Zonguldak and Bartin.

• Read more about Dorlodotia and related genera (Rugosa) from the Visean (Mississippian; Carboniferous) of Zonguldak and Bartin (North-Western Turkey)

The isocrinid sea lily Tyrolecrinus wugangi sp. nov. from uppermost middle to lowermost upper Anisian (lower Middle Triassic) strata of Leidapo near Qingyan, Guizhou Province, south-west China, provides new data on the early phylogeny of the order Isocrinida. The new species is the earliest unequivocal representative of the family Isocrinidae. It predates all other known species of the genus Tyrolecrinus that come from upper Ladinian to Rhaetian strata and also all other known taxa of the Isocrinidae.

• Read more about An early isocrinid sea lily from the middle to late Anisian boundary (Middle Triassic) of south-west China – evidence for a far-east Tethyan origin of the family Isocrinidae

The Jurassic was an important period in the evolution of Testudinata and encompasses the origin of many clades, and this is especially true of Jurassic turtles from Western Europe. A new genus and species of Late Jurassic turtle, Hispaniachelys prebetica gen. et sp. nov. from the upper Oxfordian of the Prebetic (Southern Spain), is described on the basis of postcranial material. The specimen is the only known tetrapod from the Mesozoic of the Prebetic and the oldest turtle from southern Europe.

• Read more about A new Late Jurassic turtle from Spain: phylogenetic implications, taphonomy and palaeoecology

Bolbozoid and cypridinid myodocope ostracods from France, the Czech Republic and Sardinia consist of four genera (one new: Silurocypridina) and at least ten species (eight new: Bolbozoe acuta, B. rugosa, B. parvafraga, Parabolbozoe armoricana, Silurocypridina retroreticulata, S. variostriata, S. calva and Calocaria robusta). They have a functional design, palaeogeographical distribution, depositional setting and faunal associates that suggest that they were swimmers in the water column, living in dim light, relatively deep environments, above near bottom dysoxic/anoxic conditions.

• Read more about Silurian bolbozoids and cypridinids (Myodocopa) from Europe: pioneer pelagic ostracods