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Duplication of previously published text or figures in the scientific literature without adequate citation is plagiarism or, in the case of an author's own work, self-plagiarism. It breaches the ethical standards that are expected in science and threatens the integrity of scientific journals. Three examples of duplication are noted, one of which involves Palaeontology. Redundant publication lowers the quality of scientific literature, damages the good standing of journals, and reduces the intellectual impact of a study.

• Read more about 'Publish or perish': the pitfalls of duplicate publication

The relationship of a variety of problematic Early Palaeozoic fossils to the true scaphopods (Late Palaeozoic-Recent) is clarified by the recognition that a trend towards the development of a tubular shell is a recurrent theme within Palaeozoic benthic molluscs. This trend is here termed scaphopodization and can be recognized already in the Cambrian in helcionelloids such as Yochelcionella and Eotebenna.

• Read more about Scaphopodization in Palaeozoic molluscs

The Scandinavian trilobites described in the classical papers by Moberg and Moller (1898) and Moberg (1898) are reviewed, based on the original type collections. The ten species and subspecies originally described are here considered to represent 12 species and subspecies, ranging in age from the latest Furongian (late Cambrian) through the Tremadocian (Early Ordovician). Lectotypes are selected for Parabolina (Parabolina) acanthura (Angelin), Acerocare ecorne Angelin and Westergaardia lata (Matthew). Leptoplastus claudicans (Moberg and Moller) is regarded as a junior subjective synonym of L.

• Read more about Review of uppermost Furongian trilobites from Scania, southern Sweden, based on type material

The family Gavelinellidae was one of the most widespread and abundant groups of benthic foraminifers in the Cretaceous. This group evolved in the Early Cretaceous and became dominant in the Aptian and Albian together with some other families of Rotaliina. The reasons for this evident evolutionary success are unclear, and even the taxonomy and palaeoecology of the group are still a matter of debate.

• Read more about Taxonomy of Albian Gavelinellidae (Foraminifera) from the Lower Saxony Basin, Germany

A unique specimen of the supposed arm of the Middle Devonian (Givetian) starfish Foliaster transversus Blake, 1994[Journal of Palaeontology, 68, 123-134] is shown to be closely comparable to the enigmatic organism Protonympha salicifolia, also of Devonian age, albeit slightly younger (Frasnian), and also from New York State. Similarities to starfish, or any other echinoderm, appear to be superficial. Differences from the type species of Protonympha are minor, but include the detailed structure of the transverse segments.

• Read more about A post-script to the enigmatic Protonympha (Devonian; New York): is it an arm of the echinoderms?

Abundant well-preserved jellyfish impressions are described from the Cerin Lagerstatte (Ain, eastern France). The enclosing sediments are lithographic limestones deposited in a Late Kimmeridgian lagoon lying on an emergent reef complex. Two new taxa of Scyphozoa are proposed: Paraurelia cerinensis gen. et sp. nov. (abundant) and Paraurelia sp. A (rare), and two new taxa of Cubozoa: Bipedalia cerinensis gen. et sp. nov. (rare) and Paracarybdea lithographica gen. et sp. nov. (very rare). Rapid covering by a microbial mat helped the preservation of the animals.

• Read more about New jellyfish taxa from the Upper Jurassic lithographic limestones of Cerin (France): taphonomy and ecology

Restoration of the major skeletal muscles and functional morphological analysis of the postcranium were carried out on two Triassic dicynodont genera, Wadiasaurus and Lystrosaurus. A phylogenetic analysis of 12 selected Permian and Triassic dicynodont taxa was conducted and the postcranial character states were then mapped onto the most parsimonious tree.

• Read more about Functional and evolutionary aspects of the postcranial anatomy of dicynodonts (Synapsida, Therapsida)

Twenty-two terrestrial and over 20 marine mammal faunas are currently recognized in the fossil record of Victoria, representing one of the most complete records of mammal evolution in Australia. Although the earliest recorded terrestrial mammals come from the Early Cretaceous, the majority of the faunas are concentrated in the Pliocene and Pleistocene, whereas the marine mammal record spans the Late Oligocene-Holocene.

• Read more about Mesozoic to early Quaternary mammal faunas of Victoria, south-east Australia

Diverse freshwater aquatic palynomorphs are present among rich terrestrial palynofloras from the upper part of the Potrerillos and Cacheuta formations outcropping in the Cuyana Basin at the southern extremity of the Precordillera of Argentina. The Potrerillos/Cacheuta sequence includes fluvial, deltaic and lacustrine facies deposited in the early Late Triassic fault-bounded syn-rift Cacheuta hemigraben.

• Read more about Freshwater algae from the Upper Triassic Cuyana Basin of Argentina: palaeoenvironmental implications

The gharial-like Archegosaurus decheni from the Permian/Carboniferous boundary of south-west Germany is one of the best known temnospondyls. Based largely on new material, we restudied the postcranial anatomy of this species, including ontogenetic aspects. A. decheni has 24 presacral vertebrae, and the length of the deep tail exceeds the length of the rest of the body. Neural spines are moderately high and slowly become differentiated during ontogeny. The intercentra start to ossify very late. Distal uncinate processes are developed on the anterior ribs in adult specimens.

• Read more about The postcranium of Archegosaurus decheni, and a phylogenetic analysis of temnospondyl postcrania