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The ctenodactylids from the Lower and Middle Miocene of Saudi Arabia are represented by two species: Sayimys intermedius (Sen and Thomas, 1979) and Sayimys assarrarensis sp. nov. This new taxon differs from the other species of Sayimys by its larger size together with an association of characters such as the presence of a metalophulid II in d4 and the strength of the anteroloph and posteroloph in P4. A cladistic analysis involving Prosayimys flynni, Sayimys obliquidens, S. assarrarensis sp. nov., S. intermedius, S. sivalensis, S. baskini, and Metasayimys curvidens is provided.

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A new trigonotarbid (Arachnida: Trigonotarbida) Arianrhoda bennetti gen. et sp. nov. is described from the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) of a quarry near Tredomen, Powys, mid Wales, UK. This relatively complete specimen is the first record of a pre-Carboniferous arachnid from Wales, one of only a handful of early Devonian arachnids, and the second oldest trigonotarbid recorded. Based on the rounded prosomal dorsal shield and the relatively narrow, elongate opisthosoma we refer this new fossil to the family Anthracosironidae.

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The turtles from the Purbeck Limestone are revised and it is concluded that there are four shell-based cryptodire species present, namely Pleurosternon bullockii, 'Glyptops'typocardium comb. nov., Helochelydra anglica comb. nov.,Hylaeochelys latiscutata. There is also one skull-based species, Dorsetochelys delairi, which may prove to be the skull of 'Glyptops', Hylaeochelys or an unknown shell-type.

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A new species of the genus Alicornops, A. laogouense, from Laogou in Hezheng County, Linxia Basin, Gansu, China, is described. It is mid-sized in the subfamily Aceratheriinae, but is the largest known species of Alicornops. It represents the first discovery of the genus in Asia. The Middle Miocene fauna bearing A. laogouense is contemporaneous with the Dingjiaergou fauna of Tongxin, Ningxia, China, and its age corresponds to MN 6 in Europe. The discovery of A. laogouense in the Linxia Basin implies that Alicornops dispersed from Europe to Asia.

• Read more about A new species of the rhinoceros Alicornops from the Middle Miocene of the Linxia Basin, Gansu, China

Thin, dark, probably phosphatic coatings were found on the dorsum in front of and sometimes behind the aperture of 50 specimens of Paraceratites and Ceratites (Ammonoidea) belonging to 14 species and subspecies and in three specimens of Germanonautilus, all from the Middle Triassic of Germany. The proportions, occurrences, position, outline, and preservation in fossil Nautiloidea and Ammonoidea (originally organic matter) of this structure support the hypothesis that it is homologous with the black layer in Recent Nautilus and Allonautilus.

• Read more about The black layer in cephalopods from the German Muschelkalk (Triassic)

We describe a new species of the rare and enigmatic cricetid genus Karydomys from the middle Miocene Ville Formation of the Hambach lignite mine in north-west Germany. The locality Hambach 6C has yielded the first substantial records of Karydomys from central Europe. For the first time, all molar positions are well-documented, including the previously unknown m2. The excellent molar material allows us to distinguish Karydomys wigharti sp. nov. from the western European species K. zapfei.

• Read more about A new species of Karydomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) and a systematic re-evaluation of this rare Eurasian Miocene hamster

Description of a new genus of perissodactyl, Protomoropus, for the species 'Hyracotherium'gabuniai Dashzeveg and its inclusion with a diversity of other primitive perissodactyls in a cladistic analysis results in the following higher order changes to our knowledge of perissodactyl phylogeny. Protomoropus is sister taxon to the Chalicotheriidae plus Lophiodontidae, which themselves are confirmed as sister groups. The previously monofamilial superfamily Chalicotherioidea is extended to include all three taxa. Paleomoropus and Lophiaspis are shown to be primitive lophiodontids.

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Reinvestigation of the first described gigantopterid plant, Gigantopteris (Megalopteris) nicotianaefolia Schenk ex Potonie, 1902 from the Permian of China, has been conducted using the original specimens documented in 1883. The application of new techniques has permitted a comprehensive review of their morphology. This study represents the first photographic record of Schenk's specimens and provides a standardised terminology to describe them.

• Read more about Defining the gigantopterid concept: a reinvestigation of Gigantopteris (Megalopteris) nicotianaefolia Schenck and its taxonomic implications

The organophosphatic shell of siphonotretide brachiopods is stratiform with orthodoxly secreted primary and secondary layers. The dominant apatitic constituents of the secondary layer are prismatic laths and rods arranged in monolayers (occasionally in cross-bladed successions), normally recrystallized as platy laminae.

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A new genus of ophiuroid, Huangzhishania, is created based on new material from the Permian/Triassic boundary beds at the Huangzhishan section, South China. The age of the new genus is constrained as earliest Griesbachian by means of faunal correlation of the associated bivalves and stratigraphical correlation with the Mixed Fauna Beds of the neighbouring Meishan section. Taphonomic and palaeoecological evidence suggest that the collapse of the ophiuroid association was related to a catastrophic event, and Huangzhishania was rapidly buried in life position.

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