Middle Jurassic Porifera from Kachchh, western IndiaMehl, Dorte; Fürsich, Franz Theodor
doi: 10.1007/bf03022544pmid: N/A
From the Late Bathonian sponge biofacies at Jumara Dome, Kachchh (western India) 11 species of ‘lithistid’, hexactinellinid and calcarean sponges are described. New taxa are the order Sigmatospirida, the genusJumarella, and the speciesJumarella astrorhiza, Mastosia rhytidodes, Radicispongia kraspedophora, andHexactinella prisca. The diverse sponge assemblage is associated with a rich fauna of epibenthic bivalves and brachiopods and formed meadows on fine-grained carbonate substrates. The sponge meadows grew on a carbonate ramp at the lower end of the photic zone, in quiet waters below storm wave base. The rate of sedimentation exceeded that of sponge production. This prevented the development of reef-like bodies. In contrast to Mesozoic sponge reefs, growth of the sponge meadows appears to have been confined to the regressive phases of small transgressive-regressive cycles.
Cretaceous scleractinian corals from the Albian of Cabo de Ajo (Cantabria Province, N-Spain)Baron-Szabo, R. C.; Fernandez-Mendiola, P. A.
doi: 10.1007/bf03022545pmid: N/A
For the first time a detailed stratigraphic section of the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) of Cabo de Ajo peninsula (Cantabria Province) is logged. The Ajo facies represents a subtropical shallow-water carbonate platform environment. When the platform was subjected to relatively high-energy conditions, calcarenite skeletal shoals developed. In periods of higher sealevel, deeper-water marls were deposited in intraplatform basins. The outcrops yield abundant fossils of scleractinian corals. Three selected stratigraphic horizons containing corals were sampled. Fauna 1 and 2 grew on a shallow-water soft bottom substrate (marl) below wave-base level and contain very small plocoid and phaceloid growth forms. Fauna 3 is associated with a calcarenitic matrix and large forms suggesting a more agitated and wave-influenced environment. 16 species of corals belonging to 7 suborders are described taxonomically. These rather diverse coral associations are among the youngest from the Urgonian facies of Europe, and compare well with other Urgonian Tethyan faunas.
Discovery of soft parts of a fossil brachiopod in the “Hunsrückschiefer” (Lower Devonian, Germany)Südkamp, Wouter H.
doi: 10.1007/bf03022550pmid: N/A
The author recently discovered among 16 discinid brachiopods from the Lower Devonian Hunsrück Slate, by using the X-ray technique, two specimens with mineralized soft parts and pedicle. These are truly unique finds, as previously no bodily preserved pedicle of fossil discinids has been described. Also, they prove that in the Hunsriick Slate soft parts can be pyritized. New shell observations give rise to doubts on the generic assignment ofOrbiculoidea mediorhenanaFuchs 1915. By comparing the anatomy of the related, livingLingula with the extinct discinid in question, a reconstruction of the latter is presented.
First record of the mitrateBarrandeocarpus from EnglandRuta, Marcello
doi: 10.1007/bf03022551pmid: N/A
The mitrateBarrandeocarpusUbaghs, previously known from the Ordovician of Bohemia, is reported from an approximately coeval locality in Shropshire, England. Although incomplete, the material from Shropshire provides partial information on the internal head anatomy in this genus.The English and the BohemianBarrandeocarpus are very similar and the possibility that they are conspecific cannot be excluded.
What isIvanantonia efremovi (Rodentia, Mammalia)?Hartenberger, Jean-Louis; Dashzeveg, Demberelyin; Martin, Thomas
doi: 10.1007/bf03022555pmid: N/A
Ivanantonia efremoviShevyreva 1989, known from the Tsagan Khushu locality (Early Eocene of Mongolia), erroneously has been described asOrogomys obscurusDashzeveg 1990. This form shows an interesting association of primitive and derived characters: the enamel of the incisors is two-layered and has pauciserial Hunter-Schreger bands in portio interna; the lower tooth row has only three jugal teeth; the tooth pattern of lower molars is primitive and looks very similar to that ofAlagomys, but the trigonid is less reduced with regards to the talonid. It also differs from other primitive rodents in the distribution of wear facets, suggesting that mandibular propalineal movement was pre-eminent during chewing. Comparisons ofIvanantonia with several Eocene-Oligocene rodents indicate possible relationships to the Early Oligocene North American genusNonomys.