Linuparus (Linuparus) korura n. sp. is described from Bortonian (middle Eocene) rocks in Otaio Gorge, South Canterbury, New Zealand. This discovery represents the first occurrence of the genus in New Zealand and the first notice of a fossil occurrence of the subgenus which is represented by three modern Indo-Pacific species. Comparison of key morphological descriptors suggests that L. korura is related to L. scyllariformis and L. trigonis. A stridulatory mechanism, similar to that seen on modern Linuparus, is described for the first time from the fossil record.

A collection of 6,151 bryozoan colonies (two cyclostome species from two families, and 73 cheilostome species from 30 families) from the leeward fringing reef of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, is largely, but not entirely, of Caribbean affinities, with some links to Indo-Pacific populations. The bryozoans from Bonaire show some relation to water depth at species and higher taxonomic levels, but these relations are not clear-cut. Many of the species are found through all or most of the 73 meter depth range sampled, but a few are limited to shallow water, and some to deeper water. At a higher taxonomic level, some families (e.g., Calloporidae, Bugulidae, Smittinidae) include wide depth-ranging species, shallow-water species, and deep-water species; this indicates some divergence between species and family-level depth distributions. Several calculated diversity indices show variable trends with increasing water depth, with at most only slight increases with depth. The bryozoans in this southern Caribbean reef assemblage do not show the well-defined depth zonation of corals. However, the recognition of deep- and shallow-water assemblages containing diagnostic species does show that cryptic reef-dwelling bryozoans have paleoecological utility as depth indicators in ancient reefs.

This report describes a previously unknown chevron color pattern preserved on the Carboniferous bivalve Streblochondria? and discusses the significance of color patterns on Paleozoic bivalves as a group. Analysis of Paleozoic color pattern distribution suggests that the appearance of predators in the Devonian may have influenced preferential evolutionary selection for the development of color patterns in bivalves.

The Mesozoic history of Lepidoptera and Trichoptera is reviewed and their phylogeny traced back to early Mesozoic specialized Permochoristidae Mecoptera. Queensland emerges as the center of origin for the earliest Lepidoptera and Trichoptera and is also the region where the first lepidopteran hostplants, primitive dicot angiosperms, arose from Glossopteridae, probably at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Protomecoptera evolved from extinct Protoblattodea (not Neuroptera) during Late Carboniferous or Early Permian time. The first Lepidoptera, terrestrial Agathiphagidae, evolved from aquatic Necrotauliidae Trichoptera probably at the close of the Triassic when an extreme drought dried up many streams. The very small size of Amphiesmenopteran Mecoptera and the first Trichoptera and Lepidoptera fossils obeys Cope's Rule.

Rare specimens of the nautiloids Nautilus and Aturia and extremely rare specimens of a sepiamorph sepiid are described from the late Eocene Hoko River Formation, northern Olympic Peninsula, Washington. The well-preserved partial phragmocones are from channel-fill clastics deposited on the inner and middle slopes of a submarine-fan system.

The Nautilus specimen is allied to N. cookanum Whitfield from middle Eocene strata, New Jersey, and is probably conspecific with Nautilus sp. (Miller) from late Eocene strata, northwestern Oregon, both of which were previously assigned to Eutrephoceras. This is the first record of Nautilus in the northeastern Pacific.

The Aturia specimen is tentatively identified as A. cf. A. alabamensis (Morton), a species previously only known from late Eocene strata in the Atlantic-Gulf Coastal area and northeastern Mexico. Aturia alabamensis may be the same as numerous Eocene North American aturiid species.

The two sepiamorph sepiid specimens resemble Belosepia Voltz but are probably generically distinct. They are only the second record of sepiids in the Eocene of the northeastern Pacific.

Trilobites are a relatively rare faunal component in Carboniferous marine strata of the north-central Appalachian Basin. Three of the seven trilobite species known from the Lower Mississippian Waverly Group of Ohio, Griffithidella waverlyensis Hessler, Paladin marginatus (Hyde), and Brachymetopus nodosus Wilson, are monotypic and are known only from the type material. More commonly occurring species include Proetus (Pudoproetus) missouriensis (Shumard) and Breviphillipsia sampsoni (Vogdes), which are present in the Wooster and Meadville Shales and Byers Sandstone. The rare species, Australosutura lodiensis (Meek) and Piltonia eurybathrea (Hessler), are found most commonly in the Wooster and Meadville Shales. At least two species are present in Upper Mississippian strata. Paladin chesterensis (Weller) is found in most Upper Mississippian marine units and ranges through most of the Chesterian. Paladin cf. P. pyriformus Chamberlain is present in a single horizon in the lower Mauch Chunk (lower Chesterian) in southwestern Pennsylvania. Five trilobite species are present in Pennsylvanian strata. Sevillia trinucleata (Herrick) and Sevillia sevillensis Weller are present in upper Atokan and lower Desmoinesian strata of the Pottsville Group of Ohio. Ameura missouriensis (Shumard) first occurs in the Lower Mercer marine horizon (upper Atokan) and ranges to the Ames (Virgilian) marine unit. Ditomopyge scitula (Meek and Worthen), the most pervasive Pennsylvanian trilobite species, ranges from the Lower Mercer (upper Atokan) marine interval into the Portersville (Missourian) marine interval. Ditomopyge decurtata (Gheyselinck) is known only from the Ames marine interval (Virgilian), but may be present in higher marine zones.

A new raphistomatinid genus, Wisconsinella, from the Middle Devonian of Wisconsin is described. The type and only known species is Wisconsinella clelandi n. sp. from the Lake Church Formation of late Eifelian age. The new genus is characterized by its highly angular whorl profile and low gradate spire. It is distinguished from all other known raphistomatinid genera by the presence of a narrow, steeply inclined outer whorl surface, demarked both above and below by a sharp, strong angulation.

Fourteen oribatid mite fossils have been recovered from a terrestrial Devonian deposit near Gilboa, New York; they allow an approximate doubling of the known age of the group. Two species are represented by specimens complete enough to allow descriptions. Protochthonius gilboa n. gen. and sp. is the earliest derivative known member of the Enarthronota, and comprises the monobasic new family Protochthoniidae. Devonacarus sellnicki n. gen. and sp. also represents a monobasic new family, Devonacaridae; it may also be an early derivative enarthronote mite, but its relationships are uncertain. Two other species are represented at the site, but meaningful descriptions are not possible with available material.

The excellent preservation of the molluscan fauna from the Gosport Sand (Eocene) at Little Stave Creek, Alabama, has made it possible to describe the preserved color patterns of 15 species. In this study the functional significance of these color patterns is tested in the context of the current adaptationist controversy. The pigment of the color pattern is thought to be a result of metabolic waste disposal. Therefore, the presence of the pigment is functional, although the patterns formed by the pigment may or may not have been adaptive. In this investigation the criteria proposed by Seilacher (1972) for testing the functionality of color patterns were applied to the Gosport fauna and the results compared with life mode as interpreted from knowledge of extant relatives and functional morphology. Using Seilacher's criteria of little ontogenetic and intraspecific variability, the color patterns appear to have been functional. However, the functional morphology studies indicate an infaunal life mode which would preclude functional color patterns. Particular color patterns are instead interpreted to be the result of historical factors, such as multiple adaptive peaks or random fixation of alleles, or of architectural constraints including possibly pleiotropy or allometry. The low variability of color patterns, which was noted within species and genera, suggests that color patterns may also serve a useful taxonomic purpose.

The echinoids Salenia cascadensis n. sp., Stomechinus? dissimilaris n. sp., Glyptocidaris sp., Arbacia abiquaensis n. sp., Lytechinus baldwini n. sp., Gagaria crenularis n. sp., and Kewia marquamensis n. sp. occur in the Late Oligocene (Chattian) Scotts Mills Formation near Silverton, Oregon, just north of 45°N latitude. The echinoids occur in shallow-water sediments deposited among basaltic sea stacks along a rockbound, storm-dominated marginal marine environment. Except for Kewia, these occurrences mark a more northerly limit for these genera in the northeastern Pacific and add to their stratigraphic range.

Leviceraurus mammilloides n. gen. and sp. is an Ordovician cheirurine trilobite which occurs in limestones and shales of the Hallowell and Hillier Members of the Cobourg Formation, southern Ontario. It is a probable descendant of Ceraurus.

A largely new, Early Mississippian blastoid fauna is described from the Fort Payne Formation of south-central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee. The fauna consists of nine species assigned to eight genera, including four new genera and six new species. The fauna includes Hadroblastus breimeri n. sp., Granatocrinus granulatus (Roemer), Dentiblastus macurdai n. sp., Deliablastus cumberlandensis n. gen. and sp., D. tribulosus n. gen. and sp., Xyeleblastus magnificus n. gen. and sp., Perittoblastus liratus n. gen. and sp., Euryoblastus veryi (Rowley) n. gen., and an unidentifiable basal circlet that may represent a phaenoschismatidid. All spiraculates belong to the Granatocrinidae.

The Fort Payne Formation has the most diverse blastoid fauna known between the middle Osagean blastoid extinction and the Permian. Diversification immediately after the middle Osagean extinction is recorded in the Fort Payne and is largely a diversification of the Granatocrinidae.

Orbitremites grandis Rowley (1902) is an internal mold from the Fort Payne Formation. This specimen cannot be identified and is designated as a nomen dubium.

Vertebrate microfossils are commonly present as minor constituents of acid-etched limestone residues in the Lochkovian (Lower Devonian). This paper describes the fish taxa from the Simpson Park Range section at Coal Canyon, central Nevada. These include thelodont scales of the family Nikoliviidae; heterostracan scales; acanthodian scales, platelets, and spines of Nostolepis type, Gomphonchus type, Acanthodes type, Machaeracanthus type, and climatiid type; placoderm scales of buchanosteid and radotinid types; and the shark, Polymerolepis whitei.

Chlamydotheca llanoensis is a new species of freshwater ostracode found in latest Pleistocene (12,000–10,000 years B.P.) fluviatile sediments on the Southern High Plains. At the type locality (Lubbock Lake Archaeological Site, Lubbock County, Texas) and at two other localities, C. llanoensis was associated with streamside Paleo-Indian artifacts. This easily recognized species should be a useful guide fossil for correlation of strata of similar environment and age on the Southern High Plains.

Rhabdosomes of Brevigraptus quadrithecatus n. gen., n. sp. (Lasiograptinae, Diplograptacea), from the Upper Ordovician Viola Springs Formation of south-central Oklahoma, comprise four fully developed thecae. The sicula and the first two thecae are fully sclerotized. The ultrastructure of the fusellum is unusually dense but is overlaid by a typical diplograptacean bandaged cortex. The third and fourth thecae consist of clathria covered by a cortical sheet. Lacinia are absent. The cortical sheet comprises bandages deposited in a support dominated pattern that matches expectations of the pterobranch model of peridermal secretion. Lists are fusellar derivatives and exhibit traces of fuselli-like growth increments but no continuous fusellum is present. Lists are strongly thickened with cortical tissue. The fabricational pattern employed in list construction reveals the operation of strong historical constraints during the evolutionary reduction of the fusellum.

The thecal form and list architecture of Brevigraptus quadrithecatus are nearly identical to those of Pipiograptus hesperus Whittington. Brevigraptus quadrithecatus possesses a Pattern G astogeny and exhibits several derived astogenetic features that it shares with P. hesperus and Orthoretiolites hami Whittington. Both thecal and astogenetic similarities suggest the new taxon is a member of the Lasiograptinae, and is closely allied to the aforementioned species.

The thecae of B. quadrithecatus exhibit striking similarity with Dicaulograptus hystrix (Bulman). However, both the details of thecal construction and primordial astogeny differ markedly between these species. The thecal similarities appear to be convergent. Accordingly, D. hystrix is probably not closely allied to the Lasiograptinae.

Agnotocastor readingi n. sp., from the Orellan of Nebraska, is intermediate in size between the Chadronian A. galushai Emry from Wyoming and the Orellan A. coloradensis Wilson from Colorado. It differs slightly in dental and mandibular morphology from these latter species and cannot be transitional between them. The simplification of the dentition in A. readingi may indicate a position ancestral to the Whitneyan A. praetereadens Stirton from South Dakota.

The discovery of the arms of the disparid inadunate crinoid Ramseyocrinus Bates from the Arenig (Lower Ordovician) of Morocco extends the geographic range of this genus, previously only known from south Wales, United Kingdom, and the Montagne Noire, France. It is probable that the Moroccan specimen represents a new species. This is the first Lower Ordovician crinoid to be described from Africa.

A new argyrolagoid marsupial, Hondalagus altiplanensis n. gen., n. sp., from the middle Miocene (Santacrucian–Friasian) age locality of Quebrada Honda in southernmost Bolivia represents the smallest and most specialized member of the family Argyrolagidae known. The lower molars are hypselodont and lack vertical grooves labially and lingually, and M4 is greatly reduced relative to M3. In overall size and structure, H. altiplanensis compares best with Microtragulus catamarcensis (Kraglievich, 1931) from rocks of late Miocene (Huayquerian) age in northwest Argentina. Hondalagus altiplanensis demonstrates that the adaptive radiation of argyrolagoids was much greater than previously envisioned, and that generic differentiation of known taxa occurred no later than early–middle Miocene time in South America.

A new species of Ptychocrinus, Ptychocrinus adamsensis, and dendrocrinid, genus and species undetermined, are described from the Lower Silurian (Llandovery) Brassfield Formation of Adams County, Ohio. Unlike previously recognized Ptychocrinus species, P. adamsensis has biserial arms. Accordingly, the generic concept of Ptychocrinus is broadened. Ptychocrinus adamsensis is the youngest North American species of Ptychocrinus. Ptychocrinus is not known from the Brassfield fauna that has been previously described from the Greene–Montgomery County area of Ohio.

The early terrestrial fossil record contains numerous Siluro-Devonian problematic Thallophyta which have morphological and habitat characteristics intermediate between the algae and the embryophytic plant kingdom. Three new species of the genus Nematothallus Lang (N. taenia, N. lobata, and N. elliptica) are described from a coaly lens in the Bloomsburg Formation (Ludlow). They are included in the order Nematophytales, which is placed in a new informal taxonomic group, Paraphyta, intended to include enigmatic, terrestrial plant-like fossils. These species designations are based upon the gross morphology of carbonized thalli which consist of an underlying anatomy of flattened tubular elements. The association and attachment of cuticles and axes of ?Prototaxites to Nematothallus is clearly demonstrated in these collections. The morphological and anatomical variety expressed in the numerous fragments of thalli from the deposit implies moderate levels of organic diversity in a “flora” of nonvascular, terrestrial plant-like thallophytes which predates the adaptive radiation of the embryophytes.