Two new Middle Jurassic species of orthophlebiids (Insecta: Mecoptera) from Inner Mongolia,China

QIAO, X., SHIH, C.K. & REN, D., December 2012. Two new Middle Jurassic species of orthophlebiids (Insecta: Mecoptera) from Inner Mongolia, China. Alcheringa 36, 467–472. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two new species of the extinct family Orthophlebiidae, Orthophlebia nervulosa sp. nov. and Orthophlebia stigmosa sp. nov., are described and illustrated. These well-preserved specimens were collected from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation near Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China. Morphological characters shown in these well-preserved specimens highlight the diversity of orthophlebiids during the Middle Jurassic and provide data for future phylogenetic studies of orthophlebiids.     

Poljanka strigosa,a new species of Protopsyllidiidae (Hemiptera,Sternorrhyncha) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Yang, G., Yao, Y.Z. & Ren, D., iFirst. Poljanka strigosa, a new species of Protopsyllidiidae (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha) from the Middle Jurassic of China. Alcheringa, 1–6. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new fossil species, Poljanka strigosa sp. nov., of the extinct family Protopsyllidiidae is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village, Inner Mongolia, China. The new species is characterized by wings bearing long, stiff setae that are evident as stained impressions in the fine sedimentary rock. Comparison between Protopsyllidiidae and extant psylloids suggests that Protopsyllidiidae is probably closely related to extant psylloids.     

New Early Triassic Lingulidae (Brachiopoda) genera and species from South China

Peng, Y. & Shi, G.R., June, 2008. New Early Triassic Lingulidae (Brachiopoda) genera and species from South China. Alcheringa 32, 149–170. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two new genera, Sinolingularia gen. nov. and Sinoglottidia gen. nov., together with three new species, Sinolingularia huananensis gen. et sp. nov., Sinolingularia yini gen. et sp. nov. and Sinoglottidia archboldi gen. et sp. nov., are described on the basis of a large collection of well-preserved specimens from several sections straddling the Permian – Triassic boundary in South China.     

A new fossil petalurid dragonfly (Odonata: Petaluroidea: Aktassiidae) from the Cretaceous of China

LI, Y.J., HAN, G., NEL, A. REN, D., PANG, H. & LIU. X.L., September 2012. A new fossil petalurid dragonfly (Odonata: Petaluroidea: Aktassiidae) from the Cretaceous of China. Alcheringa 36, 321–324. ISSN 0311-5518.

The new petalurid species Pseudocymatophlebia boda is described from Lower Cretaceous strata of Inner Mongolia, China. It provides additional morphological characters for this genus, which has been previously recorded from the Lower Cretaceous of England. Together with Aktassia, it is the second aktassiid genus with a very wide distribution, even though this family remains known only from Eurasia. Furthermore, a new name, Brachaktassia gen. nov., is proposed to replace the brachiopod genus Aktassia Popov, 1976.     

Chorilingia (Neuroptera: Grammolingiidae): a new genus of lacewings with four species from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China

SHI, C.F., WANG, Y.J., YANG, Q. & REN, D., September 2012. Chorilingia (Neuroptera: Grammolingiidae): a new genus of lacewings with four species from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. Alcheringa 36, 311–320. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new grammolingiid genus, Chorilingia containing four new species (C. euryptera, C. parvica, C. translucida and C. peregrina) is described and illustrated from the Jiulongshan Formation at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. The new genus is differentiated mainly on the first branch of vein Rs (Rs1) separating distal to the forks of both CuA and CuP. A key to species of the genus is provided.     

New sinoalids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cercopoidea) from Middle to Upper Jurassic strata at Daohugou,Inner Mongolia,China

Fu, Y., & Huang, D., December 2018. New sinoalids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cercopoidea) from Middle to Upper Jurassic strata at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. Alcheringa 43, 246–256. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new fossil genus with three species of Sinoalidae, Parasinoala daohugouensis gen. et sp. nov., Parasinoala minuta gen. et sp. nov., Parasinoala magnus gen. et sp. nov., from the Middle to Upper Jurassic Haifanggou Formation at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, northeastern China, is described and illustrated. The new genus differs from other sinoalids by the tegmen with RA having 2–3 branches, MP with 3–4 branches and MP of hind wings with two branches, which indicates the terminal branches of RA and MP are highly variable within Sinoalidae. The new discovery greatly increases the palaeodiversity of sinoalids in the early assemblage of the Yanliao biota from the Daohugou beds.

Yanzhe Fu [yzfu@nigpas.ac.cn] State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Diying Huang* [dyhuang@nigpas.ac.cn] State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China.     

Microflora of the H.Y.C. Pyritic Shale Member of the Barney Creek Formation (McArthur Group), middle Proterozoic of northern Australia

The H.Y.C. Pyritic Shale Member of the Barney Creek Formation (ca 1 500 my old; northern Australia) contains several stratiform base metal sulfide deposits of economic significance. Black cherts within these mineral deposits preserve a diverse assemblage of bacterial and algal microfossils. The assemblage differs from most other Precambrian biotas so far described in that it was deposited in deep water, it is not associated with stromatolites or algal mats, and it is dominated by filamentous bacteria, most of which are pyritized. Analysis of the assemblage suggests that the depth of the depositional basin exceeded that of the photic zone, that the bacteria inhabited the basin floor where they maintained anoxic conditions through heterotrophic degradation of detrital organic matter, and that the algae inhabited overlying near surface waters. Most of the algal fossils have been assigned to the Cyanophyta, although two of the described species are potentially referable to the eukaryotic green or red algae. Differences between this assemblage and other biotas described from the McArthur Group suggest that a workable system of biostratigraphic zonation for the Group is feasible.

Fossils in the H.Y.C. assemblage are here referred to 21 species and 16 genera, of which 14 species and 6 genera are new. The new taxa are: Bacteria, Biocatenoides incrustata sp. nov., B. pertenuis sp. nov., Ramacia carpentariana gen. et sp. nov., Coleobacter primus gen. et sp. nov., Ferrimonilis variabile gen. et sp. nov.; Chroococcales (Cyanophyta), Nanococcus vulgaris gen. et sp. nov., Bisacculoides tabeoviscus gen. et sp. nov., B. vacua gen. et sp. nov., B. grandis gen. et sp. nov.; Nostocales (Cyanophyta), Oscillatoriopsis schopfii sp. nov., Cyanonema inflatum sp. nov., C. minor sp. nov.; Incertae sedis, Clonophycus elegans gen. et sp. nov., Globophycus minor sp. nov. In addition, the new combination Gunflintia septata (Schopf) is proposed.     

Two new species of Nevania (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Praeaulacidae: Nevaniinae) from the Middle Jurassic of China

Two new species of Nevania Zhang & Rasnitsyn 2007 Zhang, H.C. & Rasnitsyn, A.P., 2007. Nevaniinae subfam. n., a new fossil taxon (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Praeaulacidae) from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou in Inner Mongolia, China. Insect Systematics & Evolution 38, 149–166.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Nevania perbella sp. nov. and Nevania aspectabilis sp. nov., are described and illustrated. They are assigned to Nevania based on their unique morphological characters: forewing venation complete; 2A complete; metasoma with first and second segments long and tube-like. A key to the known species of Nevania is provided. These fossils, collected from the Jiulongshan Formation (Middle Jurassic) of Daohugou in Inner Mongolia, China, broaden the known diversity of this genus in mid-Mesozoic ecosystems.     

Middle Devonian gastropods from Xiangzhou and Wuxuan,Guangxi, South China

Eighteen taxa of Middle Devonian (Givetian) gastropods, including two new genera and five new species, are présent in the Tungkangling and Yingtang Formations, Wuxuan and Xiangxhou counties, Guangxi Province, China. Pingtianispira tuberculata gen. et sp. nov., Wuxuanella nodusa gen. et sp. nov. and Wuxuanella luifengshanensis sp. nov., Crenulazone wuxuanensis sp. nov. and Murchisonia luifengshanensis sp. nov. are erected from this distinct fauna. The fauna is dominated by nodose and unusual murchisonioids and has strong European and other Old World realm affinities.     

Confirmation of a Middle Jurassic age for the Eedemt Formation in Dundgobi Province,southeast Mongolia: constraints from the discovery of new spinicaudatans (clam shrimps)

Two spinicaudatan species, Triglypta eedemtensis Li sp. nov. and Dundgobiestheria mandalgobiensis Li gen. et sp. nov., are described on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of newly collected specimens from paper-thin laminated black shale of the Eedemt Formation exposed at the Eedemt locality in the Khootiin Khotgor coal mine region of Dundgobi Province in southeast Mongolia. Triglypta eedemtensis is ornamented mainly with puncta and a punctate fine reticulum; radial lirae occur only on two or three growth bands near the venter. The small spinicaudatan Triglypta is a common component of the Middle Jurassic Euestheria ziliujingensis fauna and Sinokontikia fauna, and is a typical taxon in the Middle Jurassic lacustrine sequences of northern Hebei and the Junggar and Turpan basins of the Xinjiang Autonomous District of China; however, it does not occur in stratigraphically higher units elsewhere. Therefore, the age of the Eedemt Formation should be considered Middle Jurassic rather than Early Cretaceous. The Eedemt Formation is much older than the Early Cretaceous Shinekhudag Formation in the Shine Khudag area of southeast Mongolia.     

A new fossil genus in Pamphiliidae (Hymenoptera) from China

A new genus with two new species, Scabolyda orientalis gen. et sp. nov. and Scabolyda incompleta sp. nov., assigned to the subfamily Juralydinae in the family Pamphiliidae are described and illustrated. They were collected from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation and the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in northeastern China. They represent the first fossil pamphiliids described from China.     

Revision and two new species of Itaphlebia (Nannochoristidae: Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China

Cao, Y., Shih, C., Bashkuev, A. & Ren, D., September 2015. Revision and two new species of Itaphlebia (Nannochoristidae: Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. Alcheringa 40, XX–XX. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two new species of Itaphlebia Sukatsheva, 1985, Itaphlebia longiovata and I. amoena (Nannochoristidae Tillyard, 1917), are described and illustrated from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. Previously described Middle Jurassic nannochoristid genera, Chrysopanorpa Ren in Ren et al., 1995 and Protochoristella Sun, Ren & Shih, 2007b, together with Stylopanorpodes and Netropanorpodes Sun, Ren & Shih, 2007a (originally assigned to Mesopanorpodidae) are revised and considered to be synonyms of Itaphlebia. The following tentative species synonymies are proposed: Protochoristella formosa and Stylopanorpodes eurypterus = Itaphlebia ruderalis (Ren in Ren et al., 1995), comb. nov.; Netropanorpodes sentosus = I. jeniseica Novokshonov, 1997a, syn. nov.; and Protochoristella polyneura = I. multa Novokshonov, 1997a, syn. nov. Netropanorpodes decorosus is transferred to Itaphlebia. These new species, new material and the new combinations broaden the diversity of the Itaphlebia in mid-Mesozoic ecosystems and provide new characters enabling amendment of the generic diagnosis.

YiZi Cao [easycaoyinzi@aliyun.com], ChungKun Shih [chungkun.shih@gmail.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn], College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuanbeilu 105, Haidian District, Beijing, PR China 100048; Alexei Bashkuev [fossilmec@gmail.com], Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya st. 123, Moscow 117997, Russia.     

Two new fossil caddisflies (Amphiesmenoptera: Trichoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of northeastern China

Zhang, W.T., Shih, C.K. &; Ren, D., May 2016. Two new fossil caddisflies (Amphiesmenoptera: Trichoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of northeastern China. Alcheringa XX, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Two new species, Acisarcuatus locellatus (Necrotauliidae) and Liadotaulius limus (?Philopotamidae) are described. They were collected from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou Village, Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, China. In addition, we interpret Karatauliodes to be a junior synonym of Necrotaulius and propose Necrotaulius minutus (Sukatsheva, 1968) comb. nov. We propose transferring Necrotaulius korujensis and Necrotaulius shewjensis to Liadotaulius as Liadotaulius korujensis (Sukatsheva, 1990) comb. nov. and Liadotaulius shewjensis (Sukatsheva, 1990) comb. nov. Based on newly described taxa and the new combinations proposed, we summarize seven known genera with 24 species within Necrotauliidae and provide a key to the genera of this family.

Weiting Zhang [zhangweitinghao@163.com], Geoscience Museum, Hebei GEO University, 136 Huaiandonglu, Shijiazhuang, 050031, PR China; Chungkun Shih [chungkun.shih@gmail.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn], College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, 105 Xisanhuanbeilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, PR China; Chungkun Shih, Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA.     

Ostracods of the Late Devonian Frasnian/Famennian transition from Western Junggar,Xinjiang, NW China

Song, J., Crasquin, S. & Gong, Y., September 2016. Ostracods of the Late Devonian Frasnian/Famennian transition from western Junggar, Xinjiang, NW China. Alcheringa 41, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.

Ostracods are described for the first time from the Late Devonian of western Junggar in Xinjiang, NW China. Fifty-two species belonging to 30 genera are recognized, and seven are new: Arcuaria hebukesarensis sp. nov., Bairdia shaerbuertiensis sp. nov., Cribroconcha honggulelengensis sp. nov., Microchelinella bulongourensis sp. nov., M. hoxtolgayensis sp. nov., Pribylites wulankeshunensis sp. nov. and P. junggarensis sp. nov. The ostracod fauna indicates a probable late Frasnian age for the lower member of the Hongguleleng Formation, and the Frasnian/Famennian boundary may exist in the basal part of the formation. The ostracod assemblages are referable to the Eifelian Mega-Assemblage, incorporating both the palaeocopid and smooth-podocopid associations. The fauna implies deposition in a nearshore–offshore environment during a transgression when the lower member of the Hongguleleng Formation was being deposited in western Junggar.

Junjun Song [hnlisa@126.com], State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China; CR2P, MNHN-UPMC- CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, T46-56, E.5, case 104, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France; Sylvie Crasquin [sylvie.crasquin@upmc.fr], CR2P, MNHN-UPMC-CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Universités Pierre et Marie Curie, T46-56, E.5, case 104, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France; Yiming Gong* [ymgong@cug.edu.cn], State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, PR China.     

Phylogenetic analysis of a new fossil Notonectidae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) from the Late Jurassic of China

Zhang W.T., Yao Y.Z. & Ren D., June 2012. Phylogenetic analysis of a new fossil Notonectidae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) from the Late Jurassic of China. Alcheringa, 239–250. ISSN 0311-5518.

A new fossil species Notonecta vetula sp. nov. is described and illustrated using nymph and adult fossil specimens collected from the Upper Jurassic Chijinqiao Formation, Yumen City, Gansu Province, China. A phylogenetic analysis, based on a combination of fossil and extant backswimmers, was conducted to confirm the position of the new fossil within the Notonectidae.

Wei-ting Zhang [zhangweitinghao@163.com], Yun-zhi Yao* [yaoyz100@gmail.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn], Key Lab of Insect Evolution and Environmental Changes, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, PR China; *Corresponding author; also affiliated with: State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS), Nanjing 210008, PR China. Received 13.7.2011; revised 19.9.2011, accepted 27.9.2011.     

Phosphatic fauna of the Early Cambrian Todd River Dolomite,Amadeus Basin,central Australia

Ten species of phosphatic or phosphatised fossils are described from the Early Cambrian Todd River Dolomite of the Amadeus Basin in central Australia. The tannuolinid genus Micrina nov. is erected to include Platyceras etheridgei Tate 1892. The family Kennardiidae nov. is erected to include phosphatic organisms having three distinct forms of mitral sclerite. Assigned to this family are Kennardia reticulata gen. et sp. nov. and tentatively Dailyatia ajaxBischoff. Other phosphatic problematica are Paterimitra pyramidalis gen. et sp. nov., Eccentrotheca cf. kanesia Landing, Nowlan & Fletcher. Also described are phosphatised Chancelloria sp., Lenastella sp. and Pelagiella sp. and the phosphatic inarticulate brachiopods Askepasma toddensegen. et sp. nov., Edreja aff. distincta Koneva and ?Lingulella sp. Two species of tubular problematica are illustrated but not discussed in detail.     

Ordovician stromatoporoids from Tasmania

The Hunter Siltstone near Grenfell, New South Wales, contains a rich Upper Devonian fish fauna including the sinolepid Grenfellaspis and the new antiarchs Bothriolepis grenfellensis sp. nov. and Remigolepis redcliffensis sp. nov. Bothriolepis grenfellensis sp. nov. is the first bothriolepid species described from N.S.W., and R. redcliffensis sp. nov. is the first species of Remigolepis described from Australia. Traditionally, the Hunter Siltstone was considered to be uppermost Famennian or earliest Carboniferous in age based on the presence of Grenfellaspis, and the related taxon Sinolepis, which is known from the Wutung and Sanmentan formations of southeastern China. However, available data indicates the Hunter Siltstone may be early Famennian in age. Ongoing work suggests that all Famennian Bothriolepis from N.S.W., including B. grenfellensis, possess a trifid preorbital recess, but differ in other aspects of headshield morphology. In North China, the Famennian Zhongning Formation contains six species of Remigolepis and a species of Sinolepis. However, R. redcliffensis does not show any similarity to these species beyond those of Remigolepis as a whole.     

A hairy-bodied tettigarctid (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) from the latest Middle Jurassic of northeast China

Liu, X.H., Li, Y., Yao, Y.Z. & Ren, D., April 2016. A hairy-bodied tettigarctid (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea) from the latest Middle Jurassic of northeast China. Alcheringa 40, xxx–xxx. ISSN 0311-5518

Extant tettigarctids are also known as hairy cicadas because they are covered by long and abundant hairs. This character had not been reported in fossil species of Tettigarctidae because previous examples were poorly preserved or lacked long hairs. Hirtaprosbole erromera gen. et sp. nov. (Tettigarctidae) with a hairy body, from the latest Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China, is described here. This new species provides evidence that tettigarctids with long dense hairs had appeared by the latest Middle Jurassic and lived at high altitudes.

Xiao-hui Liu [liuxh8917@163.com], Yi Li [liy0124@sina.com], Yun-zhi Yao*[Corresponding author: yaoyz100@gmail.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn], College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuanbeilu 105 Haidian District, Beijing, PR China 100048.