The discovery of a new locality yielding giant Guadalupian (Lower Permian) fusulinids in east-central Alaska extends the range of these forms much farther north than previously known, and into a tectonostratigraphic terrane from which they previously had not been reported. The number of areas from which giant parafusulinids are known in North America is thus raised to eight. Three of these localities are in rocks that previously had been referred to the allochthonous McCloud belt arc, and one, West Texas, is known to have been part of Paleozoic North America. Comparison of species from all areas suggests that there are two closely related species groups: one represented in Texas and Coahuila, and the other represented in Sonora, northern California, northeastern Washington, southern and northern British Columbia, Alaska, and apparently in Texas. These groups may differ because they are of slightly different ages or because interchange between the faunas of Texas–Coahuila area and the other regions was somewhat inhibited during the Early Permian.

Four species of Fenestrida and two species of Rhabdomesida occur in the Otter Formation (Viséan) of the Little Belt Mountains, central Montana. Four species are new: Laxifenestella snyderi n. sp., Rectifenestella concava n. sp., Streblotrypa (Streblascopora) eastoni n. sp., and Nikiforovella beltensis n. sp. Several of these species are very similar to species described in Viséan rocks of central Mongolia, northeast Russia, Kazakhstan, and Japan. Fabifenestella cf. F. vulgaris compares closely with F. vulgaris Gorjunova and Morozova from the Lower Carboniferous of northern Mongolia. Most of the bryozoans in the Otter Formation occur in the normal marine, subtidal carbonate mud and calcareous shale microfacies.

This review of the goniocladiid genus Ramipora Toula is based on zoarial morphology. The diagnosis of Ramipora is emended and the type species R. hochstetteri Toula from the Upper Permian of Svalbard is redescribed. Anastomosing secondary branches forming a fenestrated meshwork discriminate Ramipora from other goniocladiids. Descriptions are based on new material collected from the type horizon (Kapp Starostin Formation, Akseløya) and elsewhere in the Svalbard Archipelago, and also on Toula's type specimen. Goniocladiella Nekhoroshev and Aetomacladia Bretnall are herein designated junior synonyms of Ramipora. Some species previously assigned to Ramipora are transferred to Ramiporidra.

Investigation of specimens of “Terebratella” ovula Anderson, 1938 from the upper Lower Albian Upper Chickabally Member of the Budden Canyon Formation, Great Valley Group, California has allowed the examination of the species' internal structures by serial sectioning. “Terebratella” ovula Anderson is now referred to the genus Dzirulina Noutsoubidze, 1945. The stratigraphic range of the genus is extended from the Hauterivian–Aptian to the Albian. The geographic range of Dzirulina is increased from central and western Europe, the Caucasus and Georgia of eastern Europe, and northern Zululand, Africa to now include northern California, North America. This represents an additional record of an Early Cretaceous brachiopod genus with a low-latitude, transatlantic distribution, most probably related to dispersal across the opening Central Atlantic Ocean.

Uninterrupted, ~800 m thick, Ashgill through Llandovery carbonate strata from Anticosti Island (eastern Canada) reveal five new brachiopod genera, enhancing present knowledge about the early evolution of the spire-bearing order Atrypida, spanning some 10.2 million years of time, and a global mass extinction crisis. New taxa include smooth-shelled forms such as the Late Ordovician genus Xysila, type X. astaca n. sp., and two new Early Silurian genera, Becscia, type B. scissura n. sp., and Cerasina, type C. pycnata n. sp. New costate genera include the Early Silurian reef-dwelling form Dihelictera, type D. acrolopha n. sp., and a deeper water inhabitant, Joviatrypa, type J. brabyla n. sp. For comparison with these new taxa, the spiralia and jugal processes of the type species of the Llandovery genera Protatrypa and Meifodia are illustrated and described for the first time.

Three species of mollusks and one annelid are described from the Paleocene upper mudstone member of the Potrerillos Formation (La Popa Basin), and from the upper part of the Rancho Nuevo Formation (Parras Basin). The species described include a gastropod, a bivalve, a nautiloid and a serpulid worm, which are formally reported for first time as Paleocene fauna of the Difunta Group in northeastern Mexico. The nautiloid species provides the basis for correlation between the two sedimentary basins of the Difunta Group, as it is reported for Paleocene layers of the two formations studied. Shoreface and tidal-flat depositional environments are inferred for the Paleocene rocks of the Difunta Group.

Silurian and Devonian bivalves recovered from the Los Espejos (Silurian to Lower Devonian) and Talacasto (Devonian) Formations of the Northern Precordillera Mountain belt are described and illustrated. The fauna comprises some new nuculoids Deceptrix (Devonodeceptrix) jachalensis n. subgen. and n. sp., Nuculites argentinum n. sp., and Anthracoleda (Pseudoleda) minuta n. subgen. and n. sp., as well as the new pterioid Actinopteria modesta n. sp. Additionally, many poorly known South American bivalves are redescribed and figured. Silurian–Devonian pelecypod faunas from some South American localities show differences both in diversity and in faunal composition. Causes for these differences are briefly discussed. Controls other than latitude are suggested in order to explain biogeographical affinities of the studied fauna.

The discovery of domatial dimorphism in the leperditellid ostracode Loculocavata n. gen. and the monotiopleurid Primitiella minima (Harris), and the possibility that Leperditella Ulrich exhibits domatial dimorphism, requires a revision of the concept and/or diagnosis of the Platycopina. Domatial dimorphism is manifested by a special domiciliar space for egg/brood care in females. Domatia are represented by a loculate domiciliar wall or by a more generalized space bounded anteriorly by an interior partition caused by thickening or folding (sulcation) of the shell wall. Domatial dimorphism occurs in morphologically diverse ostracodes as shown by the podocopine Mesocyprideis, kloedenellids, cytherellids, monotiopleurids, the leperditellid Loculocavata n. gen., and by its possible occurrence in Hypotetragona and Leperditella. Changes in the present concept and/or diagnosis of the Platycopina are required to account for the above. Possible classifications range from restricting the Platycopina to holosolenic ostracodes with R/L overlap and domatial dimorphism to including within the Platycopina all groups that exhibit domatial dimorphism. The position of adductor muscle attachment in Loculocavata n. gen. and Primitiella minima (Harris) suggests that L2 may be the external expression of the position of adductor muscle attachment in some ostracodes.

A well-preserved and diverse ostracod fauna of late Eocene, Kaiatan Stage age is described from a mudstone sample (Ashley Mudstone Formation) from the Waihao River outcrop near McCulloch's Bridge, South Canterbury, New Zealand. A total of 8,662 specimens are assigned to 104 species including one new genus and 13 new species. Of the new species all but the Cytheruridae are described herein. The new genus is Taracythere, type species T. proterva (Hornibrook, 1953) and the new species described here are: Pseudeucythere biplana, Eucythere sulcocostatula, Copytus pseudoelongatus, Neocytherideis reticulata, Patagonacythere waihaoensis, Munseyella pseudobrevis, Actinocythereis microagrenon and Pennyella leptodictyota. Because of a need for reillustration of established species, most of the remaining 91 species are illustrated and the systematics of some of these is remarked upon. Sixty-two species have been previously described, eight are tentatively referred to previously described species, and 21 are left in open nomenclature mainly due to paucity of material. The assemblage is interpreted as having lived in a low energy marine environment on the outer shelf or upper slope. Comparison with contempory ostracod faunas of southeastern Australia indicates very high affinity: 56 common genera, out of the 61 genera listed here. Considering the timing of Tasman seafloor spreading (Paleocene to Middle Eocene) and foundering of continental crustal regions of the eastern Tasman Basin to bathyal depths (initially Middle Eocene), trans-Tasman ostracod dispersal probably predates late Eocene times. The greater number of endemic Eocene genera recorded in Australia suggests that migration was dominantly eastwards.

The genus Lobocarcinus Reuss, as it is currently understood, consists of five species. Three of these species are retained: L. paulinowurtembergensis, L. indicus, and L. aegypticus. Lobocarcinus catalaunicus is referred to Neptunus, and L.? santosi is referred to Cancer. A new species, L. lumacopius, is described. Lobocarcinus forms are distinct from all other cancrids in the lobation of their anterolateral margins, high width: length ratio, and dorsal carapace ornamentation. The type species of the genus, L. paulinowurtembergensis, is abundant in the Gebel Mokattam region near Cairo. The studied specimens of L. lumacopius are from Wadi Hitan (Zeuglodon Valley), a region approximately 140 km southwest of Gebel Mokattam in the Fayum Depression. Direct comparisons are made between L. lumacopius and L. paulinowurtembergensis, and sexually dimorphic characters of L. lumacopius, including width: length ratios and abdominal and sternal elements, are identified. A key is presented to aid in the identification of the various species within the genus and to help in distinguishing Lobocarcinus from Cancer.

Six specimens belonging to several euphoberiid diplopod species have a pair of modified legs located along the midbody. These appendages are robust, much stouter than normal walking legs, and are attached to a sternite that is longer than those preceding and following. Euphoberiid modified legs differ in position from those of modern diplopods, being located neither near the anterior end as are gonopods nor at the anterior or posterior ends, as are clasping appendages of various modern forms. The presence of such appendages supports ordinal status for the euphoberiids.

The prominent spines of euphoberiids would have precluded intertwining types of mating behavior observed in many types of elongate modern diplopods. Judged by their robust nature and location, the modified legs may have been clasping appendages used during the mating process. “Intromittent organs” described on various taxa of fossil Diplopoda by the early paleomyriapodologists Scudder and Fritsch are suspect.

Plicodendrocrinus n. gen. is erected for dendrocrinids with solid pentalobate columns, strong stellate ridges on the aboral cup plates, and highly plicate anal sac plates. Five species are assigned: Middle Ordovician; P. proboscidiatus (E. Billings, not W. R. Billings) n. comb., from the Trenton of Canada and the Dunleith of Iowa and Minnesota. Upper Ordovician; P. casei (Meek) n. comb., from the Richmond and Gamachian of the midcontinent; P. rugocyathus (Ramsbottom) n. comb., from the Ashgill of England; P. collapsus (Donovan) n. comb.; and P. granditubus (Ramsbottom) n. comb., from the Ashgill of Scotland.

The Middle Ordovician dendrocrinids from the Dunleith Formation (Trentonian) of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota are P. proboscidiatus (E. Billings), Dendrocrinus acutidactylus E. Billings, and Quienquecaudex springeri (Kolata). All species are also known from the Middle Ordovician of Ontario and Quebec. In addition, O. springeri (Kolata) is recorded from the Platteville Group of Illinois. Biogeographically, the Dunleith dendrocrinids are most similar to those of the northern Appalachians.

Plicodendrocrinus casei (Meek) ranges widely in the midcontinent and has been obtained from the Maysvillian and Richmondian Maquoketa Formation of Iowa and Minnesota, several Richmondian units in the Cincinnati area, and the Gamachian Girardeau Limestone of Illinois and Missouri.

A quantitative cladistic analysis of Ordovician cladid and flexible crinoids produces five groups: primitive forms including Aethocrinus, Compagicrinus, Ottawacrinus, and Grenprisia; cyathocrinids with Carabocrinus, Palaeocrinus, Illemocrinus, and Porocrinus; merocrinids with Archaetaxocrinus, Merocrinus, Praecupulocrinus, Polycrinus, and Aithriocrinus; dendrocrinids with Esthonocrinus, Eoparisocrinus, Dendrocrinus, Quienquecaudex, Plicodendrocrinus and perhaps Eopinnacrinus; and Cupulocrinus and the flexibles, Protaxocrinus, Clidochirus, and Proanisocrinus. These groups are not consistent with the present taxonomy and several suggestions for restructuring are presented, notably grouping flexibles with cladids and adjusting the taxonomic level of cyathocrinids. The cladograms for early cladids and flexibles are poorly correlated with stratigraphic position because of numerous unfilled range zones for the taxa or their ancestors. Thus, the cladograms generate predictions that can be tested by later finds in the Lower and the lower part of the Middle Ordovician. The overall evolutionary trends are highly mosaic with numerous parallelisms and reversals.

The important mid-Telychian biozonal index species Monoclimacis griestoniensis (Nicol, 1850) is redescribed and distinguished from two new species: Monoclimacis directa (formerly the ‘Monograptus cf. griestoniensis’ of Elles and Wood, 1911), and Monoclimacis woodae. Stratigraphically, directa appears a little before griestoniensis, whilst woodae is from the late griestoniensis to early crenulata Biozone.

Rediscovery of Branson and Mehl's (1933b) classical outcrop of the Middle Ordovician Joachim Dolomite near Holstein in eastern Missouri, from which they described 32 new species and four new genera of conodonts, makes it possible to obtain the large topotype collections needed to interpret their taxa in terms of modern multielement taxonomy. Of special interest in their Holstein fauna is Phragmodus primus Branson and Mehl, 1933, by original designation the type species of Phragmodus Branson and Mehl, 1933, whose morphology and relationships have been very poorly understood. Study of topotype collections, as well as of Branson and Mehl's syntypes, has failed to reveal any notable morphological differences between the elements of P. primus and those of P. undatus Branson and Mehl, 1933, a very well known and widely distributed species in the Middle and Upper Ordovician Midcontinent Realm faunas. These species are herein considered to be synonymous. Because the original descriptions of P. primus and P. undatus were published simultaneously, neither name has priority over the other. However, P. undatus has figured far more prominently in the taxonomic and biostratigraphic conodont literature than P. primus and therefore we favor use of the former designation for this species. The recognition that P. primus and P. undatus are the same species extends the stratigraphic range of P. undatus downward to considerably below the Deicke K-bentonite, that is, well into the Blackriveran.

The nominal Eucrossorhinus microcuspidatus and Cretorectolobus olsoni from the Campanian Judith River Formation of Montana, correspond to teeth from juvenile and adult individuals of one single species of orectoloboid shark. The type series of the latter is heterogeneous and includes, besides the holotype, a tooth belonging to a different orectoloboid of a new generic type named Cederstroemia. This genus is unique among Orectolobiformes by comprising sharks with dental adaptations towards a strict cutting dentition. Two new species of Cederstroemia are described: C. triangulata from the Judith River Formation of Montana and C. nilsi from the early Campanian of the Kristianstad Basin, Skåne, Sweden. An emended diagnosis is provided for Cretorectolobus, clarifying the dental characteristics of its members.

Cores dating back to deglaciation were taken from three lakes in Atlantic Canada and analyzed for arcellaceans and pollen. Paleotemperatures and paleo-precipitation were calculated from the pollen data using transfer functions. A sudden warming is recorded by the pollen around 10,000 years B.P., followed by a general warming to the mid Holocene Hypsithermal, then by a decrease in temperature and increase in effective precipitation to the present. The three lakes, two in western Newfoundland and one in eastern Nova Scotia, contain similar late glacial (13-10 ka), early Holocene (10-8 ka), mid Holocene (8-4 ka), and late Holocene (4-0 ka) arcellacean assemblages. Immediately following retreat of the ice sheets, Centropyxis aculeata, Centropyxis constricta, Difflugia oblonga, Difflugia urceolata, and Difflugia corona were common. The latter part of the late glacial is characterized by sparse assemblages dominated by C. aculeata. The arcellacean record thus suggests a climatic reversal in Atlantic Canada between 11,500 and 10,000 years B.P., analogous to the Younger Dryas, although this is not recorded by the pollen. Species diversity increased sharply at the beginning of the Holocene, and D. oblonga is the dominant taxon in early Holocene sediments. Difflugia oblonga remained common through the mid Holocene, but percentages of C. aculeata were very low, and Pontigulasia compressa and Difflugia bacillifera peaked in abundance during the Hypsithermal. The late Holocene is characterized by a resurgence in C. aculeata at the expense of other taxa. The increase in Heleopera sphagni and Nebella collaris since 5,000 years B.P. at the two sites in southwestern Newfoundland reflects paludification in response to increased precipitation since the Hypsithermal. Because the changes in arcellacean assemblages are regionally synchronous in all three lakes and coincide with climatically driven vegetational successions indicated by the pollen record, arcellaceans appear to respond to climatic change, and thus may be useful paleoecological and paleolimnological indicators. With their quicker generation time, these protists may be better suited than pollen to recording short-lived phenomena, like the mid-Holocene Hypsithermal and the Younger Dryas reversal.