In order to improve the understanding of how the high northern latitudes responded to the escalating warming which led to the middle Cretaceous super greenhouse climate, more temperature proxy records from the High Arctic are needed. One of the current obstacles in obtaining such records is poor age control on the Lower Cretaceous strata in the Boreal region. Here, we provide a biostratigraphic framework for the Rurikfjellet and Helvetiafjellet formations representing the lower part of the Lower Cretaceous succession on Spitsbergen. We also attempt to date the boundary between the Agardhfjellet and the Rurikfjellet formations. This study is based on dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) from three onshore cores (DH1, DH2 and DH5R) and three outcrop sections (Bohemanflya, Myklegardfjellet and Ullaberget). Relatively abundant and well-preserved dinocyst assemblages from the Rurikfjellet Formation date this unit as early Valanginian – early Barremian. The dinocyst assemblages from the Helvetiafjellet Formation are significantly impoverished and are characterized by reworking, but collectively indicate a Barremian–Aptian age for this formation.

Lower Cretaceous (AJO and AJR) and Oligocene clays (AS) from northern Tunisia were analysed to evaluate their possible use in the production of earthenware tiles by dry processing and fast double-firing. The Cretaceous clays are carbonate-rich (AJO = 20%, AJR = 12%) while the Oligocene ones are carbonate-free. This led to noticeable differences in firing behaviour (shrinkage, sintering rate and loss on ignition) and consequently in functional properties (water absorption, mechanical strength, porosity). The AJO firing shrinkage is very small, which makes this clay suitable for rapid firing. The clays are illite-kaolinite-rich but the AS sample is mostly smectitic (44%) and so is used (10 wt.% maximum) only to adjust the consistency of the powder during pressing. The average agglomerate size ranges from 100 to 350 μm and the distribution is suitable for easy pressing of powders without any special need for further adjustments. Characterization of fired products confirms the high potential of these clays since all properties fall within the ceramic International Standards (ISO). For both technical and economic reasons dry processing is recommended for production of earthenware tiles, in particular for countries in sunnier climates, where solar energy can be exploited for clay drying.

Evidence of herbivory on Laurasian Nymphaeaceae leaves from Lower Cretaceous (Upper Albian) deposits is presented for the first time. The types of damage on leaves consist of both hole feeding and margin feeding, which were found on foliar remains of the taxa Ploufolia cerciforme and Aquatifolia cf. fluitans. Within the first category of damage, the Damage Type 78 (DT78) type on Ploufolia leaves and type DT02 on Aquatifolia foliar lamina were recorded. The second category of damage has only been identified in Ploufolia leaves, and it corresponds to type DT12. The subsequent palaeoichnologic interpretation made it possible to compare these records with damage caused by the extant water lily pest to make a possible palaeoecological interpretation.

The new name Neosergipea M. Cáceres, Ertz & Aptroot is introduced to replace Sergipea M. Cáceres, Ertz & Aptroot, which is a later homonym of Sergipea Regali, Uesugui & Santos, a genus of fossil pollen. Using the small subunit of the mitochondrial rDNA cistron, we present an updated phylogeny of the Enterographa clade in Roccellaceae which includes the genera Dichosporidium, Enterographa, Erythrodecton, Mazosia, and Neosergipea. While in a previous analysis the relationship between Neosergipea and Dichosporidium was unresolved, our results suggest Neosergipea to be an unsupported sister to Dichosporidium s. lat. The latter potentially represents two distinct genera, differing in ascospore type.

A specimen of the Early Cretaceous amiiform fish Calamopleurus cylindricus with stomach content is described from the Santana Formation, Brazil. The prey concerns a smaller conspecific individual. Until now, prey items documented for Calamopleurus almost exclusively involved the aspidorhynchid Vinctifer. On the basis of the present record it is suggested that the prey preference of Calamopleurus was less pronounced than previously assumed.

A new lyelliceratid, Lyelliceras escragnollensis sp. nov., is described from the condensed Albian of Escragnolles (Var) and La Balme de Rencurel (Isère), as well as from the upper Lower or lower Upper Albian of Maurepaire (Aube), in France. The new species is precisely dated on the basis of a previous record from the lower Middle Albian Lyelliceras lyelli Subzone of the Hoplites dentatus Zone at Courcelles (Aube). It is regarded as a short-lived descendant of Lyelliceras pseudolyelli, and is characterised as a compressed species of the genus in which the inner ventrolateral tubercles are weak and apparently absent on the early phragmocone whorls, the outer ventrolateral clavi feeble, offset to opposite across the venter, the siphonal clavi being more numerous than the outer ventrolateral.

Animals enclosed in amber often provide a unique insight into their surface structure. Such fossils of reptiles are rare and usually not extremely ancient, the earliest being no more than 40 million years (my). A recently discovered 120 my lizard from the Lower Cretaceous of Lebanon provides direct evidence that several common external features of autarchoglossan lizards had evolved by this time. Ecomorphology indicates that the lizard concerned had considerable climbing ability on open surfaces and perhaps in vegetation, and probably lived in a mesic forested environment, something supported by associated plant and invertebrate remains.