Rajkanella hottingerinaformis n. gen., n. sp., a new larger benthic foraminifer from the middle-upper Cenomanian of Kosovo

A new larger benthic porcelaneous foraminifer of soritid affinity is described as Rajkanella hottingerinaformis n. gen., n. sp. from the middle-upper Cenomanian of Kosovo. It occurs in foraminiferal packstones and grainstones, in association with cuneolinids, rhapidionids, chrysalidinids, and other benthic foraminifers. Due to its general morphology and superficial chamber subdivision by exoskeletal elements, Rajkanella n. gen. can be compared with the early Paleogene genus Hottingerina Drobne, 1975, from which it mainly differs in its apertural features, ornamented test, and coiled adult stage. Further differences to coeval Pseudorhapydionina De Castro, 1971, Pseudorhipidionina De Castro, 1971, and to other comparable genera, are discussed. The discovery of Rajkanella hottingerinaformis in the middle-upper Cenomanian is a further witness of the significant radiation and blooming of increasingly complex porcelaneous foraminifers in inner platform, shallow-water depositional settings during that period.     

The Cenomanian short snout enchodontid fishes (Aulopifomes,Enchodontidae) from Sierra Madre Formation,Chiapas, southeastern Mexico

In this paper the short snout Cenomanian enchodontids from the El Chango quarry, Chiapas, southeastern Mexico, are reviewed. Unicachichthys multidentata nov. gen. and sp. is named and identified as a new member of the Enchodontidae because it has the predorsal scute series that is the distinctive character of such family. This new genus resembles other short snout enchodontids, as Enchodus and Eurypholis; however, Unicachichthys differs from these and other members of the family because it shows characters ever observed, including a multitoothed dermopalatine, the presence of a basal sclerotic bone, and the serrations in the posterior edge of the preopercle vertical limb. The inclusion of Unicachichthys in two phylogenetic analyses, based on studies previously performed, suggests that this is a primitive representative of the family Enchodontidae. Additionally specimens of two different species of Enchodus from the El Chango quarry are also described; these specimens are so scarce and fragmentary that it is not possible to determine their specific taxonomic identity. The record of these Mexican fossils enrich the knowledge about the diversity of Cenomanian enchodontids in the North American domain of the Tethys Sea, which now contains new taxa that should be considered in future efforts to recognize the phylogenetic and biogeographic processes experienced by this fish group.     

Sulcusina iberica n. ichnogen., n. ichnosp., a new crustacean microcoprolite from the Upper Cretaceous of Spain

The new crustacean microcoprolite Sulcusina iberica n. ichnogen., n. ichnosp., is described from the Upper Cretaceous Alarcón Formation (?uppermost Cenomanian to ?lower Coniacian) of the Southern Iberian range. The new ichnogenus is characterized by rod-shaped bodies with parallel-running longitudinal canals (without interconnecting lines) of rounded transverse sections within the symmetry plane. Characteristic is the presence of a central longitudinal furrow (or canal) that extends to the middle of the microcoprolite, without any connection to the laterally grouped canals of usually lower diameter. The latter display a circular outline in transverse sections. Sulcusina n. ichnogen. can be compared to some extant with both Helicerina Brönnimann & Masse and Lercarina Senowbari-Daryan. The new microcoprolite occurs in monotypic grainstones together with some thin-walled miliolids and ostracods ascribed to a peritidal facies.     

Fissumella motolae n. gen. n. sp., a new soritoidean (Foraminifera) from the lowermost Albian carbonate platform facies of central and southern Italy

The Soritoidea (Foraminifera) represent an important component of Cenomanian microfossil assemblages of the central and southern Tethyan carbonate platforms and are widely used as biostratigraphic markers. In this paper a new taxon, Fissumella motolae n. gen. n. sp., is described from the Cretaceous carbonate platform facies of central and southern Italy. It is characterized by its small size, planispiral-involute arrangement of chambers, fissure-shaped single aperture and few and short radial septula subdividing the marginal lumen of the chambers. Fissumella motolae n. gen. n. sp. represents the first soritoidean in the fossil record showing internal subdivisions of the chamber lumen. Carbon isotope stratigraphy supports an earliest Albian age for this significant step in the evolution of the superfamily Soritoidea. The new subfamily Fissumellinae is established for soritoidean foraminifera with planispiral-involute lens-shaped shells, single aperture and chamber lumen subdivided by few and short septula.     

Small-sized abelisaurid (Theropoda: Ceratosauria) remains from the Upper Cretaceous of northwest Patagonia,Argentina

A new abelisaurid theropod from the Cenomanian of Candeleros Formation (Neuquén Province, NW Patagonia, Argentina) is described. It includes an isolated frontal, partial pelvis, two fused sacral centra, femoral shaft, rib fragments, partial metatarsal II and shaft of metatarsal III. A paleohistological analysis shows that MMCh-PV 69 was somatically mature at time of death. The prevalence of relatively ordered intrinsic fibers in the primary bone indicates a relatively lower growth rate of MMCh-PV 69 compared with other abelisauroids, such as Aucasaurus garridoi. Phylogenetic analysis found MMCh-PV 69 as a basal abelisaurid, sister group of the node formed by Majungasaurinae and Brachyrostra. We estimated the body mass of MMCh-PV 69 in 240 kg, which makes it one of the smallest abelisaurids recorded. This new form adds to the extensive theropod fauna of the Candeleros Formation, probably the most diverse association of meat-eating dinosaurs recorded in a Cretaceous Formation from South America.     

Late Cretaceous (Santonian) Atractosteus (Actinopterygii,Lepisosteidae) remains from Hungary (Iharkút,Bakony Mountains)

Lepisosteid fishes are well known from the Upper Cretaceous of Europe, but only by fragmentary remains from some Cenomanian and Campanian–Maastrichtian deposits. Here we report various cranial and postcranial remains of gars, discovered in the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Csehbánya Formation of Iharkút (Bakony Mountains, Hungary). These remains represent one of the most diverse assemblages of lepisosteid fish material from Upper Cretaceous continental deposits of Europe. Based on tooth morphology, scale-microstructure and the features of the supracleithrum we refer these remains to the genus Atractosteus. Besides some uncertain remains from the Cenomanian of France and Spain, the Santonian aged fossils from Iharkút represent the oldest undisputable occurrence of the family Lepisosteidae in the European continental Cretaceous. Using tooth crown morphology, the surface microstructure of the ganoid scales and the anatomy of the supracleithrum a review of the Late Cretaceous lepisosteid record suggests the occurrence of both Atractosteus and Lepisosteus in the European archipelago.     

A new peculiar muensterellid coleoid (Cephalopoda) from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Dorset (England)

A concretion from the lower Tithonian Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Pectinatus Zone) found by Steve Etches yielded a gladius of a coleoid cephalopod. It is peculiar in shape and has an unusual ornamentation of radiating ribs and tubercles. The new form is named Etchesia martilli n. gen. n. sp. and preliminarily placed within the octobrachian family Muensterellidae based on its limpet-like gladius. Through the presence of radiating ribs as well as the absence of a narrow anterior rachis E. martilli n. gen. n. sp. is similar to Pearceiteuthis buyi from the Oxford Clay Formation (Callovian). The new muensterellid is unique in having an enrolled patella apex, which is located close to the posterior gladius rim. E. martilli n. gen. n. sp. represents the first muensterellid coleoid from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. A phylogenetic relationship of E. martilli n. gen. n. sp. (and Pearceiteuthis) with cirrate and incirrate octopods is discussed, although further information on soft parts such as the muscular mantle is necessary.     

A possible juvenile ceratopsoid ilium from the Cenomanian of central Utah,U.S.A.

We describe a small ilium, with fibrous texture characteristic of juvenile bone, from the lower Cenomanian of central Utah, U.S.A. The ilium was recovered from the upper part of the Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation. The ilium most closely resembles that of immature ceratopsid ilia referred to Agujaceratops mariscalensis from the Campanian Aguja Formation of southern Texas, U.S.A. Both have everted dorsal margins over the iliac body, subhorizontal postacetabular processes, and laterally compressed, anteroventrally curved preacetabular processes. If correctly identified, the small ilium from the Cedar Mountain Formation is the oldest ceratopsid or ceratopsoid known, and shows that the diversity of early ceratopsians was greater than previously realized.     

An Ichthyornis-like bird from the earliest Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of European Russia

Ornithuromorph birds (the clade which includes modern avian radiation) first appeared in the Early Cretaceous in Asia and achieved a great diversity during the latest ages of the Late Cretaceous (Campanian and Maastrichtian). The evolutionary history of orithuromorphs during the first 17 MYAs of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian to Santonian ages) remains very poorly known, as the fossil record for this time interval is largely restricted to several isolated finds of the classic avian genus Ichthyornis in North America. Here we describe an isolated distal tibiotarsus of an evolutionary advanced bird, morphologically similar to Ichthyornis, from the middle Cenomanian of Saratov Province, European Russia. This is the first documentation of an Ichthyornis-like bird in the Old World. The find further constitutes only the second pre-Campanian record of the Late Cretaceous Ornithuromorpha in Eurasia, the second record of Cenomanian birds in Russia. This discovery shows that Ichthyornis-like birds enjoyed a wide geographical distribution as early as the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. Given that the earliest and the most primitive ornithuromorph birds are known from Asia, the new find supports a Eurasian origin for Ichthyornithidae.     

An unusual new lineage of sawflies (Hymenoptera) in Upper Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

A peculiar new lineage of sawflies (‘Symphyta’) is described and figured from a female beautifully preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from northern Myanmar. Syspastoxyela rhaphidia Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., shares many plesiomorphic features with the primitive Xyelidae, 2Xyelotomidae, and 2Xyelydidae such as enlarged and thickened first flagellomere succeeded by a series of thinner and shorter flagellomeres, absence of a transverse mesoscutal sulcus, multiple preapical spurs, and two protibial spurs among other traits. However, the new lineage has an apomorphically contracted forewing venation, lacks a subcostal vein, has a single marginal cell, and lacks crossvein 1r-rs, and thus it is segregated into a new family, Syspastoxyelidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov. The phylogenetic affinities of the new family are discussed and a position near Pamphilioidea or Pamphilioidea + Unicalcarida is advocated.     

A new twisted-wing parasitoid from mid-Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Strepsiptera)

A second Mesozoic twisted-wing parasite (Strepsiptera) is described and figured based on an exceptionally well-preserved male in mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from northern Myanmar. Phthanoxenos nervosus Engel and Huang, gen. et sp. nov., is distinguished from other strepsipteran lineages, particularly the contemporaneous Cretostylops engeli Grimaldi and Kathirithamby, also in Burmese amber, and Protoxenos janzeni Pohl et al. in mid-Eocene Baltic amber, and assigned to a new family, Phthanoxenidae Engel and Huang, fam. nov. Phthanoxenos exhibit features indicative of a more primitive phylogenetic position than Cretostylopidae but still more derived than Protoxenidae. Brief remarks are made on the geological history of the Strepsiptera.     

The earliest amber-recorded type cockroach family was aposematic (Blattaria: Blattidae)

Only seven adult cockroaches have been described from Mesozoic amber. Balatronis cretacea gen. et sp. nov. from the Cenomanian burmite is the most ancient member of the type cockroach family Blattidae and the only one recorded from Cretaceous strata. Individuals represented by immature and adults (n = 14, 4) constitute 3.2 per cents of all Myanmar amber cockroaches surveyed by us – indicating habits close to source trees supported with bark body pattern (absent in sedimentary fossils). Preservation in small-sized pieces suggests longer post-depositional transportation. Its characteristic aposematic coloration suggests direct ancestry to the living repellent harlequin cockroach Neostylopyga rhombifolia, which lost its wings. Along with the bizarre Manipulatoridae, Eadiidae and Alienopteridae species, it exemplifies the high disparity of cockroaches in the ancient amber–producing tropical forest, but also documents the appearance of advanced modern taxa.     

Jurassic-Cretaceous (Bathonian to Cenomanian) palynology and stratigraphy of the West Tiba-1 borehole,northern Western Desert,Egypt

Land-derived pollen and spores and marine dinoflagellate cysts were extracted from the Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments of the West Tiba-1 borehole, northern Western Desert, Egypt, On the basis of the recovered palynomorphs, of known stratigraphical significance, the following stages were assessed: Bathonian-Oxfordian (Middle-Late Jurassic) and Hauterivian, Aptian-Early Albian, Late Albian-Early Cenomanian, Early Cenomanian and Late Cenomanian (Early-Middle Cretaceous). No palynomorphs diagnostic for the Berriasian, Valanginian and Barremian stages (Early Cretaceous) were depicted. Based on the nature and composition of the identified palynomorph content, five informal palynomorph assemblage zones were recognised. These are: the Gonyaulacysta jurassica-Korystocysta kettonensis Assemblage Zone (PI, Bathonian-Oxfordian), Ephedripites-Aequitriradites verrucosus Assemblage Zone (PII, Hauterivian), Afropollis jardinus-Duplexisporites generalis-Tricolpites Assemblage Zone (PIIl, Aptian-Early Albian), Nyssapollenites-Elaterosporites Assemblage Zone (PIV, Late Albian-Early Cenomanian) and Assemblage Zone PV (Early-Late Cenomanian). The latter zone was differentiated into two subzones, namely the Classopollis brasiliensis-Elaterosporites klaszii Assemblage Subzone (PVa, Early Cenomanian) and Afropollis kahramanensis-Triporates Assemblage Subzone (PVb, Late Cenomanian). The time stratigraphy of the studied interval was revised. The occurrences and types of the dinoflagellate cysts, extracted from the studied succession, reflect a general shallow (shelf) marine pal˦oenvironment.     

First record of a clupeomorph fish in the Neuquén Group (Portezuelo Formation), Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina

A new genus and species of clupeomorph fish, Leufuichthys minimus, is described from the fluvial deposits of the Portezuelo Formation, Upper Cretaceous (Turonian-Coniacian) of the Neuquén Group, Patagonia, Argentina. It is a small-sized fish with an estimated body length up to 46 mm. Among other characters, the new species shows the following: abdominal scutes; abdomen moderately convex; anal fin elongate-based; three uroneurals; two epurals; caudal fin bearing very elongate rays; and cycloid scales. Leufuichthys minimus gen. et sp. nov. shows a greater similarity with Kwangoclupea dartevellei, a clupeomorph described from a marine Cenomanian deposit of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa), mainly due to the presence of an elongate-based anal fin, bearing more than 20 fin-rays, differing from it by the presence of a not hypertrophied abdomen. As far as known, L. minimus gen. et sp. nov. is the first clupeomorph described in the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia and represents one fortuitous preservation of an articulated fish in fluvial deposits.     

New mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) in Cretaceous ambers from Lebanon,Spain, and Myanmar

Diverse new material of mantises found in the Cretaceous amber-bearing deposits from Lebanon (Barremian), Spain (Albian), and Myanmar (Albian–Cenomanian) are described and figured. The Lebanese and Spanish forms are nymphs; while the one from Myanmar is an adult specimen. The Lebanese nymph corresponds to a new specimen of Burmantis lebanensis Grimaldi, 2003 while the adult Burmese (Myanmar) specimen belongs to the new species Burmantis zherikhini. The Spanish specimen represents a new genus and species and is established as Aragonimantis aenigma, but is considered family incertae sedis. The Spanish specimen is the first record of Mesozoic mantises from western-European amber deposits. A revised phylogenetic hypothesis for Cretaceous mantises is proposed.     

New Alveolinoidea (Foraminifera) from the Cenomanian of Oman

The first alveolinoidean appearing in the Cenomanian Natih Formation of Oman (Adam foothills and southern edge of Jabal Akhdar) are studied in detail. Morphological analysis results in the creation of one new family, Myriastylidae, two new genera, Myriastyla and Alveocella, and four new species, M. omanensis, M. grelaudae, A. wernliana, and Cisalveolina nakharensis. These four new taxa have a short stratigraphic extension restricted to the uppermost part of Natih E unit and are dated early middle Cenomanian by neighboring foraminifers and ammonite levels.     

Lamniform sharks from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Venezuela

Sampling of Cenomanian fossil-rich horizons within the La Luna Formation of two localities in the Zulia and Trujillo states (northern Venezuela) yielded numerous shark teeth belonging to various species within the order Lamniformes (Mackerel sharks). Twelve lamniform species were identified including three new species (Squalicorax lalunaensis sp. nov., Squalicorax moodyi sp. nov., Acutalamna karsteni gen. et sp. nov.) and the genus Microcarcharias gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate with the peculiar morphology of the small-sized odontaspidid M. saskatchewanensis. Other taxa reported here include Cretoxyrhina mantelli, Cretolamna sp., cf. Nanocorax sp. and five Squalicorax species left in open nomenclature. This is the first report of chondrichthyans from the mid-Cretaceous of Venezuela and one of the few records of this group from the Cenomanian of South America. The composition of these assemblages suggests some degree of endemism in the La Luna Sea but also possible connexions with the Western Interior Seaway. One of the most striking features of these assemblages is the high anacoracid diversity (eight species) despite the corresponding outer shelf/upper slope palaeoenvironments of the La Luna Formation. The high diversity of these opportunistic predators is probably related to the high diversity of medium to large marine vertebrates that provided food resources.     

Notatudiadema and Aegyptiaris: Two new regular echinoids genera with two new species from the Cenomanian of north Sinai,Egypt

Revision of the Cenomanian echinoids deposited in the Cairo Geological Museum resulted in the erection of two new genera with two new species of regular echinoids. The first, Notatudiadema rekeibensis gen. and sp. nov. is established for specimens from the Cenomanian of Gabal El-Rekeib, southeast the Maghara massif, north Sinai to accommodate diadematoid echinoids having hemi-crenulate ambital and sub-ambital interambulacral tubercles with the adapical part of platform non-crenulate and the adoral one of same tubercle coarsely crenulate. The second is Aegyptiaris halalensis gen. and sp. nov., erected for material from the lower Cenomanian of Gabal El-Halal, northeast Sinai as an emiratiid echinoid with throughout polyporus ambulacra and extremely reduced adapical ambulacral tubercles. The functional morphology and paleobiology of these taxa are also discussed. A new family is established: family Monodiadematidae fam. nov.     

A revision of the ammonite faunas of the type Cenomanian. 3. Mantelliceratinae

This contribution continues the revision of the ammonite faunas of the type Cenomanian, dealing with the Mantelliceratinae, the dominant Lower Cenomanian representatives of the Acanthoceratacea. Seven species of the genus Mantelliceras Hyatt, 1903 and one of the genus Sharpeiceras Hyatt, 1903 are described.     

Mesomegaloprepidae,a remarkable new damselfly family (Odonata: Zygoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Mesomegaloprepus magnificus gen. et sp. nov. (Odonata: Zygoptera) is described from more than 14 specimens in eight pieces of mid-Cretaceous (earliest Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) amber from Myanmar. Possible phylogenetic affinities with the Neotropical Latibasaliidae, Thaumatoneuridae, and Pseudostigmatinae are discussed, and a relationship with Pseudostigmatinae considered as possible, but because of conflicting evidence separate family status as Mesomegaloprepidae fam. nov. is tentatively preferred. The remarkable degree of homoplastic conflict in the wing venational similarities indicates that these represent relatively weak evidence for phylogenetic relationships. The palaeoecology, including sexual dimorphism in wing colouration, of the new taxon is discussed, and the large number of inclusions explained with possible breeding behaviour in association with water-filled tree holes (phytotelmata) of the amber tree, similar to extant Pseudostigmatinae. The position of all alleged fossil Thaumatoneuridae are discussed and revised: Eothaumatoneura ptychoptera Pongracz, 1935 from the Eocene Geiseltal locality is restored in Thaumatoneuridae. Cretaceous Euarchistigma and Paleogene Eodysagrion are tentatively retained as subfamilies Euarchistigmatinae and Eodysagrioninae in Thaumatoneuridae. Paleogene Dysagrioninae and Petrolestinae are removed from Thaumatoneuridae and attributed to a restored family Dysagrionidae, and Paleocene Latibasaliidae is transferred from Amphipterygoidea to Epallagoidea.