Bivalve mollusks of the Far Eastern Seas of the U.S.S.R. (Order Dysodonta)

This short section of Skarlato's monograph, Bivalve Mollusks of the Far Eastern Seas of the U. S. S. R. (Order Dysodonta), discusses the genus Arvella Bartsch, 1940 ms. The genus includes the species formerly assigned to Crenella. Diagnostic features of the species included in genus Arvella Bartsch are given. Vilasina Bartsch, 1940 ms is discussed, also The author states that the hinges of Vilasina clearly assign the species to the genus Crenella. The form and position of the umbo relate the species closely to the genus Arvella, though. The almost entirely smooth laminated surface distinguishes Vilasina from both genera, as does the finely serrated ventral edge of the shell. The last section discusses the genus Modiolus Lamarck, 1799. — A. W. Bellais.     

A Fammenian rhynconellid assemblage common to North America and the Urals

Rozman, describing in 1960 the Famennian deposits of Mugodzhar, mentioned a new genus Pseudonudirostra to which were assigned Pseudonudirostra uralica (Nalivkin, 1947), P. posturalica sp. nov. and P. planoovalis (Nalivkin, 1937). Sartenaer in 1961 distinguished the genus Trifidorostellum with the type species Leiorhynchus dunbarense Haynes, 1916. A year later Rozman (1962) described the new genus Pseudoleiorhynchus (= Pseudonudirostra), with the type species Leiorhynchus uralicus Nalivkin. Sartenaer in 1963 visited Russia and both authors concluded that Pseudoleiorhynchus was a junior synonum of Trifidorostellum. The early Famennian T. dunbarense of America and the late Famennian T. uralicum of Russia form a single group of species of stratigraphic value for intercontinental correlation of Famennian deposits.--A.W. Norris.     

The genus Nathorstia (ferns)

Nathorstia is a genus of Cretaceouslern with a broad distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. Previous authors have disagreed on the systematic position of Nathorstia, but investigation of the epidermis and sori of material from the lower Cretaceous of Primor'ye, Suyfun basin, has helped to clarify the problem. The genus was originally described by Heer, who assigned it to the family Marattiaceae, because of erroneous interpretation of the son. However, the true affinity is apparently with the Matoniaceae, particularly with the genus Phlebopteris Brongniart. A diagnosis of Nathorstia is presented, and N. pectinata (Goeppert) Krasilov, n. comb. (formerly Reussia pectinata Goeppert) is designated the type species. — S. H. Mamay.     

New gymnosperms from the Lower Cretaceous of the Primor'ye

A new species of Caytonia, C. orientale, and a new genus and species Chankanella vachrameevi are described from Neocomian-Aptian coal bearing strata in the Primor'ye Territory, Suifun basin. The new species of Caytonia is differentiated from C. sewardii Thomas and C. canadensis (Berry) Bell on the basis of size and slight morphological variances. Only one specimen of a megasporophyll was available for study. Leaves found in the same stratum and attributed to the new species differ from other species of Sagenopteris chiefly in the greater length of the petioles of the leaflets. Chankanella vachrameevi is described as a Sagenopteris-like leaf. It differs from Sagenopteris in having a larger number of leaflets and in lacking anastomoses of veins in the leaflets. It is compared with Lesleva Lesquereux. Its leaflets are compared with Thinnfeldia pinnae, and the leaves of Tersiella Radczenko, Linquifolium and Protophyllocladus. — F. M. Hueber.     

Members of Bythocytheremorpha (Ostracoda) from the Cretaceous of Tadzhik depression

Six new species of the genus Bythocytheremorpha, including B. centroscrobiculata, B. aksuensis, B. bicornis, B. (?) abnormis, B. torulosa, and B. ilyini, are reported and described from beds of Upper Cretaceous age (Cenomanian through Santonian) of the southwestern part of the Gissar Range, located in the southeast of Soviet Central Asia. These relatively primitive Cretaceous ostracods, which possess an intricately sculptured carapace, seem to have lived in a shallow, warm, marine environment. — R. H. Benson.     

Systematics of the family Verbeekinidae (Fusulinida)

The Verbeekinidae originated in the Lower Permian with the genus Misellina of the subfamily Neoschwagerininae. The faMily divided in the Upper Permian into the subfamilies Pseudodoliolininae, Sumatrininae, Verbeekininae and the dubious Kahlerininae. The status of the genus Armenina M.-Maklay is discussed, and the genus retained; the genera Brevazina Schenck and Thompson and Paraverbeekina M.-Maklay are assigned to the synonymies of Misellina and Verbeekina respectively. — R. E. Grant.     

NEW SILURIAN GENUS,URALOGRAPTUS

A new graptolite genus is described from lower Wenlockian rocks on the Molyud-Vozh river in the northwest Urals. Uralograptus closely resembles Cyrtograptus but lacks the spiral coiling of the main part of the rhabdosome. U. insuetus, the type species, was collected from the zone of Oktavites spiralis (Geinitz). --B.S. Norford.     

Ordovician and Silurian corals from Gornyy Altay region

Tabulate corals, including new species of Cyrtophyllum (C. elegantum, C. altaicum, C. vulgaris), Propora (P. proheliolitoides), and Plasmoporella (P. altaica) aid in defining Upper Ordovician strata of Gornyy Altay region; in addition, new species of Heliolites (H. pachycanaliculoides), Favosites (F. karagemensis), Pachyfavosites (P. bazhenovae), Squameofavosites (S. karagemensis, S. altaicum), and Hexismia (H. asiatica) form part of a rich Late Silurian fauna within the same region.—T. E. Bolton     

The genus Allorisma from Lower Carboniferous of the Moscow kettlehole

The author discusses the conceptual bases of the pelecypod family Allorismidae and of the Carboniferous genera Allorisma, Allorismiella, Edmondia, Edmondiella, and Pseudedmondia. There is an extensive discussion of the hinge line structures of Allorisma based on Russian specimens, and four species of the genus from the Carboniferous of the Moscow area are described. Astaf'yeva-Urbaitis overlooked Wilson's 1959 paper in which Allorisma was shown to be a junior synonym of Edmondia; as a result Astaf'yeva-Urbaitis' nomenclature is faulty. Wilson replaced Allorisma with the new generic name Wilkingia. — J. Pojeta, Jr.     

Oldhaminid brachiopods from the Permian of Transcaucasia

The Oldhaminoidea are classified as a suborder of the Productida, on the basis of the new genus Spinolyttonia which has productid spines, and on other morphological considerations. The Transcaucasian oldhaminoids are described in support of this position, with detailed treatment of the genera Keyseriingina Tschernyschev, Leptodus Kayser, Oldhamina Waagen, Gubleria H. and G. Termier, Spinolyttonia Sarycheva (nov.), and Poikilosakos Watson. The Transcaucasian fauna is Upper Permian (Guadalupian and Dzhulfian).—R. E. Grant     

VERTICAL MIGRATION OF PETROLEUM INTO CARBONIFEROUS AND PERMIAN DEPOSITS OF THE VOLGA-URAL PROVINCE

Three new species and two new genera of scleractinian corals are described from the upper Oxfordian (Jurassic) limestones of Azerbaijan. Cyathopora parva, Thecosmilia vurguni, and Thecosmilia zagaliensis are described as new. The genus Brevimaeandra (Type species: B. alizadei nov. sp.) is compared with Mycetophyllopsis and Maeandrastraea, and is placed in the Family Montlivaltiidae. Grandifavia (Type species: G. bendukidzeae, nov. sp.) is placed in the Family Faviidae and is compared with Favia and Nefocoenia. No other constituents of the fauna are listed nor are references to such lists given. A brief introduction states that the limestones of middle Oxfordian age are probably reworked reef deposits, and that the coral and sponge reefs were deposited in waters probably not over 90 m deep. No stratigraphic sections are given. — D. F. Squires.     

New Viséan rugose corals from west slopes of Urals

Two new species of Early Carboniferous colonial Rugosa discovered in collections from the western slopes of the Central Urals provide additional data on geographic ranges of Aulina and Paralithostrotion. Aulina kosvensis is the first fasciculate species of the genus to be described from the U. S. S. R. It was found in the Upper Viséan Ladeininskii horizon. Paralithostrotion talkaense is described on material from the Ladeininskii and Ust'sarbaiskii horizons and considered to be of upper Viséan(?) and Namurian age. In connection with this investigation, the type material of Paralithostrotion jermolaevi Gorskiy and Tschernowiphyllum podboriense Dobrolyubova, which are the type species of the two genera, was restudied and found to be congeneric. Tschernowiphyllum Dobrolyubova, 1958, is therefore a junior synonym of Paralithostrotion Gorskiy, 1938. As revised, Paralithostrotion is considered to be a doubtful lithostrotionid lacking a genuine columella and having tabulae that are concave to horizontal. The corallum is fasciculate with connecting processes, which open into a corallite at one end but at the other terminate blindly against a neighboring corallite. Two opposing septa are longer than the other majors and generally overlap in the axial region. The dissepimentarium is narrow and may not be developed. - H. Duncan.     

A member of the genus Cathaya (Pinaceae) from the Pliocene of Abkhazia

The newly recognized extant Asian conifer genus Cathaya is represented by fossil material in Europe. Female cones from the Oligocene of Saxony are assigned to C. europaea n. sp. ; these are distinguishable from the cones of the extant species of Cathaya. Cathaya abchasica n. sp. is based on foliar remains from the Pliocene of Abkhazia; the generic assignment is validated by comparison of the stomatal characteristics. The one previous fossil record of Cathaya in Europe is not considered valid. — J. A. Wolfe     

A new Devonian species of the genus Cooksonia (Psilophytales)

A new plant species, Cooksonia crassiparietilis, is described from the Lower Devonian of central Kazakhstan. It is found associated with Psilophyton princeps Dawson and Zosterophyllum australianum Cookson and Lang. The species is differentiated from other species of Cooksonia on the basis of sporangium size and wall structure. Forked sporangia are reported. Dehiscence of the sporangia is described as apical and lateral. This report extends the geographic range of the genus. — F. M. Hueber.     

Microstructure of septal system in some Silurian tetracorals

The microstructure of the septa is examined for some genera of the Lykophyllidae. Two distinct types of microstructure can be recognized, enveloping lamellar microstructure in which the fibers parallel each other and the median part of the septum, and pinnate-fibrous microstructure in which the fibers diverge at an acute angle from the median part of the septum and are commonly arranged in bundles. The Lykophyllid corals have thick septa in the young stages but the thickening reduces with growth. Three patterns of such reduction of septal thickening can be recognized: 1) reduction proceeding from the counter quadrant to the cardinal quadrant; 2) reduction proceeding from the periphery towards the axis; 3) reduction proceeding from the cardinal quadrant towards the counter quadrant. The Lykophyllidae are divided into two subfamilies, the Lykophyllinae with enveloping lamellar microstructure and the Semaiophyllinae with pinnate-fibrous microstructure. The pattern of reduction of septal thickening is different for the two subfamilies. A new genus, Rukhinia (type species R. cuneata n. sp., Upper Llandoverian of the western margin of the Siberian Platform) is proposed and is closely related to Semaiophyllum Vollbrecht.—B.S. Norford     

NEW GENUS,DAUBICHITES, OF PARAGASTRIOCERATIDAE

The new genus Daubichites (Paragastrioceratidae) includes involute, broadly discoidal shells with fine reticulate surface ornamentation, plicate or tuberculate umbilical shoulders on the early volutions, a suture line with 8 lobes, and a ventral sinus reflected in the growth line and septal necks. Two species are presently included in the genus, Daubichites goochi (Teichert) from the Upper Permian of Western Australia, and D. orientalis Popovsp. nov. (the type species here described) from the Upper Permian of the Sikhote-Alin' Range, Maritime Coast region (Primor'ye). In addition, certain pseudogastrioceratid species from the Phosphoria and Kaibab Formations of North America may belong to this genus. Daubichites is important to the phylogenetic study of the Paragastrioceratidae because it is transitional between Early Permian forms which possess a ventral projection and Late Permian forms with a ventral sinus. Daubichites is possibly descended from Tumaroceras. — Erle Kauffman.     

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENERA PALAEOFAVOSITES AND AGETOLITES

The Septal structure of Palaeofavosites Twenhofel consists of vertical rows of spines; that of Agetolites Sokolov, of solid or spinous septal lamellae. A new genus Hemiagetolites i is characterized by large septal spines which fuse at their base to form septal lamellae. Hemiagetolites is considered to be phylogenetically intermediate between Palaeofavosites and Agetolites and all three genera are assigned to the Favositidae. — W.A. Oliver, Jr.     

New data on Jurassic brachiopods

The brachiopod genus Aulacothyris Douvillé of late Jurassic age was shown to possess a brachidial loop joined to the dorsal septum during early stages of growth. This genus therefore was excluded from the family Zeilleridae and assigned to the family Dallinidae of the superfamily Terebratelloidea. On the basis of similar external and internal characters, particularly loop development, Babanova suggested that the following brachiopod genera should be combined into a tribe, Aulacothyrini trib. nov.: Aulacothyropsis, Aulacothyris, Terebrataliopsis and Kafirnigania. Babanova also described a new rhynchonellid genus which he named Bilanainella, collected from beds of Callovian age outcropping in the eastern Crimean Mountains. — A. W. Norris.