Abundant and well-preserved radiolarians are reported from a limestone sample taken from near the town of Fojnica, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. A late late Ladinian age is assigned to this sample based on the index species Spongoserrula fluegeli and Muelleritortis cochleata and associated radiolarian fauna.

As a result of taxonomic studies on the entactinarian and nassellarian fauna of this sample, three species (Pseudostylosphaera multispinata, P. oblonga, and P. procera) from the suborder Entactinaria, and 18 species (Bulbocyrtium cordeyi, B.? longobardicum, Goestlingella goricanae, G. pseudoillyrica, Monicasterix ornata, M. parvisegmentata, M. pulchra, Nabolella brevispinosa, N. crenulata, N. trispinata, Ladinocampe dinarica, Spinotriassocampe praecarnica, Pseudosaturniforma ladinica, Pararuesticyrtium coniformis, P.? sanfilippoae, Conospongocyrtis bragini, Castrum blomei, and Triassocyrtium longum) from the suborder Nassellaria are described as new. Moreover, the genus Pseudosaturniforma is emended based on the new materials.

A new lyssacinosan hexactinellid, Rossella bromleyi n. sp., is described from the Upper Cretaceous of Arnager Pynt, Bornholm (Denmark). The sponge shows a cup-shaped form with a broad, moderately dense root tuft, which contains three- and four-rayed orthotropal anchors characteristic for Rossella. The skeleton is composed of bundles of diactines, hexactines of two orders, and pentactines. Diactine bundles are mainly in the growth direction or diagonal to it. Prostalia lateralia are pentactines with the paratangential rays protruding beyond the outer surface of the sponge body. Hypodermalia are absent.

A thin unit of limestone at the base of the Val d'Homs Formation, close to the Middle–Upper Cambrian boundary, at the Ferrals-les-Montagnes section in the Montagne Noire (southern France), has yielded a fauna including linguliformean brachiopods. Although it is dated as early Late Cambrian by the trilobite association, the recorded brachiopods would suggest a latest Middle Cambrian age. Nine taxa of linguliformean brachiopods are described, including the new genus and species Ferralstreta globosa, and the new species Angulotreta brevis, Dactylotreta bacula, and Schizambon convexus. It is the first record of phosphatic-shelled brachiopods obtained by acid etching in southwestern Europe. All the genera show a great latitudinal dispersion but at species level the association is highly endemic.

Gypidula was a common pentameride brachiopod in the Silurian and Devonian periods and its oldest-known form, Gypidula akimiskiformis new species, occurs as a common component of a distinct Gypidula Association of the rich and diverse reef-dwelling brachiopod fauna in the Lower Silurian (upper Telychian) Attawapiskat Formation of the Hudson Bay Basin. This pioneer species has a high degree of morphological plasticity, with several infraspecific variations significant for the study of gypiduloid taxonomy and early evolution: 1) the sparsely costate shells may have strong to faint medial ribs, with some shells being quasi-smooth and 2) the inner hinge plates are commonly basomedially inclined toward the dorsal valve floor (not united to form a cruralium), but may also be subparallel or slightly basolaterally divergent toward the valve floor (similar to those in Clorinda). This implies that the basomedially inclined inner hinge plates were not a stable character at the initial stage of evolution of Gypidula during the late Telychian. Another gypiduloid from the Attawapiskat Formation, Erilevigatella euthylomata new genus and species, is characterized by a shell lacking fold or sulcus but having Clorinda-type, basolaterally divergent inner hinge plates and double-flanged crura. Compared to Levigatella, which has been regarded as an intermediate between Clorinda and Gypidula because of its Gypidula-type dorsal sulcus and Clorinda-type inner hinge plates, the rectimarginate shells of Erilevigatella make the distinction between Clorinda and Gypidula even more blurred at the early stage of their evolution.

The Topazan Stage is proposed for the interval between the Delamaran Stage and the originally proposed base of the Marjuman Stage. The proposed stratotype of the lower boundary of the Topazan Stage occurs 2.6 m above the base of the upper shale member of the Chisholm Formation, Drum Mountains, Utah. This boundary occurs within a shale sequence and is marked by the first appearance of Proehmaniella basilica, which also coincides with the disappearance of the common corynexochid Glossopleura. This faunal turnover can be recognized in stratigraphic sections in western North America and Tennessee, but cannot be recognized outside of Laurentia. The base of the overlying Marjuman Stage is restored to its originally proposed boundary, the FAD of Ptychagnostus atavus.

A single bed at the base of the Jordan Sandstone in a road cut at Arcadia, Wisconsin, yielded an undescribed Late Sunwaptan (Saukia Zone) trilobite fauna that includes at least four species from the families Dikelocephalidae Miller, 1889 and Eurekiidae Hupé, 1953. Arcadiaspis bispinata n. gen. and sp. is a distinctive eurekiid that is characterized by paired occipital and thoracic axial spines, long genal spines, and a nonspinose pygidial margin. Other genera present are the dikelocephalids, Dikelocephalus Owen, 1852 and Calvinella Walcott, 1914, and the eurekiid, Eurekia Walcott, 1916. Type material of Calvinella spiniger (Hall, 1863) is illustrated photographically for the first time. A new eurekiid species, Corbinia burkhalteri from the Fort Sill Formation, Oklahoma, is also described.

Middle and Upper Ordovician Triarthrinae from the Precordillera of San Juan, Argentina, include the Whiterock/Llanvirn Porterfieldia turneri (Baldis and Pöthe, 1995) and P. acava new species, and the early Caradoc Triarthrus jachalensis (Harrington and Leanza, 1957). Each of these species is described based on silicified material, including ontogenies, from the Las Aguaditas Formation. Porterfieldia maanssonae new species from the lower member of the Gualcamayo Formation (late Arenig) at Río Gualcamayo, San Juan Province, and Río Guandacol, La Rioja Province, is closely allied to P. turneri. Two protaspid stages are present in Porterfieldia, whereas mineralized protaspid stages are apparently lacking in Triarthrus jachalensis. Triarthrus jachalensis was capable of sphaeroidal enrollment by meraspid degree 2. Precordilleran species bear closest comparison to others from Spitsbergen (Porterfieldia acava n. sp. and P. parapunctata) and Sweden/Norway (Triarthrus jachalensis and T. linnarssoni).

A relatively diverse chelicerate fauna has been detected in Early Devonian, Siegenian strata of the Westerwald area, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The arachnids, comprising trigonotarbids and the oldest phalangiotarbids, are described and figured here along with the chasmataspidids. To accomodate the phalangiotarbid a new genus and species in the family Architarbidae, Devonotarbus hombachensis, is raised. Devonotarbus n. gen. is characterized by an approximately straight posterior carapace margin, abbreviated and undivided anterior tergites, a large sixth tergite, and fused posterior tergites. The chasmataspidid closely resembles Diploaspis casteri from the Emsian assemblage of Alken an der Mosel, but is readily discernible as a new species, D. muelleri, by a strong tuberculation of its dorsal integument. With only fragmentary opisthosomal remains available, the trigonotarbids cannot be placed in known taxa with any certainty at this time.

The paraphyletic group Grylloblattida, formerly included in the Protorthoptera sensu lato, is of great importance for the phylogeny of some ‘polyneopterous’ orders, because it is currently assumed to contain the sister groups of modern Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Grylloblattodea. We present new discoveries and new observations and interpretations concerning this crucial assemblage. Lodevopterum angustus new genus and species and Depressopterum minutus new species are described from the Upper Permian of the Lodève Basin (Hérault, France). The ‘Grylloblattida’ from Commentry (Allier, France; Upper Carboniferous) are revised: the family Protoblattinidae Meunier, 1909a is restored after the redescription of the type species Protoblattina bouvieri Meunier, 1909a; the family Stenoneuritidae Lameere, 1917 is revised; Palaeocixius fayoli Handlirsch, 1906b and Protoblattina giardi Meunier, 1921 are synonymized with Palaeocixius antiquus Brongniart, 1893, followed by a discussion on the possible familial attributions of this genus. The affinities of the poorly known family Protoperlidae Brongniart, 1885a are discussed after a critical compilation of the available data, i.e., Protoperla boltoni Lameere, 1917 is considered as Grylloblattida incertae sedis and Polyetes elegantissima Meunier, 1921 is transferred into Laurentiaupterum new genus and assigned to Paraphenopteridae new family. Close phylogenetic relationship of Atactophlebia termitoides Martynov, 1928 (Tikhiye Gory, Tatarian Republic, Russia; Upper Permian) and Pinidelia sukatshevae Storozhenko, 1994 (Tyulkino, Perm region, Russia; Upper Permian) is based on a new interpretation of their forewing venation. The recent taxonomy and phylogeny of the Grylloblattida proposed by Storozhenko (1998, 2002) are refuted. The current concepts of Protorthoptera, Plecopteroid Assemblage, and Grylloblattida are compared.

The oldest echinoderms and first cornute stylophorans ever reported from Korea are described, based on more than 40 specimens collected from the Late Cambrian of the Taebaeksan Basin. New material doubles the number of stylophorans described from Asia and the number of specimens of Late Cambrian stylophorans recorded throughout the world. Three different cornutes are identified: Sokkaejaecystis serrata n. gen. and sp. and two genus and species indeterminate forms A and B. Sokkaejaecystis serrata and indeterminate form B are assigned to the Chauvelicystinae, while the systematic position of indeterminate form A within cornutes is difficult to assess. This new material suggests paleobiogeographic connections between echinoderm faunas from Korea, western North America (Wyoming), and western Europe (Montagne Noire, Shropshire). A cladistic analysis of selected cothurnocystids shows that Sokkaejaecystis n. gen. is closely related to Prochauvelicystis and the sister group of a clade uniting Ampelocarpus with Lyricocarpus. The analysis also confirms the placement of Milonicystis within the Chauvelicystinae and questions the monophyly of the genus Chauvelicystis.

The lichenocrinid holdfast of Cincinnaticrinus varibrachialus Warn and Strimple, 1977 was attached to a variety of hard objects, i.e., crinoid stems, twig-shaped and flat bryozoans, brachiopods, bivalves, cephalopod shells, trilobites, and phosphate nodules, throughout life. This represents an adaptation to a soft substrate and most individuals are found in carbonate or carbonate-clay muds that were deposited in moderately deep and quiet water. Evidence from living and fossil crinoids suggests that the cincinnaticrinid column either required little nourishment from the crown or it may even have been metabolically self sustaining. The food-gathering system mainly needs to supply the energy needs of the crown with little or no contribution to the stem. Very likely, this applies to many crinoids. Consequently, it is appropriate to analyze the food gathering system with respect to the crown volume as a size parameter.

The aboral cup grows slowly compared to the arms. Brachs and ramulars show little shape change. Length of the column is augmented by formation of new columnals and size increase of old ones at all growth stages. Virtually all new columnals form by intercalation between older plates rather than being initiated immediately below the aboral cup. Most size-related variables in the arms are characterized by positive allometry relative to crown volume. New arm branches develop continuously. Likewise, new brachs and ramulars appear at the distal tips of all arms. This plate supply rate along with deposition of calcite on old arm plates produces an exponentially increasing growth rate for total length of the arms. Food-gathering capacity equals the number of food-catching tubefeet times the average food groove width. Due to the positive allometry of the size of the arms, the ratio of food-gathering capacity:crown volume is constant regardless of size so the capacity of the food-gathering system keeps pace with the tissue that must be fed. However, the average food groove width only changes slightly so that youngsters and adults ate food particles of about the same size.

Variation in number of brachs in the arms of C. varibrachialus is comparable to that of many Ordovician cladids. Specimens of C. varibrachialus from the Kope Formation of the Cincinnati, Ohio, area possess more numerous primibrachs than animals from the Walcott-Rust Quarry, although the two populations overlap greatly. Intercalated brachs are known in the midcontinent crinoids but not in the New York specimens. The basic arm structure, cup and crown shapes, ornamentation, and the morphology of the columnals and the holdfast of all crinoids are identical and the midcontinent and New York suites of crinoids are considered conspecific.

Fungal hyphae, unicellular algae, and filiform prokaryotic inclusions are the most abundant microfossils of the Cretaceous amber of Schliersee (Bavaria, southern Germany). These prokaryotes are described as Leptotrichites resinatus new genus and species, and interpreted as sheathed bacteria with similarities to the extant genus Leptothrix Kützing, 1843. However, the micromorphological and microanalytical features of this new species do not correspond entirely with those of the modern sheathed bacteria. Previous interpretations of these inclusions as filiform cyanobacteria, algae, and fungi have to be revised. Together with their numerous syninclusions, mainly fossil ciliates, testaceans, and microalgae, these prokaryotes belonged to a Cenomanian limnetic microcenosis of water bodies, such as ponds close to the resin-producing trees. Actualistic paleontological experiments reveal how these soft-bodied microorganisms could have been embedded in resins.

Berriochloa gabeli n. sp. and Berriochloa huletti n. sp. are described from fossil anthoecia (husks) recovered in late Miocene (Ash Hollow Formation) sediments in central Nebraska and central and western Kansas. Comparisons with other known fossil and living grasses suggest relationships with members of the grass tribe Stipeae and previously described B. intermedia Elias, 1942 from Ash Hollow deposits in north-central Kansas. Berriochloa gabeli and B. huletti were recovered in direct association with, or in the close vicinity, of rich biotas that provide evidence of widespread, probably treeless, grasslands with adjacent moist riparian habitats along streams or around temporary pools of water during deposition. Fossil vertebrates associated with the grasses at some sites suggest that the age of B. gabeli and B. huletti is early to middle Hemphillian.

Sponges from Permian beds in West Texas have been known from the early pioneer publication on the Guadalupian fauna by Girty (1908) and the later works by King (1933, 1943), Finks (1960, 1983, 1995), and Rigby et al. (1998). The sponge described here is perhaps the youngest hexactinellid known from the region. It was collected from the Reef Trail Member, the uppermost member of the Upper Guadalupian Bell Canyon Formation, from fault-isolated exposures of the formation in the Patterson Hills (Fig. 1) in the southwestern part of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, south of El Capitan and Guadalupe Peak.