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No 6 (2023)
Articles
Rhizolites and Signs of Pedogenesis from Upper Permian of Central Russia
Abstract
The remains of fossil roots (rhizolithes) of two morphotypes (M1 and M2) from Upper Permian deposits near the town of Vyazniki in the east of the Vladimir region are described. In the section, M1 rhizolites are vertically oriented and are represented by several types of preservation: rhizocretions, imprints of the roots surface and root petrifactions. The study of transverse and longitudinal sections of ferruginized root fragments showed that among the rhizolites there are three types of structure of the central conducting beam (stele). On two rhizolites, it was noticed that the places of branch of the lateral roots are located by four rhizostiches, which indicates a tetrarch type of stele for these roots. The discovery of the remains of root systems in an upright position and without any traces of transportation indicate the first stages of primary soil formation. M2 rhizolites are a network of finely intertwined roots. New findings of in situ rhizoliths are significantly complement our understanding the Late Permian paleoenvironments and paleoecosystems in the center of the Russian Platform.
3-14
On the Late Paleozoic Subfamily Neopronoritinae Weyer (Pronoritidae, Ammonoidea)
Abstract
Modern views on the systematics of Pronoritidae are considered. The division of the family into two subfamilies, Pronoritinae and Neopronoritinae, proposed by Weyer (1972) is discussed, the composition and the phylogenetic relationships of Neopronoritinae are clarified. The endemic genus Shikhanites Ruzhencev is proposed to be a paedomorphic member of the subfamily Uddenitinae (family Medlicottiidae Karpinsky). The genera Neopronorites Ruzhencev and Sakmarites Ruzhencev were revised, based mainly on species of these genera from the Early Permian of the Shakhtau quarry (Bashkortostan). Of the 15 species previously assigned to the genus Neopronorites, 12 are recognized as valid, ten of them are Early Permian. The genus Sakmarites includes six species, three of which were found in Shakhtau.
15-26
A New Species Martinothyris pseudolineatus (Spiriferida) from the Late Famennian of Northeastern Iran
Abstract
A new species Martinothyris pseudolineatus (Spiriferida) is described from the Upper Famennian (Khoshyeilagh Formation) of the Siaheh Mountain, northeastern Iran. The first appearance and ways of dispersal of representatives of the genus Martinothyris Minato, 1953 are considered.
27-32
A New Species of Nucleolites (Echinoidea, Cassiduloida) from the Lower Albian of Russian Plate
Abstract
A new species of Nucleolites from the Lower Albian deposits (Arcthoplites jachromensis Zone) of the Pavlovskoye section (Yuriev-Polsky district, Vladimir region) was described based on eight specimens. The species characterizes the late stages of the phylogeny of the genus and significantly expands its paleogeography. The taphonomic features of the burial made it possible to trace the structure of the jaw apparatus of the cassiduloid type in adult Nucleolites. For the first time in the Albian deposits of the Russian Plate, an extensive echinoderm assemblage, which is the most representative for the Lower Cretaceous deposits of the region as a whole, was established.
33-39
The First Fossil Find of Darwin Wasps of the Subfamily Poemeniinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with Description of a New Genus and Species in Baltic Amber
Abstract
A fossil representative of Darwin wasps of the subfamily Poemeniinae was first discovered from the Late Eocene Baltic amber; the Amberpoemenia kirejtshuki gen. et sp. nov. has been described. The fossil genus Amberpoemenia in the subfamily occupies an isolated position having features of specialization that are not typical of the recent representatives of the sufam. Poemeniinae.
40-49
A New Pareiasaur (Parareptilia) from the Lower Vyatkian (Upper Permian) of Orenburg Region, Russia
Abstract
A new genus and species, Senectosaurus karamzini gen. et sp. nov. was described based on remains of the postcranial skeleton of a large adult pareiasaur from the Lower Vyatkian of Preobrazhenka-2 locality (Orenburg Region). The new pareiasaur is characterized by large postcranial osteoderms of the platform type. Osteoderms are flattened, with flat ventral and slightly convex dorsal surfaces, with one to three contact facets from a toothed or scaly suture connection with neighboring osteoderms, without dorsal elevation and surrounding fossae circumcinctae and with numerous large fossae on the dorsal surface of the platform. The absence of dorsal elevation distinguishes the new pareiasaur from all known pareiasaurs with postcranial osteoderms.
50-61
Small Ducks (Aves: Anatidae) from the Early–Middle Miocene of Eurasia. 3. A Revision of Mionetta natator (Milne-Edwards, 1867)
Abstract
The results of a taxonomic and morphological revision of Mionetta natator (Milne-Edwards, 1867) from the lower Miocene of Western and Central Europe are presented. It is shown that the collections of small ducks from Saint-Gérand-le-Puy localities (France) indeed contain a small species of the genus Mionetta, which is here described as Mionetta defossa sp. nov. At the same time, Mionetta natator represents a separate taxon and is here assigned to the genus Caerulonettion gen. nov., showing morphological similarities with modern Malacorhynchus and fossil Mioquerquedula spp. The first finds of small ducks from the lower Miocene of Kazakhstan are also described (Aral Svita, the Agyspe and Altynshokysu localities; Akzhar Svita, the Blue Sands locality), tentatively attributed to Mionetta defossa and Mionetta sp. The diversity and relationships of small ducks of the early–middle Miocene of Eurasia are discussed.
62-75
Pleistocene Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus L., 1758) Discovered in the Northern European Russia (Pechora River)
Abstract
A fragment of a walrus skull of Neopleistocene age was found at a distance of about 340 km from the mouth of the Pechora River. The skull presumably belonged to a mature male of Atlantic walrus 13–14 years old. The radiocarbon date of the walrus bone shows the age over the method’s limit (>45 ka). Nitrogen and carbon isotope data from skull collagen are discussed. The reason for the appearance of the walrus far from the modern sea shore was, presumably, the Rodionovo (Shklov, MIS 7) or boreal Sula (Mikulino, MIS 5e) marine transgression into the area of the latitudinal part of the Pechora River. The relatively good preservation of bone testifies in favor of the Sula marine transgression. The Rodionovo age of the walrus can be assumed on the basis of the presence of shallow water marine deposits lying between two Middle Pleistocene moraines—Pechora (Dnieper, MIS 8) and Vychegda (Moscow, MIS 6).
76-86
A New Fossil Plant from the Late Devonian Strata of Northern Timan (Russia)
Abstract
Remains of a new fossil plant Petrosjania salarina gen. et sp. nov. were found in the Upper Devonian deposits of the Northern Timan (eastern coast of the Chesha Bay of the Barents Sea). This plant has a number of features characteristic of different groups of higher plants: Barrandeinoid stems (characteristic of the Barrandeinales), flabelloid leaves on stems (Devonian groups incertae sedis) and axilar leaves (characteristic of many plants, including horsetails), fibrous root system (typical for Pteridophyta, Monocotyledones). The systematic position of the new fossil plant, its morphology and possible relationships are discussed.
87-96
First Evidence of Damage by Micromycetes on Infructescences of Cretaceous Genus Friisicarpus N. Maslova et Herman (Platanaceae)
Abstract
Morphologically similar damage of carpels of two Friisicarpus species (Platanaceae), F. kubaensis (Western Siberia, Albian–Cenomanian) and F. sarbaensis (Western Kazakhstan, Cenomanian–Turonian) induced by micromycetes have been described for the first time. Fruiting bodies of the micromycetes are developed within the tissues, forming tubercles on the carpel surfaces. Morphology of the fruiting bodies, their distribution on the substrate, as well as dropping out of the substrate after maturation bring them together with some modern representatives of Pleosporales. A possible role of insects in the transferring of fungal spores and participation of arthropods in the pollination of early Platanaceae are discussed.
97-107
Results of Morphological and Physico-Chemical Investigations of Compressions of the Ancient Coal-Forming Plants
Abstract
Orestovia-like plants are соаl-forming for some of the most ancient in the history of the Earth, Devonian coals. Their complex study has been being completed without using the possibilities of chemosystematics for the Palaeozoic fossil plants. The morphology and material composition of plant compressions are described. EPR spectroscopy has shown the presence of paramagnetic properties in the studied compressions, a specific feature of lignins and products of their transformation. The method of pyrolytic chromato-mass spectrometry established the aromatic nature of organic matter, structurally similar to lignin and built exclusively from p‑coumaric units.
108-116