Bryozoans are among the most abundant fossil groups in the cool water limestones that characterize the uppermost Katian (Upper Ordovician) of Southwestern Europe and North Africa. The Cystoid Limestone Formation, the representative unit of those widespread rocks in the Iberian Chains (NE Spain), yields one of the most diversified bryozoan faunas of the whole area. Herein the first systematic description of the trepostomate family Monticuliporidae is undertaken, this is one of the most diverse families within the associations collected. Four species of the genera Monticulipora and Prasopora are described, including the new species Monticulipora cystiphragmata n. sp. and Prasopora spjeldnaesi n. sp., and an indeterminate Monticuliporidae. Monticulipora and Prasopora have shown to be very similar genera, with several species that are difficult to distinguish between them. Their diagnoses include common features such as the wall microstructure, density of mesozoecia, and number of acanthostyles. Herein a new generic diagnosis of Monticulipora is proposed, putting special emphasis on the shape and distribution of cystiphragms. The species Monticulipora kolaluensis is identified for the first time out of Siberia. Although the record of these new taxa can indicate a certain isolation of the Iberian Chains region within the North Gondwana platform, the occurrence of Prasopora carnica shows a relation to the neighbouring Carnic Alps (Italy and Austria).

A labrid fish, Bellwoodilabrus landinii n. gen., n. sp., is described based on a single specimen collected from the Eocene locality of Monte Bolca, northern Italy. Bellwoodilabrus landinii n. gen., n. sp. is characterized by a prominent frontal relief, broad ethimoid-frontal depression, strongly developed supraoccipital crest, bar-like nasal, jaw teeth arranged in a single row, posterior preopercular margin apparently entire, rounded and molariform lower pharyngeal teeth, six branchiostegal rays, 24 (9 15) vertebrae, moderately reduced neural spine of the first vertebra, parhypurapophysis absent, XI 9 dorsal fin elements, III 9 anal fin elements and 12 pectoral-fin rays. The comparative analysis of morphological and meristic features reveals that Bellwoodilabrus landinii n. gen., n. sp. possesses a combination of plesiomorphic and derived features, which is unique within the Labridae. Bellwoodilabrus landinii n. gen., n. sp. represents the third valid species of the family Labridae described up to now from Monte Bolca. The morphofunctional analysis of the cranial and appendicular skeleton suggests that Bellwoodilabrus landinii n. gen., n. sp. was a benthic invertebrate feeder that inhabited the deep and calm settings along the northern coasts of the central Tethys. The evolutionary significance of the Eocene labrids from Monte Bolca is also discussed.

New material of eomyids from the very Early Oligocene of southern Germany and the late Early Oligocene of France and Spain has been studied. In Germany besides the previously known and unique Eomys antiquus (Aymard, 1853), two other species have been found including an undetermined genus, Eomyidae gen. et sp. indet, with unexpected morphological features that were considered as derived based on our current knowledge. These three species show that at least three immigrant lineages were present as early as the beginning of the Oligocene in Europe. In France and Spain, except for Eomys antiquus which confirms its large geographical distribution, the species found are unlikely to have evolved from the German ones, thus suggesting another immigration wave of eomyids in Europe. Finally, the diversity of the first European eomyids is higher than expected, leading us to consider a more complex evolutionary history than a simple radiation from Eomys antiquus as previously proposed. Despite the limited material available, the undetermined genus, here considered as a likely new genus, shows some clear morphological affinities with the Asian late Oligocene genus Asianeomys Wu, Meng, Ye & Ni, 2006, thus suggesting a possible common Asian ancestor.

New ground sloths (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Mylodontidae) from the Neogene of the Bolivian Altiplano.

Two new Mylodontinae (Xenarthra, Tardigrada, Mylodontoidea) from the Bolivian Altiplano are described. One of them, Pleurolestodon dalenzae n. sp., was discovered a few meters below a volcanic tuff, Toba 76, that may be used as a reference stratigraphic level and is dated at 5.4 Ma; it could be Huayquerian (late Miocene) or at the Huayquerian-Montehermosan boundary in age. The other taxon, Simomylodon uccasamamensis n. gen., n. sp., was recovered from many localities of a horizon bounded below by Toba 76 and above by another volcanic level, the 2.8 Ma Ayo Ayo tuff; its age is Montehermosan-Chapadmalalan (early and middle Pliocene). Analysis of these taxa indicates that they are Mylodontidae more closely related to Glossotherium, Glossotheridium, Kiyumylodon and Paramylodon than to Lestodon or Thinobadistes.

Hír J. & Kókay J. 2010. — A systematic study of the middle-late miocene rodents and lagomorphs (Mammalia) of Felsőőtárkány 3/8 and 3/10 (Northern Hungary) with stratigraphical relations. Geodiversitas 32 (2): 307-329.

The present paper gives a systematic study of rodent and lagomorph remains together with the list of terrestrial molluscs recovered in the localities FT 3/8 and FT 3/10. Miocene nonmarine deposits and fossils had been known from the beginning of the 20th century in the surroundings of the village Felsőőtárkány, close to the town of Eger. An intensive sampling campaign was initiared by the first author in 2000. The collection was taken by screen-washing. Up to the present seven localities were studied. Among them, Felsőőtárkány 3/8 and 3/10 occur in the highest lithostratigraphic position. The faunas of FT 3/8 and 3/10 are unusual due to the association of Vallesian rodents (e.g., Myoxus vallesiensis, Microtocricetus molassicus, Megacricetodon minutus) and Sarmatian molluscs (e.g., Perforatella punctigera, Pirenella picta nympha). The coexistence of Collimys and Microtocricetus is rare among the European Early Vallesian faunas. Another special character of the fauna FT 3/10 is the high frequency (53%) of Collimys. The biostratigraphic comparisons suggest that the age of the studied faunas cannot be younger than the A–B mollusc zones of the Vienna Basin (Fig. 11; Papp 1951) and fits with the lower part of MN 9 or perhaps the uppermost MN 7/8. This late Sarmatian-Early Pannonian period is imperfectly documented in the Central European Neogene.

A fossil rorqual — Diunatans luctoretemergo n. gen., n. sp. — is described based on two specimens from the early Pliocene of The Netherlands and is compared to all previously described rorquals. The morphology of the new species, especially that of the elements of the petrotympanic complex, is described in detail. Main discriminating characters are: very short nasal; mediolaterally wide pterygoid fossa; large, robust and prominent occipital condyle; mediolaterally wide squamosal body lateral to the supraoccipital; dorsal bulge on squamosal; tympanic bulla very large compared to zygomatic width; wide tympanic bulla (L/W ratio: 1.24) with the sigmoid process perpendicular to the long axis of the bulla; rounded and bulbous pars cochlearis (L/W ratio: 1.23–1.26); long, slender and curved stapes; massive and square basioccipital process; wide basioccipital. A phylogenetic analysis has been undertaken based on a recently published matrix. In the consensus tree the new taxon has a basal position with respect to the Balaenoptera Megaptera clade and constitutes therefore a stem-balaenopterid. Taxonomic controversies surrounding nominal rorqual species described during the 19th century from North Sea strata are addressed. Our analysis of the type material of the species Balaenoptera borealina, B. musculoides, B. rostratella, Megaptera affinis, Megapteropsis robusta and Plesiocetus goropii lead us to declare them nomina dubia.