Fasciolaria guyanensis n. sp. is described and differentiated from its nearest congeners F. hollisteri Weisbord, 1962 and F. tulipa Linnaeus, 1758 and from other congeners by its enlarged protoconch lacking axial riblets. The new species is known from Guyana, Suriname, Guyane and northeastern Brazil. A lectotype is designated for F. tulipa concolor Kobelt, 1876, which is considered a junior subjective synonym of F. tulipa.

The heteromorphic ammonite Chesapeakiceras nodatum Kennedy and Cobban, 1993, has been known only from the late Santonian to early Campanian Merchantville Formation of the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States. Prior to this report, only three fragmentary specimens have been recovered from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in the state of Delaware, U.S.A. Here we describe a fourth specimen, NJSM GP23099, that is the most complete known fragment of C. nodatum and is the only existing specimen that has been recovered “in situ”. This demonstrates that the stratigraphic range of C. nodatum extends into the upper Merchantville Formation.

Teleostean otoliths have been recovered from the upper portion of the Woodbury Formation (early-middle Campanian) at the Stone Bridge locality in southern New Jersey, and their occurrence is highly significant for several reasons. First, otoliths are virtually unknown in the New Jersey Cretaceous since most of the formations have been extensively leached, which destroys the aragonitic otoliths. Second, the number of otoliths obtained from the Woodbury Formation is unprecedented with 3,555 specimens recovered, which represents the largest Cretaceous otolith assemblage ever described from North America. Finally, the otoliths are fairly well preserved allowing taxonomic assignment. These factors coupled with the early-middle Campanian age (approximately 83.6 ± 0.2 Ma to 77.9 ± 0.2 Ma) result in one of the oldest, most prolific fish assemblages represented by otoliths, not just in North America, but in the world. Otoliths may indicate the presence of at least 29 teleostean taxa representing 14 families including megalopids, albulids (including pterothrissids), gonostomatids, aulopids, paraulopids, trachichthyids, berycoids, pempherids, and several percomorphs. Sedimentological and paleontological data, including the otoliths, suggest a shallow, marine paleoenvironment (less than 100 m) influenced by major rivers and deltas. The evolutionary implications of the Woodbury otolith assemblage are quite important. Otoliths of percomorphs are present and provide evidence, not yet indicated by skeletal remains, that extend into the Campanian the known time ranges of several taxa. The Woodbury perciform otoliths corroborate several recent major molecular dating studies of teleosts (DNA sequencing of mitochondrial and nuclear genes with fossil age constraints). This study also represents the first systematic study of Cretaceous otoliths from New Jersey and contributes substantially to a better understanding of the Late Cretaceous teleosts in New Jersey.

A new species of the aspredinid catfish tribe Hoplomyzontini Micromyzon is described from two specimens collected with trawl nets in two localities, at 10 and 18 m depth, in the main channel of the lower Orinoco River in Venezuela almost 40 years ago. The new species is distinguished from its only congener, Micromyzon akamai, by the: straight anterior margin of the mesethmoid; open posterior cranial fontanel; ossified first pectoral-fin radial; single tubular infraorbital bone; infraorbital sensory canal entering neurocranium via the frontal; enclosed foramen for the abductor superficialis muscle in the coracoid; higher vertebral count (33 vs. 28–32); higher anal-fin ray count (10 or 11 vs. 7–9); and some morphometric features. The holotype of the new species was scanned using High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography to illustrate, describe, and compare its bony skeleton to other hoplomyzontins.

Some fasciolariid species of the eastern Pacific Ocean from western Mexico to Alaska are discussed, with the description of the new genus Araiofusus gen. nov. and nine new species: Fusinus edjanssi sp. nov. from Cedros Island, Pacific coast of Baja California to San Hipolito Point, Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico; Fusinus laticlavius sp. nov. from deep water off Danzante Island, western Gulf of California, Baja California Sur, Mexico; Fusinus seriatus sp. nov. from the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico; Fusinus euekes sp. nov. from the eastern Gulf of California, Mexico; Araiofusus araios sp. nov. from deep water in Monterey Bay to the Gorda Bank off Cabo San Luca, Mexico; Araiofusus eueides sp. nov. from Monterey Bay to Orange County and Catalina Island, south to Cedros Island, Pacific Baja California, Mexico; Harfordia chucksnelli sp. nov. from the Channel Islands and off Santa Barbara; Harfordia mcleani sp. nov. from Monterey County throughout the Channel Islands and south to Cedros Island and Barbarofusus guadalupensis sp. nov. from Guadalupe Island, Pacific Baja California, Mexico.

A new name, Hesperaptyxis meridionalis, is proposed to replace the homonymous name Latirus melvilli Dall and Ochsner 1928 non Schepman, 1911, a Pliocene species from the Galapagos Islands. A lectotype is selected for the Recent species Fusus luteopictus Dall, 1877, and a neotype for the Pleistocene species Fusus barbarensis Trask 1855, the type species of Barbarofusus. Types of the previously-named species here assigned to Araiofusus, Harfordia and Barbarofusus are illustrated. Four new combinations are introduced: Araiofusus colpoicus (Dall, 1915), Harfordia arnoldi (Cossmann, 1903), H. robusta (Trask, 1855) and Barbarofusus kobelti (Dall, 1877).

Most of the smaller fusinine species from this area not dealt with here were assigned to the genus Hesperaptyxis in a previous paper (Snyder and Vermeij, 2016).

James Bond (1900–1989), an ornithologist at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP), authored 150 publications dealing with the ornithology of the West Indies and the Americas. His “Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies” was published beginning in 1947, with many subsequent editions. Between 1927 and 1977 he scientifically described 63 bird taxa, the types of which are located at ANSP and United States National Museum of Natural History (USNM). All his publications and type specimens are listed in this first James Bond bibliography.

“Apteronotus” bonapartii (Castelnau 1855) was described based on a single specimen caught in a lake draining into the Río Ucayali, Perú, and is now reported from several rivers in South America. Because the generic placement of this species is currently uncertain, in this paper we use the genus name “Apteronotus” within quotes for reference to “Apteronotus” bonapartii (Castelnau, 1855) and “A.” apurensis Fernández-Yépez, 1968; we use the genus name without quotes for the more precise usage referring to a putatively monophyletic group including the type species (A. albifrons). “Apteronotus” bonapartii has a laterally compressed body, subterminal mouth with the rictus passing the eyes and teeth present in both jaws. The species has been differentiated from others placed in the genus by the low number of scale rows (5–8) above the lateral line. There is substantial intraspecific variation among specimens, in part associated with pronounced sexual dimorphism in head shape. We describe aspects of the morphology and cranial osteology of 52 specimens of “A.” bonapartii from Central Amazon and 12 specimens from other localities in the Amazon and Orinoco basins including the holotype from Río Ucayali. Males have slightly longer facial dimensions than females, and the holotype appears to fit on the male growth trajectory. Specimens from Napo, Metica, Orituco and Apure rivers are similar to specimens from the Central Amazon and the holotype. There is sexual dimorphism in the structure of the lower jaw, including its overall shape and profile (e.g., smooth curve of the dentary in males vs. a straight edge of the dentary in females), but no sexual dimorphism of teeth was noted. The postarticular portion of the lower jaw is formed equally by the anguloarticular and retroarticular. There is individual variation in the ossification of pharyngobranchial 4 and hypobranchial 4. We found no morphological differences between specimens of “A.” bonapartii from the Río Apure and the species described as “A.” apurensis Fernández-Yépez 1968.

Microsternarchus bilineatus Fernández-Yépez, 1968 is a small, inconspicuous electric fish distributed in the Orinoco, Amazon and Tocantins basins. Its holotype and paratypes from Río San José, a tributary of Río Guariquito, Orinoco basin, Venezuela, are apparently lost. We examined 14 specimens collected in Río San Bartolo, also a tributary of Río Guariquito, 110 km by river from Río San José. Because of its proximity to the type locality and apparent conformity to the original description, we used these newly collected specimens to redescribe M. bilineatus using external morphology, morphometrics, meristics, and osteology including high-resolution X-ray computed tomography.

In order to address geographic variation we compared Río San Bartolo specimens with others of, or close to, M. bilineatus from Casiquiare river and from two streams in Roraima state, Brazil. In our analysis specimens from distant localities differ in the interobital distance and mouth size, number of anal-fin rays and skeletal features in the dentary and cranial fontanelles. Detailed revision of the genus will require a stable description of type species. Therefore, we designate INHS 111262 as neotype for M. bilineatus.

The Widemouth Blindcat, Satan eurystomus Hubbs and Bailey 1947, was the second of four stygobitic species of Ictaluridae discovered in the subterranean waters of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. The skeletal anatomy of Satan has been scarcely known from a few, dated radiographs. Using additional radiographs and high resolution CT-datasets for two well-ossified specimens, we applied high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT) to visualize, illustrate and describe the bony skeleton of Satan. We also provide an online archive of still and animated tomographic images of the skeletal anatomy of this little-known species.

The skeleton and soft anatomy of Satan are distinctive. Twelve skeletal autapomorphies are described that singularly distinguish Satan within Ictaluridae and, probably in combination, from all other catfishes. Some of these are reductive losses or simplifications of skull bones (e.g. loss of one infraorbital bone; reduced ornamentation of the pterotic bone) and joint complexity (e.g. simple overlapping frontal-lateral ethmoid articulation; loosely ligamentous interopercle-posterior ceratohyal joint). Some of the autapomorphies are anatomically and perhaps developmentally complex (e.g. a novel series of three midline joints closing a middle span of the posterior cranial fontanel; a deeply excavated temporal fossa and an unusually enlarged interhyal bone). The tiny dorsal-fin spinelet (first lepidotrich) of Satan has a novel peaked and twisted shape.

Ten apparent and exclusive synapomorphies within Ictaluridae gathered from this and previous studies suggest that Satan and Pylodictis are closest relatives. Most of these are functionally related to prey detection and suction feeding: fusion of the symphyseal mandibular sensory pores and increase in the number of preoperculo-mandibular canal pores; depressed, flattened heads and wide transverse mouths; prominent posterior process of the lateral ethmoid alongside and below the frontal bone margin; vertical and blade-like supraoccipital posterior process; unique arrangement of the parasagittal and occipital muscleattachment crests on the skull roof; large triangular panel of integument within the operculum framed by the opercle, preopercle and interopercle bones; elongated posterior ceratohyal; and, form of the fourth supraneural and loss of its anterior nuchal plate.

In contrast, 15 synapomorphies recovered by Arce-H. et al. 2016, are confirmed suggesting that Satan is one of the four stygobitic ictalurids comprising a “Troglobites” subclade within the family: (Trogloglanis, Satan, Prietella phreatophila, P. lundbergi). These features include three stygomorphic and reductive apomorphies that are exclusive within Ictaluridae: loss of fully developed eyes and pigmentation, and simplification of the fifth vertebra and its joint with the Weberian apparatus. Twelve other synapomorphies shown by the Troglobites are also apparent homoplasies of character states shared with various other ictalurids. These include reductive characters such as shortened lateral line canal, reduced infraorbitals and underdeveloped or incomplete ossifications of the pterotic, supraoccipital, hyoid arch bones and transcapular ligament. Also, the Troglobites and various other ictalurids have: an adnate adiposecaudal fin, foreshortened anterior cranial fontanelle, reduced ventral wings of the frontal bone, replacement of bone by cartilage in hypohyal joints; incompletely ossified transcapular ligament, and consolidation of some hypural bones.

Completing a full morphological character dataset across the Troglobites has been impeded by incomplete specimen preparations and study of P. lundbergi and to a lesser exte

The Ampullariidae Gray, 1824 constitute a family of freshwater caenogastropods predominantly distributed in humid tropical and subtropical habitats in Africa, South and Central America and Asia. They include the largest of all freshwater snails and frequently comprise a major portion of the native freshwater mollusc faunas of these regions. Ampullariid taxonomy is confused, primarily because most species were described on the basis of shell morphology alone, which is highly variable within species yet relatively conservative among species within the family. The need for rigorous taxonomic treatment of the group is acute and the basis for such research is comprehensive study of type material. With type or possible type material of 31 nominal species-group taxa of Ampullariidae, belonging to the genera Felipponea Dall, 1919 (1 taxon, South America), Lanistes Montfort, 1810 (6 taxa, Africa), Marisa Gray, 1824 (1, South America), Pila Röding, 1798 (1, Asia; 4 Africa), and Pomacea Perry, 1810 (17, South, Central, North America), as well as 1 incertae sedis taxon in New World Ampullariidae, the Academy of Natural Sciences has significant holdings, for which this annotated catalogue is provided. Information in each account includes original name and combination, citation to the original description, current taxonomic status, type material held by the Academy of Natural Sciences (holotypes, a neotype, paratypes, lectotypes, paralectotypes) with catalogue number(s) and number of specimens in each catalogue lot, type locality, collectors and dates of collection, and other remarks or additional information as appropriate. A lectotype is designated for Ampullaria pealiana Lea, 1838, and a neotype is designated for Pomacea paludosa flava Smith, 1937. All name-bearing types are illustrated.

New fossils of “Gyracanthus” sherwoodi Newberry, 1889 are described primarily from the Late Devonian Red Hill site and Metzger's Quarry (Catskill Formation, late Famennian) of Clinton and Sullivan Counties in central Pennsylvania. The fossils include ornamented prepectoral ventral plates, pectoral, pelvic, and dorsal fin spines, elements of the endoskeletal shoulder girdle (procoracoid and scapulocoracoid), scales, and possible anal fin spines. We distinguish between anterior and posterior dorsal fin spines. A growth series of elements, described for the first time for a gyracanth, show that the adults of this taxon reached about a meter in length, and juveniles already had ossified endoskeletal pectoral elements at body lengths 300–400 mm. The mainly cartilaginous skeleton, paired fin spines, shoulder girdle structure, and scale growth are consistent with gyracanthids being stem chondrichthyans. “Gyracanthus” sherwoodi lived in non-marine conditions in the eastern Laurentian rivers and deltas.

A method for visualizing previously pigmented areas of the body with the employment of black-light spectrum bulbs is described. Under ultraviolet (UV) light, fish musculature fluoresces, whereas melanophores absorb incident light, revealing nearly lost contrast between once strongly and poorly pigmented areas of the body that has faded over time. Although a yet unknown extent of melanophore preservation is necessary to expose such contrast, the method was successful on a partially faded holotype of Characidium fasciadorsale Fowler, a nearly completely faded holotype of Characidium etheostoma Cope, and most remarkably for the blackened, previously mold-infested and nearly destroyed holotype of Holotaxis laetus Cope. In the latter case, the method also allowed better recognition of scale pockets on the skin.