Revisiting the chondrichthyan egg capsules inventory from the Pennsylvanian (Carboniferous) of Belgium: new data and perspectives.

Records of chondrichthyan egg capsule morphotypes from the paralic deposits of the Belgian Coal Measures Group (Pennsylvanian; Bashkirian-Moscovian; Namurian B-Westphalian B according to the traditional subdivision) are presented and discussed. These include several species of the hybodontiform type Palaeoxyris as well as the putative holocephalian types Vetacapsula and Crookallia. Furthermore, the type specimens of Scapellites cottoni and S.

The erroneous chondrichthyan egg case assignments from the Devonian: implications for the knowledge on the evolution of the reproductive strategy within chondrichthyans.

Spiraxis interstrialis, and its junior synonym Fayolia mourloni, an uppermost Famennian (Upper Devonian) fossil first described as algae and subsequently interpreted as the oldest known chondrichthyan egg case, is reinvestigated based on the discovery of several additional specimens in Belgian collections. New data, in particular from micro-CT imaging, allow to refute S. interstrialis, and by extension also Spiraxis major (the type species of Spiraxis Newberry, non Adams) and Spiraxis randalli from the Famennian of New York and Pennsylvania, as chondrichthyan egg cases.

Recent thecideide brachiopods from a submarine cave in the Department of Mayotte (France), northern Mozambique Channel.

For the first time large numbers of thecideide brachiopods have been collected from the Mozambique Channel, more particularly from the western part of the Comorian Island of Mayotte (France). The moderately diverse brachiopod fauna is from a submarine cave situated on the second barrier reef encircling this island, with three different genera being found: Thecidellina, Ospreyella and Minutella. The last genus is represented by M.

Recent thecideide brachiopods (Thecideida, Thecideoidea) from northern Sulawesi (Indonesia) with discovery of a new Thecidellina species (Thecidellinidae).

The scope of this paper concerns the species diversity of thecideide brachiopods living in the western Pacific equatorial region of Indonesia and the possibilities for circulation and dispersion of thecideide species along the coasts of Sulawesi and the Sea of Bali. The discovery of a new Thecidellina species, Thecidellina mawaliana sp. nov.

Extreme reduction of morphological characters: a type of brachidial development found in several Late Cretaceous and Recent brachiopod species-new relationships between taxa previously listed as incertae sedis.

Size reduction and development of a simplified brachidial structure occurred several times during the long evolution of the Phylum Brachiopoda. Even Recent forms may be micromorphic and paedomorphic with reduced brachidia or none at all. A revision of the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous) Terebratella (Morrisia?) suessi Bosquet, 1859 has allowed us to erect a new genus, Jagtithyris gen.

A reappraisal of the genus Tethyrhynchia Logan, 1994 (Rhynchonellida, Brachiopoda): a conflict between phylogenies obtained from morphological characters and molecular data.

The genus Tethyrhynchia Logan in Logan Zibrowius, 1994 is revised on the basis of different methods of analysis including SEM observations, detailed ontogenetic study of the crural development, transverse serial sections, and shell microstructure. Some morphological characters cited in the original diagnosis are analysed and contested by the ontogenetic results. The type of crura of Tethyrhynchia, often placed in the arcual group, appears to be of the raducal group, instead.

Late Devonian (Frasnian) phyllopod and phyllocarid crustacean shields from Belgium reinterpreted as ammonoid anaptychi.

The taxonomic affinities of fossils from the Frasnian succession of Belgium previously described as phyllopod and phyllocarid crustacean shields are discussed. The rediscovery of the holotype of Ellipsocaris dewalquei, the type species of the genus Ellipsocaris Woodward in Dewalque, 1882, allows to end the discussion on the taxonomic assignation of the genus Ellipsocaris. It is removed from the phyllopod crustaceans as interpreted originally and considered here as an ammonoid anaptychus.

Lenticellaria and Hillerella, new kraussinoid genera (Kraussinoidea, Brachiopoda) from Indo-Pacific and Red Sea waters: evolution in the subfamily Megerliinae.

Two new kraussinid brachiopod genera, namely Lenticellaria gen. nov. and Hillerella gen.