Fossil vertebrates from southern Zealandia: taonga of international significance.

Vertebrate fossils from Aotearoa New Zealand have revealed the global significance of Zealandia on the origins of modern birds, the history of cetaceans during major climatic events of the Cenozoic and the evolution of cartilaginous and ray-finned fish. Internationally important collections of vertebrate fossils are housed in collections across Aotearoa and have attracted researchers from around the world studying evolution, biogeography and climate change. This special issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand celebrates the vertebrate fossils of Aotearoa by showcasing taonga (treasures) that are significant to global and local vertebrate history.

The fossil vertebrate primary type specimens in the collection of the University of Otago Department of Geology.

The 47 vertebrate type specimens held in the University of Otago Geology Department are catalogued in detail. A short history of the collection is followed by lists of the type specimens under the Classes Actinopterygii, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia. A fish trace-fossil is included at the end of the Actinopterygii.

Revisiting Chapman (Trichiuroidea: Gempylidae), an Eocene gemfish from the Burnside Mudstone, Dunedin, New Zealand.

The remains of a unique fossil bony fish were discovered in late Eocene (39.1-36.7 Ma: NZ Kaiatan stage) mudstone at Burnside near Dunedin, New Zealand in the 1930s and subsequently named and described by Frederick Chapman.

A review of all Recent species in the genus (Craniata, Brachiopoda).

The Recent species in the craniid genus Novocrania are reviewed, based on the examination of actual specimens wherever possible, especially for species named from one or a few specimens. The fourteen Recent species currently in the literature are reduced to eight; five species names are synonymized. One species name was given to a specimen that is not a craniid.

Variations in the gut of craniid (inarticulated) brachiopods.

Specimens of six species (from two genera) of inarticulated craniid brachiopod were dissected and the gut examined and compared. The gut of the five Novocrania Lee & Brunton 2001 species were very similar, except for some variations in the configuration of the pylorus-intestine. The gut of Neoancistrocrania Laurin 1992 had two distinctly different features from Novocrania; the pharynx-esophagus-stomach forms a dorsally directed half loop and the pylorus-intestine is straight.