A rare coleoid mollusc from the Upper Jurassic of Central Russia

The shell of the coleoid cephalopod mollusc Kostromateuthis roemeri gen. et sp. n. from the lower Kimmeridgian of Central Russia consists of the slowly expanding orthoconic phragmocone and aragonitic sheath with a rugged surface, a weakly developed post-alveolar part and a long, strong, probably dorsal groove. The sheath lacks concentric structure common for belemnoid rostra. It is formed by spherulites consisting of the needle-like crystallites, and is characterized by strong porosity and high content of originally organic matter. Each spherulite has a porous central part, a solid periphery and an organic cover. Tubular structures with a wall formed by the needle-like crystallites are present in the sheath. For comparison the shell ultrastructure in Recent Spirula and Sepia, as well as in the Eocene Belemnosis were studied with SEM. Based on gross morphology and sheath ultrastructure K. roemeri is tentatively assigned to Spirulida and a monotypic family Kostromateuthidae nov. is erected for it. The Mesozoic evolution of spirulids is discussed

An Early Cretaceous orthocerid cephalopod from north-western Caucasus

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Development and calcification of the ammonitella shell

Aconeceras trautscholdi ammonitellae mass occurring in the Aptian of Symbirsk, central Russia represent consecutive calcification stages of the primary organic shell wall. Already after the formation of the organic shell with proseptum, the first whorl and umbilical walls of the initial chamber were calcified, then the remaining part of the initial chamber, and finally the nacreous primary constriction was formed and the proseptum was calcified. The original mineral participating in calcification was aragonite, which formed primary prismatic layers. The ammonite embryonic shell was thus formed similarly to the archaeogastropod larval shell. This explains the microstructural distinction of the ammonitella and proseptum walls with respect to the rest of the ammonite shell.Muszle embrionalne (amonitelle) Aconeceras, masowo występujace w konkrecjach aptu Syrnbirska, ukazują kolejne stadia kalcyfikacji ścianek. Pierwotna muszla amonitelli była niezmineralizowana, podobnie jak muszla larwalna dzisiejszych ślimakow Archaeogastropoda

Chaetognath grasping spines from the Upper Mississippian of Arkansas [USA]

Previously unidentified tiny (about 0.5 mm in length), hollow, gently curved, serrated spines probably originally composed of horny, organic fibers from the Upper Mississippian (Middle Chesterian = Namurian A equivalent or lower Serpukhovian) of Arkansas (USA) are described, and their probable chaetognath affinities are discussed. The specimens are preserved in an oval accumulation (about 15 mm long and 6 mm wide) of approximately 200 specimens within a small (about 25 mm in length) phosphatic concretion. For comparison, the grasping spines of the Recent chaetognath Eukrohnia hamata were examined. The Arkansas specimens are named Eoserratosagitta serrata gen. et sp. nov., and this genus is assigned to the Phylum Chaetognatha. The Upper Mississippian spines are also compared with protoconodonts. This comparison supports the hypothesis that the chaetognaths may have existed in the Cambrian

The colour of fossil feathers

Feathers are complex integumentary appendages of birds and some other theropod dinosaurs. They are frequently coloured and function in camouflage and display. Previous investigations have concluded that fossil feathers are preserved as carbonized traces composed of feather-degrading bacteria. Here, an investigation of a colour-banded feather from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil revealed that the dark bands are preserved as elongate, oblate carbonaceous bodies 1–2 μm long, whereas the light bands retain only relief traces on the rock matrix. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis showed that the dark bands preserve a substantial amount of carbon, whereas the light bands show no carbon residue. Comparison of these oblate fossil bodies with the structure of black feathers from a living bird indicates that they are the eumelanin-containing melanosomes. We conclude that most fossil feathers are preserved as melanosomes, and that the distribution of these structures in fossil feathers can preserve the colour pattern in the original feather. The discovery of preserved melanosomes opens up the possibility of interpreting the colour of extinct birds and other dinosaurs