Fossil scaphopods aren’t well studied, the Jurassic period isn’t an exception. The number of publications dealing with this subject can be counted on the fingers of one hand. So, we are extremely lucky this literature gab is partly filled due to a publication by A. V. Guzhov from the Borissiak Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The paper, titled ‘Jurassic Scaphopoda from the Russian Platform: Pulsellidae and Gadilidae’, is published in Paleontological Journal and can be accessed/purchased at Springer.

All described and figured material is from the European part of Russia. Which means that some extremely remote localities are included. Due to these rare localities and the lack of other research results in the fact that all 13 listed species are described as new by the author. The publication also lists 4 new genera (i.e. Gracilipulsellum, Gardneridentalium, Mesoentalina and Mesoantalis) and one new subgenus of Annulipulsellum (i.e. Mesopulsellum). A list of all 13 new species can be found below.

Alexandr said he will continue with research on taxonomy of scaphopods. So, we will most likely hear more from his side!

Reference:

Guzhov, A., 2017. Jurassic Scaphopoda from the Russian Platform: Pulsellidae and Gadilidae. — Paleontological Journal, 51(1): 13–29, 14 figs.

 New species included:

• Annulipulsellum (Annulipulsellum) ambiguum
• Annulipulsellum (Annulipulsellum) rugosum
• Annulipulsellum (Mesopulsellum) alternoides
• Annulipulsellum (Mesopulsellum) calloviense
• Annulipulsellum (Mesopulsellum) hirtistriatum
• Annulipulsellum (Mesopulsellum) medium
• Gracilipulsellum iodaense
• Gardneridentalium primitivum
• Gardneridentalium reticulatum
• Mesoentalina fabulosa
• Mesoantalis clava
• Mesoantalis expolitum
• Mesoantalis volgense