Arthropod trails and resting impressions are described from an horizon in the Dwyka Series of northern Natal. The sediments have been deposited in freshwater periglacial lakes and are of late Carboniferous or early Permian age. All the trails and resting impressions appear to have been made by crustacean arthropods, and it is suggested that syncarids or peracarids were probably responsible. Numerous fish traces are also present in this ichnocoenosis but these are still being studied by several workers and are not described below. The trace fossils described herein are Umfolozia sinuosa gen. et sp. nov., Diplichnites govenderi sp. nov., Diplichnites sp., Protichnites sp. A, Protichnites sp. B, Gyrochorte sp., Isopodichnus sp., Kingella natalensis gen. et sp. nov., and Gluckstadtella cooperi gen. et sp. nov.

Abstract. Most conodont workers use heavy liquids that are carcinogenic or toxic in other ways. The use of the non-toxic water-based liquid sodium polytungstate has not been widely accepted because of reports that its high viscosity prevents the more delicate conodonts from settling, that it tends to crystallise during use, and that it is more expensive than traditional liquids. If used in the manner described below, viscosity, cystallisation and cost are no longer problems. The overwhelming advantage of safety then makes sodium polytungstate the heavy liquid of choice for conodont work.

No abstract

Conodonts from the eastern end of Heceta Island and from a small island of the Ham Island group in the Karheen Passage, southeastern Alaska, include Ozarkodina eberleini n. sp., Eognathodus sulcatus Philip, Pandorinellina exigua philipi (Klapper), Icriodus angustoides castilianus Carls, and Pelekysgnathus klamathensis Savage. Both localities are in the Karheen Formation. The age of the faunas is considered to be early Pragian (Faunal units 5 and 6 of Klapper et al.). The early form of Eognathodus sulcatus predominates in the Heceta Island collection from Locality 1, suggesting Fauna 5, and the late form predominates in the Ham Island collection from Locality 2, suggesting Fauna 6. A middle Early Devonian age for the faunas is significant in that Locality 1 is also USGS locality 2689 which previously has yielded brachiopod and coral faunas considered to be of Late Silurian age.