Fossil data are subject to inherent biological, geologic, and anthropogenic filters that can distort our interpretations of ancient life and environments. The inevitable presence of incomplete fossils thus requires a holistic assessment of how to navigate the downstream effects of bias on our ability to accurately reconstruct aspects of biology in deep time. In particular, we must assess how biases affect our capacity to infer evolutionary relationships, which are essential to analyses of diversification, paleobiogeography, and biostratigraphy in Earth history. In this study, we use an established completeness metric to quantify the effects of taphonomic filters on the amount of phylogenetic information available in the fossil record of 795 extinct squamate (e.g., lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians, and mosasaurs) species spanning 242 Myr of geologic time. This study found no meaningful relationship between spatiotemporal sampling intensity and fossil record completeness. Instead, major differences in squamate fossil record completeness stem from a combination of anatomy/body size and affinities of different squamate groups to specific lithologies and depositional environments. These results reveal that naturally occurring processes create structural megabiases that filter anatomical and phylogenetic data in the squamate fossil record, while anthropogenic processes play a secondary role.

The fossil record is notoriously imperfect and biased in representation, hindering our ability to place fossil specimens into an evolutionary context. For groups with fossil records mostly consisting of disarticulated parts (e.g., vertebrates, echinoderms, plants), the limited morphological information preserved sparks concerns about whether fossils retain reliable evidence of phylogenetic relationships and lends uncertainty to analyses of diversification, paleobiogeography, and biostratigraphy in Earth's history. To address whether a fragmentary past can be trusted, we need to assess whether incompleteness affects the quality of phylogenetic information contained in fossil data. Herein, we characterize skeletal incompleteness bias in a large dataset (6585 specimens; 14,417 skeletal elements) of fossil squamates (lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians, and mosasaurs). We show that jaws + palatal bones, vertebrae, and ribs appear more frequently in the fossil record than other parts of the skeleton. This incomplete anatomical representation in the fossil record is biased against regions of the skeleton that contain the majority of morphological phylogenetic characters used to assess squamate evolutionary relationships. Despite this bias, parsimony- and model-based comparative analyses indicate that the most frequently occurring parts of the skeleton in the fossil record retain similar levels of phylogenetic signal as parts of the skeleton that are rarer. These results demonstrate that the biased squamate fossil record contains reliable phylogenetic information and support our ability to place incomplete fossils in the tree of life.

The introduction of a fifth amphibole group, the Na-Ca-Mg-Fe-Mn-Li group, defined by 0.50 < B(Mg,Fe2+,Mn2+,Li) < 1.50 and 0.50 ≤ B(Ca,Na) ≤ 1.50 a.f.p.u. (atoms per formula unit), with members whittakerite and ottoliniite, has been required by recent discoveries of B(LiNa) amphiboles. This, and other new discoveries, such as sodicpedrizite (which, here, is changed slightly, but significantly, from the original idealized formula), necessitate amendments to the IMA 1997 definitions of the Mg-Fe-Mn-Li, calcic, sodic-calcic and sodic groups. The discovery of obertiite and the finding of an incompatibility in the IMA 1997 subdivision of the sodic group, requires further amendments within the sodic group. All these changes, which have IMA approval, are summarized.

The Lovozero alkaline massif is the largest of the world's layered peralkaline intrusions (∼650 km2). We describe the evolution of clinopyroxene from the liquidus to the late residual stage throughout the whole vertical section (2.5 km thick) of the Lovozero Complex. Microprobe data (∼990 analyses) of the clinopyroxenes define a relatively continuous trend from diopside containing 15–20% hedenbergite and 10–12% aegirine components, to pure aegirine. The main substitutions during the evolution of the Lovozero pyroxenes are (Na,Fe3+,Ti) for (Ca,Mg,Fe2+). The composition of the pyroxene changes systematically upwards through the intrusion with an increase in Na, Fe3+ and Ti and decrease in Ca and Mg.

The compositional evolution of the Lovozero pyroxene reflects primary fractionation processes in the alkaline magma that differentiated in situ from the bottom to the top of the magma chamber as a result of magmatic convection, coupled with the sedimentation of minerals with different settling velocities.

The temperature interval of pyroxene crystallization is very wide and probably extends from 970 to 450°C. The redox conditions of pyroxene crystallization in the Lovozero intrusion were relatively low, approximating the QFM buffer.

A detailed study of weathered pyrochlore in the laterite above carbonatite at Lueshe, NE Zaire, has been made in order to determine its chemical and textural variations. Pyrochlore in fresh carbonatite at Lueshe is close to an ideal formula of (Ca,Na)2Nb2O6(OH,F) (where a general formula is A 2−x B 2O6(OH,F)1−y·zH2O. The first and principal change on weathering occurs at the base of the profile and involves the leaching and partial exchange of A cations together with hydration. This change appears common to weathered pyrochlore worldwide. As a result weathered pyrochlore at Lueshe has a large apparent A cation deficiency with A totals between 0.25 and 0.59. The B cations remain stable. Abundant kalipyrochlore is unique to Lueshe and is thought to be related to the abundance of potassium feldspar in the fresh carbonatite, showing that the actual composition of weathered pyrochlore is a characteristic of a particular deposit. Weathered profiles at Lueshe are not simple trends from the least to most leached compositions. Further factors including variation in whole rock mineralogy and chemistry, and cation exchange and uptake are responsible for local concentrations of strontio-, bario- and calcium-rich, sodium-poor pyrochlore in the ore body, as well as rims of ceriopyrochlore on kalipyrochlore. The most important textural relationship in the Lueshe pyrochlore is the intimate intergrowth with crandallite in the most weathered parts of the laterite. Although pyrochlore persists throughout the weathering profile, niobium-beating goethite is thought to represent the final product of pyrochlore breakdown.

Five rare earth-bearing minerals found in rocks of the Chilwa Alkaline Province, Malawi, are described. Zirconolite, occurring in nepheline syenite, is unusual in being optically zoned, and microprobe analyses indicate a correlation of this zoning with variations in Si, Ca, Sr, Th, U, Fe, Nb and probably water; it is argued that this zoning is a hydration effect. A second compositional zoning pattern, neither detectable optically nor affected by the hydration, is indicated by variations in Th, Ce and Y such that, although total REE abundances are similar throughout, there appears to have been REE fractionation during zirconolite growth from relatively heavy-REE and Th-enrichment in crystal cores to light-REE enrichment in crystal rims.

Chevkinite is an abundant mineral in the large granite quartz syenite complexes of Zomba and Mulanje, and analyses are given of chevkinites from these localities. There is little variation in composition within each complex, and only slight differences between them; they are all typically light-REE-enriched. The Mulanje material was shown by X-ray diffraction to be chevkinite and not the dimorph perrierite, but chemical arguments are used in considering the Zomba material to be the same species. Other rare earth minerals identified are monazite, fluocerite and bastnäsite. These are briefly described and microprobe analyses presented.

Fenitized quartzites are described from three localities around the Borralan alkaline igneous complex. Chemical and electron-probe analyses of amphiboles, pyroxenes, micas, and feldspars are given. Early-formed amphiboles are calcic, but these are replaced by alkaline varieties with increasing fenitization. Rock analyses indicate a ‘straight line’ rate of increase of Ti, Fe2+ + Fe3+, Mg, Al, K, and a more variable increase of Ca and Na atoms, at the expense of Si atoms. The simple composition of the unaltered quartzite allows the accurate calculation of bulk changes during fenitization. The final product of the alkali metasomatism is a syenite lying close to the albite-orthoclase minimum though the primary source of the fenitizing fluids was probably a highly potassic magma.

Th- and Zr-bearing perovskite and Zr-rich Ti garnet are described from the Polino calcite carbonatite, Italy. The garnets contain 6.05-7.50 wt.% ZrO2 in cores and up to 15.80 wt.% in rims. Silicon is low in these garnets and substantial Al and Fe 3+ has been assigned to the tetrahedral sites. A strong correlation of Si with Zr from published data suggests the possibility that some Zr may also be tetrahedrally coordinated. However, the chemistry alone does not constrain the site distribution of Fe, Ti, Zr and Mg unambiguously. The perovskites are very unusual in containing 2.81-3.27 wt.% ZrO2 and 1.48-1.71 wt.% ThO2. For comparison, new analyses are presented of the zirconium garnet kimzeyite and coexisting perovskite from the type locality at Magnet Cove.

The field relationships, petrography and mineralogy, including probe analyses of olivines, pyroxenes, and plagioclases, of the Karroo dolerite dike swarm of southern Malawi, are described. Rock analyses are given and define a typical tholeiitic trend of iron enrichment. The most magnesian rocks are thought to represent fairly picritic liquids. A number of authors have shown that there are significant geochemical differences between the basaltic rocks of the northern and southern parts of the Karroo outcrop in southern Africa, notably for elements such as Al, P, K, Ti, and Ba. The Malawi data presented here, however, show trends that are the reverse of those found hitherto, the Malawi dolerites being closely comparable with the rocks of the central Karroo basin of South Africa and Basutoland. The striking regional variation in the geochemistry of the Karroo basaltic rocks over southern Africa is independent of the tectonics or position vis-à-vis the central Karroo basin, and so probably reflects mantle heterogeneity.

The International Mineralogical Association's approved amphibole nomenclature has been revised in order to simplify it, make it more consistent with divisions generally at 50%, define prefixes and modifiers more precisely and include new amphibole species discovered and named since 1978, when the previous scheme was approved. The same reference axes form the basis of the new scheme and most names are little changed but compound species names like tremolitic hornblende (now magnesiohornblende) are abolished and also crossite (now glaucophane or ferroglaucophane or magnesioriebeckite or riebeckite), tirodite (now manganocummingtonite) and dannemorite (now manganogrunerite). The 50% rule has been broken only to retain tremolite and actinolite as in the 1978 scheme so the sodic calcic amphibole range has therefore been expanded. Alkali amphiboles are now sodic amphiboles. The use of hyphens is defined. New amphibole names approved since 1978 include nyböite, leakeite, kornite, ungarettiite, sadanagaite and cannilloite. All abandoned names are listed. The formulae and source of the amphibole end member names are listed and procedures outlined to calculate Fe3+ and Fe2+ when not determined by analysis.

An enormous effort is underway worldwide to attempt to detect gravitational waves. If successful, this will open a new frontier in astronomy. An essential portion of this effort is being carried out in Australia by the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA), with research teams working at the Australia National University, University of Western Australia, and University of Adelaide involving scientists and students representing many more institutions and nations. ACIGA is developing ultrastable high-power continuous-wave lasers for the next generation interferometric gravity wave detectors; researching the problems associated with high optical power in resonant cavities; opening frontiers in advanced interferometry configurations, quantum optics, and signal extraction; and is the world's leader in high-performance vibration isolation and suspension design. ACIGA has also been active in theoretical research and modelling of potential astronomical gravitational wave sources, and in developing data analysis detection algorithms. ACIGA has opened a research facility north of Perth, Western Australia, which will be the culmination of these efforts. This paper briefly reviews ACIGA's research activities and the prospects for gravitational wave astronomy in the southern hemisphere.