The generic name Scaphium Jordan, 1964 (Podocopida; Bythocytheridae) is a junior homonym of the beetle genus name Scaphium Kirby, 1837 (Coleoptera; Staphylinidae) and therefore a replacement name Rudolfestatscaphium nom. nov. is proposed here by the author.
One junior homonym was detected within fossil Branchiopoda and the following name is therefore proposed to replace it: Jurapingquania Ceccolini and Cianferoni nom. nov. = Pingquania Wang in Wang and Li, 2008 nec Guo and Duan, 1978.
The main directions and results of the Paleontological Institute’s activities over the past 40 years are considered. The demand for paleontological research conducted by the Institute’s scientists has shifted from stratigraphy and geological surveying towards the study of the evolution of the biosphere and evolutionary developmental biology. It is shown that the rapidly...