Until now thefindingsof rhyncholites from the Jurassic marine sediments of Crimea were very scarce. In both the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian of Crimea, rhyncholites were never found despite the fact that in Western and Central Europe they are very numerous in Middle and Upper Jurassic marine sediments. We have described five new findings of rhyncholites from Crimea whose age ranges from the Upper Callovian to the Kimmeridgian. They belong to the five different species (including three new ones) of the genus Gonatocheilus Till, 1907, which was never previously described in Crimea. We also discuss the taxonomy of rhyncholites and argue that the genus Palaeotheutis Till, 1906 is unavailable according to article 33 of International code of zoological nomenclature and the genus Gonatocheilus Till, 1907 should be used instead of it.

The tectonic structure in the junction zone of the East European and Scythian platforms of Rostov region has been considered. Different ages and ranks of Precambrian and Phanerozoic tectonic structures, their correlation within the studied area and tectonic zoning scheme are presented. The structure and composition of rock complexes, formation conditions and their tectonic development stages are characterized. The East European platform within the described territory is represented by two disconnected fragments of the Russian Plate. The northern fragment is the south-eastern part of the Voronezh anteclise, located to the north of the Donetsk-Astrakhan tectonic suture. The southern fragment corresponds to the eastern dipping of the Pre-Paleozoic rocks of the Ukrainian shield, forming the buried Rostov ledge. The Scythian (Epihercynian) platform located to the south of the Donetsk-Astrakhan tectonic suture, is represented by a folded Paleozoic (in some places pre-middle-Jurassic) base and a platform cover of Mesozoic-Cenozoic rocks. The part of the Scythian platform is the exposed Donbass area, where Paleozoic rocks of the base of the platform protrude to the surface and form the Donetsk ledge. The northern part of the Scythian plate, which extends over the buried folds system of Donbass, is allocated from the south by Manych over-fault deflections and called «Karpinsky shaft». The system of the Manych deflections and the territory located to the south compile the Ciscaucasian part of the Scythian plate.

A new species of algae from the formal genus Algites Seward, 1894 — A. samarensis sp. nov. from the Lower Kazanian substage near the village of Russky Baitugan (northeast of the Samara Region) has been described. The cases offindingsof the fossilized Paleozoic macrophytic algae are not numerous. Each such finding is an important link for analyzing the evolution of algae as a whole. The literature review and geological characteristics of the area have been briefly presented. The related taxonomic composition of the fossilized fauna of this location, including brachiopods, bivalves, solitary corals, bryozoans, crinoids, and conularia, has been considered. A description of the morphological features of a new type of algae and a diagnosis in English have been given. The characteristic of phyllotaxy has been presented. On the basis of the results obtained in the course of the study, it has been concluded that the new described species belongs to macrophytic colonial sea algae. A comparison with the Paleozoic and Mesozoic macrophyte algae has been made, and the results have been analyzed. The main differences of the new form are the double dichotomous, even, thin and long thallome with the presence of the side needle-like «leaves», with the whorled location of the «leaves». It has been established that the burial of the described fossil algae occurred in a short period of time directly on the inhabitation or near their habitat. The well preservation of the algae without severe damage is an evidence of this.

For the first time, data on the mineral composition and gemological characteristics of the jewelry-ornamental ammonites of the Republic of Adygea have been presented. Ammonites consist mainly of the calcite with inclusions of quartz, glauconite, kaolinite, aragonite, pyrite, apatite and hematite. The walls and partitions of the shells mainly lost the original aragonite composition and consist of calcite with inclusions of pyrite and apatite. Aragonite is preserved fragmentary in the walls and partitions of the shells. Calcite contains some elements-admixture, which average volumes, (wt. %), are: Mg0,62, Mn0,31 and Fe 1,26. The color and transparency of calcite is determined by the structural features of the crystals and mineral inclusions. Ammonites of the Republic of Adygea have a wide range of sizes and are associated with sediments of the lower Cretaceous. According to the decorative and technological characteristics ammonites can be used as a jewelry-ornamental material for the production of a wide range of ware.

Results of comparative complex investigation are provided for diamonds from primary bodies of Mirny kimberlite field, among which three groups are distinguished sharply differing by typomorphic features of crystals, related with three separated in time phases of diamondiferous magmatism (I — vein A-21; II— pipes Taezhnaya and Amakinskaya; III — pipes Mir, International, XXIII-rd CPSU Congress, Dachnaya and Sputnik). For the first earliest group low content of octahedral is typical, with prevalence of individuals of rhombic dodecahedral habit; the second group is noted for approximately equal ratio of octahedral and rhombic dodecahedral habit crystals; sharp prevalence of coarse-laminar crystals of octahedral and transitive from it to rhombic dodecahedral habit is characteristic for the third group of most high-productive diatremes. Utilization of typomorphic features of crystals for reconstruction of exogenous history of diamonds on the way from primary sources to the places of modern location in placers, for paleogeographial reconstructions of ancient productive thick layers' reconstructions and clearing out directions of diamondiferous material drift, which will promote prospecting of their primary sources, has important significance.

The data has been given on the possible commercial potassium content of halogen sediments from the Pogozhskaya rhythmic member within the Western part of the North Caspian depression. It has been shown that the detailed lithological and geochemical studies, with the construction of the thickness maps, allow allocating in the section the most promising intervals with the potassium mineralization, as well as the taking into account the direction of nipping of the productive intervals and, as a consequence, choosing the priority of the sites for prospecting. Chloride type of potassium mineralization is represented by carnallites and sylvinites. The latter are the main source of the potassium ore. Sulfate salt — kainite and kieserite - are allocated only within the North-Western part of the basin. It has been found that the sylvinite layer was formed as a result of entering of the solutions with lower concentration (at the level of the halite stage) to the water basin with the strong brine of carnallite-bischofite stage . It has been revealed that the sylvite from the potash intervals of the section of the pogozhskaya rhythmic member is a product of the decomposition of carnallite.

For the first time, gravity pulsations were detected during the processing of stationary observations at the Geodynamic range of RAS in Bishkek (2014). Then, similar surges were detected in stationary seismic observations in the city of Voronezh, which simultaneously coincided with the gravimetric fluctuations in Bishkek. Later, gravity pulsations were detected at Artie, Perm and Vladivostok stations. Seismic ripples are also found in Southeast Asia. In coastal zones and in the ocean, additional pulsations occur due to atmospheric processes (typhoons, cyclones, etc.). Pulsations of non-tidal variations of gravity and seismic fields are global.

Ornithopod dinosaur Riabininohadros weberae from the Upper Cretaceous (upper Maastrichtian) of the Crimean Peninsula (Besh-Kosh) shows a set of primitive characters of hind limbs observed in iguanodontids and basal ornithischians and is referred to as Styracosterna indet. The second dinosaur specimen from Crimea (Aleshino) is a fragmentary skeleton, including cervical and dorsal vertebrae. It possibly belongs to advanced iguanodontids or primitive hadrosauroids. Thus, in the Maastrichtian of the Crimean Peninsula, at least two dinosaur species coexisted.

The monograph is the first generalizing study on the fauna of the early Triassic amphibians of Eastern Europe, which reviews data on its taxonomic diversity, origin and ways of diversification of dominant groups, as well as their stratigraphic and geographical distribution. Original new ideas about the phylogenetic connections of separate taxa have been stated, stages of formation and the initial radiation of the dominant groups have been revealed and characterized. On this basis, the history of the development of Eastern European early Triassic tetrapods, known as the most fully documented in the world for that time, has been detailed. Significant changes have been made to the biostratigraphic scheme of the continental Lower Triassic of Eastern Europe for tetrapods, which made it possible to clarify or justify for the first time the age of a number of stratons, previously identified there.

Researches have been made with the use of a hydropneumatic source of seismic waves. This source on the realized efforts of the shock interaction with a soil half-space considerably exceeds all known designs of radiators (sources) of pulse type. In this regard it shows higher seismic efficiency. The most important characteristic of the work of the pulse sources of seismic waves is a stability of the response time — a time interval from the moment of giving of a signal for producing of the blow until the very blow. Only with the achievement of the necessary stability the work in the mode of grouping of sources and accumulation of signals is possible. Features of the formation of response time of a hydropneumatic source are given. The analysis of the assessment of the parameters of synchronism of the pulse sources is made by a modem control system of their work. An influence of the rigidity of the soil on the assessment of stability of the response time and synchronism is shown. The system of the assessment of the stability used in the existing pulse sources at its application does not reflect the actual stability of response time in the radiators possessing a big force of blow.

The hydrogeological, geoecological and economical risks connected with the non-confirmation of groundwater discharge, levels and quality forecast calculations while the evaluation of the reserves, have been considered. Improving the reliability of the forecasts of the potable groundwater quality changes and the corresponding reduction in the risks associated with their non-confirmation, can be achieved by carrying out the special hydrogeochemical researches of operated deposits, including isotope researches. On the basis of such studies, a comparison ofprediction calculations on the observed data of the results of the exploration and actually observed indicators of the quality of groundwater can be made, and the theoretical and methodical bases of subsoil study and forecasting can be performed.