Fish otoliths from the Paleocene of Bavaria (Kressenberg) and Austria (Kroisbach and Oiching-Graben)

En savoir plus sur le livre

Otoliths from 54 teleost species are reported from Paleocene strata in Bavaria and Austria, covering 31 families, with 33 new species described and 7 in open nomenclature. Until recently, descriptions of Paleocene otolith assemblages were scarce, but knowledge has expanded to over 100 valid species, making this collection the largest and most diverse. Kressenberg mainly represents a neritic shelf fauna, while Kroisbach includes open marine elements, particularly Stomiiformes, marking the first such association from the Paleocene. The regional diversification of Paleocene otolith-based fish faunas is notable, with data from the U.S.A., Belgium, Denmark, Greenland, and Ukraine enabling a paleobiogeographic evaluation. This collection is significant for its transitional nature in Teleostei evolution, showcasing forms emerging post-K-T boundary extinction and before modern Teleostei arose in the Eocene after the PETM event. Few Paleocene species overlap with Late Cretaceous or Eocene species. The Paleocene assemblage features a low level of extinct morphologies and an abundance of plesiomorphic ones, including modern groups like Percoidei, Congridae, Ophidiiformes, and Stomiiformes. Gadiformes are underrepresented, while Beryciformes, once dominant in the Late Cretaceous, remain common in the Paleocene of Bavaria. Many taxa are considered 'extinct plesiomorphic' or 'missing links' in teleost phylogeny. Phylogenetic analyses and in