Late Miocene bony fishes from Pocşeşti (Republic of Moldova)

Abstract

Isolated pharyngeal and jaw teeth of bony fishes, as well as numerous bones of other vertebrates dated by Late Miocene (middle late Sarmatian s.l. = early Tortonian, 9.8 Ma), were found in the alluvial sediments of Pocşeşti site (Republic of Moldova). Six fish taxa were identified and described in the paper; the majority of them (4 species) are representatives of Cyprinidae family. Taxonomic list also includes sturgeons (Acipenseridae gen. et sp. indet.) and pikes (Esox sp.). Mixed character of fauna, joint presence of freshwater and marine species suggests that the burial of remnants took place in close proximity to large marine basin in river avandelta. Fish assemblage of Pocşeşti shows an affinity to other early Tortonian localities in Europe and reflects paleobiogeographic changes on the territory of Paratethys during the Late Miocene.

Keywords

• bony fishes
• late miocene
• sarmatian s.l.
• mn 10
• pocşeşti
• eastern europe