Elasmobranch diversity du ring the Early Aquitanian of the northern shelf of the Central Paratethys Sea
- Author(s)
- Hannah Baur, Jürgen Kriwet, Iris Feichtinger
- Abstract
The Central Paratethys Sea was a hot spot for biodiversity with a high degree of endemism. Yet, knowledge on marine vertebrates is still limited. Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays, and skates) occupied a diverse array of ecological niches and played a crucial role in the trophic structure of the Central
Paratethys. However, offshore or deep-marine sediments of the Central Paratethys are rarely accessible, significantly limiting our knowledge of the fossil record of several deep-water inhabitants
such as dogfish sharks (Squaliformes). This study presents preliminary data on a newly identified elasmobranch assemblage from the Upper Egerian (Aquitanian, Ebelsberg Formation), recovered from a temporarily exposed outcrop along the Enns River in Lower Austria. These sediments, deposited on the northern shelf of the Central Paratethys, become accessible only du ring periods of river low-stand caused by maintenance work on a nearby hydroelectric power plant. The assemblage is dominated by teeth of small, deep-dwelling elasmobranchs such as the kitefin shark (Dracipinna), the sleeper shark (Palaeocentroscymnus), and the enigmatic genus Nanocetorhinus. Additionally, the assemblage includes teeth from bottom-dwelling species such as Pristiophorus and Raja, which indicates habitable conditions of the sea floor. Here, we focus on the palaeoecology, spatial and temporal distribution of selected elasmobranch genera with different hunting behaviors and ecological niches, which provides new insights into the trophic structure and diversity of the fish community of the Central Paratethys du ring the Early Miocene.- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- University of Vienna, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NHM)
- Pages
- 8-8
- No. of pages
- 1
- Publication date
- 05-2025
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105118 Palaeontology
- Sustainable Development Goals
- SDG 14 - Life Below Water
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/f37f25b8-6213-4b11-b4d7-e9756080b83f