Nealotus tripes Johnson, 1865

Lin, Chien-Hsiang, Brzobohatý, Rostislav, Nolf, Dirk & Girone, Angela, 2017, Tortonian teleost otoliths from northern Italy: taxonomic synthesis and stratigraphic significance, European Journal of Taxonomy 322, pp. 1-44 : 30

Nealotus tripes Johnson, 1865

An otolith, named Prometichthys prometheus by Lin et al. (2015: fig. 7(1)), is also assigned to N. tripes : three additional specimens from Mondovi (one figured on Fig. 12E ) present a very similar spindle shape, and seem to be nearest to those of the Recent N. tripes (see Nolf 2013: pl. 327). The otoliths of P. prometheus (Cuvier, 1832) also show a reasonable resemblance, but the sulcus is straighter in N. tripes , and the rostrum in P. prometheus is more prominent with a conspicuous excisura notch.

An overview on the taxonomic composition of investigated localities

A list of taxa recognised in this study is given in Table 1 (page 6 and following), with all of them illustrated by at least one specimen. The present study, based on more than 5600 otoliths, reveals the presence of at least 109 taxa belonging to 38 families. Of these, 88 taxa were identified at species level. Among all the investigated localities, Sant’Agata Fossili and Montegibbio are the most diversified at family level, consisting of 20 and 18 families, respectively. The most abundant material came from Mondovi, Madonna della Neve, where more than 1600 specimens were collected. Furthermore, this locality is also characterised by many true oceanic mesopelagic taxa, such as microstomatids, sternoptychids and phosichthyids. At the Torrente Stirone locality, the otolith assemblage is most diversified at species level (51 taxa), of which the most abundant and even dominant taxa are neritic gobiids and congrids. Finally, the assemblages recognised at the Alba, Tanaro, Costa Vescovato, Gallo D’Alba, Sant’Alosio, and Stazzano localities show the typical characteristics of deep-water taxa, with a near-absence of neritic elements.

Figures

Fig. 12. Tortonian fish otoliths from northern Italy. A–C. “Gobius” bicornutus (Lin, Girone & Nolf, 2015), Sant’Agata Fossili (IRSNB P 9836–P 9838). D. Aphanopus carbo Lowe, 1839, Costa Vescovato (IRSNB P 9839). E. Nealotus tripes Johnson, 1865, Mondovi, Madonna della Neve (IRSNB P 9840). F–G. Arnoglossus kokeni (Bassoli & Schubert, 1906), Torrente Stirone (IRSNB P 9841–P 9842). H–I. Gobiidae indet., Sant’Agata Fossili (IRSNB P 9843–P 9844). J–K. Microchirus aff. variegatus (Donovan, 1808), Torrente Stirone (IRSNB P 9845–9846). 1 = ventral view; 2 = inner view. Scale bars = 1 mm.