Palaeotinca moeddeni, Schulz-Mirbach & Reichenbacher, 2006

Schulz-Mirbach, Tanja & Reichenbacher, Bettina, 2006, Reconstruction of Oligocene and Neogene freshwater fish faunas-an actualistic study on cypriniform otoliths, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 51 (2), pp. 283-304 : 297-298

Palaeotinca moeddeni sp. nov.

Fig. 27 .

2000 “genus Cyprinidarum” sp. A; Mödden et al. 2000, pro parte: 349, figs. 5A, B.

Holotype: BSPG 2003 XVIII 51 (right lapillus), Fig. 27A .

Derivation of the name: This species is dedicated to Dr. Clemens Mödden (Eltville, Germany). He greatly supported the field studies in the Mainz Basin.

Type locality: Wolfsheim, 20 km southwest of Mainz in the Mainz Basin (see Mödden et al. 2000: fig. 1; here Fig. 2A ).

Material.—90 lapilli, SMF PO 64053–54, BSPG 2003 XVIII 51–62.

Dimensions and stratigraphic range.—See Tables 1 and 4, and Fig. 32 .

Diagnosis.— Lapilli with a distinct concavity of the posterior margin, a strongly curving medial margin, and a thickened middle portion.

Description.—The general shape is rounded with a pointed posterior end. The strongly developed anteromedial and anterolateral edges, the distinctly pronounced mineralization area, and the distinct cranial umbo of the fossil lapilli resemble the Recent Tinca tinca ( Fig. 20 ).

Remarks.—The single pharyngeal tooth ( Fig. 27L , length: 3 mm, width 1.59 mm) that was found in the locality Wolfsheim could be determined as cf. Palaeotinca (Madelaine Böhme, personal communication 2005). Presently, there are two Oligocene Palaeotinca species that both were found in sediments of late Oligocene age: P. macrura ( Agassiz, 1843) from some localities in Germany ( Gaudant 1988, as Tarsichthys macrurus ) and Palaeotinca sp. from the Lower Freshwater Molasse in Switzerland and Haute−Savoie ( Gaudant et al. 2002, as Tarsichthys sp. ). The pharyngeal tooth of our new species displays a mastication area that runs more or less oblique from the terminal hook to the proximal area. In contrast, P. macrura shows a more curving mastication area and also a more prominent incision beneath the terminal hook (see Gaudant et al. 2002: fig. 2). P. moeddeni sp. nov. is presently the oldest worldwide record of a Palaeotinca species.

Figures

Fig. 27. Palaeotinca moeddeni sp. nov. from early Oligocene of Wolfsheim (Germany). A–K. Utricular otoliths (lapilli). C, E–G, J, K. BSPG 2003 XVIII 53, 55–57, 60, and 61 respectively, in dorsal views, represented as right lapilli (all mirrored, except for J). A, B, D, H, I. BSPG 2003 XVIII 51 (holotype), 52, 54, 58, 59 respectively, in ventral views, represented as left lapilli (A, D, I mirrored). L. Pharyngeal tooth BSPG 2003 XVIII 62. SEM−pictures.

Fig. 2. A sketch map showing fossil and Recent localities mentioned in the text. A. Geographic overview of the localities that have yielded the fossil material. B. Map of Bavaria in South Germany with the numbers of the sample sites. 1, Chiemsee; 2, Starnberger See; 3, Klötzlmühlbach and Further Bach, near Landshut; 4, Alte Ammer, near Fischen; 5, Ponds at Wielenbach; 6, Uffinger Ach; 7, Isar at Landau; 8, Isen at Mühldorf; 9, Ponds at Reichlingsried and Ludenhausen; 10, Rottbach at Rott (Landsberg/Lech); 11, Wiesent at Gössweinstein (Forchheim); 12, Weissenstädter See at Wunsiedel; 13, Leiblach at Lindau.

Fig. 32. Stratigraphic range of the lapilli−based fossil cyprinid species of the present study. Stratigraphic scale after Gradstein et al. (2004).

Fig. 20. Utricular otoliths (lapilli) of Recent Tinca tinca (Linnaeus, 1758) from wild catches in Germany. A. BSPG 2003 IV 123b in dorsal view, represented as right lapillus, and mirrored (A1) and in anterior view, represented as left lapillus (A2). B. BSPG 2003 IV 121 in dorsal view, represented as right lapillus, mirrored (B1) and in anterior view, represented as left lapillus (B2). C–E. BSPG 2003 IV 123a, 122, and 119 respectively, in ventral views, represented as left lapilli (C, D mirrored). A, C display a lapilli pair. SEM−pictures (A–C, E), digital photograph (D).