GADIFORMES, INDETERMINATE

Stringer, Gary L. & Sloan, James Carson, 2023, First Cretaceous teleostean otolith assemblage (Arkadelphia Formation, upper Maastrichtian) from Arkansas, USA, early Gadiformes, and the Western Interior Seaway, PaleoBios 40 (1994), pp. 1-39 : 16

GADIFORMES INDETERMINATE

FIG. 8B

Material— 11 very small or broken specimens, specimen figured, DMNH 2021-09-24.

Description and Remarks— The 11 specimens designated as Gadiformes indeterminate are included because of the rarity of the Gadiformes in the Cretaceous. Their occurrence is certainly worth noting even at this taxonomic level. Some of the specimens represent nondiagnostic juveniles or perhaps even larval, while others represent badly eroded specimens. The specimens have typical gadiform characteristics such as a long, homosulcoid-type sulcus with a collum, a convex inner face, a flat or slightly concave outer face, the outline, and extensive crenulations. It is likely that the specimens represent gadiforms already known from the Arkadelphia Formation, but this cannot be determined with certainty. Schwarzhans (2003) used a similar identification of juvenile gadiforms from the Paleocene of Denmark.

Figures

Figure 8. Otoliths from the Cretaceous Arkadelphia Formation. All specimens unless otherwise noted are inner views of right sagittae. Lapilli are macular views. Length in mm. A. Palaeogadus cf. P. weltoni Schwarzhans and Stringer (2020a), DMNH 2021-09- 23, 1.46 mm. B. Gadiformes indeterminate, DMNH 2021-09-24, 1.56 mm. C. Tippaha mythica Schwarzhans and Stringer (2020a), DMNH 2021-09-25, 3.85 mm. D. Eutawichthys maastrichtiensis Nolf and Stringer (1996), DMNH 2021-09-26, 3.93 mm. E. Eutawichthys zideki Nolf and Stringer (1996), DMNH 2021-09-27, 1.42 mm. F.Eutawichthys cf. E. stringeri Schwarzhans, Huddleston, and Takeuchi (2018b), DMNH 2021-09-28, 1.85 mm. G. Ampheristus cf. A. americanus Schwarzhans and Stringer (2020a), DMNH 2021-09-29, 1.58 mm. H. Protobythities brzobohatyi Schwarzhans (2010), DMNH 2021-09-30, 1.68 mm. I. Lapillus type 1, DMNH 2021-09-31, 2.98 mm.