Middle Eocene cartilaginous fishes (Vertebrata: Chondrichthyes) of the Dnieper-Donets Basin, northern Ukraine.

Abstract

Marine basins that existed in present-day Ukraine during the Eocene harboured various groups of cartilaginous and bony fishes, reptiles, aquatic birds, and marine mammals. Fish remains from Paleogene deposits of Kyiv and its vicinities were first collected and described by O.S. Rogovich in the mid-19th century. Here we have carried out a re-examination of chondrichthyan fossils from Rogovich's collection and evaluated several later records, all of which were recovered from middle Eocene deposits. In total, 88 specimens represented by teeth, vertebrae, and other skeletal elements were analysed and described. As a result, the sample revealed to a single chimaeriform species (Edaphodon bucklandi), and 12 shark and two ray taxa, respectively. Ten sharks were identified to species level, whereas the rays could be identified only at higher systematic ranks (Myliobatidae, Myliobatiformes). Several nomenclatural changes are proposed here, including the synonimisation of Carcharodon megalotis, C. lanceolatus, C. productus, Lamna cuspidata, L. denticulata, L. compressa, L. (Odontaspis) hispida, L. lata, Oxyrhina brevidens, and O. biflena with more recently proposed taxa. Seven species erected by Rogovich (Galeocerdo paradoxus, Otodus microtus, Lamna elegans, Oxyrhina falcata, Oxyrhina leptodon, Chomatodus dubius, and Hybodus helophorus) are suggested to most likely be nomina dubia. Many identified taxa represent the epi- and mesopelagic fishes and only a relatively small number of them belong to benthopelagic, demersal, and bathydemersal forms. The studied sample is of important historical and scientific value and substantially contribute to the understanding of the palaeodiversity of Eocene marine ecosystems that existed in present-day Ukraine and generally in Eastern Europe.