New latest Cretaceous microvertebrate fossil assemblages from the Haţeg Basin (Romania)

Abstract

Late Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems in southern Europe are relatively poorly known, although much progress has been made during the past decade, principally with regard to the microvertebrate components of these ecosystems. The Maastrichtian terrestrial deposits of the Haţeg Basin, at the easternmost end of the South European archipelago and well known for reptilian fossils (e.g., turtles, crocodilians, pterosaurs and dinosaurs), have been thoroughly screened during the past five years. Important microvertebrate assemblages, both quantitatively and qualitatively speaking, were found at Pui (Sînpetru Formation), Tuştea and, particularly, Vălioara (Densuş-Ciula Formation). Several new taxa are noted here for the first time for the Haţeg Basin, including gars, discoglossids, albanerpetontids, scincomorphan and anguimorphan lizards; dromaeosaurids and multituberculates are confirmed. Most of the microvertebrate remains are poorly preserved and precise systematic assignment has proved difficult. The Haţeg fauna appears to be primitive and endemic, with a Neopangean core composition, and suggests a composite palaeobiogeographic origin for the Late Cretaceous European ecosystems, confirming conclusions reached in studies of the larger vertebrates.