Otoliths in situ from Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) fishes of the Paratethys. Part V: Bothidae and Soleidae

Abstract

In the final section of our series of studies on Sarmatian fishes from the Paratethys with otoliths in situ, we deal with three pleuronectiform species. Each species is re-defined based on the type material plus additional specimens not previously described. Their generic allocation has been reviewed. Two of these species belong to the Bothidae: Arnoglossus bassanianus (Kramberger 1883) and Bothus parvulus (Kramberger 1883). The third species was originally described as Rhombus serbicus Anđelkovic 1966 and is now placed within the Soleidae. It is placed herein with the newly established fossil genus Parasolea, which is thought to be related to the extant Solea and Vanstraelenia and is considered to represent an extinct endemic Paratethyan taxon. Two of the three species described herein can be linked to isolated otoliths. The otolith-based species—Arnoglossus? tenuis (Schubert 1906)—is synonymized with a skeleton-based species—Arnoglossus bassanianus (Kramberger 1883). Isolated otoliths and comparison with related extant species indicate that the species described here must have reached sizes of at least twice those of the largest articulated skeletons.