engleski

New findings of middle Miocene (Badenian) bony fish otoliths in Northern Croatia

Fine to medium-grained Miocene clastic deposits exposed around the western slopes of the Medvednica Mt. near Zagreb (NW Croatia) comprise rich assemblages of marine biota, including the fish scales, teeth and otoliths. The most abundant otoliths were found at localities Dubravica and Veternica. Diverse small otoliths of shallow-water gobiid fishes, together with neritic-pelagic clupeiform Etrumeus and codlets of the genus Bregmaceros dominate at the locality Veternica, while pelagic genera of cods, lanternfishes and silvery lightfishes (Gadiculus, Physiculus, Diaphus, Valencienellus and Maurolicus) dominate at the locality Dubravica. Associated fauna at the locality Veternica comprises solitary corals, numerous gadilid and some dentalid scaphopods, small oysters, foraminifera, ostracods, decapod crustaceans and echinoids. This fossil assemblage points to the temporarily increased input of fresh water into the basin, therefore a shelf environment with a nearby river-mouth is presumed for this locality. Otoliths and the associated fauna at the locality Dubravica (foraminifera, ostracods, sponges, diverse scaphopods, bivalves, gastropods, crustaceans) represent a mixture of shallow-marine and pelagic taxa, probably deposited on the upper continental slope. Badenian age of these deposits is determined on the basis of foraminifera, while the associated nannoplankton is scarce, poorly preserved and points to the wide stratigraphic range (NN4 to NN6 Zones).

Fish otoliths, Middle Miocene, Northern Croatia

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