Sarmatella doljeana ( Gorjanović-Kramberger, 1884 )

Gol’din, Pavel, Haiduc, Bogdan Stelian, Kovalchuk, Oleksandr, Górka, Marcin, Otryazhyi, Pavlo, Brânzilă, Mihai, Păun, Elena Ionela, Barkaszi, Zoltán, Ţibuleac, Paul & Răţoi, Bogdan Gabriel, 2020, The Volhynian (late Middle Miocene) marine fishes and mammals as proxies for the onset of the Eastern Paratethys re-colonisation by vertebrate fauna, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 43) 23 (3), pp. 1-20 : 5-7

Sarmatella doljeana ( Gorjanović-Kramberger, 1884)

Figure 3 A-B

Material and localities. Two incomplete articulated skeletons; Leucuşeşti, Hrushivtsi.

Description. The anterior part of the body ( Figure 3A) is well preserved; however, many bones were destroyed and are represented by fragments. The body is elongated and laterally compressed. Its dorsal profile is straight, while the abdomen is moderately convex. The head is large (head length 14.1 mm, head depth 9.8 mm, preorbital distance 4.3 mm, postorbital distance 6.5 mm). The skull roof is almost straight, and the snout is pointed. The relatively large orbit (orbital diameter 3.3 mm, vertical diameter 2.6 mm) is oval. There are two auditory capsules: bulla prootica is 2.3 times larger than bulla pterotica. The mouth is small and terminal. The lower jaw is 7.2 mm long. It projects beyond the upper jaw and is articulated with the skull behind the anterior orbital margin. The vertebral column extends above the longitudinal axis of the body and consists of elongated vertebrae. The dorsal fin is preceded by 10 supraneuralia. Another specimen ( Figure 3B) is a caudal part of the body. The minimum body depth is 3.5 mm. The caudal fin is deeply forked and has 19 principal rays and 10 additional ones. Its skeleton consists of two epurals, six hypurals, and one parhypural fused with the first preural vertebra.

Remarks. The studied specimens share a set of features diagnostic for Sarmatella doljeana ( Gorjanović-Kramberger, 1884) : the number and relative size of auditory capsules, projection of the lower jaw and the place of its articulation with the skull, the number of supraneuralia, as well as the structure of the caudal fin ( Baykina, 2013a). Also, there are a few complete and subcomplete skeletons provisionally assigned to Sarmatella doljeana in the collection from Hrushivtsi ( Ukraine).

Clupeinae indet.

Figure 3C

1970 Clupea sp. ; Macarovici, pl. 1, fig. 7.

Material and locality. Scale; Voineşti.

Description. A single isolated scale from Voineşti (depth 398–400 m) is scutate in shape; it is 7.0 mm wide and 6.2 mm long. The edges of the scale are rounded except for the posterior field, which is moderately crenulated. The anterior field is smooth. There are five vertical primary and secondary grooves arranged symmetrically on the surface of the scale.

Comparison. The scale described is similar to those associated with the posterior body part of “ Clupea ” sardinites ( Szymczyk, 1978, p. 390, table 1; p. 395, figs. 4d, 5c) in the number and arrangement of grooves, as well as the shape and lengthwidth ratio of the scale plate.

Remarks. The scale resembles that in herrings in shape and morphology ( Lagler, 1947; Szymczyk, 1978). It was assigned to Clupeinae based on the absence of nodules at the middle and lateral fields, unlike those in Alosinae ( Peabody, 1928; Szymczyk, 1978). We suggest that the diagnostic importance of clupeid squamation should be limited by subfamily level since comparative studies in case of joint findings of scales and skeletons are absent.