Preophidion granus ( Müller, 1999 )

Lin, Chien-Hsiang & Nolf, Dirk, 2022, Middle and late Eocene fish otoliths from the eastern and southern USA, European Journal of Taxonomy 814, pp. 1-122 : 59-60

Preophidion granus ( Müller, 1999)

Fig. 19D–F

“genus Sirembinorum ” granus Müller, 1999: 122 , fig. 28/19–20, pl 16 fig. 15.

“genus Sirembinorum ” granus – Nolf & Stringer 2003: pl. 3 figs 15–17.

“ Sirembinus ” granus – Nolf 2013: 66, pl. 128.

Sirembo ? granus – Stringer et al. 2022: 6, fig. 3g.

Remarks

The otoliths of P. granus are easily distinguished from those of P. elevatus and P. petropolis by their having a clearly angular junction of the ostial and caudal crista inferior, a narrow anterior part of the cauda, and a posterior portion of the cauda that is bent in a ventral direction. But the most striking feature of P. granus is apparently that in a ventral view the otoliths show a very marked thickening of their anterior portion.

Stratigraphic and geographic distribution

Lutetian: Piney Point Formation, Virginia. Bartonian: “upper” Lisbon Formation and Gosport Sand, Alabama; Moodys Branch Formation, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Priabonian: Yazoo Clay, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Figures

Fig. 19. Fish otoliths from the US middle and upper Eocene. A–C. Preophidion elevatus (Koken, 1888). A–B. “upper” Lisbon F., Coffeeville Landing, Alabama (IRSNB P 10074–10075). C. Potterchitto M., Newton, NE exit off Interstate 20, Mississippi (IRSNB P 10076).D–F. Preophidion granus Müller, 1999. D–E. Moodys Branch F., Jackson, Riverside Park, Mississippi (IRSNB P 10077–10078). F. Shubuta Clay M., Cynthia, Mississippi Lite clay pit, Mississippi (IRSNB P 10079). G–J. Preophidion petropolis (Dante & Frizzell, 1965). G. Potterchitto M., Newton, NE exit off Interstate 20, Mississippi (IRSNB P 10080). H–J. “Stone City beds”, Stone City Bluff, Brazos River, sample 2 from bed P, Texas (IRSNB P 10081–10083). 1 = ventral view; 2 = inner view. Scale bars = 1 mm.