Pomatoschistus elegans (Procházka, 1900)

Figure 7j–k

2020a Pomatoschistus elegans (Procházka, 1900) — Schwarzhans, Brzobohatý & Radwańska: pl. 9, figs. 20–22 (and references therein).

Material 2 otoliths: 1 specimen, Kozatskyi Yar, NMNHU- P PI 2576; 1 specimen, Shydlivshchyna, NMB P1222 .

Discussion Te small otoliths of P. elegans, which rarely exceed 1 mm in length, are characterized by a nearly quadratic otolith shape, with the exception of the broad, obtuse middorsal angle, and a flat inner face with a slightly eccentrically positioned sulcus that is narrow and steeply inclined at over 30°. Pomatoschistus elegans has been observed relatively rarely in the early Badenian of the Central Paratethys, and these are the first records from the late Badenian. Te specimens of P. elegans described here from the Medobory back-reef environment differ from those of the early Badenian in being more thickset (OH:OT = 2.3–2.4 vs. 3.4–3.6), but this difference is not supported by any other features and, therefore, is regarded as an expression of variability.