Scardinius ponticus Kovalchuk, 2014

Kovalchuk, O. М., 2014, New Extinct Carp Fish Species (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) From The Late Neogene Of Southeastern Europe, Vestnik Zoologii 48 (5), pp. 411-418 : 416-417

Scardinius ponticus Kovalchuk , sp. n.

T y p e s p e c i m e n. The holotype ( fig. 3 ) is an isolated right pharyngeal tooth ( NMNH – P 41/2358 ), paratype — pharyngeal tooth ( NMNH – P 41 /2359). These items are deposited in the Department of Vertebrate Paleozoology and Paleontological Museum , National Museum of the Natural History ( NMNH), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Kyiv).

R e f e r r e d m a t e r i a l. Besides the type specimens, there are 50 isolated pharyngeal teeth (NMNH– P 41 /2360–2409), belonging to the new species, in the collection from Odesa Pontian Lectostratotype.

T y p e l o c a l i t y. Odesa Pontian Lectostratotype (= 16th Station of Bol’shoy Fontan) , Odesa Region, Southern Ukraine.

G e o l o g i c a l a g e. Late Miocene, lower Pontian, Late Turolian, MN 13.

D i a g n o s i s. New Scardinius species is characterized by enormous pharyngeal teeth, and enlarged number of cogs at their external grinding edge.

D e s c r i p t i o n a n d c o m p a r i s o n. Pharyngeal teeth have high, laterally compressed crowns. There is a clearly expressed wide belt-shaped contraction at the tooth neck. Curved tooth back rises to the top, expanding in the low convex hook, which is separated by the distinct furrow from the grinding edge. Grinding surface is relatively long, strongly flattened and almost parallel to the tooth back. The anterior grinding edge is sculpted by the 7–8 single convex cushion-shaped cogs, posterior edge is lined, with oblique hatching. Keel belly is laterally compressed and folded to the neck. Wide tooth pedicle is cylindrical in the cross-section and narrowed to the crown base. Measurements of the type series and other representatives of the Scardinius genus from the numerous Late Miocene localities on the territory of Southern Ukraine are presented at the table 2. Height of their pharyngeal teeth is 11.4–15.0 mm (mean 13.1 mm), width of crowns — from 5.1 to 6.3 mm (mean 5.6 mm). Recovered fish body length is about 65–70 cm.

A new species, as compared with other Scardinius taxa, is characterized by the enormous pharyngeal tooth size, eight cogs at the grinding edge, and also the presence of beltshaped contraction at the tooth neck. They are comparable in size to the pharyngeal teeth of Scardinius tshuensis , but have with a longer crown and a smaller number of cogs. Described pharyngeal teeth differ from those in the extant Scardinius erythrophthalmus by the presence of eight cogs at the external grinding edge and well-developed hatching at the posterior occlusal plate. Pharyngeal teeth of the Scardinius ponticus sp. nov. are similar to those in Scardinius cf. erythrophthalmus from the Late Miocene strata of southern Ukraine by the presence of weakly developed hook, but differ from them by the more sloped grinding surface. Representatives of the new species as compared to Scardinius haueri , are characterized by a wider pharyngeal tooth pedicle, and also less developed keel at the belly.

E t y m o l o g y. The specific name is a Latin derivation and reflects the stratigraphic position (geological age of the corresponding alluvial layer).

D i s t r i b u t i o n. Currently, information about the geographical distribution of Scardinius ponticus sp. n. is limited by the type locality. According to the high similarity of taxonomic lists, it can be assumed the opportunity to find the remnants of this species in the Late Miocene strata of Moldova.

We extend our gratitude to D. S. Zakharov (Republican Scientific Research Institute of Ecology and Natural Resources, Republic of Moldova) and V. A. Marareskul (The State Service of Geology and Subsoil of Transnistria, Republic of Moldova) for the kindly providing possibility to study the fossil fish remnants from Priozernoe locality. We also thank to Prof. Dr. L. I. Rekovets for his comments and advices, and also S. V. Neofitny (NMNH–P, Kyiv, Ukraine) for his help in the preparation of drawings.

Figures

Fig. 3. Scardinius ponticus sp. n.: 1 — isolated pharyngeal tooth, holotype (NMNH–P 41/2358, Odesa Pontian Lectostratotype); 2 — paratype (NMNH–P 41/2359). Scardinius erythrophthalmus, recent (used for comparison). Рис. 3. Scardinius ponticus sp. n.: 1 — изолированный глоточный зуб, голотип (NMNH–P 41/2358, лектостратотип понта); 2 — паратип (NMNH–P 41/2359). Scardinius erythrophthalmus, современный (использован для сравнения).