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Taxonomy from Fossilworks.com Diagnosis from Danil'chenko 1960, p. 29: "Trunk height equal to length of 24-26 midlength vertebrae. Ventral profile of body rises sharply, almost at right angle at beginning of caudal region, where the body height decreases to approximately one half. Body height in vertical with anterior ray of anal fin corresponding to only 35-40% of the maximum body height and equal to the length of 10-11 vertebrae. Maximum body height 1.5 times head length; latter equal to the length of 15-16 anterior vertebrae. Mouth slit oblique, forming angle of 50-60° with the longitudinal body axis. Upper jaw composed of short premaxilla and long, posteriorly widened maxilla, which is somewhat curved ventrally and reaches the vertical from the eye center. Lower jaw wide, slightly protruding forward with respect to the upper, connected with quadrate opposite the eye center. Teeth small on both jaws but larger on maxilla than on premaxilla and dentary. Parasphenoid thin, bent sharply upward posteriorly, projecting below the orbit. Preopercular narrow, straight dorsally, ventrally bent at right angle forward, forming short horizontal branch which almost reached the posterior edge of the upper jaw. Opercular narrower than orbital diameter. Vertebrae short, almost square, with slight median constriction. Ribs 7-8 pairs, from 3-4 to 10 vertebrae inclusively. Ribs large, slightly curved, almost square, very long, ending just above the ventral margin, ventrally joined by wide bony plates. Length of rib from middle part of trunk region equal to about 65% of the length of the vertebral column. Trunk neurapophyses deflected slightly backward, firmly united with the solid interapophyses of the first dorsal fin. Neural spines of anterior part of caudal region lanceolate in form, almost perpendicular to the axis of the vertebral column. Lanceolate widening more conspicuous in hemapophyses of anterior part of caudal region of vertebral column between the 1st and 10th caudal vertebrae; here the hemapophyses are united by the lateral edges, and their acute ventral ends reach the interapophyses of the anal fin. Neurapophyses of anterior part of caudal region normal in structure, deflected backward at an angle of 40 — 50° to the vertebral column." Line drawing from Danil'chenko 1960, p. 30: Identified by oilshale using Jerzmanska 1968. References: Cosmovici, L. C. & Paucã, M., (1943) Ein neuer fossiler Fisch mit erhaltenen Leuchtorganen: Argyropelecus cosmovicii sowie Erwägungen der Ablagerung der Menilitschiefer. Bulletin de la Section Scientifique Académie Roumaine, 26: 271–280. Danil'chenko, P. G., (1960) Bony fishes of the Maikop deposits of the Caucasus. Trudy Paleontologicheskogo Instituta 78:1-247. Jerzmanska, A., (1968) Ichtyofaune des couches a ménilite (flysch des Karpathes). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 13(3):379-488. Kotlarczyk, J., Jerzmañska, A., Swidnicka, E. & Wiszniowska, T. (2006) A framework of ichthyofaunal ecostratigraphy of the Oligocene–Early Miocene strata of the Polish Outer Carpathian basin. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, 76: 1–111.

Taxonomy from Prikryl et al. 2014. Diagnosis from Prikryl et al. 2014, p. 694: "This species differ from the other species in the greater number of spines in the first dorsal fin (VIII or IX vs. VI in P. rebeli and VII in P. pietschmanni); by presence of 25 rays (first is probably spinous) in the second dorsalfin vs. I + 23 in P. rebeli and I + 27 in P. pietschmanni; lower number of rays in anal fin (28 rays with unrecognizable spines vs. II + 32 in P. rebeli and II + 40 in P. pietschmanni); and by presence of small teeth on the premaxilla (vs. relatively large teeth in the other species)" Line drawing of the holotype by Prikryl et al. 2014, p. 695. Identified by A. Bannikov (Borisyak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences). References: Tomás Prikryl, Alexandre F. Bannikov, Ionut. Gradianu, Iwona Kania & Wiesław Krzeminski (2014) Revision of the family Propercarinidae (Perciformes, Stromateoidei) with description of a new species from the Oligocene of the Carpathians. Comptes Rendus Palevol Volume 13, Issue 8, Pages 691-700.

Taxonomy according to Bieńkowska-Wasiluk et al. 2018. Bieńkowska-Wasiluk et al. 2018, p 75: “Small perch-like fishes, common in the Oligocene of the Outer Carpathians, have been traditionally assigned to the perciform species Serranus budensis (Heckel, 1856) (see Paucă, 1933; Jonet, 1958; Jerzmańska, 1968; Kotlarczyk et al., 2006). This species has also been reported in the Oligocene of the Caucasus and the Upper Rhine Graben (Danil’chenko, 1960; Pharisat, 1991; Micklich, 1998; Pharisat and Micklich, 1998; Prokofiev, 2009; Bannikov, 2010). Recently, Prokofiev (2009) selected S. budensis as the type species of his new genus Oligoserranoides. While, Bannikov (2010) placed S. budensis in his new genus Oliganodon. The species S. budensis was formerly assigned to the family Serranidae by Danil’chenko (1960) and Jerzmańska (1968). However, Micklich (1998) indicated that this assignment was incorrect because of the absence of three spines on the opercle of S. budensis, a diagnostic character of the Serranidae (Johnson, 1983). Prokofiev (2009) and Bannikov (2010) assigned S. budensis (referred in their papers to as Oligoserranoides budensis and Oliganodon budensis, respectively) to Percoidei incertae sedis due to the lack of diagnostic characters of any fossil or extant percoid family, and noting the morphological differences and similarities to some fossil and extant taxa.” Bieńkowska-Wasiluk et al. 2018, p. 78: "Diagnosis genus (emended). The genus is diagnosed by the following unique combination of characters: maximum body depth in standard length 21-40%; supramaxilla absent; palatine toothless; preopercle with serration; opercle with two spines; 7 branchiostegal rays, ceratohyal without a beryciform foramen; posttemporal with serrated posterior margin; 24 vertebrae (10 abdominal); three predorsals; predorsal formula 0/0/0+2/1+1/ or /0+0/0+2/1+1/; 8 pleural ribs; pectoral fins long, reaching anterior part of anal fin and with 14-17 rays; dorsal fin continuous with 9 to 10 spines and 9 to 11 soft rays; three spines and 8 to 9 soft rays in anal fin; caudal fin forked with 17 principal rays; three epurals; procurrent spur lacking; and ctenoid scales." Line drawing from Bieńkowska-Wasiluk et al., p. 80: Identified by oilshale using Bieńkowska-Wasiluk et al., 2018. References: Bannikov, A.F. (2010). Fossil vertebrates of Russia and adjacent countries. Fossil Acanthopterygians Fishes (Teleostei, Acanthopterygii). Moscow, GEOS, 243pp. Bieńkowska-Wasiluk, M., Pałdyna, M. (2018). Taxonomic revision of the Oligocene percoid fish Oligoserranoides budensis (Heckel, 1856), from the Paratethys and paleobiogeographic comments. Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal. 2018, 16(1), 75-92. https://doi.org/10.1344/GeologicaActa2018.16.1.5 Danil’chenko, P.G. (1960). Bony fishes of the Maikop Deposits of the Caucasus [in Russian]. Trudy Paleontologicheskogo Instituta, Akademii Nauk SSSR, 78, 1-208. Heckel, J. (1856). Beiträge zur Kenntniss der fossilen Fische Österreichs. Denkschriften der Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-Naturwissenshaftliche Classe, 11, 187-274. Jerzmańska, A. (1968). Ichtyofaune des couches à ménilite (flysch des Karpathes). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 13(3), 379-488. Johnson, G.D. (1983). Niphon spinosus: A primitive epinepheline serranid, with comments on the monophyly and intrarelationships of the Serranidae. Copeia, 3, 777-787. Jonet, S. (1958). Contributions a l’etude des schistes disodyliques oligocenes de Roumanie, La Faune ichthyologique de Homoraciu District de Prahova. Lisbonne, Sociedade Tipográfica, Lda, 112pp. Kotlarczyk, J., Jerzmańska, A., Świdnicka, E., Wiszniowska, T. (2006). A framework of ichthyofaunal ecostratigraphy of the Oligocene-Early Miocene strata of the Polish Outer Carpathian basin. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, 76(1), 1-111. Micklich, N. (1998). New information on the fishfauna of the Frauenweiler fossil site. Italian Journal of Zoology, 65(S1), 169-184. Paucă, M. (1933). Die fossile Fauna und Flora aus dem Oligozän von Suslăneşti-Muscel in Rumänien. Eine systematische und paläobiologische Studie. Anuarul Institutului Geological României, 16, 1-99. [for 1931]. Pharisat, A. (1991). La paléoichthyofaune du Rupélien marin de Froidefontaine (Territoire de Belfort). Annales Scientifiques de l’Université Franche-Comté Besançon, Géologie, 4(11), 13-97. Pharisat, A., Micklich, N. (1998). Oligocene fishes in the western Paratethys of the Rhine Valley Rift System. Italian Journal of Zoology, 65(Supplement S1), 163-168. Prokofiev, A.M. (2009). Systematics of Oligocene percoids classified as “Serranus budensis”, with the description of new taxa. Aktualny’e Problemy’ Sovremennoj Nauki, 2(46), 199-222.

Alternative combinations: Diaphus moravicus and Leuciscus moravicus. Taxonomy according to Fossilworks.org. Description of Oligophus moravicus according to Přikryl et al. 2017, pp. 219-220: “The following description is based on the almost complete specimen Tv 1023a and its counterpart specimen Tv 1023b. They show a preorbital length much shorter than orbit diameter. The head is rounded, with an antero-dorsally oriented mouth. The lower jaw joint is located far posterior to the posterior-most margin of the orbit. The maxillary is slender throughout. There is no indication of a supramaxilla. The cleithrum seems to be delicate without well-developed posterior lamina. The vertebral column is not completely preserved in any of the specimens, but the total number of vertebrae seems to be 34 or 35. Remains of ventral procurrent rays are recognizable and therefore the vertebral number cannot have been much higher; about 16 centra are abdominal. Nine pairs of ribs are preserved. The pectoral fins are long, reaching the level of the posterior third of the abdomen, and are composed of about 13 rays. The pelvic fins are located below the dorsal-fin insertion and consist of seven or eight rays; the pelvic girdle is inadequately preserved. The dorsal fin is located at midlength of the body length and is composed of slightly more than 11 rays. The anal fin contains 12 or 13 rays. The body is covered by cycloid scales. The individual photophores are slightly thickened and although the complete photophore formula is not recognizable, a reconstruction of the preserved part shows the pattern reported in Figs. 3 and 4. The fish is slightly distorted midventrally, so that the photophores of the right side area appear to be located higher than on the left side (colour-coded in Fig. 3). The photophores appear to be lens-like. There are faint indications of two photophores just above and below the pectoral-fin base which could represent the PLO and the upper PVO. The four rear PO are preserved, with PO4 being slightly elevated. Five VO, none of them elevated, and three SAO are clearly discernable, the three SAO being located on a straight upward directed line. The AO sequence is apparently incomplete posteriorly and appears to be separated in an anterior and a posterior part. Other photophores are not clearly recognizable. The inner faces of both the saccular otoliths of the specimens Tv 1023a and Tv 1023b are exposed (Fig. 5A, B). The overall outline of the otolith is moderately elongate with a long rostrum, a depressed predorsal rim, a strongly developed and far backward positioned postdorsal angle, a blunt posterior rim and a regularly bent ventral rim. The length to height ratio of the otolith is 1.2 to 1.3. The ventral rim bears 7 strong denticles. The length of the rostrum is about 15% of the otolith length; excisura and antirostrum are weak. The inner face shows a slightly supramedian positioned sulcus with the ostium being longer but slightly narrower than the cauda. The ratio between the length of ostium and cauda is 1.3-1.5. A ventral pseudocolliculum is well developed below the caudal colliculum. The dorsal field bears a large dorsal depression; the ventral field shows a distinct ventral furrow at some distance from the ventral rim of the otolith. The inner face is nearly flat. The outer face is exposed in the specimen Tv 1025 and is distinctly convex and smooth with a postcentral umbo.” Line drawing of Oligophus moravicus from Přikryl et al, 2017, p. 220. Identified by oilshale using Přikryl et al. 2017. References: Pauca, M. (1931): Zwei Fischfaunen aus den oligozaenen Menilitschifern von Mähren. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 46: 147-152. Prokofiev, A. M. (2006): Fossil Myctophoid Fishes (Myctophiformes: Myctophoidei) from Russia and Adjacent Regions. Journal of Ichthyology 46 (Suppl. 1): S38-S83. DOI: 10.1134/S0032945206100043 Gregorova, R. (2004): A new Oligocene genus of lanternfish (family Myctophidae) from the Carpathian Mountains. Revue de Paléobiologie, Genève 9: 81-97. Přikryl, T., Schwarzhans, W., Kovalchuk, O. (2017): Lanternfishes (Myctophidae) with otoliths in situ from the Early Oligocene of the Eastern Paratethys (western Ukraine). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen 285 (2): 213-225. https://doi.org/10.1127/njgpa/2017/0678

Very probably Propteridium profondae Ciobanu, 1970. Taxonomy according to Přikryl, 2018. From Fahay, 2007, p. 649: “The order Ophidiiformes (sensu Cohen and Nielsen 1978; Nielsen et al., 1999) contains the suborders Bythitoidei, viviparous forms with an external intromittent organ, and Ophidioidei, oviparous forms with pelvic fins at level of preopercle or farther anterior, and caudal fin confluent with dorsal and anal fins.” Description of Propterides profondae according to Přikryl and Carnevale, 2018, p. 482: “The head is more or less triangular in shape; its length is contained about four times in SL. The cranial bones are difficult to recognize due to inadequate preservation. The ethmoid region is thick and expanded. The vomer is edentulous. The orbit is rather large; its diameter equals the snout length. The frontals are expanded posteriorly, becoming narrow in the orbital region. The mouth gape is slightly oblique and extends posteriorly at the level of the midlength of the orbit. The premaxilla is poorly preserved and bears a single row of tiny and well-spaced teeth. The maxilla is distally expanded and spatulate. The lower jaw protrudes anteriorly beyond the anterior margin of the upper jaw. The lower jaw joint is located at the level of the midlength of the orbit. The dentary is relatively low. The dentary teeth seem to be similar to those of the upper jaw. There are eight branchiostegal rays. The vertebral column consists of approximately 47 (12 abdominal plus 35 caudal) vertebrae. The vertebral centra are rectangular, longer than high, becoming smaller and more elongate posteriorly. The five posterior abdominal vertebrae bear large and approximately triangular parapophyses with distally pointed tips (Fig. 6A). Pointed dorsal prezygapophyses are well-developed throughout the vertebral column, whereas ventral prezygapophyses solely characterize the caudal centra (Fig. 6B, C). There are about seven pairs of ribs, of which the posterior rib is associated with the penultimate abdominal vertebra (Fig. 6A). Fragments of intermuscular bones are also preserved; however, their original number and relative position is difficult to interpret. The median fins and their internal supports are only partially preserved. The caudal fin and its skeletal support are not preserved. The preserved portion of the dorsal fin originates above the seventh or eighth abdominal vertebra, although it seems to be slightly displaced from its original position. About 50 dorsal-fin rays can be recognized, although their original number was certainly higher. The size and limits of the anal fin can be recognized, but due to inadequate preservation it is not possible to interpret the actual number of anal-fin rays and the morphology and configuration of the anal-fin pterygiophores. The dorsal-fin rays appear to be longer than their opposite anal-fin rays. The pectoral fin contains about 17 elongated rays that extend posteriorly beyond the tenth abdominal vertebra. The structure of the pectoral girdle is unclear. The pelvic fins are thoracic and contain two filamentous rays. The basipterygia are not recognizable. Thin and small cycloid scales are preserved in caudal region of the body (at the level of the vertebrae 20th to 23th).” Identified by T. Přikryl (Institute of Geology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic) as Propteridium sp. References: Fahay, M. P. (2007): Early stages of fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean: Davis Strait, Southern Greenland and Flemish Cap to Cape Hatteras. Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1696 p. Arambourg, C. (1967): Les Poissons oligocénes de lʼIran. Notes et mémoires sur le Moyen-Orient 8, 9–247. Ciobanu, M. (1970): Date noi asupra peştilor fosili din Oligocenul dela Piatra Neamţ (II). Studii şi Cercetari 1, 67–90. Ciobanu, M. (1977): Fauna Fosila din Oligocenul de la Piatra Neamt. 1-159. Přikryl, T. & Carnevale, G. (2018): Ophidiiform fishes from the Oligocene–early Miocene of Moravia, Czech Republic. Bulletin of Geosciences 93(4), 477–489 (12 figures, 3 tables). Czech Geological Survey, Prague. ISSN 1214-1119. https://www.doi.org/10.3140/bull.geosci.1724

The spikefishes are related to the pufferfishes and triggerfishes. Taxonomy according to GBIF. Diagnosis after Tyler et al., 1993: "Carpathospinosus differs from all other Triacanthodidae by the first dorsal spine with a longer average relative length (37% SL versus 24%-34%) and the second dorsal spine considerably shorter, with an average relative length at the low end of the range of length in other triacanthodids (15% SL versus 13%—29% SL), its length contained an average of 2.4 times in the length of the first spine (versus length of second spine contained an average of 1.1-1.4 times in length of first spine in Recent triacanthodids and 1.8 times in the Oligocene Prohollardia). Carpathospinosus differs from all other Triacanthodinae by the presence of an anteromedial flange on the first basal pterygiophore of the anal fin (versus flange absent); the pelvic spine much longer than the length of the posterior process of the pelvis, the process contained about 1.5 times in the length of the spine (versus pelvic spine usually shorter but sometimes as long as or very slightly longer than the process, the process contained about 0.8 to 1.1, usually 1.0, times in the length of the spine); the head especially long, about 45% SL (versus averages of 35%—41 % SL except in the two long-snouted genera). The relative width of the pelvis in Carpathospinosus is greater than in any other triacanthodin except the Recent Bathyphylax." Line drawing from Tyler et al., 1993: Identified by oilshale. Reference: Tyler, James C.; Jerzmanska, Anna; Bannikov, Alexandre F.; and Swidnicki, Jacek. 1993. Two New Genera and Species of Oligocene Spikefishes (Tetraodontiformes: Triacanthodidae), the First Fossils of the Hollardiinae and Triacanthodinae. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810266.75.1

Identified by A. Bannikov, Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. According to A. F. Bannikov, the first record of the species Isurichthys in the Polish Carpathian Mountains. From the Jamna Dolna II section, which is an artificial exposure about 2 km south of the original Jamna Dolna exposure. Diagnosis from A. F. Bannikov (2012): "Body slightly elongated, its depth equal to, or greater than, head length. Head 0.34–0.29 of body length. Supraoccipital crest high. Jaw teeth small, uniserial. Vertebrae 28–31 in number, including 16–19 caudal vertebrae; parapophyses present on posterior abdominal vertebrae. Neural spines very slender. Ribs relatively long, absent on haemal spine of first caudal vertebra. Spinous part of dorsal fin with 8–12 spines, soft part with 15–18 widely spaced rays. In anal fin, 15–16 rays also widely spaced. About three anterior interhaemals entering abdominal cavity, their dorsal ends closely positioned. Pectoral fins long, usually reaching origin of anal fin. Pelvic fins moderately long. Caudal fin large, deeply forked. Scales large,cycloid." Line drawing fom Baciu & Bannikov 2004, p. 206: From the Jamna Dolna II section, which is an artificial exposure about 2 km south of the original Jamna Dolna exposure. References: Baciu, Dorin Sorin and Bannikov, Alexandre F. (2004) New stromateoid fishes (Perciformes, Stromateoidei) from the Lower Oligocene of Romania. Journal of Ichthyology 44(3):199-207. Bannikov, Alexandre F. (2012) The first record of the genus Isurichthys (Perciformes, Ariommatidae) in the Lower Oligocene of the Northern Caucasus. Paleontological Journal. Volume 46, pages 171–176. Bannikov, A. F. (2018) A New Genus and Species of Stromateoid Fishes (Perciformes, Stromateoidei) from the Lower Oligocene of the Northern Caucasus. Paleontological Journal 52(6) pages 631-638.

Taxonomy from Fossilworks.org. Diagnosis from Jerzmanska 1968, p. 417: "41-43 vertebrae. The second dorsal ray begins 1-2' vertebrae behind the end of the first. The first ray of the anal under the first rays of the second dorsal. The second dorsal and anal are three vertebrae apart from the anal." References: A. Jerzmanska (1968) Ichtyofaune des couches a ménilite (flysch des Karpathes). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 13(3):379-488