Fish otoliths from the middle Paleocene (Selandian) of southern Sweden

Abstract

ABSTRACT The first fossil otolith association from the middle Paleocene (Selandian) of Scania, southern Sweden is described. Forty-seven otoliths were retrieved from shallow wells representing 14 teleost taxa. Many specimens are small and/or eroded and, therefore, not identifiable to species level. Nevertheless, our findings indicate the potential for further fossil otolith discoveries in the region. The Scanian otolith-based fauna greatly resembles the better-known coeval association from Copenhagen, Denmark, but is relatively rich and diverse in perciform otoliths. The fauna records the first occurrence of Serranus? caribbaeus from the European Paleocene, and of Archaemacruroides ornatus from the Selandian of the North Sea Basin.