Bollettino SPI Vol. 64 (2)
Published in September 2025
Index
- Carniti A.P. , Collins K.S. & Crippa G. (2025) – OPEN ACCESS
Living in the shadow of brachiopods: bivalves from upper Visean (Mississippian) mud mounds of Derbyshire, UK
p. 371-393
doi:10.4435/BSPI.2025.22
Few studies have been conducted on Carboniferous marine bivalves in the British Isles and Ireland since pioneering studies performed during the 19th century. Herein, we examine from a systematic, taphonomic and palaeoecological point of view, the bivalve fauna occurring as a minor component of brachiopod-dominated fossil assemblages in upper Visean (upper Brigantian) mud mounds in the southern Peak District, Derbyshire (UK). Our results show moderate bivalve diversity, with the fauna being composed of eight genera, representing eight families in four orders (Nuculida, Arcida, Ostreida, Pectinida) and one superorder (Anomalodesmata). Sulcatopinna flabelliformis (Martin, 1809), Aviculopecten planoradiatus M’Coy, 1851, and Cosmomya variabilis (M’Coy, 1851) are herein re-described. Taphonomic bias related to the early dissolution of the aragonitic shell of seminfaunal and infaunal taxa cannot account alone for the scarcity of bimineralic epifaunal pectinids. Indeed, the scarcity of bivalves is also likely due to the presence of the diverse brachiopod community, acting as competitive dominant and ecosystem engineer, well-adapted to the low-turbidity and mesotrophic environment of the mud mound.
- Ferretti A., Bergström S.M. & Spalletta C. (2025) – OPEN ACCESS
A Late Ordovician conodont fauna from the Uqua Section, Carnic Alps, Italy
p. 395-407
doi:10.4435/BSPI.2025.20
The Uqua Section of the western Carnic Alps (Italy) represents the reference succession where conodont studies in the Ordovician of southern Europe were initated. The pioneer paper by Serpagli (1967) described the fauna there recovered as morphospecies, in use at that time, with the introduction of several new taxa that were carefully designated but illustrated only with drawings. A biostratigraphically diagnostic conodont fauna of more than 1500 specimens, preliminarily reported by Vai & Spalletta (1980) but never described, is herein analyzed and figured for the first time. The Amorphognathus ordovicicus Biozone is represented by a well-preserved conodont assemblage of 15 species belonging to 15 genera. Common taxa are representatives of Hamarodus brevirameus, Scabbardella altipes and Amorphognathus ordovicicus. They co-occur with less common species including Dapsilodus mutatus, Eocarniodus gracilis and Plectodina alpina. This fauna, documenting the Hamarodus brevirameus–Dapsilodus mutatus–Scabbardella altipes biofacies, is strikingly similar to other occurrences elsewhere in the Carnic Alps. The uppermost calcareous blocks, associated with an Hirnantian brachiopod fauna, do not vary significantly in conodont content from the lower levels. The Uqua Section does not reveal the typical Hirnantian conodont signature, indicated by the genera Sagittodontina and Istorinus, reported in the Carnic Alps only from the Cellon Section.
- Carnevale G. & Bannikov A.F. (2025)
On †Protorhamphosus parvulus Daniltshenko, 1968 (Teleostei, Syngnathoidei)
pp. 409-414
doi: 10.4435/BSPI.2025.21
†Protorhamphosus parvulus Daniltshenko, 1968 is a poorly known fish described based on a few scarcely preserved articulated skeletal remains from the basal Eocene deposits of the Danata Formation, Kopet-Dag foothills, southwestern Turkmenistan. Despite its peculiar morphology, †Protorhamphosus Daniltshenko, 1968 has been traditionally aligned with the snipefish family Macroramphosidae. However, the relationships of this fish have never been properly discussed and its relevance for the understanding of the syngnathiform fishes remains elusive. Herein a new description of †Protorhamphosus parvulus is provided. The syngnathoid affinities of †Protorhamphosus are confirmed, but the attribution to the Macroramphosidae is questioned. Unfortunately, due to the inadequate preservation of the available material it is not possible to determine the phylogenetic position of this Eocene fish within the syngnathoids.
- Furlanetto E., Belvedere M., Miniati F., Serafini G., Ciattini S., Chelazzi L. & Danise S. (2025)
The first Miocene Osedax traces on a whale bone from the Northern Apennines, Italy
pp. 415-426
doi: 10.4435/BSPI.2025.23
Large cetacean carcasses that sink to the bottom of the deep sea are usually colonised by a wide variety of organisms, forming the so-called whale fall communities. We studied a fragmentary long bone of an unidentified cetacean from the palaeontological collection of the Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia collected near Montegibbio (Modena, Italy). The dating of the associated sediments, by means of calcareous nannofossils, indicates a early-middle Tortonian age for the specimen, allowing us to assign it to the Termina Formation. The bone, which shows signs of bioerosion on the outer surface, was analysed using 3D photogrammetry and micro-CT scanning to characterise the external and internal shape of the fossil traces and to understand which organism produced them. Externally, the bone surface shows rounded to irregular pits, a few millimetres to four centimetres wide, where the compact bone has been removed exposing the underlying cancellous bone. Smaller pits are isolated, while larger ones merge. These surface traces are similar to those made by the bone-eating worm Osedax on modern marine vertebrates, a polychaete of the family Siboglinidae that uses a specialised root tissue to penetrate the bones from which it obtains nutrients via endosymbiotic, heterotrophic bacteria. However, only small cavities with a single hole reflect the shape of an individual animal’s root system and are of diagnostic value. Using digital segmentation of the scan slices, we isolated, measured and reconstructed the 3D morphology of single boreholes. We distinguished three distinct morphotypes and found similarities in size and shape with boreholes produced by modern Osedax species. Our findings, which represent the oldest fossil record of Osedax traces from the Mediterranean area, and the first Miocene record worldwide assessed via micro-CT scan images, are consistent with the presence of a high diversity of cetaceans in the Late Miocene proto-Mediterranean Sea.
- Chanet B. (2025)
Osteology of Arnoglossus sauvagei (Capellini, 1878) (Pleuronectiformes, Bothidae), a fossil flatfish from the Mediterranean Miocene
pp. 427-433
doi: 10.4435/BSPI.2025.24
Two fossil flatfish specimens discovered in laminated diatomites of the Mediterranean Basin are herein re-examined and described. They belong to the single species Arnoglossus sauvagei (Capellini, 1878) (Bothidae, Pleuronectiformes). The latter’s affinities with extinct and extant species of the genus Arnoglossus living in the Mediterranean Sea are discussed.
- Bujtor L. (2025)
Lower Kimmeridgian ammonite-based biochronostratigraphy, biogeography, and microfacies of the Mecsek Mountains (South Hungary)
pp. 435-457
doi: 10.4435/BSPI.2025.25
Lower Kimmeridgian Silenum, Strombecki, and Herbichi (pars) Mediterranean ammonite zones are recognised from the Upper Jurassic succession at Zengővárkony (Mecsek Mountains, Hungary) based on 189 specimens that comprise newly collected material and revision of historical collections. The Silenum Zone is recognised for the frst time from the region. The poorly preserved and fragmented ammonite fauna is typical of the Ammonitico Rosso lithofacies and is of bathypelagic origin: beside corroded, dissolved internal moulds of ammonites, rare lamellaptychi and belemnites are recognised. The ammonite fauna consists of 16 genera and 19 species. The following taxa are recorded for the first time from Hungary: Aspidoceras sesquinodosum, Idoceras sautieri, Lytoceras orsinii, Metastreblites sp. ind., Orthosphinctes (Orthosphinctes) evolutus, O. (O.) polygratus, O. (O.) pseudoachilles, P. progeron. The microfacies are a typical Kimmeridgian wackestone-packstone Saccocoma-microfacies with stray individuals of Stomiosphaera moluccana, as well as rare benthic (Lenticulina) and planktic (protoglobigerinoid) foraminifers. Submediterranean faunal elements (O. [A.] cf. schaireri) are mixed with typical Mediterranean ammonites (Sowerbyceras, Metastreblites, Trenerites) indicating the palaeobiogeographical position of the Tisza microcontinent close to the southern stable European shelf margin in the northern Tethys. The Early Kimmeridgian ammonite assemblage of the Mecsek Mountains is similar to the Eastern Carpathians, UmbriaMarche Apennines, Venetian Alps, SE France (Mt. Crussol), and Bétic Cordilleras faunas, indicating a northern Tethyan outer shelf environment situated close to the stable European continental margin but with less ratio of phylloand lytoceratid ammonites.
- Ahmed Q. & Khan M.A. (2025)
New proboscidean remains from the Chinji Formation (Middle Miocene) of the Siwaliks, Punjab, Pakistan
pp. 459-468.
doi: 10.4435/BSPI.2025.26
The herein described proboscidean fossils were recovered from two Middle Miocene localities, Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon (DBAK) and Kohtehra, located in Punjab, Pakistan. The deposits refer to the lower and upper Chinji Formation of the Lower Siwalik Subgroup of the Indian subcontinent. The material includes one deciduous premolar, two premolars, two tusk fragments, a left mandibular fragment with a tusk in the alveolus and an M1. Taxonomically, the material is allocated to three genera Prodeinotherium (Deinotheriidae), Gomphotherium (Gomphotheriidae) and Protanancus (Amebelodontidae). The reported Middle Miocene genera, especially Prodeinotherium and Gomphotherium, are rare and these findings contribute to the substantial morphological and anatomical knowledge of the Siwalik proboscideans. Moreover, the DP3 and lower tusk of Prodeinotherium, and the lower tusk of the adult individual of Protanancus are reported for the first time from the Siwalik Group.