Diversity of gobioid fishes in the late Middle Miocene of northern Moldova, Eastern Paratethys—part III: dwarf gobies

Reichenbacher, Bettina und Bannikov, Alexander F. (2025): Diversity of gobioid fishes in the late Middle Miocene of northern Moldova, Eastern Paratethys—part III: dwarf gobies. In: PalZ, Bd. 99: S. 285-318

Abstract

The Middle Miocene (upper Serravallian, Sarmatian sensu latu, Volhynian) deposits at Karpov Yar near Naslavcea, northern Moldova, yield exceptionally preserved fish fossils, often with otoliths in situ. This study, the third in our series on goby fossils from Karpov Yar, describes four new dwarf goby species (standard lengths 16–34 mm), including two new genera: †Moldavigobius gloriae sp. nov., †Cryptograciles conicus gen. et sp. nov., †Cryptograciles robustus gen. et sp. nov., and †Alienagobius pygmaeus gen. et sp. nov. A fifth species is left in open nomenclature as †Moldavigobius sp. The new genera share 27 vertebrae (10 abdominal), a D1 with six spines, a D2 with a spine and 9–11 rays, and ctenoid flank scales. Differences include the D1-pterygiophore formula, pelvic- and anal fin ray counts, scale number, and otolith morphology. The phylogenetic analyses suggest that †Moldavigobius spp. could be part of the Aphia lineage (Gobiidae), †Cryptograciles gen. nov. may belong to the Pomatoschistus lineage (Oxudercidae), and †Alienagobius gen. nov. possibly represents a stem member of the Stenogobius lineage, although this is surprising given the tropical biogeography of this lineage and its absence in the fossil record. Morphological similarities across the fossil genera likely reflect adaptations to a cryptobenthic lifestyle in a low-energy, lagoonal environment, while variations in scales and otoliths between species indicate microhabitat specialization. Our findings suggest Karpov Yar was an ecologically dynamic site, providing various microhabitats that allowed for the coexistence of multiple cryptobenthic goby species.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Geowissenschaften > Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 550 Geowissenschaften, Geologie
• ISSN: 0031-0220
• Sprache: Englisch