The Turanian Basin in the Eocene: the new data on the fossil sharks and rays from the Kyzylkum Desert (Uzbekistan)

T.P. Malyshkina and D.J. Ward

Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 2016, 320(1): 50–65 · https://doi.org/10.31610/trudyzin/2016.320.1.50

Full text

Abstract

Geological fieldwork to investigate the stratigraphic context of Dzheroy-2, fossil shark and ray location in the Kyzylkum desert (Case et al. 1996), resulted at the discovery of the new location, Dzheroy-3, consisting of three fossiliferous horizons, at different stratigraphic levels: in the base of Suzak Formation, in the middle of the Alay and at the base of Turkestan Formation. A total of over 450 shark and ray teeth were collected by a combination of surface prospecting and bulk sampling. From the lithology and the faunal composition of the individual assemblages it was possible to deduce the age and depositional environments of the new fossil fish-bearing horizons. Faunal analysis indicated full marine conditions of the including sediments with bottom-anoxic conditions of the two lower levels and more oxygenated in the upper one. All sequence of beds with fossil elasmobranches including Dzheroy-2 demonstrates a succession of sea shallowing. The vertebrate locality Dzheroy-2 has been placed in a stratigraphic context with its maximum age as NP16 – Late Middle Eocene, upper Lutetian or Bartonian. Lithostratigraphic description of the Dzheroy Sand Member is given.

Key words

Dzheroy, Elasmobranchii, Eocene, Kyzylkum, paleoenvironment, stratigraphy

Submitted January 25, 2016 · Accepted March 23, 2016 · Published March 24, 2016

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