Original paper
A chondrichthyan fauna from the Vectis Formation (Early Aptian, Early Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight
Duffin, Christopher J.; Batchelor, Trevor J.
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen Band 312 Heft 3 (2024), p. 325 - 354
123 references
published: Oct 14, 2024
published online: Sep 26, 2024
manuscript accepted: Aug 1, 2024
manuscript received: Apr 4, 2024
ArtNo. ESP155031203008, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
Sampling of the upper parts of the Vectis Formation (Early Aptian, Early Cretaceous) exposed at Atherfield point on the Isle of Wight (UK) for microvertebrates has yielded a marine, possibly pliohaline chondrichthyan fauna comprising isolated teeth of hybodont sharks (Lonchidion breve, Vectiselachos ornatus and Parvodus parvidens) and two new neoselachians. The latter consist of the scyliorhinoid-like carcharhiniform Pteroscyllium sweetmani sp. nov. and the primitive lamniform Eostriatolamia iktensis sp. nov. The presence of microborings assigned to Mycelites ossifragus and preferentially exploiting the tissues of the roots suggests that sedimentation rates were slow enough to permit colonisation of shed teeth, and that bioerosion probably accounts for a certain amount of taphonomic loss from the fauna.
Keywords
Vectis Formation • Wealden Group • Early Cretaceous • Aptian • Chondrichthyes • teeth • new genus • new species • bioerosion