ASGP (2020), vol. 90: 419–433
DIVERSITY OF VERTEBRATE REMAINS FROM THE LOWER GOGOLIN BEDS (ANISIAN) OF SOUTHERN POLAND
Mateusz ANTCZAK (1*), Maciej R. RUCIŃSKI (2), Michał STACHACZ (3), Michał MATYSIK (3) & Jan J. KRÓL (4)
1) University of Opole, Institute of Biology, Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole, Poland; e-mail: mateusz.antczak@uni.opole.pl
2) NOVA University Lisbon, NOVA School of Science and Technology, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
3) Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geological Sciences, Gronostajowa 3a, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
4) Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Geology, Krygowskiego 12, 61-680 Poznań, Poland
*) Corresponding author
Antczak, M., Ruciński, M. R., Stachacz, M., Matysik, M. & Król, J. J., 2020. Diversity of vertebrate remains from the Lower Gogolin Beds (Anisian) of southern Poland. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae, 90 : 419–433.
Abstract: Middle Triassic (Muschelkalk) limestones and dolostones of southern Poland contain vertebrate remains, which can be used for palaeoecological and palaeogeographical analyses. The results presented concern vertebrate remains uncovered at four localities in Upper Silesia and one on Opole Silesia, a region representing the south-eastern margin of the Germanic Basin in Middle Triassic times. The most abundant remains in this assemblage are fish remains, comprising mostly actinopterygian teeth and scales. Chondrichthyan and sauropsid remains are less common. Reptilian finds include vertebrae, teeth and fragments of long bones, belonging to aquatic or semi-aquatic reptiles, such as nothosaurids, pachypleusorosaurids, and ichthyosaurids. Also, coprolites of possibly durophagous and predacious reptiles occur. In the stratigraphic column of Mikołów, actinopterygian remains are the most numerous and no distinct changes of the taxonomic composition occur. Although this assemblage differs from those described at other localities (Ząbkowice with numerous chondrichthyans, Żyglin, and Płaza with common sauropsid fossils), sampling bias has to be considered.
Manuscript received 04 August 2020, accepted 26 October 2020
