Paleobathymetric interpretation of the fish otoliths from the lower-middle Quaternary deposits of Kephallonia and Zakynthos islands (Ionian Sea, Western Greece) (original) (raw)
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The early Quaternary stratigraphic and geographic distribution of teleostean fishes in the Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean) is examined based on the fossil otolith record. Through comparison between the western and the eastern Ionian early–middle Pleistocene deep-sea ichthyofauna, the stratigraphic distributions of nineteen taxa are revised. A new method of assemblage analysis is attempted, in order to discern the palaeoceanographic conditions prevailing at this time. The relative contributions of tropical, subtropical, temperate, and subpolar taxa to the surface, intermediate, and deepwater fish palaeofauna are calculated, using fossil material from Akrotiri (Kephallonia Island, Greece), Gerakas (Zakynthos Island, Greece) and Montalbano Jonico (Italy) sections, which span the Gelasian–Ionian time interval. Eleven distinct phases in the Ionian Sea palaeoceanographic evolution are distinguished, from prior 1.95 Ma to 0.61 Ma. Furthermore, a case study is conducted, to test the hypothesis that palaeoichthyofauna can be used to draw conclusions regarding the palaeocirculation patterns and their variability. In the Ionian Sea, the local production and/or Atlantic origin of the deep cold waters is registered already during the Gelasian. The presence of oceanic fish in the eastern Ionian can be explained by the existence of a strong anticyclonic gyre in the area during the early Quaternary, further indicating that the basin's geometry exhibited sufficient bathymetric variation to allow for the activation of the gyre.
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Coastal fish otoliths from the early Pleistocene of Rhodes (eastern Mediterranean
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Knowledge of basic data variability is essential for the interpretation of any proxy-based paleotemperature record. To evaluate this 18 for δ O stable isotope paleothermometry based on early Paleogene fish otoliths from marginal marine environments, an intra-and interspecific stable O and C isotope study was performed at a single locality in the southern North Sea Basin (Ampe Quarry, Egem, Belgium), where shallow marine sands and silts are exposed. The age of the deposits is early late Ypresian (ca. 50.9 Ma) and falls within the early Eocene climatic optimum (EECO) interval. In each of four fossiliferous levels sampled, the same three otolith species were analyzed (Platycephalus janeti, Paraconger papointi and "genus Neobythitinorum" subregularis). Intrataxon stable isotope spread amounts on average 2.50-3.00‰ for all taxa and is present in all levels. This implies that each sample level comprises substantial variability, which can be attributed to a combination of temporal and taphonomic effects. More importantly, intertaxon offsets 13 18 of 4.60‰ in δ C and 2.20‰ in δ O between the mean values of the three otolith species are found, with "N." subregularis representing more positive values relative to the other species. We hypothesize that freshwater influence of coastal waters is the most likely cause for these discrepancies. Similar analyses on two coastal bivalve species (Venericardia sulcata and Callista laevigata) 18 corroborate this hypothesis. Accordingly, δ O values measured on "N." subregularis otoliths probably represent a more open oce-18
Relation between Fish Habitat and the Periodicity of Incremental Lines in the Fossil Otoliths
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There are few research reports on the relationship between fish habitats and the periodicity of the fishes’ incremental lines of otolith fossils. The present study examines this relationship through histological and analytical studies on otolith fossils from Nobori Formation, Pliocene, Japan. The specimens were observed and analyzed using light microscopy, polarizing microscopy, Miniscopy, Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis, electron probe X-ray microanalyzer (EPMA), Raman spectroscopy, and XRD. The otolith crystals were aragonite according to XRD and Raman analysis. The incremental lines contained C, O, and Ca, with Si as a trace element. In the layer between the incremental lines, Si was not detected. The circadian incremental lines were unclear and irregularly observed in both Lobianchia gemellarii and Diaphus gigas. Their behavioral pattern included a diurnal vertical movement. By comparison, for Cetonurus noboriensis, Ventrifoss...
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