Paraulopus undetermined

Paraulopus sp.

(Fig. 3J, K)

Material. One large, rather strongly eroded specimen NRM-PZ P.15965.

Occurrence. Site IAA 2/95, La Meseta Formation, Seymour Island, Antarctica.

Description. The single otolith of 6.6 mm in length represents a large and diagnostically mature specimen, but unfortunately is strongly leached and eroded on the surface prohibiting a specific identification. It is elongate (OL:OH = 1.95), thin (OH: OT = 3.2) and with a convex inner and a flat outer face. The ventral rim is regularly curved, the dorsal rim undulating, with a somewhat pronounced postdorsal portion. The narrow sulcus is located almost diagonally on the inner face with a long, narrow cauda about 1.5 times the length of the slightly widened ostium, which opens to the anterodorsal margin.

Remarks. The appearance is typical for Paraulopus otoliths (and Chlorophthalmidae, where these fishes have been placed prior to their rearrangement) and similar otoliths have been reported as widespread in Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene sediments on a worldwide scale. Paraulopus postangulatus (Nolf & Dockery, 1993) and P. novellus Schwarzhans, 2012 were recorded from the Paleocene of the northern Atlantic basins, the latter resembling the Antarctic specimen quite closely except for the downturned caudal tip. Paraulopus integer (Schwarzhans, 1980) from the Eocene of New Zealand and South Australia resembles in the very narrow cauda, but is more compressed.