poster at 1st Paleontological Virtual COngress

1. EARLIEST PALEOCENE (DANIAN)
CHONDRICHTYAN MICROREMAINS FROM
NASIŁÓW (POLAND)
M. Antczak1,
1Independant researcher
*antczakml@gmail.com
In the earliest Paleocene (Danian) unconsolidated sandstone sediments of Nasiłów (Poland) (Fig. 1)
yield abundant invertebrate fossils such as echinoid spines, gastropods, bivalves, ostracords, and
foraminifers shells. Less common and not yet described are elasmobranch remains comprising mostly
shark teeth.
Preliminary research includes identification and description of the specimens from author’s collection
and manual sorting of sediment samples from Nasiłów under the microscope, resulting in additional
findings.
Shark teeth from Nasiłów quarry can be ascribed to several morphotypes corresponding to different
elasmobranch species, including the typical triangulare teeth of unidentified carharhinids and
Carharhinus (Fig. 2A, B, F), high and narrow teeth of Isurus (Lamnidae) (Fig. 2C, ?E) or durophagous flat
teeth, representing most likely lateral teeth of Heterodontus (Fig. 2D). Among the teeth some poorly
preserved, damaged vertebrae can be found (Fig. 2G).
Additional material, detailed taxonomic descriptions, and geochemical analyses of elasmobranchs from
this locality might provide a better understanding about elasmobranchs surviving the end-Cretaceous
extinction event and possible diversification events in the aftermath of this crisis.
1mm 1mm 1mm 1mm
2mm 2mm 2mm
A B C D
E F G
Fig. 1. Invertebrate findings, locality and geology (googlemaps.pl,pwn.pl)
Fig. 2. Shark fossils from Nasiłów quarry.