Systematic revision of the Eocene sharks (Chondrichthyes) from Bolca Lagerstätte, Italy

(FWF-Project M 2368)

Primary Investigator: Dr. Giuseppe Marramà

Team

• Dr. Giuseppe Marramà (PI)

• Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kriwet

• Prof. Dr. Giorgio Carnevale (Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy)

Goals

The goal of the project is to review the systematics of the Eocene sharks from the Italian Bolca Lagerstätte, in order to interpret their palaeobiological, palaeoecological and biogeographic significance. Special attention will be paid to the detailed anatomical comparison with their living and extinct relatives. The Eocene (50 million years) Konservat-Lagerstätte of Bolca, in Italy, is one of the most famous palaeontological sites in the world. Although more than 100,000 fish specimens were collected from this deposit during the last four century and more than 230 taxa were erected, several aspects regarding the palaeobiodiversity and the evolutionary significance of several fish groups have been neglected or underestimated. In particular, Eocene sharks of Bolca lack of a modern perspective from a systematic and taxonomic point of view. This project will be therefore a contribution to the knowledge of one of the most famous and well-studied palaeontological sites of the world, in order to improve our understanding about the palaeoecology and palaeoenvironment of Bolca, also providing an evolutionary significance for their cartilaginous fishes, after the end-Cretaceous extinction.

Papers

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Naylor, G. & Kriwet, J. 2019. Mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived characters in an Eocene myliobatiform batomorph (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchs) from Italy defines a new, basal body plan in pelagic stingrays. Zoological Letters, 9: 14087. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Giusberti, L., Naylor, G. & Kriwet, J. 2019. A bizarre Eocene dasyatoid batomorph (Elasmobranchii, Myliobatiformes) from the Bolca Lagerstätte (Italy) reveals a new, extinct body plan for stingrays. Scientific Reports, 9:14087. Link to article

• Fanti, F., Mazzuferi, G. & Marramà, G. 2019. Egg preservation in an Eocene stingray (Myliobatiformes, Dasyatidae) from Italy. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 39: e1578967 (5 pages). Link to article

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Naylor, G. & Kriwet, J. 2019. Mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived characters in an Eocene myliobatiform batomorph (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchs) from Italy defines a new, basal body plan in pelagic stingrays. Zoological Letters. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Schultz, O. & Kriwet, J. 2019. A new Miocene skate from Central Paratethys (Upper Austria): The first unambiguous skeletal record for the Rajiformes (Chondrichthyes: Batomorphii). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 17: 937-960. Link to article

• Robin, N., Marramà, G., Vonk, R., Kriwet, J. & Carnevale, G. 2019. Eocene isopods on electric rays: tracking ancient biological interactions from a complex fossil record. Palaeontology, 62: 287-303. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Engelbrecht, A., Carnevale, G. & Kriwet, J. 2019. Eocene sand tiger sharks (Lamniformes, Odontaspididae) from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, Italy: Palaeobiology, palaeobiogeography and evolutionary significance. Historical Biology, 31: 101-115. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Naylor, G. & Kriwet, J. 2019. Reappraisal of the Eocene whiptail stingrays of the Bolca Lagerstätte (Italy) and the possible Tethyan origin of neotrygonines (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae). Zoologica Scripta, 48: 168-184.. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Klug, S., De Vos, J. & Kriwet, J. 2018. Anatomy, relationships and palaeobiogeographic implications of the first Neogene holomorphic stingray (Myliobatiformes, Dasyatidae) from the early Miocene of Sulawesi, Indonesia, SE Asia. Zoological Journal of the Linnenan Society, 184: 1142-1168. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Claeson, K.M,, Carnevale, G. & Kriwet, J. 2018. Revision of Eocene electric rays (Torpediniformes, Batomorphii) from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, Italy, reveals the first fossil embryo in situ in batoids and provides new insights into the origin of trophic novelties in coral reef fishes. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 16: 1189-1219. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Engelbrecht, A., Claeson, K.M., Zorzin, R., Fornasiero, M. & Kriwet, J. 2018. A synoptic review of the Eocene (Ypresian) cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes: Holocephali, Elasmobranchii) of the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, Italy. PalZ, 92: 283-313. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G. & Kriwet, J. 2018. New observations on the anatomy and paleobiology of the Eocene requiem shark †Eogaleus bolcensis (Carcharhiniformes, Carcharhinidae) from Bolca Lagerstätte, Italy. Comptes rendus Palevol, 17: 443-459. Link to article

• Marramà, G., Engelbrecht, A., Mörs, T., Reguero, M. & Kriwet, J. 2018. The southernmost occurrence of Brachycarcharias (Lamniformes, Odontaspididae) from the Eocene of Antarctica provides new information about the paleobiogeography and paleobiology of paleogene sand tiger sharks. Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research In Paleontology and Stratigraphy) 124: 283-298. Link to article

• Marramà, G. & Kriwet, J. 2017. Principal component and discriminant analyses as powerful tools to support taxonomic identification and their use for functional and phylogenetic signal detection of isolated fossil shark teeth. PLoS ONE 12: e0188806 (22 pages). Link to article

Conference abstracts

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Giusberti, L., Naylor, G.J.P. & Kriwet, J. 2019. A new Eocene batoid fish (Elasmobranchii, Myliobatiformes) from Monte Bolca (Italy) reveals an extinct body plan for stingrays. In: Nützel, A., Reichenbacher, B. & Krings, M. (eds): Paleo & Life - Abstracts of the 90th Annual Meeting of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft, Munich: 94; SNSB-BSPG, München.

• Marramà, G., Carnevale, G., Naylor, G.J.P. & Kriwet, J. 2019. An Eocene myliobatiform (Chondrichthyes, Elasmobranchii) from Monte Bolca (Italy) defines a new, basal body plan for pelagic stingrays. Journal of Morphology, Supplement 280 (International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology (ICVM) Abstract Issue): 174.

• Varese, M., Marramà, G., Kriwet, J., Carnevale, G. & Giusberti, L. 2018. Redescription of "Rhinobatus" dezigni, an Eocene guitarfish from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstatte, Italy. XVIII edizione delle Giornate di Paleontologia, 6-8 Giugno 2018, Abstract volume: 27; Trento e Predazzo, Italy.

• Marramà, G., Schultz, O. & Kriwet, J.. 2018. The first unambiguous skeletal record for the skates (Batomorphii, Rajiformes) from the early Miocene of Upper Austria. 5th International Palaeontological Congress, Abstract book: 1000; Paris, France.

• Robin, N., Marramà, G., Vonk, R., Kriwet, J. & Carnevale, G. 2018. Eocene isopods on electric rays: tracking ancient biological interactions in a complex fossil record. 5th International Palaeontological Congress, Abstract book: 469; Paris, France.

• Marramà, G., Claeson, K.M., Carnevale, G. & Kriwet, J. 2017. Eocene electric rays (Torpediniformes, Batomorphii) from the Monte Postale Site, Bolca Lagerstätte, Italy. XVII edizione delle Giornate di Paleontologia, 24-26 maggio 2017 - Volume dei Riassunti: 53.

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