New records and specimens to the Badenian fish fauna of Nyirád (Hungary), including the first report of Galeocerdo cuvier from the Middle Miocene of Europe

Abstract

The Nyirád I. outcrop is extremely rich in fossils of marine vertebrates, including chondrichthyans, osteichthyans and marine mammals. Rarely, remains of terrestrial vertebrates are also found. The present paper adds important data to the vertebrate faunal list of the two Badenian formations of the outcrop, namely the Pusztamiske and Leitha Limestone Formations. Altogether, remains of 38 chondrichthyan and 13 osteichthyan taxa, cetaceans and two terrestrial tetrapods have been documented from the outcrop so far. The most important new result is the occurrence of teeth most similar to those of the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier. Th is data provides the first evidence from the Badenian of the Central Paratethys for the co-existence of two species of the genus Galeocerdo in the same habitat. With 141 figures and 1 table.