Lesueurigobius sp.

Lesueurigobius sp.

Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 A-I

?2005 “genus Gobiidarum ” sp. 3; Hoedemakers and Batllori, pl. 11, figs. 5–8.

2020b Lesueurigobius sp. ; Schwarzhans et al., pl. 2, figs. 20–21.

Material. 9 otoliths: 5 specimens, NMNHU-P PI 2648 ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 A-I), Lisohirka ; 4 specimens, NMNHU-P 2649 , Mlyntsi .

Description. Compressed, massive otoliths up to about 3.0 mm in length; OL:OH = 0.9–0.95; OH:OT = 2.9–3.2. The otolith shape is rectangular with near vertical anterior and posterior rims and horizontal, nearly flat ventral rim. The dorsal rim is high, postdorsally pronounced, with a predorsal concavity in specimens larger than 2 mm. The predorsal angle is high, rounded, not projecting; the postdorsal projection broad but short. The anterior rim sometimes with a small incision at the level of the ostial tip; the posterior rim with a small incision at the level of the caudal tip. All rims are relatively smooth. The inner face is almost flat, with a moderately large, slightly inframedian sulcus. The sulcus is sole-shaped, moderately inclined at 11–18° and has a distinct subcaudal iugum; OL:SuL = 1.8–2.1. The dorsal depression is broad, distinct; the ventral furrow is distinct, close to the ventral rim of the otolith and not joining up to the dorsal depression around the sulcus. The outer face is moderately convex and smooth.

Discussion. The most common Lesueurigobius species in the Badenian of the Paratethys is L. vicinalis (Koken, 1891) . Lesueurigobius vicinalis exhibits a broad variability (see Schwarzhans et al., 2020b) and therefore distinction from coeval species such as L. magnijugis Schwarzhans, 2017 , and the specimens here denoted as Lesueurigobius sp. relies on relatively subtle features considered to be sufficiently stable. The most characteristic feature of Lesueurigobius sp. is the concavity of the predorsal rim in larger specimens (see also Schwarzhans et al., 2020b). It differs additionally from L. vicinalis in the higher position of the predorsal angle, and from L. magnijugis in the narrower sulcus and the more irregularly curved dorsal rim (vs. expanded and regularly curved).