Original paper
Découverte de deux dents de Squalodon (Cetacea Odontoceti) dans le Burdigalien du SW de la France (Martillac, Léognan). Considérations sur les Squalodon d’Aquitaine, la paléoécologie de leurs gisements et l’espèce type du genre
Cahuzac, Bruno; Buisson, Sébastien; Pommiès, Michel; Rocher, Philippe
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen Band 238 Heft 3 (2006), p. 413 - 451
56 references
published: Jan 23, 2006
published online: Jul 9, 2018
DOI: 10.1127/njgpa/238/2006/413
ArtNo. ESP155023803003, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
The fossil specimens allocated to the genus Squalodon (Cetacean Odontoceti), described from the marine molasses of the Burdigalian of Léognan, Gironde, by GRATELOUP as early as 1840, proved rare in the Aquitaine Basin. We describe two teeth of Squalodon recently found in Gironde from outcrops new for this genus. It is notably the first discovery at Martillac and the first discovery in the Formation of «Faluns with Turritellids», classic in this region in the Early Burdigalian. A taxonomic discussion is given about the type species of the genus, long exposed to uncertainties and controversies, and here established as Squalodon gratelupi (PEDRONI, 1845). Moreover, the taxa of this genus quoted in the Aquitaine area are recorded and discussed. Stratigraphic as well as paleoecological data are provided on the Aquitaine outcrops, which are all of the infralittoral type; it is also the case for other localities with Squalodon (as the «Molassa Bellunese», Italy,of coastal to deltaic facies), which would support the hypothesis that those longirostral forms (rather archaic) lived in neritic zones, feeding near the bottom.
Keywords
Squalodon • type species • teeth • marine Mammals • Miocene • Burdigalian • Léognan • Martillac • Aquitaine Basin • paleoecology