6533b7d1fe1ef96bd125c16c

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Säugetiere, Fisch-Otolithen, Ostracoden, Mollusken und Charophyten aus den Süßwasser- Schichten (Oligozän) von Wolfsheim im Mainzer Becken

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The Suswasser-Schichten (Freshwater Beds) (Oligocene) in the Mainz Basin are a paleontologically poorly studied formation. A succession of predominantly lacustrine marls from Wolfsheim can be attributed to the Suswasser-Schichten on basis of a palaeoecological and biostratigraphic analysis of its mammal teeth, fish otoliths, ostracods, mollusks, foraminifera and charophytes. The occurrence of the mammal speciesToeniodus aff.hexalophodus andIssiodoromys minor (primitive form) enables an attribution of the Suswasser-Schichten to the reference level MP 24 of the eurasiatic mammal biostratigraphic zonation. As the reference fauna of level MP 24 is believed to occur in a lithostratigraphically markedly lower horizon, viz. the basal Cyrenenmergel (Cyrena Marl), a re-examination of its origin is suggested. The mammal age of the so-called Suswasser-Schichten from the locality Heimersheimer Berg is MP 30. Therefore, we suggest a correlation of Heimersheimer Berg with the Mittlere Cerithien-Schichten (MiddleCerithium Beds). The fish fauna of Wolfsheim shows close biogeographical relationships with the fish fauna of Saint-Martin-de-Castillon in southern France and indicates an age around the Rupelian/Chattian boundary. It cannot be decided at the moment whether the Suswasser-Schichten are of late Rupelian or early Chattian age.