A Middle Miocene dolphin from Domasnea (Caransebes-Mehadia Miocene Basin)

Abstract

A small-sized dolphin humerus originating from a drill core sample collected from a borehole located at Domaşnea (Middle Miocene Caransebeş-Mehadia Basin, South Carpatians) was found. This dolphin is assigned to Kentriodontidae family. The level the fossil originated from is Late Volhynian-Early Bessarabian (Sarmatian s. str.), probably located either to the top of Globu Craiovei Formation, or to the lowermost Petnic Formation succession. The bone is comparable with similar discoveries reported from Tăşad and Cluj-Napoca, both located in the inner Carpatian area. This new Kentriodontidae locality proves the large geographic extension of these dolphins in the Sarmatian Paratethys.