GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ROMANIA, GEO 2002 – YEARLY SCIENTIFIC SESSION, 24-

25 MAY 2002, BUCHAREST

AN ATTEMPT TO USE THE OLIGOCENE-LOWERMOST MIOCENE

ICHTHYOFAUNA (TELEOSTEI) IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF SOME
ANCIENT ENVIRONMENTS FACTORS FROM EASTERN CARPATHIANS
FLYSCH ZONE
(CENTRAL-SOUTH AREA)

Paul CONSTANTIN
Geological Institute of Romania, 1 Caransebes street, 78344 Bucharest; E-mail: paulct2004@yahoo.com

Key words: ichthyofauna, Teleostei, Oligocene, Lowermost Miocene, Eastern Carpathians, paleoenvironment factors, mass mortality.

In the lack of other groups of organisms, classical for paleoecological

reconstructions, the study of fossil fishes has been possible as an alternative in order to
determine some paleoenvironment factors. Thus, an example can be offered by the rich
Oligocene - Lowermost Miocene ichthyofauna, which has been known for a long time
from the formations developed in the bituminous facies in the carpathic flysch area,
generally lacking other fossil organisms. The above mentioned ichthyofauna represented
the goal of our latest studies in the Central and South area of the Eastern Carpathians. The
fossil fish-fauna (71 teleostean species belonging to 39 genera and 30 families) which has
been revealed so far due to the field research, completed with museal collections
investigation or published data examination, was generally provided by fine pelitic,
bituminous shales, laminitic limestones or bituminous marls, found on different
stratigraphic levels in the Oligocene - Lowermost Miocene, being predominant in its
lower part (Rupelian) among all the 34 localities identified in our studies. The bearing
fossil fish-fauna formations belong as well to all the Oligocene - Lowermost Miocene
lithofacies known in the Romanian Eastern Carpathians: Valea Caselor Facies (Inner
Bituminous Facies), Fusaru-Pucioasa Facies, Slon Facies, Mixed Facies, and Bituminous
Facies with Kliwa Sandstone (Outer Bituminous Facies).
In order to use the fossil fish-fauna to establish some paleoecological factors, the
fosiliferous material nature was taken into account. The taphonomic aspects showed that
the ichthyofauna was generally represented by "in situ" specimens, preserved under
favourable fossilization conditions (anaerobic environment, lack of streams, very fine
sedimentary material, etc.). Only for the ichthyofauna borne in the formations belonging
to the Valea Caselor lithofacies, the mass mortality could be recognized, due to some
catastrophic conditions (changes in the depth where H2S was borne, under some
temperature and pressure conditions)
As fishes are mainly nectonic organisms, characterized by a great mobility, the
whole association was taken into account, as much as possible, in the interpretation of the
environment significance, trying to detect the predominant (autochtonous) species from
those which were accidentally present in the association, due to the migrations.
Comparing the fossil ichthyofauna with the Recent one (taking into account the
limits imposed by this approach) or using the fossil species morpho-functional studies, a
paleotemperature reconstruction was tried (subtropical climate for Rupelian, with a
possible cooling during Lowermost Miocene), a paleosalinity one (marine basin, with
normal salinity during Rupelian, but with possible brackish waters during Lowermost
Miocene, at least in areas closely to the shore, within perilitoral basins, temporary
closed), and the sedimentation basin paleobathymetry as well, basin corresponding to the
Oligocene-Lowermost Miocene formations from the South of the Trotus Valley (the
sedimentation basin reached different depths, according to the place and the period
analysed).