First occurrence of a fish otolith from the Eocene Fur Formation, Denmark

Researchers have identified the first fish otolith from the Eocene Fur Formation in Denmark, a significant discovery as otoliths from this formation were previously unknown. The specimen, found isolated within a carbonate concretion, exhibits features characteristic of an argentinoid otolith and is attributed to Surlykus longigracilis, the most abundant teleost species documented in the Fur Formation based on skeletal remains. This finding allows for a reevaluation of argentiniform otolith-based taxa from the Paleocene of Denmark, including the reassignment of one species to the genus Surlykus (S. procerus) and the description of a new taxon, Pseudonansenia hauniensis n. gen., n. sp. The study enhances our understanding of fish evolution and climate adaptation during this critical period.

Schrøder, A. E., Carnevale, G., Schwarzhans, W.,. (2025). First occurrence of a fish otolith from the Eocene Fur Formation, Denmark. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark, 74, 25–32. https://doi.org/10.37570/bgsd-2025-74-03