GEOLOGIJA 40, 109-112 (1997), Ljubljana 1998
Two new petalodont teeth (Chondrichthyes, ХЉрег
Carboniferous) from the Karavanke Mountains, Movenia
Dva nova zgornjekarbonska petalodontna zoba (Chondrichthyes)
iz Karavank Slovenije
Anton Ramovš
Katedra za geologijo in paleontologijo,
Univerza v Ljubljani, Aškerčeva 2, 1000 Ljubljana,
Slovenija
Key words: petalodonts, Chondrichthyes, Upper Carboniferous, Karavanke
Mountains, Slovenia
Ključne besede: petalodonti, Chondrichthyes, zgornji karbon, Karavanke, Slovenija
Abstract
A new tooth of Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853 (Petalodontida) from the Up-
per Carboniferous, Upper Gzelian, of the Karavanke Mountains is the third record
of Petalodus from Slovenia and only the third occurence in the Alps. A petalodont
tooth of uncertain identity is the fourth tooth from the Upper Carboniferous of the
Karavanke Mountains.
Kratka vsebina
Novi najdeni zob vrste Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853 (Petalodontida) iz
zgornjega karbona (zgornji gželij) Karavank je tretja najdba te vrste v Sloveniji in
šele tretje najdišče v Alpah. Petalodontni zob še nejasne sistematske uvrstitve pa je
četrti zob iz karavanškega zgornjega karbona.
Introduction
Two complete teeth of Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853, from the Upper Carboni-
ferous of the Karavanke Mountains, collected from a M^ater-supply ditch in Javorni-
ški Rovt, were described (Ramovš, 1997). Two new petalodontid teeth from the
Upper Carboniferous have been found.
A deformed petalodontid tooth was discovered by Jože Bedič of Jesenice. The lo-
cality is a black fossiliferous limestone above the cart-track from Planina pod Goli-
co to Smučarski dom Čmi vrh. Longitude of the locality is 27° 83' E, and latitude 46°
80' N.
Milan Petemel of Jesenice discovered a petalodontid tooth in a large block of
black fossiliferous limestone lying in a small brook southeast of the village of Planina
110_Anton Ramovš
pod Golico, north of the town Jesenice. Longitude of the locality is 27° 77' E, and
latitude 46° 78' N.
Limestone from both localities contains spiriferid brachiopods. Crinoid columnals
are abundant as are sponges (Ablysiphonella alpina). An uncommon fusulinid is Dai-
xina alpina alpina, which ranges from limestones to the Upper Gzelian. Calcareous
algae are represented by Anthracoporella spectabilis. In the locality with tooth (Fig.
2), nautiloid cephalopod Metacoceras vel Mosquoceras sp. has been found.
Description
Class Chondichthyes Huxley, 1990
Order Petalodontida Zangerl, 1981
Genus Petalodus Owen, 1840
Type Species Chomatodus acuminatus Agassiz, 1838
Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853
(misprinted as Getalodus ohioensis by Safford, 1853)
Fig. 1
The specimen is a slightly deformed tooth and exposed in labial view. Total tooth
length is approximately 43.8 mm. The tooth crown is transversaly elongate, slightly
Fig. 1. Petalodxis ohioensis Safford, 1853; labial aspect. Upper Carbonifero-
us, above the cart-track from Planina pod GoHco to Planinski dom Čmi
vrh. Jesenice Museum No. 1141. Total tooth length: approximately 43.8 mm
SI. 1. Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853; labialna stran. Zgornji karbon,
nad kolovozom s Planine pod Golico k Smučarskemu domu Čmi vrh.
Jeseniški muzej, št. 1141. Celotna zobna dolžina je približno 43.8 mm
Two new petalodont teeth (Chondrichthyes, Upper Carboniferous)..._111
asymmetrical, triangular in shape with rounded lateral extremities. Labial crown
height is 19.3 mm; crown width is 39.1 mm.
Basally, the crown is bordered by a band of imbricated ridges, which form a slight-
ly convex-shaped basal flexure in the middle part of the band.
The deformed tooth base is transversaly oval, widest in the upper portion, tapers
distally to a semicircular lower portion. Length of the base is about 25 mm; width is
39 mm.
The H/W ratio of this tooth suggests that it is from the mediolateral portion of the
dentition.
Order Petalodontida Zangerl, 1981
Petalodont of uncertain identity
Fig. 2
This specimen is a well-preserved tooth, revealing only labial aspect. It is verti-
cally elongated. Total length: 35.8 mm, labial crown height: 15.8 mm; crown width:
about 26 mm.
The tooth crown is transversaly elongate (26 mm : 15.8 mm), convex in labial as-
pect, very slightly asymmetrical and triangular in shape tapering to a point at the la-
teral margins.
Labially, the crown is bordered at the base by a deep furrow, the band of imbricated
basolabial ridges is absent.
The tooth base (total length: 21.5 mm; maximum width: 26.6 mm) is long, widest in
the upper portion, and tapers distally to a rounded (semi-circular) edge. The H/W ra-
tio suggests a medial tooth. It is high-crowned and symmetrical.
Conclusion
A new petalodont tooth from Upper Gzhelian limestone of the Karavanke Moun-
tains of Slovenia is referred to Petalodus ohioensis Safford, 1853. This is the second
record of chondrichthyan teeth from the Upper Carboniferous of Slovenia and only
the third record of P. ohioensis from Southern Europe. Dalla Vecchia (1987) de-
scribed a tooth of P. ohioensis from Upper Carboniferous rocks of the Carnian Alps.
Ramovš (1997) described two teeth of P. ohioensis from Upper Carboniferous
rocks of the Karavanke Mountains, locality Javomiški Rovt, longitude is 31° E, and
latitude 45° N. This new occurence further extends the geographic distribution of
this common Upper Carboniferous species, long known from northern Europe and
North America.
The second petalodont tooth from Upper Gzhelian limestone of the Karavanke Mo-
untains of Slovenia that lacks imbricated basal crown ridges is of uncertain identity.
Acknowledgements
My warmest thanks are extended to Michael C. Hansen of the Ohio Geological
Survey for suggestion on petalodont of uncertain identity and critical reading of the
112
Anton Ramovš
Fig. 2. Petalodont of uncertain identity; labial aspect. Upper Carbonife-
rous, a large block lying in a small brook southeast of the village of Pla-
nina pod Golico. Personal property: Milan Peternel, Jesenice. Total
length: 35.8 mm
SI. 2. Petalodont še nejasne sistematske uvrstitve; labialna stran. Zgor-
nji karbon, velik apnenčev blok v potoku južnovzhodno od Planine pod
Golico. Last: Milan Petemel, Jesenice. Celotna dolžina zoba je 35.8 mm
Photographs by Jože Bedič, Jesenice
manuscript. My thanks are extended to Jože Bedič for useful information on the new^
petalodont localities and photographs.
References
Dalla V e c c h i a, F. M. 1987: First record of a petalodont (Petalodus ohioensis Safford
1853) from the Alps. - Gortania 9, 47-56, Udine.
R a m o V Š, A. 1997: Petalodus ohioensis (Chondrichthyes, Upper Carboniferous) from the
Karavanke Mountains, Slovenia. - N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Mh. 1997, H. 2, 109-113, Stuttgart.