A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae)
Abstract True seals rapidly evolved in many forms in the epicontinental basin of Paratethys during the Miocene. However, most of their nominal taxa so far were proposed based on isolated limb bones, and their taxonomy has long been under discussion. Here we describe a new articulated skeleton MCFFM...
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| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00372-7 |
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| author | Pavlo Otriazhyi Theodor Obadă Oleksandr Kovalchuk Davit Vasilyan Pavel Gol’din |
| author_facet | Pavlo Otriazhyi Theodor Obadă Oleksandr Kovalchuk Davit Vasilyan Pavel Gol’din |
| author_sort | Pavlo Otriazhyi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract True seals rapidly evolved in many forms in the epicontinental basin of Paratethys during the Miocene. However, most of their nominal taxa so far were proposed based on isolated limb bones, and their taxonomy has long been under discussion. Here we describe a new articulated skeleton MCFFM V-150 of a medium-sized seal with pachyosteosclerotic postcranial bones from the Late Miocene of the present-day Moldova and propose a new genus and species for it—Paratethyphoca libera. It is distinguished in the presence of a supraorbital process of the frontal bone in its posterior portion, a long snout, a proportionally long humerus (88% of the skull length), a short deltoid crest of the humerus, and a low supraspinatus fossa of the scapula. We also suggest this taxonomic identification for other Paratethyan seals. Phylogenetic analysis placed Paratethyphoca libera among other stem Phocinae described so far from the Paratethys; however, its close relationship to a living hooded seal Cystophora cristata cannot be ruled out. Additionally, MCFFM V-150 showed tooth wear interpreted as a sign of suction prey capture strategy, shared by another Paratethyan seal Monachopsis pontica and the living bearded seal Erignathus barbatus. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7e75832efea45f6bc864ab2ba10d4d9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-2376 1664-2384 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
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| series | Swiss Journal of Palaeontology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7e75832efea45f6bc864ab2ba10d4d92025-08-20T02:39:47ZengSpringerOpenSwiss Journal of Palaeontology1664-23761664-23842025-06-01144113110.1186/s13358-025-00372-7A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae)Pavlo Otriazhyi0Theodor Obadă1Oleksandr Kovalchuk2Davit Vasilyan3Pavel Gol’din4Department of Evolutionary Morphology, Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of UkraineInstitute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of MoldovaDepartment of Palaeontology, National Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of UkraineJurassica MuseumDepartment of Evolutionary Morphology, Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of UkraineAbstract True seals rapidly evolved in many forms in the epicontinental basin of Paratethys during the Miocene. However, most of their nominal taxa so far were proposed based on isolated limb bones, and their taxonomy has long been under discussion. Here we describe a new articulated skeleton MCFFM V-150 of a medium-sized seal with pachyosteosclerotic postcranial bones from the Late Miocene of the present-day Moldova and propose a new genus and species for it—Paratethyphoca libera. It is distinguished in the presence of a supraorbital process of the frontal bone in its posterior portion, a long snout, a proportionally long humerus (88% of the skull length), a short deltoid crest of the humerus, and a low supraspinatus fossa of the scapula. We also suggest this taxonomic identification for other Paratethyan seals. Phylogenetic analysis placed Paratethyphoca libera among other stem Phocinae described so far from the Paratethys; however, its close relationship to a living hooded seal Cystophora cristata cannot be ruled out. Additionally, MCFFM V-150 showed tooth wear interpreted as a sign of suction prey capture strategy, shared by another Paratethyan seal Monachopsis pontica and the living bearded seal Erignathus barbatus.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00372-7SealsMarine mammalsMioceneEvolutionTaxonomyPhylogeny |
| spellingShingle | Pavlo Otriazhyi Theodor Obadă Oleksandr Kovalchuk Davit Vasilyan Pavel Gol’din A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) Swiss Journal of Palaeontology Seals Marine mammals Miocene Evolution Taxonomy Phylogeny |
| title | A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) |
| title_full | A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) |
| title_fullStr | A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) |
| title_short | A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae) |
| title_sort | new seal from the late miocene of the eastern paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals phocidae |
| topic | Seals Marine mammals Miocene Evolution Taxonomy Phylogeny |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00372-7 |
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