New taxonomic synopses and revision of the scombroid fishes (Scombroidei, Perciformes), including billfishes, from the Cenozoic of territories of the former USSR

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We present an overview of all known fossil scombroid fishes (Scombroidei, Perciformes) of the former USSR, many taxa of which are described in a language other than Russian for the first time. Also new is the application of a cladistic framework for these taxa. For each taxon, short taxonomic synopses with the most relevant characteristics (synapomorphies, meristic counts) are presented in a form useful for future cladistic analysis. As an exception, we present an extensive systematic description of the billfish † Hemingwaya sarissa Sytchevskaya & Prokofiev, because we disagree with earlier interpretations. The ‘gempylid’ † Hemithyrsites maicopicus Daniltshenko retains its generic name, which is considered the valid name of what is also known as Promethichthys Gill. A new tribe, †Eocoelopomini, is erected to contain the genera † Eocoelopoma Woodward, † Palaeothunnus Bannikov, and † Micrornatus Monsch. It is questioned whether species previously described as belonging to Thunnus South should be classified in that genus. A new species of tribe Scomberomorini, † Neocybium parvidentatum , is described from the Bartonian of W Kazakhstan. A specimen of † Auxides (questionably Maastrichthian, Iran), also reported here, possibly extends the radiation of † Auxides , and scombroids as a whole, further back in time. The fossil record of the Blochiidae is probably extended downwards to the Thanetian.