THE PHOSICHTHYIDAE (PISCES: STOMIIFORMES) FROM THE EOCENE-MIOCENE OF RUSSIA AND ADJACENT AREAS

Abstract

The taxons earlier described in the composition of the genus Vinciguerria Jord. et Everm. from the Cenozoic of the former USSR are revised. V. obscura Dan. and V. talgiensis Dan. from the Oligocene are similar to members of the genus Vinciguerria but do not share the synapomorphies of the latter in the structure of the caudal skeleton; therefore, they should be referred to a separate genus, Eovinciguerria gen. nov. The Eocene species Vinciguerria distincta Dan. does not belong to the genus Vinciguerria and should be assigned to a separate genus, Sytchevskia gen. nov. Miocene V. merklini Dan. and V. panticapaea Bog. are conspecific and referred to the Recent genus Vinciguerria based on the specialization of the caudal skeleton.