Fish otoliths from euryhaline Oligocene deposits in Belgium (Atuatuca Formation) and the Netherlands (Goudsberg Deposits) and their paleoecological importance

Paleontological evaluation of 34 samples of Oligocene euryhaline sediments from the Belgian Tongeren area (32 samples) and the Dutch Valkenburg area (2 samples) yielded over a thousand specimens of fish otoliths. The genera Thaumaturus, genus aff. Hemiramphidarum, Gazza, Dapalis and genus Gobiidarum are new for the Oligocene of Belgium and the Netherlands. Sixteen species were recognized, eleven of which were not yet known from these deposits. Three new species are introduced, viz. genus Clupeidarum atuatucae n. sp., genus Leiognathidarum nolfi n. sp. and genus Pomadasyidarum pouwi n. sp. The faunal composition allowed the distinction of several fish associations. Related to lithostratigraphical and geographical data they supply information on the paleoenvironment, mainly about the salinity.