A Palaeocene (Selandian) molluscan fauna from boulders of Kerteminde Marl in the gravel-pit at Gundstrup, Fyn, Denmark

A rich molluscan fauna from boulders of Kerteminde Marl, collected in the gravel-pit at Gundstrup, Fyn, Denmark was studied. A total of 133 taxa are listed. Of these, 83 are new for the Kerteminde Marl and 48 are new for the Selandian of Denmark. The molluscan fauna is described and the following 27 new species are introduced, viz. Modiolus mortenseni nov. sp., Pteria thomseni nov. sp., ?Atrina rosenkrantzi nov. sp., Cuspidaria heilmannclauseni nov. sp., Cuspidaria anderseni nov. sp., Scurria rieae nov. sp., Orthochetus darraghi nov. sp., Trachytriton eliseae nov. sp., Quadrinervus wienekei nov. sp., Kangilioptera gundstrupensis nov. sp., ?Epetrium pernilleae nov. sp., ?Epetrium flemmingi nov. sp., Cerithiopsis emilieae nov. sp., Cerithiopsis andreae nov. sp., ?Cerithiopsis luiseae nov. sp., Cerithiopsis boanderseni nov. sp., Cerithiella salmae nov. sp., Cerithiella malakae nov. sp., Siphonalia morteni nov. sp., Truncaria benjamini nov. sp., Levifusus metteae nov. sp., Exilia frejae nov. sp., Athleta nikolaji nov. sp., Pyropsis jakobseni nov. sp., Pyropsis pacaudi nov. sp., Turricula vibekeae nov. sp. and ?Mangelia stoutjesdijki nov. sp. The molluscan fauna has been compared with other Palaeocene faunas and palaeoecological and palaeogeographical interpretations are suggested. Water depth during deposition is suggested to have been middle to lower shelf, probably 100-150 m, in a presumed subtropical climate. The palaeoenvironment is interpreted as being in the frame of the transgression of the Selandian Sea including the erosion of the underlying Danian sediments. The near-shore environment in the early Selandian was followed by gradually increasing water depth, resulting in deposits of fine-grained Kerteminde Marl and finally clay of the Æbelø Formation.