The Diversity of Fish Otoliths, Past and Present (Dirk NOLF)is a publication from the Operational Directorate “Earth and History of Life” of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (www.naturalsciences.be). This new book (222 p. & 359 pl.) contains a historical and nomenclatural overview of otolith research in paleontology, with special emphasis on their great impact on the evaluation of the fossil record of teleostean fishes, and a systematic overview (with iconography) of the 1391 fossil species considered to be valid and of all Recent species for which otoliths have been found as fossil. Otoliths of nearly all recent families and subfamilies are illustrated by at least one example, covering about 95% of all known extant taxa. For every fossil species, the stratigraphic and geographic origin of the type material is given, and where available, also the collection numbers and depository of the holotype. Fossil species based on skeletons with otoliths in situ, but which do not have exclusively otolith-based primary types, are also included. An alphabetic list of all the 1797 nominal otolith-based fossil fish species, with an evaluation of their validity and their actualized nomenclature is provided.

RBINS Publication(s), Peer Review, RBINS Collection(s)

Fishes, Paleontology, Geology

Edited by E. Steurbaut, R. Brzobohaty & K. Hoedemakers, 222 pp., 359 pl.