Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 89. (Budapest 1997)

Vremir, M., Codrea, V. ; Farkas, B.: Trionyx stiriacus Peters, 1855 (Reptilia, Testudines) from the Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) of Minişu de Sus (Romania)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 89. Budapest, 1997 pp. 43-52. Trionyx stiriacus Peters, 1855 (Reptilia, Testudines) from the Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) of Mini§u de Sus (Romania) M. VREMIR

1

, V. CODREA

1 & B. FARKAS

2 1 Department of Geology and Paleontology, Babes-Bolyai University Str. M. Kogälniceanu L, RO - 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2 Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum H-]

088 Budapest, Baross u. 13., Hungary VREMIR, M., CODREA, V. & FARKAS, B. (1997): Trionyx stiriacus Peters, 1855 (Reptilia, Testudines) from the Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) of Mini^u de Sus (Romania). - Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 89: 43-52. Abstract - The Sarmatian (Middle Miocene) turtle remains belonging to the genus Trionyx have not been studied so far in Romania. Some materials originating from the Late Astaracian (a substage of Early Sarmatian) diatomites of Mini§u de Sus (TauÇ Commune, Arad District, western Romania) are presented. The three specimens obtained, assigned to T. stiriacus PETERS, 1855, in different stages of ontogenetic development made it possible to point out the morphological and dimensional changes during growth. Paleoecological, taphonomic and paleogeographical remarks are made. With 5 figures and 5 tables. INTRODUCTION The diatomite quarries located in the area of Minisu de Sus (TauJ Commune, Arad District) are already well-known for the various fossil remains encountered there. The large mammals and the diatome assemblages (CODREA et al. \99\a, b, CODREA 1992, BARBU & CODREA 1996), as well as the macroflora (GIVULESCU & RUFFLE 1986) have received particular attention. However, the chelonians have not been studied so far. Material of this kind was obtained in the course of the last years, while exploiting various diatomite strata from the now deserted Birzavita I quarry. Turtles are represented in the Astaracian (a substage of Early Sarmatian, Middle Miocene) assemblage of Minis, exclusively by specimens referable to the genus Trionyx (sensu lato). The presence of soft-shelled turtle remains is not at all surprising, since trionychids are known in Transylvania from various levels of the Middle and Late Paleogene, as well as the Miocene. The very first record is that of PETERS (1855), who mentioned the find of a softshelled turtle in the Middle Eocene of Turnu RoSjU-Porce^ti (Sibiu District). Later, KOCH (1894), while presenting a faunistic inventory of the Paleogene deposits of the northwestern part of the Transylvanian Basin, noted the occurrence of the genus Trionyx in the