FIGURE 1. Geographic location map of the Volhynian fossil-bearing sites: 1 - Brykiv; 2 - Vilkhovets; 3 - Kolubaivtsi; 4 - Khotin; 5 - Hrushivtsi; 6 - Khonkivtsi; 7 - Karpov Yar (Naslavcea); 8 - Darabani; 9 - Ghireni; 10 - Cordăreni; 11 - Hănești; 12 - Mitoc; 13 - Drăgușeni; 14 - Stâncești; 15 - Leucucești; 16 - Basarabi; 17 - Stăuceni; 18 - Erbiceni; 19 - Românești; 20 - Aroneanu; 21 - Voinești; 22 – Amvrosiivka; 23 - Saur-Mohyla.
FIGURE 2. Correlation of the Central and Eastern Paratethyan regional stages with standard chronostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy modified after Harzhauser et al. (2004), Studencka, (1999), Ionesi (1991), and Vernyhorova (2015).
FIGURE 3. Fish remains from the Volhynian beds of Romania and Ukraine: A-B - Sarmatella doljeana (Kramberger, 1884), anterior part of the body (A), and caudal part (B), Leucuşeşti; C - Clupeinae gen. et sp. indet., isolated scale, Voineşti; D-E - Scombroidei indet., caudal part (D), Erbiceni, and middle part of the body (E), Aroneanu; F - Sparus brusinai (Kramberger, 1882), skeleton, Hrushivtsi; G-H - Sparus cf. brusinai (Kramberger, 1882), right dentary in lateral (G) and dorsal view (H), Pârâul lui Gheorghe; I - Bothus parvulus (Kramberger, 1883), body imprint, Româneşti. Scale bars equal 2 mm in C, 5 mm in A-B, D-E, G-I, and 2 cm in F.
FIGURE 4. The partial skeleton of a true seal (Phocinae indet. 1) from the Volhynian beds of Kolubaivtsi (Ukraine). Scale bar equals 10 cm.
FIGURE 5. Marine mammals from the Volhynian beds of the Moldavian Platform: A - Phocinae indet. 2, scapula and caudal vertebra, Stăuceni; B - Kentriodon fuchsii, a lumbar vertebra, dorsal and posterior view, Basarabi; C - Kentriodontidae indet. 1 (cf. Imerodelphis thabagarii), lumbar vertebra, dorsal and anterior view, Saur-Mohyla; D - Kentriodontidae indet. 2, caudal vertebra, anterior and lateral view, Stăuceni; E - Kentriodontidae indet. 2, thoracic vertebra, anterior view, Stâncești; F - Kentriodontidae indet. 3, caudal vertebra, anterior and lateral view, Stăuceni; G - Pachyacanthus sp., thoracic vertebra, anterior and lateral view, Vilkhovets; H - Cetotheriidae indet., caudal vertebra, dorsal and lateral view, Stăuceni; I-J - ? Mysticeti indet. (“Archaeocetus fockii”), rib fragment, lateral view and cross-section (I), caudal vertebra (J), dorsal and lateral view, Drăgușeni. Scale bars equal 2 cm in A-I and 5 cm in J.
FIGURE 6. The periotic bone of Kentriodon fuchsii from the Volhynian of Stăuceni (Romania) in ventral (A), lateral (B), and posterior view (C). Abbreviations: abf, anterior bullar facet; ap, anterior process; fc, ventral foramen of the facial canal; fo, fenestra ovalis; fr, fenestra rounda; pbf, posterior bullar facet; pc, pars cochlearis; pb, periotic body; pp, posterior process; vt, ventrolateral tuberosity. Scale bars equal 2 cm.
FIGURE 7. Suggested scheme of marine vertebrate fauna dispersal in the Eastern Paratethys during the Volhynian age (modified after Schneider et al., 2013).
