The bivalve fauna from the Ortenburg Marine Sands in the well-core "Straß" (Early Miocene; SE Germany) - taxonomy, stratigraphy, paleoecology, and paleogeography

This paper provides the first description and illustration of a bivalve assemblage from the Eggenburgian (Upper Aquitanian/Lower Burdigalian) Ortenburg Marine Sands recovered from a well-core from Stra ss near Ortenburg (Lower Bavaria, SE Germany). Nucinella dobergensis (LIENENKLAUS) is recorded new for the Miocene and the Paratethys Sea: Limopsis cf. aurita (BROCCHI) is also new to the Paratethys realm. Montacuta schafferi KAUTSKY was previously known only from the Middle Miocene of Austria. Pectinids are represented by two stratigraphically significant species pointing to a middle Eggenburgian or/and Early Ottnangian age,Two different benthic communities can be distinguished: (1) The Spaniodontella-Plagiocardium-community, indicative of the well-oxygenized shallow marine inner shelf sandy deposits that are typical for the Stra ss ecosystem, and (2) a Corbula-community that became established after an interval of muddy sedimentation most probably related to sea-level fluctuations. It probably documents re-colonization by the (oxygen) opportunist Corbula gibba (OLIVI) after an ecological turn-over. Comparison with bivalve inventories recorded for ecosystems elsewhere in Europe suggests a close relationship of the Stra ss fauna to the faunas of the proto-Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic regions.