Ahnelt H, Bradić-Milinović K & Schwarzhans W. 2024. 
Cybium. doi.org/10.26028/CYBIUM/2024-006

Abstract

We describe a new species of the fossil perciform genus Dapalis (Ambassidae), Dapalis pauciserratus n. sp., based on two articulated skeletons with otoliths in situ from the lower Oligocene of Raljin/Strelac, Babušnica basin, Southern Serbia. This species differs from congeners in the combination of following characters: (i) body elongate, fusiform; (ii) head triangular in shape; (iii) supraoccipital crest distinct; (iv) head without serrations except two large spine-like serrations on the corner of the preopercle; (v) premaxilla with a relatively narrow postmaxillary process located in the distal half; (vi) spines of the first and second dorsal fins, the anal fin and the pelvic fin strong but not massive; (vii) first spine of first dorsal fin long (42% of length of second spine); (viii) otoliths elongate (length/height = 1.4) with a narrow and elongate ostium, indistinct antirostrum, shallow excisura and an asymmetric and prominent rostrum.