Zvonok E. Eocene tetrapods of Ukraine: stratigraphic and paleogeographic significance

The dissertation is devoted to the study of fossil tetrapods of the Eocene deposits of Ukraine. Based on the revision of the previously known remains and the study of more than 700 new fossils, in total monographically described 38 taxa. Among them 4 new species. Another 6 taxa contain features of new species, but to describe them, additional elements of the skeleton needed. Almost all of these remains are from Lutetian and Bartonian stages of Middle Eocene. Opportunity of using remains of tetrapods in stratigraphy of the Eocene deposits of Ukraine was grounded. 10 taxa proposed for this, including turtles, snakes, odontopterygians, whales and sirens. Two richest on taxonomic diversity oryctocenoses of prae-Neogene tetrapods of Ukraine were described from localities Ikovo (Lutetian stage, Lugansk region, 13 forms) and Ak-Kaya (Bartonian stage, Crimea, 10 forms). Most of the species of studied tetrapods inherent to marine habitats, but the continental forms in the complexes are present (up to 2.8%). It's established that the faunas of marine tetrapods of the Eocene of Ukraine closest to the faunas of Central Asia and Kazakhstan, and only available for comparison fauna of the continental tetrapods of Eocene of Ukraine (Ikovo) closest to the faunas of Western Europe.