Traces of drilling predation in the Upper Badenian (Middle Miocene) molluscs from the Rakovica stream (Belgrade)

• Published in: Geologia Croatica 2016-01, Vol.69 (2), p.205-205
• Main Authors: Ganic, Meri, Radovic, Predrag, Rundic, Ljupko, Bradic, Katarina, Knezevic, Slobodan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brackish; Marine
• ISSN: 1330-030X; 1333-4875
• DOI: 10.4154/gc.2016.14

The palaeoecology of fossil molluscs of Serbia is insufficiently studied. Drilling predation indicates interactive relationships among Middle Miocene Badenian molluscs from the Rakovica sands. These sands are present in the Rakovica stream valley (southern part of Belgrade), and well-known data about the fauna has existed since the end of the XIX century. The collected material (one bulk sample) from the section was used for studies that included 2301 shells of molluscs (1617 of gastropods and 684 of bivalves). Among them were specimens with predatory drill holes. Determining the value of drilling frequency (DF) and prey effectiveness (PE) facilitates identification of the relationship between shell-drilling predators and their prey. Based on analysis of the overall association, carnivorous gastropods were dominant in the sample, comprising more than fifty percent (52.32%) of all gastropod specimens. In addition, they constitute a large percentage of the total sample (43.19%). The largest number of victims was observed among bivalves, which are indicated by a DF of 16.96%. The results were compared with other localities of Miocene age in Paratethys and with studies on the Miocene sediments from the Boreal and the Atlantic Provinces. These comparisons show that PE and DF are very similar to results from the Central Paratethys, but that they are significantly higher than in the other areas mentioned.