Preliminary otolith-zonation in continental Tertiary deposits of the Paratethys and adjacent areas

The otolith-zonation presented here is a regional zonation, mainly valid fo r brackish and lacustrine deposits of the Western Paratethys. Fourteen zone s have been defined. The calibration with the chronostratigraphy of the two Eocene zones is based on foraminiferal data. The Oligocene and Miocene zon es ape calibrated based on mammal data. For zones OT-M3 to OT-M6, lithostra tigraphic data were used as additional stratigraphic correlation tool. The new otolith zones contribute to the biostratigraphy of continental, non-mar ine deposits in which the "classical" marine microfossils are generally abs ent.