Valentina Karatajūtė-Talimaa

[3] From 1976, Karatajūtė-Talimaa became involved with IGCP projects, travelling to countries including Germany, Canada, Britain, and Australia to discuss and collect geological materials.

[3] Throughout her time as a paleontologist, Karatajūtė-Talimaa identified over 100 new species and helped describe a higher taxon,[5] and her expansive research is published in around 180 scientific articles.

The fossil remains of Knerialepis mashkovae originate from various locations along the Dniestr River in Ukraine, including Dobrovliany, Ivane-Zolotoye, Zaleshchiki, Pechorna, and Bedrikovtsy.

These remains have been attributed to chondrichthyans, including a diverse array of taxa such as elegestolepids, sinacanthids, Tezakia, Canyonlepis, Tantalepis, Kannathalepis, Pilolepis, and the widely distributed mongolepids.

This extensive collection of remains, largely microscopic in nature, has provided valuable insights into the early evolution and diversity of chondrichthyans during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.

The Mongolepids were initially discovered in the Chargat Formation in north-western Mongolia, with species such as Mongolepis rozmanae, Teslepis jucunda, and Sodolepis lucens.

[7] The taxonomic placement of the mongolepids faced challenges due to the absence of articulated specimens that exhibited anatomical details of their body plan.