The oldest-reported otoliths in North America are Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) in age. However, an otolith assemblage from the Pawpaw Formation, northeastern Texas, USA, extends otolith occurrence to the Early Cretaceous (late Albian). The 729 otoliths from the Pawpaw Formation represent 10 taxa with 8 identified to species level including 2 new genera and 7 new species: Genartina princeps sp. nov., Elopothrissus pawpawensis sp. nov., Argentina? texana sp. nov., Ichthyotringa? cuneata sp. nov., Paraulopus wichitae sp. nov., Texoma cyclogaster gen. et sp. nov., Allocyclostoma alienus gen. et sp. nov. The diversity of the Pawpaw Formation assemblage is characterized by fairly low richness (10 species) and low evenness with Genartina princeps accounting for approximately 67% of the total specimens. The Pawpaw Formation otoliths are dominated by the “Genartina Group” (unknown taxonomic affinity), Albuliformes, and Aulopiformes. Although rare, two monospecific fossil otolith-based genera are postulated to be related to the Polymixiiformes, which moves the most recent common ancestor back approximately 8 Ma. Teleost evolution from an otolith perspective appears to confirm the rapid increase in diversity known in the late Albian and Cenomanian, which is postulated to be instrumental in crown teleost evolution. Comparison of the Pawpaw Formation otoliths with Albian skeletal remains is hindered with only one Albian fish known with in situ otoliths. Thus, otoliths are largely unknown from many of the large and extinct Albian teleostean groups known from skeletons. Selachian remains (8 taxa) were also obtained from the Pawpaw Formation and provided additional information regarding the paleoecology and paleogeography.

北美最古老的耳石是白垩纪晚期（Cenomanian）。然而，来自美国得克萨斯州东北部 Pawpaw 组的耳石组合将耳石的产状延伸至早白垩世（阿尔比纪晚期）。来自 Pawpaw 组的 729 个耳石代表 10 个分类群，其中 8 个被确定为物种水平，包括 2 个新属和 7 个新种：Genartinaprinceps sp。十一月，Elopothrissus pawpawensis sp。11 月，阿根廷？德克萨斯州 十一月，鱼翅目？cuneata sp. 十一月，Paraulopus wichitae sp。十一月，Texoma cyclogaster gen。等人。11 月，异环口虫将军 等人。十一月 木瓜组组合的多样性的特点是丰富度较低（10 种）和低均匀度，Genartinaprinceps约占总标本的 67%。木瓜组耳石以“ Genartina ”为主Group”（未知的分类学亲和力）、Albuliformes 和 Aulopiformes。虽然罕见，但假设两个基于单特异性化石耳石的属与 Polymixiiformes 相关，后者将最近的共同祖先移回大约 8 Ma。从耳石的角度来看，硬骨鱼的进化似乎证实了在阿尔比纪晚期和塞诺曼纪晚期已知的多样性迅速增加，这被认为对冠硬骨鱼的进化起到了重要作用。Pawpaw 组耳石与阿尔比骨骼遗骸的比较受到阻碍，只有一种已知的阿尔比鱼类原位耳石。因此，从骨骼已知的许多大型和灭绝的阿尔比硬骨动物群中，耳石在很大程度上是未知的。鲨类遗骸（8 个分类群）也从 Pawpaw 组获得，并提供了有关古生态学和古地理的额外信息。