First evidence of percids (Teleostei: Perciformes) in the Miocene of North America

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Authors: Murray, Alison M., Divay, Julien D.
• Other Authors: Sues, Hans-Dieter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2011
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Arctic; Canada
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e11-046; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/e11-046; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e11-046

Miocene sediments of southern Saskatchewan have long been known for the mammalian fauna they have produced, but little or nothing has been reported of the associated fish material. Recent examination of this material collected over half a century ago has revealed the presence of a walleye fish. Walleyes and other members of the family Percidae had previously been thought to have arrived in North America as late as the Pleistocene, and only in the last few years has evidence been found demonstrating their existence in North America in the Pliocene. The Pliocene material, from Arctic Canada, indicated that percids may have invaded North America from Europe during the late Tertiary via the Bering Isthmus. The material presented here shows that in fact percids were already in more southern areas of Canada about 10 million years prior to the Arctic walleye.