Early Pliocene fishes (Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes) from Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain)

Fossil fish teeth are contained in marine deposits dated at ca 4.8 Ma found on the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). These islands, situated in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, can be considered a mid-way stopover point between the Caribbean Sea, with the Central...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Estudios Geológicos
Main Authors: Betancort, J. F., Lomoschitz, A., Meco, J.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas 2016
Subjects:
Biogeography
Palaeoclimatology
Pillow-lavas dating
Subtropical North Atlantic
Central American Seaway
Mediterranean Flood
Biogeografía
Paleoclimatología
Datación de Pillow-lavas
Atlántico Norte Subtropical
Paso de América Central
Inundación del Mediterráneo
Fósiles
Los Dientes
Pacific
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://estudiosgeol.revistas.csic.es/index.php/estudiosgeol/article/view/947
https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.42380.399
Description
Summary:Fossil fish teeth are contained in marine deposits dated at ca 4.8 Ma found on the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). These islands, situated in the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre, can be considered a mid-way stopover point between the Caribbean Sea, with the Central American Seaway about to close in this epoch, and the Mediterranean, in the first stage of its post-Messinian Gibraltar Seaway period. Accordingly, there existed extensive pantropical communication, particularly for nektonic animals capable of travelling large distances. In this paper, we present a number of fossil fishes, most of which are identified for the first time on the basis of their teeth: the Chondrichthyes species Carcharocles megalodon, Parotodus benedeni, Cosmopolitodus hastalis, Isurus oxyrinchus, Carcharias cf. acutissima, Carcharhinus cf. leucas, Carcharhinus cf. priscus, Galeocerdo cf. aduncus, and the Osteichthyes species Archosargus cinctus, Labrodon pavimentatum, and Diodon scillae. Coincidences are observed between these ichthyofauna and specimens found in the Azores Islands, the Pacific coast of America and the Mediterranean Sea. Los dientes fósiles de peces están contenidos en depósitos marinos datados en ca 4.8 Ma de las Islas de Gran Canaria y Fuerteventura (Islas Canarias, España). Estas islas, situadas en el Giro subtropical del Atlántico Norte, pueden considerarse una estación intermedia entre un Mar Caribe que estaba cercano al cierre del Paso de América Central, y el Mediterráneo en su primera etapa tras la apertura post-Mesiniense de Gibraltar. Ello permitía una comunicación pantropical para los animales del necton que eran capaces de desplazarse a grandes distancias. Se identifican por primera vez los peces Chondrichthyes Carcharocles megalodon, Parotodus benedeni, Cosmopolitodus hastalis, Isurus oxyrinchus, Carcharias cf. acutissima, Carcharhinus cf. leucas, Carcharhinus cf. priscus, Galeocerdo cf. aduncus y las species de Osteichthyes Archosargus cinctus, Labrodon pavimentatum y Diodon scillae. Se ha observado coincidencia entre los ejemplares canarios y los encontrados en las Islas Azores, las costas pacíficas de América y el mar Mediterráneo.

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