Eocene relatives of cod icefishes (Perciformes: Notothenioidei) from Seymour Island, Antarctica

Fragmentary skull bones and vertebra from the Upper Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour (Marambio) Island, Antarctic Peninsula have been described as gadiform fishes, informally named “Mesetaichthys”. Here we describe jaws as Mesetaichthys jerzmanskae n. g. and n. sp., and refer this taxon to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bieńkowska-Wasiluk, Małgorzata, Bonde, Niels, Møller, Peter Rask, Gaździcki, Andrzej
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute 2013
Subjects:
Notothenioids; cod icefishes; Eocene; Seymour Island; Antarctica
Antarctic
Antarctic Peninsula
Marambio
Seymour
Seymour Island
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:https://gq.pgi.gov.pl/article/view/8404
https://doi.org/10.7306/gq.v57i4.8404
Description
Summary:Fragmentary skull bones and vertebra from the Upper Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour (Marambio) Island, Antarctic Peninsula have been described as gadiform fishes, informally named “Mesetaichthys”. Here we describe jaws as Mesetaichthys jerzmanskae n. g. and n. sp., and refer this taxon to the perciform suborder Notothenioidei. This group is almost unknown as fossils. Similarities to the living, ‘primitive’ nototheniid Dissostichus eleginoides are indicated in the dentition. Gadiform evolution in the Paleocene-Eocene, and the possibility of a correlation between the origin and evolution of notothenioids in connection with the deterioration of the climate in Antarctica during the Late Eocene-Oligocene is discussed.

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