A new late devonian fish fauna from Northeastern Brazil. (2nd December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pais de Rezende, João Marcelo; Figueroa, Rodrigo Tinoco; Ponciano, Luiza Corral Martins de Oliveira; Gallo, Valéria
• Is Part Of: Historical biology. Volume 33:Number 12(2021)
• Page Start: 3444
• Page End: 3453
• Publication Date: 2021-12-02
• Subjects: acanthodian -- chondrichthyan -- osteichthyan -- ichthyofauna -- upper Devonian; Paleobiology -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; Paleontology -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Paleontology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 560.5
• DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2020.1868452
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-2963

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Devonian fishes from South America tend to be fragmentary and sparse, catching little attention for palaeontological sampling. However, some of these remains demonstrate a wide variety of fishes which help understanding environmental and palaeogeographic patterns across the Devonian. In the Parnaíba Basin, the occurrence of Devonian fishes was thought to be restricted to the Pimenteira Formation (Middle Devonian; Eifelian-Givetian). It is described here for the first time fish remains from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) Longá Formation. These fossils represent at least two chondrichthyan (including acanthodians) taxa based on fin spines and a jaw fragment, and osteichthyan taxa based on dermal plates. Although fragmentary, these represent the first Devonian osteichthyan occurrence for the Parnaíba Basin and add to the scares Late Devonian fish record from Brazil. Recent studies have questioned the previous interpretations regarding the relationship between Gondwana and Euramerica, instead supporting more endemic vertebrate communities. Our results reinforce the palaeontological potential of the Palaeozoic strata of the Parnaíba Basin and call for additional work on the region, which may shed light on the diversification of vertebrates across Gondwana.