Description, paleoenvironmental and paleobiogeographical implications of Miocene fish faunas from Jabal Zaltan and Sahabi (Libya)

• Author / Creator

  Argyriou, Thodoris

• The Libyan fossiliferous sites of Jabal Zaltan (early to middle Miocene) and Sahabi (late Miocene) have been excavated for decades and have produced an immense diversity of vertebrate fossils including fish. Fish remains from a recent field campaign at the two sites are described here in detail. The new, greatly expanded, ichthyofaunal lists add considerably to our knowledge of the fossil fish diversity present at the two sites. Several first occurrences of fish taxa in the African continent or the fossil record are also recorded. The increased knowledge of the two Libyan ichthyofaunas allows for accurate reconstructions of the paleoenvironments present in their vicinity at the time of the deposition of their sediments. The biogeographical affinities of the two faunas are also discussed in detail. Paleoichthyological data from Sahabi and other penecontemporaneous African ichthyofaunas are used to discuss various proposed scenarios for the paleohydrology of the Sahara during the Messinian.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Neogene
  • Africa
  • Fossil fish

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R37M0479C

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.