Messinian fossil fish (Miocene)

Analysis of the ecological characteristics of the Messinian, Lower Pliocene and present-day ichthyofauna of the Mediterranean basin reveals various data which are consistent with the hypothesis of the desiccation of the Mediterranean.

In the numerous fish-bed localities of the Lower and Middle Messinian, where the sequence is complete, the lower levels contain a rich ichthyofauna with exclusively marine species. Amongst these species are meso- and bathypelagic forms. The marine sequences are overlain conformably by evaporitic levels which contain an ichthyofauna dominated by euryhaline forms, and also containing very rare freshwater and marine forms.