L’ichthyofaune messinienne du bassin de Sorbas (Almería, Espagne) et ses rapports avec l’environnement sédimentaire

Abstract

Fish skeletons were collected at three different levels in the Messinian of the Sorbas basin (Andalusia, South Spain). The richest fossiliferous level is a diatomitic stratum which occurs a few metres below the bottom of the evaporitic sequence. It has mainly yielded many juvenile Myctophids: Myctophum licatae and less abundant Maurolicus muelleri This indicates the occurrence of a rather deep open sea in the vicinity. Additionally, some skeletal remains of Sardina ? crassa were found in a clayey intercalation between two massive beds of gypsum. The occurrence of this marine species is indicative of the persistence of the sea during the evaporitic episode.

Finally, as shown by the occurrence of aphanius crassicaudus in the postevaporitic Messinian, a lagoonal environment existed in this basin, as a result of a relative lowering of the sea level. Additionally, another fossiliferous locality yielding the same species is reported near Gafares, in the postevaporitic Messinian of the northern part of the Níjar-Carboneras basin.