The Jurassic freshwater ichthyofaunas 
of the Province of Chubut, Argentina
(Adriana López-Arbarello, Emilia Sferco)
Continental Jurassic sediments are rare when compared with contemporary sediments of marine origin. Accordingly, the record of Juassic freshwater ichthyofaunas is very poor and our knowledge of fish evolution during that crucial period of time is very incomplete. The Jurassic sediments of the Province of Chubut in northern Patagonia, Argentina, offer the extraordinary possibility to study an outstanding fresh-water fish fauna, including hundreds of specimens, several of which are excellently preserverd. Taxa identified so far include a basal chondrostean (Chondrostei sensu stricto), some halecomorphs and basal teleosts.
The teleosts (Actinopterygii, Teleostei) of the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation (Jurassic; Province of Chubut, Argentina): Phylogeny and Biogeography
(Emilia Sferco) 
Supervisors: Adriana López-Arbarello, Ana María Báez
The Upper Jurassic sediments of the Cañadón Calcreo Formation have yielded an extraordinarily preserved fresh-water fauna of basal teleosts, numbering several hundreds of specimens. The study of these fishes, which is an integral part of the present project, will certainly result in a significant contribution to our understanding of the origin and early evolution of Teleostei, the most numerous and diverse group of all vertebrates.
Project financed by the CONICET
Publications related to these projects
Sferco, E., López-Arbarello, A., and Báez, A.M. In press. Anatomical description and taxonomy of †Luisiella feruglioi (Bordas) new combination, a freshwater teleost (Actinopterygii, Teleostei) from the Upper Jurassic of Patagonia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
López-Arbarello, A., Sferco, E. and Rauhut, O.W.M. 2013. A new genus of coccolepidid fishes (Actinopterygii, Chondrostei) from the continental Jurassic of Patagonia. Palaeontologia electronica 16(1): 7A 23p.
López-Arbarello, A., Rauhut, O.W.M., Moser, K. 2008. Jurassic fishes of Gondwana. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 63(4): 586 - 612. 
López-Arbarello, A. 2004. The record of Mesozoic fishes from Gondwana (excluding India and Madagascar). In: Arratia, G. & Tintori, A. (eds), Mesozoic Fishes 3 Systematics, Paleoenvironments and Biodiversity: pp. 597-624, 6 figs., 11 tabs.; Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, München, Germany.
