A lanternfish (Myctophiformes, Myctophidae) from the uppermost Pliocene of Sicily, Italy

Abstract

A fossil lanternfish from the uppermost Pliocene Monte Narbonne Formation in Sicily, Italy, constitutes the first record of a well-preserved fish skeleton from the Pliocene–Pleistocene global boundary stratotype locality of Monte San Nicola near Gela. The described fish differs from 22 myctophid genera, but cannot be clearly distinguished from the genera Bolinichthys, Lampanyctus, Lepidophanes, and Triphoturus of the subfamily Lampanyctinae, Benthosema, Diogenichthys, Hygophum of the subfamily Myctophinae, or Lobianchia of the subfamily Diaphinae. It differs from 10 species recorded as skeletons from the Pliocene–Pleistocene of the Mediterranean region. It appears closely similar to Benthosema glaciale (Reinhardt, 1837), but incomplete preservation of diagnostic characters limits taxonomic assignment. The presence of this myctophid suggests at least survivable conditions in the mesopelagic zone during the time of deposition, in spite of reduced circulation.