Devonian Fossils from Miguasha on the Gaspé Peninsula

Fossil Huntress — Palaeo Sommelier

Today on the show, we'll explore the first fossil finds from Miguasha Provincial Park, a protected area near Carleton-sur-Mer on the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec in Canada, from the mid-1800s.

Miguasha is known for its exceptional preservation of Late Devonian (370 million years ago) fossil fish, including lobe-finned fish that played a crucial role in the transition of vertebrates from water to land.

The park's cliffs contain fossils of various fish groups, including Agnathans (jawless fishes), Placoderms (heavily armored fish), Acanthodians (spiny fish), and Sarcopterygians (fleshy-finned fish with lungs), as well as invertebrates like crustaceans, worms, and Eurypterids (giant cousins of land scorpions).

Two well-known sarcopterygians found at Miguasha are Eusthenopteron foordi and Elpistostege watsoni, which are important for understanding the transition of vertebrates from water to land.

If you would like to read more about the find, head on over to www.fossilhuntress.com and click on the ARCHEA Blog for more details, photos and insights on the yummy fossil finds from the area.