Changes of the Paratethys fish fauna during Oligocene to Lower Miocene – evidence on selected groups from sites in Moravia (Czech Republic)

Fish fauna of the Paratethys region has been described from different parts of Europe and western Asia. Moravia (Czech Republic; Central Paratethys) yielded rich material and ranks among the key areas. Four promising sites from two stratigraphic levels were selected for study within the proposed project. New data will allow to analyze and interpret relationships among fish assemblages from Oligocene to Lower Miocene. Principal aims of this project are: 1) description of fish assemblages at both stratigraphic levels on the basis of studied specimens, relationships among these assemblages, the nature of changes, and factors that could have induced such changes (especially paleoecological); 2) a detailed description of morphological changes within selected taxonomic groups in the studied time interval and explanation of their possible causes; 3) improvement of taxonomic interpretation of selected fossil fish groups on the basis of the studied specimens. The obtained results may outline general behavior of fish assemblages under specific conditions over time.