377-million-year-old Fish Fossils Identified in Iran

Excavations on the remains of fish fossils in different parts of Iran have proved that Iran was the origin of different kinds of fishes 377 million years ago.

Iran is one of the world’s countries in which significant traces of different kinds of fossils have been found. Most of the fossils in Iran have been discovered in Varzaghan, Maragheh, and Kerman. The studies indicate that some of Iran’s fossils date back to as early as 600 million years ago.

“Fossil excavations on the remains of fishes in different parts of the country indicate that during the Devonian and Carboniferous periods (about 336-377 million years ago), Iran was the source of different kinds of fishes in the world,” says Vachik Hairapetian, a professor of Isfahan university.

The excavations focused on fish fossils started since 5 years ago in different parts of the country, such as north of Isfahan, Ardakan, Yazd, North West of Kerman, and Tabas.

According to Hairapetian, the excavations led to the discovery of different species, a family and a line of fishes, proving that the origin of many fish species was Iran.

The studies prove that Iran enjoyed a warm and humid weather at that time and was located in the southern hemisphere between the latitudes of 15 to 25.