RFBR project 10-05-00926

During report time interval field works in the southern part of central Russia and the Volga River basin were fulfilled and new chimaeroid remains from the Cretaceous and Paleogene of the regions were collected. For the territory of Russia and CIS it is established 153 chimaeroid localities (Carnian, upper Triassic - Oligocene) including 48 new ones. Additionally, collections of chimaeriform fishes in England, the Netherland, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, the USA, Australia and New Zealand were studied in details. a nomenclatural and taxonomic revision of the Cretaceous and Neogene chimaeroid complexes of the North America and Australia were conducted. It is determined the presence of Eurasian chimaeroid genera in the Cretaceous of Australia, faunal differentiation for the Neogene complexes of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern one as well as surviving during the Late Cretaceous (before K/T transition) in the Northern Hemisphere (New Jersey, USA) of the myriacanthoid chimaera (suborder Myriacanthoidei, Isotaenia neocasariensis) as a relict fish of the Early Jurassic epoch. . It is determined that chimaeriform radiation during Jurassic was occured in the European epicontinental seas, and myriacanthoid chimeras were replaced in steps by callorhinchids and “edaphodontids” with pushing off but surviving of dying away taxa. Data on Mesozoic and Cenozoic chimaeroid global diversity were reviewed. It is determined that chimaeriform radiation during Jurassic and Cretaceous was occurred in the Eurasian epicontinental seas. Reconstructions of body shape for the Late Jurassic chimaeroid genera Ischyodus and Elasmodectes were made. A new taxonomy for Chimaeroidei is elaborated, it consists of new proposed taxa: 2 superfamilies, 6 families and 10 genera. Morphological evolution trends during a history of the group as well as peculiarities of global chimaeroid inhabiting are determined. Results were reported in 13 presentations (or posters) during 12 scientific meetings of different levels.