Patterson, R.T., Wright, C., Chang, A.S., Taylor, L.A., Lyons, P.D., Dallimore, A.,Kumar, A. 2002, Atlas of common squamatological (fish scale) material in coastal British Columbia, and an assessment of the utility of various scale types in paleo-fish population reconstruction. Palaeontol. Electronica, v. 4 (2), 88 pp.
Squamatological (fish scale) material from 48 common species found in coastal waters of British Columbia is presented. Fish-scale remains of extant species are well-preserved in Holocene core sediments in various anoxic basins along the coast of British Columbia. These remains are of considerable value in assessing natural variation in fish populations over time. Comparative micrographs of modern fish scales as well as an assessment of their preservation potential is provided. Photographs of various scales preserved in the sedimentary record (e.g., herring, rockfish, sardines, surfperch) are provided and discussed in the context of the taphonomic alteration that typically occurs after burial. This monograph?\the first atlas of fish-scale material available for the northeast Pacific?\will help resolve identification problems for future fish taxonomists, paleoceanographers, and fisheries-oriented researchers.