Fossil finds push back HK's past

Experts who have extended the territory's known past by 140 million years with the unearthing of marine fossils have also discovered remains of a fish that may be new to science.

Professor Chen Jinhua of China's Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Dr Lee Cho-min of Hong Kong Polytechnic University's Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, joined forces to conduct the territory's first in-depth fossil survey - and unearthed what may be a new fish species.

The project began after Dr Lee, chairman of the Geological Society of Hong Kong, found fossilised fish - known as placoderms - on Harbour Island near Plover Cove in 1980.

The fish were the first fossil finds from the Lower Devonian era, about 390 million years ago. Before Dr Lee's discovery, pre-history had been dated back 250 million years to the Permian era.

Collaboration by Dr Lee and Professor Chen from 1988 to this year has unearthed thousands more animal fossils from five sites along the shoreline of Plover Cove reservoir, including the scales and fins of a fish that may be new to science.

Animal fossils are rare in Hong Kong because suitable sedimentary rocks are only found in areas such as Tolo Harbour and Sunset Peak, on Lantau.

The findings have resulted in the remapping of the South China Sea, from the Lower Devonian era.