Fossil fishes (Mesoclupea-Paraclupea assemblage) are well known in the Upper Mesozoic volcano-sedimentary strata in the coast of South China, but the precise age remains uncertain. In this study, we provide LA-ICP-MS UePb zircon ages (ca. 120 Ma) for the volcaniclastic layers overlying the fossil-layer in the Chawan Formation at Linhai City, Zhejiang Province, Southeast China. Our results imply that the Mesoclupea-Paraclupea assemblage lived in the early Aptian. The Chawan Formation in Southeast China and Jiufotang Formation in Northeast China are coeval strata, while their fish faunas are taxo-nomically different because of possible physical barrier. Considering the fact that Paraclupea chetungensis may have broad salinity tolerance, the discovery of the fossil fishes implies the study area was once affected by the transgressive events or close to the sea during the early Aptian.(c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.