In Depth Cardabiodon is a genus of shark that is known to have lived during at least the Cenomanian and early Turonian periods of the late Cretaceous. First named from fossil teeth and vertebrae discovered in Australia, further examples are known from North America and Russia, as well as speculated in other locations. However, so … Read more
In Depth Heliobatis is a prehistoric ray that was discovered in the Green River Formation, a deposit well known for its numerous fossils of fish including Knightia and Diplomystus. Specimens of Heliobatis range between eight and ninety centimetres, although the average is between thirty and forty centimetres. Half of the total body length of Heliobatis … Read more
In Depth Fadenia is a genus of cartilaginous fish that belongs within the Eugeneodontida, a group that contains very bizarre forms such as Edestus, Helicoprion and Sarcoprion. Although popularly dubbed sharks, the eugeneodonts are usually placed within the Holocephali, a group distinct from sharks (that are classed within the Elasmobranchii) that also includes the cartilaginous … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - Skeletal and dental anatomy of lamniform shark, Cretalamna appendiculata, from Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Chalk of Kansas - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology vol 27, Issue 3 - Kenshu Shimada - 2007. - Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian-Campanian) mid-palaeolatitude sharks of Cretalamna appendiculata type - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. - Mikael Siverson, Johan Lindgren, Michael … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - Origin of the white shark Carcharodon (Lamniformes: Lamnidae) based on recalibration of the upper Neogene Pisco Formation of Peru - Palaeontology 55(6):1139-1153 - D. J. Ehret, B. J. MacFadden, D. S. Jones, T. J. DeVries, D. A. Foster & R. Salas-Gismondi. 2012.
In Depth Megalolamna is a genus of shark that lived during the Miocene period. So far only teeth of this shark have been found, but these are known from as far apart as Japan to Peru and even the states of California and North Carolina in the USA. These locations tell us that Megalolamna was … Read more
In Depth Dracopristis is a genus of ctenacanthiforme fish that lived in North America during the Carboniferous period. The ctenacanthiforme fish are generally considered to be like sharks but are also separate from ‘true sharks’ the kind that we can see swimming around today. Dracopristis like other ctenacanthiforme fish had two large spines rising from … Read more
In Depth With a bulbous head, strongly arched back and dorsal fin that was so far back it sat near above the pelvic fins, Cobelodus was not a shark that was built for speed. Instead it may have cruised around near the bottom hunting for crustaceans and other invertebrates that did not require active pursuit. … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - A partial skeleton of a new lamniform mackerel shark from the Miocene of Europe. - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60 (4): 857–875. - J�rgen Kriwet, Heike Mewis & Oliver Hampe - 2015. - Origin of the white shark Carcharodon (Lamniformes: Lamnidae) based on recalibration of the Upper Neogene Pisco Formation of … Read more
In Depth Delphyodontos is a genus of fish that lived in North America during the Carboniferous. Most of the specimens of Delphyodontos are either of new born juveniles or actual aborted foetuses. New born Delphyodontos roughly resemble tadpoles with teeth shaped into beaks, but what is interesting about this genus is that while the young … Read more