Edestus a.k.a. ‘Scissor toothed shark’

Eh-dess-tuss.
Published on

Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

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Name

Edestus

Phonetic

Eh-dess-tuss.

Named By

Joseph Leidy - 1855.

Classification

Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Holocephali, Eugeneodontida, Edestidae.

Diet

Carnivore/Piscivore.

Species

Size

Uncertain, but has but larger specimens of E. giganteus have been estimated at up to 6 meters long.

Known locations

England, Russia and the USA.

Time Period

Kasimovian to Gzhelian of the Carboniferous.

Fossil representation

Several known specimens.

In Depth

Further Reading

– Indications of five species, with two new genera, of extinct Fishes. – Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 7:414 – J. Liedy – 1855. – On the Occurrence of Edestus in the Coal-Measures of Britain. – Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 60:1-9 – E. T. Newton – 1904. – Ueber eine neue Edestus-Art aus den Karbon-Ablagerungen der Umgebungen von Kolmna. [About Edestus a new species from the Carboniferous deposits of the environments of Kolmna]- Bulletin de la Soci�t� Imp�riale des Naturalistes de Moscou, Nouvelle S�rie 21(4):529-535 – A. B. Missuna – 1908. – On the nature of Edestus and related genera, with descriptions of one new genus and three new species. – Proceedings of the United States National Museum 37:43-61 – O. P. Hay – 1909. – On an important specimen of Edestus; with description of a new species, Edestus mirus. – Proceedings of the United States National Museum 42(1912):31-38 – O. P. Hay – 1912. – On a New Species of Edestus from the Upper Carboniferous of Yorkshire. – Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 72(1):1-6 – A. S. Woodward – 1916. – An Abraded Tooth of Edestus (Chondrichthyes, Eugeneodontiformes): Evidence for a Unique Mode of Predation. – Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 118. – Wayne M. Itano – 2015. – Redefining species concepts for the Pennsylvanian scissor tooth shark, Edestus. – PLOS ONE. 14 (9). – Leif Tapanila & Jesse Pruitt – 2019.

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