Three Species of Sharks Teeth Fossils Found in Ancient Arizona

Researchers from the Department of Geology and Paleontology at the Museum of Northern Arizona identified three species of fossil teeth of ancient sharks that are found in Arizona, USA.

Model of ancient shark species C.megalodon jaw at the American Museum of Natural History.

According to new research published in the latest issue of Historical Biology, the three ancient shark species are identified based on dental remains of three species of sharks about 270 million years old that consists of:

Nanoskalme natans (a small knife to swim), small sharks along the 97.5 centimeter knife similar to the shape of the teeth are thought to be scavengers and predators of small fish.

Neosaivodus flagstaffensis (new Saivodus of Flagstaff), a medium-sized shark about two meters with the possibility of gripping teeth nautiloid consuming omnivorous when young and when mature.

Kaibabvenator swiftae (agile hunters of the Kaibab), measuring about six meters shark with sharp jagged teeth are thought to be eating large prey, including other sharks. This shark-like modern white shark.

According to LiveScience pages, team leader John-Paul Hodnett of the Department of Geology and Paleontology Museum of Northern Arizona with colleague David Elliott, Tom Olson, and James Wittke identify the three species was based on an ancient shark tooth fossils excavated in the Kaibab Limestone Mountains, Northern Arizona.

According to the researchers that new species are all included Ctenacanthiformes, an extinct order of primitive sharks with such characteristics have two dorsal, tail are symmetrical – unlike in modern sharks are generally asymmetrical -, and short head.

The findings reveal the richness and diversity of marine life at the time, about 45 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared.

Research also shows that Arizona is home to various species of shark in the world of pre-dinosaur era called Middle Permian record because the researchers also keebradaan some other ancient shark species in the area.

Told Discovery News, Elliott said that is now Arizona upland pine forest covered in past warm ocean ecosystem that is home to sharks predatory sharks.

“At that time, sharks are major vertebrate predators in the marine environment around the world. They are many and varied, filling niches that then occupied by the fish and even mammals such as cetaceans (a group that includes whales and dolphins),” added Hodnett .

Elliott also said that during that period, the most important vertebrate synapsid (pre-mammalian) includes animals like Dimetrodon, a type of lizard beast with a large screen at the back.

Board of curators and research in the Division of Paleontology American Museum of Natural History, John Maisey, said that “the study reveals the diversity of predators lead shortly before they disappeared at the end of the Permian era.”

He also mentioned the Permian Era marks the transition of the world of sharks, from the ‘ancient’ to ‘modern’. “But it remains unclear whether some of the sharks are classified into Ctenacanth bring modern fish such as shark or represent an extinct group; this something that could be explored in further research,” he added.