Evolutionary divergence in the feeding mechanism of fishes
WILGA C.A.D.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 100 Flagg Road, Kingston, RI, USA, 02881-0816.
cwilga@uri.edu
ABSTRACT: After the divergence of chondrichthyans and teleostomes, the structure of the feeding apparatus also diverged.
Hyoid morphology varies considerably among fossil and extant elasmobranchs and has been hypothesized to be
related to feeding style. How hyomandibular morphology affects function during feeding is of great interest
since hyoid movement is a key component in the feeding mechanism. Cranial kinematics and buccal pressure
during feeding was quantified in elasmobranchs and teleostomes. The feeding mechanism in elasmobranchs
with anterior (AHY) or lateral (LHY) directed hyomandibulae differs from teleostomes primarily in hyoid movements
due to morphological constraints. The hyoid expands ventrally during feeding in the species studied;
however, the hyoid laterally compresses in AHY and LHY species but not in teleostomes or shark species with
posterior directed hyomandibulae (PHY).Anterior and lateral hyomandibular orientation in elasmobranchs constrains
them to adduct during feeding. This represents a fundamental difference in the feeding mechanism regardless
of feeding style between elasmobranchs with AHY or LHY compared to sharks with PHY and
teleostomes as a result of morphological divergence in hyoid morphology. It appears that posterior directed hyomandibulae
may have evolved to increase the gape in specialized bite feeding sharks while lateral directed hyomandibulae
evolved in specialized suction feeders.
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Variation of the synarcual in the California Ray, Raja inornata (Elasmobranchii: Rajidae)
CLAESON K.M.
Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712-0254, USA.
kclaeson@mail.utexas.edu
ABSTRACT: Seven juvenile specimens of Raja inornata were CT scanned and digitally modeled to examine the variation of
synarcual morphology with changing size. The synarcual is a highly variable skeletal element across batoids with
great potential for use in phylogenetic studies. Results show that as R. inornata increases in body size, the synarcual
becomes more elongate and laterally compressed. Projections of the synarcual become more pronounced with
increasing size as well. The synarcual of R. inornata is narrower than that of R. erinacea. There appears to be a
correlation between median crest width and synarcual spine size.Also, in the context of higher-level batoid phylogenetics,
the morphologically ventral position of the u-shaped lateral stay is considered primitive.
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New genus of chondrichthyans from the Silurian - Devonian boundary deposits of Tuva (Russia)
ZIGAITE Z.1,2, KARATAJUTE-TALIMAA V.3
1University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille - 1, Laboratory of Palaeozoic Palaeontology and Palaeogeography, CNRS UMR 8014, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France.
Zivile.Zigaite@gf.vu.lt
2Vilnius University, Department of Geology and Mineralogy, M.K. Ciurlionio 21/27, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
3Institute of Geology and Geography, T. Sevcenkos 13, Vilnius 2600, Lithuania.
VTalimaa@takas.lt
ABSTRACT: A new genus of Chondrichthyes from the uppermost Silurian-lowermost Devonian deposits of central Tuva
(Russia) is described on the basis of the microremains (scales). A sample from the Khondergei Formation of
the Bazhyn-Alaak locality in the Tchadan region contained scales of a new chondrichthyan, Tuvalepis schultzei
gen. et sp. nov., together with another chondrichthyan, Elegestolepis grossi KARATAJUTE-TALIMAA, 1973, as well
as numerous scales of the thelodont Helenolepis navicularis KARATAJUTE-TALIMAA, 1978. The scales of T.
schultzei display significant morphological variation and are characterized by a very fine, comparatively wide
and flat crown with longitudinal ribs and a small and short neck. The growth pattern of T. schultzei scales is
very different from that of elegestolepids described so far - the scales grew by appositional addition of layers
towards the distal side of the crown, in contrast to the scales of Elegestolepis grossi which lack any kind of concentric
growth lines.
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Protodus jexi Woodward, 1892 (Chondrichthyes), from the Lower Devonian Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada
TURNER S.1,2,3, MILLER R. F.3
1School of Geosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
2Queensland Museum (Geosciences), 122 Gerler Road, Hendra, Qld 4011, Australia.
sue.turner@qm.gld.gov.au
3Natural Science Department, New Brunswick Museum, 277 Douglas Avenue, Saint John, NB Canada E2K 1E5.
Randall.Miller@nbm-mnb.ca
ABSTRACT: Protodus jexi from the early Emsian 'Atholville beds', Campbellton Formation between Atholville and Campbellton,
northern New Brunswick, Canada, is redescribed from material studied by R. H. Traquair and new specimens.
Protodus is a valid monotypic genus with rows of shark-like serrated teeth. The taxon is based solely on
teeth, some of which are associated. The teeth have monocuspid crowns with a thin enameloid layer and distinctive
labial depressions or grooves, and large subrectangular to D-shaped cladodont-like bases some laterally
and downwards extended. Crown histology is orthodentine merging down into the osteodentine of the base. A
possible relationship with cladodont-bearing sharks is mooted and Protodus and other putative late Silurian to
early Devonian chondrichthyan teeth are referred to a redefined family Protodontidae WOODWARD.
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Devonian filter-feeding sharks
GINTER M.
Institute of Geology, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland.
m.ginter@uw.edu.pl
ABSTRACT: Upper Frasnian rocks of Utah and Nevada yielded several multicuspid, low-crowned shark teeth. It is proposed
that they were used mainly for filtering food from water. Two new chondrichthyan species bearing such teeth
were distinguished: a phoebodontid Diademodus utahensis sp. nov., with up to 17 very delicate cusps in the
tooth-crown; and a cladodont of uncertain systematic position, Lesnilomia sandbergi gen. et sp. nov., also known
from the upper Frasnian of Moravia.
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New information on the Devonian shark Mcmurdodus, based on material from western Queensland, Australia
BURROW C. J.1, HOVESTADT D. C.2, HOVESTADT-EULER M.2, TURNER S1,3, YOUNG G.C.4
1Geology and Palaeontology Annex, Queensland Museum, 122 Gerler Rd, Hendra, Queensland 4011, Australia.
carole.burrow@gmail.com
2Merwedelaan 6, NL-4535ET Terneuzen, The Netherlands
dmhovest@zeelandnet.nl
3Geosciences, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
sue.turner@qm.qld.gov.au
4Research School of Earth Science, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia.
gyoung@ems.anu.edu.au
ABSTRACT: Histological structure of the type and newly collected teeth of the shark Mcmurdodus whitei TURNER & YOUNG,
1987, from a Devonian (?late Emsian-early Eifelian) limestone outcrop in the Cravens Peak Beds of western
Queensland, was determined by immersion in anise oil, thin sectioning, and acid etching of fractured surfaces.
The morphology and vascularization of the teeth are comparable to those of modern hexanchiform and echinorhinid
squaliform sharks, being most similar to those of Echinorhinus. Amultilayered enameloid layer is not
discernible in Mcmurdodus teeth, but a parallel-fibred layer is possibly present. Prismatic calcified cartilage, presumed
to be fromM. whitei, appears identical to that of all elasmobranchs. Scales and spines and distinctive ringlike
elements occur in the same horizon, the latter comparable with elements that encircle the lateral line in
Echinorhinus, and which are found in no other Recent elasmobranchs.
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New data on chondrichthyan microremains from the Givetian of the Renanue section in the Aragonian Pyrenees (Spain)
GINTER M.1, LIAO J.-C.2,3, VALENZUELA-RIOS J. I.3
1Institute of Geology, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury Str., 93 PL-02-089 Warszawa, Poland.
m.ginter@uw.edu.pl
2Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
Jau.Liao@uv.es
3Departamento de Geología, Universitat de Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E-46100 Burjassot, Spain.
Jose.I.Valenzuela@uv.es
ABSTRACT: The continued investigations on the Middle Devonian part (Givetian, Middle through Upper Polygnathus varcus
conodont Zones) of the section near the Renanue village in the Aragonian Pyrenees, Spain, brought twelve
teeth of chondrichthyan taxa typical of the so-called "Omalodus shark assemblage" (Omalodus grabaui, Phoebodus
fastigatus, Ph. sophiae, and probably Antarctilamna sp., the first record of Antarctilamna from the Givetian
of Europe) previously known from a few places in Laurussia and North Gondwana. This taxonomic
composition resembles the most that of the North Evans Limestone from NewYork. The species represent three
different families and orders: Omalodontidae nov. (Omalodontiformes), Phoebodontidae (Phoebodontiformes),
and Antarctilamnidae nov. (Antarctilamniformes nov.). In addition to the teeth of the listed taxa, several chondrichthyan
scales of the “ctenacanth” type were found.
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Early Frasnian sharks from central Iran
HAIRAPETIAN V.1, GINTER M.2, YAZDI M.3
1Department of Geology, Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan branch, PO Box 81595-158, Esfahan, Iran.
vachik@khuisf.ac.ir
2Institute of Geology, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury Str., 93 PL-02-089 Warszawa, Poland.
m.ginter@uw.edu.pl
3Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Esfahan University, 81746, Esfahan, Iran.
ABSTRACT: Two limestone bone-beds in the early Frasnian of the Chahriseh section, central Iran, yielded numerous chondrichthyan
teeth and scales. The fauna includes, most probably, only two taxa: a hitherto unknown aztecodontid omalodontiform,
Manberodus fortis gen. et sp. nov., and a multicuspid phoebodontiform, provisionally referred to as Phoebodus
cf. latus GINTER & IVANOV, 1995. A new omalodontiform family, Aztecodontidae, including Aztecodus LONG &
YOUNG, 1995 and Manberodus gen. nov., is proposed.
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Carcharopsis prototypus and the adaptations of single crystallite enameloid in cutting dentitions
DUFFIN CH. J.1, CUNY G.M2
1146, Church Hill Road, Sutton, Surrey SM3 8NF, England.
cduffin@blueyonder.co.uk
2Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
gilles@snm.ku.dk
ABSTRACT: Carcharopsis is a Palaeozoic shark comprising an enameloid-covered cutting dentition comprising serrated teeth.
The enameloid ultrastructure of the teeth of C. prototypus is examined for the first time and consists of a 35 μm
thick layer of tightly compacted apatite crystallites with a maximum individual length of 0.1 μm. The crystallites
are randomly-oriented toward the base of the enameloid layer, but assume a roughly parallel orientation
higher up in the enameloid, with their long axes arranged normal to the tooth surface. The enameloid of typical
hybodonts comprises a compact outer crystallite layer and a looser, bundled inner layer. The Cretaceous hybodonts,
Priohybodus arambourgi and Thaiodus ruchae, by contrast, have a compact, less differentiated enameloid
very similar to that of C. prototypus. This suggests that crystallite compaction is a corollary of the evolution
of serrated dentitions possessing single crystallite enameloids.
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Some observations on Denaea fournieri (Chondrichthyes, Symmoriiformes) from the Lower Carboniferous of Belgium
MAISEY J.G.
Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5193, U.S.A.
maisey@amnh.org
ABSTRACT: Preliminary observations are presented concerning endoskeletal morphology in the Lower Carboniferous symmoriiform
shark Denaea fournieri, and some problems in the original description are highlighted. D. fournieri
almost certainly possessed a tropibasic braincase and its cranial morphology agrees in most respects with that
observed in other symmoriiforms, although it had an extremely narrow ethmoidal region and may have lacked
supraorbital cartilages. Its pectoral fins were probably similar to those of other symmoriiforms, and the radialbearing
margin of its metapterygium most closely resembles that of falcatids and Stethacanthulus. Using Cladoselache
as an outgroup, several apomorphic characters are identified in symmoriiform pectoral fins.
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New chondrichthyan teeth from the Early Carboniferous of Britain and Russia
DUFFIN CH. J.1, IVANOV A.2
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 100 Flagg Road, Kingston, RI, USA, 02881-0816.
cwilga@uri.edu
ABSTRACT: Ginteria fungiforma gen. et sp. nov. is described on the basis of isolated teeth from the Visean (Brigantian) of the
Matlock Limestone Formation of Derbyshire, England and the Late Viséan (Msta Formation) of the Novgorod
District, and the Early Serpukhovian (Steshev Formation) of the Moscow District in Russia. The teeth are very
small (0.54 mm maximum tooth height) with a deeply incised, pedestal-like crown/base junction separating the
orthodont, enameloid-covered, unornamented crown from a base of overall anachronistid design.Alingually-offset
occlusal crest lacks cusps and divides the crown into a short lingual section and a triangular labial section with
a slightly concave surface, expanded to form a pronounced labial flange.
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Systematics and dental system reconstruction of the durophagous chondrichthyan Lagarodus JAEKEL, 1898.
LEBEDEV O. A.
Palaeontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 123, Profsoyuznaya St., Moscow, 117647, Russia.
olebed@paleo.ru
ABSTRACT: The type species of the Carboniferous chondrichthyan genus Lagarodus JAEKEL, 1898 is changed to Psammodus
specularis TRAUTSCHOLD, 1874 because of an identification error in TRAUTSCHOLD (1874). Five morphotypes:
angustus, specularis, cubicus, accessory, and orobranchial are recognised. Tooth morphology, configuration of
wear surfaces, growth traces on the basal surface and comparison with extant analogues were used to reconstruct
the dentition.
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Ctenacanthiform Cladodont Teeth from the Lower PermianWichita Group, Texas, U.S.A.
JOHNSON G.D.
Shuler Museum of Paleontology, Institute for the Study of Earth and Man Southern Methodist University, PO Box 750274, Dallas, TX 75275-0274 USA.
johnsong@smu.edu
ABSTRACT: Isolated teeth of Glikmanius occidentalis occur in ten vertebrate faunas in the Waggoner Ranch Formation and in
one fauna in the underlying Petrolia Formation. They range in size (anteromedial-posterolateral base length) from
1.28mmto 10.15mm(n = 12). In addition to the typical teeth, one with an asymmetrical base and one possible posterior
tooth (both G. ?occidentalis), and a questionable symphyseal tooth (Glikmanius?), occur in the collection.
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Mesozoic hybodont sharks from Asia and their relationships to the genus Ptychodus
CUNY G.
Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
gilles@snm.ku.dk
ABSTRACT: The affinities of the selachian genus Ptychodus is discussed and Hemiptychodus is here re-introduced as a subgenus
characterized by unusual tooth ornamentation pattern.An overview ofAsian hybodont genera showing tooth
ornamentations pattern similar to that of Ptychodus is given. Lacking a triple-layered enameloid, Ptychodus may
be a hybodont shark or a batoid, but both hypotheses are not without problems. Based only on dental characters,
hybodont affinities for this genus are favoured here, although the evidence to do so is indeed weak.
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Interrelationships of Mesozoic hybodont sharks as indicated by dental morphology – preliminary results
J. REES
Department of Biology, Karlstad University, SE-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden.
jan.rees@kau.se
ABSTRACT: As many hybodont sharks are known solely from their teeth, this investigation approaches the phylogeny of the
group with an emphasis on tooth morphology and dentitional patterns. The preliminary results presented here
suggest that at least four different lineages of hybodont sharks occurred in the Mesozoic. Dentitional characters
imply a close relationship within the Lonchidiidae (Lonchidion, Vectiselachos, Parvodus, and tentatively Hylaeobatis),
within the Hybodontinae (Hybodus and Egertonodus) and in another, unnamed subfamily of the Hybodontidae,
including Planohybodus, Secarodus and Priohybodus. There is also weak support for a grouping of
Acrodus, Asteracanthus and Palaeobates in the Acrodontinae, while Lissodus is left without family designation
due to a rather unique dentition and cephalic spine morphology. "Polyacrodus" is considered a nomen dubium
as there are no characters to diagnose the genus based on the type species.
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Jaws and dentition in an Early Triassic, 3-dimensionally preserved eugeneodontid skull (Chondrichthyes)
MUTTER R.J.1, NEUMAN A.G.2
1Department of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
R.Mutter@nhm.ac.uk
2Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, PO Box, Drumheller AB T0J 0Y0, Canada.
Andrew.Neuman@gov.ab.ca
ABSTRACT: Neutron scans of a concretion with a 3-dimensionally preserved partial skull from the Lower Triassic Vega Phroso
Siltstone Member of the Sulphur Mountain Formation (western Canada), previously assigned to Caseodus, reveal
that upper jaws were absent in this eugeneodontid. Large, anteriorly deep lower jaws housed relatively few
and large tooth files and enclosed a narrow anterior mouth cavity together with the symphysial tooth whorl, which
is situated on the mandibular rostrum. The symphysial teeth are slender-conical in antero-occlusal view and do
not appear to possess a transversal crest. The taxonomic significance of tooth morphology and absence of upper
jaws is discussed. This eugeneodontid yields evidence of another group of rather primitive fishes surviving
the end-Permian extinction event. The architecture of oral cavity and dentition suggests these chondrichthyans
were specialized on preying on disc-shaped or flat, presumably shelled organisms.
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The Late Jurassic neoselachian Macrourogaleus FOWLER, 1947 is a palaeospinacid shark (Elasmobranchii; Synechodontiformes)
KLUG S.
Museum fur Naturkunde, Department of Research, Invalidentsr. 43, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.
stefanie.klug@museum.hu-berlin.de
ABSTRACT: The taxonomy of palaeospinacid sharks (Chondrichthyes, Neoselachii) is reviewed. New skeletal material from
the famous Late Jurassic lithographic limestones of southern Germany (Solnhofen area and Nusplingen) enables
identification of the morphological and dental differences between Synechodus and Paraorthacodus. These taxa
were hitherto known mainly by isolated teeth or a few mostly fragmentary skeletal remains from the Early and
Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous. Differences not only include dental features but also the presence of a single
dorsal fin in Paraorthacodus compared to two in Synechodus. Fin spines are restricted to Early Jurassic specimens.
A detailed examination of the small neoselachian shark, Macrourogaleus hassei, from the lithographic
limestones of the Solnhofen area revealed that this taxon displays the characteristic synechodontiform tooth root
morphology (pseudopolyaulacorhize) and a single dorsal fin as seen in Paraorthacodus. Consequently, Macrourogaleus
is assigned to the Palaeospinacidae. It differs from Paraorthacodus, however, in the presence of a single
row of enlarged placoid scales on the caudal crest.
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Anew species of extinct bullhead sharks, Paracestracion viohli sp. nov. (Neoselachii, Heterodontiformes), from the Upper Jurassic of South Germany
KRIWET J.
Museum für Naturkunde, Department of Collections, Invalidentsr. 43, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.
juergen.kriwet@museum.hu-berlin.de
ABSTRACT: The early history of heterodontid sharks is documented mainly by isolated teeth. So far, three different heterodontid
genera have been recorded from the Jurassic: Proheterodontus from the Middle Jurassic of England (and
probably Upper Jurassic of France), Paracestracion from the Early to Late Jurassic of England, Belgium and
S. Germany, and Heterodontus from the Upper Jurassic of South Germany. Paracestracion is known by isolated
teeth in the Early and Middle Jurassic and by articulated skeletons in the Late Jurassic. Recently discovered
skeletal remains from the upper Kimmeridgian locality of Schamhaupten, S. Germany, represent a new, hitherto
unknown extinct species of Paracestracion, P. viohli sp. nov., which documents further taxonomic diversity of
early heterodontids. This new taxon is represented by a subadult individual as indicated by the absence of molariform
lateral teeth; it shares with other species of Paracestracion the characteristic holaulacorize cuspidate
teeth. It differs from all other species in having ornamented lingual crown faces. Teeth of Proheterodontus differ
in a different tooth root vascularisation. Proheterodontus and Paracestracion vanished before or at the Jurassic/
Cretaceous boundary with Heterodontus becoming progressively more diverse in the Cretaceous and
Cenozoic.
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A revision of the chimaeroid fishes (Holocephali, Chimaeroidei) from the British Cretaceous
POPOV E.V.
Department of Palaeontology, Geological Faculty, Saratov State University, 83 Astrakhanskaya Str., Saratov, 410012, Russia.
popovev@san.ru
ABSTRACT: The preliminary results of a revision of the British Cretaceous chimaeroid fishes (Holocephali, Chimaeroidei)
based on a study of museum collections are presented. The taxonomic composition (2 families, 9 genera, 20
species) and stratigraphic distribution of Cretaceous chimaeroid fishes are summarized. Some taxa, including
Callorhinchus, Elasmodus, and Lebediodon are recorded from British Cretaceous for the first time.
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When the "primitive" shark Tribodus (Hybodontiformes) meets the "modern" ray Pseudohypolophus (Rajiformes): the unique co-occurrence of these two durophagous Cretaceous selachians in Charentes (SWFrance)
VULLO R.1, NERAUDEAU D.2
1Unidad de Paleontologia, Departamento de Biologia, Calle Darwin, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain.
romain.vullo@gmail.com
2Universite de Rennes I, UMR CNRS 6118, Campus de Beaulieu, avenue du general Leclerc, 35042 Rennes cedex, France
didier.neraudeau@univ-rennes1.fr
ABSTRACT: The palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography of two Cretaceous selachian genera, Tribodus BRITO & FERREIRA,
1989 and Pseudohypolophus CAPPETTA & CASE, 1975, are briefly discussed. These two similar-sized taxa developed
an analogous pavement-like grinding dentition, characterized by massive teeth with a rhomboidal to hexagonal
occlusal surface.Although both genera appear to have been euryhaline forms, the hybodont Tribodus occurred
in fresh/brackish water habitats (e.g. deltas) to shallow marine lagoons, whereas the ray Pseudohypolophus lived
in brackish water to coastal marine environments. Palaeobiogeographically, their global distribution displays two
distinct but adjoined areas, with Tribodus being present in the northern part of Gondwana (Brazil and North Africa),
and Pseudohypolophus occurring on both sides of the North Atlantic (North America and Western Europe). However,
the two genera coexisted during Cenomanian times within a small overlap zone, localized in western France.
A trophic competition may have arisen from this situation between these two selachians belonging to the same
trophic guild. This peculiar situation is well documented within the Cenomanian transgressive series of Charentes
(SWFrance), where a turnover between the two forms is observed (replacement of Tribodus by Pseudohypolophus).
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Contribution of Eocene sharks and rays from southern France to the history of deep-sea selachians
ADNET S.1, CAPPETTA H.1, REYNDERS J.2
11Laboratoire de Paleontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution (CNRS-UMR 5554) Universite Montpellier II, c.c. 064, Place Eugene Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
adnet@isem.univ-montp2.fr
cappetta@isem.univ-montp2.fr
2Huidevetterstraat 18, 3530 Houthalen Helchteren, Belgium
ABSTRACT: Fossil deep-sea selachians are rare and their diversity underestimated as a consequence of the scarcity of available
outcrops of sediments containing them. Here we report a new fossil locality from theMiddle Eocene of southwestern
France and give a first synthesis of the deep-sea deposits of this area which have yielded one of the richest
fossil selachian faunas ever to have inhabited the continental slope. The fossil records of deep-sea sharks and
rays are discussed in the context of these new fossil occurrences, a literature review and the recent phylogenetic
hypothesis.
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