Scapanorhynchus
| Scapanorhynchus | ||||||||||||
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Scapanorhynchus lewisii |
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| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| Lower Cretaceous to Oligocene | ||||||||||||
| 99.6 to 28.4 million years | ||||||||||||
| Locations | ||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Scapanorhynchus | ||||||||||||
| Woodward , 1889 |
Scapanorhynchus is an extinct, species-rich genus of sharkthatprobablyoccurredgloballyin the deep sea during the Cretaceous Period and the early Paleogene . Fossil finds , mostly teeth , come from all continents with the exception of South America and Antarctica . The genus was found frequently in the USA , North Africa and Europe .
features
Scapanorhynchus was one of the first primitive Neo-Selachians and already showed some basic characteristics of the group, e.g. B. the spine stabilized by calcium storage . Otherwise he is considered a rather atypical representative.
The genus is characterized by a long, distinctive muzzle extension that offered a large area for the shark's senses sitting there, which are necessary for the perception of electrical fields and thus for the search for food in a lightless environment (see: Lorenzini ampoules ) . In addition, Scapanorhynchus has a noticeably long, strongly asymmetrical caudal fin and was approx. 50 cm long.
Way of life
Conclusions about the way of life of Scapanorhynchus can be drawn especially in comparison to related genera, in particular to the recent and very closely related goblin shark . It is therefore believed that Scapanorhynchus was a deep-sea-dwelling hunter who - recognizable by the shape of its teeth - hunted down smaller fish .
Systematics
Scapanorhynchus shows an unusual resemblance to the recent goblin shark ( Mitsukurina owstoni ) and is therefore also placed in the same family of Mitsukurinidae . Some scientists even see enough similarities to unite both genera, with the first established genus Scapanorhynchus taking precedence according to the rules of nomenclature , and the goblin shark would be classified in them. This taxonomic redistribution is debated but is not yet widely recognized.
In fact, the similarities the two sharks have to one another are surprising. Scapanorhynchus only differs from its contemporary living relative in the shape of its fins, which taper to a point and, in the case of the caudal fin, are longer. There is also a clear difference in size. While Scapanorhynchus is only about half a meter long, goblin sharks reach a size of almost 4 m in length.
literature
- Barry Cox, Dougal Dixon & Brian Gardiner: Dinosaurs and Other Animals of Ancient Times (1994) Gondolino-Verlag, ISBN 978-3831012893
