Johan Lindgren
Senior lecturer
Anacoracid sharks from the Albian (lower cretaceous) Pawpaw shale of Texas
Author
Summary, in English
Recent collecting from the Pawpaw Shale in northeast Texas has yielded several hundred teeth of anacoracid sharks. The material allows for a much-needed revision of the Late Albian anacoracids from North America. The previously recognized Squalicorax sp., also referred to as S. volgensis in more recent publications, is a mix of two different species: S. priscoserratus sp. nov. and S. pawpawensis sp. nov. In addition to these two new species, a single tooth is assigned to S. aff. S. baharijensis. Our data indicate that anacoracids were considerably more diverse group in the North American Cretaceous than previously thought. We attribute much of the underestimation of diversity to vague species concepts, poor preparation techniques and the associated lack of attention to certain dental features, in particular neck morphology, root surface porosity and the root's vascularization.
Department/s
- Lithosphere and Biosphere Science
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
939-950
Publication/Series
Palaeontology
Volume
50
Issue
4
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Topic
- Geology
Keywords
- cretaceous
- Albian
- Pawpaw
- sharks
- Texas
- volga
- squalicorax
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1475-4983