Ptychodus

ptychodus

In Depth        Ptychodus was one of the most specialist sharks of the late Cretaceous oceans,‭ ‬as the teeth are adapted for crushing shells rather than tearing through flesh.‭ ‬As such the teeth are rounded rather than being triangular and pointed,‭ ‬and have a series of ridges that run across the surface of the crown.‭ ‬These … Read more

Cretalamna

In Depth Although the Cretalamna shark genus is extinct today,‭ ‬there is no doubt that it was one of the most successful of all shark genera.‭ ‬ Fossils of Cretalamna‭ (‬mostly of teeth and vertebrae‭) ‬are known from all over the world and range from the early Cretaceous to the mid Miocene in age,‭ ‬making Cretalamna one of the most widely distributed … Read more

Gladioserratus

In Depth        Gladioserratus is an extinct genus of cow shark that is known to have first appeared near the middle of the Early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Further fossil discoveries have led to the realisation that species of Gladioserratus lived all the way to the end of the Cretaceous and into the Paleocene.‭ ‬There has also been speculation … Read more

Lonchidion

In Depth        Lonchidion is a genus of very successful hybodontid shark that lived for most of the Mesozoic.‭ ‬Most fossils attributed to Lonchidion are Cretaceous in age,‭ ‬though Jurassic and even Late Triassic fossils are also known.‭ ‬Also,‭ ‬while Lonchidion has been mostly associated with North America and Europe,‭ ‬fossils from Africa and Asia are … Read more