Scapanorhynchus

Scapanorhynchus lewisii

• Europe
• Africa
• North America

Scapanorhynchus is an extinct, species-rich Haigattung, which probably occurred globally during the Cretaceous and early Paleogene in the deep sea. Fossils, mostly teeth, come from all continents except South America and Antarctica. Was often found the species in the U.S., North Africa and Europe.

Features

Scapanorhynchus was one of the first primitive Neoselachiern and already had some basic characteristics of the group, eg stabilized by calcium deposition spine. But otherwise it is regarded as rather atypical representative.

The genus is characterized by a long, distinctive snout extension of who has commanded a large area for sitting there the meaning of the shark, which are necessary for the perception of electric fields and thus to search for food in lightless environment (See: ampullae of Lorenzini ). In addition Scapanorhynchus has a striking long, highly asymmetric tail and was about 50 cm long.

Way of life

Conclusions about the life of Scapanorhynchus can be drawn, especially in comparison to related genera, in the particular case to the recent and very closely related Koboldhai. It is therefore assumed that Scapanorhynchus was a tiefseebewohnender hunter who stalked by the shape of its teeth visible, smaller fish.

System

Scapanorhynchus has an unusual resemblance to the recent Koboldhai ( Mitsukurina owstoni ) and is also put in the same family of Mitsukurinidae why. Some scientists even see enough similarities to both genres to unite, it would have first established species Scapanorhynchus according to the rules of nomenclature priority, and the Koboldhai would be placed in them. This taxonomic redistribution is debated, but is generally not recognized.

In fact, the similarities which have the two mutually sharks surprising. Scapanorhynchus differs conspicuous only by the shape of its fins, which are spitzzulaufend and in the case of the tail longer, by his relatives living today. Also visible is a clear difference in size. While Scapanorhynchus is just about half a meter long, reaching goblin sharks have a size of less than 4 m in length.