[ad_1]
Scientists recently found the complete fossil of a shark that used to rule the oceans about 93 million years ago. The findings based on the remains of a strange species of shark officially known as “Aquilolamna milarcae” were published in the journal Science on Thursday.
Vertebrate paleontologist and lead author of the study, Romain Vullo, said the name Aquilolamna translates to “eagle shark,” and that the strange species used to feed on plankton during the time when dinosaurs ruled the land.
An image from the brochure available March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of an Aquilolamna eagle shark. About 93 million years ago, strange winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This newly described fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed its discoverers to erect a new family. Like stingrays, these ‘eagle sharks’ are characterized by extremely long and thin pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. The specimen studied was 1.65 meters long and 1.90 meters wide. With its large mouth and supposedly very small teeth, it must have fed on plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS. The complete specimen was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico). | Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / University of Heidelberg / AFP
Sharks roamed the seas now found in northeastern Mexico and had long, wing-shaped fins. The shark possessed a fin span of about 1.9 meters (over 6 feet) and a head-to-toe length of 1.65 meters (over 5 feet), leaving scientists stunned.
Read also: Scientists discover three deep-sea sharks that glow in the dark
Reuters quoted Vullo as saying that the fins “primarily acted as an” effective stabilizer. “Vullo, affiliated with Geoscienes Rennes, the University of Rennes and the research unit of France’s National Scientific Research, said this makes the species of sharks are wider than long.
“Aquilolamna is indeed a perfect example of an extinct creature revealing an unexpected new morphology. This strongly suggests that other outstanding body shapes and morphological adaptations may have existed throughout the evolutionary history of sharks,” Vullo said, citing Reuters.
Read also: Dramatic shark decline leaves ‘huge hole’ in ocean, study finds
But it’s not that far from the usual shark features, including the torpedo-shaped body and tail of the shark. Their pectoral fins, however, stood out!
The researchers believe Aquilolamna was likely a slow-swimming shark, feeding on plankton through filter feeding, similar to what sharks that eat plankton do today.
The fossil was unearthed in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, but its filtering mechanism was not revealed.
