New observations on the anatomy and paleobiology of theEocene requiem shark †Eogaleus bolcensis (Carcharhiniformes,Carcharhinidae) from Bolca Lagerstätte, Italy

Author(s)
Giuseppe Marrama, Giorgio Carnevale, Jürgen Kriwet
Abstract

Here we provide new information about the anatomy of the extinct shark †Eogaleusbolcensis from the early Eocene Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte. The combination of mor-phological and dental characters of the three known articulated specimens and a singleisolated tooth collected from the Pesciara and Monte Postale sites (e.g., head bulky withrounded snout, pectoral fins of semiplesodic type, cutting-clutching dentition, dermal den-ticles shell-shaped and of drag-reducing type, caudal fin accounting for one fourth of the entire body length, 135–153 vertebrae) supports the assignment of †Eogaleus to the fam-ily Carcharhinidae and allows us to confirm definitively its distinct taxonomic status fromthe sympatric carcharhiniform, the triakid †Galeorhinus cuvieri. Moreover, the analysis ofthe dermal denticle morphology and the size and maturity age estimates of the studiedspecimens provide new paleobiological information about †Eogaleus, suggesting a closeassociation of this small top predator with the tropical shallow-water marine contexthypothesized for the Bolca paleobiotopes.

Organisation(s)
Department of Palaeontology
External organisation(s)
University of Turin
Journal
Academie des Sciences. Comptes Rendus. Palevol
Volume
17
Pages
443-459
No. of pages
17
ISSN
1631-0683
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crpv.2018.04.005
Publication date
2018
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
106043 Systematic zoology, 105118 Palaeontology
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Palaeontology
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/77e9f972-f8fa-4e15-9157-6693d1c537bb