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5.1" Fossil Shark (Hybodus) Dorsal Spine - Morocco
This is an 5.1" fossil, dorsal spine of a shark (Hybodus) from the Kem Kem Basin, Taouz, Morocco. These fragile spines are nearly always found fractured. This spine is in better shpae than most but the final 1/2" of the tip is restored.
Hybodus was a small shark that grew up to 2 meters in length and was likely an opportunistic predator. It had a streamlined shape ideal for hunting down fast prey and two different types of teeth: sharp cutting teeth for catching prey and flatter grinding teeth for crushing. This combination may have been the key to Hybodus' success.
A paper on Hybodus spines can be found below.
Growth And Form of Finspines In Hybodont Sharks
A paper on Hybodus spines can be found below.
Growth And Form of Finspines In Hybodont Sharks
The Kem Kem Group is famous for yielding a diverse Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblage, including fish, reptiles, and dinosaurs such as Spinosaurus. These fossils are found in a thin bed that outcrops around the edge of a large plateau near Taouz, Morocco. Local miners collect these fossils by digging narrow tunnels by hand into this plateau, following the layer.
A paper on this assemblage can be found at: Vertebrate assemblages from the early Late Cretaceous of southeastern Morocco: An overview
A paper on this assemblage can be found at: Vertebrate assemblages from the early Late Cretaceous of southeastern Morocco: An overview
SPECIES
Hybodus obtusus
LOCATION
Taouz, Kem Kem Basin, Morocco
FORMATION
Kem Kem Beds
SIZE
5.1" long
CATEGORY
ITEM
#130362
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