Scientists say a newly identified prehistoric shark has been discovered Darwin, Northern Australiais now The earliest known mega-predator of the modern shark lineageRewriting what researchers thought about the evolution of giant sharks. Conclusion, published in communication biologyTurns out giant sharks were roaming Earth’s oceans much earlier than previously thought.
ancient sharks lived around 115 million years ago during the Cretaceous periodroughly before other known giant sharks 15 million years,
What happened
Researchers re-examine several giant shark vertebrae found along a beach darwinfossils that were originally dug up Late 1980s and early 1990s But it was largely ignored for decades.
using advanced tools like CT Scan, Fisheries Data and Mathematical ModelingAn international research team determined that the vertebrate was a giant cardabiodontid sharkAn extinct group of mega-predator sharks.
Depending on the size of the vertebrae – each measures approximately 12 centimeters (4.7 in) wide– Scientists estimate that the shark was approximately 8 meters (26 ft) longMuch larger than today’s great white sharks.
Background: Who were these ancient sharks?
sharks almost exist 400 million yearsBut which lineage do modern Great White Sharks belong to? lamniform sharkWhich was thought to have started on a small scale. Lamniforms appeared around before the fossil record suggested 135 million years ago and were only about 1 meter long In those days.
This new discovery dramatically changes that understanding.
“These sharks had already become huge by 115 million years, which was completely unexpected,” he said benjamin careSenior Curator of Paleobiology Swedish Museum of Natural History and one of the study’s authors.
Discovery details and scientific significance
Vertebrates found in sediments that once formed part of ancient ocean Gondwana (modern Australia) To Laurasia (modern Europe)The area is already known for fossils of prehistoric marine reptiles such as Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs,
Shark vertebrae are particularly rare in the fossil record because shark skeletons are made up of cartilageNo bones. Most sharks have fossil teeth, making it difficult to estimate body size.
“The vertebrae give us real clues about shape,” Carey explained. “Teeth alone don’t tell us whether the shark had a huge body or just big teeth.”
what did the shark look like
According to researchers, ancient mega-sharks probably looked like one modern giant sharkSimilar in body shape to today’s great white.
“This is a body model that has been working for 115 million years,” Kear said. “It’s an evolutionary success story.”
Study shows modern-day shark evolved Long ago at the top of prehistoric food chains More than scientists had previously believed.
Widespread impact and future research
Researchers believe this discovery opens the door to finding even older mega-sharks in similar environments around the world.
“They may have been around before,” Kear said. “This thing had ancestors.”
Studying ancient marine ecosystems could help scientists better understand how today’s species might respond. Climate change and environmental change,
“This is where our modern world begins,” Kear said. “By looking at past changes in climate and biodiversity, we can better understand what might happen next.”
what happens next
Scientists plan to continue searching for similar fossils in ancient marine environments around the world, hoping to provide more clues about the early evolution of giant sharks and the ecosystems they dominated.
The discovery near Darwin stands as a major breakthrough in paleontology, reshaping the timeline of shark evolution and confirming that giant marine predators emerged much earlier than previously thought.
This story may be updated with more information as it becomes available.
