| Listracanthus | |
|---|---|
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| Cluster of Listracanthus denticles on display at the Milan Natural History Museum | |
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| Denticles of the holotype specimen of L. pectenatus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | incertae sedis |
| Family: | † Listracanthidae |
| Genus: | † Listracanthus Newberry & Worthen, 1870 |
| Species [1] | |
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Listracanthus is a genus of extinct chondrichthyan with uncertain affinities. Species of Listracanthus are known primarily from their tremendous, feather-like denticles, which range up to four inches in length. The denticles had a large main spine, from which secondary spines emanate from the sides, like the barbs of a feather or a comb. Listracanthus first appeared in late Carboniferous strata in North America, and eventually disappear from the fossil record some time during the Early Triassic. [1]
The appearance of these sharks are largely unknown. However, author and illustrator Ray Troll recounts an anecdote in his book, Sharkabet, about how paleontologist Rainer Zangerl reportedly once discovered a large shale slab containing a long, eel-like fish covered in long, spine-like denticles characteristic of the genus, only to have it dry out and crumble into dust. As such, according to Zangerl's account, Troll reconstructs Listracanthus as resembling a tremendous, fiercely bristled frill shark. [3] However, other authors have noted that Listracanthus-like denticles have been found associated with the remains of Menaspiformes like Deltoptychius (which do not have eel-like bodies), and have suggested that Listracanthus is a member of this group. [4]
Martill et al., (2014) created the genus Acanthorhachis for the species formerly known as "Listracanthus" spinatus (Bolton, 1896). They also erected the family Listracanthidae to encompass the two genera. [5]
