Saivodus

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Saivodus
Temporal range: Mississippian–Guadalupian
Saivodus striatus cartilage (NPS Photo).jpg
Preserved cranial material of S. striatus found at Mammoth Cave
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Ctenacanthiformes
Genus: Saivodus
Duffin & Ginter, 2006
Species:
S. striatus
Binomial name
Saivodus striatus
Agassiz, 1843
Synonyms
  • Cladodus striatus

Saivodus is an extinct genus of ctenacanthiform fish that existed during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. [1] Fossils have been found in Ireland, Scotland, England, Belgium, Morocco, and the United States. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Saivodus was erected in 2006. The single species belonging to this genus was formerly included in the unrelated genus Cladodus . [1]

Description

Saivodus is the largest known member of its group measuring 4–5 metres (13–16 ft) or more in total body length, possibly even up to 6–7 metres (20–23 ft), based on individual teeth about 3 centimetres (1.2 in) or more in length. [3] [4] The shape of the teeth suggest it targeted soft-bodied prey. [5]

Preserved jaw cartilage found in Mammoth Cave being scanned via photogrammetry A team from the National Park Service thoroughly documented two cartilaginous specimens found in the cave by capturing (6135ccac-970c-492a-a4e8-cc94fd8a3d6b).jpg
Preserved jaw cartilage found in Mammoth Cave being scanned via photogrammetry

References

  1. 1 2 Duffin, C.J.; Ginter, M. (2006). "Comments on the selachian genus Cladodus Agassiz, 1843". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 26 (2): 253–266. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[253:COTSGC]2.0.CO;2.
  2. Hodnett, John-Paul M.; Elliott, David K.; Olson, Tom J.; Wittke, James H. (2012). "Ctenacanthiform sharks from the Permian Kaibab Formation, northern Arizona" . Historical Biology. 24 (4): 381–395. doi:10.1080/08912963.2012.683193. ISSN   0891-2963. S2CID   85332499.
  3. Hodnett, J.-P.M.; Tweet, J.S.; Santucci, V.L. (2022). "The occurrence of fossil cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) within the parks and monuments of the National Park Service". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 90: 183–208.
  4. Engelman, Russell K. (2023). "A Devonian Fish Tale: A New Method of Body Length Estimation Suggests Much Smaller Sizes for Dunkleosteus terrelli (Placodermi: Arthrodira)". Diversity. 15 (3): 318. doi: 10.3390/d15030318 . ISSN   1424-2818.
  5. Katz, B. (February 4, 2020). "Jaw of 330-Million-Year-Old Shark Discovered in Kentucky Cave".