Egypt desert discovery reveals ancient shark ecosystem

shark fossils paleontology Cretaceous period Egyptian desert marine ecosystem

Paleontologists led by Tarek Yassin from Cairo University have discovered fossilized shark teeth in the Abu-Tartur Plateau of Egypt’s Western Desert, revealing a once-thriving marine ecosystem. The findings, published in the journal Cretaceous Research, indicate that the area was part of the Tethys Ocean approximately 66 to 145 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

Researchers recovered 14 teeth belonging to five extinct species, bringing the total number of known shark species from the Duwi Formation to at least seven. Notably, two species—Serratolamna cf. serrata and Squalicorax bassanii—have not been previously recorded in Egypt, and Scapanorhynchus cf. raphiodon may represent the first such find in Africa.

The diversity in tooth morphology, ranging from needle-like to wide and serrated, suggests these sharks occupied different ecological niches. Some species likely inhabited shallow coastal waters, such as Squalicorax, while others, like Scapanorhynchus, preferred deeper waters. The high productivity of this ancient sea was likely driven by nutrient-rich upwelling currents that supported a complex food web of fish, invertebrates, and marine reptiles.

Entities

Abu Tartur Plateau · Abu-Tartur Plateau · Cairo University · Cretaceous Research · Duwi Formation · Tarek Yassin · Tethys Ocean · Tethys Sea · University of Cairo

Claims

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[● 3 SOURCES] Diverse tooth morphology suggests the sharks occupied different ecological niches rather than direct competition. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] At least seven shark species have been identified in the Duwi Formation layer. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] Paleontologists led by Tarek Yassin from Cairo University discovered 14 fossilized shark teeth in Egypt. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] Two of the species, Serratolamna cf. serrata and Squalicorax bassanii, have not been previously recorded in Egypt. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] The discovery site was part of the Tethys Ocean approximately 70 million years ago during the Cretaceous period. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 2 SOURCES] The genus Squalicorax likely inhabited shallow coastal waters, while Scapanorhynchus lived in deeper marine environments. www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] The species Scapanorhynchus cf. raphiodon may represent the first known find of its kind in Africa. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba
[● 3 SOURCES] The 14 teeth belong to five different extinct shark species. n1info.ba · www.dnevno.hr · www.vecernji.ba