Shark fossils discovered in Egypt's Western Desert

Paleontologists have discovered a prehistoric shark graveyard in Egypt's Western Desert, revealing that the Abu-Tartur Plateau was once covered by a warm, nutrient-rich sea during the Late Cretaceous period.

Researchers from Cairo University, led by Tarek Yassin, recovered fossilized teeth from seven different shark species during expeditions conducted between 2020 and 2022. The findings, published in the journal Cretaceous Research, include species not previously recorded in Egypt, such as Serratolamna serrata and Squalicorax bassanii. The collection also features Scapanorhynchus raphiodon, an ancient relative of the modern goblin shark.

The diversity in tooth shapes—ranging from pointed to serrated—suggests these sharks occupied various ecological niches with minimal direct competition. The fossils were found within the Duwi Formation, a region characterized by high biological productivity and significant phosphate deposits. These findings support evidence that sea levels were substantially higher millions of years ago, allowing the Tethys Sea to flood parts of North Africa that are now arid desert.