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Shark fossil discoveries in Egypt's Western Desert

Overview

Paleontologists led by Tarek Yassin from Cairo University have identified a ‘shark graveyard’ in Egypt’s Western Desert. Fossilized teeth recovered from the Duwi Formation at the Abu-Tartur Plateau indicate that the region was part of the Tethys Ocean during the Cretaceous period, approximately 66 to 145 million years ago.

Excavations conducted between 2020 and 2022 recovered teeth from at least seven species of sharks. The findings indicate that during the Late Cretaceous, sea levels were up to 170 meters higher than they are today, covering much of the current desert in shallow, warm tropical seas. The fossils were located within a phosphate-rich layer known to have previously yielded fossils of fish, sea turtles, and marine reptiles.

The discovery includes species such as Serratolamna cf. serrata and Squalicorax bassanii, which have not been previously recorded in Egypt. Additionally, Scapanorhynchus cf. raphiodon may represent a first for Africa. The variety in tooth morphology suggests these sharks occupied diverse ecological niches, ranging from shallow coastal waters to deeper environments. Researchers conclude the area was once a warm, nutrient-rich tropical marine ecosystem supported by upwelling currents.

Entities

Abu-Tartur Plateau · Cairo University · Duwi Formation · Abu Tartur Plateau · Tethys Ocean

Timeline

  1. 19 days ago

    [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Egypt's Western Desert reveals ancient shark graveyard

    Researchers discovered an ancient shark graveyard in Egypt's Western Desert, finding fossils of seven shark species that inhabited the region's tropical seas during the Cretaceous period.

  2. 22 days ago

    [CULTURE] 11 sources
    Egypt desert discovery reveals ancient shark ecosystem

    Paleontologists in Egypt's Western Desert have discovered fossilized teeth from at least seven extinct shark species, revealing a highly productive marine ecosystem that existed 66–145 million years ago.

Sources

denik.cz · dnevno.hr · finance.technews.tw · gadgetnews.net · illvid.dk · insmart.cz · internewscast.com · lat.sputnikportal.rs · n1info.ba · n1info.rs · nazology.net · negarmag.com · thebrighterside.news · vecernji.ba · world-today-news.com

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history