Scientists have unveiled a novel fossil shark species unearthed from the depths of Alabama. This newfound creature belongs to the genus Palaeohypotodus, aptly named for its ancient origins and distinctive petite serrated teeth, which resemble small ears.
Dubbed Palaeohypotodus bizzocoi, in homage to the late Dr. Bruce Bizzoco (1949–2022), a revered figure in Birmingham, Alabama, known for his dedication as an educator, archaeologist, and steadfast supporter of the McWane Science Center. This naming pays homage to Dr. Bizzoco’s unwavering commitment to education and the preservation of Alabama’s rich historical tapestry.
The pioneering expedition was spearheaded by a trio of eminent researchers: Jun Ebersole, Director of Collections at McWane Science Center in Birmingham, AL; David Cicimurri, Curator of Natural History at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia; and T. Lynn Harrell, Jr., Paleontologist and Fossil Collections Curator at the Geological Survey of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Their groundbreaking findings, chronicled in the publication “A new species Palaeohypotodus Glickman, 1964 (Chondrichthyes, Lamniformes) from the lower Paleocene (Danian) Porters Creek Formation, Wilcox County, Alabama, U.S.,” grace the pages of the open-access journal Fossil Record.
Ebersole recounts the serendipitous nature of the discovery, tracing back to a fortuitous encounter with a small box of fossilized shark teeth nestled within the historical collections of the Geological Survey in Alabama. “Years of meticulous examination led me to stumble upon a treasure trove of teeth, dating back over a century, from Wilcox County,” Ebersole remarked, expressing his astonishment at encountering a previously unidentified species.
Cicimurri underscores the temporal significance of this find, placing the creature squarely in the Paleocene epoch, approximately 65 million years ago, a pivotal period following the cataclysmic extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. This apex predator, Palaeohypotodus bizzocoi, emerged as a formidable force in the nascent stages of oceanic rejuvenation.
Harrell emphasizes the geological importance of this discovery, shedding light on Alabama’s submerged past during the Paleocene era, a realm teeming with life yet largely unexplored. The revelation of this enigmatic shark species promises invaluable insights into the mechanisms of ecosystem recovery post-extinction, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the intricate dance of life and evolution.
In their quest to unravel the mysteries of this ancient denizen of the deep, the research team meticulously scrutinized the fossilized teeth, drawing comparisons with their modern-day counterparts such as the Great White and Mako sharks. Cicimurri elucidates the intricate nuances of dental morphology, elucidating how the arrangement of teeth unveils the evolutionary adaptations of this prehistoric predator.
The christening of Palaeohypotodus bizzocoi marks a pivotal milestone in an ongoing initiative spearheaded by Ebersole and Cicimurri to catalog Alabama’s fossilized aquatic fauna. Their collaborative efforts have unearthed over 400 distinct species of fossil sharks and bony fishes, cementing Alabama’s status as a veritable haven of paleontological diversity.
Source: Pensoft Publishers