Orthacanthus
Extinct genus of sharks / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Orthacanthus is an extinct genus of fresh-water xenacanthiform elasmobranch, named by Louis Agassiz in 1843,[3][4] ranging from the Upper Carboniferous[3] into the Lower Permian.[1] Orthacanthus had a nektobenthic life habitat, with a carnivorous diet.[5] Multiple authors have also discovered evidence of cannibalism in the diet of Orthacanthus and of "filial cannibalism" where adult Orthacanthus preyed upon juvenile Orthacanthus.[6] Synonyms of the genus Orthacanthus are Dittodus Owen, 1867, Didymodus Cope, 1883, Diplodus Agassiz, 1843,[5] Chilodus Giebel, 1848 (preoccupied by Chilodus Müller & Troschel, 1844).[3]
Orthacanthus | |
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Fossil interpretation of juvenile specimen of O. platypternus (top) and skeletal reconstruction of juvenile specimen of O. bohemicus (bottom) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Order: | †Xenacanthida |
Family: | †Orthacanthidae Heyler and Poplin, 1989 |
Genus: | †Orthacanthus Agassiz, 1843 |
Species | |
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During the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian, Orthacanthus was an apex predator of freshwater swamps and bayous in Europe and North America.[6] Mature Orthacanthus reached nearly 3 meters (10 feet) in length.[6] Orthacanthus teeth have a minimum of three cusps, two principal cusps, and an intermediate cusp, where the principal cusps are variously serrated, with complex base morphology.[7][4] Additionally, Orthacanthus can be diagnosed by major transverse axes of proximal ends at a 45 degree angle to and often almost parallel to the labial margin of the base between the cusps.[4] Deformed teeth are characteristic of the xenacanthiform sharks and of Orthacanthus.[8]