A new cuspidate ptychodontid shark (Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii), from the Upper Cretaceous of Morocco with comments on tooth functionalities and replacement patterns.

ABSTRACT: The first articulated dentition of †Ptychodus from Africa is described herein. The specimen, likely coming from the Turonian of the Asfla area (Goulmima region, southeastern Morocco), exhibits a well-preserved lower dental plate of a second-level predator. A new species, †P. maghrebianus sp. nov., is erected herein based on this durophagous dentition characterised by imbricated cuspidate teeth. We employed for the first time in †Ptychodus multiple quantitative analyses and statistical parametric and non-parametric tests to process biometrical data taken from articulated, associated and isolated teeth. The quantitative approach (morphospace analysis) is exploited herein to support the traditional taxonomic identification (qualitative examination) of †P. maghrebianus<

SUBMITTER: Amadori M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7612291 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature