Protosqualus

''Protosqualus'' ("Primitive Squalus") was a genus of dogfish shark that existed during the Cretaceous. Fossils have been found in Europe (mainly in France, Russia, Germany, Lithuania, The United Kingdom and Ukraine), East Asia (mainly in Japan), Antarctica, Australia, India and South America. The type species is ''Protosqualus sigei'', which was found around an Albian aged deposit in France. There are 6 species which can be differentiated by distinct features in their teeth. Some species show some level of heterodonty, for example ''Protosqualus barringtonensis'' shows a rather high level of heterodonty within its teeth. The oldest specimens are from the Speeton Clay Formation. ''Protosqualus'' teeth are quite common in the Grey Chalk deposit of England. The genus went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, with the last species in the genus being ''Protosqualus argentinensis'' from southern Argentina as well as possibly being from earlier deposits in India.

Discovery and Naming

The type specimen of ''Protosqualus'' was found in a deposit that had been known to contain shark teeth since the 1930's. The type specimen was finally named in 1977 by paleontologist and ichthyologist, Henri Cappetta. The deposit is the Mortoniceras inflatum ammonoid zone. The name ''Protosqualus'' literally means "Primitive Squalus" in reference to how it is an ancient genus related to the extant genus, Squalus. The type species, P.sigei, derives its species name from paleontologist, B.Siegé.

Description

''Protosqualus'', like most fossil sharks, is known from mostly dental remains. ''Protosqualus'' had an undulated ventral margin of the dental crown that was distal to the apron. Unlike modern members of the genus ''Squalus'', ''Protosqualus'' had dental crowns which did not have a great degree of labiolingual compression. The holotype of ''P. sigei'' featured a tooth with small gaps between them, each with a clearly defined slanted tip. Its front ledge was well-developed and slightly raised, culminating in a rounded shape firmly attached at the base of the crown. The back of the tooth appeared flat, with a slight depression near the ledge. The root was low and thick, angled slightly in relation to the crown, and exhibited minor protrusions on both its front and rear sides. The bottom of the tooth was flat and gently curved, with the holes on the sides either separated or, less commonly, connected by a groove. The teeth of ''P. pachyrhiza'' were more bulky. ''Protosqualus glickmani'' had a broad cusp. ''Protosqualus argentinensis'' had defined serrated cutting edges and was probably the largest member of the genus. ''Protosqualus barringtonensis'' may have shown some sexual dimorphism in the teeth, however all teeth show a short cusp. ''P.albertsi'' had a broad, labial protuberance.

Classification

''Protosqualus'' is a member of the Squalidae within the Squaliformes group. Today, only two extant genera of squalids exist. Squalids tend to note have the teeth in their lower jaw not being any larger than the teeth seen in the upper jaw. Below is a cladogram showing where Squalidae sits in the Squaliform clade.

In 2001, Adnet & Cappetta found the following position for ''Protosqualus.''Here, it is shown to be closer to the extant dogfishes called Spurdogs.

Paleoecology

Protosqualus lived alongside other chondrichthyans as well as other types of fish. It also lived alongside mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.
Fossils of Protosqualus have been found in the Speeton Clay Formation, Omagari Formation, Hunstanton Formation, Jiesia Formation, Lopez de Bertodano Formation, Burim Formation, Ferriby Formation, Karai Formation, Labguva Formation, Hibernian Greensand Formation and Calafate Formation among a few others. The Calafate Formation likely had estuaries and shallow seas.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q23768645, from2=Q25363815, from3=Q23654390, from4=Q23654432

Cretaceous first appearances
Cretaceous fish of Asia
Cretaceous fish of Europe
Cretaceous fish of South America
Maastrichtian genus extinctions
Cretaceous sharks
Fossil taxa described in 1977