''Carcharoides'' is an extinct genus of
mackerel shark
The Lamniformes (, from Greek ''lamna'' "fish of prey") are an order of sharks commonly known as mackerel sharks (which may also refer specifically to the family Lamnidae). It includes some of the most familiar species of sharks, such as the gr ...
which lived during the
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...
and
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
epochs. It is a widespread genus, known from specimens in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is most common in the European portion of its range, being comparatively uncommon in other places. It is only known from isolated teeth, which are relatively delicate.
Species and affinities
There are three species, ''C. catticus'', ''C. totuserratus'', and ''C. lipsiensis''. ''C. catticus'' is much more common and present from the early Oligocene until the middle Miocene. ''C. totuserratus'' is a rarer serrated species which exists in the early Miocene. ''C. tenuidens'' is a junior synonym of ''C. totuserratus'' once applied to teeth from the late oligocene of Australia. Possible transitional teeth from ''C. catticus'' to ''C. totuserratus'' are known from the late Oligocene
Chandler Bridge Formation
The Chandler Bridge Formation is a geologic formation in South Carolina. It preserves fossils dating back to the Chattian (Late Oligocene) of the Paleogene period, corresponding to the Arikareean in the NALMA classification. of
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
.
''C. lipsiensis'' was described in 2018 from the
Rupelian
The Rupelian is, in the geologic timescale, the older of two ages or the lower of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/Series. It spans the time between . It is preceded by the Priabonian Stage (part of the Eocene) and is followed by the Chattian ...
-aged
Böhlen Formation of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. It is unserrated.
There is debate over the placement of the position of this genus within the order
Lamniformes
The Lamniformes (, from Greek ''lamna'' "fish of prey") are an order (biology), order of sharks commonly known as mackerel sharks (which may also refer specifically to the family Lamnidae). It includes some of the most familiar species of sharks, ...
. It has been traditionally considered a gracile member of the family
Lamnidae
The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks. They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word ''lam ...
, but some recent authors have suggested it is a robust member of the family
Odontaspididae. Either way, the species is an example of
convergent evolution
Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...
. The lack of associated material makes confident placement difficult. Purdy (2001) synonymized this genus with
Triaenodon but subsequent authors have refuted this.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q104851769
Lamniformes
Prehistoric shark genera