Palaeontologists have discovered a giant shark that lived 115 million years ago. The fossil, found off northern Australia, reveals a mid‑Cretaceous predator. It belonged to a modern shark group known as lamniforms. Researchers say this lineage reached massive sizes far earlier than expected.
Clues From Fossil Bones
The team recovered five large vertebrae from ancient marine sediments. Each vertebra measures about 12 centimetres in diameter which is huge for sharks. Modern great white shark vertebrae are typically only around 8 centimetres. The size suggests a shark potentially rivaling today’s largest predators. Analysis included tomography and detailed statistical models of body size.
Who Made the Discovery?
An international team of palaeontologists and ichthyologists conducted the research. The findings were published in the journal Historical Biology. They compared fossil vertebrae with modern shark skeletons for accuracy. The study combines fossil evidence, comparative anatomy and evolutionary modelling.
Sharks Outsize Reptiles
This discovery revises timelines for shark evolution and predation dominance.
It shows lamniform sharks were already apex predators in the mid‑Cretaceous.
Previously, such dominance was attributed mostly to marine reptiles like plesiosaurs.
Giant sharks and marine reptiles coexisted as top predators in oceans.
Why It Matters?
The shark’s size challenges previous assumptions about early modern sharks. It highlights how quickly some shark lineages evolved large body sizes. Understanding ancient predator dynamics informs how marine ecosystems changed over time. The discovery emphasises that sharks have been dominant ocean hunters for millions of years.
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