A new hybodontiform shark (Strophodus Agassiz, 1838) from the Upper Jurassic of Switzerland

TL;DR

A new species of ancient shark, Strophodus timoluebkei, is described from fossil teeth found in Switzerland, offering insights into Jurassic marine ecosystems.

Contribution

The discovery and naming of a new Strophodus species from the Upper Jurassic of Switzerland.

Findings

Strophodus timoluebkei is the only vertebrate species identified in the Prealpine Sulzfluh Limestone Formation.

The species suggests the shark was a key predator in the Tethyan tropical coastal ecosystem.

The find adds to the understanding of hybodontiform diversity during the Upper Jurassic.

Abstract

The hybodontiform shark-like Strophodus was a large durophagous predator with highly specialized crushing-type dentition that mainly inhabited Mesozoic marine environments for more than 130 million years, with a fossil record spanning from the Middle Triassic to the Lower Cretaceous. Strophodus was a geographically widespread taxon with 13 species reported from Africa, Asia, Europe, India and South America. Here, we describe a new species of Strophodus, which we name Strophodus timoluebkei sp. nov. based on three teeth from the same individual in semi-articulated position. The holotype was collected in the Prealpine Sulzfluh Limestone Formation (Middle Oxfordian to Late Tithonian), Central Switzerland. Strophodus timoluebkei sp. nov. currently is the only vertebrate species reported from this geological unit, and its presence suggests that this durophagous shark likely played an important role as predator of the invertebrate fauna in this ancient Tethyan tropical coastal ecosystem. The new discovery sheds additional light onto the hybodontiform paleodiversity during the Upper Jurassic.

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