Fossils of a ‘strange’ wing-like shark from 93 million years ago found in Mexico, Science News

Scientists recently discovered a fossil-rich shark that ruled the oceans about 93 million years ago. Results based on the remains of a strange species of shark officially known as “Aquilolamna milarcae” were published in the journal Science on Thursday.

Invertebrate palaeontologist and lead author of the study Romain Vullo said that the name Aquilolamna translates to “eagle shark”, and that the strange species that were fed on plankton at the time were dinosaurs ruled the land.

A hand-drawn image released on March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of the Aquilolamna Eagle Shark.  About 93 million years ago, exotic winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  This fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed the discoverers to raise a new family.  Like manta rays, these 'eagle sharks' are characterized by long, thin wing-like pectoral wings.  The sample examined was 1.65 meters long and had an area of ​​1.90 meters.  With his big mouth and small teeth, apparently, he must have fed plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS.  The complete sample was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico).  Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / University of Heidelberg / AFP
A hand-drawn image released on March 18, 2021 shows a fossil of the Aquilolamna Eagle Shark. About 93 million years ago, exotic winged sharks swam in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This fossil species, called Aquilolamna milarcae, has allowed the discoverers to raise a new family. Like manta rays, these ‘eagle sharks’ are characterized by long, thin wing-like pectoral wings. The sample examined was 1.65 meters long and had an area of ​​1.90 meters. With his big mouth and small teeth, apparently, he must have fed plankton, according to the international research team led by Romain Vullo of the CNRS. The complete sample was found in 2012 in Vallecillo (Mexico). | Wolfgang Stinnesbeck / University of Heidelberg / AFP

The sharks crossed the oceans now in northeastern Mexico and had long wing-like wings. The shark had a span of about 1.9 meters (over 6 feet) and a head-to-toe length of 1.65 meters (over 5 feet), leaving the scientists flabbergasted.

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Reuters reported that Vullo described the feathers as “largely acting as an” effective stable “. Vullo, who is affiliated with Geoscienes Rennes, the research unit of the University of Rennes and National for French Scientific Research, said this makes the species only sharks wider than far.

“Aquilolamna is indeed a fine example of an extinct creature displaying an unexpected new morphology. This strongly indicates that there may have been other body shapes and morphological changes throughout the history of the Middle Ages. shark desert, “Reuters quoted Vullo as saying.

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But it’s not so far removed from the regular features of sharks, including a torpedo-shaped body, and a shark’s tail. Her pectoral wings, however, stood out!

Researchers believe that Aquilolamna may have been a slow-swimming shark, feeding on plankton by feeding on seeds, similar to what plankton eat sharks today.

The fossil was found in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, but did not reveal its filtering method.

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