Abstract
In the current genomic era, palaeontology remains crucial for understanding macroevolutionary
patterns and dynamics. Despite a relatively rich fossil record, the early evolution of lamniform sharks, a group including iconic predators like the white shark and the extinct †Otodus megalodon, remains poorly understood due to the scarcity of complete fossils. The Late Jurassic shark †Palaeocarcharias stromeri, currently considered the oldest lamniform, displays a mosaic of orectolobiform (body) and lamniform (dental) traits, complicating its classification. Our revized morphological and phylogenetic analysis of †P. stromeri from the Solnhofen Archipelago confirms it as a stem-group lamniform, with orectolobiform features likely being adaptations to a benthic lifestyle. Ancestral state analyses suggest that lamniform sharks originated in the early Middle Jurassic as small, benthic coastal sharks. In contrast to previous studies, our results show that the shift towards larger body size in lamniform sharks was not abrupt, but gradual and was linked to the transition into the pelagic realm during the Early to early Late Cretaceous. This study highlights the importance of integrating fossil data into macroevolutionary analyses to improve ancestral state reconstructions. We thus advocate for future studies to combine molecular and fossil data, to improve the accuracy of evolutionary trait analyses.
patterns and dynamics. Despite a relatively rich fossil record, the early evolution of lamniform sharks, a group including iconic predators like the white shark and the extinct †Otodus megalodon, remains poorly understood due to the scarcity of complete fossils. The Late Jurassic shark †Palaeocarcharias stromeri, currently considered the oldest lamniform, displays a mosaic of orectolobiform (body) and lamniform (dental) traits, complicating its classification. Our revized morphological and phylogenetic analysis of †P. stromeri from the Solnhofen Archipelago confirms it as a stem-group lamniform, with orectolobiform features likely being adaptations to a benthic lifestyle. Ancestral state analyses suggest that lamniform sharks originated in the early Middle Jurassic as small, benthic coastal sharks. In contrast to previous studies, our results show that the shift towards larger body size in lamniform sharks was not abrupt, but gradual and was linked to the transition into the pelagic realm during the Early to early Late Cretaceous. This study highlights the importance of integrating fossil data into macroevolutionary analyses to improve ancestral state reconstructions. We thus advocate for future studies to combine molecular and fossil data, to improve the accuracy of evolutionary trait analyses.
Originalsprache | Englisch |
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Titel | Programme and Abstract |
Redakteure*innen | Emma Dunne, Thomas Clemens, Rachel Warnock |
Erscheinungsort | Erlangen |
Herausgeber (Verlag) | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität |
Seiten | 61-61 |
Seitenumfang | 1 |
Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 9 Dez. 2024 |
Veranstaltung | The Palaeontological Association: 68th Annual Meeting - Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen, Deutschland Dauer: 9 Dez. 2024 → 13 Dez. 2024 https://www.palass.org/meetings-events/annual-meeting/2024/annual-meeting-2024-erlangen-germany-registration-abstracts |
Konferenz
Konferenz | The Palaeontological Association |
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Kurztitel | PalAss 2024 |
Land/Gebiet | Deutschland |
Ort | Erlangen |
Zeitraum | 9/12/24 → 13/12/24 |
Internetadresse |
ÖFOS 2012
- 105118 Paläontologie