Sclerorhynchus Explained

Sclerorhynchus (from Greek, Modern (1453-);: σκληρός, 'hard' and Greek, Modern (1453-);: ῥύγχος 'snout') is an extinct genus of ganopristid sclerorhynchoid that lived during the Late Cretaceous. The genus Ganopristis is considered a junior synonym of Sclerorhynchus.^{[1] [2]} It was a widespread genus, with fossils found in the Middle East (S. atavus, S. karakensis), North Africa (S. leptodon), Europe (S. leptodon), and North America (S. fanninensis, S. pettersi, S. priscus). While it had a long rostrum with large denticles similar to sawfishes and sawsharks, its closest living relatives are actually skates.^[3] Complete specimens of S. atavus show that its fin arrangement was similar to skates, with the pectoral and pelvic fins touching, both dorsal fins located behind the pelvic fins, and a reduced caudal fin.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Arambourg . C. . 1952 . Les Vertébrés fossiles des gisements de phosphates (Maroc - Algérie - Tunisie) . Notes et Mémoires du Service géologique du Maroc . 92 . 1–372 .
2. Greenfield . T. . 2021 . Corrections to the nomenclature of sawskates (Rajiformes, Sclerorhynchoidei) . Bionomina . 22 . 1 . 39–41 . 10.11646/bionomina.22.1.3. 239067365 .
3. Villalobos-Segura . E. . Kriwet . J. . Vullo . R. . Stumpf . S. . Ward . D.J. . Underwood . C.J. . 2021 . The skeletal remains of the euryhaline sclerorhynchoid †Onchopristis (Elasmobranchii) from the 'Mid'-Cretaceous and their palaeontological implications . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 193 . 2 . 746–771 . 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa166.
4. Cappetta . H. . 1980 . Les Sélaciens du Crétacé supérieur du Liban. II. Batoïdes. . Palaeontographica, Abteilung A . 168 . 5–6 . 149–229.