Cantioscyllium is an extinct nurse shark erected by Woodward (1889) based on a partial skeleton from the Late Cretaceous of England. The teeth are small following the general nurse shark-design: a low, robust, lingually inclined crown, in which the lower labial margin extends well beyond the V-shaped roots. The shoulders lack the strongly developed cusplets present in other nurse sharks, replaced by one to three low and rounded projections. The labial crown face bears enameloid wrinkles which may be weak (Fig ) to strong (Fig ). The root bears a central pore and a lateral foramen on the external face of each lobe. The dentition is clutching in design with gradational monognathic heterodonty. Anterior teeth are mesio-distally compressed with more upright crowns when contrasted with the expanded lateral/posterio-lateral positions.

Cappetta (1987: 78-79) includes this taxon in the Cenomanian-Turonian of Western Europe and the North American inland sea. Welton & Farish (1993:82) included it in the Cenomanian-Coniacian of Texas and Kent (1994: 32-34) from the Maastrichtian of Maryland. Case & Cappetta (1997: 136) erected C. meyeri for Cantioscyllium teeth from the Maastrichtian of Texas. They noted that compared with Herman (1977, plate VI), these teeth were:

  • smaller
  • lateral teeth less laterally expanded
  • marginal cusplets less numerous, and
  • reduced number of labial folds

    In North Carolina. Cantioscyllium teeth are represented but uncommon in the Tar Heel Fm (Campanian) and possibly Peedee Fm (Maastrichtian). Although these teeth best compare with the "C. meyeri" description, it is difficult to accept that morphology as anything more than a subtle chrono-/morpho-species and has been rejected (at this time) on this webpage.

    Selected References

    Cappetta, H., 1987. Chondrichthyes II. Mesozoic and Cenozoic Elasmobranchii. In: Handbook of Paleoichthyologie, vol. 3b, Gustav Fischer Verleg, Stuttgart, 193 pp.
    Case, G. and Cappetta, H.. 1997. A new selachian fauna from the late Maastrichtian of Texas. Münchener Geowissenschaften Abhandungen 34:131-189.
    Herman, J., 1977. Les Sélaciens des terrains néocrétacés & paléocènes de Belgique & des contrées limitrophes Eléments d'une biostratigraphie intercontinentale. Mem. Expl, Cartes Géo. & Min. de la Belg, Mém, no. 15, 450 pp, 25 figs, 21 pls.
    Kent, B., 1994. Fossil Sharks of the Chesapeake Region. Egan Rees & Boyer, Maryland. 146 pp
    Welton, B. and Farish, R., 1993. The Collector's Guide to Fossil Sharks and Rays from the Cretaceous of Texas. Before Time, Texas. 204 pp.
    Woodward, A., 1889. Catalogue of the fossil fishes in the British Museum, Part 1. London, 474pp.

     

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