Article: Hybodont sharks of the English Bathonian and Callovian (Middle Jurassic)
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume:
51
Part:
1
Publication Date:
January
2008
Page(s):
117
–
147
Author(s):
Jan Rees and Charlie J. Underwood
Abstract
Recent bulk sampling and study of museum collections has revealed a high diversity of hybodont sharks from the English Bathonian, with 15 species being recognised. In addition, study of dental and skeletal material from the English Callovian has allowed the diagnosis of a new genus and species, Planohybodus peterboroughensis gen. et sp. nov., allowing the Bathonian species Hybodus grossiconus Agassiz to be referred to Planohybodus. Two additional new genera, Secarodus and Frangerodus, are erected for the Bathonian taxa Hybodus polyprion Agassiz and Strophodus lingualis Woodward, respectively. Egertonodus duffini sp. nov. is described and the diagnosis of Egertonodus based on dental material is discussed. The previously unrecorded Hybodus sp., Parvodus sp., and Lonchidion sp. are recognised but left in open nomenclature. Asteracanthus medius (Owen) is recorded in the British Bathonian for the first time, and the status of Bathonian nominal species of Asteracanthus are assessed. Bathonian hybodonts showed great diversity in trophic ecology and many of the species are specific to particular palaeoenvironments.