Paranomotodon, whose name means “near/almost Anomotodon“, was a primitive thresher shark which lived during the middle and late Cretaceous Period, circa 95-66 million years ago.
Anomotodon was an extinct species of goblin shark, and fossil shark teeth which were found in Europe were believed to be from a related animal. Only one species of Paranomotodon is currently known: P. angustidens. This species appears towards the end of the Cenomanian Stage and afterwards spread across the globe. Fossil teeth which have been ascribed to this species have even been found within the Hell Creek Formation.
Despite earlier claims that Paranomotodon was related to or at least had teeth which were outwardly similar to the teeth of goblin sharks, according to Cappetta and Case (1975), these teeth are more similar to those belonging to modern-day thresher sharks.
According to Shimada (2006), there is a ratio in the size of the tooth crown to the overall length of the Common Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus). The largest confirmed Common Thresher measured 5.73 meters long. The teeth of Paranomotodon are only 2 cm long, but did it have as long of a tail as its modern relative? It’s believed that true thresher sharks appeared 55 MYA, so their primitive ancestors might not have had tails as long as their modern descendants. If that’s the case, then the total length of Paranomotodon angustidens would be much shorter, say only 10-12 feet long. However, this is just a guess.
Paranomotodon angustidens. © Jason R. Abdale (January 9, 2025).
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Categories: Paleontology, Uncategorized
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