THE FINS UNITED INITIATIVE
  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact

Edestus

4/22/2018

 
When talking about ancient sharks, one cannot forget one named by Joseph Leidy in 1855: Edestus. Pronounced Eh-dess-tuss, their classification is as follow: 
Chordata -> Chondrichthyes -> Holocephali -> Eugeneodontida -> Edestidae.

Picture
Picture credit: Earth Archives
With a few species (think: E. giganteus, E. heinrichi, E. mirus, E. minor, and E. vorax), they were a piscivore animal that is estimated to have gotten up to 6 metres long! Fossils have been found in the United Kingdom (England), Russia, and parts of the United States of America.

Scientists say that this animal lived in the Late Carboniferous Period (Kasimovian to Gzhelian) about 300 million years ago. Nicknamed the "scissor-tooth shark,"  and 'coal shark,' (because they were found in Carboniferous coal deposits), Edestus is belongs to the same family as the whacky Helicoprion. Said to be within the Holocephalii, their teeth look like they need an orthodontist. Seriously- their old teeth were pushed forward as the new teeth came in at the back of their jaws. This meant their teeth kind of looked like serrated shears... hence the name of 'scissor toothed shark'. Eek!

Unfortunately only the teeth and jaws of Edestus are what we have... so we don't really know how they ate. Or how they swam... or, really, anything about their lives. This is all we really know.
​

​GUEST BLOG POST WRITER: JOSHUA ROOKS

Picture
Joshua Rooks loves dinosaurs. Specifically the terrestrial kind, but when wife and TFUI founder Melissa asked if he wanted to tackle some ancient sharks, he said yes. You can find him hoarding books in his backpack as he hikes after his wife in her adventures.

Also written by Joshua:
  • Megalodon: The Trooth
  • Bandringa: A fresh and salty shark

Comments are closed.

    Author

    TFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments.
    ​
    A proud #LatinainSTEM, Marquez is a marine biologist who focuses on shark habitat use and movements; she is also a science communicator (follow her on Twitter) who focuses on diverse Chondrichthyan education and who focuses on the media coverage of sharks.
    You can learn more about her on her website.

    SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Subscribe to The Fins United Initiative's monthly newsletter.

    SEARCH BY CATEGORIES

    Picture
    SHARKS
    Picture
    SKATES &
    ​RAYS
    Picture
    CHIMAERA

    READER FAVORITES

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM

    @finsunitedinitiative
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • About TFUI
    • TFUI Origins >
      • About TFUI Founder Melissa
      • TFUI Officers
    • Take a Bite
    • Get Involved
    • FAQ
  • Bite Blog
  • Education
    • The Sharks >
      • Shark Anatomy
    • The Skates & Rays
    • The Chimaeras
    • Why Environments Matter
    • The Threats
    • Open Access >
      • Behind the Fins: Interview series
      • Bite into Research
      • Shark Bites: Book Recommendations
      • Sustainable Seafood Apps
  • Fins United
    • Shark Party Ideas
    • Little Fins Nursery
    • Big Fins Reef
  • Contact