Pseudocorax (Chondrichthyes, Lamniformes, Pseudocoracidae) in the Upper Maastrichtian phosphates of Khouribga Province, Morocco
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A new species of Pseudocorax (Lamniformes, Pseudocoracidae), Pseudocorax heteroserratus n. sp., is described from the upper Maastrichtian phosphates of Morocco. This novel taxon is recognized by a large sample of isolated teeth collected from the upper Couche III layer at the Sidi Chennane quarry in the Oulad Abdoun Basin, Khouribga Province, Morocco. P. heteroserratus is differentiated from other Pseudocorax species by bearing a mesiodistally elongated tooth base, broad crown, and highly variable serrations. The variability in number and extent of serrations along the carinae ranges from completely absent to fully serrated and finely to coarsely serrated, raising speculation on broader Pseudocorax phylogenetics and as to whether the genesis of serrations within Pseudocorax occurred in a singular progressive event or rather from two distinct events. The morphological variability within the new species highlights the importance of large sample sizes in selachian odontological studies using isolated teeth. UUID: http://zoobank.org/a8e2d349-5b2e-4fdd-9e3e-a93a290bf875
Source: Journal of Paleontology
Authors: Hunter Chase Egli, Benjamin Goode, Trevor Rempert, Christopher Rego
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
OpenAlex ID: W4416449982