Otodus (Carcharocles) sp.

EXAMINED MATERIAL. — A dozen isolated teeth, figured material includes FSAC Bouj-323.

DESCRIPTION

Teeth are some smaller than those of previous species and up to 5 cm in height (Fig. 2D, E). Compared to Otodus (Carcharocles) cf. sokolowi, teeth of this second species display a flatter root with subrectangular basal extremities of lobes, a more slender cusp with finer serrations and two cusplets which are smaller and lower than in other coeval species.

REMARKS

These characters are different from the coeval small megatoothed shark species Otodus (Carcharocles) auriculatus , commonly reported in worldwide middle Eocene deposits (e.g., Ward & Wiest 1990; Dutheil 1991; Long 1992; Cappetta & Stringer 2002, Cappetta & Case 2016). Similar otodontid morphology is observed in the Lutetian material of Togo (Pers. Observ.) where co-occurrence of two representatives of megatoothed sharks is also noticed.