Original paper
The Silky Shark, Carcharhinus falciformis BIBRON, 1841), in the Pliocene of Cava Serredi (Fine Basin, Italy)
Carnevale, Giorgio; Marsili, Stefano; Caputo, ; Egisti, Lorenzo
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen Band 242 Heft 2-3 (2006), p. 357 - 370
49 references
published: Dec 18, 2006
DOI: 10.1127/njgpa/242/2006/357
ArtNo. ESP155024202008, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
An isolated tooth of the Silky Shark, Carcharhinus falciformis, is described from the Early Pliocene of Cava Serredi in the Fine Basin, Tuscany. The specimen is interpreted as an upper lateral-posterior tooth and is characterized by a straight mesial cutting edge with a marked gap in the serrations at the level of the angular notch. The thermophilous character of this shark species provides new evidence of the warm climatic affinities that the Mediterranean had during the lower Zanclean. From a paleoenvironmental point of view the occurrence of Carcharhinus falciformis is consistent with the data derived from microfossil assemblage analyses, and appears to be indicative of a depositional setting close to the edge of the continental shelf.
Keywords
Carcharhinidae • Carcharhinus falciformis • Pliocene • Cava Serredi • Tuscany.