Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer, 1849)

A Set of Teeth (Labial Views) From New Jersey

Labial View From Texas

Remarks

• Lee Duchouquette found the tooth in the left photograph from the Navarro Group, Kemp Formation, Hunt County, Texas.

• The tooth set shown in the photo on the right is part of Tony Fabian's nice collection from the Monmouth Group, Navesink Formation, Monmouth County, NJ.

General Info

Synonyms (older names and misidentifications in the literature)

• Goblin Shark
• 1849 Lamna texana Römer
• 1852 Lamna texana Römer
• 1873 Lamna sp. Leidy
• 1911 Lamna texana Roemer; Fowler
• 1956 Odontaspis malletiana White
• 1967 Lamna sp. Case
• 1967 Scapanorhynchus raphiodon (Agassiz); Case
• 1967 Lamna serrata Case
• 1967 Isurus sp. Miller
• 1967 Carcharias ? sp. Miller
• 1970 Scapanorhynchus rapax (Quaas); Applegate
• 1970 Scapanorhynchus raphiodon (Agassiz); Applegate
• 1970 Lamna appendiculata Agassiz; Applegate
• 1973 Lamna cornubica Case
• 1973 Scapanorhynchus raphiodon (Agassiz); Case
• 1973 Lamna serrata Case
• 1975 Scapanorhynchus raphiodon (Agassiz); Cappetta and Case
• 1983 Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer); Lauginiger and Hartstein
• 1987 Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer); Cappetta
• 1993 Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer); Welton and Farish
• 1994 Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer); Kent

Stratigraphic Occurrence

• Monmouth Group, Severn Formation of Maryland
• Monmouth Group, Navesink Formation of New Jersey and Delaware
• Matawan Group, Marshalltown Formation of New Jersey
• Matawan Group, Merchantville Formation of New Jersey
• Black Creek Formation of North Carolina
• Midway Group, Littig Formation (Paleocene) of Texas (reworked)
• Navarro Group, Kemp Formation of Northeast Texas
• Taylor Group, Wolfe City Formation of Northeast Texas
• Taylor Group, Ozan Formation of Northeast Texas
• Taylor Group, Sprinkle Formation of Central Texas

Age

• Scapanorhynchus texanus (Roemer) ranges from about the Menabites (Delawarella) sabinalensis (Young) zone to roughly the Sphenodiscus pleurisepta (Conrad) zone, upper Lower Campanian to Middle Maastrichtian Stage (~81–67 mya).

Geographic Occurrence (not an all-inclusive list)

• Dallas County, TX
• Ellis County, TX
• Fannin County, TX
• Hunt County, TX
• Maryland
• Monmouth County, NJ
• New Castle County, DE
• Travis County, TX

Remarks

         The best reference for identification is:

• Welton, B. J; Farish, R. F. 1993. The Collector’s Guide to Fossil Sharks and Rays from the Cretaceous of Texas. Lewisville: Before Time.