Physogaleus, Cappetta, 1980

Zouhri, Samir, Gingerich, Philip D., Khalloufi, Bouziane, Bourdon, Estelle, Adnet, Sylvain, Jouve, Stéphane, Elboudali, Najia, Amane, Ayoub, Rage, Jean-Claude & Tabuce, Rodolphe, 2021, Middle Eocene vertebrate fauna from the Aridal Formation, Sabkha of Gueran, southwestern Morocco, Geodiversitas 43 (5), pp. 121-150 : 127

Physogaleus sp.

MATERIAL. — 40 isolated teeth, figured material includes FSAC Bouj-340, 341, 342 and 343.

DESCRIPTION AND REMARKS

Among the smaller carcharhinids, teeth of Physogaleus sp. ( Fig. 4 A-C) are relatively frequent in both localities. Two coeval species of Physogaleus are redundant in the middle Eocene deposits. It concerns the larger P. secundus (Winkler, 1876) widespread in most middle Eocene deposits of North Atlantic (see Cappetta & Case 2016) and Neotethys, and the smaller P. tertius (Winkler, 1876) recorded in the same areas ( Cappetta 2012). With very tenuous differences, both species may enter in the morphological variability of the other. Our material is well conserved, and teeth appear larger (up to 1.5 cm) than those of northern representatives.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Elasmobranchii from Sabkha of Gueran collected around the Archaeocete whale carcasses.A-C, Physogaleus sp.: A, FSAC Bouj-340 anterolateral tooth (A1) labial and (A2) lingual views; B, FSAC Bouj-341 more anterolateral tooth in (B1) labial and (B2) lingual views; C, FSAC Bouj-342 lateral tooth in (C1) labial and (C2) lingual views; D, FSAC Bouj-343 Hemipristis curvatus lateral upper tooth in (D1) labial and (D2) lingual views; E, F, FSAC Bouj-344 Abdounia sp. lateral teeth in labial (E1, F1) and lingual (E2, F2) views; G-I, Cf. Carcharhinus sp.: G, FSAC Bouj-345 lateral upper tooth in (G1) labial and (G2) lingual views; H, FSAC Bouj-346 lateral lower tooth (H1) labial and (H2) lingual views; I, FSAC Bouj-347 anterior lower tooth in (I1) labial and (I2) lingual views. J, Propristis schweinfurthi FSAC Bouj-348 rostral “tooth” in (J1) dorsal and (J2) lateral views. Scale bars: 10 mm.