Gomphogaleus

Adnet, Sylvain & Cappetta, Henri, 2008, New fossil triakid sharks from the early Eocene of Prémontré, France, and comments on fossil record of the family, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53 (3), pp. 433-448 : 439

Genus Gomphogaleus nov.

Type species: Mustelus rodgersi Case, 1994 , by monotypy; Meridian , Lauderdale County, Mississippi, USA, Ypresian , lower Eocene .

Etymology: From Greek gomphos = “thick” referring to the great thickness of teeth.

Diagnosis.—Fossil genus differing from all other triakid genera in having small, thick teeth with short distal cusplets and completely smooth enamel. Compared to all genera with cuspidate teeth ( Galeorhinus, Kouribgaleus , Pachygaleus , Triakis , among others), the cusp is shorter, rather erect, little detached from the rest of the crown and its mesial cutting edge is clearly concave in labial view. The labial face is convex in profile and strongly overhangs the root. Only one short denticle emerges from the distal heel of the crown. The root is stocky and reduced in size; its lingual protuberance is well developed, prominent, rounded and the two lobes are largely separated by a broad and deep nutritive groove.