Otodus (Carcharocles) cf. sokolowi (Jaekel, 1895)

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 : 125

Otodus (Carcharocles) cf. sokolowi (Jaekel, 1895)

EXAMINED MATERIAL. — Around twenty broken isolated teeth, figured material includes FSAC Bouj-320, 321 and 322 .

DESCRIPTION

Teeth can reach up to 10 cm in height, displaying a large triangular cusp with well-marked and regular serrations on the cutting edges and a pair of lateral cusplets ( Fig. 2A ). Cusplets are not very high when conserved and often divergent in lateral teeth ( Fig. 2A ) to less developed in anterior teeth ( Fig. 2B ).

REMARKS

Teeth of Otodus (Carcharocles) cf. sokolowi are relatively common around the archaeocete carcasses ( Fig. 2 A-C). Case & Cappetta (1990) have discussed about the taxonomic distinctness of Otodus (Carcharocles) sokolowi compared to the other Eocene species of subgenus, and in particularly with the smaller and coeval species Otodus (Carcharocles) auriculatus (Blainville, 1818) . Otodus (Carcharocles) sokolowi appears widely distributed and relatively common in the tropical marine realm since the GEA-C (uppermost Bartonian-lowermost Priabonian) and throughout the Priabonian successions (GE D-G, BQ, QS) according to Underwood et al. (2011), southwestern Morocco included ( Adnet et al. 2010). However this species seems relatively discrete in older deposits, as in the MI ( Underwood et al. 2011). Its occurrence in Bartonian of Gueran, Morocco, testify of its spatial expansion along the Tethysian coasts during the Bartonian.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Elasmobranchii Lamniformes teeth remains from Sabkha of Gueran collected around Archaeocete whale carcasses: A-C, Otodus (Carcharocles) cf. sokolowi: A, FSAC Bouj-320 lateral upper tooth in (A1) labial and (A2) lingual views; B, FSAC Bouj-321 anterior lower tooth in labial view; C, FSAC Bouj-322 lateral lower tooth in labial view; D, E, Otodus (Carcharocles) sp.: D, FSAC Bouj-323 antero-lateral tooth in (D1) labial and (D2) lingual views; E, FSAC Bouj-324 lateral tooth (E1) labial and (E2) lingual views; F, G, “Carcharias” koerti; F, FSAC Bouj-325 anterolateral upper tooth in (F1) labial and (F2) lingual views; G, FSAC Bouj-326 anterior tooth of juvenile (G1) labial and (G2) lingual views; H-K, Macrorhizodus praecursor: H, FSAC Bouj-327 anterior lower tooth (H1) labial and (H2) lingual views; I, FSAC Bouj-328 anterior upper tooth in (I1) labial and (I2) lingual views; J, FSAC Bouj-329 lateral upper tooth in (J1) labial and (J2) lingual views; K, FSAC Bouj-330 lateral lower tooth (K1) labial and (K2) lingual views. Scale bars: 10 mm.