Scientists have discovered a new species of ancient winged shark, which lived around 93 million years ago. Aquilolamna milarcae was discovered in Vallecillo, Mexico, renowned for its well-preserved fossils. The specimen measures around 1.65 metres in length and has a fin span of 1.9 metres.
Nicknamed ‘eagle shark’, the shark had extremely long pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. It was unlikely to have been able to hunt for food as it was not adapted to swimming fast and following prey. Coupled with a large head and no teeth found on the skeleton – suggesting they were very small or missing entirely – it was more a plankton-eater than predator.
Previously, scientists had only known of one category of large plankton feeders in the Cretaceous period, a group of large bony fish called Pachycormidae. The eagle shark is now the second-known, plankton-eating fish ever discovered.
Picture Credit : Google
