Scientists report finding fossilized shark teeth in Egypt’s Western Desert that shed light on ancient marine life. The remains, recovered from the Abu-Tartur Plateau region, are linked to several extinct shark species that lived in warm, tropical seas during the Late Cretaceous period.
The outlets describe the discovery as expanding the known record of shark diversity in North Africa. Times of India says the teeth represent five extinct species, while Gizmodo characterizes the evidence as indicating at least seven extinct species. Both accounts agree the fossils come from desert-buried deposits and point to ecosystems that existed long before the region became arid.
Together, the reports suggest Egypt’s present-day deserts preserve marine habitats from deep time, with shark fossils offering new evidence of the range and variety of predators in those ancient oceans. The difference in the reported number of species reflects how researchers interpret tooth characteristics and how many distinct species the teeth can confidently be assigned to from the available material.
