Antarctic Science

Table of Contents - 1998 - Volume 10, Issue 01  


Papers—Earth Sciences and Glaciology

A middle Eocene basking shark (Lamniformes, Cetorhinidae) from Antarctica.

Alberto L. Cione a1c1 and M. A. Reguero a1
a1 Departamento Científico Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 - La Plata, Argentina

Article author query
cione a   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
reguero m   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

A proximal fragment of a gill raker identified as belonging to a shark of the genus Cetorhinus was collected from middle Eocene deposits of the La Meseta Formation in the northern part of Seymour Island, Antarctica. This is the first record of a fossil basking shark from Antarctica and one of the earliest records of the genus. The minimum age of Cetorhinidae is middle Eocene. The only living species of the family Cetorhinidae is a very large plankton feeder, Cetorhinus maximus. Basking sharks are unknown in subantarctic or Antarctic waters but occur on both South American coasts today. The evolution of filter-feeding vertebrates is discussed.

(Received September 5 1996)
(Accepted November 4 1997)


Key Words: Antarctica; Cetorhinus; Elasmobranchii; Eocene; Lamniformes.

Correspondence:
c1 Email: museo@isis.unlp.edu.ar

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