Saivodus

{{Short description|Extinct genus of fish}}

{{Speciesbox

| fossil_range = {{fossilrange|Mississippian|Guadalupian}}

| image = Saivodus striatus cartilage (NPS Photo).jpg

| image_caption = Preserved cranial material of S. striatus found at Mammoth Cave

| genus = Saivodus

| parent_authority = Duffin & Ginter, 2006

| species = striatus

| authority = Agassiz, 1843

| synonyms = * †Cladodus striatus

}}

Saivodus is an extinct genus of ctenacanthiform fish that existed during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. Fossils have been found in Ireland, Scotland, England, Belgium, Morocco, and the United States.{{Cite journal |last1=Hodnett |first1=John-Paul M. |last2=Elliott |first2=David K. |last3=Olson |first3=Tom J. |last4=Wittke |first4=James H. |date=2012 |title=Ctenacanthiform sharks from the Permian Kaibab Formation, northern Arizona |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2012.683193 |journal=Historical Biology |language=en |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=381–395 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2012.683193 |s2cid=85332499 |issn=0891-2963|url-access=subscription }}

Taxonomy

Saivodus was erected in 2006. The single species belonging to this genus was formerly included in the unrelated genus Cladodus.{{cite journal |last1=Duffin |first1=C.J. |last2=Ginter |first2=M. |title=Comments on the selachian genus Cladodus Agassiz, 1843 |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |date=2006 |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=253–266 |doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2006)26[253:COTSGC]2.0.CO;2}}

Description

Saivodus is the largest known member of its group measuring {{convert|4|-|5|m|ft}} or more in total body length, possibly even up to {{convert|6|-|7|m|ft}}, based on individual teeth about {{convert|3|cm|in}} or more in length.{{cite journal|last1=Hodnett|first1=J.-P.M.|last2=Tweet|first2=J.S.|last3=Santucci|first3=V.L.|year=2022|title=The occurrence of fossil cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) within the parks and monuments of the National Park Service|journal=New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin|volume=90|pages=183–208}}{{Cite journal |last=Engelman |first=Russell K. |date=2023 |title=A Devonian Fish Tale: A New Method of Body Length Estimation Suggests Much Smaller Sizes for Dunkleosteus terrelli (Placodermi: Arthrodira) |journal=Diversity |language=en |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=318 |doi=10.3390/d15030318 |issn=1424-2818 |doi-access=free }} The shape of the teeth suggest it targeted soft-bodied prey.{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=B. |title=Jaw of 330-Million-Year-Old Shark Discovered in Kentucky Cave |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jaw-330-million-year-old-shark-found-kentucky-cave-180974115/ |date=February 4, 2020}}

File:A team from the National Park Service thoroughly documented two cartilaginous specimens found in the cave by capturing (6135ccac-970c-492a-a4e8-cc94fd8a3d6b).jpg]]

References

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