Re: Not dinosaurs but chondrichthyans

["Andrew Milner" <andrew@hanmansfossils.com>]

Lorna,

I sent this to you a couple of days ago and didn't receive a response from
you.  I thought I should send it out over the DML server just in case.  Also
thought other folks might want to see the info I have provided you with ...

To the best of my knowledge, the oldest known articulated sharks are from
the Atolville Beds, Gaspe Sandstone Group, northern New Brunswick
(Campbellton area).  Isolated teeth originally interpreted as acanthodian
fin spines are now recognized as sharks.  Articulated specimens have since
been collected (see web links below).  The age of the Atholville Beds
estimated at around 409 million years (Lower Devonian; early Emsian).

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1001_031001_sharkfossil.html

Here is a PDF on Doliodus from Nature:
http://142.166.43.115/Miller%20et%20al%20Nature%20425.pdf

You may want to try and contact Randy Miller (New Brunswick Museum) or
Richard Cloutier for more details.  Their paper in Nature will no doubt be
of help.

Based on info from Miller et al (2003) ,the oldest chondricthyan (sharks,
rays, skates, chimaerans) based on scales and denticles are estimated back
to the Upper Ordovician (approx. 455 mya).  Oldest teeth recognized are
about 418 mya (lower Devonian).

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Andrew

Andrew R. C. Milner
City Paleontologist
St. George Dinosaur Tracksite at Johnson Farm, St. George, Utah
Home Phone: (435) 477-9467
andrew@hanmansfossils.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steel, Lorna" <Lorna.Steel@iow.gov.uk>
To: "Dinosaur Mailing List" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 9:10 AM
Subject: Not dinosaurs but chondrichthyans


> Hi all,
>
> Is anyone out there up to date with the earliest appearance of
> chondrichthyans? It's Devonian according to the latest edition of Benton's
> Vertebrate Palaeontology, but surely there have recent finds to push that
> back a little earlier. Shark people, please tell me what you know! It's
for
> a museum display.
> Lorna
>
> Lorna Steel
> Dinosaur Isle
> culver parade
> sandown
> isle of wight
> po36 8qa
> 01983 404344
> 07970 009954
>
>
>