Cosmopolitodus

Cosmopolitodus is an extinct genus of potencialy dubious mackerel sharks that lived in 30 to 1.07 milions years ago, between the Oligocene and Pleistocene. The type species is the Cosmopolitodus hastalis. The genus is formaly know from the appelid of "Broad-toothed mako shark" or "Extinct giant white shark".

The Isurus planus was been replaced in the genus in 2021. Some paleontologist classified the genus as synonym of Carcharodon.

 Description 
The teeth of the C. hastalis is very simillar to the Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). Tooth of C. hastalis is very large and thin, being quite narrow. Teeth of C. hastalis are similar in shape to those of C. xiphodon, but they are not the same species. It is estimated that C. hastalis was smaller than C. xiphodon.

 Size 
As with most extinct sharks, the size of Cosmopolitodus is still uncertain. Some paleontologists compare the teeth of this species to those of the extant C. carcharias, which would indicate a size range of around 5 to 7 meters (16.4 and 23 ft).

The largest species in the genus is therefore believed to be C. xiphodon, which now refers to the extinct shark known as Carcharodon plicatilis. A recent estimate shows that C. xiphodon reached a maximum size of 7 to 8 meters (23-26 ft) in length.

 Diet 
The C. hastalis was the apex predator of the Neogene, this species hunted small cetaceans, seals, giant fish, penguins and sea turtles.

 Related pages 

 Lamniformes
 Great white shark

 References 

 Bibliography 

 Shark-References
 Fossilguy.com

 Other websites 

Category:Sharks
Category:Miocene
Category:Oligocene
Category:Pleistocene
Category:Extinct fish
Category:Eocene