Tooth marks of the Great White Shark from a Pliocene outcrop of the Northern Apennines (Castell'Arquato, Italy)

Authors

  • Alessandro Freschi Museo Geologico "G. Cortesi", Via Sforza Caolzio, 57, 29014 Castell'Arquato, Piacenza Author
  • Simone Cau Via Azzolini 12, Lesignano de Bagni, Parma Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2110/carnets.2024.2408

Keywords:

Pliocene, Piacenzian, Cetacea, Carcharodon carcharias, great white shark, tooth marks, Castell'Arquato, Northern Apennines

Abstract

We describe and analyze a rib fragment of a small cetacean from the Castell'Arquato Plio-Pleis­tocene Basin (Northern Apennines, Italy) that displays various tooth marks featuring parallel stria­tions similar to those left by the serrated tooth of the extant white shark, Carcharodon carcharias. The dis­­covery locality, known as "Buca della Balena", was an inner-shelf marine setting where sharks may have scavenged on drifting cetacean carcasses in Piacenzian times. The high number of marks found on the small bone fragment suggests multiple bites by one or more shark individuals. The rib fragment stud­ied is one of the few osteological specimens from the Pliocene of the Mediterranean Basin to pre­serve white shark tooth marks.

CG2408

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Published

2024-07-24

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Section

Articles

How to Cite

Tooth marks of the Great White Shark from a Pliocene outcrop of the Northern Apennines (Castell’Arquato, Italy). (2024). Carnets Geol., 24, 135-141. https://doi.org/10.2110/carnets.2024.2408