Jdeutsch Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 As I understand, Hemipristis serra is the extinct species which has left teeth in western Florida. When someone refers to fossil "snaggletooth shark" I assume they are from Hemipristis serra. However, when I look up snaggletooth shark, I am referred to the modern Hemipristis elongata and not serra. Is it technically correct to call H serra "snaggletooth"? Are there other species of fossil shark teeth called "snaggletooth"? Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 If you want to be technically correct, refer to the shark as "Hemipristis serra." I've always recoiled at that common name, "snaggletooth" . . . much too inelegant for the extraordinary teeth of this shark. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendell Ricketts Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 If we're being scientific, it's technically correct to refer to Hemipristis serra as Hemipristis serra and Hemipristis elongata as Hemipristis elongata. H. serra is extinct, and H. elongata isn't. Yes, they're both referred to as snaggletooth sharks, but that's a good example of why common names are often meaningless. _________________________________ Wendell Ricketts Fossil News: The Journal of Avocational Paleontology http://fossilnews.org https://twitter.com/Fossil_News The "InvertebrateMe" blog http://invertebrateme.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 There is also an extinct Eocene / Early Oligocene species; Hemipristis curvatus. Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Referring to it as "Snaggletooth" is a FAMILY GENUS reference, like Mako or White shark. There can be many members in a family genus. Edited to correct senior moment. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendell Ricketts Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 34 minutes ago, ynot said: Referring to it as "Snaggletooth" is a FAMILY reference, like Mako or White shark. There can be many members in a family. I'm not sure I'm convinced by that. There are eight species and four genera in the family that includes Hemipristis, but Hemipristis is the only one known as a "snaggletooth" shark. At the very least, it's imprecise -- and potentially confusing to the extent that "Family" has a precise taxonomic meaning. _________________________________ Wendell Ricketts Fossil News: The Journal of Avocational Paleontology http://fossilnews.org https://twitter.com/Fossil_News The "InvertebrateMe" blog http://invertebrateme.wordpress.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 15 hours ago, Wendell Ricketts said: I'm not sure I'm convinced by that. There are eight species and four genera in the family that includes Hemipristis, but Hemipristis is the only one known as a "snaggletooth" shark. At the very least, it's imprecise -- and potentially confusing to the extent that "Family" has a precise taxonomic meaning. My bad, I meant genus not family. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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