Questions about squatina

[readinghiker]

  I understand that Squatina hassei icould be a bucket for all kinds of orectolobids.  Pollerspock's Shark References doesn't even list Squatina hasseii as a valid specie.  However, it looks like Cretascyllium hassei is now the name du jur.  Bourdon's Elasmobranch.com seems to have thrown up its figurative hands concerning this, and just calls this species Squatina "hassei".  I have collected over 75 teeth of this type from the Campanian Mesa Portales site here in New Mexico, and need to write them up for the next New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science's upcoming Fossil Record bulletin.  I have included four photos of this taxa, and am relying on the expertise of the Forum for guidance.  Should I call these Squatina "hassei", Cretascyllium hassei, or what?  Your help, as always, is greatly appreciated!

 

Randy

Edited October 19 by readinghiker

[shark57]

Since the extant Squatina species are local to fairly small areas, it has been determined that the teeth found from from different areas probably represent different species. It is very unlikely that the east coast species was the same as the West Coast or European species, but they were given the same name. The preferred terminology now is Squatina sp., indicating that the genus is known but the species cannot be determined. Also note that species is both singular and plural, "species" is not a valid word here. I was unaware that some authors were moving these Cretaceous teeth out of Squatina. 

[shark57]

3 hours ago, readinghiker said:

  I understand that Squatina hassei icould be a bucket for all kinds of orectolobids.  Pollerspock's Shark References doesn't even list Squatina hasseii as a valid specie.  However, it looks like Cretascyllium hassei is now the name du jur.  Bourdon's Elasmobranch.com seems to have thrown up its figurative hands concerning this, and just calls this species Squatina "hassei".  I have collected over 75 teeth of this type from the Campanian Mesa Portales site here in New Mexico, and need to write them up for the next New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science's upcoming Fossil Record bulletin.  I have included four photos of this taxa, and am relying on the expertise of the Forum for guidance.  Should I call these Squatina "hassei", Cretascyllium hassei, or what?  Your help, as always, is greatly appreciated!

 

Randy

Doing a little research, I found that Cretacyllium was created in 2012, but Siversson invalidated it in 2015. To make things more confusing, the genus Cretasquatina was created in 2020 based on the shape of two specific vertebrae in the vertebral column. How useful is that (not) when you are finding teeth. I would stick with Squatina sp., or put hassei in quotes like Elasmo does. I think more of your readers will know what you mean if you stick with the well-established genus/name 

[readinghiker]

Thanks to shark57!  I have been dealing with New Mexico Cretaceous shark teeth for decades, and each day I realize how little I know of these animals.  Sexual dimorphism, ontological differences, where the tooth is in the mouth, arguments between respected fossil shark experts, it is enough to make one a tad frustrated!