Ancient shark graveyard discovered in Egypt's Western Desert
Scientists have uncovered an ancient shark "graveyard" in the middle of the Egyptian desert, shedding new light on a time when the region was covered by a shallow sea. Fossilized teeth from at least seven extinct shark species were discovered in the Abu-Tartur Plateau — a region in Egypt's Western Desert — between 2020 and 2022.
The research, published Aug. 18 in the journalCretaceous Research, details how the area, now a dry plateau reaching daytime temperatures of nearly 39°C, was once the sea bed for a vibrant marine ecosystem.
"This study provides evidence that the area now occupied by the plateau was once a sea with flourished marine life, with environmental conditions suitable for its development and prosperity, including favourable temperatures, sunlight, and appropriate oxygen levels," study first author Tarek Yassin, a paleontologist at Cairo University, told Live Science in an email.
The Abu-Tartur Plateau lies along the Duwi Formation, a Late Cretaceous geological rock formation that spans Egypt's Eastern and Western deserts. Previous research had already uncovered fossils of fish, sea turtles, and other marine reptiles in the region, hinting at the thriving ocean ecosystem that once existed there. The rocks are also rich in phosphorite, a type of sedimentary rock that often forms from the shells and bones of marine animals.
During the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago), Earth's climate was generally warmer than today, with sea levels up to 558 feet (170 meters) higher than current levels, according to the Natural History Museum in London. As a result, shallow seas formed in areas that are now dry land, including parts of northern Africa.
Yassin and his colleagues had previously found fossilized teeth from two types of mackerel shark, but further expeditions between 2020 and 2022 uncovered 14 additional fossilized teeth belonging to at least five more shark species. Among the newly identified species wereScapanorhynchus raphiodon, an ancient relative of present-day goblin sharks, which had never been reported in Africa before, as well asSerratolamna serrata andSqualicorax bassanii, both new to Egypt.
The shape of the teeth varied between species, with some being thin and needle-like while others were broad with serrated edges. The discovery suggests the area was once home to a nutrient-rich, complex ecosystem with plenty of smaller fish to feed these apex predators.
The researchers noted, however, that the shark remains may have been jumbled together in the same sediment over time, meaning the sharks may not have coexisted. The team plans to continue research in the Abu-Tartur Plateau and explore the surrounding area.