Megachasma alisonae

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Classis: Chondrichthyes
Subclassis: Elasmobranchii
Infraclassis: Euselachii
Division/Cohort: Neoselachii
Subdivision/Subcohort: Selachimorpha
Superordo: Galeomorphii
Ordo: Lamniformes
Familia: Megachasmidae
Genus: Megachasma
Species: †Megachasma alisonae

Name

†Megachasma alisonae Shimada & Ward, 2016

• Holotype (unique): NHMUK PV P73711; a nearly complete tooth (either upper right or lower left lateral tooth based on distal cusp inclination and asymmetrical root).
• Type locality: A sea cliff along Moesgård Strand in Denmark (56°04’53” N, 010°15’07” E).
• Type horizon: Pyt Member of the late Eocene Søvind Marl Formation.

Etymology: In honor of Alison Ward, who assisted David J. Ward with the field work and sediment sorting that led to the discovery of the specimen.

References

• Shimada, K. & Ward, D.J. 2016. The oldest fossil record of the megamouth shark from the late Eocene of Denmark, and comments on the enigmatic megachasmid origin. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61(4): 839–845. DOI: 10.4202/app.00248.2016 . Reference page.