''Isurus desori'' or "Desori shark", or "Desori mako shark" is an extinct species of
Mako shark, that lived in the
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...
and
Middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), epoch made up of two Stage (stratigraphy), stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene.
The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0. ...
, between 34 and 11 million years ago. It measured long.
Diet
The ''Isurus desori'' hunted
squids,
fish
A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...
and
marine mammals. The fossil of ''I. desori'' was discovered in the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...
region.
Taxonomy
The ''I. desori'' belongs to the family
Lamnidae
The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks. They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though they prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word ...
. It is classified in the genus ''
Isurus'', and it is believed that it was the ancestor of the present-day mako shark (''Isurus oxyrinchus''). It is believed to be related to ''
C. hastalis'', and ''
C. xiphodon'', as well as the
Mako shark (''Isurus oxyrinchus'').
Scientists believe that ''I. desori'' belongs to the subfamily
Isuridae, where it evolved into the only two contemporary
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
, ''
I. paucus'' and ''
I. oxyrinchus'', the only surviving species of the genus
Isurus. It was once believed that ''I. desori'' belonged to the genus ''
Oxyrhina'', which is now considered a likely invalid or doubtful
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
.
References
Further reading
* .
* .
*
External links
Shark references.com: ''Isurus desori''
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desori
Miocene sharks