Ancient new shark species — dating back 340 million years — unearthed in world's largest cave system
The fossilized tooth of a newly discovered ancient shark species – dating back about 340 million years – has been unearthed in the world's largest cave system, officials said.
The roughly half-inch tooth from the uncovered species, named the Macadens olsoni, was found in the depths of Ste. Genevieve Formation at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, the National Park Service announced Thursday, just four days after 'Shark Week' officially kicked off.
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The Ste. Genevieve Formation is estimated to be about 335 to 340 million years old.
Illustration of the Macadens olsoni a newly discovered ancient shark species.
Art by Benji Paysnoe
'This discovery is a remarkable addition to our understanding of ancient marine life and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our natural history,' Superintendent Barclay Trimble said.
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'This finding not only enhances our knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems but also emphasizes the critical role of paleontological research in our national parks.'
Paleontology researchers, who discovered the marine fossil, said the ancient predator is notable for its distinctive tooth whorl — a curved row of teeth that crushed small sea creatures.
The shark likely measured just under a foot long and preyed on mollusks and worms when Mammoth Cave was a shallow sea rich with crinoids, corals and more, officials said.
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Waterfall cascading from a sandstone overhang in Mammoth Cave National Park.
jctabb – stock.adobe.com
'Every discovery connects the past with the present and offers invaluable educational opportunities for students and the public,' Trimble added.
Researchers named the species after Mammoth Cave and Rickard Olson, a retired park scientist.
The latest discovery marks the fifth 'new to science' shark species identified in the cave system.
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New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Ancient new shark species — dating back 340 million years — unearthed in world's largest cave system
A rare bite into the past. The fossilized tooth of a newly discovered ancient shark species – dating back about 340 million years – has been unearthed in the world's largest cave system, officials said. The roughly half-inch tooth from the uncovered species, named the Macadens olsoni, was found in the depths of Ste. Genevieve Formation at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, the National Park Service announced Thursday, just four days after 'Shark Week' officially kicked off. Advertisement The Ste. Genevieve Formation is estimated to be about 335 to 340 million years old. Illustration of the Macadens olsoni a newly discovered ancient shark species. Art by Benji Paysnoe 'This discovery is a remarkable addition to our understanding of ancient marine life and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our natural history,' Superintendent Barclay Trimble said. Advertisement 'This finding not only enhances our knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems but also emphasizes the critical role of paleontological research in our national parks.' Paleontology researchers, who discovered the marine fossil, said the ancient predator is notable for its distinctive tooth whorl — a curved row of teeth that crushed small sea creatures. The shark likely measured just under a foot long and preyed on mollusks and worms when Mammoth Cave was a shallow sea rich with crinoids, corals and more, officials said. Advertisement Waterfall cascading from a sandstone overhang in Mammoth Cave National Park. jctabb – 'Every discovery connects the past with the present and offers invaluable educational opportunities for students and the public,' Trimble added. Researchers named the species after Mammoth Cave and Rickard Olson, a retired park scientist. The latest discovery marks the fifth 'new to science' shark species identified in the cave system.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
Ancient shark species — with teeth made for ‘crushing' — found in Kentucky cave
About 340 million years ago, a tiny shark swam in the waters of the world's longest cave system in Kentucky, its unusual mouth curved in a way that will ultimately end up defining its future legacy. Now long gone, a team of scientists have stumbled upon its fossils in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, a July 24 news release from the National Park Service said. The new species of ancient shark was named Macadens olsoni, which means 'Olson's Mammoth Cave Tooth,' and it has a very distinct feature. 'Macadens olsoni is notable for its unique tooth whorl, a curved row of teeth designed for crushing small sea creatures. This ancient shark likely grew to less than a foot in length and probably feasted on mollusks and worms,' rangers said in the release. The name was chosen to honor the fossil's resting place and Rickard Olson, the scientist whose work was essential to Mammoth Cave. 'This discovery is a remarkable addition to our understanding of ancient marine life and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our natural history,' Mammoth Cave National Park Superintendent Barclay Trimble said in the release. According to the National Park Service, more than 40 different species of ancient sharks have been discovered in the past 10 months in Mammoth Cave. 'Most of the shark fossils have been discovered in areas inaccessible to visitors on cave tours, but photographs, artists' renditions, and three-dimensional models are being prepared for the visitors to view and explore in park exhibits and websites,' NPS said. Other major finds in the cave include the Tolleson's Scraper Tooth (Strigilodus tollesonae,) an ancient shark with 'spoon-like teeth' and the Chipmunk Shark (Clavusodens mcginnisi). 'This finding not only enhances our knowledge of ancient marine ecosystems but also emphasizes the critical role of paleontological research in our national parks,' Trimble said of the newest find . 'Every discovery connects the past with the present and offers invaluable educational opportunities for students and the public.' Mammoth Cave is about a 95-mile drive south from Louisville.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Boston Globe
The other ‘Jaws effect': A wave of shark science and conservation
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT 'Jaws,' the iconic 1975 thriller about a giant great white shark that terrorizes a small New England island town, still gets a lot of praise. It made director Steven Spielberg's career, left behind a two-note theme synonymous with dread, and effectively invented the summer blockbuster. The novel that inspired it, by Peter Benchley, But 50 years on, the book and film have also been chum for critics. Shark-fishing tournaments Yet that definition of the Jaws effect is at best incomplete. The novel and the film also led to a surge of shark science and conservation efforts that have begun to protect the animals from both ignorance and overfishing. Advertisement Fear and fascination That a movie about a killer shark catalyzed legions of scientists to study the animals suggests a strange truth about human psychology: things that scare us can also become objects of deep allure. John Mandelman, a scientist at the New England Aquarium, is living proof. He had a 'Jaws'-themed cake at one early birthday and was 7 or 8 when he first saw the movie. 'I remember being scared by the scenes that were more grotesque,' he said. 'But I also remember being really mesmerized.' Advertisement Mandelman's obsession wasn't just the shark; it was that the shark had transfixed every other character in the film, whether out of scientific fascination or atavistic fear. 'That really sucked me in.' He eventually realized that interest could become his career. He's now the chief scientist of the aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life and calls 'Jaws' a 'gateway drug' for colleagues who also followed it into marine biology or ocean conservation. 'Sometimes people look at fear and fascination as distinct,' he said. 'I think in this case they're incredibly related.' The movie, which airs regularly and birthed a series of less-beloved sequels, has stayed current enough to inspire Mandelman's younger colleagues, too. So have more recent depictions of sharks in popular culture, like Netflix documentaries, viral videos, and Discovery's annual 'Shark Week,' Others have had similar experiences. 'After 'Jaws,' Peter received hundreds, really thousands of letters from people from around the world saying that they were terrified of the movie, but what it did was it really fascinated them,' said Wendy Benchley, Peter's widow (he died in 2006). 'Yeah, it scared people. But boy did it really keep sharks on people's minds, including scientists'.' True, both novel and film took liberties. Real-life sharks don't single-mindedly and repeatedly choose to attack people. Peter Benchley later expressed regret for casting his novel's antagonist as a rogue man-eater. (He doesn't deserve all the blame; highly publicized attacks in the early 20th century Advertisement Mandelman can overlook those inaccuracies because scientists now know much more about sharks than they did before 'Jaws.' Back then, the Navy From understanding to conservation For the public, however, knowing more about sharks didn't immediately mean trying to protect them. In 2000, Peter Benchley Both Benchleys had long cared about the ocean. Peter encountered sharks while fishing with his dad off Nantucket; Wendy spent summers in seaside Stonington, Conn. After 'Jaws,' they witnessed garbage-filled seas and shark overfishing firsthand. 'It jumpstarted our interest to really work hard on ocean conservation,' Wendy said. Half a century later, those efforts show signs of paying off. Federally protected since 1997, white shark populations Threats remain, including overfishing and climate change, which is warming New England's waters, straining the sharks' habitats, and drawing them closer to land ( Advertisement Still, Wendy is hopeful that 'Jaws' will continue to inspire efforts to restore shark populations and learn more about them. 'I know it makes it harder for people to swim,' she said. 'But it's definitely making a healthier ocean.' 🧩 3 Down: 97° POINTS OF INTEREST A Waymo vehicle on Merchants Row in Boston this month. Craig F. 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Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
