Dracopristis, the Carboniferous "Godzilla shark" of New Mexico

[Halichoeres]

Meet Dracopristis hoffmanorum ("the Hoffmans' dragon-saw," weird name, I think maybe they meant "Dracopistris" for "dragon-shark"), a sturdily-built ctenacanth shark from the Late Carboniferous of New Mexico, USA. While this manuscript was in preparation, it acquired a couple of nicknames, including "Godzilla shark."

Really nice body fossil of this funky looking shark:


Hodnett et al. 2021 in New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin, downloadable link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350889762_CTENACANTHIFORM_SHARKS_FROM_THE_LATE_PENNSYLVANIAN_MISSOURIAN_TINAJAS_MEMBER_OF_THE_ATRASADO_FORMATION_CENTRAL_NEW_MEXICO

@REBOR_STUDIO make a figure, please! It's got dragon in its name and Godzilla in its lore, so should be right up your alley.

[Dynomikegojira]

If I'm not mistaken this is the first of these Carboniferous supersharks to named. Carboniferous seas were fascinatedly dangerous.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

Interesting, thanks. I directly had to think about Squalidae! Or Dogfish Shark, as google told me. We call them Dornhai = Thornshark.

[Faelrin]

Had to skim through the paper to even get an idea of what I'm suppose to be looking at in regards to the head (the reconstruction was most helpful), otherwise this is a very nice find. I quite like the name as well (well anything with dragon, or any variation of, will probably interest me). I wonder if I should try my hand at sculpting this one, otherwise it may be quite a long time this one sits on my wishlist, especially as if it is from the Carboniferous, then there's a good chance it'll be neglected. Heck even the more famous Meganeura and Arthropleura don't have much representation at all (and all are retired now anyways). I suppose you could also include those that survived into the Permian as well such as Diplocaulus.