Ancient shark fossils found deep inside American cave
The National Park Service (NPS) has just announced the discovery of an ancient shark species in Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. This species has unique curved teeth.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•04/08/2025
Researchers have discovered fossils of an ancient shark deep inside the world's longest cave system. The fossil was pulled from the walls of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Photo: Art by Benji Paysnoe. According to experts, this shark lived about 340 million years ago. They have curved teeth used to crush prey. Photo: Mammoth Cave National Park.
The National Park Service (NPS) announced the newly discovered shark species, named Macadens olsoni. This is a small shark, less than 30 cm long, and can eat mollusks and worms. Photo: Mammoth Cave National Park. “This discovery is a remarkable addition to our understanding of ancient marine life and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our natural history,” said Barclay Trimble, superintendent of Mammoth Cave National Park. Photo: Mammoth Cave National Park. The rocks of Mammoth Cave formed around 320 to 360 million years ago and were once located beneath a shallow saltwater sea called the Mississippi Sea. The cave system itself is much younger, forming only around 10 to 15 million years ago, when water from surface rivers and streams seeped into the rocks and formed the cave passages we see today. Photo: NPS file.
The exact length of Mammoth Cave is unknown, but explorers have mapped more than 420 miles of it and are still discovering new passages. The cave contains a treasure trove of ancient fish fossils, with more than 70 long-extinct species identified within its walls. Photo: NPS file. The latest discovery was excavated from the Ste. Genevieve rock and dates back to the Carboniferous period (about 358.9 million to 298.9 million years ago). Photo: NPS - Tegan Sorensen. In the new shark species name Macadens olsoni, the word "Macadens" is named after Mammoth Cave and "olsoni" is named after Rickard Olson, a retired park scientist who played a key role in documenting these fossils. Photo: NPS file.
The discovery of the shark species Macadens olsoni helps researchers better understand the ancient ecosystem now preserved in Mammoth Cave - which may have once resembled a coral reef. Photo: NPS - Thomas DiGiovannangelo. Readers are invited to watch the video: Many new species discovered in the Mekong River Region. Source: THĐT1.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•04/08/2025
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