Distribution Geographic
Mexico: Vallecillo quarry area, Nuevo León State [29456];

Distribution Strategraphy
Vallecillo Member of the Agua Nueva Formation, middle–upper Pseudaspidoceras flexuosum Zone, lower Turonian, Upper Cretaceous [29456]

Measurement
TL 166 cm [29456];

Material
one skeleton [29456];

Description
Original diagnose after Vullo et al. (2021) p. suppl. text p. 5 [29456]: Medium-sized neoselachian shark that differs from all other selachimorphs in having hypertrophied, scythe-shaped plesodic pectoral fins whose span exceeds the total length of the animal. High number (~70) of anteriorly directed pectoral radials. Head short and broad, with wide and near-terminal mouth. Caudal fin markedly heterocercal. Caudal fin skeleton showing a high hypochordal ray angle (i.e., ventrally directed hypochordal rays). Caudal tip slender with no (or strongly reduced?) terminal lobe. Squamation strongly reduced (or completely absent?).

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=16124;
type species of Aquilolamna Vullo et al., 2021 p. suppl. text p. 5 [29456] by original designation (Art. 68.2 ICZN);

valid after Vullo et al. (2021) p. suppl. text p. 5 [29456];

Taxonomic remark after Vullo et al. (2021) [29456]: The family Aquilolamnidae (type and only known genus: Aquilolamna) possibly includes the enigmatic, poorly known Late Cretaceous genera Cretomanta (24) and Platylithophycus (27). Systematic and paleoecological assumptions combined with stratigraphic evidence (see main text) suggest that the tooth-based genus Cretomanta is a suitable candidate for being the dental elements of the skeleton-based genus Aquilolamna (for which teeth are unknown in the sole specimen available to date) and thus may be a senior synonym of the latter; however, both taxa must be considered distinct pending the discovery of overlapping material.

References