Onchopristis


Onchopristis is a genus of extinct giant sclerorhynchid from the Lower Cretaceous to Upper Cretaceous of North America, North Africa, Brazil, and New Zealand. It had an elongated snout lined laterally with barbed "teeth", or denticles.

Description

The rostrum, or snout, was around long, lined with barbed "teeth" or denticles. In the type species, O. numidus, each tooth had one barb, but in O. dunklei there were two to five barbs on each tooth, and two to three in O. d. praecursor. This sclerorynchid was about long. and sclerorhynchid species,

Paleobiology

As with modern sawfish, Onchopristis's eyes were on top of its head, to spot predators rather than prey, and its mouth and gills were under its body. The rostrum most likely would have had electroreceptors to detect food in the water below them like most modern sharks and some rays. Onchopristis may have raked through the riverbed to find and then eat prey.