Aquilolamna

Name meaning:

Eagle shark

Period of life:

93 million years ago

Period:

Cretaceous period

Habitat:

Marine environment

Taxonomy:

Fish

Countries:

Cretaceous period Aquilolamna | 3D Dinopedia

Armadillosuchus

Dinilysia

Aquilolamna (93 million years ago)

What does the name mean: the name Aquilolamna comes from the Latin words aquila — “eagle” and lamna — “shark.”

Aquilolamna was an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish that inhabited the Late Cretaceous approximately 93 million years ago. The only known species is Aquilolamna milarcae, also called the “eagle shark.” This name is associated with the unusual shape of its pectoral fins, resembling wings.

Fossils of Aquilolamna milarcae were discovered in Mexico, within the Agua Nueva Formation — marine deposits of the continental shelf. This indicates a pelagic lifestyle associated with inhabiting the water column. The animal possessed a streamlined body and tail characteristic of sharks, but differed sharply in its extremely long pectoral fins. Their span reached approximately 1.9 meters, exceeding the body length (about 1.65 meters). In combination with the broad head, this suggests that Aquilolamna was a planktivore.

This feeding strategy implies convergent similarity with modern manta rays (Mobula), which evolved independently. However, unlike them, Aquilolamna probably moved primarily through tail propulsion, while its elongated pectoral fins provided stability and lift in the water.

The internal anatomy of Aquilolamna milarcae remains poorly studied: teeth characteristic of sharks have not yet been discovered. It is assumed that they may have been very small (up to 2 mm) and poorly preserved in the fossil record. The absence of teeth complicates determination of its taxonomic position. Provisionally, Aquilolamna is assigned to Elasmobranchii; however, its unusual morphological features continue to provoke discussion among specialists.

Aquilolamna milarcae demonstrates previously unknown morphological diversity among cartilaginous fishes. Its anatomy shows that shark evolution was more variable than previously assumed.

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