The natural process of evolution has definitely led to some questionable creatures that we all know of, such as narwhals, silkie chickens, and cats. Yet, perhaps none of these are as strange as what had existed prehistorically. Roaming in the ancient Early Carboniferous seas was the Stethacanthus. About 390-320 million years ago, this shark-like ancestor was found all over the planet. Fossils have been found throughout China, Russia, North America, and Europe.
The Stethacanthus, meaning “chest spike”, was named after its spikes found on its head. However, the spikes on its head are not its only distinguishing feature. The Stethacanthus is more known for its strange growth located on its back. Scientists have described it as an anvil or iron board shaped dorsal fin. Why would any animal have evolved to have this bizarre growth on its back? It is suspected that it is for mating purposes and aids the Stethacanthus in identifying others of the same species. Another bizarre feature is that it has more of those spikes on the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin made it much less aerodynamic in the water which gave clues about what its lifestyle and diet was. Scientists believe that the Stethacanthus was a carnivorous scavenger that combed the ocean floor with their sharp teeth eating smaller fish. Given that these sharks were roughly 2 – 3 feet long and around 20 pounds, they were likely prey for larger marine animals too.
The Stethacanthus, with its bizarre features and mysterious adaptations, serves as a testament to the ingenuity of evolution and the endless wonders of the natural world. With its weird spikes and fins, this funky fish is the perfect creature to invoke curiosity and wonder about the prehistoric life of Earth. Its existence is proof that our planet’s past is a never-ending source of inspiration for delving deeper into the shared history of all organisms.
Work Cited
www.prehistoric-wildlife.com, Darren Pepper. “Stethacanthus a.k.a. the ‘anvil Shark’ and ‘Ironing Board Shark.’” Stethacanthus, www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/s/stethacanthus.html. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.
Strauss, Bob. “Stethacanthus Facts.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 9 Jan. 2020, www.thoughtco.com/history-of-stethacanthus-1093704.
“Stethacanthus.” Dinosaurs Pictures and Facts, 5 Oct. 2017, newdinosaurs.com/stethacanthus/.
