A NEW ODONTORHYTIS SPECIES (CHONDRICHTHYES) FROM THE MIDDLE EOCENE OF ELGEDIDA MINE, BAHARIYA OASIS, EGYPT

Abstract

During a systematic examination of a chondrichthyan assemblage collected from the middle Eocene (probably Lutetian) glauconitic sandstone bed overlying the iron ore of ElGedida mine, in the Bahariya oasis, the authors came across a large number of minute teeth belonging to genus Odontorhytis. By comparing these teeth to the already known species Odontorhytis pappenheimi from the middle-late Eocene (Bartonian-Priabonian) of Egypt, it appeared that they differ from the latter species by a number of consistent characters, and must be assigned to a new species– Odontorhytis bahariensis.