Part of a series of articles titled Chaco Collections—Paleontology.
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Shark and Vertebrate Fossils
Many of the fossils found at Chaco are not in their original position (in situ). Instead, many shark teeth are found lying on the surface (in float). These teeth probably eroded from the upper Cliff House Sandstone formation where there are more shark teeth in situ. Bone and tooth fragments like these can lead to the discovery of more complete specimens that help us understand the ecology of the ancient landscape. At least four genera of sharks are represented at Chaco, including Mitsukurinidae, a family of sharks whose lineage dates back 125 million years and has a single living species, the goblin shark.
3D Shark and Vertebrate Fossils
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
A 3D model. This model shows fragments of bone and tooth fossils on the ground among small rocks and pebbles. The model can be rotated and tilted using a computer interface.
Many of the fossils found at Chaco are not in their original position (in situ). Instead, many shark teeth are found lying on the surface (in float). These teeth probably eroded from the upper Cliff House Sandstone formation where there are more shark teeth in situ. Bone and tooth fragments like these can lead to the discovery of more complete specimens that help us understand the ecology of the ancient landscape
To learn more, visit - https://www.nps.gov/articles/series.htm?id=7B32EA8A-A130-11C3-E755871E8385F30E
Many of the fossils found at Chaco are not in their original position (in situ). Instead, many shark teeth are found lying on the surface (in float). These teeth probably eroded from the upper Cliff House Sandstone formation where there are more shark teeth in situ. Bone and tooth fragments like these can lead to the discovery of more complete specimens that help us understand the ecology of the ancient landscape
To learn more, visit - https://www.nps.gov/articles/series.htm?id=7B32EA8A-A130-11C3-E755871E8385F30E
Footnotes and Close-up Images
- Goblin shark tooth: Goblin sharks are still alive today. Most recognizable by their mouth full of these long teeth and their flat, elongated snout, they are a living fossil of a lineage that is 125 million years old.
- Lamniform shark tooth: By the Late Cretaceous, sharks had branched into the lineages that are alive today. Several teeth and fossils at Chaco remain unidentified.
- Shark Vertebra: This is likely from the spine of a shark, who have circular vertebrae. The teeth and vertebrae are some of the few remains of sharks that preserve in the fossil record.
- Softshell turtle scute: This fossilized turtle shell, or scute, tells us about the lowland swamp and river deltas that fed into shallow seas at Chaco. A diverse community of freshwater reptiles, including the softshell turtle, called this landscape home.
- Pot sherds: Many people were, and still are, attentive to the flora and fauna of Chaco Canyon. Multiple groups may have observed the same fossils, telling stories about where they came from and how the landscape has changed over time.
Last updated: April 30, 2021