Orthacanthus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OrthacanthusTemporal range: Lower Carboniferous - Permian
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| Orthacanthus senckenbergianus | |
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Xenacanthida
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Orthacanthidae
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Orthacanthus
Agassiz, 1843
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See text. |
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Orthacanthus was a very old type of shark. It lived in freshwater, like rivers and swamps. This amazing shark had a long spine growing from the back of its head. It also had a super long fin along its back. This made it look a bit like an eel!
Orthacanthus was a top predator in its time. It lived in freshwater swamps and bayous. These places were found in what is now Europe and North America.
What Was Orthacanthus Like?
This ancient shark could grow quite large. It reached almost 10 feet (3 meters) in length. That's about the size of a small car! Its powerful jaws were full of unique teeth. Each tooth had two sharp points, like a double-fanged weapon.
When Did Orthacanthus Live?
Orthacanthus lived a very long time ago. It was around about 280 million years ago. This was during the Pennsylvanian and Permian periods. To give you an idea, these sharks were swimming around long before the dinosaurs even appeared on Earth!
Images for kids
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A two-pointed Orthacanthus tooth from England.
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More Orthacanthus teeth.
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A skull from Orthacanthus.
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An artist's drawing of O. senckenbergianus.
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A fossil of O. senchenbergianus.
See also
In Spanish: Orthacanthus para niños
