REVISION OF THE TEETH OF THE GENUS <em>CARCHARHINUS</em> (ELASMOBRANCHII; CARCHARHINIDAE) FROM THE PLIOCENE OF TUSCANY, ITALY

Abstract

<p class="abstract-testo">The great similar tooth morphologies that characterized the sharks of the genus <em>Carcharhinus</em> have suggested that the Neogene Mediterranean Sea were inhabited by only one or two widespread carcharhinid taxa, <em>Carcharhinus</em> egertoni and <em>C. priscus</em>. The first Mediterranean Pliocene record of five new shark species included into <em>Carcharhinus</em>, C. aff. <em>brachyurus</em>, <em>C. falciformis</em>, <em>C. leucas</em>, <em>C. perezi,</em> and <em>C. plumbeus</em>, have been identified by the review of some shark teeth from Tuscany (Italy) and housed in the Italian Museums of the Universities of Firenze, Bologna, and Pisa. Moreover, the Mediterranean records of the two Recent <em>C. longimanus</em> and <em>C. obscurus</em> has been confirmed too. Paleobiogeographic and palaeoecologic analysis have been produced on the presence of some species absent or doubtful for the extant Mediterranean shark community.</p><p class="abstract-testo"> </p>