The researchers detailed that the specimen could have reached seven meters in length, with teeth measuring up to 8.9 centimeters.
On Monday, paleontologists in Peru found a nine-million-year-old fossil that is believed to be the ancestor of the great white shark and that inhabited the waters of the southern Pacific Ocean.
The nearly complete fossil of Cosmopolitodus Hastalis was found about 235 kilometers south of Lima, in a hot desert area that is known for frequent discoveries of ancient marine species, reported the Reuters news agency.
The researchers detailed that the specimen could have reached seven meters in length, with teeth measuring up to 8.9 centimeters in length.
Several parts of the animal were presented in glass compartments, with the engineer from the Geological and Mining Institute of Peru (INGEMMET), Cesar Augusto Chacaltana, highlighting that the shark underwent “exceptional fossilization”.
“There aren’t many complete shark fossils in the world,” added paleontologist Mario Urbina, who reported that remains of sardines were found inside the animal’s stomach.
