FOSSIL SHARKS FROM ALBIAN AND CENOMANIAN DEPOSITS OF THE KURSK OBLAST (RUSSIA)

This article briefly describes fossil selachian assemblages from the Albian-Cenomanian ages from three localities in Kursk Oblast. The collected material is mainly represented by isolated shark teeth. A total of 14 unambiguous taxa have been identified including cf. Polyacrodus sp., Notidanodon sp., Heterodontus sp., Cederstroemia sp., cf. Pseudomegachasma sp., Archaeolamna ex.gr. kopingensis, Dwardius sp., Cretoxyrhina cf. C. vraconensis, Paraisurus macrorhiza, Squalicorax sp., Protolamna sp., Eostriatolamia sp., Synechodus sp., and Paraorthacodus sp. These taxa are all new to the Cretaceous selanchian fossil record of Kursk Oblast. These fossil materials allow for improvements in our knowledge in the paleoecology and species-richness of East-European, Albian-Cenomanian selachian assemblages. Further study of selachian material from Cretaceous deposits in Kursk Oblast may further clarify information on the geographical distribution, paleobiogeography, paleoecology and taxonomic diversity of this group of vertebrates, both in the Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous in Central Russia, and in Europe as a whole