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Fossil shark named after 80s video game
BBC ^ | 01/21/2019 | Staff

Posted on 01/21/2019 10:29:25 AM PST by Red Badger

A newly discovered species of ancient shark has been named after a 1980s arcade game.

The shark swam in the rivers of what is now South Dakota, US, about 67 million years ago, living alongside iconic dinosaur species such as T. rex.

It's been named Galagadon, after the 1981 Japanese-US game Galaga, because its teeth resemble the spaceships in the game.

The specimen is described in the Journal of Paleontology.

"It may seem odd today, but about 67 million years ago, what is now South Dakota was covered in forests, swamps and winding rivers," said co-author Terry Gates, from North Carolina State University.

The tiny teeth - each measuring less than a millimetre across - were discovered in the sediment left behind when palaeontologists at the Field Museum in Chicago uncovered the bones of "Sue," currently the most complete T. rex specimen ever described.

However, said Dr Gates, "Galagadon was not swooping in to prey on T. rex, Triceratops, or any other dinosaurs that happened into its streams. This shark had teeth that were good for catching small fish or crushing snails and crawdads (crayfish)."

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: archaeology; dinosaur; fossil; galaga; galagadon; ggg; godsgravesglyphs; japan; paleontology; shark; southdakota; teeth; trex
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To: blueunicorn6

Mt Rushmore is OK [open even during the Trump shutdown, not under the Hussein s/d], eschew Deadwood and you’ll survive with all of your limbs intact.


21 posted on 01/21/2019 4:21:42 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

Aces and eights.

The Dead Sharks Fin

I mean, Dead Mans Hand.


22 posted on 01/21/2019 4:38:44 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6

I NEVER sit with my back to the door.

Ever since I visited Deadwood as a young Yute.

I’m capable of learning from others’ past mistakes.


23 posted on 01/21/2019 4:42:00 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Yo-Yo

That brings back memories.


24 posted on 01/21/2019 10:09:51 PM PST by rdl6989
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


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