Libanopristis Hiram, Cretaceous

LIBANOPRISTIS HIRAM, Cretaceous
From Hjoula, Lebanon.
Measurements: 84 x 50 cm.
Length: 65 cm.

Libanopristis is an extinct genus of cartilaginous fish of the sclerorhynchid group, related to modern rays and sharks. It had a characteristic elongated rostrum armed with dermal denticles, very similar to those of modern sawfishes, probably used as a tool for defense and prey capture.

This specimen also stands out for the associated presence of other fossil fishes on the same plate, such as Enchodus marchesettii, Carpopenacus sp. and Teleostero sp., which increases its scientific value, offering a complete Cretaceous marine fossil scene.

The species name hiram is dedicated to Hiram I, king of Tyre and ally of King Solomon, who supplied cedar and spruce wood from the mountains of Lebanon for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. Libanopristis hiram was first described as Sclerorhynchus hiram by Oliver Perry Hay in 1903 from fossils found in Lebanon. Subsequently, more detailed studies led to the creation of the new genus Libanopristis, established to group this species due to its particular characteristics in dental and cranial morphology.

According to the most recent classifications, Libanopristis is placed within the family Ganopristidae, in the group of the Sclerorhynchoidei, a group of extinct cartilaginous fishes related to modern rays and other primitive elasmobranchs.