Fossil of great white shark’s 30ft ancestor found in Mexico

The newly unearthed fossils are of a creature related to the great white shark. photo: Getty

Vishwam Sankaran
© UK Independent

Scientists have found an exceptionally well preserved giant fossil of an ancestor to great white sharks, revealing how these ancient predators that lived alongside dinosaurs went extinct.

Sharks of the genus Ptychodus were first discovered in the 18th century and described based mostly on fossil teeth specimens, but their true body shape and size has remained elusive.