Fossilized teeth from seven shark species dating back millions of years were discovered in the Abu-Tartur Plateau — located in Egypt's Western Desert — between 2020 and 2022, offering new insight into the desert's watery past. The researchers detailed their discovery in a study published Aug. 18 in the journal Cretaceous Research
During the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago), temperatures on Earth were generally warmer than they are today, with sea levels up to 558 feet (170 meters) higher than they are now, according to the Natural History Museum in London. As a result, shallow seas formed in areas that are now fairly dry, including the Egyptian desert.
"We had conducted research before our expedition and knew that areas rich in phosphate deposits could also contain fossils of vertebrate marine organisms," Yassin said, adding that finding the shark fossils was an "exciting surprise."
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"Finding teeth belonging to seven different shark species was particularly remarkable, especially because they were all discovered in the same location, in the middle of an entire plateau," Yassin said. "This discovery is more than simply a large assemblage of shark fossils."
The team plans to continue their research in the Abu-Tartur Plateau and explore the surrounding area. "We believe there is still much more to discover," Yassin said.
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