{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Ancient Shark Graveyard Discovered in Egyptian Desert Where Ocean Once Existed",
  "summary": "Scientists have uncovered an ancient shark graveyard in the dry desert of Egypt's Abu Tartour Plateau, revealing a massive ocean that existed millions of years ago.",
  "content": "Scientists have made a stunning and historic discovery in the dry, arid desert of Egypt. Paleontologists have unearthed an ancient shark graveyard on the Abu Tartour Plateau. Where vast expanses of sand and desolation now dominate, a massive, deep, and thriving ocean existed millions of years ago. During the Cretaceous period, the northern part of the African continent was entirely submerged beneath water. Countless shark teeth have now been recovered from the seabed of that very same ancient ocean. Researchers from Cairo University conducted extensive excavations in the region, bringing several key secrets to light. These shark fossils reveal that this desert region was once home to fierce and formidable marine predators.\n\n \n\nHistory of the Cretaceous Period and Ancient Ocean\n\nOur Earth did not always look the way it does today. During the Cretaceous period, our planet's environment and climate were vastly different. Approximately 145 to 66 million years ago, Earth's temperatures were considerably higher, and polar ice was practically non-existent. As a consequence, sea levels were much higher than they are today, placing a large portion of the land we inhabit underwater. This included a significant expanse of northern Africa. Tectonic plate movements led to the formation of a massive sea in this region, with the Abu Tartour Plateau serving as a part of that ancient water body. Although this location has now transformed into a desert, the fossils trapped within the rocks encapsulate the complete history of that era.\n\n \n\nDuwi Formation and Vast Phosphate Deposits\n\nMassive deposits of phosphate are buried deep beneath this dry land. Phosphate is typically found in greater quantities in areas where marine life and ecosystems are highly active and vibrant. The phosphate deposits of the Duwi Formation are a major remnant of that ancient ocean, providing concrete proof that the prehistoric marine waters were exceptionally fertile. Researcher Tarek Yassin and his team from Cairo University made a major breakthrough in this area. In a research paper published in Cretaceous Research, they elaborated extensively on these findings. During previous research, Yassin and his colleagues had recovered shark teeth from two different species, which served as a strong indicator that numerous large predators inhabited the sea at that time. Consequently, they decided to conduct deeper research at Abu Tartour.\n\n \n\nBlack and Yellow Layers Reveal New Secrets\n\nWhen the team of researchers returned to Abu Tartour, they achieved immense success. The black and yellow layers of Duwi phosphate yielded several secrets. During excavation, they retrieved 14 additional shark teeth belonging to five entirely new species. None of these species had ever been discovered in Abu Tartour prior to this. Identifying ancient sharks is a notably difficult task, as scientists often have only their teeth as evidence. Minor differences in the structure of the teeth determine their species. However, the variations among the teeth recovered from Duwi were remarkably clear and distinct. Some teeth were long and thin like needles, while others were wide and serrated along the edges like saws. These tooth shapes were perfectly suited for biting and slicing prey.\n\n \n\nWhat Kind of Fearsome Predators Ruled This Ocean?\n\nOne of the recovered teeth featured a curved shape resembling a Karambit knife, identified through global fossil records. Scientists attributed these teeth to five extinct species, including Cretolamma cf. marocana and Scapanorhynchus cf. raphiodon. Additionally, two species of Serratolamma cf. serrata and Squalicorax were also discovered. All five of these species represent completely new records for Abu Tartour, with two of them being entirely new to the whole of Egypt. The discovery of needle-toothed sharks was the most astonishing finding, as this may be the first known fossil of this species in Africa. This discovery proves the presence of multiple shark species in those waters, demonstrating that diverse and dangerous predators ruled that ancient sea.\n\n \n\nHow These Shark Species Coexisted\n\nRemarkably, these sharks did not fight among themselves for prey. They occupied distinct niches within a vast marine environment, maintaining separate living spaces. Their distinct tooth morphologies indicate their different hunting styles. The presence of Squalicorax indicates they hunted near the shorelines, whereas Scapanorhynchus was a deep-water shark. Certain other species preferred dwelling in the open ocean. There was no shortage of fish and plankton throughout the region. Nutrients rising from the deep sea fertilized the water, increasing the population of small organisms that served as prey for larger fish, which in turn were hunted by these fearsome sharks. This constituted a complete and thriving ecosystem that endured for millions of years.\n\n \n\nWere All These Sharks Buried at Once?\n\nThis shark graveyard is fascinating for several reasons. During the era when these sharks inhabited the area, very little sediment accumulated there. Consequently, this phosphate bed represents a long span of time within a very thin layer. Not all the sharks found in this graveyard died on the exact same day; rather, it is a massive accumulation of organisms that perished at different times. This indicates that such ecosystems were quite common along the coastlines of northern Africa. Phosphate deposits in Morocco and Syria point toward this exact reality. Although that prehistoric shark paradise has now turned into a desert, its legacy continues to fascinate scientists today.\n\nWhat this means for you\nImpact on Science & Research: This discovery helps scientists better understand ancient marine ecosystems and Earth's climatic history. For general readers, it offers fascinating insight into our planet's geographical evolution and prehistoric life.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What was discovered by scientists at the Abu Tartour Plateau?\nScientists discovered an ancient shark graveyard in the dry desert of Egypt's Abu Tartour Plateau, recovering numerous shark teeth.\n\n2. Which geological period is this discovery linked to?\nThis discovery is linked to the Cretaceous period, when a massive and deep ocean existed in this desert region millions of years ago.\n\n3. How many new shark species' teeth were found during excavation?\nTeeth belonging to five new shark species that had never been discovered before in Abu Tartour were found during the excavation.\n\n4. Which university's researchers conducted this study?\nThis significant research was conducted by researchers from Cairo University, led by Tarek Yassin's team.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/science/ancient-shark-graveyard-discovered-in-egyptian-desert-where-ocean-once-existed-20364",
  "category": "Science",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-22",
  "tags": [
    "Shark Graveyard",
    "Abu Tartour Plateau",
    "Egypt Desert",
    "Cretaceous Period",
    "Fossil Discovery"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}