Nebrius obliquus - Tooth (Nurse Shark †) #1

Nebrius obliquus - Tooth (Nurse Shark †) #1

The bright tooth of the Nebrius obliquus is in very good condition and has a diameter of 0.8 centimeters. The Nebrius obliquus is considered an early representative of the nurse shark genus, which still includes the Indo-Pacific nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus) today. The teeth of Nebrius obliquus are suitable for grasping and crushing such prey, which suggests a diet similar to that of today's nurse sharks. It is therefore very likely that Nebrius obliquus also fed on benthic invertebrates and smaller fish, which it picked up from the sediment with its teeth and crushed. Nebrius obliquus is considered an early representative of the genus Nebrius, which today includes the Indo-Pacific nurse shark (Nebrius ferrugineus).