Myledaphus
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Rhinopristiformes
Family: Rhinobatidae
Genus: Myledaphus
Type Species: Myledaphus bipartitus
Described by Edward Drinker Cope, 1876.
Species:
-Myledaphus tritus, Nessov in Nessov & Udovitschenko, 1986.
-Myledaphus pustulosus, Cook, Newbrey, Brinkman, & Kirkland, 2014.
-Myledaphus araucanus, Otero, 2019.
Current Park Population: (4; all adults; 2 male, 2 female)
Park Diet: Frozen Crabs, Squid, Shrimp, and small fish like Silversides.
Natural Diet: Crustaceans like crabs, worms, small fish, and hard-shelled bivalve mollusks like clams.
Lifespan: 8 Years.
Habitat: Rivers, Streams, Waterways, Lakes, Creeks, Floodplains, Swamps, lagoons, Estuaries, and Coastal Shores.
Native Ecosystem: Western North America, on what was then an island continent known as Laramidia. Hell Creek Formation, Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada, Montana, South Dakota, USA, North America, South America, and Central Asia, 93.8-66 Million Years Ago, Turonian-Maastrichtian Stages, Late Cretaceous and (possible Paleogene occurrences from the Paleocene and early Eocene).
Breeding Season: June-September
Gestation Period: Nine-Twelve
Pups Born: 6-28 pups
Birthing Time: June to October.
Danger Level: 1 out of 10.
Summary: The winding waterways and stagnant swamps are occupied by a variety of fish, the majority belonging to primitive groups that still exist today. One of these groups is the cartilaginous fish, which has been around since the early Silurian. The Fish class includes fishes like Sharks, Rays, and Skates, Among them is the guitarfish Myledaphus, which feeds on shellfish in the river sediments.
Description: Being a guitarfish it is likely characterized for being a flat fish, with large flippers to keep this animal close to the bottom of the water, perfectly camouflaged under the sand and algae. Analysis of their fossilized vertebrae indicates the lifespan of Myledaphus was short in comparison to modern guitarfish species.
Myledaphus pustulosus
Individuals are light brown with dark brown stripe bands running down the pectoral and pelvic fins and dark brown spots.
Size: They measured 90-100 centimeters long.
Classification: Although widely considered a guitarfish, some scientists defy this view by placing Myledaphus in the Anacoracidae shark family, although this view is likely incorrect, according to modern consensus.
Diet: Durophagous diet, consisting mostly of hard-shelled bivalve mollusks that grow abundantly in the rivers, lakes, and estuaries it inhabited.
Reproduction: They tend to be monogamous mating for life and mating occurs every summer once a year between monogamous partners. Females carry eggs for 9-12 months before giving birth to a litter of 6-28 pups. Females give birth in shallow waters from June to October.
Interactions with other species: Often ignored by the large dinosaurs, adults and young are prey to predators like Pectinodon, Dromaeosaurus, Acheroraptor, Anzu, Quetzalcoatlus, and juvenile T. Rex, predatory fish, sharks, Didelphodon, Borealosuchus, Thoracosaurus, Champsosaurus, Brachychampsa, Axestemys, Palaeobatrachus, Scapherpeton, and Habrosaurus.
Extinction: Due to Ocean acidification and changing ocean temperatures would lead to the demise of the Myledaphus. Based on scientific research, the analysis found that there was a substantial loss of elasmobranch species following the event. Overall, elasmobranch species declined by more than 62 percent and did not fully recover in the Paleocene period, which spanned around 66 to 56 million years ago. For all shark species, the percentage that went extinct was around 59 percent compared to 72 percent for rays. But the researchers found that patterns of extinction varied. For example, rays as a group and elasmobranch species that fed on shelled prey (referred to as "durophagous"), as well as more ancient shark species, suffered the highest levels of extinction. Although they may perhaps survive into the Paleocene to Early Eocene.
Danger Tip: You don't have to worry about them, these guitarfish are completely harmless.
Significant Events: On the Team's Final Day of their First Rescue Mission, the team comes upon four Myledaphus swimming and hiding under the river sediment alongside a group of Casterolimulus crawling along the river alongside amphibians, Habrosaurus and Scapherpetons, and various fish. They were captured in nets to be transported to the Park. They now reside in the Hell Creek Forest Building.
Hell Creek Forest Building Aquarium: This large tank houses most of the Hell Creek Fishes and aquatic life like Casterolimulus replicating the freshwater waterways, visitors can view them with underwater thick glass panel viewing. Myledaphus are often found swimming and hiding, remaining motionless around the tank's sandy bottom.
Conclusion: For Marine life and Aquarium enthusiasts who love sharks and rays will love to see our Myledaphus which represents how contemporaries of modern times date back to Prehistory. But you have to look closely under the sand of the tank and two eyes sticking out on your next visit to Prehistoric Park.
The Field Guide might take a long time, like structuring and writing descriptions of the creatures, but also my time in college and spending time with my family. So you can suggest additional information quotes, descriptions, and natural or speculative behaviors for the prehistoric animals that I can edit and you send your suggestions either in reviews or Private Messages.
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