Paracestracion fossil map
Where fossils of Paracestracion have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 175 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 175 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Ancient fish & sharks |
|---|---|
| Lived | 184.2–132.6 million years ago (Toarcian to Valanginian) |
| Periods | Jurassic, Cretaceous |
| Family | Heterodontidae |
| Named by | Koken in Zittel 1911 |
| Fossil records | 12 occurrences at 10 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | France, Luxembourg, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium |
| Rock formations | txn:124932, Painten, Forest Marble, Kimmeridge Clay, Marnes sableuses d'Audun-le-Tiche |
About Paracestracion
Paracestracion is an extinct genus of heterodontiform sharks from Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous-aged rocks of England, France, Germany and Luxembourg. The genus was first described in 1911 by Ernst Hermann Friedrich von Koken in Karl Alfred von Zittel.
The genus contains several Late Jurassic species known from well preserved full body remains, which show that it differs from the living bullhead sharks in the placement of the pelvic girdle and fins, as well as by having a shorter skull.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Paracestracion (revision 1313160807), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q1229532.
