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Giant Prehistoric Salmon Renamed After New Fossil Discoveries

Recent studies reveal that the 'sabre-toothed salmon' actually had tusk-like teeth, prompting a reclassification to 'spike-toothed salmon'.

Oncorhynchus rastrosus. (A) CT model of Holotype, UO F-26799, skull in right lateral view with a stylized drawing of the originally proposed “sabertoothed” position of the isolated premaxilla; (B) UO_A in anterior view of skull, prior to complete preparation and CT scan; (C) Artist’s rendering skull of male iconic fish with accurate spike-tooth configuration; (D) Artist’s rendering of complete female iconic fish with accurate spike-tooth configuration. Scale bar blocks = 1 cm each. Credit: Claeson et al., 2024, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Giant-Prehistoric-Salmon 20240424
Giant 2.7-Meter-Long Prehistoric Salmon Had Tusk-Like Teeth Rather Than Massive Fangs
Spike tooth salmon

Overview

  • New research based on fossil findings has led to the renaming of the prehistoric 'sabre-toothed salmon' to 'spike-toothed salmon'.
  • Fossils unearthed show that the giant salmon, which lived around five million years ago, had tusks protruding from its jaw rather than fangs.
  • The spike-toothed salmon, reaching lengths of up to 2.7 meters, is thought to be the largest salmon species ever.
  • These tusks were likely used for nest-building, defense against predators, and possibly in combat with other salmon.
  • The discovery challenges previous misconceptions and provides new insights into the capabilities and behaviors of this ancient fish.