Listracanthus

Listracanthus Temporal range: Late Carboniferous to Early Triassic
Listracanthus hystrix
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Holocephali
Order:	Eugeneodontida
Family:	Edestidae
Genus:	Listracanthus
species
L. beyrichi L. eliasi L. hildrethi L. hystrix L. pectenatus L. wardi L. woltersi

Listracanthus is a genus of extinct holocephalid closely related to Edestus. Species of Listracanthus are known primarily from their tremendous, feather-like denticles, which range up to four inches in length. The denticles had a large main spine, from which secondary spines emanate from the sides, like the barbs of a feather or a comb. Listracanthus first appeared in late Carboniferous strata in North America, and eventually disappear from the fossil record some time during the Late Triassic, making it one of the longest-lived genera in the family Edestidae.

The appearance of these sharks are largely unknown. However, author and illustrator Ray Troll mentions in his book, Sharkabet, about how paleontologist Rainer Zangerl once discovered a large shale slab containing a long, eel-like fish covered in long, spine-like denticles characteristic of the genus, only to have it dry out and crumble into dust. As such, according to Zangerl's account, Troll reconstructs Listracanthus as resembling a tremendous, fiercely bristled frill shark.