"Sharks haven't significantly evolved in appearance in 350 million years" is therefore based on reconstructions made under the assumption that the old sharks mostly looked like current sharks, which may or may not be true.

Though we can get a surprising amount of information that way, for example one change is that their jaws used be more at the end of their snout instead of more underslung like today, like so:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-technologies-reveal-strange-jaws-prehistoric-sharks-180977396

You'll note the Goblin Shark still has hints of that design.

[–] miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I made sure to say barely instead of not at all, but you're right, there was certainly some evolution happening

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Yeah, thankfully Megalodon isn't cruising around anymore. Though that might have delayed European expansion until they had metal clad vessels....

[–] zero_spelled_with_an_ecks@programming.dev 5 points 10 months ago

That sounds like a fun story, like a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies but instead it's Master and Commander and Megalodon.

[–] miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Can we even know for sure that Carcharocles Megalodon is in fact excinct?

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.de 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

You can't prove the non existence, but you can be very sure about some things. Megalodon lived near the surface, because it liked warm water(AFAIK), so it's likely that if it wouldn't be extinct there's a high chance that we would notice it, since Megalodon was kinda big.

[–] miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago

Yeah okay, seems plausible then. It's more fun to believe otherwise though, not gonna lie. After all, there's still so much we don't know about our oceans.

[–] ssfckdt@mastodon.cloud 1 points 10 months ago

I just saw one the other day at the 7-11

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Do any fish?

[–] gratux@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 10 months ago

Yes, actually. Example: Triglidae

They are bottom-dwelling fish, living down to 200 m (660 ft), although they can be found in much shallower water. Most species are around 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 in) in length. They have an unusually solid skull, and many species also possess armored plates on their bodies. Another distinctive feature is the presence of a "drumming muscle" that makes sounds by beating against the swim bladder