Myliobatis meridionalis, Myliobatis cf. microrhizus, Rhinoptera cf. studeri

SELACHIAN FISHES FROM THE FALUNS OF TOURAINE (rays)

N°	Description	Genus	Species	Family	Origin
1	fragments of jaws of eagle rays	Pteromylaeus	meridionalis	Myliobatidae	region of Savigné
2	teeth of eagle rays	Myliobatis	cf. microrhizus	Myliobatidae	region of Savigné
3	teeth of eagle rays	Rhinoptera	cf. studeri	Myliobatidae	region of Savigné

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For Pteromylaeus meridionalis, teeth are knitted together and form, in both jaws, a dental pavement which allows the animal to crush crustaceans and mollusks on which it feeds. The two other presented species differ from the first one by the fact that their teeth disperse after the animal's death. For Myliobatis cf. microrhizus, the crown (smooth side visible on both teeth at the top) and the root (granular or striated side visible on both teeth at the middle) have a similar thickness whereas for Rhinoptera cf. studeri, the crown is thicker than the root (crown and root visible on both teeth at the bottom). The isolated teeth of these two species are very frequent in the faluns but their state, generally broken and rolled by the ancient marine currents, is often problematic for a precise determination.