330-million year-old shark teeth discovered in the Burren

This is the first record of these unusual fossil shark teeth in the Burren

Crusher tooth of fossil shark Psephodus magnus (6cm long) discovered by Emma Glanville (NPWS) in the Burren National Park. Picture: Eamon Ward.

Fossilized shark teeth dating back 330m years have been discovered in the Burren in Co Clare.

They were found by Phoebe Larkin and Emma Glanville of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and local guide Cormac McGinley. It is the first record of these unusual fossil shark teeth in the Burren.

Shark teeth and a fin spine were identified by Cliffs of Mother UNESCO Global Geopark geologist, Dr Eamon Doyle, and his colleagues Dr Wayne Itano of University of Boulder, Colorado, and Dr Aodhán Ó Gogáin of National Museum of Ireland.

The Burren teeth have been identified as Psephodus magnus, a type of shark that had flat, robust dental plates for crushing prey such as shellfish.

While there are a few modern relatives of these fish, they are distantly related to the modern deep-sea ratfish.

A fin spine found in Donegal belonged to Oracanthus milleri, an example of an extinct lineage of shark-like fossils known as acanthodians or spiny sharks from which all sharks evolved over 400 million years ago.

Geologist Dr Eamon Doyle, who has been researching other Carboniferous fossil fish, said: “It was exciting to be notified of these discoveries, as they are the first ever records of any kind of fossil fish from these locations. In addition, it is important to note that they were not found by trained palaeontologists but by people who keep an eye out for interesting things in the rocks where they work – a good example of citizen science.”

Phoebe Larkin of the NPWS said: “While the primary focus of the NPWS is on modern-day biodiversity, it is important to note that the Burren contains a significant record of ancient biodiversity as well, and we are delighted to have contributed this new material.” 

Anybody who finds something they think might be an interesting fossil is encouraged to leave it in place and send a photograph to [e-mail], where it will be assessed and hopefully identified.

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark is managed by Clare County Council and supported by Geological Survey Ireland.