New remain of a hybodontiform shark-like chondrichthyan from the Toarcian of the Central Apennines (Umbria, Italy)

Herein we report the discovery of an isolated tooth of the hybodontiform shark-like chondrichthyan Strophodus from Toarcian strata near Polino village in the Umbria-Marche-Sabina Domain (UMS) of the Central Apennines of Italy. This discovery contributes to the limited record of Strophodus in the region, which includes only a few specimens from the Toarcian and a partially articulated dentition from the Tithonian. The reconstructed palaeoenvironment, with depths up to 250 m, supported diverse benthic communities, including bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, and ammonites that likely formed the prey base for durophagous (shell-crushing) predators like Strophodus, indicating a role as a mid-level predator in this ecosystem. Morphological analysis of the tooth suggests it is an anterior element of Strophodus, differing from other recognized species but lacking definitive diagnostic features for specific identification. In addition, alongside recent finds in India, the UMS specimens may represent some of the earliest Gondwanan records of the genus.