Sharks as a whole first appeared in the fossil record approximately how long ago?
Answer
450 million years ago
Sharks represent an exceptionally ancient lineage within the history of life on Earth. The overall group, which includes all forms of sharks, established its presence in the marine fossil record covering a time span of around 450 million years. This immense duration predates the existence of the dinosaurs by hundreds of millions of years, positioning sharks among the earliest groups to possess a vertebral column in the oceans. This long tenure underscores the deep evolutionary stability of the basic shark body plan, even as specific branches, like the one leading to the great white, diversified later on.
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