What appears to have been the basis of Xenacanthus's early evolutionary success versus modern sharks?
Answer
Specialization via unique skeletal and dental armor
The evolutionary success of the *Xenacanthus* lineage, particularly throughout the Carboniferous and Permian, was built upon a foundation of highly specialized morphology rather than generalized features. Unlike many later sharks that relied on complex hydrodynamic body shapes for broad dominance, *Xenacanthus* thrived through its specific adaptations, namely the twin spines for passive defense and the distinctive herringbone dentition for specialized prey capture. This specialization within a stable freshwater niche suggests their evolutionary design was extremely efficient for that specific set of environmental pressures over a vast timescale.
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