The Miocene fauna from a Malta site might appear to have minor relevance to Lee Creek, however as a significant work on Miocene sharks, Purdy et al (2001) was consistently cited by the authors. This new paper then becomes one of the first instances where Purdy et al are exposed to peer review from a European perspective. Although Ward & Bonavia focused on the Malta fauna, the below comments are presented from a Lee Creek relevance perspective.

Hexanchus RAFINESQUE 1810. H. gigas (SISMONDA 1857) has been traditionally used for Mio-Pliocene material. Purdy et al noted the similarity of the Lee Creek teeth with those of the extant species H. griseus (BONNATERRE 1788) but listed them as H. sp. Ward & Bonavia went with H. griseus for the Malta specimens.

Carcharias RAFINESQUE 1810. W&B ascribed to C. taurus RAFINESQUE 1810 the Miocene sand tigers of Malta which had been previously assigned to C. acutissima AGASSIZ 1844. At Lee Creek, Purdy et al. assigned the Miocene sand tigers to C. cuspidata AGASSIZ 1843 and the Pliocene to C. taurus. (I will make no attempt to put into words what they did with C. acutissima.)

Cosmopolitodus GLIKMAN 1964. W&B used this ancestral Great White genus for those teeth traditionally ascribed to the 'broad toothed mako' (Isurus hastalis AGASSIZ 1843). Purdy et al resurrected xiphodon for the more robust Pliocene variation of these teeth. W&B have followed Leriche (1926) and again synonymized xiphodon with hastalis.

Isurus RAFINESQUE 1810. As had Purdy et al, W&B have also used I. oxyrinchus RAFINESQUE 1810 for the narrow-toothed Miocene makos traditionally ascribed to I. desori AGASSIZ 1843. However, W&B also include I. retroflexus (AGASSIZ 1843) in the Maltese fauna whereas Purdy et al synonymized both I. desori and retroflexus Lee Creek teeth with I. oxyrinchus.

Carcharoides AMEGHINO 1901. W&B ascribe C. catticus (PHILIPPI 1846) to the Maltese fauna and go on to provide their arguments (based on gross morphology and histology) that Purdy et al were incorrect when they argued that C. catticus should be viewed as a junior synonym of Triaenodon obsesus (RÜPPEL 1835). W&B attribute these Lee Creek teeth to C. catticus.

Carcharocles JORDAN & HANNIBAL 1923. It should be no surprise that W&B argue and go on to use this genus (rather than Carcharodon) for these mega-toothed sharks. Also touched upon is the morpho-chronospecies argument — was there ever more than one species in this genus.

Physogaleus CAPPETTA 1980. Perhaps the most controversial part of this paper is related to this genus. Understandable is the assignment of Galeocerdo contortus GIBBES 1849 to Physogaleus (long overdue in my opinion). Less intuitive is first deeming contortus a junior synonym of G. aduncus (AGASSIZ 1843). I'm sure well hear more about this in the future. This section also synonymized Purdy et al.'s Miocene Megachasma with a (para)symphyseal of P. aduncus (formerly contortus).

Rhynchobatus MÜLLER & HENLE 1837. While including this genus in the Maltese fauna, W&B took exception to the usage of Rhinobatos for the Lee Creek teeth (in Purdy et al), which are also of a Rhynchobatus design.

Ward and Bonavia cover these topics and the balance of the fauna in much greater detail. This thumbnail overview is directed at aspects particularly relevant to those interested in the Lee Creek fauna.

Purdy, R., Schneider, V., Appelgate, S., McLellan, J., Meyer, R. & Slaughter, R., 2001. The Neogene Sharks, Rays, and Bony Fishes from Lee Creek Mine, Aurora, North Carolina. In: Geology and Paleontology of the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina, III. C. E. Ray & D. J. Bohaska eds. Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, No 90. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. pp. 71-202.