Helicoprion: The Spiral Saw of the Permian Seas episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 11, 2026 · 4 MIN

Helicoprion: The Spiral Saw of the Permian Seas

from Intellectually Curious · host Mike Breault

We unravel Helicoprion, the Permian cartilaginous fish whose jaw formed a circular saw. For a century scientists misidentified the spiral tooth-whorl. A pivotal Idaho 4 specimen with preserved jaw cartilage and 2013 CT scans finally revealed the saw tucked inside the lower jaw, a self-sharpening bite-feeder that sliced soft prey and crushed shells. We explore what it ate, how its jaw worked, its global pelagic lifestyle, and how modern imaging solved one of paleontology's oldest mysteries.Note:  This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes.  Please double-check any critical information.Sponsored by Embersilk LLC

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 11, 2026

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Helicoprion: The Spiral Saw of the Permian Seas

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