Schizorhiza

Schizorhiza stromeri was named by Wilhelm Weiler in 1930 for rostral denticles from the Nubian Sandstone of Egypt. The species was named in honor of Ernst Stromer.^[1] A second species, S. weileri, was named by Giselda Serra in 1933 for rostral denticles from Libya.^[2] It is considered a junior synonym of S. stromeri.^[5]

Schizorhiza is characterized by its robust rostrum with over 1,800 denticles arranged in dense batteries, which form a continuous cutting edge along each side.^[5] Each denticle was replaced by a series of smaller denticles nested inside its roots and new rows of denticles grew from the end of the rostrum.^[6] Among sclerorhynchoids, this denticle arrangement and replacement system is only found in Schizorhiza and its close relative Harranahynchus.^[7] The rostrum was likely used for swiping and slicing prey like sawfishes^[5] and has earned Schizorhiza the common name of "slasher ray".^[8]