UNAM discovers fossils of a new prehistoric species in Yucatan cenotes.

MEXICO CITY.- A group of Mexican scientists discovered a new species of porcupinefish in the cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico.

According to the Heraldo de México, the discovery was made by experts from the UNAM Geology Institute, in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS) and the Chicxulub Institute for Scientific Research and Advanced Studies.

The new species was named Chilomycterus dzonotensis , in honor of the cenotes where it was found, called “dzonot” in the Mayan language.

This fish belongs to the Diodontidae family, famous for its ability to inflate itself as a defense and its spine-covered skin. The bone structure found includes a premaxilla with two types of teeth , one for scraping and the other for crushing, confirming its classification within the porcupine fish group.

A window to Mexico’s maritime past

The discovery is part of a group of 
22 marine animal fossils found by specialized divers in the Sambulá (Motul), San Juan (Homún), and X-Nabuy (Suma) cenotes. Among the remains were also sharks (such as the megalodon and the prehistoric tiger shark), manta rays, and bony fish.

The researchers explained that these cenotes formed on a carbonate platform known as the Carrillo Puerto Formation, dating back between 11.6 and 3.6 million years. At that time, the area was a shallow sea filled with coral reefs, which fostered a great marine diversity.

The study was led by paleontologist Kleyton Magno Cantalice Severiano and included the participation of Professor Hugo Enrique Salgado Garrido of the UNAM Faculty of Sciences and shark expert Gerardo González Barba of the UABCS.