These fossils are part of the Palaeontology collection at Leeds Museums and Galleries.
The linked animations within this film represent a single interpretation of how each fish came to be fossilised, using the available evidence.
The specimens include:
Megalichthys hibberti: A medium to large (1-1.5m), predatory fish, with a heavily plated and robust head, large gaping mouth filled with long armour piercing teeth. It stalked the shallow swamps during the Carboniferous period, around 340 million years ago.
Rhizodus hibberti: A very large, heavily built predatory fish, measuring (7-8m) with an armoured head and robust fins. Had a metre long and huge gaping mouth, filled with 15cm long teeth. It lurked in deeper water swamps during the Carboniferous period, around 340 million years ago.
Berybolcensis leptacanthus: A small (12cm) fish with large eyes, inhabiting deeper waters during the Eocene, around 50 million years ago.
Mene rhombeus: A small (20cm), common, deep bodied fish, part of the near-shore reef ecology during the Eocene period, around 50 million years ago.
Carcharocles megalodon: The largest (18m) shark to have ever existed, with a 3.5 metre gaping mouth filled with 25cm teeth. It inhabited near-off shore environments, but possessed the ability to venture into estuaries or near shore, feeding on whales, sharks and even other Megalodons.
Fossil teeth are common and have been found worldwide, indicating its global distribution in the Pliocene period, around 3 million years ago.
Hoplopteryx lewesiensis: A small (27cm) short snouted fish with large eyes. Hoplopteryx lived in the near-shore shallow seas during the Cretaceous period, around 80 million years ago.