Scientists in Chile have uncovered new fossils of an ancient sawshark species — and named it after Chansaw Man’s Pochita.
A study published in the prestigious Papers in Palaeontology scientific journal from The Palaeontological Association revealed a wide variety of fossil sharks and rays in the Bahía Inglesa Formation of the Atacama region in Chile.
The structurally complex geological region is renowned for its rich fossil deposits, and is the home of the world’s best-preserved Cenozoic marine vertebrate assemblages (group of fossilized organisms).
The research team, led by Dr. Jaime Villafaña from the Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception, identified 241 fossils — corresponding to 19 types of cartilaginous fish dating back 7 million years. Findings included an unnamed shark species with teeth so unique that a new distinct genus name was warranted: meet Pochitaserra Patriciacanalae.
A Prehistoric Pochita
Pochitaserra combines the Latin word serra (saw) with the character Pochita from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga series Chainsaw Man. Pochita is a cute dog-like devil with a chainsaw on its forehead, closely resembling the anatomy of sawsharks whose snouts extend into a toothed, chainsaw-like structure.
“It’s no secret that scientists tend to be a bit geeky, and we saw this as an opportunity to create a name that is easy to remember and that will inspire new generations,” said Martín Chávez-Hoffmeister, co-author of the study and scientific director of regional non-profit paleontology corporation CIAHN Atacama.
The new sawshark fossil also honors the late Dr. Patricia Canales
Pochitaserra Patriciacanalae also honors the memory of Chilean paleontologist Dr. Patricia Canales, remembered for her studies on marine fossils and discoveries of Ice Age fossils at various archeological sites including Pilauco Bajo in the city of Osorno.
Chainsaw Man was one of the best-selling manga of 2024 with over 800,000 copies. The Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc movie, released in 2025, surpassed ¥54 billion in box office revenue in just 24 days. The allusion to Pochita in the paleontology world is a fun intersection of science and pop culture, and a testament to the deep global reach of anime and manga.
