Fossil Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Teeth For Sale

Hemipristis sharks have some of the most beautiful and horrifying dentition of the entire shark world. Hemipristis, known as snaggletooth sharks, belong to the weasel shark family. The genus Hemipristis contains one surviving species as well as several extinct species.

Lot of Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Teeth - Aurora, NC #195555

Lot of 20 Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Teeth - Aurora, NC

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Huge, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina #280074

1.70" Huge, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina

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Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Huge For Species #270014

1.65" Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Huge For Species

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Huge, Serrated, Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth #178626

Huge, Serrated, 1.86" Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth

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Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida #145137

1.84" Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida

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Large, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina #289244

1.56" Large, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina

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Serrated, Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina #202450

Serrated, 1.55" Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - South Carolina

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Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC #201800

1.62" Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC

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Serrated, Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth #178625

Serrated, 1.58" Fossil Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth

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Huge, Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida #113802

Huge, 1.73" Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida

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Large, Hemipristis Shark Tooth - Maryland #92146

Large, 1.52" Hemipristis Shark Tooth - Maryland

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Huge, Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia #74773

Huge, 1.78" Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia

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Large, Black, Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia #46608

Large, Black, 1.60" Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia

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Huge Hemipristis Tooth From Georgia - #7643

Huge Hemipristis Tooth From Georgia - 1.50"

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Large 1.46 Inch Hemipristis Tooth

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Huge, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC #195030

1.7" Huge, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC

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Large, Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC #143856

Large, 1.50" Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Tooth - Aurora, NC

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Large, Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida #113787

Large, 1.55" Fossil Shark Tooth (Hemipristis) - Bone Valley, Florida

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Hemipristis Fossil Shark Tooth - Bone Valley #99817

1.5" Hemipristis Fossil Shark Tooth - Bone Valley

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Large, Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia #74770

Large, 1.47" Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia

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Beautiful Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek (Aurora), NC #47638

Beautiful 1.41" Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek (Aurora), NC

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Large, Colorful West Virginia Hemipristis Serra Tooth

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Perfect Hemipristis Shark Fossil - Large

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Hemipristis Shark Tooth Fossil - Virginia #96700

1.44" Hemipristis Shark Tooth Fossil - Virginia

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Beautiful, Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia #74775

Beautiful, 1.51" Fossil Hemipristis Tooth - Georgia

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Huge, Hemipristis Shark Tooth Fossil - Virginia #50026

Huge, 1.69" Hemipristis Shark Tooth Fossil - Virginia

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Super Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek #26703

Super 1.25" Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek

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Super / Inch Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek #1674

Super 1 1/2 Inch Hemipristis Tooth - Lee Creek

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Killer Hemipristis Serra Tooth From Florida

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Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Lower Tooth - South Carolina #270055

1.33" Snaggletooth Shark (Hemipristis) Lower Tooth - South Carolina

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When Did Hemipristis Sharks Live?

There are multiple extinct species of Hemipristis sharks and one extant species within this genus. Hemipristis curvatus is the earliest extinct species, which lived during the Eocene (55.8-33.8 mya). It was then followed by Hemipristis serra, which lived through the Oligocene-Miocene (33.9-5.2 mya). When the Pliocene (5.3 to 2.6 mya) approached, H. elongata, a smaller version of the massive H. serra, arose. This species is still living to this day.

Where Did Hemipristis Live?

Giant snaggletooth sharks terrorized the Atlantic Ocean during the Tertiary and were considerably larger than their modern relatives, attaining lengths of up to 7 meters. Given their range, many fossil teeth are collected in Florida, South Carolina, and other areas along the Atlantic coast. Hemipristis sharks preferred warm water. As the temperature of the oceans cooled with the approach of the Pliocene, H. serra retreated from northern latitudes before becoming extinct, giving way to H. elongata, which currently inhabits the warmer southern oceans. Thus their once near-global range was sharply reduced.

What Makes Hemipristis Teeth Special?

Hemipristis teeth are coveted for their exotic shape and beautiful color. Teeth from the southern Atlantic Coast are especially prized, displaying lighter coloration that highlights the serrations. Hemipristis’ morbid grin was an instrument of death. These sharks would hook and slice prey using two distinct types of teeth. The broad, triangular, highly serrated teeth of the upper jaw act like steak knives, sawing through prey with ease. Their bottom teeth have a sharp point that serve as forks, spearing prey and holding it in place while the top teeth go to work. Both top and bottom teeth have a large protuberance on the labial face of the root. The bottom teeth look more like those of a Sand Tiger shark than what would be expected from Hemipristis: when these teeth were initially dug up, collectors didn’t recognize that both forms of teeth were from the same shark.

What Did Hemipristis Eat?

Hemipristis sharks ate a variety of marine animals, including bony fish, crustaceans, and other sharks. Marks made by the teeth of the now extinct H. serra are often found on the bones of the manatee Metaxytherium, suggesting that H. serra had an affinity for ancient sirenians (sea cows). Understanding this proclivity, it is possible to assume that their serrated teeth could make short work of any prey they chose.

Fun Fact!

In 2014, a man in Maryland was digging the foundation for an addition to his house when he accidentally stumbled upon the most complete skeleton of H. serra to date. This specimen was estimated to have been around 10 feet in length, though only a partial spinal column was found. The jaw was in very good shape and even had some preserved cartilage fossilized where the upper and lower jaws meet.

FOSSIL SNAGGLETOOTH SHARK (HEMIPRISTIS) TEETH FOR SALE

When Did Hemipristis Sharks Live?

Where Did Hemipristis Live?

What Makes Hemipristis Teeth Special?

What Did Hemipristis Eat?

Fun Fact!