2.28" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Shark Tooth - North Carolina

Fossil Broad-Toothed Mako Shark Tooth - North Carolina #272970

This is a 2.28" fossil broad-toothed mako tooth, collected on the North Carolina coast. It was found by commercial divers collecting "the ledges" in about 100 feet of water. It would have eroded out of the Pungo River Formation putting its age in the range of 13.6 to 15 million years old. The broad-toothed mako is thought to be the direct ancestor of today's great white shark.

This shark, whose teeth can be found in deposits worldwide, lived from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. It had been historically classified as a broad-toothed mako shark (Isurus hastalis). It was then reclassified as Cosmopolitodus hastalis, making it a type of extinct mackerel shark.

More recent research has reclassified it as part of the white shark lineage, which would rename the species to Carcharodon hastalis. You can read more about this here. What classification is correct is still under debate, leading to lots of different labels for these teeth. We prefer the most recent interpretation and label them as Carcharodon hastalis.

Teeth of this shark have been found up to 3 1/2 inches in length but teeth over 2 1/2 inches are uncommon and very rare over 3 inches.

SPECIES

Carcharodon (Isurus) hastalis

AGE

Late Miocene (13.8 to 16 Million Years)