Shark teeth

 

 

Shark teeth -While weathering makes exact identification difficult, along with the complex dentition of most sharks, we may have found the following types of prehistoric shark teeth on sharks tooth island.

Order Lamniformes

Broad toothed sharks that were the most common prior to the Miocene epoch.

Family Carcharoles

bulletThe largest and most impressive of the extinct sharks was C. megalodon. Finds can range from 1" to 3" long, and are fairly rare intact.
bulletC. megalodon (the really big guy!)

Family Lamnidae

bulletIsurus sp. (Mako sharks) teeth range from 1/4" to 2" long. One of the more plentiful finds.
bulletI. hastalis (extinct Mako Shark)
bulletI. xiphodon or Xiphodon ensis(extinct Mako Shark)
bulletI. desorii or I. oxyrinchus (Shortfin Mako Shark)

Family Odontaspidae

These are the narrow toothed Lamniforms, Difficult to distinguish from I. desorii's anterior teeth except for the small side cusplets. Not a common find, especially intact.

bulletOdontaspis species (Sand Tiger Shark) - Delicate teeth prone to breakage.
bulletCarcharias species (Sand Tiger Shark) - More robust than than O. cuspidata.
bulletC. taurus(extant Sand Tiger shark)

Order Carcharhindae (requiem sharks)

Family Hemigaleidae

This family of ground sharks are the most diverse and numerous modern order. They are by far the most common finds.

bulletHemipristis serra (Snaggletooth shark) - 1/4" to 2" long.
bulletNegaprion brevirostris (lemon shark) -1/8" to 1" long.
bulletRhizoprionodon and Phylogaleus species (sharp-nosed sharks) - Tiny,1/8" long.

Family Carcharhindae

bulletGaleocerdo species (tiger sharks) are usually less than 1" and not very common.
bulletG. aduncus (extinct tiger shark)
bulletG. contortus (tiger shark)
bulletG. cf cuvier (another tiger shark)
bulletCarcharhinus sp. (bull, dusky, gray and black-tipped sharks) are abundant, but hard to distinguish from each other and lemon sharks, ranging from 1/10" to 1" long.
bulletCarchahinus leucas (Bull shark)

If you are really hardcore about exact identification of shark teeth spend a few hours on the Key to Common Genera of Neogene Shark Teeth