Description
Megalodon Tooth, otodus megalodon 7cm long
This Megalodon Tooth, otodus megalodon is 7cm long and 6cm wide. This is an excellent specimen and virtually complete. It has perfectly preserved enamel and is still very sharp, and dates from the miocene/pliocene period between 5-20 millions of years ago.
Megalodon Sharks are one of the largest and powerful predators that have ever existed. The largest specimens grew up to 15-18 metres long, with jaws 3 metres wide. The actual name ‘Megalodon’ means ‘Big Tooth’, and they have been extinct for over 3 million years. The megalodon shark preferred warmer water, with the juveniles preferring the shallower coastal areas. It is thought that cooling sea temperatures, were the principle reason for their eventual decline and extinction. This reduction in sea temperatures was brought on by the ice-ages. Combined with falling sea levels and also a reduction in available prey meant they died out over 3 million years ago. Because sharks don’t have bones, only cartilage, it is generally only the teeth that occur as fossils. The teeth of the megalogon shark are exceptionally robust and built for grabbing prey and cutting through and also breaking bone.
The Great White Shark that is alive today grows to only a third of the size of the megalodon shark. There is still an ongoing debate about how the Great White Shark evolved. Whether the great white shark evolved directly from the megalodon shark.
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