History of Science & Technology, Including the World of Richard Feynman, and Natural History
History of Science & Technology, Including the World of Richard Feynman, and Natural History
Megalodon Shark Tooth — California
Miocene to Early Pliocene Epoch (approx. 23 – 5 million years ago)
No reserve
Lot Closed
December 13, 07:49 PM GMT
Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Megalodon Shark Tooth — California
Otodus megalodon
Miocene to Early Pliocene Epoch (approx. 23 – 5 million years ago)
Sharktooth Hill, Bakersfield, California
5 x 3¾ inches (12.7 x 9.43 cm).
Large, bronze-brown colored tooth from the front (anterior) upper jaw position as indicated by the symmetry and wide lobes on the compressed root. Serrations on the cutting edges of the tooth are sharp with little wear, and the tip is complete with little wear. The lingual bulge shows the nutrient groove and foramina clearly. Some repair to root. An usually large megalodon tooth for its locale.
Otodus megalodon (formerly known as Carcharodon megalodon) was a giant prehistoric shark that roamed the open seas, armed with huge, serrated, razor-sharp teeth. The largest predatory shark ever to have lived, Otodus megalodon grew up to three times the size of its closest living relative, the modern great white shark. Because estimates are based solely on teeth and fragmentary vertebral remains, upper size limits of this apex carnivore range from 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 m) in length, with estimated weights ranging between 40,000 and 120,000 pounds (18 to 54 metric tons).
Otodus megalodon ranks among the largest predators ever to grace the Earth. With a name meaning "big tooth" and a bite force more than double that of Tyrannosaurus rex, it is no wonder that Otodus megalodon is considered the greatest predatory fish of all time.