Description

This stunning fossil tooth of Otodus megalodon, measuring 140 mm, belonged to one of the most impressive marine creatures ever to inhabit the Earth. The Megalodon lived between the Miocene and Pliocene epochs (approximately 23–3.6 million years ago) and is considered the largest predatory shark known to science, with an estimated length of up to 20 meters and a jaw span exceeding 2 meters.
The specimen displays natural glossy enamel with shades of dark brown and ochre yellow, a robust and well-preserved root, and a cut section that reveals the internal dentin, perfectly visible in cross-section.
Its coloration varies elegantly from deep black and brown to beige with ferruginous inclusions, a direct result of the mineralization process over millennia, influenced by minerals such as iron, silica, and manganese present in marine sediments.
Megalodon teeth were continuously replaced: the animal lost thousands throughout its life, and they regrew rapidly. This is one of the reasons why so many are found today as fossils.
The V-shaped structure and serrated edges served to grip and tear large prey, such as whales and early dolphins.
Megalodon is not an ancestor of the modern great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), but a distant relative from the Otodontidae clade, distinguished by specific evolutionary traits.
This tooth comes from Miocene marine sediments, collected in North Carolina, a region renowned for the exceptional preservation of Megalodon fossils.
A fossil of great visual impact and paleontological significance, ideal for discerning collectors, museum displays, or enthusiasts of natural ocean history.