Hi Wolfman didn't intend on making a boast for oldest thing around. just
thought i remember that data on the tooth stating that it was older then you
said but I'll take your word for it. I wish i could whip u[p a image but two
things stand in my way , one , my scanner is acting up, two i can never get
all that compression stuff right and i send giant files and get yelled at so
all i can say is that i found the tooth at the website ELASMO.COM
tooth measures 55mm from tip to dentalim (that gum stuff) or 56 mm from tip
of main tooth to base of smaller tooth . hope it helps , mark
"Otodus AGASSIZ, 1843
Extinct megatoothed mackerel shark
Lower Paleocene - Middle Eocene
ORDER: Lamniformes BERG 1958
FAMILY: Otodontidae GLIKMAN 1964
Jim Bourdon © 1999
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The oversized teeth of this family hold a particular fascination for many.
Those of Otodus are the earliest to reflect this odontological
characteristic which culminates in the huge teeth of Carcharocles megalodon
(AGASSIZ, 1837) during the Pliocene. As a member of this high profile
family, there is rarely unanimous agreement on any group of statements that
are assembled. (An excellent example is recent research by Gordon Hubbell
presented at the 1999 AES meeting. After studying 95 associated C. megalodon
teeth from Central Florida, he has begun to question whether this genus
should even be considered a Lamniform.) With this potential for disagreement
in mind, I will attempt to be as brief and unopinionated as possible.
This genus (and other family taxa) is known from isolated and/or associated
teeth and vertebrae. The teeth are triangular in shape, bear (usually large)
triangular and divergent lateral cusplets (occasionally more than one) and
can be quite massive (reaching 10 cm per Kent, 1994). The dentition is
cutting in design with upright anteriors -- the laterals (and posteriors)
become more inclined distally. The crown's enameloid is smooth and the
lingual face convex (growing stronger as teeth increase in size). There is a
well-marked basal groove (broader medially), the bulky root has a prominent
lingual protuberance and there are one or more scattered foramina. The
cutting edge is smooth in teeth identified as Otodus obliquus AGASSIZ, 1843.
Teeth of this design with irregularly serrate cutting edges are ascribed to
O. subserratus (AGASSIZ, 1843).
Fig. 1 - Otodus obliquus anterior
70 x 32 mm
Potapaco Mbr, Nanjemoy Frm, Virginia
From the collection of Mike Folmer
Otodus obliquus is a widespread species, reported from the Danian (Lower
Paleocene) through Ypresian (Lower Eocene) sediments of Europe, Africa &
North America. The serrated variation, Otodus subserratus, is scarcer,
apparently appearing in the Middle Ypresian of Europe and North America.
http://www.elasmo.com/
From: George Wolf <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, December 20, 1999 3:59 PM
Subject: shark tooth
ferreter
The tooth you have sound like (Carcharocles aurriculatis) but it only
goes back around 50 million in the Eocene period. Theis teeth only got to
around 4 in. long.
150 million years would be some were with the Jurassic and lower Cretaceous.
In the upper Cretaceous the largest tooth was about 2 1/2 in. long. Would
like to
see a scaned picture of the tooth If I found a clift like that I would have
to find a way to get some of the teeth out. The bad thing about shark teeth
when the roots are exposed to sun and weather they fall apart..
thanks wolfman
wolfman@wt,net
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