Shark Tooth Identification

Our Collections: Collections, Shark Fossils, Shark Dentitions, Shark Tooth Identification, Megalodon, Lee Creek Parotodus

Fossil shark teeth, the most collected fossil in the world, are the most common fossil found in the neighboring phosphate mine.

Shark teeth range in size from microscopic to 6+ inches! To date, nearly 50 species of sharks have been noted in the Lee Creek faunal record.

Hexanchidae
Hexanchus sp. (Sixgill Shark)
Notorynchus cepedianus (Broadnose Sevengill Shark)* replaced N. primigenius

Echinorhinidae
Echinorhinus cf. E. blakei (Bramble Shark)

Squalidae
Squalus sp. (Dogfish Shark)
Isistius sp. (Cookiecutter Shark)

Squatinidae
Squatina sp. (Angel Shark)

Parascyllidae
   Megascyliorhinus miocaenicus (Collared Carpetshark)

Ginglymostomatidae
   Ginglymostoma sp. (Nurse Shark)

Rhincodontidae
   Rhincodon sp. (Whale Shark)

Odontaspididae
   Carcharias taurus (Sand Tiger/Spotted Ragged-tooth Shark)
   Carcharias cuspidata (Sand Tiger Shark)
   Carcharias sp. (Sand Tiger Shark)
   Odontaspis ferox (Smalltooth Sand Tiger Shark)
   Odontaspis cf. O. acutissima (Sand Tiger Shark)

Megachasmidae
   Megachasma sp. (Megamouth Shark)

Alopiidae
   Alopias cf. A. superciliosus (Bigeye Thresher Shark)
   Alopias cf. A. vulpinus (Common Thresher Shark)

Cetorhinidae
Cetorhinus sp. (Basking Shark)

Lamnidae

   Parotodus benedenii (False Mako Shark)
   Isurus oxyrinchus (Shortfin Mako Shark)
   Isurus (Cosmopolitodus) hastalis (Mako Shark)
   Isurus xiphodon (Extinct Mako Shark)
   Lamna sp.
   Carcharodon subariculatus (extinct Giant White Shark)
   Carcharodon megalodon (extinct Giant White Shark)

Carcharodon carcharias (modern Great White Shark)

Scyliorhinidae
Scyliorhinus sp. (Cat Shark)

Triakidae
   Galeorhinus cf. G. affinis (Tope Shark)
   Hypogaleus sp. (Blacktip Tope Shark)
   Mustelus sp. (Smooth-hound Shark)

Hemigaleidae
   Paragaleus sp. (Weasel Shark)
   Hemipristis serra (Snaggletooth Shark)

Carcharhinidae
   Galeocerdo sp. (Tiger Shark)
   Galeocerdo (Physogaleus) contortus (Longtooth Tiger Shark)
   Galeocerdo cf. G. cuvier (Tiger Shark)
   Carcharhinus brachyurus (Copper/Narrowtooth/Whaler Shark)
   Carcharhinus falciformis (Silky Shark)
   Carcharhinus leucas (Bull Shark)
   Carcharhinus macloti (Hardnose Shark)
   Carcharhinus obscurus (Dusky Shark)
   Carcharhinus perezi (Caribbean Reef Shark)
   Carcharhinus plumbeus (Sandbar Shark)
   Rhizoprionodon? sp. (Sharpnose Shark)
   Negaprion brevirostris (Lemon Shark)
   Triaenodon obesus (White-tip Reef Shark)

Sphyrnidae
   Sphyrna lewini (Scalloped Hammerhead Shark)
   Sphyrna cf. S. media (Scoophead Shark)
   Sphyrna zygaena (Smooth Hammerhead Shark)

Reference:

Purdy, Robert W., et al., 2001 "The Neogene Sharks, Rays and Bony Fishes from Lee Creek Mine, Aurora, North Carolina" Geology and Paleontology of the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina III, Clayton Ray & David Bohaska eds., Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology, No.90; Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC, pp.71-202

Shark Tooth Identification | Aurora Fossil Museum

Shark Tooth Identification

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