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Megalodon Teeth

Fossils of teeth from Giant Megatooth Shark
(© Lollo Enstad/San Diego Natural History Museum)

Two fossilized teeth from a megalodon (Carcharodon megalodon) dating back more than 20 million years. Their teeth can reach a diagonal length of seven inches! The ancestry of great white sharks has long been debated, but by looking closer at shark teeth scientists know that the giant megatooth shark was not an ancestor of the great white shark. More about the great white shark can be found in our Great White Shark featured story.

Tags: Paleobiology