Megalodon Fossil Shark Tooth

C. megaladon (from"big tooth" in Greek) was the biggest shark that ever lived and the largest marine predator in the history of the planet. Now extinct, it roamed the seas 26 to 2.6 million years ago. This distant cousin of the mako shark is thought to have been the size of a railroad box car (approx. 60 feet long) and weighed 50-75 tons. Megaladon had the most powerful bite of any creature that ever lived (estimated at 10-18 tons of force), which it used to hunt whales, dolphins, fish, squid and sea turtles. Adult Megalodon teeth were typically in the 4-5 inch range, with teeth over 6 inches being rare and representing super-sized individuals. Fine specimens are found in the Carolinas and Florida.