Tracing Millions of Years of Megatooth Shark Evolution (IMAGE)

Florida Museum of Natural History

Tracing Millions of Years of Megatooth Shark Evolution

Caption

These three teeth depict more than 50 million years of megatooth shark evolution. Megalodon's earliest ancestor, Otodus obliquus, from left, had smooth-edged teeth with a thick root and lateral cusplets, two "mini-teeth" flanking the main tooth. Another ancestor, Carcharocles auriculatus, had serrated teeth with lateral cusplets. Carcharocles megalodon had flattened bladelike teeth with uniform serrations and no cusplets.

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Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace

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