4.1 cm dark tooth from a Hemipristis serra

4.1 cm dark tooth from a Hemipristis serra

The 4.1 cm tooth of Hemipristis serra has dark patterned enamel and beautifully preserved, very sharp serration. The black matte tooth root is also well preserved. The tooth comes from the shark's upper jaw. Hemipristis serra was an impressive prehistoric shark from the Hemigaleidae family that lived in tropical and subtropical seas from the Oligocene to the Pliocene. This species is particularly well known for its characteristic teeth, which are highly asymmetrical and saw-like. This shape gave it the English nickname “Snaggletooth Shark.” Hemipristis serra could probably reach a length of up to three meters. Its relationship to today's wobbegong-like sharks demonstrates the evolutionary diversity of requiem sharks.