4.2 cm perfect tooth of Cretoxyrhina mantelli ("Ginsu - shark")

4.2 cm perfect tooth of Cretoxyrhina mantelli ("Ginsu - shark")

The 4.2 cm tooth of Cretoxyrhina mantelli is in perfect condition and has wonderfully shiny gray-brown enamel and a light-colored root and bourelette. Cretoxyrhina mantelli was an impressive shark of the Late Cretaceous period. With a length of up to 8 meters and a weight of over 4,900 kilograms, it was one of the largest sharks of its time, surpassing even today's great white shark. Its physique and lifestyle resembled modern ocean hunters: Cretoxyrhina was an apex predator that hunted a variety of large sea creatures, including mosasaurs and plesiosaurs. Particularly striking were its razor-sharp teeth, up to 8 cm long with thick enamel, which were ideal for cutting through and tearing apart large prey. The genus Cretoxyrhina is also known as the “Ginsu shark” because of its sharp, cutting teeth, in reference to the famous kitchen knife. Cretoxyrhina was also one of the fastest sharks of its time, with estimated top speeds of up to 70 km/h.