Odontus (Carcharodon) Megalodon Shark Tooth The Ledge N. Carolina USA (EA10621)

  
Carcharocles megalodon (Agassiz, 1843), originally described as Carcharodon megalodon by Louis Agassiz in 1843, is represented here by a well-preserved tooth measuring approximately 99 mm in slant height and weighing 132 grams. The crown is triangular and robust, with serrated cutting edges and a clearly defined lingual bourlette separating the enamel from the root. The enamel retains natural surface texture consistent with Miocene phosphatic mineralisation, without artificial enhancement. The bilobate root is proportionate and structurally intact, displaying symmetrical lobes and solid preservation typical of mature individuals of this species. The morphology conforms closely to established diagnostic features for Carcharocles megalodon.

This specimen was recovered from "The Ledge, " Atlantic Ocean offshore North Carolina, USA, within the Hawthorne Formation. The Hawthorne Formation is Miocene in age, dating approximately between 23 and 6 million years ago, and represents shallow marine depositional environments characterised by phosphatic sands and silts deposited in warm subtropical coastal systems. These marine sediments supported diverse vertebrate faunas, including large lamniform sharks. Teeth of Carcharocles megalodon from this formation are typically derived from consolidated strata exposed on submarine ledges and are frequently recovered by offshore diving operations, reflecting long-term marine reworking.

At 99 mm in slant height and weighing 132 grams, this tooth falls within the mid-to-upper size range for the species and represents a mature individual. The specimen presents as complete, with crown and root intact and structurally stable.

Serrations remain visible along the cutting edges, and the bourlette is well preserved, ensuring clear diagnostic identification. Minor natural wear consistent with marine deposition may be present but does not detract from structural clarity. As a loose fossil element, the tooth displays cleanly for study and exhibition, with proportions and morphological features readily observable. Collected in the 2000s from offshore North Carolina, this specimen derives from one of the most historically productive Miocene marine units in North America for large lamniform shark material.

Carcharocles megalodon represents one of the most significant macropredatory sharks of the Neogene fossil record and has undergone several generic reassignments reflecting ongoing phylogenetic discussion; however, Carcharocles remains a widely accepted and stable treatment within both academic and advanced collector contexts. Dating to the Miocene epoch (approximately 6-23 million years ago), this tooth represents a characteristic example of one of the largest predatory sharks known from the fossil record.

Its documented locality, stratigraphic context, and solid preservation place it firmly within established scientific literature and North American Miocene collecting traditions.