Megalodon Fossil Tooth
(Carcharocles megalodon)
Tooth (ANSP 959)
This photograph shows the lingual (from inside the mouth) view of the tooth. The darkened base is at the top and the serrated edges can be seen along the left and right margins.
Coloration in megalodon tooth fossils varies with the chemistry of the sediment in which they are found. For example, yellowish or reddish teeth typically result from iron oxides. In addition, the color of this specimen may have been altered by different storage conditions since it was first collected in 1806.
You can see the donor's name, "Thos. Jefferson" along the left margin, and "American Phil. Society" along the right margin. A nickel is shown for scale.