These teeth overlap in both broad form and edge treatment. Root proportions, jaw position, size, age and locality must carry more weight than silhouette alone.
Massive triangular crown, regular serrations, thick root and often a visible bourlette between crown and root.
Flat, broad triangular blade with coarse serrations and no lateral cusplets.
Broad triangle
Broad triangle
Fine serrations / Coarse serrations
Coarse serrations
No side cusplets
No side cusplets
Deep V-shaped root / Wide / nearly flat root
Deep V-shaped root / Wide / nearly flat root
45–180 mm reference range
18–76 mm reference range
Anterior teeth are tall and symmetrical; laterals broaden and become oblique.
Upper teeth are broad cutting triangles; lower teeth are narrower and more erect.
Warm temperate to tropical coastal and offshore seas worldwide.
Temperate and subtropical coastal and offshore waters.
Large marine mammals, fishes and other sharks.
Fishes, rays, seals, sea lions and carrion; diet changes with age.
Most evidence-based reconstructions cluster around 15–18 m (49–59 ft), with larger claims more uncertain.
Large adults commonly 4–5 m (13–16 ft); exceptional individuals exceed 6 m.
About 108,000–182,000 N in one scaled biomechanical model—not a direct measurement.
Up to about 18,000 N predicted for a very large individual in a computer model—not measured in a living shark.
Miocene–Pliocene teeth are widespread in marine deposits on several continents.
Teeth occur from the Pliocene to Recent and may be mineral stained.
Large size alone is not enough. Broken roots, juvenile teeth and worn serrations can make megalodon overlap with other otodontids.
Position in the jaw changes the outline substantially. Fossil great-white teeth may be dark or mineral stained.
Illustrations are original TuffShark diagrams, not photographs taken from either reference.
KEEP COMPARING