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GALEOCERDO ( TIGER SHARK ) TOOTH
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Yorktown Formation, Lee Creek - Aurora, North Carolina
EARLY PLIOCENE PERIOD:
5.3 million years ago
From the Lee Creek
Formation in North Carolina, U.S., these are some of the finest grade fossil
Galeocerdo teeth, otherwise known as the Tiger shark. Specimens
will vary in size and color but each one is a choice and hand-select
tooth from this famous region wonderfully displayed in its own
glass-topped box. A fine grade yet, affordable fossil shark tooth for any collection.
Attaining
lengths up to 20 feet long, the Tiger shark has been known to eat
literally ANYTHING! It is a true scavenger and tends to even
swallow many items that are indigestible. Some of the items that
have been found in the stomach of a Tiger shark are a large musical drum, beer
bottles, a sack of potatoes, dogs, overcoats, a drivers license, a cow
hoof, deer antlers and even a chicken coop still with feathers and bones
inside. The
Tiger shark is second only to the great white in terms of ferocity.
It is considered to be one of the most dangerous sharks due to its occurrence
in shallow water, large size, and indiscriminate eating habits.
Many fatal attacks on humans have been attributed to the Tiger shark.
Gestation for newborn
Tiger sharks are nine months like humans. Up to 82 pups are born
live and at 2.5 feet long, are immediately independent. The Tiger
shark gets its name from the distinctive
dark bands that run from the top of its back down its sides like a
tiger's stripes. This unique pattern is strongly evident in
younger sharks but fades as the creature ages.
The Tiger shark is found in temperate and tropical seas most commonly
along the coasts of South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, the Indian
and Pacific Oceans, and in the Caribbean waters. Preferring deeper water
by day and shallow, inland water at night. The Tiger shark
tolerates a broad range of different habitats and has been noticed in
rivers and small lagoons.
The fossil teeth
offered here are all hand-select specimens and of the absolute finest
grade from this famous region. Lee Creek already produces what
many consider to be the finest color, preservation and condition of all
species that are found there. These teeth are absolute beauties
and the images above fail to capture the liquid-looking enamel,
mesmerizing color and pristine edges of these teeth. If you want
the finest example of this species, these are a must for your
collection.
On the south shore of
the Pamlico river in North Carolina near the Outer Banks lies an open
pit phosphate mine still in operation. This mine produces some of
the finest fossil shark teeth in the world and the region is known as
"Lee Creek" by most. There are four recognized
formations each with its respective representation of an epoch in time.
They are in order of oldest first, PUNGO
RIVER (Lower
Miocene), YORKTOWN
(Early Pliocene), CHOWAN
RIVER (Late
Pliocene), and JAMES
CITY (Pleistocene).
It is currently believed that the Pungo River layer once existed as a
sub-tropical marine environment. The lowest strata of this
formation is theorized to have been under 100 - 200 meters of water when
covered by a prehistoric ocean with the uppermost layer having existed
at a depth of 70 meters under water. The Yorktown layer is
believed to have been under 80 - 100 meters at its lowest strata with a
gradual decrease in the ocean depth to a point where the water was as
shallow as 15 meters at the last time period of that formation's
existence.
Approximately 50
species of sharks alone are found in the Lee Creek mine. Other
fossils exist representing skates, rays, bony fishes, mammals (mainly
marine), reptiles (turtles) and a host of marine invertebrates.
Lee Creek is a world-class site for some of the finest shark fossils.
These specimens are coveted by collectors the world over. All it
takes is to hold one of these gem teeth in your hand and behold the
beauty up close and personal. In doing so, you too, will be hooked
forever on the beauty of Lee Creek teeth.
1.2" -
1.35"
in length along the diagonal
$45
SH17
INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX
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