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GIANT HEMIPRISTIS SERRA (EXTINCT SNAGGLETOOTH SHARK) TOOTH Bone Valley Formation - Central Florida, U.S. MIOCENE to PLIOCENE PERIOD: 23.3 - 1.81 million years ago From the Bone Valley Region of Central Florida, U.S., this is not only a VERY large example for the species of shark, Hemipristis serra, but it is a super large specimen for the region and exhibits a stunning bronze, blue and black enamel. The root is nearly complete with only a small nick on one lobe otherwise being very full and well preserved. Common to Bone Valley, the serrations and tip exhibit slight feeding wear to a small portion of the leading edge but this wear is far less than usually encountered. Unlike the very common river found teeth, Bone Valley specimens command the highest prices because they simply display the finest colors and preservation. This tooth is a rare find in this size class and especially for Bone Valley where Hemi teeth are not often encountered and when they are, they are usually less than HALF this size! The teeth of the Hemipristis serra are dramatically serrated and slanted on the upper jaw and slender and straight with no serrations on the lower. It seems like a perfect combination for certain death to prey; bottom spikes to hold you in its jaws while the curved "steak knife" uppers just saw away parts of you for the creature to swallow! Hemipristis serra is an extinct shark but has a modern relative called Hemipristis elongatus. H. elongatus lives in the Western Pacific and Indian oceans. Only attaining a length of 7 feet, H. elongatus teeth average about an 1 inch in length. Fossil teeth from Hemipristis have been found three times that in size! From the middle Miocene, 16 million years ago to the earliest Pliocene, about 4.5 million years ago, no other region in North America can claim a more varied and richer wealth of important vertebrate fossil finds than from the famous BONE VALLEY region in the phosphate mining district of Central Florida. During this time, thick forests and grassy plains covered a stubby peninsula that only went as far south to what is now Polk County. If you were to visit this area at that time, you would find six-foot tortoises, shovel-tusked mastodons, hornless rhinos, humpless camels, iguanas, gila monsters, and 30-foot crocodiles. The warm waters surrounding the area were filled with a rich variety of life as well, including long-beaked dolphins, bony fish, rays, sea cows and sharks including the notorious and now extinct giant killer shark, Megalodon. Bone Valley fossils are rare and highly-priced specimens. Due to the unique geological characteristics of the phosphate-rich region, most of the fossils are beautifully preserved with amazing detail and color. Unlike the majority of southeastern U.S. fossils retrieved from rivers and streams, Bone Valley specimens are found in dry earth and are not stained with the typical cruddy black and brown muck from rivers. Because Bone Valley fossils comprise so much variety of both ancient marine and terrestrial creatures, along with their unique and rare beauty of preservation, specimens from this locality are very rare and of great value to any fossil collection. EXTREMELY LARGE FOR THIS SHARK AND ESPECIALLY FROM BONE VALLEY - VERY RARE! 1.75" in length on the diagonal edge x 1.5" wide SOLD SH1802 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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