The giant prehistoric shark, Carcharodon megalodon, was an incredibly successful apex predator that dominated the world’s oceans in the Miocene and Pliocene epochs 23–2.6 million years ago. Evolved from the earlier giant shark, Otodus obliquus — a type of ancient mackerel shark that grew larger than a great white — the Megalodon’s huge size (over 60’ in length) was probably a result of the evolution of large sea-going mammals during the Eocene.

 

Like most sharks both extinct and extant, the Megalodon regularly shed its teeth as they became worn or damaged. This particular tooth is close to 5” from root to tip, with a beautiful pitch-black enamel (a product of the fossilisation process) and clear serrations. Framed in driftwood and sympathetically hand-finished, this fossil would make a great talking point in any home.