Lamnidae
Carcharodon carcharias
Great white
PliocenePleistoceneRecentuncommon
Modern apex predator. Recent (sub-fossil) teeth wash up on Florida and Georgia beaches alongside Pleistocene specimens.
Typical size
0.75–2.5″
Trophy size
3″+
Age range
0.012–2.6 Ma
Body length
10–18 ft
How to ID it in the field
- ▸Broad triangular blade with strong, coarse serrations
- ▸Smaller than meg (rarely over 2.5"), proportionally taller and narrower
- ▸No cusplets, no bourlette
- ▸Often paler enamel than Miocene teeth — younger and less mineralized
Quick reference
Shape
broad triangle
Serrations
coarse
Cusplets
none
Root
broad bilobed
Color
Cream, tan, brown — often less mineralized
Sample reference images
Use these visual references to compare angle, wear, and silhouette before making a final ID.
📷 Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
📷 Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
📷 Kevmin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
📷 Megalodon_tooth_with_great_white_sharks_teeth.jpg: Uploader Mbz1 derivative work: Regi51 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons