Name:
Otodus (Greek for "inclined teeth"); pronounced OH-toe-duss
Habitat:
Oceans worldwide
Historical Epoch:
Paleocene-Eocene (60-45 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 30 feet long and 1-2 tons
Diet:
Marine animals
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Large size; long, sharp, triangular teeth
About Otodus:
Since the skeletons of sharks are composed of biodegradable cartilage rather than longer-lasting bone, often times the only fossil evidence of prehistoric species consists of teeth (sharks grow and shed thousands of teeth during their lifetimes, which is why they're so abundant). That's the case with Otodus, whose huge (four or five inches long), sharp, triangular teeth point to an adult size of 30 or 40 feet, though we know frustratingly little else about this prehistoric shark, other than that it likely fed on prehistoric whales and other sharks, as well as smaller fish.
