4.4" Bizarre Shark (Edestus) Jaw Section with Teeth - Carboniferous

This is a very unusual and hard to acquire offering of a fossil jaw section with three teeth from the Carboniferous-aged shark Edestus heinrichi. These rare teeth are recovered deep underground in the coal mines of Illinois. The teeth are in great condition with glossy black-grey enamel preservation and well defined serrations. Most of these teeth are found broken or worn. Specimens of this quality seldom come around!

Comes with a riker mount display case.

Edestus was a very unusual shark only known from fossils of teeth and jaw sections. They could likely reach 20 feet in length, about the same size as a modern great white. Like its other relatives like Helicoprion, it did not shed its teeth as they became worn. This caused the jaws to become elongated and resemble a monstrous pair of shears. It is unclear how these sharks would have caught and eaten their prey with this jaw configuration.

An artist's reconstruction of Edestus.  By Dmitry Bogdanov
An artist's reconstruction of Edestus. By Dmitry Bogdanov
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Edestus heinrichi
LOCATION
Lively Grove, Illinois
FORMATION
Herrin Coal
SIZE
Jaw section: 4.4" long
ITEM
#269659
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