Description

Late Paleocene

Ouled Abdoun Basin, Phosphate Deposits

Morocco

0.9 inch tooth.

Shark.  Otodontidae.

Otodus is genus of large shark that appeared during the Early Paleocene and was an apex predator by the Early Eocene, perhaps reaching 35 feet in length.  One of its descendants is Carcharocles megalodon, one of the last members of the family, Otodontidae.

Deformed (pathologic) shark teeth are seen in the fossil record just as they are today.  They can be caused by genetic mutation. disease, or injury.  With this tooth it appears there was an injury where the tooth was developing which caused it to take an irregular shape.