Please forgive my ignorance...which shark and Why?

[GDawg]

Trying to learn, so please explain if you answer. My best guess on this is some type of Sand Tiger(this might be wrong as well). There are so many that look similar that I can't figure out which one. So, extinct or still around? Which species? Why? Best guesses are OK with me, I am more concerned with the why. Found on beach at Hilton Head Island, SC. Thanks for taking time to share what you know.

[edd]

Yes, Sand tiger, why?... Because it is what it is

http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/guide_f.htm

Edited April 4, 2016 by edd

[GDawg]

Yes, Sand tiger, why?... Because it is what it is

http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/guide_f.htm

Anything more?

[GDawg]

Yes, Sand tiger, why?... Because it is what it is

http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/guide_f.htm

I used this guide and there were several species of sand tiger.

[mrieder79]

I am not familiar with the specific morphological differences between the species, but your tooth is identifiable as a sand tiger sharks because of the two small, pointy cusps, the long thin blade, and the half-moon shape of the bottom of the root.

[GDawg]

I am not familiar with the specific morphological differences between the species, but your tooth is identifiable as a sand tiger sharks because of the two small, pointy cusps, the long thin blade, and the half-moon shape of the bottom of the root.

I probably should have used the term genus rather than species...

[sixgill pete]

due to the size, where it was found I would call it Carcharias sp. but is probably Carcharias taurus. Can't give you any better reason than that, just what my instincts tell me.

[siteseer]

As worn as it is, it might be tough to say whether it is Carcharias or Odontaspis but it is a sand tiger shark (aka sand shark) as a general term. Teeth wash up at Hilton Head occasionally but I don't know if anyone knows what formation they come from. Therefore, it's impossible to determine the age (anytime from maybe the Early Miocene to perhaps within hundreds of years). We might say it's more likely Carcharias simply because it is more of a shallow water shark and Odontaspis (like O ferox) is more of a deepwater shark, but that's hard to say because if it is from the Miocene, sea level was higher then.

It's a nice find as it is but it was found out of its context. It's like finding a broken arrowhead in a river. It might have bumped along the bottom some distance until it dropped out of the main force of the current. If it had been found at its original level in the bank, there might be more to say about its age and environment at the time of its deposition.

Trying to learn, so please explain if you answer. My best guess on this is some type of Sand Tiger(this might be wrong as well). There are so many that look similar that I can't figure out which one. So, extinct or still around? Which species? Why? Best guesses are OK with me, I am more concerned with the why. Found on beach at Hilton Head Island, SC. Thanks for taking time to share what you know.

[GDawg]

due to the size, where it was found I would call it Carcharias sp. but is probably Carcharias taurus. Can't give you any better reason than that, just what my instincts tell me.

I can definitely see why you say C. Taurus when I look at just pics of them. It gets confusing when I go back and forth looking at different species.

[GDawg]

As worn as it is, it might be tough to say whether it is Carcharias or Odontaspis but it is a sand tiger shark (aka sand shark) as a general term. Teeth wash up at Hilton Head occasionally but I don't know if anyone knows what formation they come from. Therefore, it's impossible to determine the age (anytime from maybe the Early Miocene to perhaps within hundreds of years). We might say it's more likely Carcharias simply because it is more of a shallow water shark and Odontaspis (like O ferox) is more of a deepwater shark, but that's hard to say because if it is from the Miocene, sea level was higher then.

It's a nice find as it is but it was found out of its context. It's like finding a broken arrowhead in a river. It might have bumped along the bottom some distance until it dropped out of the main force of the current. If it had been found at its original level in the bank, there might be more to say about its age and environment at the time of its deposition.

Thanks for taking the time to give such good info.