Where are the Megalodon Teeth from Panama?

[Rock Hound]

I've read, that one of the Megalodon nurseries; was likely in Panama.  I've also read, that Megalodon likely used the easy access between the Atlantic and Pacific; in ancient Panama.

 

I have not seen Megalodon specimens, from Panama.  There are teeth from many different locations, available for sale.  Where are the teeth from Panama?

[jpc]

Maybe they are all still in Panama, as in not allowed to leave the country.   I don't know. 

[Rock Hound]

On 6/11/2023 at 12:32 AM, jpc said:

Maybe they are all still in Panama, as in not allowed to leave the country.   I don't know. 

Ok.  I'm not shopping.  I just find it interesting, that I haven't seen pictures of teeth from that location; out of the thousands of Meg teeth, I've seen photos of.

[Al Dente]

14 minutes ago, Rock Hound said:

Ok.  I'm not shopping.  I just find it interesting, that I haven't seen pictures of teeth from that location; out of the thousands of Meg teeth, I've seen photos of.

 

The paper says only 28 megalodon teeth were found. One of the areas where the formation was exposed was the canal expansion area. I’m sure this exposure is gone since construction was completed a few years back. Here’s a photo of the teeth found.

 

 

[Randyw]

I used to live in the panama canal zone back in the mid 70s. As in 75-78. Every now and then a meg tooth would show up in the shops in panama city proper or in the base exchange. Unfortinatly this was when i was 11 and before i got into fossils. I remember seeing a huge 5 or 6” one for $60. Always wished i could go back in time and get it..

[digit]

On 6/11/2023 at 12:27 AM, Rock Hound said:

Where are the teeth from Panama?

According to the paper above, these 28 Panamanian megs are presently in the FLMNH collection. I could probably locate them if I could find the right cabinet among hundreds.

 

7 minutes ago, Randyw said:

I remember seeing a huge 5 or 6” one for $60. Always wished i could go back in time and get it.

Or set the time machine back at least 3.6 million years and they were even cheaper (though more dangerous to collect).

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Rock Hound]

1 hour ago, Al Dente said:

 

The paper says only 28 megalodon teeth were found. One of the areas where the formation was exposed was the canal expansion area. I’m sure this exposure is gone since construction was completed a few years back. Here’s a photo of the teeth found.

 

 

Thank you.

[digit]

So Panamanian megs exist but they may be uncommon enough not to be a large component in the marketplace. There are some South American localities which have megs but export prohibitions keep them from being available to collectors.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[siteseer]

I think the last time (or the time before) I visited the Florida Museum of Natural History, a beautiful place to hang out for a while, there were some of the Panama fossils, including at least one meg, on display.

[Joseph Fossil]

On 6/10/2023 at 11:27 PM, Rock Hound said:

I've read, that one of the Megalodon nurseries; was likely in Panama.  I've also read, that Megalodon likely used the easy access between the Atlantic and Pacific; in ancient Panama.

 

I have not seen Megalodon specimens, from Panama.  There are teeth from many different locations, available for sale.  Where are the teeth from Panama?

 

@Rock Hound Fossilized teeth of the shark Carcharocles (Otodus) megalodon from Panama can be found at the following formations in Panama:

 

Gatun Formation (Late Miocene, 12-8 Million Years ago), what is now the provinces of Colón and Panamá, Panama

 

Chagres Formation (Late Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago, what is now the province of Colón, Panama

 

Chucunaque Formation (Late Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago), what is now at least the province of Darién, Panama

 

Alajuela Formation (Late Miocene, 9.99-9.55 Million Years ago, what is now part of the Panama Canal Zone, Panama

 

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Shark-teeth-from-the-late-Miocene-Gatun-Formation-Panama-1-Ginglymostoma-delfortriei_fig3_259977853

 

Note: To prevent looting or excessive fossil hunting, exact locations for formations will be for now classified. 

 

 

These are the formations I know that contain C.megalodon fossils, hope this helps!!!

[Rock Hound]

40 minutes ago, Joseph Fossil said:

 

@Rock Hound Fossilized teeth of the shark Carcharocles (Otodus) megalodon from Panama can be found at the following formations in Panama:

 

Gatun Formation (Late Miocene, 12-8 Million Years ago), what is now the provinces of Colón and Panamá, Panama

 

Chagres Formation (Late Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago, what is now the province of Colón, Panama

 

Chucunaque Formation (Late Miocene, 11.6-5.3 Million Years ago), what is now at least the province of Darién, Panama

 

Alajuela Formation (Late Miocene, 9.99-9.55 Million Years ago, what is now part of the Panama Canal Zone, Panama

 

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Shark-teeth-from-the-late-Miocene-Gatun-Formation-Panama-1-Ginglymostoma-delfortriei_fig3_259977853

 

Note: To prevent looting or excessive fossil hunting, exact locations for formations will be for now classified. 

 

 

These are the formations I know that contain C.megalodon fossils, hope this helps!!!

Good information.  Thank you.

[MarcoSr]

Below is a poster presentation on the Panama Megalodon nursery.

 

 

 

 

Marco Sr.