Frequently only isolated teeth of shark are present in these ancient sediments. To get a complete picture of a shark’s dentition, scientists have to put these isolated teeth together using information from modern sharks. Having a fossil such as this one with its teeth in their natural positions is important because the shapes of particular teeth and their orientations in the jaw help determine how shark species are related to one another.
(bottom) Image 3: Photograph of the specimen as it appears in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, with nose toward the top of the photo and spinal column toward the bottom. [Photo by Dana J. Ehret]
CONTACT INFORMATION Mr. Dana Ehret Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida dehret@flmnh.ufl.edu 352-273-1936 (office) 352-871-7944 (cell)