Megalodon

One of the most misunderstood animals on the planet is certainly the shark. There are many myths regarding these stunning, regal fish (yes, they are fish!) whether it's due to their Hollywood portrayal or the fact that they dwell underwater.

Are sharks really just ominous, terrifying creatures of the deep? Well, no. Sharks have a bad reputation as being the top predators in the water, but there is much more to these ferocious fish.

Common Myths Debunked

Sharks are ferocious, blood-thirsty man-eaters that wait for any opportunity to strike. This is simply not true. Sharks don't go after people. Most "attacks" on people are either innocent mistakes made because of low water visibility or inquisitive bites. This is the reason there are so many more bites than fatalities.

Sharks are not preyed upon? Sharks are hunted by the killer whale, which, ironically, has a much kinder and wholesome reputation than sharks do. Off the coast of California, recent research by scientists revealed that orcas killed sharks in a surprising variety of ways, including by karate-chopping them with overhead tail swipes and by holding them upside down for an extended period of time to induce a paralytic state known as tonic immobility. Of course, humans pose a threat to sharks as well, killing tens of millions of them annually.

Every shark has a terrifying appearance. Yes, some sharks, like the hammerhead or great white, do appear to be rather frightening. Not all of them are big and torpedo-shaped, though. The deepwater dogfish, the smallest of the 400 species of sharks, is only eight inches long. The basking shark doesn't even use its teeth for feeding because they are so tiny. They are filter feeders that eat minute organic matter.

If you are purely obsessed with discovering new places to find Megalodon teeth, you are not alone. We have heard stories from people who get reminded of Megalodon teeth (and that they dedicate less time to find these exotic items) whenever they visit a dentist’s office.

Since the number of fossil enthusiasts is gradually increasing, there is stiff competition in finding these prized items. It means if you do not dedicate sufficient time and energy to find these items, someone out there will beat you in this game.

To give you an upper hand, here is a list of four prominent US locations where you can find some of the biggest Megalodon teeth.

South Carolina Blackwater Rivers

You must dive to hunt for the Megalodon teeth in this part of the country. Visit Copper Head, which is located in South Carolina. You will find a cottage industry where divers will be waiting to help you with your adventurous endeavor. Wear suitable gear for the journey and it is not recommended for claustrophobes; be aware of that before signing up for the trip. This trip also involves blackwater diving, and it is a serious sport. You might be required to show your dive certifications before you are allowed to board.

Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs State Park

Being a renowned fossil-lovers paradise in the country, the Geological Survey of the State of Maryland is the perfect place to quench your thirst for fossils, especially the biggest Megalodon teeth fossils. Build up your energy consuming the popular Maryland crab for a proper shoreline search. Here, you will be mostly restricted to public areas such as Brownies Bea

Like dinosaurs, Megalodon sharks are a mystery to us. We know little about these ancient, massive ocean-dwelling creatures, but what we do know for sure is that these were the largest sharks to ever existed.

Courtesy of the teeth-shedding system, which is also standard for modern-day sharks, paleontologists have gathered much information about this extinct species, including their average age, diet, locations, and more.

A Megalodon shark had approximately 275 teeth arranged in rows in each jaw. They shed plenty of teeth for collectors to find on beaches. But finding megalodon shark teeth is not a piece of cake.

Megalodon shark teeth can be of any color, including black, which makes hunting for Meg teeth even more challenging. But why do Megalodon shark teeth are black or any other color, for that matter?

Shark teeth of all species are white like human teeth. When a shark sheds its tooth, it turns black over the years due to fossilization. So, when you find a black tooth while hunting for shark teeth, you can say it’s already been fossilized, and its owner has been dead for thousands or millions of years.

How does a Megalodon shark tooth become a fossil?

Permineralization is a process that turns a shark tooth into a fossil. When a shark dies or loses its teeth, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and get buried by sediments over time. Lack of oxygen in sediments prevents decomposition by bacteria and keeps specimens preserved.

Accumulated sediments build pressure over buried teeth and force mineral-bearing water into the pores. Some compounds in teeth get dissolved and replaced by minerals like calcite and silica, depending on the water’s pH level. These minerals, settled within pores, crystallize and

It does not matter whether you are an experienced fossil collector or someone who has just started collecting fossils, when it comes to purchasing Megalodon teeth, you need to know certain key things in order to make the right purchase.

Everyone wants to find fossil shark teeth and a Megalodon tooth would be at the top of everyone’s list for fossil shark tooth hunters. Why not? It was the apex shark predator which possessed big, wide serrated teeth that can reach 7” in length. This tooth would be a true center piece item for any shark tooth collection. Unfortunately, Megalodon teeth are one of the more difficult fossil shark teeth to self-collect even in the US which produces more Megalodon teeth than the rest of world combined. So you want to find a Megalodon tooth? The first rule for finding a Megalodon tooth, is to look where sediments of Miocene and Pliocene age formation are exposed, and these sediments must be marine in origin.