Isurus hastalis (Cosmopolitodus hastalis)                       

This catalog contains quality teeth from the Big-tooth or Broad-tooth “Mako” shark are noted for their wide, unserrrated triangular crowns and large rectangular roots. These teeth exhibit a unique, rich copper-red color and are very showy, making them an excellent addition to your Mako shark tooth collection. No repair in this group! These are Miocene to Pliocene age teeth from coastal North Carolina.  

What’s in a name? For the fifty years, Isurus hastalis was known to me and others as the big Mako shark tooth that collectors sought from Miocene – Pliocene deposits. Everyone wanted to find a big Mako tooth. In 2001, Purdy (Smithsonsian) resurrected Isurus xiphodon for the broad-form Mako teeth at Lee Creek. It made sense, but now it is not considered a valid species. In 1964, Glikman proposed the Cosmopolitodus genus for the "hastalis" shark as Isurus hastalis was related to the Great White shark rather than the Mako. This convention was not adopted in the scientific community until the last decade; particularly with the naming of the Carcharodon hubbelli, the Great White transition tooth (late Miocene). There is also a push to rename the shark formerly known as Isurus hastalis to Carcharodon hastalis recognizing that it is an early form of the Great White shark. Ok, Isurus hastalis and Isurus xiphodon names going away, but the future name for "hastalis" appears to be unsettled. What do we call this shark if it is not a Mako? More to come in my Blog article.

No. Carolina Copper-Red site - The shark teeth from northeastern No. Carolina are noted for their unique, rich copper-red color and excellent preservation. This color is rarely seen  -  adding to the value of these Makos. These teeth are found in Hertford County in Meherrin River and its tributaries and creeks. Unfortunately, this river is very slow in exposing new teeth and commercial divers will not go there. These copper-red colored teeth are quite rare and very difficult to find which adds to their rarity. Not a rare species, but try finding one with the rare copper-red colors! A must have color for any serious Mako tooth collection. Teeth from my old inventory - very difficult  to find these teeth!

Note - all teeth sizes are slant height unless otherwise noted.